(2.2) Ezra Limolle IV: His Love Will Never Fade

"Here I am, my wife. I'm sorry I have only now visited you. I didn't have the courage to you as I have not accepted your death." Since I am now standing in her grave, it seems that in a way I have accepted her end.

"Whenever I think of you since that day, I have thought about following you. However, I don't think I will be ever in the same place as you when all I have done in my life, is bad things. The only good thing I have ever done is love our children for the rest of my life and love you." Talking to her in this situation is almost making me feel ridiculous. There isn't even a way for her to talk back to me. This almost makes me feel like I am talking to myself.

"Then again, if I did try to follow you, our children would be left all alone, and there would be no one who would protect our daughter from those people." I have come to realize that there is more for me to do in this life and will have to keep on living without her. We once promised to grow old together, but apparently, she broke her promise to me.

As I stood there in front of her grave, I can feel the wind changing. It seems that someone has decided to visit my wife too. Sensing its presence, I knew exactly who it is, "What are you doing here, Spirit King?" I asked.

I turned around and face the man who had served my wife. Every magic user in the world is paired with a Spirit that they are born with. Amongst all luck, my wife, Layla, was born with the Spirit King as her Spirit. Such events don't happen in every generation. There were only three cases of these kinds of phenomena happening, and each time, those who have a Spirit, such as the Spirit King, ended up doing things that are beneficial to the empire they live in.

"Why can't I be here? She is after all my master." He said calmly.

"She is no longer your master, she is dead. Isn't time for you to find yourself a new master or even at least do things that you have ever wanted to do without serving a master?" In this way of life, it is apparent that Spirits only live as they are told by their masters. What their master wishes them to do, they cannot defy it. Spirits are bound to their master till death. When a spirit does not have a master, it will return to the Spirit World and wait for its next destined master. It is something they cannot avoid.

Layla was one of the best magic users in the world, and she achieved so many things in the time she was alive. However, there is one thing that she badly wanted to achieve, the link between a magic user and the spirit. She wanted the spirits to be free to do whatever they want. She wants them to choose whoever masters they wanted to serve.

Thinking about the time she was talking about that dream of hers, I can vividly remember the smile she had. That beautiful smile always makes my day.

"I may be the Spirit King and I can do anything I want as I am different from all the spirits, however, I can't find a new master and live my life the way I want as I please. I am also bound by the rule, Emperor Ezra." The Spirit King is different from any other spirit in the world, he can exit outside of the Spirit World and do whatever he wants, unlike any other Spirits.

"Why is that?"

"My heart belongs to her." A magic user and a spirit always have a special that no one else can ever understand. So for him to say that, I am not even surprised. I know he does not mean it romantically because I too have a special bond with my spirit. "Out of all the masters that I have served, she is the only one who has the purest heart of them all."

It must shock the Spirit King when Layla has ordered him not to do anything during that time. It must have pained him to see his master using magic on me to kill her. Spirits too have feelings of their own.

I understand all too well the pain he must have felt that day.

"Still, she wouldn't want you to lay waster on your life like this." Knowing Layla I know she would want the people she loves to keep on moving forward. She would want them to be happy no matter what.

"I know, which is why I'm in the middle of doing something that is out of the ordinary." He looked at me as if I won't like it if he decided on doing what he was thinking of doing.

"And what would that be?"

"Looking after your daughter until the end of her life." The Spirit King smiled at me before vanishing.

Well, I did not like that at all. If he does decide on looking after Catherine, then it will only attract many people in the world. All eyes will be on her. Almost everyone in the empire is not liking the fact that she is going to become some sort of powerful devil in the future, but if she happens to have the backing of the Spirit King, people will think that she will become more dangerous than ever.

Though, I do agree someone like the Spirit King will be perfect in protecting her if I were not around her. However, it worries me that it will only put her in so much trouble.

"Your Majesty," someone from behind spoke. He has been watching me for a while now. I was wondering when would he finally speak. "It is time for you to come back, the Lefelond Empire's representative is only an hour away from the Main Royal Palace."

"Leon, I am aware. I have my horse standing by. I will be right behind you. Let me say a few more words to my wife." Leon only bowed his head and left.

~~~

"Your majesty! You're finally here! I thought that you were about to forget about today's appointment." Theodore approaches me with a relieved look on his face. Does he think that I would just forget about today's matters just like that? Where is the trust?

"Theodore, will please for once not treat me as if I am a useless Emperor?" Throughout the years that we had been through, Theodore has never once stopped treating me like this. He kept on treating me as if I needed someone to guide me. Being an emperor, I do need people to advise just in case I make impulsive decisions, but not daily just as Theodore is doing right now.

"How can I not be like this? Your Majesty, have you forgotten the situations that you have put yourself into?" Well, in the past, I did some irrational decisions, and I am not going to deny that. However, in some ways, those decisions made me the person that I am today and I don't I will ever change anything about it.

"I have not forgotten, Theodore. I mean how can I even forget it when every once in a while, you always find a way to remind me of it? Like today for example."

*knock, knock*

"Your Majesty, Marquis. Our respectable guests have finally arrived."

As soon as we heard that, Theodore and I immediately made our way to our guest. Both the Raeryn Empire and the Lefelond Empire are making efforts to make this relationship work.

For so many years, both empires have suffered many heartaches because of some differences both parties never tried to understand. Hate was growing and everyone is getting tired of it. If this meeting is the first step we must then it better result in a good way.

Arriving at the meeting room, I see the Lefelond representatives and their crown prince. The Lefelond people are elves. They live longer than any human can. Their features are also very unique to the point that some humans envy how beautiful they can be.

"I apologize for arriving late, honored guests," I said.

"It is quite alright, Emperor Limolle. We haven't been waiting that long at all. We have just arrived ourselves." The crown prince of Lefelond, Evaron Olarona, I heard that he has already mastered his swordsmanship, and is very intellectually intelligent, and on top of that, he is practicing his magic at the moment. At such a young age, he is achieving too many things. No wonder his father, Uldreyin the Emperor of Lifelong Empire is so proud of him.

"That is very kind of you, young prince." Though, I know that he is not that kind at all. His father, the Emperor, did send me a letter regarding his son's character. I guess, this kindness that this prince is showing is only for show, but in reality, he is someone everyone should be careful with. According to his father, his son is quite cunning in some ways. "Well then, everyone, shall we start the meeting?"