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Blessed With You

Zsoka

I was 28 years old when my friend Enima Varga came to me. She came to me with a promise of a child and when she told me of it, I couldn't turn the offer down even if I wanted to. I was 20 years old when the doctor told me that the surgery they performed had ruined my ovaries, that having a child was out of question for me, as a kid that was a dream come true, as an older woman with no child to love; it was a nightmare that I wanted to wake up from.

"My brother, he has a son, he's three years old already but my brother needs someone to take him. His Mate has recently passed and... he really just needs someone to take him in." Enima had explained to me, tears in her eyes, "He's three years old and still has first plus middle name still. His name is Pluto Zorán, and we would like for you to keep his name if that's okay with you. If you want to take him in, his memory will be wiped and I can bring him here to your house tonight. That is if you want-"

"I'll take him in." I breathlessly told my best friend, "I'll keep his name and everything. I want to take care of him, for your kindness, for the way you've been by my side since we were young. You know how lost I was when I got older and realized how much that conversation with my doctor should've torn me up more than it did when I was 20 years old. Of course, I'll take him in Enima. I will take care of Pluto like he's my own."

Later that night, I got a toddler with blue eyes filled with wonder, and a smile that seemed to warm up my cold heart. A year later, Pluto and I were walking through the markets of Salak, the capital of Red Blaze. No matter the time of day or time of night, Salak was the city who never knew how to take a night's rest. It was always alive, alive with the most honest people, alive with markets and shops being open late. It was noon time when I went to the markets of Salak, Mr. Becskei had the best produce in the capital but I was not about to broadcast that when he had fair prices for now. A waddling Pluto was at my side as I held his hand and we made it to his stand but I bumped into a very tall stranger.

"I am so sorry sir-" I started but then I looked up to the softest of brown eyes, "I-I-" Then that beautiful Mate bond snapped in place, forever our hearts would be entangled with one another and I don't think there was anything more beautiful than that.

"Miss Drakos! Long time no see, the same old? I don't think I have much of our romaine lettuce this time around, but it should hold you off till the next two weeks! Is that okay, Zsoka?" I looked to Mr. Becskei and I gave him a gentle smile.

"Uh yes, can you get my order ready? I gotta speak to someone." I explained to him and I looked at the stranger who couldn't stop staring at me and Pluto. His brown eyes kept darting from me to Pluto, then Pluto to me. I pulled him aside and into an alleyway. I noticed he was wearing black leathers, dark green embroidered string within the fighting leathers. He kept a sword at his side, an emerald green hilt, a dagger strapped to his thigh and multiple throwing stars on his waistband. He grabbed my chin with a soft touch, making me look at him. His brown eyes were something to be lost in and I had no words that could come out at the moment.

"M-My name is Hyunshik Kwon, I'm a General for the Black Soul Kingdom. I-Is he yours?" Ajax asked me and I nodded slowly, "Say something. Anything."

"I'm Zsoka Drakos, this is Pluto Zorán Drakos, I recently adopted him, I-I can't have children and Pluto is my son. We are a package deal. I go with him, and he goes with me." I told the male in front of me and he laughed, laughed at me.

"I was going to ask if he was yours so I knew if I had to tell my King that I am coming home with a Mate and our kid."

I was 31 years old when Queen Consort Haeun Cha of the Black Soul Kingdom took me under her wing. She took me in as a Lady within her Court, the wife of the newly appointed High General of the King's armies. If I was being totally honest, I didn't understand what it took to become a Lady of the Court of Acid. I wasn't born into this sort of lifestyle, I was married to it. I was born into a Farmer family and when it became time for me to move out, I took my cooking skills and took it to a rest to cook for a wealthy family during the week. One of Queen Haeun's ladies came into my room to say that the Queen would like to have a walk with me in the Cherry Blossom orchard in the very backyard of the Castle.

"Lady Kwon, it's nice to see you again, how is your boy?"

"He's doing well. He's getting used to being in the Castle and a certain Prince is all he talks about. JJ has a dragon, Jae is teaching me draconei, mom!" I made sure to mimic my little boy's voice and the excited tone in his voice. I was laughing and so was the Queen.

"That's all Jaejin says to me, it's all about his new friend Pluto. Pluto knows so much History, eomma! Pluto is so fast, he outran me!" The Queen told me and mimicked her little Prince back to me which I couldn't help with the giggle that left my lips.

"Those boys, I swear." I sighed with a smile as we started our walk through the Orchard.

"That's not what I wanted to speak to you about. When Jaejin told me about history, it made me think, not many outsiders really know much of the Acid Court or its history, especially born and raised Salak residents. Tell me, were you born with the fire?" She asked and I opened my palm, a small torch of fire resting in my hands.

"It isn't much, just enough to defend myself. Why do you ask?"

"When the countries were nothing but territories and our ancestors had realized this magic blood inside of them, the way they could speak and ride dragons; there were the original four houses. The House of Flames, Acid, Lightning, and Ice. So the Kardos family, the Cha family, the Naidu family, and the Vasiliev family. Then came the others. Naturally, the Kardos and Cha family had a natural disdain for each other, always battling to see which House was more powerful. That disdain just got worse when the Silver Tyrant King decided that he was going to put himself in the middle of that ongoing feud of arrogance."

"The Silver Tyrant? You mean King Alexander Kallis, Queen Astraea's grandfather?" I asked her and she nodded. "I don't know much about his reign, do you mind explaining more?" I questioned and she gave me a slight nod.

