MAX POV

I carefully put Niel on our bed. He fall asleep while crying.

I put a blanket on him and kiss his forehead before I head out of the room. Sharon greeted me immediately.

"The queen is sleeping. Don't let anyone disturbed him. I already notify my mother and my grand mother about the morning greetings. If he woke up, send someone to  notify me."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Daddddyyyy." A smile immediately form in my lips. Even without looking to  know who is calling me daddy, I already know who is it.  Well, no one called me daddy in this place aside to my kids. And among the two, only one of them dare to shout loud just to get my attention.

I turned to her and put my finger to my lips to silence her. She immediately cover her mouth with her both little hand. She even stop running and walk properly.

"Mommy is sleeping. Don't disturb him okay?" I said as soon as Reigh reach me.

She remove her hand. Her lips pouted, but she still nod her head as answer to what I said.

"What's with pouting huh?" I squat down to level on her height.

"I heard everything you said. Is Megan really mommy's sister?"

I knew it. She is already awake. And here she is, satisfying her curiousity.

"Yes it is my princess." I fixed the tule of his skirt. She is wearing a light pink skirt and ruffled off shoulder top. Her hair was tied up and adorned with pink butterflies that matched his attire.

She did not answer. She keep twisting her body from left to right while playing her finger. She can't even looked at me.

"What did you do yesterday huh." I asked. I grab her hand and gently squeezed it.

"I did bad things, but I'll go to her and say sorry." She answered. She fell sorry, I can see it in her eyes.

I got a news from one of Megan's maid that Reigh create some scene yesterday when she meet Megan. I'm going to scold her because what she did is wrong. But, I can see that she regreted it already. No need for me to scold her anymore.  I am just wondering, what if she did not heard what I said to Niel. Will she admit that she is wrong?

I think no. Megan already said that Reigh's attitude is so her when she was little.

"That's my princess. Very good."
I gently pull her and give her a hug and kiss on the cheeks.

"Daddy." I gently pushed her away when she called me.

"You need something?"

"Can you take me to my teacher? Plewsh!" She use her puppy eyes to look at me. I laughed and gently pinch her cheeks. What a cute baby I have here. She know how to get what she want already.

"Sure." I immediately carry her, making her giggle. She hug me tight and kiss me on my cheeks.

After I bring Reigh to her teacher, I went straight to my own chamber to take a bath a change my clothes. I'm already late for the morning meeting with my ministers, but the hell I care. All they have in their hands was a complaint. A complaint that as for them, came from my peopel. If I know, they are the only one making those complaint. It's their complaint not the my people. I have Louis on watch at he said nothing about people complaints.

"Kros, what do you think will be the complaint I have to handle today?" I asked my trusted guard while on my way to the hall.

"About the queen and your children."

That made me stop immediately. I feel all my blood rush to my head.

"What about them?" I turned to face Kros.

"They are questioning their identity."

I clinch my fist tightly. The audacity of them to question the identity of my kids.

"You should already expect that that will happed." I turned to my right. Marquis Pierson, my cousin gently tap my shoulder as his greeting to me. With all of my cousin, he is the only who don't care and never bothered of palace rules He will bow to me if it is needed only, and I can only count that in my finger. It's okay with me to be honest. I can still feel his respect to me and that is already fine with me.

"What are you doing here." I asked him.

"Louis asked me to give this to you." He handed me a paper. I immediately grab it and read what is written.

The people opinion remain the same. They love the queen. Hyena is trying his luck to bent it all. Fake documents is coming. Protect the crown prince, the princess and the queen. The spy is on the move. Beware.

I crumpled the paper and clenched my fist

"You've already prepared for it haven't you?" Pierson asked.

"Yeah." I simply answered. I have already prepared for this, but I never expect him to move as early as this. I thought he would spend a few months after the coronation ceremony.

"Fight him face to face Max. We will take care of those who must be guarded and protected. We got your back." Pierson said in a very reliable tone.

"Thank you."

"No problem. Go and face that prime minister." He tap my shoulder again and left, walking towards the direction of the room of his woman.

I let out a deep breath. I tried my best to calm myself. I close my eyes and think of Niel face. It always work. Niel always make me calm.

I let out a deep sigh again then I turned to Kros.

"Appoint guard for my children and the queen. Prepare all out allied guards and soldiers in the palace. The hyena is moving already. The war will begin soon. There will be a bloodshed in this palace."

"On it Your Majesty."

I nodded then looked at the sky. I don't know how long this fight of mine will last. But I'll only make sure one thing. I will win.

-------

Just outside the hall, the commotion of the ministers could be heard inside. I signal all the person following me to stop so that I can listen properly to what they are talking about.

