CHAPTER 043
At the Same Time, in the Imperial Palace’s Pavilion.
"Are you ready?"
"Yes, of course."
"Then let's begin."
With a scarf tightly tied around her head, Vera asked the question, and Rosa and Dina nodded with determined expressions. Millie followed them with a nonchalant look as they stepped out of the pavilion.
In the middle of the dark night, the three maids came out with the curtains they had torn down from the bedroom and the reception room, beating them with sticks to dust them off. They raised their voices loudly as they talked.
"The dust has piled up, but since the lady was here, we couldn’t clean properly. This is a good opportunity. Let’s bring out the carpets and give them a good shake too."
"Let’s just wash all the bedsheets and blankets too. They won’t be needed tonight anyway."
Vera and Rosa beat the dust out of the curtains rhythmically, making sure their voices weren't drowned out by the banging.
Dina, the loudest of the three, motioned for them to stop and then shouted into the night. She emphasized each word, giving them a staccato rhythm.
"Her. Majesty. The. Empress. Is. On. A. Secret. Outing. With. His. Majesty. The. Emperor. And. Will. Not. Be. Returning. Tonight. So. Let’s. Do. A. Thorough. Cleaning."
Dina took a deep breath to fill her lungs with air and shouted again into the night, aiming her voice at the surrounding pavilions.
"The Imperial Guards who accompanied them have all returned, but the two of them will stay in the capital for the night, so let’s clean the pavilion thoroughly."
It was bedtime, but no one in the pavilion had gone to bed. Despite the chilly late autumn weather, there were sounds of windows opening discreetly here and there.
Some maids even came outside, approaching Arabelle’s pavilion under the guise of idly strolling, eagerly eavesdropping on the conversation between the three maids.
Sensing all eyes and ears on them, the three maids inwardly rejoiced and hummed a tune.
"Oh, that’s not how you beat a curtain. You’ll ruin the fine fabric. Let me do it."
A maid from Grace’s pavilion snatched the stick from Millie and started dusting the curtains held by Rosa and Dina.
"You’ve worked hard today. Take a break. I’ll help."
A maid from Princess Chatel’s pavilion quickly took the curtains from Rosa, speaking kindly. Not to be outdone, another maid began assisting Vera with trimming the fuzz off the curtains.
"What did you mean by that? That Lady Arabelle won’t return to her quarters tonight?"
"Is there any reason other than that the emperor took her with him to investigate the counterfeit jewels?"
"Well, what else could it be? The investigation must have taken longer than expected, so they decided to stay in the capital."
"But it’s strange. Why did all the Imperial Guards return, but the two of them stayed behind? Doesn’t that seem odd?"
The maids cautiously tried to extract more information, sensing the three maids might know more. One by one, the maids gathered around the three, taking over their work on the pavilion.
The three women sat on the chairs in front of the pavilion, savoring warm tea. Of course, the expensive tea was from the pavilion of the count’s daughter, brought by a maid.
"Please be careful with your words. Our lady did not return to her quarters tonight. Do not let this become a rumor. Especially the fact that she is with His Majesty right now."
Vera put a finger to her lips, scanning the surroundings, and the maids nodded in agreement.
"Our kind lady does not want it known that she receives His Majesty’s favor. She doesn’t want to cause the other ladies any distress."
Vera said as she bit into a sweet cookie brought from another lady’s pavilion. Dina and Rosa immediately chimed in.
"When there was a fire in the Laurel Count’s territory, His Majesty risked his life to save our lady. She ordered us to keep it an absolute secret, so we haven’t told anyone."
"That’s not all. You should have seen His Majesty carrying our sleeping lady back to her bedroom like a precious treasure. He looked so handsome. Oh my, I shouldn’t have said that. You must not spread this around. Understand?"
The maids nodded, swallowing their curiosity.
As the maids who helped with the thorough cleaning returned to their respective pavilions, they hurried to share the details with their ladies, adding embellishments to everything they had heard.
