Maria de Bora, the empress is now dead, whispers are exchanged between the maids saying and spreading the same sentence, over and over.

"did the empress die?"

"Yes, she is dead now"

"Must be because of the emperor, he was so nonchalant, he didn't care about her at all!"

"Hush! We are gonna be in trouble if someone hears you.. but you are right after all.. such a young beautiful woman dying young and alone."

The maids didn't notice another maid standing behind them and staring at their backs deadly, she looked pale, tired and angry at the same time, her big brown eyes sparked furiously, she pursed her lips and left them hurrying back to the chamber of her majesty.

She stands in front of the door, hesitantly not knowing if her heart can bear seeing her empress on the mattress of the death. One of the guards beside the door looked at her behind his armor and that was the only thing that woke her, it may look like he just stared at her but she knew that he was smiling at her warmly like he usually does, even if the rest of his face is hidden.

She grabbed the door and opened it, facing a woman on a bed, she took a deep breath and entered the chamber, there was a nurse beside the empress cleaning her body with a towel.

The empress was a young woman with white skin but it looked pale, a face with enviable features, her cherry-colored mouth was now colorless, and her long black hair was resting beside her braided.

The maid looked blue while staring at her empress, she couldn't believe that her majesty died and left her, what would she do now without her? The thought only made her more sad.

She grabbed a chair and sat beside her and looked at her, she didn't notice the nurse leaving so she could have her moment because everyone in the castle knew that this maid was the closest person to the empress.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

The maid leaned into the empress and kissed her forehead, she said whispering "I will live for you, and I will take revenge for you, your majesty."

She rested her head on the bad crying and sobbing softly, even if the empress wouldn't hear her and wouldn't wake up, she cried quietly so she wouldn't annoy her.

"That won't be necessary, Martha."

The head of the maid- Martha snapped and looked at the empress with widened eyes while her jaw dropped with surprise, she was at the edge ofpanicick attack.

"Am i dreaming? Am i dead?" 

Maria with her hazel almond eyes looked at her with a slight smile and that's when Martha realized that she wasn't dreaming, the empress was alive, not dead as they say.

"Your majesty, how do you feel? Are you okay? I'm so happy that you are alive" Martha was talking non-stop and that made Maria roll her eyes and a corner of her mouth lifted.

The door jerked open and a man entered and as soon as he realized that Maria was awake a look of relief took over his face but he quickly hid it, he looked like he was in his mid-thirties, a fine face with a strong jaw and dark hair styled to the back smoothly, his dark blue eyes are usually cold but when he looks at maria they were warm.

"Looks like you are still alive, Your Majesty." He joked with a smirk that made him more attractive, meanwhile, Maria looked at him with a stunning smile even if some fatigue was still visible on her.

"Looks like it, Duke Nash." She chuckled and Martha pursed her lips to stop herself from crying in front of Maria, even if she was sick to death, she was still smiling, but something was different about her this time, even Nash noticed it, her eyes were burning with something... something dark and dangerous.

Nash moved forward so he could get a better and a closer look at her, he bent down his head as a respectful gesture, and Maria nodded her head lightly.

"I'm so glad you are okay, tell me if you anything or.." he looked at the door and lowered his voice while his brows drew together "Or to get you out of here."

Martha looked at Maria while tears filled her eyes, she wasn't a fool to not know what the duke said to the empress, if someone heard him it would be called a betrayal, she looked at Maria but the empress didn't react at what the duke said, her face was blank while trying to sit down.

"I'm fine, don't worry about me."

The duke understood what she was trying to hint at 'I will call you when I need you'. He forced a smile and nodded his head while the concern was still written on his face, "I'll leave you to take your rest, and I'll call the nurse so that everyone knows you're fine, I'll visit you later." He bent down and left quickly without looking back at her which made maria follow him with her gaze while thoughts were running inside her head.

"What are you thinking about, your majesty?"

The nurse entered and when she noticed the empress a look of surprise and shock took over her face before the realization hit her, she bent down with a big smile and a quick whisper "Your Majesty" and hurried outside to tell the doctor and maybe everyone, even the emperor.

At the thought of him, Maria looked at Martha and answered her question with a dead voice "I'm thinking about the people I should cut off from my life, after all; I am the empress, and I am the ruler."