"Maybe our eyes aren't working," Azriel considered.
I used a tiny bit of magic to clear my vision, but Father was still kneeling down at my feet.
"Father?" My voice was barely a whisper and trembled due to my shock.
"I'm sorry for everything I've done. I… I should have learned from my mistakes the moment I saved you from falling that day. I should have realized the pain and suffering my ignorance had caused you and Michael, yet I ignored it, focusing instead on our people. I did whatever they wanted of me in order to be the perfect King. After Isabella, they said I couldn't raise two boys by myself. I chose Claire because she was deemed to be the perfect wife. Even after her death and the damage it did to you and Michael, I couldn't ignore their complaints. A King must always have a Queen. I thought Cassandra would be different, but instead, it brought disgrace to our family name and I pushed my two sons away."
I was speechless, unsure what to say. Of course a King needed to listen to his people's pleas and concerns, but he was the leader and should have put his foot down at some point. Who cares if a King didn’t have a Queen?
A King could lead his people just fine by himself. Having a Queen by his side only benefits him if the woman has good intentions for the kingdom, which neither Claire nor Cassandra had. They were greedy, selfish, and thought only of the title and the benefits that came with it.
"Since that morning when I found your note after you left… I felt horrible. I failed both of you, yet I pretended that it didn't bother me. I hid behind a mask for the sake of our people, thinking as long as I met their demands, I'd be making our realm better. But cycles passed and even though I drowned myself in work, the demands only grew."
He took a deep breath, shaking his head in dismay. "Once Freila was born and I started to realize her slow decline, I worried I'd lose her too. I decreased my work and tried to focus on her, but she always asked for you and Michael. She didn't care about other children. Even though she was lonely, all she wanted was to see her big brothers and know what it was like to be a true family."
I noticed a tear roll down his cheek and drop to the ground beneath us. "Isabella wouldn't be happy to see us broken like this. I realized that when I arrived here and was reminded of what a failure of a King I was. I should have instilled the rules and governed my kingdom, not let them govern me. I don't know how to solve this. As Marissa said, I owe you all a sincere apology, yet Michael won't even look my way. I don't know what else to do…so I need your help, but only if you can accept my apology," Father whispered the last sentence and bowed his head to the ground.
I swallowed the lump in my throat as I stared at Father. There was so much I wanted to say. To tell him how much I craved his love and attention. How much Michael and I wished he'd taken a second out of his days to simply check on us. All the cycles lost because he wanted to make our people satisfied instead of putting his family first.
Yet, without my past, I wouldn't be standing here as the person I had become. The sadness, nightmares, and desire to escape to a realm that wouldn't judge a book by its cover allowed me to reach Heila and become a star knight.
My past was what made me a part of this mesmerizing journey, filled with ups and downs. The childhood I once wished to rewind was what lead me to Makoto and gave me the chance to experience love. Now, here I was, receiving an apology I had longed for, for so many cycles.
I sighed, kneeling down in front of my father. I noticed that his shoulders trembled and more tears rolled down his cheeks. He never cried or showed weakness unless he was terrified, as he had been when I fell off the cliff and almost died. His tears proved to me that he regretted this to the point he couldn't take it anymore.
I wrapped my arms around him, patting his back as he cried. He apologized for everything, begging for me to give him another chance.
"I forgive you," I whispered, hoping the three words were enough. It was taking everything in me not to show weakness or cry in front of him. I wanted him to realize I'd grown too, but his acknowledgment of his wrongs was like music to my ears and my heart was filled with a weird sense of happiness, feeling that I finally had my father back.
We stayed hugging one another for a long time, but I didn't mind. This was a moment I knew would set us on the path to rebuilding what was lost.
Maybe we'd be able to mend our family after all.
~AZRIEL~
"Princess, what are you doing?"
Mako froze with a pillow in her hand as she stood on the bed. I raised an eyebrow at her cute expression, looking like a deer in headlights after I caught her jumping up and down on the bed.
