The Flower Of Eternity
Chapter 8: The Snow Witch

Chateau D'exil, Northern Border Region, Nordhalbinsel

The hundreds-year-old castle is located in the northern border region, one of the areas of Winterthur Clan rule for hundreds of years, a very cold place where no one who was sane enough came to that place. In the past, the castle was occupied by several members of the Winterthur family when the Clan was still very large and powerful. But during the reign of King Vlad, the place was deliberately vacated because of its strategic location and far from anywhere. The castle is now again occupied by members of the Winterthur family who were rescued by King Xavier from the gallows.

That afternoon, Eleanor Winterthur, the former Queen of Nordhalbinsel was on the balcony of her bedroom terrace holding something in her lap covered in a thick blanket. The baby's head poked out from his blanket, staring at his mother with sparkling ice blue eyes and an innocent smile. Eleanor smiled at her son.

"What's his name?"

Eleanor did not have to look back to find out that her twin brother was the one who asked. Eleanor knew Elias was coming that day because they had already sent letters to each other. But still, the arrival of his twin brother shocked him.

"Elyan." Reply Eleanor. The baby in his arms seemed to know his name was being called. The healthy baby boy laughed cheerfully. "Elyan Winterthur." Eleanor said as she turned to her twin brother who was now beside her, kneeling and looking at the nephew.

"He looks like you." Elias said as he watched the color of Elyan's eyes that were the same color as his eyes. Despite being covered in a knit hat, Elias can see that the baby has blond hair just like any member of the Winterthur family. The baby boy's cheeks met pink as he looked at her. In just a moment, Elias could immediately feel his brotherly bond with the baby boy. Another Winterthur Wolf. Elias could not bear to tell Eleanor that his son would suffer the curse of their family. The child will also become a Wolf and lose his identity on certain nights unless the child manages to find his soul mate.

"Not really." Eleanor. His gaze did not shift a bit from his son. "His nose looks more like his father. Lips too. Actually, the shape of his eyes was also though his eye color was ice blue not sea blue like his father." He then turned to Elias, and asked, "Are you really going back now?"

Elias did not answer. He stood up, and walked towards the balcony railing, observing the view from there. As far as the eye could see, he could only see snow. There was nothing but snowy fields. That place was truly a suitable place to alienate a family that had committed murder.

"Where are mom and dad?" Elias asked back, without turning his gaze away from the snowfield before him. His hand gripped the balcony railing tightly.

Elias assures himself that he is not angry at anyone. But this isn't fair to him. His family had been trying to make amends for his ancestors by serving the King. The free-spirited Eleanor even had to live her unwanted life in the Palace for almost her entire life, filling her days by learning to become Queen later on. Elias himself had sacrificed much for the kingdom that he eventually had to leave behind. He even let his soul mate marry the Emperor who was not loved by that woman, for the sake of peace. All he has done for the kingdom which is his home since birth. But now they were all living in the Exiled Castle, far from anything, and unknown to anyone.

However, he realized that this happened not at the whim of anyone. This happened because Eleanor did kill Prince Yi, and Xavier had to do what a fair King had to do.

No. gabe. Elias can't even blame Eleanor. Elias was probably the only one who could understand the actions of his twin sister. But that does not mean Elias justified the act.

"They're upstairs. You haven't answered me, Elias." Eleanor said, breaking her daydream.

"I'm not coming back." Elias' voice raspy as he said that. It was hard for him to part with his family and his kingdom. Leaving her family, leaving her twin sister and her home and her homeland for good was not easy for her at all. But it's not easy to leave his soul mate. Elias has to choose.

"You will only be the mistress of the Empress Orient." Eleanor's voice was as sharp as ice. The words were spoken very coldly. Elias should have been heartbroken to hear those words coming out of the mouth of his own twin sister. But in fact it's not. Elias was not even surprised when he heard it. He has heard that name too often.

"I don't care." He smiled at his twin sister. "I came here just to say goodbye and ask for the blessing of my father and mother. I'm not coming back here, Elle."

"Stupid! Don't love someone too much. It'll just hurt you."

