Arreya finally understood what had happened. When she heard Queen Ygrit's cold words, the beautiful woman let out a long sigh. Her body, which was still kneeling on the floor to beg the old queen for mercy, quivered slightly.

"Finally, it has come to this..." she whispered despondently. Arreya then looked up and smiled at Xion and Therius. "You both are good men, and I am relieved that my Emma has you in her life. Now... I will have to trouble you and leave Emma with you. Today, I have to correct the mistake that I committed in the past. All enmity and grudge between our families must be resolved now. Please... please tell Emma that we, Kaoshin and I, love her so very much."

"Mother.." Therius suddenly had a bad feeling when he heard her words.

"Emma is the best thing that ever happened in our lives ..." Arreya's voice trembled and a drop of tear rolled down her cheek. "Tell her ... that... she shouldn't be so sad. We are very ... very happy to see her."

"Mother...!" Therius was very surprised to hear Arreya's words. He felt that the woman was saying her farewell. Before the man could do anything, Arreya quickly grabbed the sword in his hand and stabbed her own heart.

The beautiful woman's body immediately collapsed to the floor, with blood slowly seeping from under her. Arreya chose a quick death, after saying goodbye.

Everything that happened was like a film played in slow motion for Therius. He was in a daze before his mind snapped and he caught Arreya's body.

However, he was too late.

"Mother ..!!! Don't go ... Please.. Emma really, really wants to meet you .. Please.." In vain, Therius shook Arreya's body. The woman had breathed her last.

Arreya finally realized that this was what had to happen. She sacrificed herself to save her daughter. She and Kaoshin had left her behind, to save her, and today, she took her own life, so Emma could stay alive.

After meeting Therius and Xion, Arreya no longer worried about her daughter's fate. She was relieved that the two young men would look after Emma for her.

And now .. the time had come for her to reunite with Kaoshin, the love of her life. After being separated for over a dozen years, they would finally meet again.

That was what made Arreya not hesitate to make such drastic decisions.

Therius' face was filled with rage when he realized that his mother-in-law had died. He immediately shouted, ordering the people around him to arrest Queen Ygrit and sent all the soldiers to search every corner of the royal palace to find Emma.

"If anything happens to Princess Emma Stardust, ??I won't let anyone of you live!" his voice thundered, and for a moment, he looked like a madman.

Queen Ygrit did not fight back when Lora took her hand and arrested her. Her face was filled with hatred as she looked at Therius, who was crying over Arreya's death.

"It's such a shame ... my son and grandson are all charmed by Taeshian women. You are a disgrace to our family," Queen Ygrit chided at Therius.

Therius looked up and stared back at his grandmother with the same hatred. "If anything happens to Emma ... I'll make you regret ever existing."

Xion was stunned by how much this grandmother and grandson seemed to hate each other. Their hatred resulted from their great love for other people. Queen Ygrit loved her son very much, and Therius loved Emma greatly.

How could love and hate destroy families and cause so much suffering?

The young man sighed. He limped over to the nearest chair by the window. He threw himself there and sat facing the small lake filled with dozens of beautiful golden swans.

It was such an exhausting day.

He closed his eyes and tried to forget what had just happened.

***

When Therius heard that his men found Emma locked up in one of the warehouses behind the palace, he immediately ran as hard as he could to get there. Princess Arreya's body had been taken care of by the medical team and taken to the hospital, while Queen Ygrit was being detained at the Red Tower under heavy guard.

Princess Yldwyn was being held in her room and Therius was thinking about the punishment she deserved. The two bodyguards who held Emma and threatened her under a sword-point were killed on the spot by Joren. When Therius arrived there, their blood was still on the floor.

"Emma!!!" As soon as the door was opened, Therius immediately rushed to embrace Emma, ??who was curled up trembling in the corner of the room with a pale face.

Emma was not a timid girl, and she had various powers, but when she was held captive and threatened with a sword without being able to use her powers, the girl felt a lot of stress.

She did not know how terrifying it was to be faced with death in such circumstances.

When she saw Therius looking so worried, Emma's defenses collapsed and she burst into tears. She felt very relieved.

"Sorry, I'm late," Therius whispered regretfully. He carried Emma's body in his arms, kissed her hair many times, and took her out of the place.

The prince had a mix of emotions. On the one hand, he felt very relieved that Emma survived, but on the other hand, he felt very depressed and brokenhearted. He didn't know how to break the news to Emma that her mother had just died to save her.

Emma snuck her head on Therius' broad chest as if seeking refuge there. No one spoke from the warehouse to the travs and then as they flew back to Therius' palace.

After they arrived at the crown prince's palace, Therius carried Emma in his arms and led her to her chamber. Kira and several other maids quickly prepared the warm bath water and mind-relaxing oil in the large bathtub in Emma's room.

"Please take care of her. Let me know when she has finished taking a bath and changing clothes," Therius said to Kira. The maid nodded respectfully.

Therius kissed Emma on the forehead and stroked her hair before he walked out of Emma's room. He would wait outside until Emma finished her bath and changed into fresh clothes. After that, he would enter and stay by her side.

"Call Atila here, and have the chef cook food something good for the princess. Her conditions are very bad," said Therius to Avato. His assistant nodded and immediately disappeared to carry out his master's order.

Therius paced in front of Emma's room. He still couldn't forget what happened in King Cassius's chamber earlier. Everything seemed to be played over and over in his head.

Emma was so close to seeing her mother .. but, at the last moment, she was robbed of that opportunity. Emma would be heartbroken, Therius thought sadly.

He couldn't imagine how she would react if Emma heard what had happened. She had lost her father, Haoran ... and now, she also lost her mother. She must feel that she had no more reason to live ...

Ah ... Emma still had a little brother!

Therius suddenly remembered that Emma had a younger brother in Taeshi who was now 14 years old.

'If I'm not mistaken his name is Aran. Maybe if she could meet Aran, Emma would feel a little better.'

Therius immediately ordered another of his bodyguards to contact General Moria and ask him to go to Taeshi to tell the king there about what had happened and invite Emma's remaining family members to come and see her.

He hoped that when Emma met her brother and remaining relatives, she would feel better.

He knew Emma's grief was too great to be comforted like that, but at least he had to try and do something.

While Therius was busy with his mind, trying to find the least painful way to bring up Arrreya's death to Emma, Xion decided to check on Emma before leaving the capital.

As he walked toward the girl's room, his eyes caught sight of his friend, sitting dejectedly near the door.

"How is she doing?" Xion asked with a low voice as he approached Therius dan touched his shoulder.

Therius tilted his head and looked at Xion with a sad expression.

"She is shocked. I asked her maids to help her take a bath and change so that she could rest properly. The cooks were preparing some food for her, and I will make sure she eats something before she rests," said Therius with a sigh. "I feel so embarrassed that my grandmother could do something like this."

"It's not your fault," said Xion. "Don't blame yourself."