"I'm testing out the new mattress Father and Mother got me today. They said the other one was old and they want me to be comfortable," she explained, returning to her jumping activity.
I grinned, staring at her expression of pure excitement, reminding me that she didn't get to experience such things in her childhood. Not like Daniel and I had the luxury to either, but there was a difference between being not allowed and living in an environment that forbade you from enjoying those childlike activities.
"By jumping on it?" I inquired, closing the door behind me and walking toward the bed that she continued to bounce on.
"Yes. This is what humans do," she declared.
"I think they sleep on it, Princess. Not jump," I informed her and she paused.
"Really? I swear that's what the commercial said,” she mumbled to herself, looking deep in thought. "No, Lexi. You don't test out a bed by having sex." She rolled her eyes and I chuckled.
Mako stared at me for a few seconds before her face grew red with embarrassment. "I didn't say that," she declared, glancing away.
"Alright, Princess," I replied, giving her a sweet smile.
She paused in her jumping activities to stare at me. "What's wrong, Azriel?" she asked, looking concerned.
I gave her a curious look. "What do you mean, Princess?"
"You look sad,” she pointed out.
I blinked, not realizing that I was giving off such an expression. "Do I? I guess I'm sad I never got to experience what jumping on the bed was like. Maybe?" I commented, unsure myself. I never really thought much about Daniel and my childhood, but after Father's apology, I was feeling a bunch of emotions I wasn’t used to.
After our confrontation with Father, we had a serious talk and Daniel told him everything, the good and bads of us leaving ArchAilennia. I didn't say much about Michael, wanting him to have his chance to tell Father on his own what bothered him and everything from his experience when we were young to his career path as an investigator on Earthala.
Even though I watched in the background, I shared Daniel's happiness and sadness as they talked. I sometimes wished we could have changed things in our past, but at the same time, we were grateful for the life we'd endured for leading us to this moment.
After escorting Father back to his room, I encouraged Daniel to rest because he could barely keep his eyes open. We'd been so caught up in training and other activities with Mako that we were barely sleeping and it was catching up to us.
Mako jumped down from the bed, coming to stand in front of me. "Do you want to try?" she whispered, her turquoise eye stared into mine.
I lifted my hand, brushing the strands of her curly brown hair out of her face. "Yes. Is it hard?" I questioned.
She grinned, shaking her head. "It's easy! I promise." She turned around, setting the pillow she was holding down on the bed. I raised an eyebrow when she lifted the thin pink shirt she was wearing.
My eyes roamed over her backside, staring at the band of her white bra and then lowered my gaze to her matching underwear. I licked my lips and felt my heart skip a beat. I hadn't been intimate with the Princess, only with Hope. I had been unsure if I was allowed to, but after our conversation and Stryker's acknowledgment that he'd been intimate with the Princess, I realized that it was accepted.
She looked over her shoulder and the moonlight chose that moment to illuminate t
he room, making her look even more perfect under the radiant glow.
"Azriel. C'mon,” she whispered, the soft tone sounding more seductive than anything.
"I can take off my shirt?" I asked; a small grin formed on my lips.
She blinked in surprise, then her smile widened while her cheeks turned a light red. "Sure."
I slowly unbuttoned my shirt, taking my time with each button. She watched every movement, those blue orbs showing a hint of lust. That was a little confidence boost, and I slid the fabric off and allowed it to fall to the floor.
Mako reached out her hand and I placed mine in hers. We climbed up to stand on the bed and she handed me a fluffy pillow. I eyed the white pillow curiously, unsure what I had to do.
"Princess? What do I do with—" I began and looked up right when a pillow hit my left side. I stared in shock and my eyes widened at the sight before me.
Pure white wings were outstretched from Mako's back and their majestic feathers rained down upon us. I slowly took in her entire appearance as she smiled at me.
"You hit each other with pillows and have a 'fight.’ In the Earthala movies, they always have feathers raining down. Since we can't destroy the pillows, I thought a little feather assistance would be necessary," she hummed.
