The commander stared at Sera while still standing in front of the door as she is across from him anticipating what he will say. Her heart raced; she gulped nervously followed by a bit of sweat on her forehead.

“You created those black scrolls, didn’t you.” She clenched her fist.

“Yes. When the king has accomplished a mission or battle, he informs me of the damage and towns he has destroyed. The list gets longer every so often due to his carelessness.” He folded his arms.

“You mentioned my mother, what has she done?”

“The queen has no choice but to abide by his choices. In the beginning, she didn’t want to, but eventually she gave in. I don’t see the queen as someone destructive, but to accept what is out of her control.”

“Is that why humans hate us?” her eyes were filled with tears.

“I don’t want to believe all of them do, but that could be the very reason, I am sure.”

“I always asked them every so often about why we avoid humans, they never gave me a full explanation.” Sera stepped backwards holding herself. “This is terrible. How am I going to confront them?”

The queen stands up from the dinner table placing her napkin next to her plate. Her husband, the king stands up as well to push his chair under the table.

“I’m going to check on Seraphina.”

“Yes, give me an update as well.”

Seraphina and Cody are silent considering the consequences of the black scrolls. Cody tilts his head leaning back against his desk.

“You can pretend it never happened.”

“No, that’s not going to work.”

The king arrives at his counsel door the guard to the right stepped forward to speak to the king as he approaches.

“Your majesty, a word.”

“Yes, what is it?”

“Several minutes ago, Princess Seraphina arrived here. She forced her way inside your office, sir, after deliberately disobeyed us.”

The guard to the left was disappointed he ratted on the princess after he was ordered not to by the chief. The king was furious as steam seeped out of his royal robes.

“Find the guards and brings her to me.” He raged.

“Yes, your majesty.”

Seraphina leaned forward while sitting interweaving her sisters. She let out a soft sigh thinking about her parents’ behavior.

“I love my mother, but I am not so sure of my father. He’s always hiding something from me.” Cody walks around his desk ready to sit. “I feel like I can never get him to acknowledge me, even when I train or create a new technique, he looks down at me. What am I doing wrong?”

“I won’t deny I have seen how indifferent he is towards you, even I don’t understand it.” He rested his arms on his desk leaning in towards her. “Here is an option, what if you left the kingdom?

“Alone? I – I am not too familiar with the real world. Where would I go?”

“Why are you afraid? Sera, I have seen how much you have grown into a brave young lady. I do believe you are ready to leap into the world.” Sera looks at him quietly. “The amount of hard work you have put into your training and-“

The door knocked a few times, Cody and Seraphina quickly looked at the door silently hearing the knocks again. Cody stands up heading towards the door while she watches him.

“Yes.”

“Commander, the king is looking for the princess, have you seen her?”

Cody looks back at Sera who looks confused towards him. “Yes, she’s with me.”

“The king is expecting her to meet him near the counsel room.” Seraphina eyes widened in fear.

“Yes, we’ll be right there.”

“Yes, sir.” He walks away from the door.

“You don’t think he found out, do you?” She stood up.

“Considering the sinking feeling in my gut, I do believe so.”

They walked down the hall as Cody leads them to the area, the queen spots them down the foyer. She looks confused of the fact her daughter looked well from afar and followed them. Cody turns the corner and sees the king standing there furiously with six soldiers near him. Sera stomach was turning into knots the closer the two of them had gotten.

“Yes.”  She stood a few feet away from her father.

“I was informed you were in my office, is it true?”

“I was.” Her voice trembled.

“No one gave you permission to do so! Why did you persist?” he shouted.

The queen walked towards them holding in her rage to defend her daughter. She walked slowly assessing the situation and seeing how Seraphina body shifted to defense mode.

“You never answered my question. Years ago, I asked why we aren’t helping the poor people in that urban area. Do you remember what you told me? When I became an adult if not that I would receive silence.” She stepped closer to him, balling her fist. “Why? Why did you destroy those towns? Were there humans living there?”

“Yes, humans were there and there was nothing we could have done from the impact.”

“No, I don’t believe it.” She stepped back shaking her head. “You’re lying. Judging from that list, you took their lives on purpose.”

The king was triggered, he clenched his fist and socked Seraphina in the abdomen. Her body bent from the impact and dropped to the floor in front of his feet. The queen, Cody and a few guards were stunned from the king action.

“What have I done was for our symbol?! We are Phoenixes! We burn our territory with the flames we have been given.” He stood proud gazing down at her.

Sera lifted her head with hair strands overlapping her face. She holds her stomach with pain in her eyes.

“You’re not a phoenix, you’re a monster!”

“What was that?!” he places his shoe on her head trying to crush it. “I want you to listen and listen well.”

“Your majesty!” Cody shouted.

“Meshal, that’s enough!” the queen also interfered.

“Weaklings like you who dare reach out for humans will be the ones to die first! Be my guest and serve them however you like!” he jolts his shoe off her head in anger.

The king walks through the commander and his beloved queen followed by three soldiers. Queen Agni glared at her husband enraged by his outburst. Sera tried lifting her body upward, but several coughs developed from her suffering.

“Sera.” Agni kneels to her.

The chief looks at the guards by the door and while the one to the left was sympathetic for the princess, the guard to the right was guilty. Arpina steps in the hallway seeing everyone standing above the queen and a fallen Seraphina.

“Princess?”

She paces towards the small crowd. Cody sees her walking towards them and walks to her first before she has gotten closer.

“What happened?” she commanded not adverting her eyes from the princess.

“Sera and the king have gotten into a scrummage. With, the help of a rat.” He glared at the corner of his eye.

“Which one?”

“If I can guess, I’d say it could have been Brandon.”

“Need me to handle it.” She finally looked at the commander in the eyes, not breaking contact.

“If you’re not planning to be too rough?” he whispered.

“Call him out and I’ll deal with the rest.” She walks to his side to get to the princess.

“Copy.”

Arpina kneeled next to the queen who had Sera laying on her lap in pain. Arpina hands reached out to her but clasped them.

“Are you well, princess?”

“Gah..it’s subsiding, but I’ll manage.”

“Come, I’ll walk you to your room. Arpina, would you care to join us?” the queen attempts to lift her up.

“Yes, your majesty.”