Queen Of Adis

"Ah, I'm sorry, I-I didn't mean to startle you. P-please, forgive me!" A sniveling boy around eight years old repeatedly bowed and apologized. "P-please don't hurt me. I-I didn't mean it. I swear I will behave."

The child cried out in his tiny voice as he cringed his head and squeezed his malnourished body against the wall. His hands and feet were grimy and his cheeks and mouth were smeared with dried blood. His tangled long gray hair was sticking on his face and neck.

Haru slowly moved towards the boy, careful to not scare him more than he already was. She felt her heart was being ripped apart with the way his tear-stained eyes were distant and his small shoulders trembled.

"Don't be afraid, sweetheart. I won't hurt you." Haru whispered reassuringly as she inched closer to him. "My name is Haru. What's yours?"

The kid still looked apprehensive and took a while before he answered her. "I... don't have a name. The dark place I came from... the people there called me... monster or devil or freak."

A lump suddenly formed in her throat. It was obvious that he went through inhumane treatment based on the various whip scars on his body. Haru extended her hands to the boy as she coaxed him in a gentle voice. "I will not call you that. Come, let's think of a good name together while I help you clean up. How's that?"

The boy's eyes gradually focused on her, a tiny flicker of light suddenly illuminated in it. Then, after a long time of contemplation, he lifted his dirty hands and grasped at her arms, long nails dug on her flesh, as though he finally found the light and help he was screaming for so long inside that murky place. When Haru genuinely smiled at him, he completely forgot his fears and buried his face against her c.h.e.s.t, crying himself out in relief.

Haru cradled his small body in her arms while her tears were silently falling from her eyes. "It's okay. I won't let anyone hurt you. You'll be safe with me."

Once the boy had calmed down, she took him to the only wooden chair available inside the abandoned house. She c.a.r.e.s.sed his hollowed cheeks as she spoke softly, "Sweetheart, I will go prepare your bath. Can you wait here for me?"

The boy gripped the sleeve of her coat as though he was afraid to lose the light he recently discovered. "Please don't leave me. I'll be a good boy, so please don't leave." The sides of his eyes reddened again as his tears welled up.

"Shh, don't worry, Haru won't leave. I'll just go out and get some snow so I can melt it and use it to clean you." She hugged his body and rocked him gently.

"Can I come with you? I can also help."

"You'll catch a cold. Well, this place is already freezing but if you go outside--"

"I don't feel the cold." The child hurriedly chipped in.

Haru stiffened. The child in front was just like Adis; he couldn't feel the cold, broken and longing for salvation. She also noticed that despite the child's sorry state, his red demon eyes were notable, enough for anyone to be captivated by it.

She finally conceded. "Fine. But you stay close to me, okay?"

The kid vigorously nodded, afraid that she won't believe him.

Haru used a small basin to fill up an oak barrel with snow. Then, she fished out a firestone that Adis gave to him this morning. He said that it was a basic survival tool used by mortals to make fire during their adventure. She whispered the incantation that Adis taught her then threw the firestone on the hearth and positioned the barrel on top of the fire. While waiting, she wiped off the dirt on the kid's body with a clean damp cloth, noticing some fresh whip marks on top of the old scars.

"So... do you have a name you wish to have?" Haru started as she placed the kid inside the hot water. "Would you like a masculine name like Thor or a cute sounding one like Bun-bun?"

The kid did not react to her suggestions and played happily in the hot water. She titled his chin and was surprised to see his scarlet eyes were changed to golden orbs. "You are really a fascinating child. So what are you? Where did you get the blood on your cheeks?"

"I-if I tell the truth... will you leave me?" The boy whispered with eyes full of anxiety.

"Hey, stop thinking that I will leave because I'm not going anywhere." She softly chided as she tapped the boy's nose with her finger. "But if you are not ready to tell me, that's fine. I'm quite patient, anyway."

The boy looked down and played with his fingers as he muttered, "I-I was really hungry... so I ate the mouse that was running around the house. B-but don't worry... I-I don't eat humans. Although..." He trailed off and timidly glanced at her. He gulped as he continued, "...your blood smell so nice."