It was the first time I'd seen Mako with her wings, having only seen Hope’s in the arena. Mako’s were a little smaller and less deadly, but they fit her perfectly, just like the rest of her.
I was silent, struggling to keep my attention on her words when my body wanted to do other things. Mako approached me, lifting the pillow over her head. "Do you want another demonstra—" she began, but I cut her short, sliding my arms around her waist and pulling her into a kiss.
She froze for a moment and I noticed the pillow drop behind her. She met my gaze as I continued to kiss her. Her eyes slowly closed as she relaxed. She slid her arms around my neck and pressed herself against me, kissing me back with high intensity.
I slipped my tongue into her mouth, wanting to taste her. She was the reason we had gotten stronger. She was the light that helped us get through the tunnel of darkness. Now, she'd be our guardian angel as we strove to fight this approaching darkness.
We both were so lost in the kiss, savoring each other as our tongues fought for dominance and our bodies enjoyed the combined warmth. I didn't break the kiss until my lungs begged for air and we were both breathless. She opened her eyes slowly and they grew wide when she looked down.
I followed her gaze, realizing we weren't standing on the bed anymore, but floating in the air. I looked back up to notice our heads were inches away from the ceiling. I hadn't noticed my wings that were out and helping us stay aloft.
"Oops," I whispered and Mako giggled.
"That was a pillow fight fail,” she hummed, but tightened her hold around my neck, pulling me closer to her. My lips brushed against hers and I enjoyed how those blue orbs darkened and I knew exactly what she wanted.
"You're supposed to be resting," I whispered.
"I'll have tons of resting time starting tomorrow,” she countered.
"I won't hold back,” I pointed out, my gift already making it hard to think straight. My mind was picturing Mako's naked body beneath me as I plunged myself inside her.
"I don't want you to,” she purred, gently tugging my lower lip. I groaned, giving her another fierce kiss before pulling away.
"But—" I began, but she silenced me with her lips once more and we continued kissing as we hovered in the air.
"Think of it as therapy,” she spoke, breaking the kiss.
I chuckled. "You're not acting very angel-like, Princess," I joked and she gave me a seductive grin that made my cock harden.
"Who said I was a good angel?" she inquired, lifting her eyebrow at me.
I grinned and slid my hands to her backside to squeeze her butt cheeks. She moaned and her breathing picked up, giving me the response I wanted.
"Then let's stop delaying," I whispered, looking at her lips as she bit them sexily.
"I'm not delaying,” she pointed out.
"Truth," I whispered and sealed our lips together.
Pillow fights were interesting, but enjoying a moment of playful pleasure was the true highlight of that night.
And I prayed for more of them.
SOLACE ROTATION, VIII CYCLE 5032 - HEILA
"Look back at who you used to be, Daniel. Am I wrong?"
Father's question made me consider and reflect on everything I'd been through, my past and the present. I didn't know what the future held, especially with Mako missing, but I had grown and learned from all my mistakes.
I wasn't going to make the error of running away from my fears. I vowed to face them and so shall it be.
"You're not wrong. Everything that happened in the past had a purpose. Whether it was good or bad, it all led me to this moment and I've become stronger because of it. No need to apologize anymore, Father. We've dealt with that and I hold nothing against you anymore. Maybe one day we’ll even laugh about this. For now, I want to be able to help my fellow comrades and work toward finding the Princess as soon as we can," I declared.
Father nodded his head, looking the proudest I'd ever seen him. "Why don't you go rest? Your fellow knights all need a moment's break. Tomorrow we can work on a plan for everyone present."
"Sounds like a good idea. How long do you plan on staying?" I inquired. Regardless of the situation, I figured he'd return to ArchAilennia shortly with Freila and Marissa. He looked deep in thought for a moment before answering.
