A/N

An update! Yay or Nay?

"I think it's just a spark, Your Grace. A momentary infatuation. You have known her since you were little, and you would have realized it sooner if you truly find her charming.

It's a fire that will eventually die. I mean... it is strange that you only notice her now that you can see her face properly, and you certainly know that it is not a good thing she has because..." The knight said and revealed his freckled face as he took his helm off and sat on the grass.

Lykos didn't seem convinced as he shook his head and threw a small piece of rock, sending it down the hills. He was with a tall man whom I instantly recognized as Lorcan, if my-I mean Amaree's memory serves me right.

They were talking beside me as if I wasn't there. I sat peacefully beside the gentlemen who were pouring their hearts out in a very manly conversation. Lykos was staring out at the vast fields of Auriga where I remembered the large coliseum stood, but it was unfinished in this period. There and then, I knew I was inside another wave of memories.

However, I recognized early that the memory wasn't mine. It was Lykos', and I wondered why he was showing it to me for it seemed very personal.

"If you could only see her through my eyes, she is nothing short of extraordinary. I know that she is not of noble descent and you cannot blame me for not noticing her early." Lykos' reply to him was very straightforward. He was speaking with him about me and his words truly warmed my heart.

I smiled at the scene for it was his confession of admiration towards me, and it wasn't something I or Amaree would have ever dreamed of in our lifetime.

"You have fallen for the maiden, Lykos. I see nothing but a pretty face because it ends there. Many of our servants are just as beautiful but all are lacklustre."

When Lorcan said that, I knew it should have hurt me, but it didn't. Part of me knew that I wasn't meant for Lykos... Part of Amaree recognized her shortcomings and I could tell she could swallow her pride so easily.

Somehow though, Lykos' defense renewed our spirit.

"No royal or aristocrat ever dared to take a second look at her because she's my sister's sheep and you are right- those blonde curls hid her face really well before. Although I consider myself fortunate enough because I think I am the only one who can see her true beauty. In that way, I can be selfish with her, don't you think?"

Lorcan managed to let out a very amused laughter and tapped Lykos on the back. But when the merriment died down, his face foretold that the King had lost his mind.

"You do realize you are signing your death sentence, Milord. She is not your mate. The Duchess of Ursa is."

My chest tightened as I heard this, it was as if I was feeling Lykos' emotions at that time. He was trapped in a bond he could not stray away from, or it would ruin him and his life, but his mind and heart was stronger than anybody else thought of.

He quickly waved away those worrisome thoughts of the future and he revelled in the present without restraint.

"I find it hard to understand why these feelings occurred to me, my friend. All I know is that I am the King and if I make the rules, I can also amend it."

There was determination in his eyes as he stared at the view of his Kingdom. A sigh slipped from Lorcan and he didn't hide his disagreement. Every fiber of my being knew why he was upset with the king.

I was clearly his impending mistake.

Lorcan wanted to correct that before it could happen. "You are better than that, Your Highness. Those feelings are blurring your judgment as early as now... Imagine what chaos it would bring later on."

He was correcting me before I could even happen to the King.

Lykos raised himself from the ground and turned his back, clearly agitated by his friend's opposition. The righteous king looked stubborn, naïve, and even gullible. He wasn't ready to accept his fate and to move on.

"I will court her and win her favour. No law shall ever be above me."

And in a snap, the memory drifted away, crashing in tidal waves. Everything went black but nothing in my mind was erased. It was a fresh set of admiration for the King I truly loved a long time ago, and I felt it was right to keep it with me until the day we'd finally be in each other's arms again. He was all that I prayed for.

I slept through the night once more with a heavy thought wrapped around my mind. I had learned another truth from the memory.

I was Lykos' mistake, and he didn't have to go through second thoughts because he wanted me... craved me in his life. Certainly, the heavens had punished him for choosing me over his fated.

He defied fate in the name of love. Could I do the same? I had always been wrapped around in fear the day I met my fated. He was the right choice. The universe said so. But was he meant to be my lover forever?

"What were you dreaming about?"

That snapped me back to reality.

