25. A silvery white bracelet

"I was mindlessly sitting on the bed. I felt a little thirsty and walked straight to the bedside table. But suddenly the candle went off from the strong wind and I knocked the glass off. I bent down to pick this up and wounded my right wrist in the process.

I could feel the cut was deep. I intended to light the candle first so I won't repeat anything similar again. But suddenly I could see a faint silver glow from the place where my wrist was injured. It was clearly visible in the dark room. 

I didn't move and stopped in my place. After watching that the silver glow was fading, I finally lightened the candle, only to see this bracelet sitting on my wrist." Ether explained everything in details.

Asterion remained silent for sometime, before he finally spoke up.

"You are not powerless Ether, just that you are different." Asterion sounded way too calm and composed.

"You are not surprised." Ether said, noticing that other than being curious about her story, he was nowhere near the shock she had received.

"I knew about this. Since the day we got married." Asterion said.

"How did you know?" Ether asked, completely confused.

"The day your carriage hit the rock and you were thrown in the valley, I was the first one to discover you. Even the level four guard had died from fall, but your body, even when it was beneath the gigantic rock, was saved.

Your body was glowing silver that night, as if some magic was happening. I didn't dare to interrupt whatever it was in the fear of losing you.

Maybe it was healing you internally. After some time the glow started diminishing, shattering the huge rock that was crushing you, into a million pieces of dust.

My men had seen the rock, hence I had to lie saying that I turned the stone into ice before destroying it, when the truth was, it was you and your power." Asterion explained, remembering the scene from that night.

Ether was stunned speechless, unable to believe what was happening. And how could she?

Her entire life, she had been suffering, receiving mockery and insults just for being powerless, only to realise that she was powerful, but in a different way.

"Is that why you asked me to cultivate with you?" Ether finally asked Asterion.

"Yeah. But Chiron said it isn't of any use." Asterion revealed before narrating his conversation with Chiron.

"Maybe we will need to search for other methods for cultivation. I was thinking if you could ask father for some fire tools tomorrow. We can start preparing the fire symbol at least." Ether said.

"About that, I was going to talk with you." Asterion said and paused before rethinking everything and then continuing.

"Your sister, Princess Vesta is in Country Nero." Asterion said, letting Ether digest the newfound information.

"How? Did you meet her? What exactly happened?" Unlike what Asterion has expected, Ether instead of bursting from this news, simply took it and asked the details precisely.

"She was the one who came to meet me in morning. You remember I said about some urgent matter, it was her. But I was unaware of her presence till then, she had only notified that she was someone who had information about you. Hence I went to meet her, only to find Vesta there. Sorry for hiding that from you." Asterion was genuine with his apology.

"But something happened which is why you are telling this to me now." Ether was calm, not in the calm-before-the-storm way but she was relaxed, as if she was expecting it all along.

'Is that how a wife is supposed to react on such important news, princess? No, you ain't a princess any longer. You have already risen to the level of a Queen. My queen!' Asterion thought in his heart, secretly admiring her for her composure.

"I think the incident that happened on the day of our marriage, it was Vesta and-" Asterion paused, knowing he was about to change everything from the moment he will be uttering this, but looking at Ether and her calm attitude after all her sufferings, he made up his mind.

"And my mother. They are someway or the other linked to your accident." Asterion said, eventually letting it all out.

And finally, Ether showed some expression, a little surprise and a smirk!

"Your mother wants to match you up with Vesta because I am dead now, that's the plan right?" Ether asked, her voice lowered.

"Something in a similar context." Asterion nodded, engrossed in Ether's way of thinking and tackling this out.

"Your highness-" Ether said, and was instantly interrupted by Asterion.

"Aster-" Asterion was still speaking, but Ether didn't let him do that.

"Your highness, it is. I will be asking this to you for the first and the last time. Do you want to get married to Vesta?" Ether said, her tone cold as ice, lacking the affection and warmth she always had for Asterion.

"No, Ether. Though it was the initial plan. But since the day I decided to marry you, the thought about Vesta has never crossed my mind and it never will." Asterion said with all seriousness, not liking the detached tone Ether was using with him.

"Your highness, this truly is the last time I am asking for your wish. If you truly want to have Vesta in your life, you can be honest about it. Because after this, if Vesta is going to enter your life, I'll be the one leaving. And I want-" Ether was still talking when Asterion cut her off.

"You. Are. Not. Going. Anywhere." Asterion said, his mood taking a complete turn the moment Ether mentioned leaving him.

"Is that clear, Princess? I am your husband and I am not leaving you at any cost, forget someone as insignificant as Vesta!" Asterion said, his voice so cold and sharp, cutting something deep inside Ether's heart.

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Don't forget to leave a review for the book guys! I need it the most *sob*. Help this poor author out!

- Kizy