"I'd like to help with the investigation. I'm assuming you all will be going to the different realms in search of Makoto. Everyone knows how hard it is to go to Miolana, but if I come with you guys, King Kinsley would have no choice but to give us access. I’d rather Arthur stay here and comfort Catherine, Kade, and Xavier. Dealing with two sons that are complete opposites would be too much for Catherine to handle alone," Father suggested.
I nodded in agreement, knowing first hand because Stryker and Azriel took a long time to get used to one another and only got closer because of the recent events involving Makoto.
"Okay, and Freila and Marissa?" I inquired.
"They will stay here. I'd feel more at ease if Freila stays here until my return. With the knowledge that you’re a Fallen Angel reaching ArchAilennia, I don't want people bombarding her with questions. I also don't want to put her in any danger, just in case she is one too," he reasoned.
"We won't know until she's older though," I pointed out.
He nodded. "Yes. I'd like to find out if Michael is still the same or if it’s a genetic thing," Father admitted.
"Do you want me to ask him to come here?" I questioned. I knew Michael would come, but I would rather he came on his own terms.
"No need. There were issues going on in Earthala the last time I checked,” he confessed.
"What do you mean?" I questioned. "We were there only a few weeks ago."
"There's been fire outbreaks. Not your average summer heat or senseless acts of humans leaving campfires or throwing cigarette butts. We received a call from Kendrick during my talk with Arthur and Catherine so I know your brother is going to be assigned to the case. I’d rather not disturb him."
"Wait, so you know he's an investigator?" I asked. I thought he didn't care.
Father looked away, looking a bit uncomfortable. "I've known since the moment he enrolled. Kendrick does background checks for all applicants and because he's a royal he needed permission to enter something as dangerous as being an investigator for the paranormal race," Father disclosed.
"You approved it? But..." I trailed off, unsure what to say. Here I thought Father hated us. But then why would he approve of Michael entrance in PINC?
"It was my actions that drove both of you to leave ArchAilennia to find your purpose. No child at your ages should have had to endure that. The least I could do was support you both from afar. As long as you two were safe, I didn't mind. I had
undercover guards check on both of you until I knew you were old enough to defend yourselves. I wasn't too concerned with you since you were close friends with Alexander's son, but your older brother was starting a new life in a realm he knew nothing about. Once I knew he had the proper training to fight his own battles, I didn't need to check as often,” he explained.
"So he did care," Azriel whispered.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and Father looked at me, giving me a small smile.
"I care about both of you. Isabelle would be ashamed of the man she married if I completely turned a blind eye on both of you. I’m just not good at showing affection." He mumbled the last part and I smiled.
"Thanks, Father," I whispered and he blushed slightly.
"Your welcome, son,” he mumbled.
We left the balcony and he walked me to my room. "I'll keep you posted if anything comes up. Make sure you rest,” Father stressed.
I nodded in agreement. "Sleep well," I encouraged and gave him a little wave before entering my room. I sighed, feeling exhausted.
I noticed the extra pair of shoes at the door, looking up to see Marcus looking at a tablet and a map of the realms laid out on my bed. He was deep in concentration, and hadn't noticed my entry.
"Marcus," I said quietly, not wanting to scare him. He slowly lifted his head to meet my gaze and I raised an eyebrow at him.
"Oh. Wait, this is your room?" he asked and his cheeks grew red when he realized it was indeed my room and not his.
I gave him the best smile I could muster, knowing he must have been so stressed with everything that was happening that he hadn't realized where he was going.
"Don't worry about it. I didn't want to be alone anyway," I confessed, taking my slippers off before moving to sit on the unoccupied side of the bed.
Marcus gave me a shy smile and sighed, putting the tablet down to ruffle his hair.
"How's EliaseAnne?" I asked.
"Stable. Karen said once she's deep in sleep she'll review her reports. I wanted to stay or at least relieve Karen for a few hours, but she shooed me away. She looked exhausted and that's a rare sight in itself," Marcus commented.
DANIEL (The Starlight Gods Series Book 6) Page 21
