ICE & FIRE IMMORTALITY
RAISING A SWORD

“A-I can't,” stutters Prince Fengxi. His hand shook as his mother, Queen Chu Xia had him take the sword that Queen Chu Xia was holding.

Fengxi's tone froze, completely unable to move the joints of his body. No, he can't do it. The sword he saw before him at this moment, was like the greatest enemy to him. He can't touch it, or reach for it.

Prince Fengxi would never be able to grab the sword to kill the Prince of Yongping, his own brother, an older brother who loved him dearly and cared for him all along.

“Useless! You weak boy! This is why I forbid you from being friends with him. Choose, kill him, or Mom will kill herself,” he threatened. Queen Chu Xia did not playfully threaten her own child.

Prince Fengxi reflexively sharpened his two neutrals instantly, when his mother gave him a choice that weighed heavily on him. He knew very well how stubborn his mother was. If he says something, there is no way he can deny his words.

“Mom asked once again. Choose Mom, or her? If you choose not to kill him, then, I will kill myself in front of you right now. 1, 2 ...” Queen Chu Xia began to bring the sharp part of the sword she was holding close to her neck.

“No! Mom, please don't do that!” pinta Prince Fengxi, begging his mother to stop doing stupid acts that hurt herself.

“Mom won't stop until you decide. If you think that these child's life moments are more important than Mom's, then, Mom will kill herself.” Queen Chu Xia relentlessly urged and threatened Prince Fengxi, to make her choice.

“Mother ..”

“Fengxi, kill me!” Suddenly another weaker voice came out. He is the Prince of Yongping. After being tortured to such an extent, the Prince of Yongping still forced himself to speak to Prince Fengxi, with little energy left.

“Kakak .. You are aware?” ask Prince Fengxi. He intended to approach the Prince of Yongping who was lying weakly, with chains shackled all over his body. However, Queen Chu Xia swiftly stopped Prince Fengxi's steps by blocking his path, with the sword in his hand.

“Mother ..”

“Don't you ever dare call me that, if you never consider me your mother. You are not the one who can wait and buy time. If you don't immediately set your choice, you'll never mention the word ‘Mom’ again.” threatened.

“Fengxi, kill me!” prince Yongping once again. This time, the volume of his voice was louder than before.

“You heard what he just said? He even voluntarily told you to kill him. In fact, until the last second of his life, he was still acting heroically. I don't like him very much, especially with his attitude. It's good if he's more understanding and wants to die sooner. I don't need to worry any longer about hating her and her whereabouts,” Queen Chu Xia said coldly.

“False affection? Hekhs! Before you connect these two words, you should understand the basics. The affection? A phoney? The two should not be combined. Before fake affection, it's good you understand ‘kasih’ first. From the beginning, the word ‘kasih’ was never there for you. How can it be fake? You are the daughter of that woman. How could I possibly love him. In fact, even with falsehood, you don't deserve it from me. You... I have never loved you, even with the word ‘fake’ though,” said Queen Chu Xia.

Queen Chu Xia's words were enough to give the Prince of Yongping a hole as deep as possible in his heart. She thought, Queen Chu Xia treated her sincerely. Unfortunately, all of this is just wishful thinking.

Queen Chu Xia gave him some attention, not because he was fond of her, but rather to understand her movements and weaknesses all along. Prince Yongping is not a stupid boy. He's a very smart kid. That was why, Queen Chu Xia felt overwhelmed by her existence. Therefore, Queen Chu Xia deliberately gave the Prince of Yongping attention, like paying attention to his own son, even more than he paid attention to Prince Fengxi his own son.

The action he had done was on purpose, only to capture the heart of the Prince of Yongping and earn his trust. Prince Yongping is not stupid, but he does not realize that he has been fooled by affection that blinds his eyes.

The Prince of Yongping considered the concern of Queen Chu Xia all along based on the sincerity of a Mother to her child. She was blinded by a mother's affection, because her mother left her at a young age. It was the Prince of Yongping's greatest hospitality that helped Queen Chu Xia launch her scheming and cunning actions. The wolf in sheep's clothing, consider it the Queen of Chu Xia such a woman.

“You are heartless. Then, let me ask you one more thing,” the Prince of Yongping.

“Enough! My son and I visit you secretly like this, not to ask questions and answers that waste my precious time. If you want to know everything, you'd better die. Die better, die more quietly. That way, you'll meet your mother sooner. Don't you miss him so much?” Queen Chu Xia was so fierce, uttering one oat word for word heartlessly.

“True, you were right. Dead is better. I miss my mother very much. Fengxi, come... quickly kill me right now!” the Prince of Yongping's request to Prince Fengxi who had been unable to remain silent, was fixed in place, stunned by all the talk of the two.

‘At the end of the day, this is all just a matter of connection between Mom and Sister. Then, why did they drag me into it and charge me an end on my back?’ lirih Prince Fengxi in his mind.

The Queen glanced at Prince Fengxi with her fiery eyes, as Prince Fengxi did not also move his body to kill the Prince of Yongping who had prepared him.

“Stupid boy! What else are you waiting for? Quickly kill him!” his insistence while handing the sword before Prince Fengxi.

Prince Fengxi looked at the sword with a sad look. He was truly saddened by everything that had happened to him, his life, and his royal family. It was already familiar to the royal family, to face a situation of power struggle that ruthlessly sacrificed his own family. The sword has no eyes, nor is it heart. The power that is longed for, always wants to have. The beautiful crown and royal robe are not as beautiful as they look, according to the instructions of the ship of the master who sailed to the sea of bloodshed, as a filler of the spirit.

“Good, I'll do it!”