"Rick, leave us," Yasmin said softly, regaining her strength. Rick nodded, glancing at the queen and then at Dominic, before departing.

Yasmin turned weakly to Dominic. "How much time do I have?"

"What are you talking about?" Dominic asked.

"I heard herbalists can tell how long someone will live by taking their pulse. Am I dying soon?" she frowned, a weariness evident in her voice. She'd always felt her strength waning.

"What nonsense is this? I'm a physician, not a fortune teller," Dominic said, shaking his head and sighing. He sat beside her bed. "Don't worry. You're weak, but your life isn't in immediate danger. You simply got overwrought."

He continued, counting on his fingers, "At our age, we must avoid pride, impatience, greed, resentment, and anger. You should know better than to become so upset."

"My son disobeyed me. You wouldn't understand," Yasmin sighed helplessly.

Dominic was speechless, but his lack of children didn't equate to a lack of understanding. He glanced at her sideways and asked half-jokingly, "So, how old is this 'brat'?"

The queen coughed. "Forty." She closed her eyes. "He couldn't understand what I was trying to convey."

"Forty? And you expect obedience?" Dominic's bewildered tone puzzled Yasmin. She looked at him.

"He's probably a father by now! How can you expect obedience? Would you obey your mother in your old age? If she told you to abandon your experiment and throne, would you?"

Yasmin looked grim. "My mother passed away decades ago."

"What if she were alive?"

Yasmin's displeasure grew. "With all due respect, you must be more careful with your words."

"I'm stating facts! If someone dictates to you, you'd be upset too. You're in control, he isn't. Are you being fair?" The queen fell silent.

Dominic slapped his thigh. "You simply disagreed. Listen to reason."