"It makes sense. If that's really the king's son, why wasn't he brought to the palace? Why should he hide it?"

"You don't know how women's brains work. You know he has a motive why he just released the children."

"It's been so long already that the king don't have a queen. Obviously that is what that bitch want. The crown and the title."

"But Prime Minister, how did you know that those kids are not the King's child?"

"Kids are simple and honest. Giving them food is enough to get their trust."

"Which of the two did you talk to? Both of them looks smart."

"It doesn't matter who I talk to. The important thing here is to get rid of them in the palace. We will not allow us to have a queen especially a prince heir who is not really blue blood."

"You're right there."

"You're Majesty." My eye remained in front of me. I didn't look at whoever was coming from behind me.

"Mr. Shin." I heard Cross greet. It's him. He is here again in the palace.

"Your Majesty." He bowed in front on me.

"You come back too early, Mr. Shin?" I said.

I sent him away from the palace to gathered all the things I needed. He also served as my eye to my Niel and the kids when I was bound by my obligations to the palace.

"I know you need my help. The hyena is moving."

"Indeed. How was the leopard?"

"He is safe. One of these days, you can arrange his meeting with his daugthers."I just nodded in response.

"The soldiers are also ready to fight you. They are well trained. Some spies are on the move already. Later today you will get a lot of reports from them."

"That's good to hear. Anyway, I want you to keep an eye to Princess Jam and Princess Bai. Keep one safe and you know what to do with the other. Also, ready all the needed documents. They are fucking questioning my childeren identity. "

"It's already ready Your Majesty." Mr. Shin handed me the folder. I smile. He is really dependable in everything. At his age, his mind still sharp and alert

"Miss Nikka is on stand by and ready at your order."

"Good." Then I enter the hall without announcing my arrival.

Everyone was surprised at my sudden entry. Others almost fall off the chair in panic. They quickly fixed theirself and immediately greeted me.

I ignored them. I went straight to my seat and sat down. They all also sit.

"Reporting begin." Liam announcement. He is the one I replace Mr. Shin position when I send the latter outside the palace.

"Your Majesty." Minister Park stand up. He is the Budget Secretary. He is the one who is handling all the funds. "The governor of the south is asking for more funds to relieve the famine in their area. As you know, the crops was destroyed by the floods and landslide."

"I thought we send them calamity funds. What happened?" My gaze fly directly to the Minister Lancaster, the Minister of Revenue as he is the one who I assigned to send the money personally to the south.

"Yes we did. It was recorder on this book." He handed me the ledger. Liam get it and put it in front of me.

"Maybe the governor handles the fund incorrectly." Minister Lancaster said in a nervous voice.I smirk on my head. Mishandle my ass. That governor report to me in an instant when the money arrived on his hand. Everything was video recorded. No one can fool me when in comes to the funds.

"I doubt that." Minister Park said. "Your Majesty together with that ledger is a complete notes of all the expenses that they made. Everything is recorded as well as the money they receive."

"Good. I will investigate it. The money that we send was huge and it will last for atleast three or five months. The south is not that huge and their population is small." I look once again to Minister Lancaster. He immediately shift his glance away from me. He is guilty and he is throwing himself away.

"Anything else." I said.

"Your Majesty." The prime minister stand straight and look at me directly. "I want to apologize first."

"For what?" I asked without looking at him. I distracted myself by looking at the ledger so he could see that I wasn't interested in whatever he had to say.

"I investigate the queen behind your back." I quickly clenched my fist under the table. I'm holding my compure.

"Really? Why is that?"

"I just doubt it. I'm not questioning your decision at all, but I doubt the character of our queen."

I laughed. I slammed my hand on the table making everyine flinched.

"You don't doubt my decision, but you had investigated the queen to without my concent. Aren't your words contradicting Prime Minister?"

"No it's not Your Majesty."

"Really?""Yes Your Majesty."

"HOW DARE YOU!" My voice echoed in the hall. I glared at the prime minister but was not bothered on how I glared at him.

"What I did is for the safety of the royal family and the kingdom Your Majesty. That woman is suspicious as well as her children. I just don't want any harm to the royal family especially to you that's why I did it."

"Aren't you to be loyal to us Prime Minister." I said in a sarcastic voice.

"Thank you for your compliment Your Majesty." He then put an envelope in front of me. "I once talked to the crown prince and also with the princess. I asked them some question that was related with my doubt. Then, I got some hair from him and her sister. If asked Megan, my daugther, to get also some strands of your hair. I asked someone behind your back for the DNA test. Inside that enevelope is the result."

"What is the result then?"

"They are not your children."

