Tale of the Lotus Heart
Chapter 36B

Something happened to Aivi.

Everything seemed to be fine before Aivi left this morning. The twins were advancing and growing quick. I was finally catching up on my duties, and Aivi was going to start planning our wedding. What went wrong?

I was finishing up my paperwork went I felt the chill go through my body. My charm went off but I felt it fail. Aivi was in danger, or already hurt. I transported where my charm was last sensed in the blink of an eye. I arrived at the Abyss of Lost Souls just in time to see a woman walking away, but Aivi was gone. The woman was my only witness. I caught up to her and grabbed her by the arm before spinning her to face me.

"Insolence!" My Royal Mother said as she yanked her arm out of my hold. I looked at her surprised but then accusingly. It didn't take a genius to figure out what happened. My mother wanted Aivi out of the way for a long time, and it looked like she finally found her chance. If my guess was correct, my mother pushed Aivi into the Abyss herself. I felt my eyes water on their own before I grabbed my mother's shoulders roughly. I was past being her filial son.

"Mother, what did you do?" I asked in a tone barely above a whisper. She only scoffed.

"What have you been doing?! Ever since that girl appeared, you lost your head. You've been under her spell. I'm the one who helped you, son. I got rid of her so you could get back on the right path," she admitted. I felt my knees go weak. I couldn't stand anymore. I collapsed to me knees as my hands released my mother. Aivi was gone? I promised to protect her, but in the end, I couldn't. I didn't keep my promise.

"What's wrong with you? Why couldn't you just let me be happy? Why did you kill her?" I asked weakly. "Do you hate me so much that you want me to be as miserable as you? What about our children? How pitiful they'll be growing up without a mother. Did you think about anyone else but yourself when you decided to kill the only woman I've ever loved?" I asked. I saw no regret in my Mother's face. No sympathy. No remorse. No guilt. My mother was sincerely proud of herself for succeeding in her plan. The fat tears rolled down my face as I couldn't hold them in anymore. I found myself on all fours as I heaved with sobs that forced their way out.

"Oh son, don't worry. You'll get over it soon. And who says the kids won't have a mother? Of course your Crown Princess with adopt the children as her own," my Mother said reassuringly. I was anything but reassured. My sadness was quickly replaced with rage.

"What's going on here?" My father's voice reached my ears when he saw us. I didn't even bother paying attention to him. The devil I wanted to annihilate, was standing right in front of me. I got up slowly on shaky legs before grabbing the front cloth of my mother's dress and pulled her closer.

"Listen, and listen well. I will never marry anyone else. I vowed to love Aivi for the rest of my life, and I will," I seethed before pushing her away from me.

"Impudence! How dare you threaten your mother like that. That's not the way of a filial son," she tried to reprimand me. I scoffed and rolled my teary eyes at her.

"I have been tolerating and putting up with you and your greedy ways for far to long. You would do anything to hold onto the precious tiny strand of power you got through me. Since you took what I loved, I'll take what you love. I will never marry anyone other than Aivi. I'm disowning you as my mother, and I rebuke the Crown Prince title. From here on out, I'm just the Third Prince. Good luck keeping your Empress title with no backing," I said with conviction as the tears began to roll faster. I took a breath before falling back to my knees with a shaky breath. I felt like someone was digging out my heart with a dull knife. The feeling made me hold my chest in pain.

"Son, what happened to make you this upset?" My Royal Father asked when he reached us. I'm sure he heard my final response to my Royal Mother. I tried to calm my breathing as I pointed to my Royal Mother.

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"That monster killed Aivi," I answered, not taking my eyes off of my mother's confused face.

"I only did what needed to be done. You will all thank me later," she waved it off like it was nothing. My Royal Father looked at both of us shocked for a moment

"My great-goddaughter... she's...?" My father asked hesitantly. I could only nod. I was done talking. "Guards! Lock up the Empress in the Tower of Monsters. No one is allowed to visit her without my approval. I'll lead the investigation myself," my Father said before my mother was handcuffed and taken away. My Royal Father pat my back gently before leaving to follow his new prisoner. As they left, I felt alone again. It was all my fault. The only thing keeping me from jumping in the Abyss after her were the children I now had to raise on behalf of Aivi. I'd already failed her, I couldn't fail Tyrian Amethyst. The twins were the only thing I had left to remember Aivi by. I couldn't let Aivi down again by not raising our children up properly and safely. But first, I needed a period of grieving. I needed time to feel like I wasn't falling apart. In truth, I was already shattered. But I doubted I would ever feel whole again. The pain in my chest got to be too much. I yelled out before the sobs took over my body again. I put my forehead to the ground and just cried. I failed Aivi. I couldn't protect her.

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