Witch's Daughter And The Devil's Son

Seren didn't wish to talk to her father but then looked at him, who was the only source to lead her to her nanny.

"She is living in the outside forest of the capital with her old companion. She wished to leave so I accepted her wishes," King Armen answered.

"She must have been tired of the prisoner's life as well. I am glad she could finally be free," Seren commented and resumed eating.

King Armen once again accepted the bitterness from his daughter and spoke, "I will send a message for her to come to the palace."

"No need. I will personally go meet her. Just like me, she must not be willing to be back to this prison," Seren replied.

The sudden silence enveloped the dining room where no one could say anything. Drayce was calm as he loved how his wife had learn to not hold herself back and continued eating with a light smirk on his lips.

Cian and King Armen quietly accepted her words, Niobe was calm as if no words could affect her while Miera looked at her father expecting him to say something but he said nothing.

"Father has to keep you like that because you always caused troubles whenever you were out," Miera finally said as she could not be quiet.

King Armen looked at his second daughter. "Miera...."

"I wonder why you were not put in prison as well. I was not the only one creating troubles always," Seren said, not letting her father talk. She didn't need anyone to defend her.

"I didn't harm anyone ever," Miera countered.

"But still you and your elder sister managed to kill my childhood playmate," Seren then looked at Niobe, "Her Majesty was not so lenient towards a girl who simply broke her daughter's doll. I wonder why the rich royals were being so petty as it was nothing but a mere doll."

"Servants are needed to teach lesson or there won't be any difference between royals and peasants," Niobe replied.

"While teaching lessons, one's life is to be considered precious as well," Seren countered.

"You are young. You will learn while you grow as queen."

"I don't wish to grow into such a queen."

Seeing how Seren was talking back to her mother, Miera spoke again with a frown, "You should talk to mother with respect."

Seren looked at her elder sister calmly as if to show she was nothing but being a nuisance. "Princess Miera, you should learn to not meddle in when one queen is talking to another queen," and she looked back at Niobe, "seems like Queen Niobe needs to teach her daughter etiquettes once again."

Miera felt intimidated by the way Seren looked at her and that cold voice of hers. Seren was never like this but she was now changed.

"I will make sure to teach her," Niobe spoke as she looked at her daughter, "Miera, you should talk to the Queen of Megaris with respect. She is not your sister but a queen now."

"I will mother,"

Cian thought to interrupt all this. "Seren, I will take you to Martha soon. She will be happy to see you."

"Thank you, brother."

She only addressed Cian with the family relation while she treated others like strangers.

Though the lunch was suppose to be happy family time, it ended up not so happy but it was not totally unexpected either. King Armen was glad that he got to have at least one meal with his daughter and he wished to spend more time with her around.

----

After lunch, Seren returned to the tower with the servants assigned to look after her while Drayce and Cian went to King Armen's study

Inside the King's study, King Armen sat in his chair while Drayce and Cian sat in the chairs opposite to him around the wooden center table.

"King Drayce must be aware why I had to keep the wedding of second princess this month," King Armen started the conversation.

Drayce nodded, "Seren's eighteenth birthday is coming this month. I am aware of the dates."

"The date mentioned in the family register is not her real birth date," King Armen replied.

It surprised the other two and king Armen explained, "The date which is registered is the day when she arrived this palace for the first time, but in real she was born a few days before."

"When is it exactly then?" Drayce asked.

"Two days after the second princess' wedding."

"Father, then do we have to shift the arrangements of her birthday to the real date from what we have initially planned."

"No, the arrangement will be the same. She is the queen of Megaris so we will have to make it a big event. The day of her real birthday, we have to take her somewhere as we don't know what change it would bring to her."

"Somewhere?" Drayce asked.

"The arrangements for that have been made as well. The ones who have been protecting her till now, they will be present there," King Armen replied.

"Who are they?"

"I am not sure either...but....I think her mother can be there," King Armen trailed off the last words. The woman he had loved dearly, he would face her again after eighteen years. Though she was not the same as she used to be, it was still her.

Drayce sat quiet as he heard it. 'It means that day mother can be there as well.' His heart suddenly picked up pace with this thought. 'Just a few days and finally I might be able to see mother.'

"King Drayce, what are you thinking?" Armen asked.

Drayce got back to his senses. "Where exactly we will be taking Seren on that day?"

"We will know it the day before. I only received the secret message and we need to follow that."

"I believe it's not someone trying to deceive us," Drayce showed concern.

"No. I am sure it's them who are protecting Seren," King Armen assured.

"Father, I hope there is nothing dangerous that comes in Seren's way," Cian asked worriedly.

"I will take care of everything that comes to harm her," Drayce spoke instead of King Armen.

He knew his wife was not an ordinary being and he needed to be prepared to protect her all the time. After she came of age, it was going to be even more difficult for him and her.