Amara de Alger Obelia rode her favourite horse alongside the Crown Prince of Eorka Empire.
The guy was quite tall and well built with a handsome face and ruby red eyes, his golden blonde hair seemed to gleam as the sunlight fell on them giving him an ethereal look.
Ara had almost killed the guy on the battlefield but once she got to know that he was suffering from a familial conflict and because of his stepmother, the Queen she had somehow recalled her past life when she was Athelinda and how she was also forced to be on the battlefield since young age so that she could die.
She had pushed those thoughts down thinking that if she helped at least one such person who was in similar circumstances then she would feel a bit more better.
"Callisto Regulus, so, you have someone you like then?" Ara asked and the said guy turned to look at her.
"Yes." He smiled, his face didn't hold the expression of giddiness of the one who was thinking of his first love but his eyes affirmed his answer.
"Good for you."
"I heard you have a son and a daughter, how come you don't look your age?"
Ara laughed, "Its because of magic, the mana makes us age slowly."
Callisto nodded, "You shouldn't worry, you seem to be one of those types who would look young even in their old age."
Callisto smirked and Ara copied it, it was after a long time that she had found a guy who was like-minded. They both were equally brutal on the battlefield and hellishly strong which made them compete and then become friends.
"How old is your son again?"
"He's 15. He's really handsome too, you know? I'll introduce you two, you'll be good friends, you seem to be of similiar type."
Callisto laughed, he hadn't ever thought he'd find any friend and now he was talking freely with a woman who just a few days ago was his enemy.
"What about your girl? Tell me something about her." Ara asked.
"She's really beautiful, almost like a little rabbit. She also quite mischievous and jumpy, I always enjoy whatever antics she pulls." He smiled as he spoke and Ara noticed the slight tinge of pink dusting his cheeks.
"That's good, hope she isn't scared of you."
"She isn't, actually she was the one who had first proposed me, she said she liked my hair and it looks like gold."
Ara laughed, "That reminds me of my sister."
"Well, continue, what did you do after she proposed you?"
"I didn't believe her at first, well, I nearly cut her throat."
Ara's eyebrows jumped, "You did what?"
"Well, I didn't expect her to say that and to be honest, it really seemed like she was lying and trust me, she's lied to me a lot of times but... she somehow ended up around me again and again so, I kind of thought I'd give it a chance."
"Hm, typical story of a bad boy meeting a good girl."
"Good girl? Her?" He spoke and chuckled, "she's just like me though. If I'm called the Barbarian of the Royal Family then she's called the Mad Dog of her family."
Ara laughed, "What's with these titles?"
"Well, I don't think she's like that though, she can be a bit naive but she isn't stupid."
Ara smiled noticing as how the lovestruck boy was speaking of his girl.
"Ah, the young love." She said and the guy looked at her.
"Don't tease me, Your Majesty."
Ara chuckled, "Fine, but you got to give me her details, I'll invite her and you for a ball soon."
The Crown Prince smiled.
"Sure."
It took them three days to reach at the teleportation portal that was situated at the border town of the Obelia Empire, courtesy of the Black Tower wizards aka Lucas and Ara.
From there they teleported to the Obelia Empire, the news of Empress befriending the Crown Prince of the Eorka Empire had already spread and since the people knew Ara's temperament no one opposed her decision.
The people welcomed the War Heroes by showering them with flower petals and soon after the small parade they reached at the Imperial Palace where Ara for the first had a small body jump on her.
"Mommy!" It was little Eternity and it seemed like she had a lot to complain.
"Oh goodness! My little kitten!" Ara laughed as she held her.
"Aunt Ara!" Next was her nephew Emrys, she hugged him as well.
The two started on about how their older brother was a demon and how he would bully them in her absence when the said boy gripped their collars and pulled them off his mother.
"Get your hands off of her, she's just arrived let her breath."
Ara smiled at her kids and gave her older son Aeturnus a smile engulfing him in a hug.
"Oh my, I missed you my little boy!"
Aeturnus' cheeks turned red but he let her hug him until she stepped back and then faced her other family members.
After a long hugging and welcoming session, she and the Crown Prince were taken in the palace.
"Ara!" Lucas cried as he hugged his wife who had returned after a long battle.
"Aigoo, it seems like there was too much workload on you." Ara said and Lucas whimpered.
