Rise of the Legendary Emperor

Chapter 218: Recalling the past

After they reached the castle, Vivian and Nikalas were showered with flowers and overwhelmed by the feast that was prepared by Amaryll.

Amaryll didn't stop at the feast but threw a huge party for Vivian and everyone wondered when and how she planned all this because she decorated the empty hall next to the throne hall with flowers and drawings of Vivian and Nikalas.

Everyone in the castle was present at the party including Benedict who would do his best to avoid this kind of event. Because of the celebration and this party, Vivian forgot everything for a moment and it put a smile on her face.

One by one, Nikalas introduced everyone to Vivian and she was surprised by the number of demifolks living in the kingdom. While Nikalas was introducing them, he saw Arrora and the tigress entering the hall with the cubs.

"Lady Arrora, Miss tigress"

Nikalas waved at them as Arrora smiled and made her way towards him.

"Mother, meet Lady Arrora, she went to the dungeon with his majesty and General Knight"

"You can call me Arrora,Nikalas"

She smiled as she shook her head and looked at Vivian

"I'm glad we were able to help you, Lady Vivianna"

"I'm forever grateful for what you did for me, Lady Arrora"

Vivian grateful nodded 

"Will you call me Arrora if I call you Vivian?"

Arrora smiled as Vivian agreed with her by nodding again.

"You can call me grey while you still can, they are planning to give us a new name"

The tigress rolled her eyes and looked for the cubs but they were already in Amaryll's hands and munching on the snacks.

However, when Vivian heard the tigress talk she stepped back in shock

"Yes, she's at grandmaster level"

"Don't be shocked, have you met the others?"

The tigress glanced at Arwen and Elrond who were standing on the corner and discussing something with the dwarves as Arrora knew they were arguing about something as usual.

What level are you at?"

The tigress asked Vivian because, in Everlight, people tend to boast about their cultivation level rather than hiding it.

"Mother is a mid-level great master"

Nikalas knew Vivian had no idea about the customs of Everlight as he answered the tigress.

"I know you just have woken up and love to spend time with your boy, but you should also make time to cultivate, don't let that kid surpass you or he would make everyone's ears bleed"

Since Elrond reached the great master level he was boasting his achievement to everyone in the kingdom and if it wasn't for the dwarves, his atrocities would have been limitless because the dwarves would compare him with the cubs and keep him on a leash. 

"Mother reached that level seventeen years ago, how hard can it be to reach the higher levels now?"

He already explained the changes that happened to the life energy concentration in the world to Vivian and he was very confident that she could reach higher levels with Everlight's resources and their help.

"Where's Knight?"

Arrora gawked around but she couldn't find him or Don anywhere.

"He was running around the forest with a huge stone tied to him when I saw him yesterday"

The tigress said and when Nikalas saw Arrora's bewildered expression, he realized that she didnt know what's happening to them.

Eventually, the party came to an end as Vivian was standing with Amaryll, Arrora, and Riya. Vivian sent Nikalas away because she noticed Nikalas avoid talking about Harold and Korrinth every time she brought the topic and she planned to know what's he hiding from Riya.

"Riya, do you know your mother served me faithfully and never broke her vows to my family?"

Riya timidly nodded her head as Amaryll and Arrora noticed the stern look on Vivian's face.

"Your mother vowed that she would never lie to me or break my trust, I assume you won't break that vow?"

"No, I won't dare, your royal highness"

Riya placed her hand on her chest and said. Arrora had already guessed what she was going to ask while Amryll stood there without any idea of what's happening.

"Good, now tell me everything that happened to my son in Korrinth"

Her gaze made Riya shiver in fear and she had no courage to lie 

"Do not leave a thing, I've been sleeping for seventeen years, lost my husband, when I woke up, my son is crippled, my parents are gone and he's living away from his motherland Korrinth"

"Your royal highness..."

Riya wasn't a very courageous person but a timid one and looking at Vivian's stern gaze on her, she started to tell everything that happened since she was a little girl.

Arrora and Amaryll felt the immense killing intent Vivian was radiating after she heard Riya. In fear, Riya hid behind Amaryll as Vivian's eyes turned blood red.

"Harold refused my son, his nephew from getting any education and resources to cultivate?"

Riya nodded and made herself as small as possible and stood behind Amaryll as she couldn't help it.

