"You came to my kingdom seeking the Veritas Mirror, Prince Damon?"

Damon stood in the middle of the ice throne room and his own reflection stared up at him from the glass like floor with high pillars that clawed up, made from entirely out of ice.

Even if him and his followers resided inside the palace, the cold air still froze the very air they breathed in. It was remarkable how the Isvand citizens were not fazed by the chilling air of their empire as if it was like an ordinary spring day for them.

"If that is not a trouble for you, Emperor Adrastos" Damon spoke politely, placing a hand on his chest and lowering his head in curtesy. The crown prince of Aureum was well aware of the emperor Adrastos who was not someone who could not be easily reckoned with.

The emperor himself was not overly fond of outsiders in his lands especially ones who come here to seek ancient artifacts that belonged to his empire.

The emperor of Isvand stared down with cold penetrating eyes at the prince of his neighbouring kingdom, his gaze sent indifferent stare from the prince himself but his was hidden away from the emotionless expression.

The emperor was subtle old man who sat on his magnificent icy throne, away from the rest of the world, hair, and skin white as snow, eyes resembling frozen shards of ice that could pierce through hearts with just one look.

An old man that look so vulnerable but could blast a destructive and fearsome ice blizzard to all the lands, turning Alphyria into his winter wonderland.

Adrastos sat high and mighty on his throne, fingers intwined with sapphire rings which glittered when he tapped his index finger on the arm rest, completely bothered with this matter. He wasn't hesitant to answer the prince who came to his kingdom for such desire, a desire for something that he cannot give.

Adrastos replied with a raise of one eyebrow "You travelled all the way from the safety of your homeland searching an ancient mirror that you boldly believe I will just hand it over to you" his tone was nothing but a mockery of irritation.

Damon said nothing, his expression widened just by a little but quickly changed back to the same emotionless look. The crown prince clenched his fist angrily under his cloak, hidden from view. Of course, he didn't doubt the fact there was no chance the emperor of Isvand was going to hand him the mirror even for just a minute but accusing him to be so cocky really pissed him off.

"You Aurenins are all so conceited" he slowly rose his head up high, and the air began to get cooler by the second the emperor spoke. "Holding your noses so high because your ancestor was trusted with the power of the sun and moon" Adrastos snared, eyes beginning to glow a vibrant light blue.

Damon knew Adrastos cannot harm him, or else war will be bestowed upon them and Adrastos would never go to war with someone like Aureum even with power so great, he could never stand against the Emperor and Empress of light and Dark.

To calm the heavy chill of an atmosphere, Damon spoke calmly placing his bet on his last chance of negotiating "I know my place is to not question the emperor of Isvand why he cannot lend me the Mirror of all Truth to a prince such as I but what I want cannot not be answered other than the truth from the mirror" he continued, bowing his head in respect, again.

Adrastos examined the prince from afar, raising the same eyebrow up. "And for what reason could it be to seek something so ancient as the mirror?"

Damon hesitated to answer. Would Adrastos give him a chance to see the mirror if he told him his reason? To be able to see who Diana really is.

"What is the matter, young prince? Has the ice froze your tongue?"

"I'm afraid not" Damon replied back emotionless, his stoic face not changing one bit.

Adrastos hummed mockingly, a smirk forming in the corner of his mouth. "What could you fear to answer such a simple question?" this questioned somehow amused the emperor. Seeing such fear in the enemies always brought him excitement and the feeling of power he ruled over them.

"I fear not to answer but what I have for a request may not amuse his majesty the emperor's question" a sharp tongue for a prince made Adrastos cocked his head to the side with an indifferent frown.

There was silence for a moment which brought discomfort to the people who resided in the throne room.

Finally, after a feeling of years of silence Adrastos sighed unpleasantly "Prince of Aureum, what you seek no longer exists" he admitted with a dissatisfied expression. Adrastos rested the side of his head on the back of his hand, already feeling bored again.

Damon stood still; eyes wide open in shock. 'What? The mirror doesn't exist. Did something happen to it?'

If Damon questioned this, he doubted that someone like Adrastos would tell him. It was futile to ask. This pissed Damon even more then before.

A pleasing grin appeared on Adrastos face "Sorry to disappoint you, young prince of Aureum. But it seems you have come here for nothing".

The wave of frustration crashed upon Damon. He did come here for nothing; it was all a waste of time. "What a waste of your valuable time" The emperor seemingly had read what went through Damon's head.

