Queen Of Adis

Adis took Haru in the Royal Gallery of the Water Palace while Zen and Aquarius were on their trail. At the grand antechamber, one could see an enormous painting that almost covered the entire wall. On each side were thick velvet dr.a.p.eries in shade of burgundy red and golden tassels at the lower end as its protective cover.

As if in trance, Haru approached the painting of the world map and softly brushed her fingers at the canvass. She craned her neck to have a close-up view of its brilliant colors and detailed strokes. Whoever painted it must have been committed to both imagination and reality and put it in a portrait that would last for eternity.

"Who created this outstanding workmanship?" Haru breathed out in awe. She would love to meet the artist behind such a masterpiece.

"It was the late Queen of Trium Regum, my mother," Adis replied in a voice laced with both tenderness and melancholy.

'Late Queen?' She creased her forehead as she thought to herself. Once she realized her tactless question, she slowly turned around to look at him with apologetic eyes. When she opened her eyes to express herself, Adis shook his head gently and gave him an understanding smile.

"It's okay. It's been too long, already." He opened his arms to invite her in his embrace, in which she did. "So, why did you need to see the map of this world?" He swiftly changed the subject to lift the gloomy atmosphere.

Haru scratched her head, having second thoughts of whether to reveal her dream or not. "Well, promise me that you won't laugh."

"I promise," he indulged her while kissing her fingers.

"I had a dream," she started in a tiny voice.

The two young Kings moved closer to the couple and extended their ears to openly listen to their conversation like a gossipmongers.

"And?" Adis softly coaxed her to continue.

"I know this sounds silly, but in my dream... I talked with a gigantic tree." Her face was bright red like a tomato. As she was looking down while talking, she didn't notice that the three Kings' smile gradually stiffened. "She sounded like an old lady and she said that her name is Yggdrasil."

Her storytelling was interrupted by a loud gasp from Zen. When she glanced up, she was surprised to see that the three men were gawking at her as though she had grown horns on her head.

She sighed. "Yeah, I know, it's outrageous. Okay, you can laugh. I won't get mad--"

"You met the Tree of Life, Yggdrasil? The messenger of the gods? No shit!" Zen exclaimed, forgetting all the royal etiquette he learned in his lifetime. "Do you know what it means to meet the Noble and Wise Tree?"

"Of course she doesn't know, you fool!" Aquarius snapped at his noisy brother.

Haru scowled as she tilted her head and blinked.

It was Adis who answered her silent question. "We know Yggdrasil. In fact, everyone in Trium Regum knows her. But only the pope can meet her through his dream as he is one of the few wielders of lost art. Aside from him, only the gods and goddesses have the power to see her. If you met Yggdrasil, does that make you... a goddess?" He harshly breathed out and buried her face against his c.h.e.s.t. "Regardless of the reason, for now, no one must know this phenomenon. It will surely cause an upheaval if the public finds out. Please, keep this a secret, Haru. Promise me!"

Haru repeatedly nodded her head in approval. If it was really an anomaly, she wouldn't want to be the subject for experiments. "I promise! Haru will behave and listen to Adis."

He smiled in relief and kissed the top of her head.

Aquarius eagerly inquired from behind. "What did the Yggdrasil say? How do you plan to end the winter, sister-in-law?"

She told the three Kings about her brief encounter with Yggdrasil and the goddess' wrath. She omitted the fate of her love story as it was a subject meant to be discussed in private with Adis. "There are methods I would like to try to 'force' a new life out of this winter storm. But I need an economic report first." She looked at the map and focused her attention on Lumine. "Since humans are the weakest amongst all the creatures in this world, how are they coping with?"

Zen shook his head, his eyes were filled with helplessness. "Everyday, the death rate is increasing. The food storage is almost exhausted. If my estimation is correct, it will only take less than six months before the rations will run out and we'll start begging for food from Atlantis."