"Of course, I don't mind at all. King Alexander thought bloodlines should stay pure, that no Royal born should marry another Royal as that meant the bloodline could dampen, he made it a law in his Kingdom, that his two daughters especially would have to marry a commoner or a High born in the Silver Air Kingdom. He wasn't about to let anybody dampen his bloodline, not even Princess Elena or Princess Selene." Elena was Astraea's mother, and Selene was her younger sister. I remembered them from the history books. May they both rest in peace.

"So what happened? Did Black Soul stop him?" I asked even if I knew the truth. Black Soul didn't stop him, they burned the Kingdom down during Queen Elena's reign.

"No but we knew it had to be stopped. Prince Hyunki went to Silver Air and that week he was gone, he came back a changed man, an abusive man to his Mate he found a step into this Kingdom, and that week he was gone, Princess Elena became Queen Elena, they said that Elena was the one to tear out King Alexander's spine, and suddenly, Princess Selene was nowhere to be found."

So if he was dead, why did King Hyunki send the orders to burn down the Silver Air Kingdom if it had a new Queen sitting on the throne?

I was 36 years old when the annual King's ball was in the Dahab Mountain Kingdom, all households were at King Elmi's castle, all Kingdoms were to keep an olive branch even if there was a feud between Kingdoms. Meaning mostly that the Kingdom of Acid and the Kingdom of Flames were to be civil with each other, even if King Lucijan Kardos had every right to tear out the spine of King Minjun. Children were left at home, Pluto and Jaejin were left to the maids and I already knew that I would be getting an earful from their behavior for two nights. The first night, my heart drops into my stomach and there's a lump in my throat that I can't get rid of. Not only did I see my friend again, Enima Varga again, but there she was, holding hands with King Elmi. I pinch Hyunshik's elbow and tug him into an extra room.

"What? My love, what's going on?" My Mate whispers, cupping my face in his rough hands. I sigh heavily and pull my face from his hands.

"The Queen of this Kingdom, what's her name?" I asked in a hushed whisper and he arched an eyebrow but gave me the answer that sent a chill down my bones.

"Her name is Eniko Elmi, her maiden name is Kardos-"

"Kardos as in Lucijan Kardos?" I interrupted and he gave me a slow nod.

"Yeah in fact, Eniko is Lucijan's younger sister. She got married to Asad right before Lucijan met Astraea. Zsoka," He said softly, looking at me with concern, "Zsoka, why does it matter who Queen Eniko is? What is going on?"

"Do you remember my friend, Enima Varga, the one who gave me Pluto because her brother couldn't take care of him anymore?" I breathlessly told him and he nodded.

"What does our Pluto have to do with her? He's our kid, Zsoka, she isn't going to take him, do you understand? Pluto is our son." He leaned his forehead against mine.

"Eniko is Enima or Enima is Eniko. Pluto is Lucijan's son, biologically. He's a pyromatic, he's the youngest, and a Prince to the Red Blaze Kingdom, Hyunshik. We live underneath his enemy's roof-"

"His Kingdom's enemy, Zsoka, Pluto doesn't know anything. He believes that you are his mother and that I am his father. That is all that-" Two figures walked into the extra room, my breath was caught in my throat. I didn't know what to say. I was standing here in front of King Lucijan Kardos and Queen Eniko Elmi. They both stare at me, both blue eyes staring a hole into my face.

"Zsoka, long time no see." Enim-Eniko said softly, her blonde hair up in a braided bun, a crown resting on her head. Same thing with Lucijan, his black hair neatly combed with a ruby crown on his head.

"Should I call you Enima or Eniko?" I snapped, maybe a bit too harshly but I thought this woman was my friend for years. I thought Lucijan was some commoner and not some Prince, not some King to the throne.

"Zsoka, I wanted to tell you I swear it on the Gods, but I couldn't and when Pluto needed someone to take care of him, I knew, we knew that Pluto would be in safe hands with you. Although, it might've helped if your Mate wasn't a general for King Minjun. You have to know that my nephew is part of a prophecy that you must make sure he stays alive to see it through. You and Mr. Kwon need to keep Pluto safe." She explained to me and Hyunshik looked at her, more like side-eyed the woman I called my friend in front of my eyes.

"What do you think we have been doing for the past 7 years, Eniko? I took in Zsoka and Pluto as my Mate and child because you couldn't step up to the damn plate." He snapped and pointed at Pluto's father, "I want you to know, you are missing out on the best damn thing that could've happened to you. Pluto is a great boy and I hope that it pains you everyday that you gave up your boy." My Mate continued on his rant and it made me love him a little more with how much he accepted our son. How much he was protective of our son, how much he loved our son.

"I know. I know I am. I could never thank you both enough for stepping up to be the parents that Pluto deserves. He deserves better than me and that is the both of you," Lucijan finally spoke up and it was still like speaking to a robot, "Pluto will be the end to this suffering. He's important. Please, I beg you, when the time comes, Pluto must come to Red Blaze, and I need you both to be okay with that. I love Pluto and my children in my own way, I could never repay you for the love that Pluto has grown up with. I just want you to find it in your hearts to forgive me, for hurting your son the way I have." Then Lucijan was gone, like the black smoke that came from the fire, Lucijan was gone in the wind, and all I could feel was the heartbreak that my Pluto would suffer from the hands of Lucijan Kardos.