Silence reigned the Valorian palace as almost all the knights had accompanied Alexander to war. Only the Queen and court officials were left discussing matters war. Felista was neatly folding her clothes when a knock sounded on the door. A frown settled on her face. Who could that be? It was already late and Roselyn would probably be fast asleep. She continued folding her clothes when the knock sounded again, louder this time. Irritated, she dropped the piece she was folding on the bed and made for the door ready to unleash her anger on whomever was disturbing her peace. "What is...it?" The last word came out barely as a whisper. Against all odds, the person she had missed so much was standing right in front of her wearing what looked like an apologetic face. Or was he a midnight ghost? Or maybe she was dreaming, right? "I’m sorry I didn’t inform you once I arrived," he said making it look all true. Felista blinked thrice but everything looked the same. "May I?" He asked gesturing towards the room. Felista nodded indiscreetly. She felt him brush past her making everything all real now. So he had come? "You decorated this room just the way our daughter loves it," he said taking a stroll around. He didn’t see Felista lean on the wall with arms crossed over her chest giving him that assessing look he so much deserved. His eyes darted everywhere in the room until they finally landed on his wife. The smile on his face faded instantly at the look he was getting now. An awkward silence grew between them as Felista stared daggers at him.She bit her lower lip between her teeth before she finally spoke. "What do you want?" Her voice was laced with evident anger. Feelings of betrayal had already started building in her chest. Startled by the question, Henry took a step forward but Felista gestured him to stop or else... The look on her face was enough to tell him what was in store would he act foolish. "I came for you and our daughter," he said. "My daughter," she corrected, "and I are not willing to leave anytime soon." She sent him a coy smile but deep down she felt deeply hurt by this monster of a husband. "I know I did something stupid wife, and it’ll be hard for you to forgive me. But all I’m asking you is to convince my daughter to accept my apology," he said, shoulders dropped and wallowing in self pity. But he knew the insecurities of his wife. She was not as inhuman as to not forgive him. That was why he was putting little to no effort to ask for forgiveness. ’Slap!’ A hot one landed on his cheeks that it left a stinging sensation on his face. He lifted his eyes, disbelief written all over his face. His once naive wife had not only defied him but also raised a hand on him! Slapping a king was a disastrous disgrace! He narrowed his gaze at her but she stood there, unwavering. "You dared slap a king, your king, your husband?" He asked clenching his fists. He was itching to punch someone. "See," Felista said. "You only care about yourself, about your status, pride and ego. When you’ll be man enough to drop those, I can consider talking to you." "Take this," she pulled her wedding ring off her hand and gestured him to take it. When he was hesitant to, she took his hand and placed it on his hand. "I’m no longer your wife!" Bombshell!Henry stared at the ring on his hand and his wife simultaneously. "What do you mean? This must be a joke, right?" "Do I look like I’m joking?" Felista asked. She didn’t expect an answer and walked towards the door, not even sparing him another glance. And opening the door wide, "Since you don’t know how I’m feeling, it’s better we take a break, dear husband." "Now if you’ll excuse me. I have to sleep," she added gesturing him to walk out of the room. To Henry, everything was happening so fast that he thought it was all but a joke. He stared at his wife’s eyes and saw the firm resolve and determination. She was regretting not an ounce of what she was doing. But who could he blame. First, it was his daughter, and now his wife. Why was the world against him?"Look," he stuttered. This was not a joke as he had thought. "We can talk this out wife. I..""I’m not in the mood to talk to you, Your Majesty," she added acidly. "Don’t keep me waiting." A haggard look formed on her face feigning fatigue. "I need to sleep." Henry weighed the option in his mind and decided to leave. Staying would only act to hurt him more. He walked past her without even looking back that he threw her off balance. The poor ring in his hand had the luxury to experience his clenched fist. Felista closed the door behind her letting out a sigh she had been holding all the while. Heavens! What had she done? She slumped on the floor, holding her face in her hands. But he deserved it. He didn’t even make an effort to apologize to her! Didn’t he see he had wronged her? Or maybe he had thought she was the same naive Queen Felista he was used to? She had changed, all thanks to him! Now he’d face the consequences of his foolish actions.But it was not like she hated him. She wanted him to understand that everyone else had feelings and entitled to their own opinion. He had to learn when to be humble otherwise he’d never get her back. She had the Arcadian culture to blame for that. Men were regarded as godly beings in Arcadia while women were just seen as a tool to satisfy men’s needs and birth children. But Valoria had shown her a version of another culture that empowered women. Alexander’s mother, for example, could take part in decision making on matters war. In Arcadia, that was only reserved for men! She didn’t want to become that weak woman again. Arcadia had to be experience change, and it would start with her.