"My son, you will need to find a bride soon." Anglius said to Deimos sitting at his right side.  The whole table went silent.  

"Father…" Deimos pleads his father not to make a scene. The idea of marriage alliance always bothered Deimos, he thought that he would have certain latitude since Anglius already consolidate Numidica by marrying his three children to various Dukes. Deimos thought wrong.

"No. I have indulged your frivolity for too long. In the coming days, delegates from various states will arrive. With them, heiress and daughters of powerful people looking for a suitable husband. I also sent invitations to young ladies from affluent families in our kingdom. Most importantly, I have renewed our talks with the family of your ex-fiancee." Anglius now speaking as king. Deimos remained silent. The people around the table murmured, Kailina clenches her silver ware.

“The food was exquisite. By your leave, Father.” Deimos walked away without waiting for permission.  

The summer night air is cool, the wind from the sea embraces the city like a gentle mother caressing a baby. Deimos walked out at dinner then headed in a lonely balcony in seldom visited tower of the castle. He always loved this viewed of the city. When he was a child, he would pretend the lights were stars and those moving ones are comets. What he sees now is a cesspool of a metropolis, tall skyscrapers growing like unpruned trees and ships buzzing around like hungry flies.

"You retreat here when something troubles your mind." An amorous voice says, like a siren beckoning sailors to their deaths. Deimos knows that voice and inhaled the air to remember the scent of past romance.  Then he saw a woman came out of the darkness and shone brightly like the moon.

"Even when we were children, you are always the most perceptive one, Freydis." Deimos said as he faced the woman.

"It is my blessing and curse." Freydis stands next to Deimos looking over the starry city. "The Starry City you used to call this view."

Deimos looked at Freydis in the moonlight. The fire maiden he used to call her. Her flame-colored hair, mischievous green eyes, and freckles that made him go wild in the past.

"You remembered." Deimos nodded. Freydis looked at him and leaned in for a long hungry embrace.

"I missed you, my shark." Freydis said, tears in her eyes. "I am sorry for breaking my promise."

Deimos looked at her moonlit face then towards her wedding ring.