20 20: When an Emperor realised that wars are pointless

"Because I love you, and I don't want to lose you." That's what Amaris had said. Ivailo felt as if his head was spinning so fast that his body couldn't keep up.

"Everything okay?" He heard her ask. Before his mind had time to process what he was doing, he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her so close that he could feel her breath on his lips. Remembering that last time he was this close, he did not seize the chance to kiss her, he resolved to make this time different. He closed the small gap between them.

It was as if an explosion of dynamite had erupted in Amaris's chest. It was better than any rose she had ever smelled, or meal she had ever had at Craester Castle. People died for this feeling, this moment. What poets wrote ballads about. She felt as if she was on top of the world, and nothing could stop her now.

"I love you too." Ivailo whispered in her ear as he pulled back. Smiling, Amaris closed the gap between them again, re-igniting the fire that his touch fueled. He pulled away. "At this moment, it feels as if all the wars in the universe are pointless." He murmured into her skin as he held her tight. "But I cannot go back on my word, do you understand?"

"I understand."

"There's more." Ivailo took a deep breath. "In order to solidify the alliance between Acad, Asharia and Thoasia, we agreed our children would marry each other. Is that an eventuality that you can live with?" Amaris looked at him, confused.

"Isn't it a bit early to talk about having children?" She asked.

"Maybe, but you never know what could happen."

"Too true." She kissed his forehead. "We should get back to the party."

The rest of the night passed as if it was a dream. The whole night, Ivailo had Amaris within arm's length, dancing, eating, drinking and socialising. Now that the banquet was finished, and the servants were cleaning the throne room from the night's revelry, Ivailo decided it was in Amaris's best interests for him to walk her back to her chambers.

"I guess this is where we part." He said, brushing her hair from her face.

"It doesn't have to be."

"What do you mean?"

"Stay with me tonight." She responded, pulling him into a tight hug. "Please don't leave me just yet."

"Are you sure? I don't want us to go so fast that we lose sight of what matters." He asked, pulling away from Amaris.

"I'm sure. I have never been more sure of anything."

"Okay then. Let me go get ready for bed, and I will come back." Ivailo said as he disentangled himself from her embrace and gently kissed her, just like he should have done so long ago.

When Ivailo reached his chambers, Cyran had already laid out his night clothes on his bed.

"Your Majesty, did you have a good night?"

"Yes I did, and it is about to get even better." Ivailo said, stripping off his jacket.

"How so, Your Majesty?"

"I am about to spend it with the most beautiful woman in all of Acad."

"So you told Lady Amaris how you felt." The valet summarised. "Good for you, Your Majesty."

"Thank you, Cyran." Ivailo said, pulling on the crimson silk nightshirt. "I don't expect to return here tonight, so you can expect to find me in Amaris's bedchambers tomorrow."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Amaris was on a cloud higher than cloud nine as she waltzed into her bedchambers. She loved the emperor, and he loved her back. Kenia noticed.

"Is everything okay, Milady?" She asked, laying a silk and lace nightdress on her bed.

"Things could not be more perfect if I tried, Kenia. I told his majesty exactly how I felt about him, and he felt the same!" Amaris said. Kenia squealed with delight.

"That is wonderful news, milady!"

"It gets even better. He has agreed to spend the night here." This made Kenia shriek even louder. "Hush! Keep your voice down. You will wake up the rest of the castle."

"It's not like you and his majesty won't do the same, milady."

"Careful Kenia. This is the emperor of Acad you are talking about." Amaris reminded her as she slipped into the nightdress. At that moment, someone knocked on her door. Kenia opened it, and Ivailo stepped into the room.

"Am I too late?" He asked, approaching her.

"No, not at all." She turned to Kenia. "You can leave now."

"Yes, milady."

"You look even more beautiful than you did before." Ivailo said, pulling her close. It was true. She looked absolutely gorgeous, especially in that nightdress. She looked even better when she blushed so deeply that she turned the same colour as his nightshirt. Ivailo smiled and pulled her even closer. She was so adorable when she blushed. It was as if his body had a mind all of its own. He kissed her as if it was the last time that he would ever see her.

The urgency and passion behind Ivailo's kiss was like nothing Amaris had ever experienced, but she felt it none the less. Forgetting all common sense and getting lost in the moment, she led him over to her bed with its purple silk sheets. They spent the entire night there, and eventually fits of passion made way to the exhaustion that only sleeping in the arms of a lover can satiate.

When she awoke the next morning, she felt like she was in heaven. Between Ivailo's arms wrapped tightly around her, the feel of the silk sheets against her bare skin, and the memory of last night, she thought she was in a dream. Turning over in his arms, she saw he was still asleep. Oh, how angelic he looked as he slept, with his nut brown skin being softly illuminated by the light coming in from the large windows.

Gently, she kissed him.

"Good morning." He whispered, his eyes fluttering open.

"Good morning to you too."

"We should probably get up." Ivailo said, stretching out his limbs.

"Or we could just stay like this." Amaris said, trying to snuggle in closer.

"No, we need to get up. I at least have an empire to run."

"Fine." Amaris said, grumpy that she was being forced from her very comfortable position. "I will get up." At this moment, Kenia and Cyran came into the room.

"Good morning, you two." Ivailo greeted the servants.

"Good morning Your Majesty, Milady." They said in unison.

"Good morning." Amaris mumbled, rolling out of bed. "Alright, let's get this day started."

Within the hour, both Ivailo and Amaris had been dressed and groomed, and now the lovers were sitting down at breakfast with Grace and Falael, Rinomve, Lyra and Radcliffe, and Kafei and Kieran.

"How did everyone sleep?" Ivailo asked, remembering the joyous occasion that had been last night.

"Just fine, Your Majesty." Kafei said. "Why do you ask? Wait." She noticed the expression on her little brother's face. "Don't tell me we finally have a sister-in-law!"

"Indeed, you do." Amaris said, blushing, as the table erupted in squeals from Lyra, Kafei, and Grace. "Calm down ladies, we don't need to bring the castle down with how much noise we are making." This earned laughter from the rest of the table, Ivailo included. So I am dating a comedian, he thought as servants laid out a breakfast of pancakes and berries on the table.

The rest of breakfast went rather quietly with the men and Kafei discussing battle strategy and the ladies, Amaris included, gushing about how great it would be for the realm to have an empress. Now the troop excluding Radcliffe and Kieran were sitting in the little high council room just off the throne room, discussing battle tactics.

"Is there anything that we can do about the loss of military support, given that His Majesty fired half of the high council?" Amaris asked.

"We could label them as traitors." Lyra suggested, staring off into space. "I mean, they kind of deserved it with how they treated Amaris."

"Just out of curiosity, what would happen if you label these people as traitors?" Rinomve asked.

"They would be imprisoned." Kafei responded. "We would confiscate their lands and wealth, and then they would be executed."

"Sounds rough. Is what they did to Lady Amaris really that bad?" Falael asked.

"It is more than what they did to Amaris that makes them worthy of being executed." Ivailo said, standing up. "Every minute of me being on the throne they have been plotting and scheming for their own gain, with no regard for what is in the best interest of the people of Acad." He turned to Lyra. "Draw up the paperwork. Let Lord Arheim, Lord Wolfram and Lord Brass be labeled as traitors."