"It seems so" the crown prince replied half-heartedly, avoiding his golden gaze from the emperor. A shadow had now cast itself on Damon.

"Do not fret your royal highness." He heard a young man whisper in his ear, a loyal member of his group. "We still have his highness young Edmond to seek out information we could not get". Damon was went completely silent in deep thought. It ringed a bell to him, he had forgotten about that forgetful prince of Terra whom he had sent out to get Diana.

Maybe, just maybe Edmond might find something out that he couldn't. Well, that's only if the young prince of Terra could remember why he was sent out for.

Now it was on Edmond's hand to figure out the truth behind Diana's sudden change and then bring her to her knees for harming the crown prince of Aureum and the young prince of Terra.

Adrastos stood up from his throne made from a block of ice and walked down the few steps, his heels clacking with every step he took as he approached the crown prince.

"You must be exhausted from your long trip from Aureum" He placed a hand on Damon's shoulder and stared at him blankly with those icy blue eyes. "I will have my people ready your room and for your men to rest tonight before you leave" Damon listened closely but could not find any intentions hidden behind his tone or eyes.

"I hope you have a pleasing day. Your highness"



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



The blazing red flame crackled underneath the fireplace, bringing in the only warmth of the room. The palace was already in a slumber for the night that was going to bring a new day tomorrow with the glowing perfectly round mood perching high in the dark sky.

Damon lay on the cosy bed and under the layers of soft blankets to keep him warm while he stared blankly at the dim lighted wall that casted his shadow, hoping to fall sleep at some point. However, the thoughts running his mind did not help at all and he just laid their in a frenzy of thoughts.

Not surprising it was all of Diana. Diana. Diana.

It irritated him that his mind refuses to stop thinking of the annoying spoilt brat of lady from home. Her irritating voice kept echoing in his ears and that made him gag just by remembering it, not to mention her clingy behaviour in which she would hug his arm whenever he was forced to take her to events as future wife and husband, years ago before he refused to do it anymore.

It disgusted him just the thought of it.

As he continued to get rid of Diana from his mind, her icy cold glare suddenly appeared in his mind. Those eyes that once held the love and awe for her fiancé was gone and replaced with a bitter hatred. It's those eyes that suddenly sent a cold shiver down his spine and made him clench his jaw shut from the anger.

Damon fisted the blanket and his brows come down to form a scowl. 'Who gave you permission to stare at me like that' the crown prince frowned even more just by the thought.

The golden eyes prince tossed to lay on his back, so he could make himself comfortable again. He took a long inhale and then exhaled; the back of his hand flopped on his face to cover his eyes.

"Diana what the hell happened to you?" he mumbled to himself, his soft breathes leaving him every second. For a moment when he thought he would finally nod off to sleep a faint knock was heard resulting him to peek through the gap.

He stared at the door for a few seconds, waiting for another knock in case he was just hearing things and the thoughts of Diana got him paranoid.

Damon waited patiently without moving a single muscle but there was no knock. This made him feel uneasy and he slowly rose up, sliding his hand under his pillow to pull out a dagger in case there was going to be an assassination attempt. Doubt there would be one.

When he thought there was nothing, the door began to creak open and dim light of red glowed through. He saw a dark figure hide behind the small opened door that was wide enough for peek through.

Damon opened his mouth to speak and demand for an explanation when he was suddenly interrupted by meek girl's voice.

"Prince Damon" her voice was soft and gentle like a pure melody. Damon slid his dagger back under his pillow so he wouldn't frightened the mysterious girl.

"Who is this?" Damon asked, squinting his eyes to get a better look at who is behind the door. The dim red glow outlined her figure. Long hair came down into a braid and he could make out her silk night gown she wore in her small petite body.

'Could she be one of the members of the royals' he instantly thought since no maid would enter the way she did and call his name and title the same way any other royal would.

The little girl answered after a hesitation, her eyes could be suddenly seen glowing a light teal colour. "May I came in?" her voice held concern, the nervousness in them made Damon feel uneasy.

"Damon?" she whispered desperately.

The crown prince of Aureum glanced around for a moment, trying to make up his mind whether it was the right thing to do to let her in.

If someone were to see a girl enter his quarters in the middle of the night, then there sure will be rumours to spread and trouble will create itself once again.

