Chapter 280 - The Winter War X

There was no announcement about Golden Princess Rosalie's death from Golden Palace the next day. Aster predicted that the ministers inside the Golden Palace wanted to push the blame on the war and blamed Aster for killing the pregnant Golden Princess.

However, Aster had guessed it and brought the baby with him. He carried the baby in his arm while he was getting prepared for the war the next morning. Ardent, the baby, was very well behaved. Aster had ordered his men to immediately fetch the donor milk for the newborn from Roagelt. By paying such a high price for donor milk, the baby was able to survive under the care of two men… no, one man in fact.

Because Ramuja was very grumpy from last night up until the morning he had to prepare for the war.

Ramuja looked at the baby sourly and complained, "Wife, can we just put him to a nanny care? This boy is not our baby anyway…"

Aster stepped on Ramuja's feet and scolded him, "Ardent is our baby! He is a golden blood, he will cry if he is not under the care of another golden blood!"

Ramuja pouted even more. He had ordered his men to escort Florentino Viete corpse back to Velvet Castle and buried him in the garden, Aster told him that Rosalie would be buried side to side with Floren once they were able to retrieve her body.

Aster sensed Ramuja's dissatisfaction, he sighed, but still fed the baby with milk, "I am going to raise him as my baby, now shut up and prepare yourself! We are going to war, we don't have time for aimless bickering!" Aster scolded.

Ramuja put on his armor that had been washed clean, he was still dissatisfied. But even though he was unhappy, once he gazed at Aster who gently took care of the baby, there was a hint of sweetness in his heart, 'Aster… although he is born with a silver spoon and has been raised as a prideful man, he still has the nature of a mother.'

'Maybe… if Aster hadn't met me and married a woman instead, he would be a good father and mentor for his child.'

Looking at the harmonious scene of Aster and the baby, Ramuja couldn't help but asked, "Aster, do you… want a child of your own?"

Aster frowned as he saw Ramuja dazed expression. Aster guessed that Ramuja was insecure again, because they were both men, they wouldn't be able to have a child of their own.

Truthfully, Aster wanted to say yes. He wanted to have his own child, the blood of his own. But he loved Ramuja more than just a wish. Aster didn't want to hurt Ramuja's feeling, thus he said, "I have you, I don't need anyone else."

Ramuja clenched his fist, Aster didn't answer his question directly. He lowered his head and then said, "I'll prepare the soldiers, the soldier will summon you once the carriage is ready."

"Yes, thank you… husband."

Aster watched Ramuja turned his back and left the tent, 'Ramuja…'

Prince Rama ordered the soldiers like it was a usual day, although they were ready to destroy Golden Palace today. Prince Rama was still his majestic self like usual, but one old general noticed that Prince Rama's emotion was not right today. Thus, after Prince Rama had ordered everyone around, the old general approached him, "My Prince, may this old general ask you something?"

Prince Rama looked at the old general and nodded, "What is it?"

"My Prince, I noticed that your emotion is not right, this might sound presumptuous, but may this old one knows why?"

Prince Rama observed the old man's face for a moment, after determining that the old man didn't have any underlying meaning, he answered, "My wife… since we are both men, we cannot have a child of our own. I don't really have an idea of having a child myself, but Aster… I know that deep down, he wants to have a child."

The old general was surprised, but his countenance returned normal after that, then he hummed for a good minute before giving his insight, "This might sound superstitious to you, my prince. But in Sun Kingdom, there had been two instances of Sun King actually impregnating a man. Once was in legend, that a Sun King had a male lover and he was really fond of this male lover. He bedded him almost every day and magically, that man became pregnant. Although that male lover was a normal functioning man."

"And, the second one… is when I was a kid. Your grandfather also had a favorite male pet, and after he bedded him many times, the male pet actually got pregnant. But it ended tragically, because that male pet was a high-ranking scholar, he felt humiliated by the gossip about him. He committed suicide."

Prince Rama was stunned when he heard the story. His father King Chandra never told him about this, 'Did my father hide the fact because he secretly wants me to marry many female concubines?'