I found myself staring in the darkness. Apollo and I shared the same bed with our son sleeping in between us. His blue eyes locked with mine as I held his gaze.

"The past."

I wanted to be honest for some reasons, but he wouldn't get even half of the story. Lykos was my secret, and I wished to protect him from any potential harm. The Duke himself spelled trouble.

"Tell me something about it." His voice was hushed, and I had never imagined myself having this kind of talk with him.

"You seem interested." I lay on my side and tucked a hand under my ear to pillow my head.

"Is it bad that I want to know who I'm marrying?" He jested, and I rolled my eyes with amusement.

"You are marrying an ifrit who has a blurry past. You would only regret knowing me further, Apollo."

"An ifrit?" He chuckled. "I have regretted many things over the course of my existence. I most certainly have no care if knowing an ifrit more will add to the long list."

His sense of humor surprised me, but I thought about it briefly. I did have the same opinion about regretting things in the past. Maybe I could open a little part of me to the gaping wound in my heart I named Apollo.

"I dreamt of someone in the past." Every word I uttered was chosen carefully and after that sentence, I could no longer continue.

"You don't have to tell me about your dream if you do not want to." He said. "Tell me anything about you I don't already know."

Wasn't he obviously bored? I smiled knowing he wanted me to fill the awkward silence stretching between us.

"Alright, Your Royal Highness. Ask away and I shall answer if I want to." I suggested.

The snowstorm whirled from outside, causing unwelcome sound from the windows. Goosebumps kept on crawling all over my skin.

"What is your favorite flower?"

My brows knitted as the question came out as none of the ones I was expecting. I glanced at his cerulean eyes.

"Rose. Red roses."

He briefly passed a smile full of thoughts. "Hmm. You are meant to live in my castle then. The gardens will be filled with roses in Spring."

There was no fear in me for the first time. He was tranquil and thoughtful. Nothing like the Duke I thought I knew. Staring at him now, I could see the growing stubble on his chin. He raised his head and positioned his elbow on the feathered pillow whilst supporting his head with one hand, returning my gaze. His other hand lightly rested on Galax's torso like a parent would to his child.

"Do you like children?" He put me in question once more.

I couldn't say no and nodded.

His eyes lazily stared at Galax's sleeping form. "What do you feel when you see them?" He probed.

My fingers crawled to touch Galax's plump cheek as I mouthed my answer.

"They bring me joy and peace. They are the purest creatures on earth no matter what kind they descend from."

He seemed to like them too for he had shown much care about our adopted son. Various images of him with a bunch of kids sharing the same genes flashed inside my head. It wasn't hard to imagine him with kids of his own blood and flesh. I would have never imagined that before...

"Good for you. I am not too fond of other people's children. But I ought to love and care for my own."

There was a hard twitch of my brows driven by curiosity, and I quickly rebutted his confession.

"Galax is not your own. I see... you think of him only as an obligation, don't you?"

Somehow, laughter echoed from his lips. My curiosity bubbled three more times and I spared him a burning look in my eyes when he quickly cut off his amusement. There was nothing funny about what I said.

"He is mine under the laws of Sidus, and I fully take responsibility of him to the extent of considering him my own." He pursed his lips and exhaled, before sliding his hand up to Galax's crown of blonde threads.

"I do not simply care for people who share the same bloodline. Galax is my son too, Freya. Our son. Do I look like the devil to you?" His blue eyes pinned me in a thoughtful stare.

"Because I can assure you that little of what is left in this poisoned heart is still capable of loving."

That simply took my breath away.

I was honestly, completely unable to form a smart retort. Little of what he had in his poisoned heart is still capable of loving. I repeated the same words several times, hoping it would change my reaction, but I clearly failed.

"Do you imagine yourself having children with me?"

I was pressing more towards a pale face as an answer but I was certain a treacherous heat spread all over my face up to my ears. The question should have started with 'can I' instead of 'do I.' Because right then when he asked me about it, the bond or whatever force was overtaking my logic, showed me as an addition to the scene I imagined earlier about him surrounded by his own brood.

"I'll take that as a yes, milady."

