CHAPTER 104
On the gondola heading to Inis Lake, the Emperor asked politely,
"If my curse is lifted on my birthday, would you... have a private wedding ceremony with just the two of us? Do you agree?"
Knowing she wouldn't be by his side on the day he turned twenty-six, Arabelle couldn't answer.
Her eyes, holding the smile of her beloved, lowered to hide her secret.
But soon, long, firm fingers supported her chin and slowly lifted it. The ruby eyes, hiding anxiety about the future, told her his words were sincere.
Forcing a smile, she strengthened her eyes to hold back tears, but her chin nodded. It was the Emperor's hand that had gently moved her chin up and down.
His lips, with a hint of mischief, drew closer and covered Arabelle's.
***
Not understanding the Emperor's words, Arabelle's wide eyes grew even wider. Remembering the conversation with the Emperor on the boat, her lips parted slightly in bewilderment.
Her large eyes, unable to hide her emotions, rolled in confusion. Her soft pink lips twitched as if searching for words, but only shallow breaths came out. The slender fingers buried in the blanket fidgeted.
The Emperor’s gaze, watching her every movement, rippled with satisfaction.
Arabelle, who had just woken from a long sleep, was so adorable that his mouth watered.
From the soft strands of hair sticking out messily to the small, round toes peeking out from the blanket, he felt an ache in his neck from wanting to devour her whole.
He thought the beast within him would disappear once the curse was lifted.
But Arabelle awakened both a sense of peace and an insatiable desire deep within him.
He thought it might be the beast’s obsession with the woman who saved his life.
He believed that once free from the beast’s shadow, he would be able to love her more gently and leisurely, matching her nature.
Rather than feeling anxious and on edge when she was out of sight, or impatient for more closeness even when she was near, he believed he could love her in a calm and tender way.
The clear, hazel eyes couldn’t avoid the intense red eyes that increasingly confined her.
Her shallow breaths trembled over his long, stretched neck.
Just feeling her sweet breath made his muscles throb and pulse wildly, making the Emperor realize his arrogance.
These emotions were not the beast’s. They were his own raw feelings towards the woman in front of him. He would have to live a lifetime without revealing even a fraction of these emotions, for fear she might flee in terror.
The Emperor’s mind was ruled by a desire even greater than his overwhelming possessiveness and obsession.
He wanted to cherish her. He wanted her kind eyes, looking at him, to be filled only with happiness and excitement.
Placing his hand over Arabelle’s, entwining their fingers, the Emperor’s lips hovered close to hers, spreading his breath.
"Has your mind changed already? If you break your promise to the Emperor, you cannot escape severe punishment."
Unable to maintain eye contact, Arabelle’s gaze fell to their intertwined hands.
‘Once again... I pushed her with impatience instead of matching her pace.’
The Emperor berated himself, feeling Arabelle’s cold fingertips.
Unable to wait even a month for their wedding, he was pestering Arabelle, who had just woken up, for a private wedding. His face burned with shame.
His lips, following the shadow of her eyelashes cast over her flushed cheeks, drew a curved line.
Let’s not rush. Let’s wait until she’s ready. Isn’t it a miracle just to be together like this?
As he prepared to reassure her, a voice came from between her bowed lips.
"......"
"Hmm...?"
Not understanding her mumbling, the Emperor brought his ear closer to Arabelle’s lips.
Her lips moved slightly before closing again.
The Emperor’s fingers, slipping between her trembling ones, shared his warmth.
Arabelle slowly raised her head to face him. Her light brown eyes no longer trembled as they looked into his red eyes.
Her pink lips opened, and she spoke sincerely. Mustering an unimaginable courage, she hoped her words would reach him.
"Tonight... I want to become your wife, Your Majesty."
Her small face, red as a ripe persimmon, was dotted with beads of sweat on her rounded forehead.
Though her voice trembled pathetically, each word was emphasized with determination.
"I don’t want to be apart from you anymore. I don’t want to wait any longer... Huh..."
Before she finished speaking, her lips were devoured.
The Emperor’s lips, overlapping hers, quickly parted her soft flesh and stole her startled breath. His lips teased her gently, like feathers, soft as petals.
With delicate, slow movements, the tension in Arabelle’s shoulders gradually eased. Her cold fingertips warmed with a gentle heat.
The Emperor’s hand, to maintain his self-control, remained on her small hand. If he let go now, they would spend their wedding night here, even before the ceremony.
He didn’t want to give his bride an insincere and hasty wedding night. Even if it was a private ceremony, he wanted to honor it properly before becoming her husband.
His deep, red eyes didn’t miss the tremble of her closed eyelids. The Emperor knew well that his bride was disarmed by soft, gentle kisses rather than passionate ones.
For Arabelle’s happy first night, he squeezed out all the patience within him. While his cautious lips caressed her delicate mouth, his strong, blue veins bulged on his arms, shouting in protest.
***
At the same time, in the Emperor's bedroom.
Vera's dark gray eyes followed the maids' every small movement without missing a thing.
