On My Way: The Demon King Made Me His

Chapter 128: The Return to the Star Kingdom

The dooms of the palace shined bright. The lights everywhere. Huge chandeliers hanging down. The white and golden interior with matching furniture inside the long hall that goes straight to the throne. Lihua walked towards them slowly. The guards welcomed her and followed her behind holding trays of gifts that has been arranged for her. She walked towards an old man. Grey long hair and beard, wearing a simple robe. The silver robe of the King of Star Kingdom. Next to him stood the eldest son, the Crown Prince of the Star Kingdom. Older than Empress Lihua. The only brother to her. She smiled at them both. She felt thankful to have been accepted after years and years of her longing. 

"Welcome back sister," Crown Princes Han said to her. A white tiger he was. The true form of the Prince. 

"Can never be happier than this," she expressed her feeling to her family. Her step mother was also present at the scene standing next to her brother. She nodded at her and smiled. The only soul in the star house who supported her and secretly visited her several times. She has forever been grateful to her step mother in that way. Bringing her up after her own mother's death without showing any differences. 

"I know, but it has happened now," Prince Han said. Father, the star king remained silent and only nodded at her. 

"Father," Empress Lihua called and knelt down, bowing, touching her forhead on the ground. Paying her respects. What she has not been able to do for years. She had tears in her eyes. Her favourite person turned into a stranger in her life for these thousands of years that passed. Her heart wrecked even more at the very thought of it. Old King touched her head and blessed her. "Everything will be alright soon," he said to her. "Tha family will never let go of each other anymore," he said and looked at that person. The one standing in a blue and white gown, her hair lying down her hips, the tiara shining bright in her head. The emotion on her eyes were strong. "She taught me that," The old King said looking at the personality. 

"Aqua is not an easy simple person," Empress Lihua said smiling, wiping her tears. "Come over here," she called Aqua. She extended her hand to hold Aqua. 

Aqua walked closer and took Empress Lihua's hand. She bowed at the King and spoke to the Empress. "Happy to see you come back home, my mother would have loved to see it," she added. 

"Hmm Rivera, Water Queen would have given anything to witness this moment," Lihua said proudly. Aqua nodded along. 

They took Lihua to her room, and Aqua followed her. This was her first in the Star Palace and meeting all the officials. Aqua was polite and very feminine inside the palace, hiding her savage face. Empress Lihua smiled at her. 

"I know you slipped from Huo'er's hands, how will he react ? How will you handle him?" Empress Lihua asked the Water Princess. But she only had smiles. Huo'er's name brought her delight. She blushed instantly. 

"We will see, am not going to fight ever, and I trust him, am sure he would understand why I left the Realm," she said assuring Empress Lihua. "It's him, I know him now, too well," she said looking at her hands. She realized how much she is missing him. She took a deep breath. They had reached the old bed chamber of Empress Lihua. She opened the doors only to cry. The memories hurt her. The room looked the same, exactly like she left it. The coat, the tables, her favourite place to spend time. There were even the toys and the cradle her family arranged for Huo when she returned home from the Water Realm until she married Emperor Tai. The coat reminded her of Tai's deed. How he took her. And he she submitted herself for the sake of the men in her life. 

Empress Lihua shuddered at the very thought and threw them away. She changed her mind and stepped in. She walked towards the cradle first and touched the baby's toys. She smiled. Aqua smiled. 

"I can't imagine how adorable King Huo'er would have been like," Aqua said seeing her mother in law's face. 

"The cutest and adorable child in the universe," she said proudly. 

"I knew you would say that," Aqua said and laughed. Aqua took some water to drink from the jug kept on the table along with the fruits. 

"Aqua," Lihua got serious suddenly. "Try not to get pregnant this time," hearing this advise Aqua choked on the water and spit them, coughing. She flushed red. Shy and embarrassed. 

"I, er.. we.." she stuttered. 'Oh my god,' she thought. "It's not like you think," she struggled. "We are careful," she finally said. 

