On My Way: The Demon King Made Me His

The sky looked dark and scary with rain clouds and high chances for storms. The journey looked like it is going to be difficult. Celestial Palace had prepared minimum gifts and arrangements to hold the funeral of Aqua. Emperor Tai had made plans to force King Aenon into turning the power source of Aqua in the precious fall and conduct her funeral as soon as possible and check himself if the message from the Earth was true. The typhoon did sound weird at the wrong time of the year on Earth to hit without any traces in the weather before it occurred. He wanted to see if King Aenon has been hiding her or still searching for her waiting for her return. He wanted to forcefully put an end to it catching the Water Realm before he as planned exterminated them. He did not want to have strong and righteous rulers in Heaven who have the guts to stand against him. To Tai, it was a great threat. King Aenon was setting models and rising to popularity along with his family.

Empress was not happy to have received an invitation from Water Queen Rivera, because of a history they shared. And moreover, since their children had been together, she had let go of the shady past, but losing both her sons, though Aqua also lost her life did not let her keep things off her mind. Especially the fact that Aaron was brutally murdered by the Water Kingdom's Grand Prince Aiden. Empress Lihua tried her best to put on a cool expression and walked to the front gate accompanied by her maids and royal guards. Everybody was waiting for her. 

"Her highness has come," the eunuch announced and everybody bowed as she reached. Emperor Tai looked at her for a moment and turned his head away. He felt frustrated seeing her since she had not reported to him anything about Huo'er even after pleading to her. The words echoed in his head, hoe she threatened him with her life when he requested her.

"Let us leave and reach the Water Realm before it begins to rain, let us give a surprise to Aenon by an early one day visit than the fixed date," Tai said smiling. He considered himself smart and took off. 

Aenon was relaxing in his bed-chamber. He had arranged for the banquet and prepared more wine in the guest palace. Living through all these years, under the tyranny of Emperor Tai, King Aenon had a clear idea about the emperor like the back of his hands. He had alerted the guards but sent the message to act naturally when the celestial guards reach the borders first.

Queen Rivera looked too calm and composed with so many things going on inside her head. "Lihua will be surprised today," she said keeping the crown on her head, smiling. 

"Are you sure about this my dear?" Aenon asked her.

"I have never been so sure," she replied. "We can't let them go on things in their own way trampling and messing with us," she said with so much hatred. "Did you not hear the decree, exterminate if we break the rule again, warning us?" she asked her husband.

"It is not warning, I know Tai a bit too well, it means he has already decided to remove us forever, now or later in the name of disobedience," Aenon got up. "He no longer wishes to have us around, we have become his threat and he is afraid that we might overtake him setting models," he said. 

"What an ungrateful and unworthy Emporer," She said. "If not for him and his sycophant nature, I would never have let my daughter suffer at her growing age, training till she broke her bones instead of leading a happy life like other girls of her age," regret gushed inside her heart and she stood up from her chair facing Aenon who looked at her. He smiled and patted her head.

"We should let it go, my dear," he said. "Or else we won't be able live with ourselves," he said.

"I know," she sighed. "The way I have behaved to her, forcing her, being too strict with her, I regret it after she left us, I feel empty, my hollow grows only wider Aenon, sometimes I find myself thinking about the past and crying alone, I don't how I find courage each time I break down," she said looking at Aqua's tiara on her table kept safe. 

"Talk to me, come for me when you feel broke, I am here for you, lean on me," Aenon consoled his wife, giving her a side hug.

"How can I? your highness, I don't want you to carry my worries along too," she said smiling with difficulty.

"We're a family," he reminded her. Aiden has been listening to everything standing outside the chamber, unintentionally eavesdropping on their conversation. He then knocked on the door quickly report to the king about the arrival of Emperor Tai and the others.

Aiden heard something in the distance. Like a sound similar to glasses shattering from the direction of Aqua's sea palace. The crystals she left behind were collected after she disappeared and stored with complete security in the chamber. But in a hurry, he walked back to the entrance gates to welcome The Emperor and The Empress as per the instructions given to take them to the guest palace.

Since guards were ignorant and unaware of the actions of water crystals, they did not care to notice the tiny little sounds coming from the sea palace and continued with their works. But Rivera noticed them and failed to check personally postponing the plan to do it later. She asked the guards to strengthen the security and not let a living being close to the sea palace spreading the news that it has been shut down.

