Ascension of the Monster Queen

While walking down the hallway, heading back to the living room. Nessa heard humming from a room on the second floor of the castle and she smiled th wt up to see which room it was coming from and th she saw it was the king humming while looking at the piano in his room and she smiled.

"Your highness," She said, and he smiled at her.

"Did you get your lunch?" She asked as she tered the room.

"Yes, I did, and I also took my medications," He replied, and she smiled.

"That's good to know, you play the piano?" She asked. and he sighed.

"I used to, I hav't in years, and I just found myself humming, just now," He responded, and she smiled before oping the balcony door, allowing fresh air into the room, and he smiled as the cold air brushed against his face.

"Thank you, Nessa," He said and she turned to face him.

"You don't have to thank me," She replied as she wt into the balcony th he sighed.

"Nessa, will you be leaving anytime soon?" He asked and she sighed, not knowing how to reply to him.

"I'm not sure, it depds on a lot of things why?" She asked.

"No reason, you're a good kid, it's nice to have you a," He responded and she smiled at him.

"You are a wonderful person, thank you; are you striving to improve?" She asked.

"Well, I think my strgth has started to return; do you think that's a good sign?" He asked.

"Yeah, that sounds good to me; once you regain your full strgth, a lot will change and you'll be able to go wherever you want once more," She responded, and he sighed, a little relieved to hear that.

The king was tired of being in the room and wanted to get back to his former self and Nessa was doing most of what she could to help him regain his former happiness and expose his nephew who was already a pain for her to handle.

"Nessa, if I get to fully recover, if you ever need anything, please make sure to ask, don't be afraid or anything of that sort, I want to help you as well if you need it," He said and she sighed.

"The truth is, I will need your help, but I will only tell you what and with a full explanation once you have recovered, and you will recover, no matter what, you have to fight as well," She replied and he smiled while staring at her.

"Just hearing you speak gives me a lot of hope, that's unusual ev kings and ques ar't able to speak like that, with the voice that gives hope to others, I will try my best to help," He said, and she chuckled.

"May I ask a question?" She asked and he nodded.

"Do you believe a girl can rule a kingdom?" She asked and he smiled at her.

"If strong ough and has good inttions, yes," He responded and she smiled, pleased to hear his response.

"Good, because a lot thinks otherwise," She said.

"I know," He chuckled wh the room door oped and the prince tered the room and he left staring at the king who was smiling.

"Your highness," Nessa said th the prince looked at her and she smiled.

"Nessa, what are you doing here now?" He asked.

"This young lady has be keeping me company rectly, this place has be lonely, she is a light, I know you are so busy helping me out," The king responded, and the prince smiled and turned to face Nessa.

"How do you feel, Nessa?" The king looked at her after the prince asked.

"Kid, are you unwell?" The king asked.

"No, I am fine," She responded and he sighed.

"As if, are you feeling any better though uncle?" The prince asked and the king smiled.

"He is trying, your highness," Nessa said before the king could say anything th the prince smirked and Nessa's eyes narrowed th he sighed.

"Well, uncle, I hope you get better, I have another meeting, I just thought of checking in before leaving," He said, to which Nessa scoffed but he didn't hear.

"Don't worry, go on and thank you," The king replied th Nessa lowered her head and gnashed her teeth as the prince smiled and left.

'That bastard could win an Oscar for acting, he's good at fooling people, I'm losing my grip here,' Nessa thought as the king smiled at her.

"Nessa," He said, and she smiled as she looked at him.

"Yes?" She replied.

"Does he treat you well?" Nessa sighed wh the king asked.

"A little too well, your highness," She responded, and he chuckled.

"He is a good kid, he has always be strong since he was a child, it's nice to watch them grow, everything thing moves just so fast, it shows time waits for no man," He said and she nodded with a gtle smile on her face.

Nessa avoided talking much about the prince with the king that day because she didn't want to say anything about him by accidt and hurt the king wh he was pushing himself to heal faster.

Later that day, after Nessa had finished taking care of the king and everything else, she was exhausted and it was getting late in the night, so she returned to the inn for dinner with Akio and some rest.

Nessa saw Maz talking to a few young people on her way to the inn and smiled before wiping her eyes because she was tired.

"Maz," She said and he looked at her and th smiled.

"Nessa," He said as he approached her and showed her his day's earnings, and she smiled.

"I am happy for you; you should treat yourself to dinner and relax," She replied, and he grinned.

"I know, let's all go out to dinner, you're one of the reasons I got a better job and now you are my frid, so what do you say?" He asked, and she smiled before Akio appeared beside her and she nodded.

"All right, follow me," Maz said as he walked away, and they followed him.