Nox stood at the looming door way that belonged to the King and Queen.

He felt like a little kid again.

He let out a sigh before he reached out to knock.

“You called for me mother?”

Nox pushed opened the door, a woman with forest green eyes seemed to glare at him. Nox knew his mother was not happy.

“I was wondering where you had disappeared for nearly a week without a word and here I find out you were at the Black Market!” The Queen of the Moon moved off her day bed, placing her book down with a calm rage. “Not only that, the expenses you used behind my back, the men you took with you for protection need to be compensated as well!”

Nox looked down at the ground, knowing his mother was getting closer to him. Terria’s anger was warranted after all.

“Don’t get me started on how risky it was for you to be there! If they had known you were a Royal, you would have been on that same auction block as that Sun Prince you rescued.” The Queen huffed, trying to calm her rage as she looked at her son who dared not look into her eyes. “You should have come to me so you wouldn’t have to go on your own…”

Nox glanced up a bit, watching as Terria placed her hands on his cheeks and pulled his head up for him to look at her. Nox was wrong, she was more than just angry.

“Don’t you ever do that again!” She yelled into his face before pulling him into a hug.

Nox didn’t know he was holding his breath. With a soft smile, he pulled in, letting his mother hold him tighter.

“I’m sorry….” His voice was shaken by how lucky he wasn’t at that moment.

The Queen pulled away, her hair in a long tangled mess from her worrying over the news of everything that went on.

“You should be. I was trying to find the right punishment to give and I just can’t think of anything.” Terria looked at her vanity mirror and thought for a bit. “I suppose you can brush and brade my hair as working on an apology.” She eyed him. “But if I have a gray hair…”

Nox giggled at that, leaving the Queen’s eyes to tear up.

“Wouldn’t want that now do we mother?” He followed the Queen as she took a seat. With care, Nox grabbed a comb and started to brush her hair. The light brown seemed to dance in his hands, as he smoothed out all the tangles and knots. In his wondering mind, he started to hum a song, almost as if he wasn’t aware that he was even doing it.

The Queen closed her eyes, listening to the tune he hummed, as tears fell from her cheeks. Nox stopped humming, worried for his mother.

“Did I pull too hard on your hair?”

“No not at all….” She opened her eyes, trying to wipe away the tears that fell. “I’m just happy to hear you laugh and hum again…”

Nox seemed to be taken back by that, only to nodded in agreement and started working on his mother’s hair again.

“I guess….I forgot for a bit.” He twisted the hair in to a nice design. He was trying to find the words to what he wanted to say, but couldn’t really voice how he felt. “I guess...I had to find myself again...”

“Nox. I am glad you came back safe.” She let her son finish her hair. “And I am glad you over came clamity that came your way.” She turned to look at him, her eyes still full of tears. “I know when we first met, it wasn’t under the best circumstances.”

Nox chuckled at that as he took a seat on the vanity top.

“Don’t tell me you are still worried about that? That was so long ago.”

“But I wasn’t a mother to you when I should have been.” She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. Her son had done a wonderful job. “You were a child who had recently lost his mother and I was so horrible to you.”

Nox shrugged, thinking back on that day.

“Well I’m the King’s Bastards son, so I didn’t blame you being so cold towards me….”

“You are no bastard Nox.” She knew those words well. It was one of the first things she said to him. “And I am truly sorry for calling you that.”

Nox own eyes started to well up. He started to rub his nose, as if to stop it from flowing.

“Don’t worry, I forgave you a long time ago.” It had been awhile since the two had talked like this. “I’m not really sorry for doing what I did though…”

The Queen shook her head, it was hard for her to be mad at him. She stood up and leaned forward, placing a soft kiss on his forehead, causing Nox to blush slightly. His mother laughed at that, before pulling away.

“I knew that already.” She walked back towards her daybed, thinking. “Still, as punishment….” She thought for a bit. “I want you to bring the Sun Prince out so he can have lunch with us in the garden. It’s your responsibility to keep him safe and in place. What he does wrong will reflect poorly on you.”

Nox nodded at that. He couldn’t believe how cute his mother was acting. Then again, this was a punishment he could accept. It was easy and didn’t require a lot of time, money or energy.

“Sounds like a fitting one.” Nox jumped off the vanity and made his way towards the door. “Is there anything else you need mother?”

The Queen turned her attention back to the book she was reading.

“Yes. There is.” She flipped around for the page she was on last. “You ever do this again and I’m sending you away to Waves Kingdom to marry their daughter. It would be a beneficial trade….”

Nox made it a mental note to never piss her off again.