Rick's POV:

Seeing Rain and Sky alive and breathing in front of us was like a miracle. I was so happy that I couldn't stop my tears. Even Zander, who had been so strong all this while, had finally broken down. "Rain, baby boy, I am so sorry for everything," I said, hugging him. "Sorry for what, Hia Chaai?" he laughed. "For not knowing anything about you, for letting you get hurt, for not being the brother I was supposed to be," I said. "Hey! No being sad today, okay? Today is a good day, right? You are supposed to be happy today. No more crying, because I am not gonna cry with you, okay?" he said, laughing at me.

I nodded. There was so much to talk about. Everyone had something to say. Pa and Dad looked so happy and Uncle Vegas and Uncle Pete were grinning from ear to ear. Suddenly Fah clapped his hands. "Okay, enough talking. I have an important question to ask Rain and Sky," he said. Not only me, but everyone looked at him expectantly, wondering if he was going to ask about the last 3 years because after all, that was the question uppermost on our minds. "Rain, Sky, are you both going to attend our mating ceremonies? And are you going to stand for me or Rick?" he asked, smiling happily.

Everyone, including Rain and Sky, burst out into laughter. "Hey! Not fair," Zander said. "Sky will be my attendant." "And Rain, mine," I said, laughing along with them. "Dude, not done! I want to be your attendant!" Pat said, whining. More laughter and mirth followed. "Then I will ask Pai to be mine," Pran said. Just as he spoke, there was a knock on the door. "Come in," Uncle Vegas called out. The door opened and Pai walked in, smiling at Pran. "Hi," Pran began, but Pai's eyes were all of a sudden fixed on Sky. They both clutched their hearts. "Mate," both said at the same time.

It took me back to the day exactly 3 years back when I had met my mate. The joy on Sky and Pai's face was something else. But I was looking at my brother. The radiant smile on his face spoke volumes about his happiness for Sky. Then I looked at Phayu and realised that he had not moved away from his post at the window. He was still staring at Rain as if all the answers to the universe's questions were etched on his face. Pai started to move towards Sky, but he suddenly held up his hand. The whole room went still. Everyone just froze at the look on Sky's face. What was he thinking?

Pai's face showed a myriad emotions. Devastation was uppermost. "Sky! What the fuck are you doing?" Rain hissed in anger, shock evident on his face. "I can't have a mate right now Rain," he said. Pin-drop silence followed his statement. "What? Why?" Rain sounded enraged. "Because.." Sky began. "If you dare make me your fucking excuse to refuse your mate, I swear to God, I will revoke your position as my protector," Rain's words fell like ice into the room. "Rain!" Sky said, pain lacing his voice. "It is not like you don't know the pain of living in front of your mate and not being noticed by them. After everything you have seen me go through, how the hell can you take such an absurd decision? Don't even think about it!" Rain's voice was pure anger, his eyes burning red and gold. I had seen these eyes on him just once, an evening around 9 years ago, when he had seen Pensri kiss Phayu.

"I am not rejecting him," Sky said, obviously trying to mollify Rain. "I just want to talk to him before anything else. I have just come back from limbo. He needs to know all about me, right?" he asked. Pai looked immensely relieved. He looked towards Rain and smiled and nodded. "Ah, Pai," I said. "This is my brother Varain." Before I could say anything else, Pharm spoke up. "He is our Queen, and the sweetest, most wonderful person I have known." "Your Majesty," Pai bowed. "Firstly, I am not Queen yet," Rain said. "Secondly, you are Sky's mate. That makes you family. You don't bow in front of family Pai. Most importantly, whatever I may become in the future, to you, I will always be Rain." He smiled at Pai. "I think you and Sky should have a nice talk. Communication is the key to any relationship," he added. I looked at him. Finally he spared a glance at Phayu, who had still not uttered a word. What in the world was he thinking?

Sky's POV:

I had roamed the earth a millennium in different forms and different times. In all these travails across the world, as I looked for the one true Queen, I had never found a mate. But finally I was guardian to the one true Queen, and boom! I find my mate without even looking. Except in very rare cases, like Rain and Phayu, mates were mostly unknown to each other. There was a whole journey of discovering each other and having all the time in the world to do it. But would P'Pai and I get that time?

I looked at him, and I saw that he was looking at me as well, a smile on his face. I smiled back. In an unspoken connection, he moved close to me. Everyone else was talking around us. "I know Rick introduced us, but I would still like to tell you about myself," he said. I smiled and nodded. "My name is Prapai Phoenix Theerpanayakul. I am 21 years old and am Phayu's very slightly younger cousin. I was born here, but I lived up North until I was 10, after which I left Thailand, wanting to live differently, and needing to learn more about the part of the world that I am supposed to take care of," he said. "Then you will have to take over Uncle Kinn's realm?" I asked, the worry in my mind bleeding into my voice.

