1 THE ATTACK

THE HELIAN IMPERIAL PALACE

It was a stormy day. Streaks of lightning could be seen and thundering could be heard at frequent intervals. The trees were swaying wildly and some of them were even uprooted by the strong winds. The beautiful flower beds in the numerous gardens around the Palace were destroyed like a monster trampled over them.

The weather itself seemed like it is bloodthirsty. The sky turned yellowish-black. The originally magnificent and splendid Imperial Palace oozed out a devilish aura and looked haunted in the violent weather. But the storm inside the palace has already passed and what was left was the bitter taste...

Thousands of soldiers were surrounding the majestic Imperial Palace. Blood was smeared on the walls and the corridors. Corpses were littered all around and inside the palace. It looked like a big massacre took place in the Palace.

The Imperial Capital City was in chaos. The army of the second prince has taken control over the whole palace. It looked that the second prince didn't want anything to go wrong and took all the precautions. It was an attack that was very meticulously planned and even more carefully carried out.

The Royal family and the ministers were trapped inside the throne room, which was located in the front and biggest building in the whole Palace, including the Emperor, the Empress, and the concubines. Though there was no Royal left, of the older generation as all of them were dead already.

As one walked into the palace throne room, they could feel the power that emanates from the throne itself. All its walls were lined with bas-relief decoration and had painted plaster and brick decorating the upper parts of the walls.

The curtains in the throne room were wildly swaying due to the strong wind currents outside. The throne room was the largest among the Palace's audience halls. There was a pin drop silence in the room. The delicate and exquisite canopy above the Emperor and Empress' thrones that looked breathtaking on normal days, was now giving off an eerie feeling.

The humongous room that was always filled with light looked very dark due to the lack of sunlight. It was frightening.

The expressions on the face of the people present in the throne room were contrastingly different. The delicate concubines were already sweating profusely in spite of the chilling weather. They were scared out of their wits.

After all who didn't know about the fate of ladies in the palace after their kingdom is taken over by the enemy? Those women who were captured were popularly known as 'The Spoils of War' and were forced to serve as prostitutes.

Though the one who took over the palace was none other than the second prince, Prince Nicholas, the original heir to the throne, but nothing could be said as the stunning and the handsome cold man was ill-tempered and rather impulsive. If he wanted, then all the concubines might be brutally killed or worse turned into prostitutes.

The most beloved concubine was wrapped in the Emperor's embrace and looked like a little and cute grieved bunny. Some of the men present there were feeling grieved for her rather than for themselves! Such were her expressions!

Ah! what a lovely sight it was! A handsome man with an equally charming beauty in his arms, looking extremely eye-catching.

It would have been a picturesque scene only if the expressions on their faces were not full of nervousness and fear.

Whereas the Empress of the Helian Kingdom, Empress Rosella, was standing to the side near her Phoenix throne, her gorgeous, pale face full of tranquility, eyes full of indifference and coldness, watching the whole scene unfolding in front of her eyes. It was as if the whole situation didn't concern her and she was only a spectator.

Even in this situation, she looked like an untouchable immortal and people can't help themselves but feel undeserving to even be, in her ethereal presence.

She had faced hundreds of unfortunate and terrifying situations in the twenty-eight years of her life, so she had mastered the ability to remain calm even in perilous situations. As compared to those life-threatening situations, this was nothing in her eyes.

She was completely emotionless and expressionless, neither angry nor panicking. It was a planned assassination of Emperor Austin, but why would the Empress show any emotion, after all the Emperor and the Empress were husband and wife just for namesake, due to an arranged political marriage that was nothing but the scheme of the Royal people.

The affection of the Emperor solely belonged to his beloved concubine Lady Merlia, who was his childhood sweetheart, and no one else!

The Empress and her maternal family were not favored. As soon as Austin ascended the throne as an Emperor, he tried to make things difficult for her family. Her family had served for the Helian Empire since ages that's why they had a lot of support from the majority of the ministers, and they were able to avoid Emperor's rather foolish tricks.

Moreover, the Empress's eyes were slightly mocking. Maybe it was the Emperor's karma for treating the Empress unjustly. The devotion, care, and the hard work of the Empress were taken for granted for a long time, so the Empress stopped caring. She was not a saint, of course, she wanted the other party to at least acknowledge her hard work. But she got none.

But what she didn't know that her husband, Emperor Austin may not praise her in front of her but his heart was full of admiration and gratefulness for her. In these years, Empress Rosella had helped him hundreds of times more than concubine Merlia in managing the entire kingdom. She gave very valuable suggestions to him. That's why he tried his best to make Rosella's living comfortable and easier. Though he did everything in the dark without letting her know!

But Empress Rosella thought different. She didn't know when everything slipped out of her hands and she became a mere chess piece in the hands of the Imperial politics.