From behind the closed windows of Princess Lilibet’s pavilion, a scream of "Aaaah!" pierced through the night, followed by the sound of objects breaking.
***
### In the Secret Villa of the Emperor in the Capital
In the small bedroom where even the white moonlight could not penetrate through the tightly drawn curtains, the dim light from the wall lamps softly illuminated Arabelle’s delicate figure.
Wearing a light lilac-colored nightgown layered with a white one, Arabelle stood with her hands crossed in front of her chest, her slim legs crossed as well.
The nightgown was more like a piece of lingerie, barely enough fabric to call it clothes. The intricate lacework seemed to have used up all the fabric, with only a piece the size of Maxwell’s palm draped over Arabelle’s body.
Thinking she could cover herself more, she put on both nightgowns that were in her bag. However, with two see-through lingerie dresses layered on, it only served to provoke more imagination.
The bag prepared by Vera contained only two pieces of lingerie folded inside. She hadn’t realized how light the bag was since she didn’t carry it herself.
It was impossible to put on the stained and dirty dress again.
Having convinced the villa keeper’s wife, who had come to attend her, to leave, Arabelle hastily washed her dress. She hoped it would dry enough by tomorrow if she hung it by the fireplace.
Just as she was about to lie down early, she heard a knock at the door.
Even in the low lamplight, her translucent ivory skin glowed as if dusted with diamond powder, making the emperor’s Adam’s apple bob noticeably.
With her face and ears flushed red, Arabelle spoke,
"Y-you have confirmed that I’m not injured…."
Her gaze fell to the sheet on the floor.
She desperately hoped the emperor would pick it up and hand it to her, but he stood still, not moving. Failing to finish her sentence, Arabelle hurriedly bent down to pick up the sheet.
Realizing that her neckline would expose her chest, she hastily pressed down the front with one hand and stood back up.
Arabelle made a tearful face, realizing she had more to cover than she had hands for.
She looked pleadingly at the emperor for help, but he still stood motionless, watching her.
Arabelle's two feet overlapped one in front of the other, wiggled as she slowly brought the sheet up over her feet. A relieved smile began to spread softly over her pink lips, but the sheet refused to budge further. Startled, her eyes quickly found the long, rough foot pinning the sheet down.
"Y-Your Majesty, please... release the sheet with your foot."
Arabelle pleaded in a trembling voice.
Thud. The portion of the sheet resting on Arabelle’s foot slipped back down as the Emperor deliberately pulled it down with his foot.
Realizing that the Emperor was teasing her with a mischievous prank, Arabelle bit her lower lip in frustration.
Huh, a long index finger invaded her lips, pulling them apart.
Startled, Arabelle inhaled sharply and looked up at the Emperor’s crimson eyes, unable to exhale. The Emperor’s finger slowly rubbed the soft flesh of her lower lip, sending shivers down Arabelle’s shoulders.
As the heat seemed to rise to her red lips, a chilling voice escaped.
“Did Vera advise you? That showing your bitten lips in this attire... would seduce the Emperor?”
The sinister air emanating from the Emperor slowly seemed to engulf her.
As Arabelle stepped back, a strong hand pulled her slender waist forward. Trapped in the Emperor’s embrace, Arabelle's body grew increasingly rigid.
The Emperor caressed her soft cheek, still covered in downy fuzz, with the back of his hand. His crimson eyes, suppressing a flame, fixed on her trembling gaze.
“If you were an enemy spy dispatched to topple the Emperor... or an ambitious vixen acting to become Empress, it would be simpler... because I would just give you what you want and take what I want in return.”
Anger boiled within him. Despite her provocative lingerie, Arabelle was frantic to cover herself, unable to seduce him at all.
Feeling like a foolish deposed king, infatuated and toyed with by this woman, he thought that if she were a spy, he would have sold out the Empire to win her. If she were a vixen, he would have made her Empress just to have her. This realization sent a chilling shiver down his spine.