"Please. I need to speak to you about...." The mysterious girl paused for a moment as if she spoke the rest her tongue would be magical cut. He saw her move her head to the side then to let her herself peek in through the small gap of the door she opened, "Veritas Mirror" she continued yet her tone was much more quiet and faint like she didn't want anyone to hear her.

Damon eyes lit up widely and he rose from his bed into a sitting position. The crown knew something was off with Adrastos when he spoke as if he was hiding something, but he couldn't figure out what due to the manipulative words the emperor spoke.

If this girl knows something, then he can't grasp of then there is definitely no excuse for him to turn her away.

"You...can come in," as soon as Damon agreed to her request, the mysterious girl swiftly jumped in without making a single sound and closed the door behind so lightly that it didn't make a creak.

Damon slid his bare feet from inside the blankets and out into the cool air which made him shiver for a slight second. When he stepped on the cool floor, a shot of frozen feeling raced through his bones. 'How cold does this place needs to get?' he cursed.

"If I'm not being so rude, but who may you be knocking the door of the room I'm staying in the middle of the night in your...." Damon coldly examined her from top to bottom. The girl didn't wear any shoes and was barefoot. He cringed at the thought of walking on these cold icy floors for as long as she did. Thanks to the blazing fire in the fireplace, he could finally get a better look at her.

Perfectly shaped almond eyes that was the colour of the light teal ocean's surface that glowed lightly from the freckles of light that bounced off of her, skin was light, and her hair shone like the golden sun.

Her white night gown was simple yet elegant that came down to her ankles, covering her whole petite body while the golden hair rested in a braid on her shoulder.

The mysterious girl looked like a young princess of 15 or 16 years.

"...Night gown" he continued slowly still continuing to stare at her with a raised brow, still suspicious. The young girl blushed from the sudden realisation, and quickly avoided her eyes, placing a strand of her behind her ear.

"I'm sorry for the sudden intrusion" she said politely, bowing her head slowly. "My name is Astraea Chaiccio, the 10th daughter of Emperor Adrastos Chiaccio and the second born of lady Elvira Havardur" she introduced with same polite manner.

Damon didn't respond and only stared at her blankly, hands crossed against his broad chest hidden away by a cotton made robe he wore to keep himself even more warm.

"You may take a seat" Damon said half heartedly which made the teenage princess flinch from surprise.

"Ahh, y-yes" she said a little surprised. Astraea hurriedly looked around for a seat before she made her way to the middle of the room where there lay furniture and took a seat on a couch. She began to fiddle with her thumbs, not gazing at the cold handsome man that stood afar from her.

"You know something about the Veritas Mirror. Astraea, the princess of Isvand" he said coldly, those sharp eyes gazing at her which sent a cold shiver up the teenage girls spine.

She quickly nodded her head.

The little teenage princess glanced around as if she was terrified that wind would drag her words to the ears of the emperor, "That mirror is forbidden to be spoken of in the empire" she started with a soft voice, her light teal eyes glittered with a fearful light.

Damon began to get curious, approaching her slowly with soft steps. "Why may I ask?"

"Something happened 25 years ago that driven father in a state of terror."

Damon had grown even more curious. What had sent this subtle emperor into terror? He began to wonder.

"I doubt you know what the cause of it was" Damon said pinching his chin in thought.

Astraea nodded her head obediently "Yes. Goddess Anais had yet not brought life to me but I had accidently stumbled upon this information from a man I dare not speak of"

Damon sat down on the couch; his feet was so cold he believed he already had frostbites. He began to rub them together to get a friction of heat so the cold iceberg of his feet would melt off. He leaned forward already so intrigued with this information he felt it was illegal for him to know.

"Who is this man you dare not speak of?" He questioned with deep golden eyes that stared firmly at her.

She blushed again, still couldn't keep her heart from racing at the sight of his piercing gold eyes that was mesmerising to look at. "......" Astraea avoid his glance and gazed upon the crackling fire.

"...... Astraea" his voice breathed out calmly, bringing the girl back to Alphyria.

"Who is this man that your so frightened to speak of?"

Astraea twiddled with her thumbs and slowly turned her gaze back to his. Light teal eyes met with cold golden eyes.

Astraea's mouth slit open slightly and her gentle voice spoke out softly,

"Ophir Lancaster, the once grand duke of Isvand"













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This is my baby Astraea Chiaccio (Ps her eyes are more in the blue side then green)



Hope you loved this chapter as much as I loved writing it.

Bye bye for now