>> It was the Summer Solstice season.

At the certain night where full moon lit over the dark horizon, a loud scream of pain heard at the shallow hallway.

Candles hanging in the candelabra give the light on the passage.

A group of Confidants and vassals stand near the chamber show discomfort and anxiousness. On the shadow of their face clearly having the question lies within.

They seemed agitated towards someone or something; on their faces is the excitement and fret over the matter.

As the light of the candles flick over, shadows on their faces shown.

“It’s here! Finally, after a long wait, the queen finally has an heir to the throne!” of the silence heeding on the place, a man in his 50’s speak.

He wears a white cambric sleeve and leather on top. His face shows the wrinkles around, and a pluck of horns swirling on the forehead seen. Thick beard and mustache with white and crimson color surround his face.

His eyes, though slit in shape, show gentleness and frolic over the matter that the queen is giving birth.

“You go easy on the excitement, Lord Ifrit for the servants haven’t gone out yet.” Another voice, a young voice of a woman wearing a green lime Tudor dress solemnly snuffed the excitement.

Her eyes similarly, like the one Ifrit has, has its solemn gaze. In a mid-30’s, the woman looked at the confidant.

She’s one of the vassals Queen Juno attended. The pair of long horns shown on top of her head swirls round like a crown. Covering it is a semi-translucent veil.

“Lord Mashtema, you don’t need to be stiff about it. I’m sure the queen will give birth on a healthy child.”

Another person speaks, with delight on his voice. Another person who attends the man named Ifrit. With same guise as his lord, he smiles at Mashtema. “I, Alastor, am confident that Your Highness will give birth to a healthy heir.”

It’s the confidant next to Ifrit, but much younger than him. His face shows the prime of a man who might get popular with the ladies.

His bulk body gives muscularity, and also, pair of horns on each side of his temple surround.

Mashtema averts her eyes off to the person who just talked right now and become quiet.

“By the way, did you already tell this to the King? I’m sure he must come here to see the child.” Ifrit turns to look at the person next to him.

“Yes, milord... I already told His Highness himself about the situation. He’s on his way here.”

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With such confidence on his voice, Alastor answers. Mashtema nods as she listens. The howling scream of the queen inside the chamber continues.

The door was slightly lit to open, enough to take a peek from the inside. From there, three women that dress in a long gown and sleeves in gray color stands.

On their heads are a piece of cloth wrapping around. On their faces show the worry and anguish, as well as the exhaustion from what happening.

At the center of the room is a tub filled with warm water. From the tub is a woman with golden hair, showing extreme anguish and exhaustion on her complexion.

She has a pretty face of a young woman in prime, and a slender body; yet, on the tub filled with water show the bloat of her stomach while wearing a night gown.

Sweat dripping down on her face and neck, and one of the servants wiped it gently out. Pair of horns swirling on both sides of her head designed thoroughly.

Taking a deep breath, the woman starts to snarl inwardly. Her loud voice fills out the perfectly lit room.

“Come on, highness, keep pushing! The head is on the way.” One of the servants speaks. Her age is around 40 years, has a braided hair and pluck pair of horns on her forehead.

It’s the queen, Juno who is currently under the labor of giving birth. “Come on, push more and further! I can see it thoroughly!” the servant added.

Her hands soaked in the water where the spread legs of the queen locate. “A little further, highness, keep pushing!”

The queen’s strength depletes gradually. She couldn’t handle the hard part of giving life anymore, yet, for the sake of the heir, her offspring that she must need to go further.

On her small ounce of strength, the queen screams further as she grabbed on the handle of the tub. The pressure on her cervix goes deep and further as it spread open.

Like something coming out of her body, but the pain succumb on her. She can’t just explain how hard it is to give labor; the exhaustion already wrapped around her.

From that ounce of strength she gives, “Congratulations! Your Highness!” the servant happily speaks. Though she feels giddy, a small, faint cry heard in the silence.

“My... my child...” her voice was hoarse, but the queen asked.

“Yes, your princess...” the servant answered as she wrapped the infant on the clean, white blanket. One of the servants standing inside the room goes out to tell what happened.

“The Highness successfully gave birth to a princess...” she humbly speaks. Ifrit, Alastor, Mashtema and everyone from the confidants as well as vassals look at each other.

“A princess, huh?” Mashtema mumbled. Ifrit and Alastor smiles from the news they heard just right now. “The King is here!” from the distant, a voice heard to tell someone is coming.

At the empty hallway, a man around in his 40 years walks briskly towards the chamber. A man with such valor on his appearance, but gentle and soft expression on his face looks at the vassals and confidants.

“The news?” he asked. “Your Highness, the queen, Her Highness gave to a healthy princess.” Alastor bows as he answers. “King Mephistopheles, I congratulate you to be a father.”

Mashtema and Ifrit, together with other vassals and confidants bow down to give offer to the king himself. Mephistopheles nods as his lips form a smile and enters the chamber where the queen is.

“Your Highness King Mephistopheles!” inside the chamber, the servant bowed quickly while holding the infant on her arms. The other servant bows as well to greet the king.

“Juno, my queen!” as he nods at the servant, Mephistopheles goes to Juno, who is faintly conscious on the tub. “My king...” she mumbles softly. Her eyes meet the king and smiles. “Aeshma...”

Though faint, the queen called on the name of the servant. Aeshma quickly responded and turns to attend the queen. That happens to be the one who holds the infant on her arms.

“Queen Juno, here... see your little princess.” As she walked, Aeshma reached to the queen and gently gives the infant to her.

With a soft touch Juno ounces her strength to grab the child and let it down on her bosom as she smiles. Mephistopheles comes on her and looks at the princess.

“She’s beautiful, just like you my dear...” Mephistopheles mumbled. Juno smiles as tears fall down on her eyes. “Astarte... her name will be Astarte...”

“Yes, Astarte... beautiful name for our princess.” Mephistopheles utters. The infant opens her eyes and look at the surroundings. She really resembles the figure of her mother, Juno.

For a hundred years, demon race take long before bearing a child. It’s been 400 years since Queen Juno reigns in the Tophet Kingdom, and the right time after 400 years she bears an heir.

A new generation of the royalty is born. For 2,000 years since the time of the Tophet Kingdom was founded, the lineage of demons increases.

Barons and Earls starts to arise, as well as Marquis and Landlords, and commoners to the royalties of King and Queen that watches over the Kingdom.

The gentle summer wind brew at the open window of the chamber, making Juno looks at the starry sky.

“May you grow up to be a fine, young woman... and I’m watching over you to be a good ruler of this Kingdom, Astarte.”

On her heart lies that wish, and then she looked back at the infant with a smile on her lips.

At the night of Summer Solstice, an heir inherit to the throne was born. The news spread the next day, causing a ruckus to the whole Kingdom.

Every citizen celebrates the born of the next queen. Little did they know that the future of their next ruler will change in a certain matter of fate that entwines to the distant person coming from somewhere.