Gasp filled the hall. I smile and lean forward. My ministers are too pretentious. They act as if they know nothing about it, where in fact they knew it before I did.

"How dare that woman...." One of the minister. I forgot his name. He is not that important to be remeber.

"And how dare you to called my mother a woman!"

We all glance at the room. My children is there, standing with their heads up.

Reigh is the one who enter the hall, with his sharp glare the all the minister.

Behind him is Ryu with his cold and blank face.

"Kids are not allowede here." Prime Minister said.

"Really? But liar is allowed?" Ryu said. Reigh sit on my lap after giving me a kiss while Ryu stand beside me.

"I don't know what are you talking about." The prime minister said, glaring to my son.

"Then let me ellaborate it for you." Ryu said.

"Let me do it to you my dear brother." I smile behind my head. I'll let my kids deal with it first since they did an effort to come here.

"First you talk to us. I'm not as old as you to forgot who I spoke these past days. I can elaborate one by one what I did in the past and whom I talked to. I can't even see your face in my memory not to mention your name and the your so called TALKED."

"Aren't you too disrespecful little girl?" The prime minister said smiling to my daughter. He is trying to scared Reigh and he failed instantly.

"My respect is for the person who deserve it and you ate not include in it. Also I'm a princess your just a prime minister. You did not even greet me or my brother. Respect begets respect sir."

Prime minister smirk and I did the same too. My princess is too smart for her to be scared to someone.

"Maybe you forgot that we talked." The prime minister said.

"We both have a photographic memory. We can't forget things easily." Ryu butt in.

"Really. I don't know that."

"Of course you don't know anything. I are only good in making up stories for your own good. I'm warning you, never ever touch my mother. And don't make any stories that we are not our father children. Let me tell you something. It is the king who find us, not us. If you want to question our identity, better asked the king decision first." Ryu said.

"Prime minister, I will get this envelope of yours for investigate. Also, this two is my children. I already have them tested since birth. Don't you even dare to question their identity nor disrespect them. Mind what is your position. Also, I will let this issue pass. You are Megan father after all. But if this will happen, chances are not given to you anymore."

"But Your Majesty, how sure are you that they are yours." Prime minister said before I even dismiss them.

"How sure are you that we are not his kids?" Ryu threw back the question.

"How sure are you that he is your father."

"I'm willing to take off my clothes right here, right now." Reight butt in.

"How can it help?"

"My father has a mark on his back and we both have it. Same shape, same size, and in same position. Wanna see it?" Reigh confindently said making me frown.

I don't have birthmark and they don't have one also.

"I can have that one also little girl."

"It's Your Highness for you Mr. Barksville." That made me giggle. "Also, a blue-red color birthmark is only present to the royal family especially to the appointed by the heaven heir."

Where did she get that idea?

"I heard it twice." Minister Park butt in. "My grand father said, that they are appointing the apparent heir by its birthmark. I thought it was just a legend. I never know it is existing."

"Minister Park, are you going to believe in child word."

Reigh suddenly make a move that shocked all of us. She raised the hem of her shirt and turning all the minister in chaos.

"Your highness please don't. Don't remove your clothes." Mr. Lancaster said, falling on his knees.

"Mr. Barksville don't believe my word." Reigh said but she already stop what she is doing.

"He don't believe you, but we did. So please don't remove your clothes." Mr. Park answered.

Reigh did not answer. She looked at the prime minister.

"We can strip in front of my Mr. Barksville. If we prove what we are saying is real, how will you handle my sister reputation?" Ryu said covering his sister with his body.

"Fine. I believe for now. I'm sorry Your Highness."

"Dismiss everyone." I growled at them. They all left the hall and in just 1 minute the hall only have me and my kids as well as Liam. I looked at my kids. Ryu is glaring at Reigh, while Reighnis just pouting.

"Your reputation is at stake if that old hag didn't believe what you said."

"He will not dare, brother. He will be killed in exchange my tarnish reputation." Reigh said flipping her hair back.

"Where did you get that story?" I butt in. I grab Reigh body and put her on my lap.

"In my story book." Reigh answer.

"It's just a made up story dad." Ryu said then he climb on the table.

"How did you know they will believe you." I asked.

"Mr. Park is the key." Ryu answered. "Mr. Park is the only minister that is honest and not bias. Everyone known it. He has his own belief.

"What if he don' believe what you said?"

"We are prepared." Reigh raised his top to show me the hand drawn birthmark. I was amazed on how it was well drawn and looks like a real birthmark.

"And it's up to you dad. If you will play along with us, then everything will be good."

I just closed my eyes. They just take the risk without any concrete plan. I grab Ryu and hugged them both. They are ready to fight to protect what is right. They made me proud and scared at the same time.