"I really missed you!" He cried and she laughed.
"Sure, sure. But I'm back now and it's going to be a peaceful time, hopefully."
"Hopefully?" Lucas gave her a look.
"Well, Eorka Empire's Crown Prince is my friend now so, there won't be a war with them but if they did try then, I'll just have to go over there and show them their place."
"Oh, you did mention that he was forced to be on the battlefield just because the Queen, his stepmother wanted to throne her own son."
Ara nodded, "Callisto is a good guy, he's also got a girlfriend."
"Why were you asking him that stuff?"
"Well, why not? He's 23, I should ask him about such stuff, he's going to be the King."
Lucas sighed, "Should I really tie you up and keep you locked in here?"
"Eh? Why?"
Lucas sighed but didn't say anything. Ara was smart but she would never understand his possessiveness.
After a day's rest, Ara along with her family and Callisto with his aide Cedric were at the large dining table. The introductions were done and there was subtle silence between the family and the outsider. Claude, Lucas and Aeturnus seemed to be especially wary of this new person but they didn't say anything since Ara had brought him.
After the meal, Ara, Callisto and his Aide Cedric went over to the office and Lucas and Aeturnus followed them. Aeturnus didn't understand why this Crown Prince of other country had to be their guest, he was the one who'd killed a great deal of knights of Obelia.
"Eorka Empire will not plan another war with you." Callisto announced as they sat on the couch with Lucas sitting beside Ara and Aeturnus standing behind them.
"If they tried I'll just hack off the Second Prince's and the Empress's heads off."
Ara leaned back, "You're the kind who thinks of direct approach, right?"
Callisto tilted his head slightly, their strategies were different, while Ara believed in redemption, Callisto believed in playing with the prey until killing them.
"Well, I can't play tricks so well." He admitted and Ara smiled.
"Sometimes you need a proper person beside you who can make up to your drawbacks."
Callisto smiled, "Are you saying you'll make an alliance with me?"
Ara laughed, he was smart enough.
"You're smart."
Callisto crossed his legs one over the other and his eyes drifted over to Aeturnus, who was giving him a cold look with a stoic face.
"Your son isn't exactly as you described him to be." He started and Ara looked up at Aeturnus.
"Why? He's cute."
Lucas sighed and Aeturnus averted his eyes while Callisto chuckled, "You're the kind who's a fool for your family, huh. It's quite refreshing to see someone like you, there's not many people in Eorka who would put their family before them."
Ara sighed, "Finally, someone who understands my love or else most of them here think I'm obsessed and over indulging."
Callisto laughed, "You give off that impression."
He had seen her talking with her family at the dining table, the atmosphere was warm and happy, something which Callisto had never experienced in his life. He had lost his mother, the first Empress at a young age and since that time his life was always in a peril because of the other Empress. He had been fighting for his life since a young age but watching a family here who cared and loved each other so much made him a little envious.
Ara shrugged her shoulders, "Well, whatever it is I love them so I'll continue doing what I can."
Callisto observed the dynamics of the woman before him with her husband and her son. They stood around her protectively despite knowing that she's the strongest one in the Empire.
Just what made them behave like that? Was this how a family should be?
"Anyways, what do you think about it? Alliance, I mean." Ara said and Callisto looked at her.
She was completely different from the battlefield where after a long time he'd felt as if he would die. The vicious and powerful Empress seemed like a welcoming and friendly person whom Callisto wanted to befriend.
"It's a good idea. I'd love to make this alliance."
Ara smiled stretching her hand towards him.
"Then it's a deal."
Callisto smiled as he leaned ahead taking her hand and giving it a shake.
For the first time in his life, after the woman he loved he'd found a person who had accepted him.
***
Hello everyone,
How are you guys?! I'm quite busy and also felt kinda lonely and bored since there weren't any fun comments to read.
I know most of you would want a spinoff with this manwha now that I've introduced Callisto. But I don't have that much time yet, and also Athernitas x Leviathan story is also on a pause so, maybe I'll work on it little by little and start a release in 2024.
Anyways, how does it feel to be back?
I feel quite nice after releasing these bonus chapters.
Did you like it? Let me know.
Anyways, since I've come back after so long so, I've added a little something, hope you enjoy that.
Have a great day everyone!