The Sacred Empire

Chapter 4: Into the Realms

The pot of soup was about to boil. The blacksmith's wife, Saray, transfers from one place to another and then asks her 7 years old daughter to prepare the table while Hidelga was taking care of the baby.

It was a relief that he didn't cry a lot especially when Hidelga was holding him. She caresses his little hand and his chunky blushed cheeks. 'Right, the weather is getting cold that's why he's blushing this way' she thought with a smile.

'Darling, if you're alive. Would you be like this?' she thought letting her fingertips move gently up to the baby's forehead.

"Hidelga?" the blacksmith's wife called her.

"Uh, Saray" her response.

Saray gets puzzled by the scene that she is seeing right now. She repeated what she said that Hidelga misheard because she was deep in her thoughts.

"I said, you can call Mr muscle man (referring to her husband Tim, the blacksmith) downstairs," she said with an authoritative motherly tone.

Hidelga put the sleeping toddler down and then she noticed that she was shedding tears so she hastily wiped them up.

"Uhm, I'm sorry.." her apology.

"What's wrong?" Saray asked.

Hidelga shook her head trying to escape the situation.

"You can tell me," Saray muttered in a comforting tone.

She is now obliged to answer. She is keeping it cool until her voice starts to go quaver. It was followed by a burst of sarcastic laughter and the phrase "This is hilarious"..." but unfortunately it loosen. She burst into tears. Saray came to her and gave her an embrace.

"Woman will always be a woman and a mother will always be a mother," she said.

She hushed, fondle her hair and pat her back while Hidelga continue crying.

__________________________

"The appointing of the emperor's subordinates will take place this afternoon, sire," Stephen said.

Afterwards, there will be another ceremony in which all the priests and priestesses will gather to welcome you like the new emperor."

The chief priest's presence was seen at the first part of his coronation and will appear again at the appointing ceremony.

The most neutral part of the whole empire or probably counted as not a part of it was the Temple itself.

However, he needs to check if they are now taking sides implicitly, especially to enemies.

__________________________

"Remove her foot cuff?" The blacksmith said.

"Actually, that's the main reason why we got to know each other. She asked me to remove it before," he said, then a disappointed expression followed, then Tim spoke again.

"But I can't because it's a trigger-detonator," he said.

"That's a rare smuggled tool from Fidelphia and the only one who can remove it is the one who attached it or probably a much stronger sacred weapon. My Lord, I know you can remove it," he said.

Tim's daughter has cut into the conversation by calling them to eat.

The atmosphere was a little awkward seeing Hildega's eyes a little red and inflamed.

Giving them a conclusion that Saray might scold her.

Tim wipes his mouth and clears his throat then initiates to ask her wife what had happened.

A brief answer just came up "Girl's talk" she muttered and it was the end of the matter.

They left with the things they needed.

It is an honor for a mere blacksmith to have one of his creations chosen by the emperor itself. Yes, it might be given to Hidelga as a gift of gratitude or something that will be held to protect her because the characteristics of the items that he was looking for were mostly related to that purpose.

Still, the highest person among nobles who has their Prince (Prince Orion), who is considered as the best craftsman in the whole empire, as his personal craftsman still the emperor has selected an item from him.

Afterwards, they already leave and all this while Leon doesn't give any reaction to Hidelga about what happened earlier that's why she's wondering what is running inside his mind.

Also, he will be leaving tomorrow because he has recovered already.

'He was very unreadable and unpredictable.' She thought while looking at him with a smile on her face.

'Maybe he doesn't care, ' she thought.

"You know what's funny?" she started randomly with a relenting sulk. "You are so much stranger than an ordinary stranger. A lot farther even though you stepped away in front of me. Visible yet very well concealed." she said plainly expressing her thoughts.

"You seem deep and very mysterious," she said naively.

He stopped walking and turned to face her "Then let's start not to be strangers." He rode on her random mood swing fully aware that she is just sullen and wants to be comforted.

"First, tell me why you have that on your foot(the metal foot cuffs)," he said, staring directly at her.

The moment changes and it suddenly feels like the last remaining time together.

