“Your Imperial Majesty,” I lowered my head as I stood next to her bed. Visiting her room has been hard, seeing her in a weak condition. But thankfully, she managed to live after she inhaled liquid mercury. However, the physicians said that her body will deteriorate further, and her days are counted, for there’s no current cure known in the empire for this condition.

The empress’ gaze was piercing, yet her body is weak.

“I’m here to report what I’ve done during the weeks you’re recovering. I sent spies to watch Hervouet’s actions, and it is indeed true that he’s visiting powerful people to support him. I couldn’t leave the palace to talk to people myself, but I sent letters to different dukedoms and nobles who can support us. I wish I could do more, but I don’t want to depend on her too much.”

The corners of her lips rose into an exhausted smile, yet amusement is obvious in it.

“She really has it in her. She should be the empress,” I moved my head away and closed my eyes, trying to avoid her seeing my bitter expression.

“She’s been working with the grand duke with these preparations. She didn’t know about anything, but I was the one who told the grand duke to keep her with him because her life is in line in Eurhyia. With her being with him, I’m at ease that she’s being taken care of.”

The silence that enveloped us grew overwhelmingly deafening, and the sound of the ticking clock seemed to amplify within my ears, filling the void with an incessant rhythm.

"If you'll permit it, I want to check on her myself. If fate allows it, I'll ask for her hand in marriage, since my recent marriage was annulled and I exiled Zera after doing this to you." There won't be time to prepare for a wedding, knowing that we're about to be in a war.

“Stop wasting time and go. Bring her back and once you return, I’ll give my blessings for you to be the emperor. I don’t want people to know that a new emperor has risen without an empress by his side.”

“Thank you for your understanding. I’ll see you soon … mother.”

──•~❉᯽❉~•──

After a journey lasting six days, I finally arrived at Herzoyona Eskal. To my surprise, the grand duke himself made an appearance at the manor I owned in this region, a place I had not visited in over two years.

The grand duke followed my instructions and headed into the drawing room.

“Greetings, Your Highness. May your glory and power shine through the Ruivenfiere empire,” the grand duke lowered himself a bit and raised it, and his eyes were filled with coldness. "Forgive me for my rudeness, but if I may ask, why did you tell me to avoid bringing Thyra?" he asked, without waiting for me to speak my mind after his greeting.

"There's no need for her to know that I'm here," I couldn't look at him when I said the words, and I could see from the corner of my eyes his face was contorted with rage but is only holding himself back from shouting at me. The fact that he’s affected simply means that he cares for her, after all.

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“Before we discuss the war, I want to know about her. To put it simply, I can't face her because I'm the last person she wants to see. She'll only be hurt at the sight of me. You sure know about our relationship by now.”

“I took her under my wing because you ordered it. It wasn’t hard for me to do that because we’re acquainted with each other. She’s not in my castle right now. Thyra insisted to meet the second prince by herself in Xaerian when she received an invitation. She didn't want to bring guards with her, so I insisted for her be escorted by two Poudrettite Izavenes. It sounded like a bad idea for me, but she won't let me stop her."

That’s so her. Once she makes up her mind on something, she’ll be determined to do it and no one can stop her.

I couldn’t find the right words, but sadness and emptiness are the only things I’m feeling at the thought of her. I hate myself for lying to the empress because I know that even if I tried to ask her hand in marriage, she will refuse.

She will refuse, even if she wants us to be together. I’ll end up hurting her more, even if I’ll explain the annulment of my marriage.

She wouldn’t buy it unless she sees it, and even if she does, it’ll take her time to process everything in her head – it’s common sense. Nobody would marry someone out of the blue when someone’s still angry and hurt.

It’ll take time for me to win her over.

An abrupt surge of electrifying sensations surged through my entire body, coursing through my veins like a current. My chest seemed to ignite in a fiery sensation, I felt my red diamond ring warming up on my finger.

“Your Highness, Your Grace!” a woman knelt in urgency, face down. “Excuse me for my action but Her Highness is in danger! Jeremy was stabbed by the coachman and our carriage was ambushed! They had it all planned! The coachman was a spy!” she shouted the news to us with tears. “She told me to leave her to ask for help, and she fought everyone alone. I’m not sure about her current –”

With a sudden sense of urgency, the grand duke rose from his seat and commanded for her to be intercepted. "Summon my knights immediately and guide them to her location! Follow the trail and search tirelessly. If the princess is not found by tomorrow, I’ll kill you all myself!" his voice echoed through the room, filled with a mixture of determination and menace.

I knew it. It was because of her.

When the grand duke was about to run out of the room, I stopped him.

“Don’t panic. She’s stronger than she looks, so don’t underestimate her. She’s capable of saving herself more than anyone. My powers are in her because of the hand chain, and no one can remove that from her aside from me.” Raleigh narrowed his eyes for a second and they widened in shock after.

“What are you talking about? How can you say that in a situation like this?!” he fired back.

“I won’t be capable to save her now that my body is becoming weaker, because I can sense her using my power. I’ll leave this matter to you for now.” He shot me a glare for not doing anything, and I’m certain that in his eyes, I’m a coward for not exerting efforts to save her.

“Your Highness, I don’t know how you define love, but what I’m sure of is this – if I were you, I wouldn’t let the person I love be in danger, nor have the slightest scratch on them. I’m going to kill whoever dares to, and I’ll make sure that person will go to hell twice. Here, and the actual hell.”

The grand duke ran away after saying those, but it wasn’t a lie – when she uses the powers I gave her, it also affects me. If she isn’t using it, I wouldn’t feel this pain just like when I saved her from Hermine.

Leaning back against the couch, I gazed upwards at the ceiling adorned with an array of intricately painted figures.

As I reflected further, an undeniable truth grew clear – she does not deserve to be married to a coward like me.

I hope you can forgive me one day, Thyra. Forgive me for hurting you, and for being afraid to face you. Our love was nothing but a foolish dream that cannot happen in reality.

But above all that, it’s not a forbidden love that everyone sees on the surface, but it’s all a game with me as the marionette.