chapter 45

Astolpho stops for a moment, but then continues he leans to Enrique's ear then gently whispers. "How about we continue this discussion privately?" He asks politely.

Enrique nods as they continue their walk Zerin feels extremely excited, "will my mate and I be like that?"

"With his highness's personality I highly doubt that, haha" Alphonso jokes.

Zerin rolls his eyes then looks at the king and queen in front of him, he heard that they recently had a baby too. With both their looks their baby must be heavenly!

Zerin rushes up Enrique before Alphonso has time to stop him!

"Your majesty, hello!"

Enrique was startled for a moment but smiles, he looks at the teenager with a polite smile.

"Prince Zerin!" Alphonso said in an almost shouting voice.

Enrique looks back at the older teen, around 18-19? He seems like a gentle spirit in contrast to the vibrant and wild spirit of this 16-17 year old.

"Calm down Alpie, I won't do anything inappropriate!"

"Your highness you already are…" he almost groans

"Don't worry, he is only a curious child" Enrique reassures them.

"See!" Zerin cheers.

Enrique has been reading a bit about this kingdom, and he was confused. It's stated in the tradition that it's mandatory for the royal couple to be marked. But Ishley was not marked by Astolpho. How was it acceptable?

"Your majesty is really beautiful!"

Enrique smiles, "and so is his highness"

Enrique likes the colour of his hair, the beautiful red it was a colour he never seen on someone, and the same can be said for silver hair.

"Yep! I'm very beautiful as well!" He boasts.

Enrique chuckles at the teenager as they all walk to the garden to accommodate the guests, it seems Zerin had taken a great liking to the queen. Asking questions and staring at him every chance he got and Enrique was very endulgent until it had gotten late and they had to retire, having the maids escort the guests it was only Astolpho, Cerillio and Enrique.

"Cerillio, there will be a welcoming banquet tomorrow. You will be attending" Astolpho said.

Enrique feels uneasy, though Astolpho is smiling. There is something eerie about it  and it didn't help with the numbing look in his eyes.

"Yes, but Astolpho. I'm being truthful, I didn't do that to any omega. I'm being framed."

"I understand, but if I'm correct you were there, right?" Astolpho asks sternly.

Cerillio, soon closes his lips in silence. Astolpho sighs, "hmp, I thought so"

Cerillio bites his bottom lip hard, "Listen I know what you think but I swore I-"

"You're gonna swear that you never touched any omega that night?" Astolpho attacks with his words again.

Enrique could feel the pressure, it made him weak, very weak as if there was no energy in his body. Cerillio is sweating from all the force he's receiving. It felt the crushing weight of his brother on him, it was even harder to breathe.

"I… I"

"Astolpho!"

Astolpho snaps out of it as soon as he hears Enrique, who looks at him. "Ah, I'm sorry Queen,"

Enrique nods, it was very scary. He must admit. "Um, but may I ask what did your brother do?"

Cerillio looks surprised at him with a slight blush before looking down and gently scratching his cheek, he then clears his throat and regains his composure. "Well, your majesty you may not believe but recently people are saying that I've violated an omega" he said, "I have been to the party, I know who they are talking about but… I didn't do it with that omega" Cerillio admits.

Enrique a brow, "but you did it with an omega"

Cerillio nods, Enrique found him strangely honest but this is a serious situation.

Astolpho sighs, "of course he did,"

"My rut came suddenly so I had to do something about it,"

Astolpho looks at him, "didn't you have a potion"

"It wasn't working…"

"Of course it wasn't," he said in a sarcastic and frustrated tone. "How about we retire for the night, we will discuss this matter further another time".

Cerillio nods biting his bottom, he sighs as he watches the couple leave.

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A figure wearing a dark cloak walks into the open room of the church, he looks at the man bowing before the holy statue within a position of prayer. The cloaked figure forward their steps echoes throughout the whole empty room, upon reaching next to the pope, he rose his head opening his eyes with a gentle smile plastered across his face.

"Your holiness"

"Hello little fallen star"

The cloak was a little taken aback but remained compose, "I need your help"

The pope looks at him then back at the statue, "I cannot do that,"

The person in the cloak then grabs the pope by his shoulder, "how can you say that?!"

"You're asking me to go against the flow of this earth to break the fate that exists, I cannot do that," he spoke calmly.

"How can you say that so calmly? When many people will suffer, many have suffered, help me end this awful tradition! Let them be able to choose!"

"They are able to, the notion that your relationship is set for doom is entirely up to the two destinies. It's something to flow, not to force something that needs both, not one, like any other relationship exists," the pope said, towering over the cloak figure.

"Even so, I want to change it! Throughout our generations we are only ever meant to love a person to bond with one. And we don't get to decide that, we always fall in love, but it's not always the same case for the other once rejected we are done for!" The cloak figure spoke.

The pope didn't say much, he looked at the statue once more. "It seems the great mother heard your prayers, but are you willing to pay the price?"

"I don't care anymore, I lost everything"

"Not everything" the pope looks towards his stomach.

The cloak figure said nothing, but the pope turned away ready to leave. "Pray to the mother and she will give you your answer".

A/n

The mother Goddess

The priest

Cerillio