After safely returning Ashnah from the clingy arms of the Queen Regnant back to Alice Estate, he been welcomed with the smiling face of Ellen. Something to mention, even though she had looked happy, in fact she had been the absolute opposite.
Anzor had wanted to cry because his first outing with his daughter without Ellen had ended in absolute failure. He had wished to accompany Ashnah and Ellen, but there were pressing matters he had to discuss with King Cyril.
Inside of the King's study, the royal said. "Well, I knew of portals that were created by him to teleport one instantly to the palace, but I thought he had closed them all. It seems like one was still left ... and in that place, after all."
The 'he' who Cyril was talking about the late King Eric Cromwell, his father.
Anzor informed, "the magic researcher said there are specific conditions needed for that particular portal to activate." He passed report the magic researcher had created to Cyril.
After quickly scanning through it, the King of Emphraim let of a sigh of relief, "well from what this report says, at least we don't have to worry about some assassin ready to take my head." Cyril joked darkly.
'I wouldn't mind that.' Anzor thought. The King had liked to dump his paperwork on him (Anzor) while he had he his own work to do on top of that. The man before him was lessening his time with Ashnah and Ellen!
"Even though your expression is blank, I know exactly what you thought, little Anzor! You're cruel!" Cyril exclaimed then went onto say. "How can you wish death on someone as kind, lovable and handsome like me?! Have you no shame?!"
'It was not I who had brought up assassins in the first place.' Anzor glanced to the clock on the wall, pondering when he could go home, but sadly he knew it was long before that time.
"It does not matter if I was the one who brought up the assassins or not! How could you not care about me?! All my favor and doting on you were for not!" He placed his hand over his heart, "I feel so much pain here, that I think I am incapable of finishing my paperwork, Archduke."
Anzor stood, "I am leavi-"
"-Okay! Okay! Wait! You know I was only joking." Picking up the report again, he glanced up to the silver head from it. "It's not that much of a surprise that he opened a portal there, a place where your mother could be found. And for it to be activated like it says from the report, it seems like your daughter will later down in the the future develop an extremely rare side magic ..." Cyril paused then continued, "well, it's not surprising. Your blood flows through her, after all."
"I know what you are referring to by saying that. Don't." Anzor said. "Now, that the matter of the this portal is in your hands, let's more onto more pressing matters, your Majesty."
Those matters would be about the end of Vincent and Emma Morley and most importantly about events concerning the future of Emphraim and the Kingdom of Chumana.
●●●●
"How did the Queen Regnant treat you, Ash?" This was one of the first questions Ellen asked, once Ashnah had returned.
"It seemed like she was very happy with my presence." The child answered. 'It seemed like she was a little too happy.' Ashnah thought, then further said. "She even brought cotton candy flavoured tea, hoping that it was to my liking. She said if I like the tea so much, I should occupy her sometimes. Oh, she said to come to her if I ever needed help!"
"I see." Ellen gently patted the top of her daughter's head. The brunette knew that it was highly unlikely for the Queen Regnant Milcah to mistreat Ashnah or even harm her, but she had found it extremely hard to trust her child with others that she really don't know well.
A scene of the corpses of her murdered family flashed through her mind.
"Mommy." Ashnah called.
"Yes, dear?" Ellen gazed down at her daughter.
"Can you crouch down for a little bit, please?" She showed her dimpled smile as she cutely tilted her head.
"Hmm, do you have something else to tell, mommy?" A smile too greeted Ellen's face as she followed her daughter's instruction. Ellen thought she had a little secret to tell her, but something happened, what she hadn't been expecting.
Ashnah was gently patting her head, "don't worry, mommy. Everything will be fine."
The woman's eyes widened. It seemed like her own daughter had seen right through her. No, Ashnah from since she was even younger had been sensitive to her emotions. She was elated by this gesture, but then she thought about what kind of mother was she to have her own child worry about her. She needed to become stronger. Pulling Ashnah in for an embrace, she repeated. "Yes, everything will definitely be fine, Ash."
Even if she had to become the Demon King herself, she would make sure to protect her daughter.
●●●●
"Well, it certainly is abnormal that a portal like that brought you to the late King's bedroom chambers, Princess." Ray commented. "Before your father would even allow you to play in that lily field, I am sure it was carefully examined."
Ashnah replied, hugging a pillow to her chest. "Mhmm, I know."
"For it to had gone undetected by your father and considering it lead to even the late King of this land bedroom chambers, it was most likely created by him." Ray easily deduced.
"I came up with that conclusion too." The amethyst eyed said. "Especially with the late King Eric's magic side abilities involving teleportation, an extremely rare power to possess."
"What I want is, why the hidden portal suddenly activated because of your presence?" Ray's eyes narrowed darkly, "is somebody trying to scheme against you, Princess?"
"I want to know that too, Ray. And I don't think that someone was trying to plot against me." She had recalled the look of her father when he had explained about how she suddenly ended up at the royal palace grounds. "It just seems like I just met the conditions for the portal to activate." Ashnah thought, 'whatever they were.'