"You guys better be, there is still time, don't hurry, you do know what happened the last time don't you?' Lihua reminded her. Aqua nodded agreeing to her. She did make sense. Aqua cannot afford to conceive and lose a child amidst of the chaos once again while she has begun the battle herself. 

"I know, I know well, too well, we will be careful," she said. 

"I was worried ever since I left the Castle I wanted to tell you, but I didnr want to barge into your private matters, I kept hesitating, I hope you understand, am speaking for you," Empress Lihua cleared her side.

"I know, my mother would have wanted to tell me the same if she was here," Aqua said smiling. "You are right,"

"Alright then," Empress said smiling and patted her head. Aqua bowed and left the room. She reached the palace a day before and rested well. She was glad that Empress Lihua got her letter and came to her in her own almost immediately. 

When the Star king came to know about the activity of Aqua at the Celestial Palace, he was impressed. He was happy and summoned the Water Princess immediately. Star Kingdom never accept guests, being the isolated kingdom who only do the work for the heaven rejecting every offers and invitations. They wholeheartedly welcomed Aqua. And not just Aqau, but also invited their long lost daughter. They felt the need to call her back, save her and keep her with them.

When father called for Empress, she had nothing else to look at and came back immediately. The moment she has been waiting for decades. Aqua's love for her family inspired the people in the heaven, even though she has been taking extreme measure. Her love story with King Huo, her death, her return, everything spread like fire around the heaven, among the faires and the officials. She was praised, she was scolded, she was admired, and she was hated equally by many in the universe. But she knew nothing about it. She did not care about it. 

When Aqua out of the chamber, she found Prince Han waiting for her. He smiled and invited her into King's study room. Aqua followed the Prince and entered the study. King welcomed her. 

"I want to know," she said before he even spoke to her. "What you said my dream? And why you chose to appear in my dreamland?" She waited for the answer. 

"Patience my dear," he said laughing lightly. 

"Is it true, then? What I saw ? The stars? Can I trust it?" 

"Breath," the king said. 

"I am," she said and took a deep breath, she smiled uneasily. 

'"You can trust them if you wish," he said. "But," the king praised. Aqua's heart raised. "But remember, what I said and remember to find something am going to tell you now," 

"Tell me what is it?" She was eager. 

"It is a great danger," he warned her.

"How more dangerous could it get, for everything I have done now, am not scared," she assured the King about her thoughts. The King smiled and laughed at her. He walked forward. 

"Find the heir to throne," he said. Sje could not believe her ears. She could not believe what she just heard. She grew shocked. 

"Find the heir to the Celestial throne, a new Emperor?" She confirmed what she heard from the old King's mouth. "Is there even a person for that? On what basis? Under what category? Aaron is dead, and who else is the right heir?" She asked looking confused not thinking clearly. 

"Do you not know the fact how Emperor Tai is a fake Phoenix? Does it not strike that there could be a soul left, a Phoenix soul to take the throne back?" King asked her. 

"Oh my god, yes, how could I not think about it?" She said. She recalled the conversation she had with King Huo. 

"Do you know why your family was hunted down?" Empress Lihua asked her walking into the room. Aqua stood like a statue. Listening to the elders. "Water King Aenon grew popular in heaven, and my husband did not like it, he used the chance to exterminate the family in the name of corruption but nobody expected the news about your sister, it became a chance for Tai to attack on the Water Realm," she gave out all the information. Aqua looked at the Empress. "Also King Aenon found out the truth behind usurping the throne and the heir that escaped, Tai couldn't let him leave anymore, seeing Water King working for the right things, so"

"So he chose to exterminate my family," Aqua completed the sentence. "So he chose to kill us, and conceal the matter, he killed," her words dispersed unable to speak loudly. Something strikes her suddenly. The map she saw at shifu's room reminded her of the matter. She tired to recall what she saw as Tai's words echoed in her head. "Return back to where you came from, Water. Isn't that the right choice?"