The next day, the princes weren’t going to the studio again. They had some “work” to do. Han had gone to the south of the nation while Dracarus was going to the police department.

When he arrived there, as he took off his helmet, he saw a blue haired girl standing near the parking lot. Regarding Lydia's description of the murderer, he had to check on that person.

– Uhm… Hello? – He whispered as he walked towards her. She was focused on the theatre performance poster that was circulating the city.

She looked at him. Dracarus noticed her purplish skin tone and knew immediately who she was. Even the haircut was the same.

“She’s alive…! After all these years, she managed to survive…”

– You’re that girl from the institution right?! Do you remember me? – He was happy to see her again. – I helped you escape from there.

– Yeah… I remember, Dracarus. – She replied, quite surprised. She didn’t expect to talk with him again in her life.

– I never thought you would still be alive by now, Blue. How are you?

He was meeting with someone from his past… which was almost impossible to happen.

– Uh… I’m fine. – She didn’t even care to ask him the same. She was anxious, absent.

– That’s good to know… – He was quite thrown off with her response. The old Blue would be excited or at least worried to ask back.

Despite not having a proper talk with her when they met, he knew back then that she was a happy child who liked socialising… It feels different nowadays.

– I need to go now… It was nice seeing you again. – She put on her hood and vanished away.

He felt something off about her. He could be wrong though… People change and two hundred years are quite a lot.

Also… He didn’t want to think of her that way, but she was also a suspect of Lydia’s case.

~~~

At the university…

– Good morning, class! Are you ready to submit your pieces today at the museum? – Their teacher was talking about their project.

– Yes, ma’am. We’re almost done so we will submit them after lunch. – Catherine explained. The teachers often count on her for this type of stuff as she’s one of the most responsible students.

– Alright Catherine, thank you. 

At lunch time, they went to their usual place. The cosy restaurant near the school.

– The winter is coming… This is the best season of the year, it’s always so peaceful. – Xavier cheered, happy about the weather.

– True, I also heard tomorrow night will be the first snow of December! – Lydia excitedly added. 

– Why don’t we go see it at the highest spot of the city? – Eclipse suggested.

– That’s a good idea! We could invite Han and Dracarus too. – Catherine approved the idea. – Also… Can Vincent come too?

– I see that you really like Vincent… You’ll end up dating someday. – Lydia said jokingly. 

– Well, about that… We actually are–

– What?! – Xavier exclaimed right away. He didn’t like to hear that.

– Yeah… I forgot to tell you guys about it. It’s quite recent too. – Catherine looked embarrassed.

– How cute. Y’all actually look good together. – Eclipse congratulated her.

– Thanks! – She giggled in shyness. – I’ve known him for a long time, I never expected to actually fall in love with him so suddenly. – She kept on yapping about him and how much he helped her those months. – He’s just so kind to me and protective… – She was flustered. 

– Oh, really? That’s good then. – Xavier crossed his arms in disappointment.

He still felt something for her so he was kind of jealous.

Lydia was looking at him and realised everything. He still loved her. “Ah… Why…?” She looked away, quite upset.

After lunch they took the pieces to the museum. They were organising the exhibition and giving opinions on each other’s work.

– So, Lydia, let me see your work. – Eclipse asked. As she had been busy with her own piece, she didn’t have time to see the others.

– Sure! – They both walked over to Lydia’s sculpture. – It’s quite basic though, haha. – She was kind of nervous about how she was going to react.

Her sculpture had herself holding a big heart with the word family carved on it. She painted the heart with various colors and herself in a grey tone. 

– It’s really cute. I like it. – Eclipse grinned at her. 

– Aw, thank you! I’m glad you liked it. – Lydia was happy that her best friend enjoyed her art. – I used multiple colors on the heart to symbolize how my family is the color to my world. – She explained, pointing at the heart.

– It’s such a cute meaning. The public will adore it!

– Hehe, I hope so… Can I see yours now? – Lydia was curious to see her work as well. 

– Sure!

Eclipse took her to her stand and showed her the sculpture she made. 

– Oh, you used a lily flower again… – Lydia tilted her head trying to read what was said inside one of the petals. – You sure like this flower a lot, huh?

“Sometimes the people you like the most, are the first to betray you.”

– Uh– That’s quite the twist… Such a cute figure with a different side. – Lydia was surprised.

– Yes… I thought it’d make an impact on the public. – Eclipse explained.

– It sure will… It’s wonderfully majestic as always, haha! 

Eclipse hugged her. “She doesn’t have a clue of the true meaning of this…” With a sad face expression, behind Lydia’s back.

– Oh by the way… – Lydia remembered she had spent some extra time with Dracarus to finish her piece. – How was the time with Dracarus? Was it awkward? I mean… I think he looks at you differently. 

“Hm? What does she mean by that? Could he really be aware of something that I didn’t notice?”

– What do you mean…? – Eclipse asked, quite anxious.

– Oh, nothing to worry, I just think he seems attracted to you or… like you. – Lydia whispered to her, teasing.

– Hey, what…?! Why would he… – Eclipse flustered up in a second. She didn’t believe her at all.

“Well, at least it isn’t about any suspicion… I’m glad.” Eclipse sighed quite relieved.

– Why do you look… relieved of something? Do you also like him? – Lydia, excited, getting closer to her.

– Oh… Not at all…! It’s nothing. – She refused to say anything about it. – It was pretty cool actually… He even helped me.

– Really? How? 

– He was actually the one who painted the red figure. – She pointed it out.

– Oh, that’s… amazing. – Lydia giggled, rooting for a possible relationship between them.

~~~

The next day came… It was quite a peaceful school day, they had nothing to do besides continuing to organise the museum.