Seeing Prince Rama's stunned expression, the old general said, "I know that it's a weird thing. But it happened when I was young and I saw it myself, when your grandfather mourned heavily for the death of his male pet. He said that he loved that man so much, that his heart had stopped beating. After that, the sun aura around your grandfather's body gradually dimmed every day and he died with his grief."

"As much as I know, both the legend and the story of your grandfather has one similarity. Both of them loved their male lovers very much, probably they were their true love. Your grandfather had bedded so many men and women, but he loved his male pet so much that he was actually able to i.m.p.r.e.g.n.a.t.e him, a normal man."

"I know the reason why His Majesty King Chandra didn't tell you about this, but my prince, you are our long-lost Sun King. I don't want you to die with grief in your heart too."

After the long explanation, the old general excused himself. Ramuja was still trying to process the story of that old general, and a wide grin finally bloomed on his face.

***

Aster was sitting inside the golden carriage with Ramuja. He glanced at the scenery outside and saw the soldiers were marching to Golden Palace freely. The road to Golden Palace was empty, but he could see many eyes staring at his carriage from the window of their houses.

Meanwhile, Ramuja was staring at Aster with his hot gaze. His lips opened and closed repeatedly, as if he wanted to say something, but knew that this was not the best time to do it. Ramuja couldn't focus on the war at all, he was thinking that he could just turn in his Sun King state again, crush everything in Golden Palace including Charles, and return with Aster. But he knew that Aster wouldn't like it.

"We are going to war, Ramuja. You need to focus, I don't want you to get hurt because of your distracting thoughts," Aster didn't know what was in Ramuja's mind. But he predicted that Charles would be coming soon and Ramuja was the only one that could fight him.

"I know," Ramuja said, "Once the war is over… I will… I will make sure that you will be happy with a baby."

Aster frowned. He glanced at the sleeping Ardent on his arm and said, "Ardent is already a handful. Golden blood is a very needy and clingy baby, I don't think we can adopt another baby so soon."

"We won't adopt a baby," Ramuja said ambiguously, but he was silent after that. The old general helped to ease his heart a lot, as long as there was a possibility, then he would try it.

***

The Golden Palace was still heavily guarded by the remaining soldiers. But compared to the strength of Sun Kingdom soldiers, they were just ants. The Sun Kingdom soldiers were able to defeat the remaining soldiers on the front gate of the palace without Ramuja's interference at all.

The golden carriage entered the Golden Palace smoothly. Aster saw the golden palace had not changed since the last time he visited it during the disastrous Autumn Banquet.

"We are here," Aster said.

"Yes, I will make sure that you will stand on top, Aster," Ramuja promised himself. Aster smiled faintly, honestly, at this point, if it was possible, Aster wanted Ramuja to be the one who ruled Golden Camellia. Because when he saw how majestic Ramuja really was as Prince Rama, it gave him an illusion of a perfect emperor.

But he was the golden blood, and Golden Camellia wouldn't accept anyone but a golden blood as the ruler.

Aster and Ramuja stepped outside the carriage and were heavily guarded by the soldiers. They walked to the Emperor chamber, Aster's true purpose was to get the Golden Crown. Once he put on the golden crown, the Order of Ethereal Gardenia had won the war.

"My Prince, Milord! Emperor Audric V had returned with massive reinforcement in our camp! Emperor Audric V is too strong! We need Prince Rama��s help right now!"

Aster's face sank. Ramuja wanted to help immediately, but Aster gripped Ramuja's arm, he ordered, "Deliver to Emperor Audric V, that I, Milord Aster Di Arlingdon and my husband, Prince Rama of Sun Kingdom, will not take the golden crown now. We will wait for him in Golden Palace. He is free to come with as many reinforcements as he wants, but we will wait alone inside the Emperor Chamber."

Ramuja stared deeply at Aster. Aster looked back at him, there was a strong in Aster's eyes. His golden eyes were shining when their eyes met.

The soldier was waiting for Prince Rama's order, and Prince Rama ordered, "Just like what my wife said, go and tell the Emperor. I know that he is a man with dignity, he will come to Golden Palace."

Ramuja's sun emblem behind his back gradually heated up and he stated, "I will settle the war once and for all."