Her usually gentle and warm demeanor had turned cold, unrecognizable to anyone who knew her well. Even Dina and Rosa, who had worked with her for a long time, glanced nervously at her severe expression.
The maids finished making the Emperor's bed and were about to place the decorative cushions back on the headboard.
Then,
"Wait."
Vera's heavy voice rang out.
Her voice was two octaves lower than usual.
The four maids in charge of the Emperor's bedroom stared intently at Vera, the head maid of the future Empress.
Signaling to Dina and Rosa with her eyes, Vera spoke.
"Check the sheets and blankets thoroughly again."
"Yes."
Dina and Rosa quickly moved to the bed and lifted the perfectly smoothed blankets.
"Millie, fetch fresh drinking water from the jug. Go down to the kitchen yourself and don't entrust it to anyone else."
Millie nodded once at Vera's instruction and disappeared out the door.
"What are you doing... ma’am...?"
Mina, who had started speaking informally, quickly switched to a more respectful tone, glaring at Vera. Having grown up in the palace, Mina often forgot to show Vera the respect she deserved.
Dina and Rosa, busy inspecting every corner of the bed, entered the room.
"Are you doubting us?"
Mina, the oldest maid and representative of the bedroom maids, stepped forward, her hostility unmistakable.
"Better safe than sorry."
Vera's short answer made Mina and the other maids sigh in disbelief.
"Every maid here has worked in the palace for over ten years. None of us have ever had our loyalty to His Majesty questioned."
Loren, who had been embroidering the canopy curtains, came forward.
It was not beneficial to antagonize the maids serving the future Empress. As the head of the bedroom maids, Loren needed to ease the growing tension.
"Former head maid Brigitte worked in the palace for nearly 40 years. She received numerous honors and even a title for her service to the royal family."
Vera's words made Loren and the bedroom maids tense.
Everyone understood Vera's implication. 'Your leader, who was trusted by the royal family, is in prison for conspiring against the future Empress. Why should we trust you with the bedroom?'
The phrase "a rolling stone displaces a stuck stone" perfectly describes the situation. The bedroom maids' clenched fists trembled with indignation, but they couldn't refute.
Loren and Mina, in particular, had been close to the former head maid Brigitte. Although they were cleared of suspicion in the previous incident, their ranks were demoted due to their close association with Brigitte, and they were still under suspicion.
When Loren first saw Vera at the palace annex, she immediately recognized that Vera was the perfect protector for a gentle mistress. She was a formidable obstacle to get through for a private meeting with Lady Arabelle.
Loren and Vera's gazes clashed.
Loren had stood beside headmaid Brigitte upon arriving at the palace annex. It was Loren who brought Millie in as the eleventh maid of the annex.
Brigitte could never have carried out her scheme to help Lady Grace alone. She was too old, and there were too many eyes watching. Such a plot always requires an active leader.
Vera's eyes sparkled as she observed the nimble and intelligent-looking Loren.
Loren was the first to look away.
"If you need time for inspection, we'll take our leave."
Leading the way to the door, Loren was followed by the bedroom maids.
"Brazen. They think we don’t know they tried to trap our lady with Brigitte’s help? Just wait until we catch them. They won’t get away with it."
Rosa, seething with anger, swung her fist at the closed door.
"But would the maids really dare to tamper with His Majesty's bed? They must know how fearsome His Majesty is after working in the palace for so long."
Dina asked, pressing down the center of a decorative cushion.
"No, but we need to show that the future Empress's maids are not to be trifled with. By being meticulous, we ensure they don’t get any ideas."
Understanding Vera's reasoning, Dina and Rosa exchanged glances.
While carefully inspecting the bedroom once more, Vera glanced toward the bathroom.
"Is the bath ready?"
"Of course. The water is boiling hot now, so it will be perfect when it's used."
"I'll add the flower petals to the bath right before it’s used, so they won’t get soggy."
As Dina and Rosa explained with eager faces, Millie returned with the water jug.
"Tonight is crucial, so stay sharp."
Vera's expression was extremely serious as she looked at the three maids.
Closing the windows one by one, which had been opened for ventilation, Rosa tilted her head.
"But isn't it customary for the wedding night, or any intimate night, to take place in the wife's bedroom? Is it different for the royal family?"
It was a common practice among the empire's noble couples. The husband's bedroom threshold was high for the wife, while the wife's bedroom threshold was low for the husband.
The husband had authority over the wife's bedroom, but the wife had no authority over the husband's bedroom. To enter the husband's bedroom, the wife had to obtain prior permission.
The real reason this tradition persisted was because many noblemen liked to summon countless lovers and one-night stands to their beds.
It was a selfish desire of men not to have their nighttime escapades interrupted by their wives.
"No, it's the same for the royal family."
"Then why isn’t the wedding night in Lady Arabelle's bedroom?"
Dina asked, and Vera explained with a smile.
"Don't you get it? His Majesty has given the future Empress access to his bedroom. Lady Arabelle is allowed to visit anytime. It means His Majesty won't call any woman other than the Empress to his bedroom."
Finishing her explanation, Vera dramatically drew the deep ruby velvet curtains over the bed canopy.
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