The Emperor’s hand moved slowly to her neck, spreading wide across her throat. He could not allow himself a weakness. He would live with curses his whole life but never tolerate a weakness that could shake him to his core.
Arabelle would never understand the blood-stained time he endured to rise to the throne, to defend it, and to become the absolute ruler of the continent.
Once she saw his true, brutal nature, she would be terrified and try to flee.
The Emperor grasped her slender neck and pulled her face close to his.
Trapping her wide, fearful eyes in his crimson gaze, he growled through clenched teeth.
“Do you even understand what you’re doing to me, planning to leave with your mentor in two months without any thought of becoming Empress?”
Her light brown eyes grew misty, and tears began to fall down her cheeks.
The Emperor furrowed his brow, pushing her coldly.
“Why, do you feel sorry for the lady destined to be Empress, like last time? Feeling guilty even now, thinking of her feelings more than mine?”
I’m the worst. Venting my anger because she doesn’t give me her heart.
The Emperor’s face twisted with self-loathing.
“No, that’s not it...”
Arabelle shook her head, but the already bitter Emperor scoffed.
“Ah, you’re crying because you’re scared. All I am to you is a source of fear.”
The Emperor, always brimming with confidence, now descended into self-deprecation. Was I always this pathetic?
Seeing Arabelle’s tear-streaked face, unable to respond, the Emperor withdrew his hand. He was at his limit.
Even as rage and self-loathing welled up, he couldn’t extinguish the uncontrollable desire that persisted, so he backed away from her.
“I’m scared...”
Arabelle’s trembling voice came softly, haltingly.
“I see.”
With a look akin to despair, the Emperor walked towards the bedroom door.
“I’m scared that...”
Arabelle swallowed her sobs, continuing with difficulty.
“...that I might want more... even though I know I shouldn’t... I keep wanting more... It’s terrifying.”
The Emperor stopped but didn’t turn back, waiting for her. His fists, clenched and unclenched repeatedly, were soaked in sweat.
“Being with Your Majesty feels like a dream... It’s so happy, it’s frightening. Thinking of you with another Empress... it hurts so much. Huff, huff. Even imagining parting with you...”
Unable to hold back her sobs, Arabelle confessed her long-held feelings.
“My throat hurts so much I can’t even swallow water. Waaaah...”
The Emperor, still facing the door, asked quietly.
“Did you bring the dagger I gave you for self-defense? Where is it?”
Arabelle, wiping away her flowing tears, answered.
“Yes, I left it on the table by the bed.”
The Emperor took long strides to the table by the bed and picked up the small silver dagger.
A dark shadow loomed over Arabelle’s tear-streaked face. The Emperor, supporting her chin with his fingers, met her tear-filled eyes with his.
“From now on, what I say is an imperial command.”
Struggling to steady his breaking voice, the Emperor placed the dagger in Arabelle’s hand.
“No matter how much I desire you, I won’t defile your honor without a future promise. So, Lady Arabelle, make your choice.”
His deep red eyes, now shiny with moisture, fixed on her blurred gaze.
“Will you become Empress and stay by my side, or will you refuse by using this dagger against me? Whatever you decide, I will accept it.”
The Emperor had given Arabelle the power to choose. If she chose to become Empress, their current actions would be private matters between an engaged couple, not dishonorable. If she refused, his actions would be an indecent assault, and she could use the dagger to reject him.
Finally understanding the weight of his words, Arabelle hastily averted her eyes. The Emperor gently lifted her chin again.
As their heated crimson and tearful eyes locked, she saw the man's anxious attempt to conceal his impatience with a strained smile.
The Emperor, wrapping one arm around her waist and the other around her head, pulled her body close. Their hearts beat rapidly, out of sync, as their bodies pressed tightly together.
With his face close to hers, he whispered words only she could hear.
Thud.
With her eyes closed, Arabelle let the dagger slip from her hand and fall to the floor.
Comments
Post a Comment