He looked at me for a moment. "Ideally, yes, since I am the only child. Why do you ask?" he asked "Because as the Queen's guardian and protector, I have no choice but to live with him. The Prophecy states that I am the one who is linked to Pandora's box, and now that it has been opened, it will come back to me," I said. "Come back to you? What do you mean?" he asked. "It was stolen from me in one of my earlier lives, if that makes any sense," I said. "We belong to the Supernatural world Sky. Everything makes sense to us. Reincarnation is no biggie," he said, laughing. "True that," I said, "but it still doesn't solve the problem. What about your father's realm of power?" "I think guarding the Queen takes priority over a seat on the Council. And if my mate is a guardian, then I will be one along with him. Dad and Pa will have to figure out what to do," he said, conviction in every word. I looked towards Uncle Kinn and Uncle Porche. If the smile on their face was any indicator, they were thrilled that I was part of their family!

And I also could not help being charmed by his words. This is exactly what the bond entailed. Everything else became 2nd to their needs and priorities. I saw Rain looking at me, a big smile on his face. So much drama soon after returning. I rolled my eyes at him. He giggled, a sound I hadn't heard in a long time. Everyone smiled at our shenanigans. Avani suddenly spoke up, "I think we should let the boys rest. Let Phoenix and Venice stay here, the rest of us should leave." I had never seen a more obvious method of getting P'Phayu and Rain to talk. I really wanted to laugh.

Everyone slowly started leaving the room. I could see that Uncle Type did not want to leave, but he also knew the importance of a conversation between his son and his son's mate. Once everyone had left, I looked at Rain. His eyes held a silent plea. I understood. I looked at P'Pai, wanting to ask him to leave as well, but he got there before me. "Shall we go get some coffee and something to eat? You must be hungry. I definitely am, even if you are not," he said sheepishly. "Actually, I am a bit hungry," I said to him.

"Do I get something for the two of you?" Pai asked Rain and Phayu. "No Pai, nothing for me," Phayu said. "Coffee maybe?" Rain asked. "Time to get you out of you caffeine addiction babe," I said to him. "Not happening!" he shook his head, pouting. "One latte sucré P'Pai, please," he smiled at him. "Don't look at him P'Pai. He can melt ice with that look of his," I laughed at his expression. He laughed along with me. "Does he always do this?" he asked as he held out his hand to me. "You won't believe how often he has done this and gotten away with it," I said to him, as we walked out of the room, taking one last look at Rain as I did.

"When did you know that you were the Queen's Guardian?" P'Pai asked. "From the time I was born, maybe even before that. I have always known it," I said. "Did it make you happy? To be his guardian?" "Yes! It did! But it made me happier to be his best friend," I replied. "I only started thinking of him as Queen and me as guardian only after we went into the limbo. These past 3 years have been incredible, incredibly tough, yet incredibly rewarding," I continued. That's when I suddenly realised that he was still holding my hand. It was a nice feeling.

Phayu's POV:

There was something very different about Rain. A totally different version. Like a version 2.0. A more confident version of his old self. Still sweet and warm and cute, but somehow there was this sheen on him, something I couldn't quite put my finger on. However, that was beside the point. Right now, all I could think of was how to begin my conversation with him. I was about to say something, when he suddenly spoke up, "How have you been?" his query hesitant. "Sort of okay," I replied.

"Sort of?" "Yeah, tough times are coming for our people," I said, not wanting to tell him about what I had gone through. After all, it was nothing compared to his pain, right? "You are right. It's only going to get worse before it gets better. There is much to be done before we actually can face the sins," he said. I was surprised by how calm he was. I kept on thinking about what was so different about him. What made him different from before? He was still Rick's baby brother. He was also my mate. And I longed to ask him what his feelings were. But I was petrified to know his response.

"P'Venice," he jarred me out of my thoughts. I looked at him. "I am sorry," I blurted out. "I am sorry too," he said. "Why are you sorry? It is all my fault, isn't it?" I said to him. "Phi, I don't want to begin the blame game with you. But there are some things we need to clear before we face the world." His words scared me. I wondered what he would say. "In the 3 years that I have been away, I have learnt many things about our people, about the war we have to fight, about the mate bond and most importantly, I have learnt about myself. I have understood that my priority is me. After all, loving oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance. I don't want to be with someone who doesn't think I am worthy enough, because in my heart, I know my own worth and I will not give that up for anyone," he spoke with such conviction that I was once again extremely surprised.

"Rain? I can call you Rain, right?" I asked. He nodded. "Rain, I am never going to ask you to change, not even for me. I am not even asking for a chance for myself, because I know I was, no, am in the wrong," I was about to continue when he raised his hand. I stopped and looked at him. "Yes, you were in the wrong, but so was I. I should have stood up for myself. I should have called you out then and there. Consider it the naiveté and immaturity of a 10 year old, that I kept it in my heart and let it fester. I felt nothing but hate for you," he said.

"And now? Do you still hate me?" I asked, scared of hearing his answer. "No, no, I don't hate you." I felt just a moment of relief when he continued. "But I am not willing to be your mate yet. Forgiveness will take time Phi. I don't know how much, but you have to allow me that. However, I will be your Queen, because the Kingdom and our race depends on it." I didn't know that the heart could break so completely again and again. But I smiled, because at that moment, I was ready to accept anything Rain said, even if it killed me. "Don't think that this is some kind of trial period, or punishment, because it is not. Consider it the time we should have taken as a couple to get to know each other and build our own brand of trust. Does that make sense to you?" he asked. I nodded, having no words. I could not fault his reasoning.