The young man scoffed as he asked his friend, "Will the empire fall with its woman and her horse?" The procession appeared immediately, prompting his friend to respond coldly, "It seems to be a procession for one of the fallen princesses of the kingdoms." The young man smirked mockingly and continued on his way, quickly catching up to his friend.
Little did Yuan know that her greatest fears were being watched, and she continued to gaze at the burning empire until her contemplation was interrupted by the voice of a soldier. "A beautiful sight, isn't it?" Yuan smiled, agreeing with the soldier. He continued, "It is the most beautiful thing you can see in this entire empire."
Darkness began to engulf the sky, and Yuan closed her eyes in her carriage, listening to the noise of the city from within. Children ran alongside her carriage, tickling her senses with their familiarity. Then she heard the piercing screams of a woman with a strong accent and a sharp voice. Yuan could tell she was a moderately plump woman, with a shawl tied around her waist and another around her head, screaming at a man who passed by her merchandise, throwing a few words about its poor quality. At other times, she heard soft laughter followed by the voices of young women conversing. Although Yuan couldn't see anything in the darkened carriage, she could sense the beauty and emotions of these girls.
After the city's commotion, moments of painful silence followed. Yuan realized then that she was approaching the palace. She opened the small window to ask the soldiers, but they were engaged in conversation with soldiers in front of a massive gate, arousing her curiosity to hear what was happening.
After a few minutes, Yuan emerged in front of a group of maids, all dressed in the same attire and moving in unison. Delta and Yuan's maid, Tait, led her to private chambers, while the other maids prepared her. After three hours, Yuan, exhausted from a long journey, stood wearing a soft silk dress with multiple layers, a dress she was not accustomed to and had never seen before. It resembled the attire worn by the maids, but it was more beautiful and elegant.
The maids immediately led Yuan towards a distant place, and no matter how much she thought they were getting closer, they seemed to be getting farther away. Until she felt her feet pulsating. Finally, she stood in front of a door made of paper, behind which emanated light and the laughter of a man.
The eunuch stood arrogantly in front of the door, breathing in a single rhythm and gazing defiantly at the apprehensive maiden before him. She approached him quickly and whispered, "Who is inside the room?" Her tone was clear and direct, demanding an immediate answer. His breath hitched, his gaze trembled, and it seemed as if his stature shrank. He answered nervously, "The emperor and his wife,Piero, the mother of the crown prince." She quickly returned to her composure and smiled secretly. She gave him a subtle glance, signaling for him to open the door. The eunuch shouted anxiously, "Yuan, the maiden from the Kingdom of Carmina, is here." Then he began counting to thirty silently, whispering to himself, before finally opening the door.
The room was remarkably spacious and filled with light, yet it remained empty, save for a white sheet spread across its end. The Emperor appeared to be a man in his sixties, his body adorned with abundant hair and sharp features. He emanated a repulsive aura upon sight. The Emperor made no effort to cover himself and settled for placing a few sheets around his lower body. Beside him stood the mother of the crown prince, Piero, who seemed to be in her late thirties, her attire disheveled, revealing a portion of her right shoulder.
She knelt slowly in front of him, but he showed no interest in who she was or what was happening. She prolonged her genuflection, which bothered his wife, yet the Emperor understood the situation and spoke calmly with a commanding voice, "Do you have anything to say?" I slowly raised my head, my countenance stained with shame and regret. His wife was dissatisfied with my presence, my movements, my expression, and even my breath, as her countenance changed a thousand times in a single second. "Your Majesty, I find you wiser than my father and more merciful to me than my mother. I implore you to show me compassion and protect me as you have protected your great empire, as my father failed to protect a single girl."
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The Emperor, with a proud and arrogant demeanor, adjusted his posture and looked around in confusion, wishing he were adorned in his most extravagant attire at that moment. His gaze focused on me, with a tone nobler and more attentive than before, as he said, "Come now, tell me what troubles you." But sadness and fear engulfed my face even more, and I ignored his question in fear, saying, "Even if you kill me here and burn down my kingdom, it will not absolve me of my sin!"
My answer did not please the inquisitive Emperor, who reiterated with a sharper tone, "I will not kill you or burn down your kingdom. Tell me your problem so I can see what you have." His wife was unimpressed with our conversation and seemed eager to interrupt, but I spoke faster than her, saying, "My brother is a foolish man, who knows not his left from his right, and my father is a weak man, unable to conceive anyone but me and my brother. So, he proclaimed me as his heir and crown princess." The Emperor laughed, as he had never seen a kingdom ruled by a woman before. "Indeed, your father lacks wisdom."
Filled with sorrow, I continued my tale, "And as the crown princess, I had a betrothed..." Then, with even greater sadness and regret than before, I confessed, "But when your power and greatness befell us, I did not inform my father that I had done it with my betrothed and accepted your invitation." I placed my face on the ground, unable to hear anything but the pulsations of my heart, believing it would explode at any moment.
The Emperor's face grew darker, and his wife became even angrier than before. She screamed, "Are a fallen kingdom offering my son harlots??? My son, the heir-" But the Emperor interrupted her and said, "Why didn't you let your brother come instead of you? Did you inherit your father's stupidity?" I raised my head, filled with hope that his arrogance would cloud his mind, leaving no room for rational thought, and I continued, "My brother is more foolish than animals, and I am certain he will lose his way before he even steps out of his room. I feared that your blazing fire would burn us before you understood our situation. I ask for your forgiveness for my kingdom, and I ask you to unleash all your anger upon me. If you kill me, cut me, or throw me to the streets, my sin will not be forgiven."
The Emperor remained silent for a long time, then spoke again: "Why did you do it with your betrothed?" My eyes moved in surprise and disbelief at this question, and I gathered the courage to answer, "It is not a shame for the women of our kingdom, Your Majesty, to engage in such acts before marriage." I continued to look at him curiously, hoping to discern his thoughts, although it seemed like his hair was concealing them.
Silence engulfed us once more, and his wife simmered in silence. Then, suddenly, he turned the conversation to her: "Piero, does my son Achil still not have any girls?" Piero's eyes widened, caught off guard, and it seemed that the conversation pleased her. She gracefully approached the Emperor, touching his hand and shoulder with her fingers. "Of course, this boy has tired his mother greatly and has become the talk of the entire palace." The Emperor began to contemplate again, with Piero eagerly waiting.
Curiosity struggled against my fear, and I wondered if the Emperor had forgotten about my presence. I knew for a fact that Rista, the mother of Prince Achil, was already arranging a grand betrothal for him. In an instant, I felt as if I had fallen into traps no less dangerous than the one I was already in.
The Emperor suddenly looked at me, his gaze lingering. Then, he covered himself with a light fabric and headed out. I quickly lowered my head, and he spoke with a puzzled voice as he walked away, "You will become Achil's concubine." And so, the Emperor left, with Piero swiftly following him.
I stumbled in fear in front of Tait in my chamber. She continued to spin around me after I informed her of what had occurred. To be chosen as a consort for one of his sons, and the most competitive one with the crown prince, was not part of my plans or fantasies. A girl like me, and at the mercy of the emperor himself, it was a public proclamation to humiliate Achil.