Dylan reappeared in front of the throne hall instead of inside of it because he prefers walking in, "your highness, when did you leave here, I thought his highness just ordered wine for you both" Jimmy said the moment he saw him reappear "I left here since yesterday" Dylan replied with his usual cold voice and Jimmy looked at him thinking what exactly was wrong with his prince; initially he was acting so gentle and weird and now, he's so cold and saying he left since yesterday when he just saw him enter the throne hall a short while ago.
"Your highness with all due respect, I walked you up to this place and saw you go in there with my own eyes" Jimmy said "I understand you might have teleported but, I don't understand what you meant by you left yesterday" he added then Dylan raised a brow and smirked at Jimmy's observation, understanding the latter must have came across Riley and thought it was him. "If you care to understand, come in with me" he said and Jimmy pushed the doors opened for him, he then went in with Jimmy behind him.
"Greetings father" Dylan said nonchalantly to the emperor then took a peep at Jimmy's shocked face before he strode to where the emperor was having a drink with Riley. He stood beside Riley then placed his hand on the latter's shoulder and they exchanged a glance then he spoke up "Jimmy, meet my twin brother; Prince Riley" he said to Jimmy emphasizing the word 'prince' "and brother, this is my guardian knight; Jimmy" he added and squeezed Riley's shoulder. "My lord, what do you mean by twin brother?" Jimmy asked confused "the literal meaning" Dylan replied him coldly and he bowed down "greetings, Prince Riley" he said.
"It's a pleasure meeting you Jimmy, but please simply call me Riley" Riley said calmly and Jimmy understood why he seemed weird earlier; it's because he wasn't Dylan "you can't ask a mere knight to address you by name, brother" Dylan said with sarcasm obvious in his tone "I can, because I possess no title, your highness" Riley replied with the same tone and Jimmy looked at both brothers with wide eyes then excused himself when he sensed the hatred forming in the atmosphere.
"What is going on here?" Richard who had been silently observing both men asked "father, brother here, denies being a heavenly prince" Dylan said "your highness, I have been an ordinary phoenix all my life, so I can't take on the title of a royal phoenix all of a sudden" Riley said to Dylan "I am unlike you who has been a royal dragon all your life" he added and Richard looked at him confused as to why he addresses Dylan with 'your highness' "why do you address Dylan in such a manner" he asked his son "it's because that's how princes should be addressed" Riley replied.
"And you are one yourself, aren't you your highness?" Dylan asked with sarcasm and bowed slightly "why does it seem like you both hate each other over something" Richard asked them but got no answer "I can sense rivalry between you both, but what I don't know is what could be the cause" he said then Riley spoke up "it's nothing father, we're just not used to each other yet" he said and Richard scoffed. "I inherited the ability to sense things and feelings from my father who got it from his father" Richard said "it is hereditary in the generation of heavenly emperors, every emperor must have it. Dylan doesn't have it, so I'm sure you Riley, must have inherited it from me" he explained further "I'm sure you understand what I'm saying" he said to Riley.
"Yes I do, I can sense things even from kilometers or realms away. There is indeed rivalry between Dylan and I" Riley said to Richard but they both failed to see the frown that had settled on Dylan's face "what do you mean by every emperor must have the sensing ability" Dylan asked Richard "the literal meaning" the latter replied and Dylan's frown deepened "so you're saying, I've been crown prince all my life only for him to show up and qualify for the throne?" he asked angrily "I'm saying it's simply a characteristic that must be possessed by all heavenly emperors" Richard said "and you my son, doesn't possess it" he added then turned to Riley.
"What is the cause of your rivalry?" he asked him "a woman we both are in love with" Riley replied and he was taken aback "a woman?" "Yes" "that is something I could never have thought of" Richard said "I swear I won't let you take either Maya or the throne away from me" Dylan said to Riley then teleported to his bedchamber. "You need not worry father, we'd sort things out ourselves" Riley said and stood up from his seat "and yes, tell him the throne is all his and that I have no interest in it" he added "you possess the characteristics of a true ruler, peace loving and calm" Richard said and patted his son's shoulder.
"I would return to mother now, father" Riley said "why don't you return to the palace now that it's safe for both you and Sarah" Richard said "I don't need that" Riley replied "you need to move here, your chamber is on the east wing of the palace, which is opposite to Dylan's" Richard said with authority "you need to return tomorrow to select your soldiers so you can form your army and then, pick a guardian knight" he added and Riley simply nodded in affirmation. "I would leave now" Riley said and Richard hugged him again before he teleported back home.
.....
After getting dressed in a black dress and heel sandals which was one of the few she had and tied her hair in her usual ponytail style, Stephanie went to meet Lewis where he was having breakfast "good morning, father" she said with a bright smile "good morning daughter, you look better in a woman's dress better than a warriors outfit" Lewis said making her chuckle and curtsied "thank you, father" she said "may I join you?" she asked like a real lady rather than a warrior then Lewis stood up and pulled a chair for her "yes you may, my lady" he said and they both laughed before she sat down.
"Did you have a good night's sleep?" Lewis asked her "yes father, it was great" she replied "father, I want to explore the mortal realm" she said "but why my dear, I said I don't want you fighting the heaven realm anymore" he said to her "it's not about that father, I found the place interesting so I want to tour it like a normal tourist" she said "that's good, when do you plan to leave?" he asked her "after breakfast" she replied and they silently ate their food. After eating, Stephanie hugged Lewis and teleported to the mortal realm.
.....
"Since when did you know how to style, Maya?" one of Sophia's maids quietly asked Maya as they trailed behind their princesses towards Sophia's gazebo "I've known how to do that all my life" she replied "can you teach me a thing or two about it?" the maid asked "Princess Sophia sometimes gets mad for not satisfying her wish" she added "I don't know what to teach, it comes from deep down in my heart, it's like styling is a part of me" Maya said and the maid looked disappointed "I'm sorry" she added with a smile "it's okay" the maid said and returned her smile.
"You ladies can stay here, I'd like to speak to my sister privately" Sophia said when they got to the beginning of the carpeted path leading to the gazebo "yes, your highness" they all said and bowed then the princesses left them. "How do you both cope with Princess Elena?" the other of Sophia's maid asked Ava and Maya "what do you mean 'cope'?" Ava asked her "I mean, Princess Elena is hard to deal with, she ordered for her former maids to be thrown in the dungeon" the maid said "Her highness has been nice to us since the very first day" Maya said this time "she was like that with the old ones too" the first maid said.
"First she pretended to be nice, but from the next day, she started treating them badly and then she threw them in the dungeon" she added "Her highness is different towards us, she treats us like her friends and she's really nice" Ava said "she doesn't seem like someone who would turn against us, she doesn't just treat us as maids" Maya backed her up. "You guys are so lucky, Princess Sophia is so cold towards us" the second maid said "maybe you guys should try to understand her" Ava suggested to them "I hope it works" the first maid said and they stood silently waiting for their princesses' calls.