Little did I know that my eyelids were drooping, finally falling tired from all the dreams and visions which I knew had an impact on my energy.

All the negations I had in mind were blurred by exhaustion, and all I heard last was the Duke's peaceful breathing as he gathered me and our son in his arms.

Light footsteps from the boy could easily form hairline cracks on the frozen lake. Galax looked ahead and stared at the abandoned village beyond the waters. The Duke and I decided to leave the cabin in the morn in order to return to Therion before another storm could pass us.

I could tell by Galax's expression he was not satisfied with our short night at his old home because his mother did not come for him.

Every little boy, no matter how strong, could be as fragile as a newly frozen lake. His smile cracked as I carried him up Silver's back. The stallion hadn't fully rested, hence, it was only Galax who rode him while Apollo and I walked through the snowy forests.

I couldn't help but look back at the village before moving. An abandoned village in Sidus and in the lands of Therion was quite questionable. And most of the houses looked burnt. A wildfire, perhaps?

"Freya, let's go?"

The Duke called me from behind but my eyes were still focused on the haunted place. Something wrong must have happened.

"Can't be nothing. What happened to this village?"

I murmured it mostly to myself but the duke must have heard me when he replied.

"The last of the Malum witches lived here. But the reign of King Licinius brought them all down to ashes."

Huh. The village was truly haunted.

"But why would your father burn all of those witches? They help us in every way they can with their spiritual gifts."

Witches in our world were usually the wisest of the elders. They brought us good and bad news about future occurences which help us define, dodge, or even defy our fates for the common good.

"They are called the Malum witches for a reason. They practiced dark magic and eventually they wanted to dethrone the King and plotted on cursing his bloodline. But my father heard the news before they managed to do the rituals and sacrifices—"

"So he burned all of them in the comforts of their home. That is tragic." I just had the urge to finish his statement.

Malum.

It literally means 'evil' in Latin. Sidus certainly had such dramatic history. Gooseflesh hit me as the wind blew and I took my stare away from the almost inexistent village.

I rubbed my arm and felt the tip of my fingers accidentally graze my wound. A drop of blood spread on my newly washed riding coat.

"We must go."

The Duke held the stallion's reigns and led us away from the area. If Galax and his mother lived here once, could they be related to the Malum witches?

The Castle of Therion's fortress guards were doubled. The gate towards the moat were filled with men lined up attentively as Lord Gregory rounded the line up on his horse like an anxious general.

It wasn't surprising to see his eyes light up in relief as he saw the Duke and I from afar and waved his hand. Soon enough, a carriage came to fetch us with Lord Gregory behind its trail.

We were brought to the castle with every servant rustling around, answering to all our needs and requests as soon as we entered the Grand Hall.

Catherine took Galax to bathe him and feed him any dish he asked from the cook like a true prince. The Queen was surprisingly absent from the scene as opposed to what I expected. She would usually be the first to check on us but Catherine said she was in Court with the highest members of The Ton.

It was probably the reason why the Castle seemed fully guarded and busy. It wasn't because of our return. The High Court was complete today and it was right that we decided to return.

The Duke and I walked together towards our designated chambers with Lord Gilford and our personal sentinels behind us.

Apollo was not in his usual clothes and I had most of my coat ruined like I fought a wild boar. This must be the reason behind Lord Gilford's request for us to use the alternative passage. We cannot be seen by the ton in our current state.

Apollo halted his steps as we reached my chamber before him. He stared at my wound for a moment before stepping a little closer to plant a kiss on my forehead.

"Call the physician and tell him my lady is wounded." He commanded Lord Gilford and the headmaster bowed in reply.

"I will see you later in court, Lady White." He stepped back and I nodded before entering my room.

The day seemed to have gotten longer and rest wasn't something we both could have after an exhausting journey in the forests of Therion. The physician had to stitch my wound and I felt irritated by the frilled sleeve of my dress as it grazed the tattered flesh.

I had to quickly finish my meal before heading to the Court Room where Apollo stood and waited in his devilishly black clothes. One familiar figure stood beside him, and her prominently violet eyes caught me.

"A pleasant afternoon, Lady White."