"Tell that to yourself, Elle. You're the one who still loves people who are obviously only paid by Selena to seduce you and fuck you."

Elias soon regretted saying that to his twin sister. Elle looked surprised and held back the cries. Mentioning the matter of Dylan in front of him was definitely opening his wounds that could never heal.

"He saved my honor and the good name of our family at the cost of his life and did not acknowledge our relationship at the meeting. He sacrificed his life for me!"

"So he's dead. You should stop loving her. Open a new page and live better this time. Leave him."

"Can't!" Eleanor shouted. A gust of frozen wind accompanied it. Little Elyan in his arms started crying. "Elyan will get his father back. We'll be back to a full family." He said while trying to calm his son's cries.

"You really intend to resurrect the Griselda Grimoire just to have your lover come back to life? Realize it! You did the most forbidden and very dangerous black magic! You think I don't know?" Elias paused for a moment, glancing at his nephew who was crying louder with each word. Elias then lowered his voice, but remained clearly audible. "You killed Prince Yi and some other men who loved you for an offering to Griselda. Is that the requirement? The lives of those who love you and love you sincerely. You killed them all to resurrect the strongest black magician who lived hundreds of years ago. Who's the next one you're gonna crash, Elle? Did i? Or our mom and dad? Stop before Griselda takes over your body and mind!"

Elias was leaving his sister because he could not see Eleanor's crying face. He's just going to go see his parents. But then the air around him became even colder. The sky suddenly darkened like a snowstorm was coming. Even Elyan's cries were no longer heard. Elias looked back, at his sister, to find out what had happened.

"You're late, dear brother." Eleanor's voice sounded very different. Deeper and slower. And when he saw Elyan in his hand looking as close as fainting, Elias knew what was happening. Her twin sister's body has now been taken over by the Griselda Grimoire. This was evident when Elias observed the color of his twin sister's eyes to be purple like those of black magicians. "I just need one more life to bring it to life. The man who holds half my power. I just need to lure him in to come here. He's coming. He won't be able to resist my call because I didn't just put half my magic power on him. I put half my soul with him. Just by killing him, then my magic will be perfect."

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King's Room, Main Palace, Nordhalbinsel

Xavier woke up again. Breath snuffling. The nightmare again. Ever since hearing Gyeoul's prophecy, he's always had nightmares. In the dream, he sometimes sees the horse-drawn carriage Anna has an accident and falls into the abyss, Anna dies in the accident. Sometimes he saw that there was a rebellion going on in the north, Anna who was fighting against the rebels was killed by someone's sword. In another dream he saw a witch, not clear her face, was about to kill Leon, but Anna saved him and finally he was the one who died. There was also a dream in which Anna was very sad and crying, and was about to jump off the balcony of her room to end her life. In any dream, the end is always the same, the death of Anna and their child who is still in the womb. And it scares him more than anything.

Xavier immediately turned his head to the side, towards Anna who was still asleep in her sleep. And the panic died down immediately.

It was just a dream, it meant nothing, her inner self. He's still alive. They're still alive. The two of them will stay alive as long as I can protect them.

Xavier wants to talk about his fear, he wants to tell Anna about his dreams, but he can't bear to wake her up. Anna's slumbering face looked very peaceful, as if her beloved woman had never grieved over anyone's death. It was as if her life was always happy. While Anna was asleep, Xavier could only smile watching her. It still feels just as thrilling and makes his feelings soar because he is happy to know the woman who is sleeping next to him is his wife. It felt like her nightmare could be ignored after seeing her.

Xavier kissed his wife's forehead and stroked her gently. Anna, who was still asleep, shifted towards him and hugged him.

"I love you..." He said in his sleep.

Xavier couldn't help but smile, "Me too. Very." he said while hugging Anna.

Anna opened her eyes. Feeling the gaze of the pair of emerald eyes that watched him sleep since earlier.

"I'm sorry.. I interrupted your sleep?" Ask Xavier.

Anna shakes. "You're not sleeping?" Anna asked back.

