My Daughter Or You

8) The New Year

Sophia-

Sophia sat on her bench, eating a warm breakfast burrito stuffed with potatoes, cheese, eggs, and mild sauce.

She's been on the ring for a few days now. She kept looking back, expecting to find Taylor, but she hadn't. Taylor is staying behind. Sophia felt disappointed he didn't chase her.

She sipped on her coffee and took another bite of the burrito. She sighed. "I know you're there; I already told you I'm not going home. Tell my aunt I'm fine; now, leave me alone."

The guard stepped out from behind a tree. "You're being stubborn, Princess Sophia. As the Queen's successor, you must go back. It's not safe, and we must eliminate any traces of demon semen that is still in your womb."

She glared. "Are you serious? You watched me and Taylor be intimate?"

"No," the guard said. "But I assume that's what you have been doing with that filthy demon."

"Do not call him that!" She stood, and a root sprouted from the ground, and the pointy end pointed at his neck. "Taylor is not filthy; he's a kind and loving man. Demons aren't like in our history books."

The guard knelt. "I apologize, princess."

Sophia sighed.

She hates being the successor; why can't the Queen have her kids? Sophia doesn't want to be Queen. Why did she have to be born with black hair?

She sighed and sat down. The root disappeared beneath the ground. She finished her coffee and burrito. Disposing of the trash in the trashcan, she continues her journey. The guard didn't hide.

"If you're going to follow me around, at least change clothes and remove that stupid mask," she glared. "We are in the outside world. Do you know how ridiculous you look? People will think you're crazy; no one dresses like that anymore. The Queen—really—needs to modernize our kingdom."

The guard groaned. "Must you criticize and be so mean? How did that demon not see through your soul? How could he not see how mean you are?"

"Because I'm not mean," Sophia isn't mean. "I'm frustrated with you and everyone trying to drag me back home. I'm on a mission to look for my sister. And yes, I know, your other friend is looking for her. But I want to look for her; my uncle has her."

"But he doesn't," the guard said. "You have been gone for so long; you haven't heard the news."

"What news?"

"The Queen has arrested your uncle and your parents for conspiracy to commit treason and attempted murder," the guard said.

"Murder? I know treason, but murder? Who did they try to kill?"

"The King," the guard said.

"Oh, that was stupid of them," Sophia said.

They should've gone for the Queen; she would've survived and punished the culprit, but to go after the king, that's a big no, no. The Queen loves the King; even though they can't seem to have kids, she isn't divorcing him, no matter how much pressure the council is pressing. The Queen refuses. Nothing is wrong with the Queen; the King is sterilized, not by choice.

Someone wanted to sterilize the Queen, and the King took the bait by accident. Since then, the Queen and King have stayed together. The Queen refuses even to take a lover. No man will touch her; no man will impregnate her. Only her King can love her endlessly.

The Queen prays for one day to find a way to heal the King.

Sophia stopped. Luther's pills. Why didn't she think of asking Luther for some of those pills?