The Alpha King's Nemesis-Chapter 210: Parental Ties ()

Askel led the way through a thin path leading right around the waterfall and Zariah followed his lead in silence,

She was slightly surprised to find there was a small cave hidden behind the waterfall. She had been to this clearing a few times during her walks and had never noticed it.

Perhaps because Zariah’s senses in recent times were nothing like they used to be.

The entrance of the cave was small and so well hidden that one would not be able to tell easily that there was such a place behind the waterfall.

"Not many people know of it." Askel confirmed to Zariah, noticing the curious look she had.

"I discovered it by chance when I was much younger, five summers or so... after charging right through the waterfall." Askel explained to Zariah as he stepped through the entrance of the cave.

Zariah glanced back over at the rapid waterfall and the great pressure of the water as it hit the stream, whatever was beneath that would not go away unharmed, and then she looked back to Askel.

Though the waterfall was not so great in size for Zariah and Askel as they were now, for a five year old who had yet to shift or gain his abilities, the pressure was far too much...far too lethal.

"A five year old charged through that? What were you doing? Seeking death?" Zariah asked blankly.

Askel smiled slightly, there was a melancholic undertone to his smile and Zariah’s eyes widened slightly.

She had only said the words she had in the spur of the moment, but with Askel’s visible reaction, he did not need to confirm it with words for Zariah to be able to tell she had guessed right.

"Come on." Askel broke the silence that dawned and he led the way deeper into the cave.

They walked through a thin path before they emerged in another clearing, much different than the other.

There was a small clear pool right in the middle of the clearing with dozens of different flowers growing on the rocks all around the pool, up to the walls and all along it.

The top was opened up to the sky and so the daylight still reached within.

Zariah glanced around, taken aback by the beautiful sight hidden away by the waterfall.

The noise from the waterfall sounded so far away now, like it was blocked out the moment they stepped into the cavern.

The water in the pool was so pristine and clear, and the scents all around were purely nature, untainted.

It looked like a scene right out of a fairytale book, not the kind with werewolves, vampires and demons, but the kind with castles and princes.

"This is..." Zariah trailed off in awe.

"Beautiful, is it not?" Askel asked

Zariah nodded slowly, taking a deep breath in, she hummed slightly, finding the scent of nature refreshing.

"It used to be my favourite place to be... through my childhood. I have not been here in years...not since I left home." Askel admitted as he gestured for Zariah to take a seat on a rock.

Askel also did the same and the two fell into silence. Zariah’s gaze still took in the environment around her while Askel just watched Zariah in silence.

"As a royal prince, your duties should not have allowed you the free time to come out here so often... I know I did not have that..." Zariah murmured quietly, 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

"It should not. But...my father never considered me a worthy son in the first place, not to mention worthy enough to be his heir...there can only be duties when there is a place for me in the first place." Askel murmured.

Zariah’s gaze settled on Askel, her brows furrowed slightly at that. Askel, the royal prince of the Ethereal domain had always been known for his excellence, this was the first time Zariah sensed a tinge of insecurity from Askel.

"Did you...not have a good relationship with your father?" Zariah asked slowly.

Zariah did know the Prince royal of the Ethereal domain had declined his birthright and left the Ethereal Palace to join the supernatural committee,

It had left the entire supernatural realm in a state of shock when it happened and Zariah had heard word of it from her spies.

That Prince royal had been Askel, but Zariah had always believed it was the usual conflict between a father and son trying to navigate their personal relationship around their respective duties.

"A good relationship..." Askel muttered, trailing off.

"To my father, I was a threat to his throne from the moment I was conceived. He loathed me...as I did him. It may not have been a good relationship, but we did have our own kind of relationship... I guess."

"Despite his distaste, I was his only heir...his only offspring to shape and build to his idea of the ideal Ethereal King, another version of himself." Askel replied.

Zariah was quiet at that, she had not really thought of it before now, but now that she did, Zariah realized Askel truly did not seem to have spoken much of his father.

He did not speak much of his mother too, it was clear he did not share close ties to either parent...but Zariah realized there was more to it, an underlying pain.

It was not a situation Zariah could relate to, though his life was cut short much too early, Zariah had been her father’s most adored treasure.

And though Zariah had not truly known her mother, Zariah had heard many tales from her father that made it clear that she had been dearly cherished.

"I...did not know that." Zariah muttered quietly.

Zariah still did not know what Askel wished to talk about bringing her out here, but his words and the thought of the kind of reality he must have had left Zariah pained.

"It must have been difficult, growing up... you even contemplated hurting yourself at such a tender age." Zariah murmured quietly.