“I wonder if I should take care of it today or tomorrow.” Someone was thinking about a risky decision. “Nah… I should rest a bit. I’ll do it tomorrow.”

– Oh by the way guys, don’t forget the meeting tonight at 9 p.m. in the city’s park. – Catherine reminded them.

– Yes. I already invited Han and Dracarus too. – Xavier added. The princes were going as well.

~~~

They were going to the capital’s park to see the first snow of December. The park was quite famous for its cultural meaning and prettiness. It was located in the highest spot of the city and had such breathtaking aesthetics. It was where the late Lightning God died during the war from 500 years ago. His lover, The Goddess of Portus, then turned this place into a beautiful garden in honor of him and his devotion for this nation.

By the time they all arrived, it wasn’t still snowing. They sat on a bench and were admiring the city before the snow came. They were chatting between themselves about school and their lives.

Lydia was attentively looking at Xavier… She was worried about him. He seemed a bit down.

She then suddenly hugged him.

– You seem down. If it’s because of them, please don’t think about it. – She whispered to him.

“Is she really worried about me…? Was it so obvious?”

He hugged her back and both were enjoying each other’s embrace.

At the other end of the bench, Eclipse was in the middle of Dracarus and Han. She was really mesmerised by the scenery from the park at night. For some reason, she felt at peace there.

Dracarus looked at her. Her eyes were glowing from the lantern's reflection. “She seems to be more serene and relaxed today…”

– Eclipse, do you know about the significance of this place? – He asked, trying to find a conversation topic.

– Yes, it was built in honor of the Lightning God who died in the war, right? – She answered, glancing at him.

– Well… Most people know the history of this place like that.

– Is it wrong? – She swayed her body a bit to the side, turning her back to Han. 

– It’s not but it has another meaning.

– Wait, really? – She was interested in this.

– Yes. Khaos told me this a long time ago… This garden also represents the love and fondness they had for each other, and honors her family as well. Do you know how the God of Lightning died?

– Uh– Not really… – She was wondering. – I just know it was in a war.

– He died protecting Khaos from his own family who betrayed her and himself. Both families had a contract of peace and they were fighting together in the war however, his family deceived Khaos’ and annihilated them all in the war. When Khaos arrived here, she saw her family being murdered. – Dracarus looked at the statue in front of them for a bit. – They were about to kill her but he flashed towards her trying to protect her, but his dad’s power speed was too fast. Caelum ended up being the one dying while trying to protect her. He died in her arms.

– Woah… That’s heartbreaking… – Eclipse was concerned about how Khaos felt at that moment.

“What were her thoughts? Did she want revenge on her family and lover’s death?”

– What happened after that? What did Khaos do?

– Khaos wasn’t so powerful at that time so she was murdered by his dad too but resuscitated due to the alteration her body had when she saw her one and only fated love and family dying. Her void power consumed her body due to her sorrowful soul and she became the Undead Knight, her third title. She was strong enough to fight them after that. That’s how the war truly ended, being Khaos the sole survivor of both families.

– What a tragic story… Is he buried here then? – She asked, nodding at the statue of him.

A long haired man with horns and dragon-like features.

– Khaos is preserving his body in her Void Domain. She wants to find a way to revive him like she does with others. She’s looking for someone who’s blood and soul matches his. By this, I mean someone who has his royal bloodline.

– She’s really faithful to him… 

– Indeed. There’s no love purer than theirs. – His eyes softened to her gaze.

As Dracarus said that, snow started falling. 

– It was also snowing like this… on that day. – He looked at Eclipse and she was observing the snow.

The coldness of December and the snowfall harmonised with her pale skin and long white hair. As if she was the winter itself. He thought she looked breathtakingly beautiful like an angel.

“If something like that happened again, I would protect you the same way Caelum did. I would feel agonised the same way Khaos did when she lost him. I don’t know how or why… but you’re certainly different from everyone I've ever met. You’re special to me.” He was looking at her with tenderness… He was sure what he was feeling was love. He was in love with someone for the first time, and he knew it would be forever.

He kept on admiring her when suddenly, tears were going down her cheek. She was crying while looking at the sky.

– Why are you crying? – Dracarus was worried.

Han heard him asking that and glanced over to them.

– Honestly I don’t know… I just felt like it. – She answered, smiling at him.

She didn’t know the exact reason for her tears but she wished Khaos would find peace someday and achieve her dream. 

“After all, she chose the same path as I did… I wonder if what I’m doing is really wrong.”

She also wanted someone who would love and understand her until the very end, someone who wouldn’t judge the way she is and who would let her soul feel at peace… But the person she was falling for, was someone she needed to veil from.

She didn’t want that though. 

Dracarus hugged her and whipped off her tears. It hurt him seeing her cry.

“I wonder how someone like me was able to fall in love…”

– You’re too pretty to be crying like that, you were happy just a moment ago, what happened? – He was concerned about what she was thinking to start crying like that out of nowhere. 

“What has been troubling her lately…?”

– Are you saying I look ugly crying? Haha… – She laughed, looking away.

– No, you always look beautiful… – He was a little shy. – But you should be happy now. Don’t cry. – Whispering in a soft warm tone.

Eclipse looked at him in awe as he also looked her in the eyes.

“It’s hard to drift you away when you’re this kind and affectionate towards me…”

She hugged him again even tighter.

Dracarus smiled and peacefully enjoyed her hug. He felt like he could hug her for hours without getting tired. The coldness of her body calmed down every worry and distress state of his… The same way as his warmth comforted her cold and despaired soul. 

Han was still looking at them and hearing the conversation… He felt an awkward gloominess.

“I guess someone found his other half…” He looked away, sighing. “But why do I feel kind of bad about it? I’m happy for him…”

~~~