When the Emperor called another meeting with the council, they suspected something was about to happen, and just as they perceived, he dropped a bomb on them. “I am sure you are all wondering about the urgency behind this meeting. I want to inform you all that after careful consideration of the Yung proposal, I have decided to accept the marriage treaty,” Styles declared and they jumped to their feet in shock. Ragi was the most stunned. The Emperor assured him days that he would never take another wife and now he was planning to wed the Yung Princess?“Your majesty, you…” Ragi started protesting when the Emperor cut him off.“I will not take anyone's opinion on this. It is a choice and I will appreciate it if you get to work with the marriage preparations,” he stated.“What about her father? You said you would speak with him and…”“Her father is dead. The fate of her people lies with her now and you can see she is doing her best to save them,” Styles intercepted.The Lords exchanged
“The rumors are circulating again. Are they still false?” Mona asked the minute Styles entered the room. “I am not ready to discuss this with you,” he took off his jacket and then cast her a look she couldn't decipher. “You should leave now, I need rest.” Before Ivory could speak, the door opened and a second guest entered. Heli noticed the tension in the room as soon as she walked in but none of it concerned her. “Your Majesty,” she bowed. “I hope you don't mind company. I am bored out of my mind, some interaction would help,” Heli spoke, deliberately ignoring Ivory. “Of course not. You are welcome, anytime,” Styles gleefully replied. Ivory's fists clenched as rage fueled within her. Heli threw her a glance, then with mock remorse, she said, “I didn't notice you had company already. I hope I am not interrupting anything.” “Nonsense! You are not interrupting anything. The Empress was just about to leave,” Styles answered and Ivory gaped at him. This was nothing like the man sh
“Your hands work like magic. I haven't had a massage this good in years,” Styles confessed, moaning softly as her fingers worked on his shoulders. “Do not flatter me, your highness. I can only try. I am sure I am not even half as good as your wife,” Heli said coyly.“Who? Ivory? I doubt she beats your expertise. I haven't even had a massage from her before now,” Styles answered honestly.“Oh,” Heli moved to his back. “I suppose you're not on good terms? I felt the tension in the room, right from the moment I walked in.”Styles didn't respond and Heli rolled her eyes. There was still some resistance to her magic. This meant she needed more blood. “It's okay if you don't want to share. It is really not my business. I know I'm an outsider and I shouldn't even be here…” she paused, waiting for her manipulative words to take effect.“Do not refer to yourself as an outsider. You are soon going to be an Empress in this great kingdom,” Styles told her.Heli smiled, “Does that mean you will
“What brings you to my abode, Cedric?” The voice would have been scary to anyone else but Cedric had known this man long enough to tell that he wasn't half as scary as his voice was. “I brought a proposal I'm sure you would be interested in,” Cedric responded, staring at the curtain separating him and the man with a relaxed expression.There was no response for almost a minute.“Hope you don't mind asking your maids to entertain me while you contemplate on my words,” Cedric said, signaling one of the maids over. “I'll like some meat and strong wine,” he ordered and she nodded before leaving. “Does this offer have to do with taking a life?” The man asked. “Does it matter?” Cedric retorted. “It does. I told you I do not walk that path anymore. I am trying to give back to my people what nature has blessed…”“Cut it out, Rim. You didn’t recite a speech when we were eliminating the Emperor,” Cedric interrupted.“No, because then it seemed like nothing It is one of the acts I am asham
“Klein, I have a job for you.”The latter was not so excited when he heard it. His sister already narrated her ordeal with the princess to them and he had a hunch that Cedric was going to use him next. If only he was wrong. “Does this have anything to do with the Yung Princess?” Klein asked and Cedric winked. “I see you caught on quickly. You're a smart man and I love smart people.” “Do you?” Cedric snorted, “You don't sound very excited. I mean this is the first time I'm asking something of you, I expected you'd be eager to show how useful you can be.”Klein’s expression remained stoic. He wasn't going to buy into such cheap manipulation. Not with a sorceress involved. “You want to be regarded as royalty yet you can't even do something so small,” Cedric scoffed. “If it was so small, you would do it yourself but you can't. Because just like the rest of us, you are terrified,” Klein stated and Cedric’s smile vanished. “You have no right to speak to me in that manner. Have you f
“What has gotten into you?! We were here to have a peace talk and you went ahead to injure her!” Ragi sounded exasperated but Ivory was raging mad too.“Don't you dare blame me for my actions, Ragi! You saw what happened there. She provoked me! Was I supposed to fold my arms and smile at her?” Ivory fumed.Ragi ruffled his hair, glancing at the swarm of doctors surrounding the bleeding Princess. Ivory had gone all out on the attack and surprisingly, the princess didn't even make a single attempt to fight back. Ragi was smart enough to know that it wasn't because she was powerless. A woman with ulterior motives wouldn't mind getting beaten to a pulp to execute her manipulation.“I understand you, perfectly but you should know that you are a queen. You shouldn't let your anger get the best of you. At all times, you should try to be diplomatic. The Emperor will not take this lightly,” Ragi tries to explain calmly.“To hell with the Emperor! If he had just stuck to the vows he made to me
Klein followed Cedric to see Rim but the sorcerer didn't seem excited to see them. He looked like he wanted them anywhere but his home. “Why are you here?” Rim asked Cedric. “I don't understand. We already discussed this, didn't we? I told you I would bring someone for the fortification process and you agreed on it. Why the sudden change of attitude now?” Cedric asked. He didn't the vibe he was getting from Rim. From the look on his face alone, it felt like the man had already withdrawn from the course. “Okay, here's the thing, whatever we agreed on doesn't stand anymore. I can not help you with this. If you have any other problems, feel free to bring them to me but this? Count me out,” Rim said.Klein was relieved to hear it. He already knew this was a bad idea. Thankfully, even the sorcerer saw it that way. “What do you mean by that? Did something happen?” Cedric asked suspiciously and Rim shook his head almost immediately.“Nothing happened. Why would you even think that?” Rim
“I do not wish to remain married to you.”Her words still echoed in his mind hours after he left her cell. He had been too stunned to give any response then so he simply left the cell.He wanted to dismiss her words as a mere bluff but his heart wasn't buying it. Somewhere in his guts, he felt that it wasn't just an empty threat.He sat on his bed, thinking about the recent happenings. In the last few days, he felt lost. Like everything happening around him was beyond his control.Sometimes, it felt like he had no control over his actions either. His mind would agree on something and he would end up doing another.Styles lay on his bed. Whether he was overthinking or not, he knew one thing for sure. He would never let Ivory go. He would never forgive himself if he did.Meanwhile, the eunuch entered while Heli was having her lunch. He heard what happened to her earlier, but since the Emperor was with her, he couldn't come in. Now she was alone, they could talk freely. “My Princess…”