Aenon put on fake smiles and laughed a lot as he welcomes Emperor Tai and brought him to the court at first. "I was not expecting you until tomorrow evening, this is a big surprise, forgive me if anything is wrong and not pleasing to you, your highness,"

"No no it is fine everything is fine as if you did prepare to welcome us, but I couldn't wait to get here and see that we no longer have troubles between us," he said giving a nervous laugh. Aenon chuckled and took him in, asking the emperor to sit n the throne-like he usually does.

"Bring some wine and cakes," Aenon ordered the guards to inform the maids to treat the Emperor and Empress. Lihua followed Tai and accompanies by Rivera in silence. It was awkward and too weird.

"Our women are too silent today are they not?" Tai said taking the seat and looked at Rivera who had a smile pasted on her face. "You look happy Rivera," he said.

"We have been through a lot recently, having guests eases my mind, am happy to your highness here," she said easily.

"She is right, having people now is like a new mode of relaxation we find while we are mourning." Aenon backed his wife. He then shot a look at the empress who stood as if she didn't hear his words. "You know what it is like losing the heir your highness," he then looked at Tai as he said it. Tai's expression changed and didn't say a word except nodding back. 

The things arranged by Tai to arrange Aqua's funeral came inside the court. "This is the least I can do for you, though it is late," Tai said heartlessly. Aenon controlled his temper as he saw the priest and other things along with flowers and clothes. "You should let her rest," he said. Aiden gripped his hand around his sword, gritting his teeth.

"Did you send search parties to arrest Fiona and Volca?" Aiden suddenly asked the Emperor. Tai smirked and looked at him, Empress too, she felt angry inside to see Aiden. The scene from the battle flashed across her eyes and Empress turned away. She was aware of how Aaron caused trouble and killed Huo but she still blamed everything and disliked Water Realm too much. Tai ignored the question and got back to the funeral again. Rivera nodded at him.

"Why not?" she said suddenly. Everyone was shocked. 

"Ma," Aiden called her. 

"I know what am saying," she started. "Aenon, Milan, and I have already prepared for this, we are waiting for Princess Milan to get back from seclusion to hold the ceremony," Rivera declared. "There is no hope, and it is time we let her rest peacefully," Rivera teared up. "Even for Huo'er, we cannot wait for long, we should let them both rest, I guess Prince Aaron has already been taken care of," Rivera stabbed everyone with her words. Empress turned red.

Tai again said nothing to this, neither did Lihua. they looked at each other, pretty locked. Aenon watched them and signaled Rivera.

"Let the men take care of things, us mothers, our fragile hearts can't handle it, can we? Let's go back to our chamber Your highness," Rivera said to Lihua. Rivera wiped her tears and asked the Empress out. She led the way and took Empress to the lily pond behind her bed-chamber.

"So adamant about exterminating my clan, are you?" Rivera changed her tone and addressed Empress Lihua dropping honorifics. 

"You figured I see," Lihua replied. 

"Seeing you since we were young, how can I not know about the intention behind each and every word Lihua?" Rivera asked her Lihua who once used to be her sister, growing up together in school until Huo'er was born, accompanying Lihua through thick and thin until she married Emperor Tai when Rivera strongly opposed it. They severed their ties the moment Lihua tied the knot and took the throne. And Lihua hated her friend since then, living the reality just like she was warned. She hated Rivera since everything she warned happened. Lihua couldn't face Rivera since then and she grew jealous seeing how Rivera lived happily marrying Aenon and having two beautiful girls supporting each other. 

Lihua took a deep breath and asked Rivera, "What are you trying to say?"

"Am saying you are still the same old foolish woman who cannot see things clearly," Rivea provoked Lihua. She could see how the empress was fuming with anger.

"Don't test my patience," Empress Lihua said and walked away.

"Let us hold the funeral for both Aqua and Huo'er shall we?" Empress stopped right there as she hears it. "Let's hold the ceremony for three of them, my daughter, my son in law and my grandson, we should, isn't just too selfish of me to hold one for Aqua alone instead of her whole family?" Lihua turned around, her eyes giving her away. "What say?" Rivera asked non-stop. 

"Er.. I.. Rivera," Lihua started. 

"What?" Rivera aksed back.