Stephan looks at his brother and pats the grass next to him. Xerxes rolls his eyes but sits down beside him.

"You really landed the jackpot brother! I am honestly jealous of you. She is the first woman to reject me! Twice now!"

"You and me both," Xerxes replies, staring at the sky. Stephan examines his brother's face, he sighs.

"What did you do to her?"

Xerxes doesn't reply, making Stephan chuckle. "She really did a number on you, I'll just have to assume the worst"
"I called her a whore," Xerxes says closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

"What the hell Xerxes! That is worse than the worst I assumed! What is wrong with you brother? You need to get that anger of yours under control," Stephan admonishes

"You're saying that as if it's easy"

"But what led you to call her that?!"

"...She wanted to come thank you for saving her, but I refused and started getting intimate. She refused to let me take her, so I angrily told her that she wanted to lay with you and called her a whore," Xerxes narrates still staring at the sky.

"She should've smacked you," Stephan says chuckling.

"But brother, just from a single conversation I had with her, I could tell she was the real deal, how could you-"

"I was too angry, I wasn't thinking when I said it," Xerxes sighs

"Of course you were not! She even told me that the thought of me touching her that way makes her want to throw up"

"I heard"

"She is a beauty, brother. That outfit she's wearing today  just made her body so-" Stephan swallows his sentence when he sees Xerxes glaring at him.

"I'm just saying, you have the beauty and the brains all in one! I always get the beauty airheads because they're easy for flings, but now, I should look for my package as well." Xerxes keeps mute still looking at the sky.

"Listen brother, I know you hurt her, and from the looks of things, this is obviously not the first time you're doing it. You really need to try harder to get that anger under control. I mean, she helps control that anger but when your anger is directed towards her, you need to take those deep breaths we've been talking about. She might leave you for another-"

"That's impossible," he says cutting him off.

"Sure, it's treason but she won't care bec-"

"She's pregnant," Xerxes says, dropping the bomb. Stephan's eyes widen in shock.

"You did give her that medicine after every lay right?" Xerxes nods his head.

"And you asked the maids if they had ever seen blood on her sheets?"

Xerxes nods again.

"That means, your prophecy is coming true?"

"We can't be too sure"

"What do you mean we can't be too sure! The Witch from the West's words were as clear as crystal!

A woman that never bleeds, you shall take

Faithful and loyal like Petal is to stem

Though death she will consume, life she shall bring forth

What else is there to confirm? Don't tell me, you're not sure if she's loyal"

"It's not that," Xerxes says looking at him.  "What if after this, it turns out she's still not the one? The prophecy was only about my first child, what if something happens?"

"Do you want her to be the one?"

Xerxes keeps quiet, confirming his question.
"Then she is the one Xerxes! Remember the witch also said that personal feelings will play a huge role in this, and that prophecies can change. Also for all we know the witch may just be a fake." King Xerxes sighs,

"If you don't want her, I can take her and raise your chi-" Stephan swallows his sentence again. Xerxes really needs a temper check.

"Then you better make up with her soon, or I'll have to make my move. She's a beauty! The sight of those swaying hips have my crotch aching already"

"Stephan" Xerxes warns. He laughs standing up from the grass, Xerxes doing the same.  "Since the day we were born till today, I am grateful to the gods for giving me you as my twin," Stephan says as they both head back towards the castle.

**

"Mother, Father!" Saya calls out turning the heads of her parents, relief written all over their faces as they see their daughter.

"My daughter!" The woman says, enveloping Saya in a hug.

"Are you alright? We heard there was an attack and-"

"It's okay mother, I'm fine," Saya assures. "Father," she says, addressing her dad. The man hugs her and kisses her forehead.

"My goodness child, did you cry?" he asks, studying her face.

"I'm okay"

"Did that bastard make you cry?" he asks angrily.

"Father! Someone will hear you, I'm okay."

"I'm so sorry I let you go. I should have never allowed you to come here," his face saddens.

"My beautiful daughter," he brings her into another hug, while her mother carefully studies her.

"Mother, is everything alright?" Saya asks nervously. Saya's mother says nothing at the moment. Her daughter looks different, surely anyone would have overlooked it because she is looking radiant. But she has been through this process six times so she knows it when she sees it.

"Saya, are you pregnant?" she finally asks, looking her in the eyes.  The young woman's breath hitches. Of course she would know if any of her daughters are with child.

"What nonsense Sandra!" her father exclaims looking at his wife. But then he pauses and looks at his daughter. She is not saying anything to defend herself.

"Saya," he calls looking at her. A tear escapes her eyes. "Father, Mother I-"

"Lord Jerob," Stephan calls from behind Saya. She turns around and sees Stephan and Xerxes, who is staring at her frowning a bit. She quickly wipes the tear that had escaped.

"I believe I made it clear that you would not see your daughter till tomorrow, she needs rest," Xerxes tells her parents, clearly annoyed. What is he saying? How could he say that? But before Saya can react, her father beats her to it.

"You pig! How could you do such a thing to my baby girl? She's only 18!"

People start turning around to see the commotion going on. Xerxes says nothing but glares at Jerob.

"You were the one who sent her to him in the first place. What they do is none of your concern. She's a woman, it is not uncommon for these things to happen to people even younger than her. You are overreacting Jerob," Stephan says looking at him expressionlessly.

"You monster!"

"Father, please," Saya begs, trying to calm him down.

"Kindly escort King Jerob and his Queen out of this Kingdom, they are no longer welcome here, for any reason," Xerxes tells the guards.

"No, please no," Saya pleads to Xerxes but he doesn't even look at her. The guards walk up to her parents, who turn around to leave in order to avoid creating a larger scene.

"Please do not do this to me," Saya begs, holding Xerxes' arm, tears flowing down her cheeks, but he doesn't even react, still glaring at her parents' retreating figures.

When they're gone, he turns to Saya, "Let's go," he says reaching for her hand but she steps back glaring at him.

"I hate you. You ARE a monster," she says before walking out of the garden, back into the castle.

"I want everyone gone," Stephan says to the guard behind him who immediately starts dismissing the crowd.

"Brother remember she's pregnant, you can't be stressing her out like this," Stephan pats his brother's shoulder, the both of them walking into the castle.

Stephan leaves to his chambers, while Xerxes walks straight to Saya's and enters. He sees Nabir consoling the princess who is in tears. Nabir immediately gets up, bows and leaves, on seeing him. Saya looks at him, but turns her back.

"You're supposed to be in my chambers," he tells her.

"I will rather sleep on the streets of your kingdom than on the same bed with you," she retorts, venom lacing her tone. Saya groans suddenly, holding her stomach.

"Saya!" Xerxes rushes to her side.

"Don't touch me!" she glares at him still holding her stomach. "Saya calm down"

"Just leave me alone," she says moving away from him. Xerxes grabs and carries her out of her chambers.

"Leave me alone! Don't touch me!" she yells struggling against him, but he doesn't budge.

"Get the physician," he tells Nabir who is standing by the door. She nods and quickly runs off.

"I said leave me alone!" she says running out of breath, her breathing hard and fast.

"You can avoid me all you want but I will not stand you putting the child in danger," he says going up the stairs.

Saya stops struggling when she hears this. He's right, she has been so selfish that she hadn't even thought about her baby. What kind of mother is she?

She allows the king to take her to his chambers, without her struggles. When he puts her down on the bed, she immediately backs him facing the window. They say nothing to each other throughout and before she knows it, she's asleep.