'I guess a little Chat before you go is fine' she thought

Simply telling each other's personal stories before leaving, probably is not a bad thing.

They were inside a room, while she was showing her heart (metaphor) to him and him who was attentively listening to what she was saying. The conversation makes her feel comforted although it was a little risky because most people fell for the person who consoled them.

So, she relents herself from the possible flattering situations that she'll regret in the end.

"So, would you like to take revenge and kill him?" he asked her straight.

There were a few moments of silence before she was able to speak again, allowing her to understand it further. "No," she muttered calmly.

"Anger is not the one that hunts me. It was.....

It was the loss" she added.

By that time, she was enlightened that she was not grudging whining about who made her suffer instead she was whining because she is mourning what she lost.

Somehow, this is a lot more different from when Saray was comforting her. Now, she was able to comprehend the whole situation that she was probably confused about and understand herself more.

What she needed was not comforting words but the truth that would set her free. (I use this common term)

"There's one thing I wanted to know from you?" he suddenly said.

"How are you still able to smile like you always do despite all those things that happened to you?" he asked with a blank expression.

She was surprised.

'How?' she thought.

'Why is he asking about it?'

'Perhaps he also?'

It must be the first time that empathy struck her among those times that everyone sympathized with her.

'What am I thinking... I am sulking around thinking that I am the only one who is suffering in this world' she thought.

Although, he did not mention things about him except for that empathic statement. Truly, the deepest thoughts inside a man's heart are unattainable and to make him show his heart to you. You must own it first.

After their conversation, Hidelga lies on her bed covering her face inside a dark room but she can still feel the flush on her body and face.

The reaction that she doesn't want to show him.

"He'll be gone tomorrow morning," she muttered.

"I will miss him though," she murmured, covering her face with her blanket.

"Damn" she uttered

'Why am I feeling this way?' she thought.

'Is it because of human instincts?' she thought. (thinking that she must have been swayed by the moment and that she was just attracted to him)

A few hours later, Emperor Evan (Leon) went into her room and sat on her bed making sure that she was deep asleep and avoided waking her up.

His hand slid down and went slowly, little by little until it reached her right foot.

Then he removed the blanket that was covering her. She groans a little while she sleeps.

Meanwhile, the cold emperor was staring at her and waiting whether she would wake up or continue to sleep.

He sighed a little and began to speak.

"Whispering Paradox" he muttered and his sacred weapon was unsealed.

He touched the metal and spoke "Defuse" and the color of the metal became dark.

"Release," he said last and it broke off.

Whispering Paradox, is a sacred weapon that uses simple words, simple commands that put it into action. It was always the utterance of the right words or statements or phrases and not wasting or confusing the thought it needs to take effect.

It hates ambiguity, uncertainties, and doubt and only takes exact and appropriate words.

The requirement or trait it looks for a worthy threader were wisdom, deep knowledge, and a concrete entity that was built with integrity.

A good perspective, outlook, and judgment indlimity limits the unnecessary use of words and chooses the right words to be spoken.

After he seals his sacred weapon there is a sharp striking pain felt from inside him that makes him curl down in pain.

'But I just use it only for seconds' he thought.

Is it because he grows weaker or the weapon gets stronger?

Nonetheless, he was lying near Hidelga and Hidelga's hands slid around him embracing him

It was indeed a cold night. He was more surprised when she just kissed him.

It seems to be the weakest and defenseless attack that most of his bride candidates wanted to commit but somehow that made him a little better.

He was surprised for a moment.

'Perhaps, no' he thought.

Hidelga woke up the next morning. Giving herself a head palm. 'What a lewd dream' she thought blushing.

She pulled her lower extremities to get off to bed and she was surprised to see that the cuff detonator was removed.

'It wasn't a dream?'' She was shocked.

She ran to look for him room by room but...

'He's gone,' she thought. Leaving the talisman and dagger that they bought saying that it is a gift for her.

'Probably, he was turned off because of the way I look while I was sleeping?' she thought and imagined a disturbing image in her mind.

She was irritated with the idea and sighed in the end.

__________________________

"Is it ready?" the first prince asked.

"Not yet," a woman answered.