"What about Atlantis and Umbra?"

Aquarius stepped forward and looked at his own realm on the portrait. "My people are doing better compared to Lumine and Umbra, but that doesn't mean that they are not suffering. Due to the sudden increase in migration from other realms to here, the food storage has started to dwindle earlier than expected. The merpeople and other sea creatures are losing their energy and lives due to the loss of their homes."

When all of them turned their attention to Umbra, Adis proactively provided his status report. "The soil of Umbra cannot cultivate crops, therefore, the citizens rely on trading in exchange for food. Now that there's a food shortage in the other two realms, their evil sides are going out of control and crimes are going rampant. Only a handful of demon clans and sacred beasts practiced *inedia, even so, the insufficient amount of sunlight was affecting their restraints."

He unknowingly gave out a sad smile. "I'm sorry that you came to this world at its most horrible time. I'm ashamed that you are witnessing how incapable I am as a ruler."

Aquarius and Zen expanded their eyes in disbelief. "That's not true!" Both Kings objected at the same time.

Haru frowned and flicked his forehead with all her might. "What the hell are you saying? Any normal and sane King would have ran away and left his people at the first sign of chaos. But after countless years, you are still here stupidly fighting a losing battle and sacrificing your happiness for the sake of your people. If that's your definition of 'incapable,' then I honestly don't know what should be a capable ruler is."

She grasped his face within her hands and intently stared at his eyes. "A true leader is not defined by the number of battles he won nor the countless problems he solved. Your unrelenting d.e.s.i.r.e to be with your people amidst this storm, your compassion to listen to them and alleviate their sorrows, and more importantly, your humility to seek help in times of trouble, are what makes you a good King." She curled her index finger and lovingly tapped it on his nose. "These trying times will mold you to become a better King. Allow me to share your burdens. That's what lovers are for."

Adis' throat constricted as he felt a lump in his throat. He showered her face with lingering kisses as he silently thanked the gods for giving her to him.

"Aww, that is so sweet," Zen gushed at the background. "But my dear sister-in-law, there are two more Kings in Trium Regum. What about us? Aren't you going to cheer us up, too?"

Adis glared at his younger brother. "Find your own woman to cheer you up," he sternly remarked.

Haru giggled when Zen just made a face. Then, she looked at Adis again to make a request. "Adis, I would like to go to Lumine. I will commence my experiments there, but I'll be needing a lot of materials."

"Mn," Adis nodded in understanding. His eyes suddenly glowed as he whispered, "Ignis, come forth."

Three dark silhouettes appeared from the shadows, then materialized into three identical canine demons with different colored flames as their tails. They all bowed in unison in front of their King. "We are ready to receive your command, Your Majesty."

"Haru, meet my loyal aides, the Ignis brothers. From now on, they will serve you, too." He introduced the canines to her and explained their job and expertise. Then he shifted his attention to the servants. "Raise your heads and remember the maiden beside me. She will be my future Queen consort and the sole Queen of Umbra."

The Ignis brothers were not surprised by the declaration as they have seen their King's devastation these past few days due to the maiden. They gave their sincere greetings to Haru and stood up to receive her orders.

"First, I would like to meet a glass artist." She went directly to the point. "Second, I need you to get me all kinds of soil in Trium Regum, even the uncultivated soil in Umbra. I need one bag each. Third, bring me seeds from this list." Haru gave fang the list she prepared earlier for her plan. "Lastly, gather magicians that are adept in elemental magic such as light, water, and air. That would be all for now."

The three Kings looked at each other then back at her. Zen was the first one who couldn't contain his curiosity. "Sister-in-law, why do you need other magicians? Us three are masters of those arts. We can help, too!"

"A king must practice his power inside the royal court. I have laws that I wish to be implemented as soon as possible." Haru's eyes inexplicably shimmered. "Very soon, the death rate will decrease. And in my hand, a new life shall begin. Come hell or high water!"