Before her marriage, she wanted to lead a life that was as free as that of a bird, with no worries and no dangers. But before she could take off, her wings were cut off and she was trapped in a golden cage, bearing the responsibilities of an Empress of a dignified kingdom.

Even if you are good, you would not have a peaceful life. Moreover, good people usually become the target of evil schemes more frequently than a cunning and evil person. To curry favor from the Emperor, terrifying schemes were common in the harem of a hundred beauties.

The Empress was facing these things for four long years. Originally, she was a charming and gorgeous young woman, full of liveliness, cheerfulness and completely stubborn. She could not stand any injustice especially towards women and the poor.

Once, she whipped a group of rich men in the middle of a bustling market who were trying to bully the poor and begging children. She whipped them until their skin was torn off. Her brother had to come to stop her from killing those fancy pants.

Most of the hoodlums were scared of her cruelty and the thirst for Justice.

Concubine Merlia was full of seductive charm, beauty, and fragility that made the men want to protect and cherish her.

If concubine Merlia was considered as the Goddess of Beauty, then Empress Rosella was known as 'The Queen of Goddesses'! Which person in the whole Helian Kingdom didn't about the Empress gracefulness and talents?

All the women wanted to be like her whereas all the men tried to find wives that resemble the Empress. Not to forget about children, they want Empress Rosella either as their big sisters or mothers! It can be said that she was the Ideal Woman for men, women, and children!

Being an Empress of a vast nation was not an easy task or a child's play! Only Empress Rosella knew, how many sleepless nights, she had spent in her palace worrying about her country!

But now after tasting cruel situations and painful events from time to time, her spirit has been broken. She could not even bring justice to herself, how could she even think of helping others?

The concubine Merlia gave birth to a son and the Emperor was thinking of making him the Crown Prince. But what about the Empress? Would the Emperor even take her title of 'Empress' away?

Was she destined to live without love? With no children and a cold-hearted husband? What has she done wrong? Sometimes, she felt so lonely, that the life of a commoner seemed better than hers. She wanted to leave everything behind and start a new journey.

But she could never let that Merlia take over her Empress title. She would never give her that satisfaction!!!

From time to time, Empress Rosella was forced to make decisions that could change her life.

And once again she was standing on a crossroad.

Prince Nicholas of the first rank, that is, the Emperor's younger stepbrother, was ready to take down the current Emperor Austin and make concubine Merlia , pay for her deeds. Or maybe not? She thought. Both the Emperor and his concubine have fooled around for so long, that now it's time for them to suffer for the deeds they have done in the past.

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A twenty year old Rosella was sitting in a private room waiting for the crown prince in the royal restaurant. it has been one hour already but no sign of crown prince. Just then Jiuli, Rosella's loyal maid came and informed - "Miss , our personal guards have informed that the Crown Prince has been spotted with Miss Merlia in the royal garden, we must do something, they can't ignore us like that, other misses always make a joke out of it!!! "

But Rosella didn't respond. What could she expect from a man who was already head over heels for some other woman? She did not ask for his love, because she knew that she had no right to do so.

If Nicholas was also marrying some other woman despite Rosella being his only love, then Rosella would also have been acting the same as Merlia...

All she wanted was a little respect for the sake of her family. But this Austin is too stingy in that case. Maybe, she was fated to remain unhappy in this lifetime...

Her thoughts again started drifting towards the depressing direction

It was the beginning of the disaster that everyone called the marriage of Crown Prince Austin and Miss Rosella. Jiuli could only curse both prince Austin and that fox Merlia for doing this to her miss. But she also knew that her cursing could not change anything. This was the fifth time in the month that the Crown Prince forgot the date of their meeting.

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Empress Rosella didn't know why she remembered that certain meeting at such a crucial and disastrous situation. Maybe her heart already knew at that time that she can't become the perfect woman for Emperor Austin. Though she was alright with this fact, she can't help but feel jealous of their everlasting love. In his eyes, only his Merlia was the one.

Prince Nicholas ordered the guards to separate Merlia and Emperor Austin. The guards tied the Emperor to the pillar and dragged Merlia in front of Prince Nicholas.

The concubine, Merlia could be considered a beauty who could bring the downfall of any nation. Pale complexion, blood red lips, long and glossy hair, and perfect features oozed out a seductive charm that could bring any man to his knees.

She was screeching and wailing making herself look so pitiful, trying to gain sympathy. Prince Nicholas calmed down his rage after watching her making unnecessary noise and said – "So Concubine Merlia, I will give you two options, either you die a painful death together with your beloved Emperor or become a royal concubine in my harem."

The reactions of people present there were totally different. Nicholas's soldiers and subordinates were surprised, the Emperor was fuming with rage. But the Empress, it was the first time any emotion was displayed on her face, but of disgust and disbelief. Though it was only for a few seconds, as she, again wore a mask of indifference. "Maybe beauty conquers all and all men are the same," she thought bitterly!