Henry plucked a flower from the palatial gardens and took in a long sniff. Lord! It smelled like honey scented with cinnamon. It was unlike him to pluck flowers but these were too inviting to be ignored. How he wished he had someone to share with.

This garden was nothing compared to the one in his palace but the flowers planted here were the rarest. Even some types he couldn’t decipher. This was Crescia after all.

He smiled at himself when he imagined tucking the flower on Felista’s head. She’d look like a fairy. And as if thinking of the devil, she almost scared him with her voice.

"What makes you smile?"

"Nothing... I just liked the flower," he explained. What could have compelled his wife to look for him, because he was sure she was not walking this way.

"Henry. We need to talk," she called him by his name showing the seriousness of the matter.

Without a question, Henry followed her and they both sat on the bench staring at each other. "So, what’s it about?" He took the initiative to ask.

Were it not for him being her husband, Felista would have already killed him. He knew what she wanted to say yet he acted completely out of clue. When could he ever put his ego beside and be serious for once?

"Why haven’t you reinstated our daughter as a princess?" She asked.

"Oh about that," he began, scratching his head nervously. "I really wanted to but she has never given me the chance."

"You should have just announced it in the royal court."

"I told her on the face so I thought it’d be nice if I did the same on this matter, and maybe earn forgiveness."

"Do you think she’ll ever forgive you?" Henry went mute. "Your daughter hates you with passion and instead of working on your relationship with her, you’re making her hate you more." He looked down like a little child being criticized by his senior.

One of the many reasons why Henry loved Felista was because of her innate wisdom. He was the luckiest man in the world to have her as his wife.

"I’m really sorry to both of you." He caught her hand in his. "I’ll try apologizing once again and I promise to reinstate her."

Felista whisked her hands from his and stared at the direction of the garden. "All this wouldn’t have happened had we not left Arcadia."

"Everything happens with a reason."

"A reason to have my daughter hated all her life?" She asked. Her husband was so unbelievable!

"I didn’t mean that," Henry drew back.

"Do you even know what she’s going through? You, better than anyone else, know the fate of any woman whose face isn’t presentable. But you never care, so how should you know?" She bit her lip bitterly.

"I understand," Henry tried to console her. "I know I committed a grave mistake by bringing her to Valoria and I’m sorry. How I wish the past could be undone!"

"It’s our fault Newton," she seconded. "We let our daughter, no, we forced her to Alexander but he never liked her."

The self blame game was being weighed on both sides of which the end results would be catastrophic. In the whirl of emotions, Felista couldn’t take it anymore and cried, leaning on him. He stroked her back gently until she mellowed down.

"I’m going to do what it takes to have our daughter back, okay?" Felista nodded vigorously like a child as if she had lost her tongue. A hug followed, the two lovebirds showing their affection publicly. Fortunately, not many people were there.

"I wanted to tell you we had a meeting this morning and resolved to form an empire. Alexander will be the emperor and our daughter the empress," he confidently said grinning from ear to ear as if telling Felista, ’see. I have the best interest of our daughter in heart.’

But instead of being happy with the news, Felista’s jaw ticked. This went unnoticed by Henry which had him frown.

"Aren’t you happy with the news!?"

"Alexander and Roselyn can never and never will be husband and wife. The emotional turmoil that my daughter has gone through all in the name of loving Alexander is enough."

"What do you mean? Don’t you want her to become an empress?"

"At what cost?" She asked, raising her voice slightly. "Roselyn had made it clear earlier that she’s not interested in Alexander anymore. What I don’t want is for my daughter to hate us again because of doing something against her will."

"But she’s a princess and it’s her duty to honor her kingdom by getting married to a reputable figure like Alexander. The odds favorable on our side."

’Slap!’ Felista couldn’t take it anymore. She should have known better that he always valued power more than happiness. He only viewed Roselyn as a took he’d use to gain a spot in the said empire. What could be more evil than a greedy man who would stop at nothing to get power, even if it meant selling the happiness of his own family.

"First, you had taken the bride price from Lord Richberry and now you want to use her again to gain power. Not under my watch!"

Henry held his left cheek in disbelief. His wife, for once in her life, had the audacity to slap him! Worse still, in a public place! He looked around to see if anyone was watching and the few maid’s present were quick to avert their gazes lest they became his victims.

"How dare you," he asked pointing at her.

"I thought you had changed but I was wrong. You’ll always be the same greedy and callous man I know." She brushed her tears with the back of her hand.

"I have never been so convinced to stay away from you as now. Never ever come looking for me, anywhere, ever! And I hate you!"

She walked off him leaving a stranded Henry seated in the bench like the bachelor king he was now.