She curtsied eloquently and beamed a smile. Mavis was the seer Apollo brought me to when the beast and blue fire started invading my head.

"It is nice to see you again, Mavis."

I sent her a genuine smile before glancing at the Duke of Therion.

"Your Grace, should we join the Court now?" I asked. The way he looked at me was something new as if he had a fresh set of expressions he meant for only me to see.

"I guess it is time we present ourselves before they start speaking ill things behind our backs." Apollo lent me his folded arm, and I tucked my hand with gratitude.

We had one thing in common today. We both defiled The Ton and their judgment. The last time we saw them, they proved to be the most judgmental creatures to ever walk this planet.

"We will see you again tonight, Mavis." Apollo turned to his side and bade the young seer goodbye.

As the doors to the Court Room parted, the noise and the chatters drowned in silence almosy immediately. The Duke and I walked passed the calculating stares, ignoring the hate we had for them.

Halfway towards the Queen, Apollo leaned closer to my ear and whispered, "Vos es questus usus ad eam, Mi Ducissa." You are getting used to this, My Duchess.

He had his way with words and him speaking Latin felt different now that I remembered Lykos who spoke to me in the old language as well.

"Hic quid?" I had to ask. Why are they here?

The length of the aisle seemed short as we both reached the Queen's elevated throne. We both bowed to Her Majesty and she pressed her cheeks against ours in return.

"You seem to be in good terms now." She was as hopeful as ever.

"Your wish is our command, Your Majesty." Apollo murmured in reply for only the three of us to hear, to which the Queen smiled in delight.

Two more elevated thrones were placed lower than the Queen's, and Apollo was to sit beside me in one of those regal furniture after our names had been announced.

"They have received the wedding invitations, I suppose." Apollo straightly stared in front as he spoke, waiting for the sound of the trumpets to end.

"They are three days early for the big day." I whispered through my teeth. "Aren't they too exalted by the news?"

Apollo's lips twitched up as I quickly looked at him beside me. "I am excited as well. Who am I to blame them?" He playfully replied as Lord Gilford's voice surfaced.

"...The Duke of Therion and Her Ladyship, Freya Amaree Eugene White."

I wanted to snort at the Duke's lame attempt at flirting but the name uttered before the Court was very much discomfiting. The Ton held us in high regard as they bared their necks as if they were true and loyal supporters of the Royal Family.

As Apollo and I sat down on our thrones, the name Amaree echoed in my head and I really wanted to ask why they had chosen that name for me as a royal.

"W-would you mind if I ask why The Royal family chose the name Amaree for me?"

My palms turned sweaty and coldness seeped all over my skin. Part of me wanted to know so much about her. Amaree wasn't of royal blood at all based on Lykos' conversation with Lorcan in my vision last night.

"Ah. The Queen hasn't told you?" The Duke glanced at me. He rested his elbow on the arm of his chair and leaned to my side.

"Long ago, the poets recited the story of King Lykos' tragic affair with his one true love, Amaree. The Warrior King was righteous at all costs up until he met the damsel he wasn't destined to be with. The story was passed on to generations, and written down on a book my father used to read me."

He knew Lykos' story. My story with the Warrior King. My throat felt constricted and my chest started to squeeze in pain, but I listened to the Duke anyway.

"They say Amaree means an undying flower. It means everlasting. And I chose that name for you because it suits  the hope in your eyes and the role you are about to take."

I was breathless and incapable of answering.

"Though not a true royal, I find Amaree an interesting figure in our history. She is a symbol of defiance against the norms— a fiery embodiment of power over the heavens."

The Duke returned to his position and straightenes his spine. All of my insides lurched with all of the things Sidus knew about the Warrior King and I's story.

The Duke covered my cold hand resting on the throne's arm. "You are Amaree to me, Freya. A flower that never fades."

A/N

So I dropped by because the street name of my new home is Lt. Apollo and I am haunted by it every day so I thought of updating. Hahaha.

Sorry for the crappy chapter. I just had to get this plate out for you to remember that the story goes on and I will never leave it behind.

So Amaree's meaning... Yay or nay?

- Lady Therese