Haru's smile stiffened as she felt goosebumps appeared on her skin. But she ignored his last statement and blurted out when she remembered what he said. "Bloody hell! Did you just say you ate a rat? A big, ugly and dirty rat? I am relieved that you did not upset your stomach. Wait, are you living here alone?" She asked as she wiped his cheeks and mouth.

The boy shook his head, "There are a lot of ghosts here to keep me company. As a matter of fact, there is one behind you. I think she likes your smell, too, because she's sniffing your hair." He innocently narrated which almost made Haru pissed in her u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r and ran away while screaming.

Her body instantly went frigid. "Haha, damn, that's creepy. So this is how it feels like to actually live in a haunted house." She replied in monotone while her eyes were concentrated on him, refusing to glance sideways in fear to see something ominous.

"The kind demon king said that they are his pets and they would keep me safe even if I'm alone. He is really nice just like you. He also said that he will find me a home with a father and mother that will not hurt me and will love me." The kid chattered enthusiastically.

It was heartening to know that despite his horrible past, his golden eyes would still lit up in anticipation for the future.

She smiled, thoroughly affected by his excitement. "I'll make sure to be there to witness it... Vladimir." Then she softly added, "It means someone with great power, bright and famous. Someday, you will be a great and famous leader with a brilliant mind and a generous heart. But for now, you will just be my Vlad."

For the first time, the boy let out a heart-warming smile while his eyes shone brightly as the sun. A teardrop fell on his cheek as he cupped her face with his small hand. "While I'm still looking for my home, C-can you be... my mother?"

Haru leaned her head in his palm and gave him a gentle smile. "I would love to, my good child."

Vladimir's tears poured down on his cheeks but he wiped it off with his arms. "Thank you, mother, for giving Vladimir a name. I will treasure it. Today is the happiest day of my life!"

With a tear-stained face, Haru chuckled and enveloped the boy's body in her embrace as she let the boy cry his tears of joy.

The ghosts within and outside the house gathered around the mother and child, truly happy that the good child finally met his new home.

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Inside the Water Palace's study chamber, two good-looking men were currently kneeling on a washboard while their hands were extended in front. On top of their hands was a huge and heavy balance scale. Whenever a beam would go down, a whip would painfully whack their back. The two men were already kneeling since the Demon King had arrived in the morning. And it was now past noon.

"Big Brother, please forgive us, already. I am so tired and hungry," Zen cried out with an aggrieved look on his face. His back was already full of whip marks. His royal aide, Isaiah, seemed to be having fun hitting him with a whip.

"Your beam has moved again," Adis coldly said while his eyes were still on the doc.u.ments in his hands.

Aquarius was just silently accepting his punishment. Although the whip marks on his back were few compared to Zen, his arms and legs were starting to numb.

"It was big brother's fault, anyway. You didn't inform us that your fated mate has finally arrived. We thought it was just an ordinary woman who was playing with your heart. We just want to protect you that's why we sent those assassins to take care of her. Waah, big brother, please have mercy on your cute little brothers!" Zen prattled on.

Adis' eyes narrowed as he gritted his perfectly white teeth. "Since when do I have to report my personal matters to you?" When Zen only whimpered at his biting remark he scoffed and moved to the business at hand. "Aqua, how was the boy we saved from the sacred temple of Lumine?"

"We arranged for him to be isolated for the time being as we cannot afford another power outbreak from his rampage," Aquarius answered effortlessly while beads of sweat were forming on his forehead.

Adis furrowed his eyebrows as he remembered the pitiful state of the demon child. "So where did you take him?

"Ah, our men took him in an abandoned orphanage," Zen eagerly answered. "I even placed a request in one of the guilds here to look for a baby sitter."

Adis' body stiffened and his fingers twitched at the mention of 'orphanage' and 'baby sitter.' When he spoke again, his voice was laced with viciousness. "And where the hell is this orphanage, pray tell?"

The two kings were surprised at the sudden dreadful aura from him. They looked at each other before Zen nervously replied in a small voice. "A-at the foothill of Nepri Highlands."

In a flash, Adis took the whip from Isaiah and cracked it on the study table, instantly turning it into sand.

"Imbecile!" He roared and made the windows shattered into pieces.