"A desperate prince will seem to risk it all just to take back what's his?" she said arrogantly.

He smirked. "Look who's talking? '' he replied.

The whole production of metal weapons is at its peak and the recruitment which is held in secret is now at its peak as well.

'Father and that b*stard have something in common' he thought.

He smiled mischievously. 'They are f*ol enough to let their enemies go' he thought.

"Plan A takes the side that goes against the empire," said the first prince.

The woman said, "so, you will collect the people that go against the central kingdom."

The prince smirks. "The people I can accumulate inside the empire is not enough"

"Wait.... are you.. are you planning to take the outside of the empire?" she asked with a serious expression.

He did not answer but it was a yes.

"You know the outside doesn't have anything to do with the inside." The woman stated.

"That's why, Lady Sylvia, we will take their side," he said.

"But first we have to make the outside of the empire go against the empire"

"You're insane!" She said,

He smiled and agreed.

"Did you know that you will risk a lot of your people just to attain it?" she said.

"When the ships are ready we will look for the enemies" he uttered neglecting the fact.

There are other lands outside the empire which are considered as the remaining unconquerable lands. The previous emperor was not able to colonize it because of the existence of the 12 eternal threaders.

His mission was to take for possible enemies of the empire among the 12 eternal threaders.

__________________________

After the appointing of the honorary lady.

She went to see the emperor.

The emperor did not even look at her and continued to read the documents that he was holding.

"I'm raising a very important matter to you, my emperor," she said.

"Speak," he answered.

She started with a deep sigh. "You need an heir, your highness," she said.

He finally turned his gaze to her.

"As an honor..." She was interrupted.

"Get out" he commanded. "Princess, were you aware that I was only crowned yesterday?" he said with a low serious tone of voice and eyes sullenly looking at her.

"Yes, your highness but this is for the empire."

"Isn't it too early for any additional concern apart from my coronation and everything that is enlisted next? There are existing and arising conflicts and you came to bring up these things," he said.

"I'll be inviting the women across the empire to be a bride candidate for you, your highness," she said.

"Delay it for now," he said

"Is that based on your own judgment?" he said.

She was silenced.

"The previous emperor did not prioritize that concern but you held it a little too early. Did you want another person in my new position when I just got here for only 2 days? he said emphasizing it.

"As an honorary lady, you have to be shrewd enough. Trusting a wolf in sheep's clothing is dangerous, princess" the emperor stated.

"Prove yourself worthy of your position and don't disappoint me like your mother."

Her pride was hurt that very moment.

Tears fell from the princess' eyes, she saluted and left.

"I think you went too far, your highness," Stephen said.

"If she's wise enough, she'll recognize her mistake," he said.

"She needs to be wise in discernment and have her own judgment because the one who carries the most delicate position in the empire was her."

"You are really in need of an heir and an alliance, your highness" Stephen said.

"Marriage in high society doesn't just mean offspring, it is to attain power and influence. For the princess to make that haste decision means people wanted to come in touch with the throne but that is still not the main issue.

The previous emperor knew that he would pass the throne having a lot to deal with so he didn't prioritize it although not selecting any women shows his unnecessary respect and consideration to Emperor Evan's personal decision.

However, the main issue is the princess listening to someone else's directives." he said.

'To who she listened to?'

he thought.

"Duke Oliver Canon" the emperor muttered.

He smirked in sarcasm "Of course, this is still part of it" he thought.

The eagerness to attain power and control.

'Do you think that I am a ruler that you can easily manipulate?' he thought.

"Sire, it will be a big problem if the honorary lady will go against you," Stephen said.

"Then we'll remove her from her position" he gave him a glaring cornered look.

Stephen was silenced at that very moment and his butler was terrified by him.

'This child needs to fight but for how long though?' Stephen thought.

'Is there anything more powerful than the queen chess piece?

Indeed, there is.

The Player.'

When the princess has left the throne room the Duke meets her.

"How was it?" he said.

"It doesn't go well" She shook her head with a quavering voice and ran towards her room.

"What the? He is more hard-headed than I expected" Duke Canon stated while watching the princess run into the hallway.

She went into her room.