"Why? Nightmare?" Ask Anna again.

"No. Just..." Xavier was about to tell another lie so Anna wouldn't have to worry about him, but when she saw Anna, she was sure Anna would know right away that she was lying. "You're right. Nightmare." Nightmare."

"You want to tell me?"

"No. Not really." He said while allowing the blanket to cover Anna's entire body. Anna was not born and raised in Nordhalbinsel. Unlike the northern people, he could not stand the cold weather. So Xavier hugged her. "Sleep again. I'll sleep too."

"Am I in that dream?" Ask Anna.

"There was. You're always in every dream."

"Then tell me."

"Queen's Order?"

Anna smiled. "The request of a wife who loves you so much." Anna kissed him on the cheek, "Tell me."

"Ah, this is unfair. I can't refuse." Said. He was silent for a moment, looking for the right way to start his story. "I had a bad dream. Bad one. Really creepy. In my dream, you died." His voice was stifled when he said it. Eyes glazed. "And I can't do anything to prevent it. I can't save you. I also have nothing to exchange for your life."

"Xavier's..." Anna said softly. She kissed her husband's lips. "It was just a dream."

"I know..."

Seeing the look on her face still overshadowed by worry, Anna clasped her hand, proving her real existence. "That didn't happen. It wasn't real. I'm still here. It's the real one."

"I know..." Said again. "But some of my dreams have come true."

Anna could not hide her shock upon hearing that. Xavier had never told her about his dreams. "really?" Ask.

Xavier nodded. "I've dreamed of seeing Leon break Selena's magic on my mother. I dreamed of that when I was a teenager, long before I met you and Leon. That's why I'm looking for him first. And it turns out that my dream happened. Leon actually managed to break Selena's magic on my mother."

"Have any more of your dreams come true?"

"There's plenty. I saw you in my dreams when I was a kid. In my dream you were a teenager. Though I have never met you at all at that time—I mean in this life. Some of my dreams are really coming true, Anna."

Anna was silent when she heard the confession. In his mind he thought about what Queen Eugene said while he was in the Wisteria Palace. If those dreams come true, maybe Xavier can indeed see the future through his dreams. Perhaps Queen Mother Irene was indeed a descendant of the Reyes Clan from her Mother's lineage.

"I know, it's hard to believe, but—“

"I believe." Cut Anna straight away. "Xavier, is it possible that you knew about the Reyes Clan from Westeria?"

"Yes, I know. Eugene told me about it when we first met. I also read it in the Palace library."

"Klan Reyes it's... They can know the future. Could it be that your dreams are a glimpse of the future you see? Could it be that you are a descendant of the Reyes Clan from Westeria?"

"Because of this emerald eye?"

Anna nodded.

"I hope not. Because if I really am a descendant of the Reyes Clan, it means that my dreams of your death will also come true. And I don't want a future like that."

"I knew... That's not gonna happen."

Xavier hugged her tightly, as if not so Anna might just be an unreal dream. It is a shadow or an illusion.

Long they lie still hugging, sharing a warmth they cannot find anywhere in the kingdom that has eternal winter.

"So you talked to Eugene?" Xavier asked, breaking the silence between them after a few minutes of silence, preoccupied with each other's thoughts. Anna nodded. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. Because I think it's best for Eugene to tell you right away."

"Do you agree with him? Should we allow them to make our son the heir to the throne of Westeria?" Ask Anna.

Anna had thought about this a few times. To make their son the heir to the throne of Westeria is to guarantee that the three kingdoms will protect their son, and the peace of the three kingdoms will be assured in the future. But making him heir to three kingdoms at once even before the child was born, may be a big responsibility that weighs on him since childhood.

Seeing the confusion on his wife's face, Xavier replied, "I don't think they should be in a hurry. Eugene and Jeffrey are very young, their lives are still long. That curse could not have happened to Eugene. They might be given offspring but it's a little late. I don't think we need to approve anything for now."

Anna nodded in agreement, "But if the curse is true..."

"If the curse is true for Eugene..." Xavier said, "Then we have to help them."

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