PREPARATIONS

When Terra returned to her room where she had left Ceaser with Genevia, none of the two was in sight. She checked all the places he was fond of but he wasn't there.

"You there." she called to a guard who was standing not too far from the palace's entrance,"Come hither."

They guard jogged to where the queen was standing and went down on his knees.

"Have you seen lady Genevia out here? Or the young Prince?" she asked a little perplexed.

"No, my Queen. The last I saw them was when they were headed to the Old Courtroom." the man answered with his head still bowed.

Terra turned around to go to the Old Courtroom when her eyes landed on a person she disliked. She tried to ignore him even when he bowed but he caught her hand.

"Release me you...." she tried struggling against him.

"Terra, my love. Why do you fight me? You know I care for you..."

Terra slapped him across his face. She was red with fury as she glared at her brother-in-law. He started laughing and Terra was startled for a split second before she recollected herself. She wasn't going to let him have his way with her. She fiercely bit into his flesh and he released her hand on impulse. She frantically ran from there as he kept on hissing from the pain.

Julius looked at Terra's retreating figure and he knew he loved her even more. He felt someone's presence behind him and gave a sideward glance to see who it was.

"What is the matter Cornelius? Have you never seen a man in love?"

Cornelius didn't respond immediately as he looked at Julius' side profile. Unlike his older brother, he had jet black eyes, grey hair and he was much taller than Solemn.

"You shouldn't chase after your brother's wife. I'm sure you don't want a scandal before your coronation." Cornelius answered at last.

"It won't be a scandal; she will be mine soon enough." Julius declared.

"Solemn might be out of the way but he has a son. You need to be more determined to have your own son, I have a list of women who..."

"Terra will have my children." he said turning to face his right hand man.

Julius started walking away in the direction of his room and Cornelius walked behind him.

"Sire, you know that she has problems with child bearing. I took her ten years to have Ceaser and I am sure your brother worked hard..."

"Then I will work even harder and have a child in half the time."

Cornelius stopped walking and froze on the spot. Julius turned and laughed when he saw the expression on Cornelius' face. He then walked away and left the man alone. Once he was alone, Cornelius smiled wickedly. He started walking towards the palace's food storage building where three women in cloaks were sitting.

He shut the door and turned to face them. They laughed eerily and he joined them in their laughter.

When Terra reached the old courtroom, she found Ceaser crying in a corner as Genevia tried to coax him.

"What's happening here?" Terra asked.

"Mother!" exclaimed Ceaser,"I'm scared."

Ceaser got up from the floor and ran to his mother sobbing. Genevia smiled innocently as she watched him. She got up and excused herself and left the mother and son alone.

"How are you going to get married like this?" she asked sweetly.

Ceaser's tears dried in an instant after he heard the word 'married'.

"What do you mean mother? I am far too young for marriage."

He pushed her back slightly so that he could look her in the eye. She was smiling down at him like an angel of death who had come to claim his soul. For an instance, he felt his trust in his mother waver. It had to be because of his father.