It was only because Queen Bella and Uncle Steve that Harold let them stay in the castle or he would have chased them away a long time ago and when Vivian heard this, her anger erupted like a volcano.

When Nikalas was a little kid, he would often try to learn from Darlene's tutors by spying through the windows but when Harold saw this one day, he punished Nikalas by ordering his men to whip him hundreds times a day for one whole month.

Nikalas's cries would echo through the castle and even though Riya and her mother begged King Harold to withdraw his order, he didn't show a shred of mercy towards them or Nikalas.

Nikalas would have died because of the punishment if it wasn't for Uncle Steve who gave them the herbs to heal him and keep him alive. Until now Amaryll had no idea that after Riya's mother died, she had to work for wages in the castle to feed herself and Nikalas because King Harold charged them for the little room and the food.

"HAROLD!!!!!!!"

Vivian's shout in anger reverberated the hall as her killing intent skyrocketed.

Hearing her shout, Nikalas rushed into the hall to see his mother standing in front of him with killing intent flowing out of her eyes.

"Is it true?"

Vivian only asked three simple words as Nikalas realized that she heard everything he tried to hide from her through Riya. 

"Mother"

"NIKALAS!"

He was startled to see his mother's anger and he was taken aback by her angry roar when he tried to calm her down.

Arrora and Amaryll did not intervene because her anger towards Harold was justified and they would react just as she did if someone did these things to their child.

"MOTHER!"

When Vivian stepped forward towards Nikalas, she fainted on the spot as Nikalas cried in panic.

*****************************

(The next morning)

"You're awake"

When Vivian opened her eyes, she saw the troubled looking faces of RIya and her son while Amaryll and Reghys sat beside her on her bed.

"Didn't I tell you that your body and soul need strength? Your anger made your soul weak, you're lucky to be here or you would have died and left your son alone again"

Reghys voice showed the anger in her heart and when Vivian noticed the black circle under Nikalas's eyes, she realized she deserves more scolding from Reghys.

"It's my fault Reghys, I should have calmed her down yesterday"

Amaryll gently brushed off the hair from Vivian's face

"Before you don anything stupid, think about your son, if you're dead, not even the chosen one could bring you to life"

Reghys stormed out of the room after she said this as Vivian looked at Nikalas apologetically.

"You can't leave me again, mother, I won't let you"

Nikalas gripped her hand tightly as tears started to flow out of his eyes.

"Your majesty"

Vivian heard Riya and turned to see Don enter the room.

"How do you feel now?"

"Better"

Don nodded

"Leave us alone for a moment"

Hearing him, Amaryll stood up and looked at Nikalas and Riya

"Come"

Amaryll patted Nikalas's shoulder as she pushed his wheelchair and left the room taking Riya with her.

"What were you planning?"

Don calmly asked her leaning on the wall beside the window.

"You wanted to kill and punish Harold, didn't you?"

Vivian slowly nodded

"Do you think you can stroll over to Korrinth and slay the evildoers with your great master power?"

She really did plan to act just the way he said

"If you do that, not only you would put yourself in danger but everyone here and your son. Nikalas lived through everything to save you and if you die, it won't take long for him to take his own life, believe me, I literally know him longer than you"

The words pierced her heart like needles as he continued

"Korrinth is now protected by the cold moon palace so even if you kill Harold, what then? Darlene would hunt you and Nikalas to the end of this world, she has the resources and the means to do that"

"I can't forgive him, you don't have a child so you don't know how I feel?"

"No I don't, but what I do know is, you're his only family and he's yours"

"My parents"

"They are dead"

Vivian felt her heart skip a beat when she heard him

"I asked Joel to tell Nikalas that he couldn't find your parents but it was not the truth, your family was killed during the war between Zenith and Yven. 

If I was unable to wake you up, I wanted him to hold onto something but now you can tell him the truth, and if you want to go to Zenith and take revenge, kill him by your hand before you go, because like I said, he won't have a reason to live after you die"

Sadness and anger flooded her mind but she tried her best to calm herself thinking of her son's face.

"So you want me to leave the ones who wronged my son, my family?"

"No"

He calmly said

"The reason you cannot take revenge is you're weak and I know how it feels to not do anything to those who wronged you and your loved ones. So ask yourself, WHAT DO YOU WANT?"