Autumn is here

After that evening, I along with Ash kept visiting the palace and sometimes the princes visited our place, our relationship became more stable and the rumours about us being their playmate passed long and far, Ash agreed to attend the academy and our summer ended with some of the golden memories.

As the leaves turned yellowish and red autumn came knocking at our doors, and as days kept passing by The Empress kept getting sicker and sicker, but still, she had that smile on her face which looked like she didn't regret anything, The Princes were worried for their mother and the emperor called for people from all the world but no one was able to cure her.

And today the empress called me and Ash suddenly. We went inside her room and saw her lying in her bed with a pale and thin face, her rosy lips were now dry, but even in that state, she was still a beauty.

"We greet the saintness of the empire her majesty the empress." Both of us greeted her.

She smiled towards us, "Both of you are here, don't stand so far sit here." she said pointing at the two chairs located beside her bed. we did as she said.

"Her majesty are you feeling pain anywhere?" Ash asked in a worried expression.

"I was but after seeing both of you I feel as if everything was worth it." Her majesty said with a motherly look on her face.

"Her majesty please don't say it like that...having pain for the sake of us....how would it be worth it?" I asked as I looked into her eyes.

"Maybe it's because I adore both of you!" Her majesty said as she laughed, I know she was sincere when she said that but for some reason, it felt like that wasn't all of it.

"We like her majesty too!!! So please get well soon." Ash said as he clenched his fists, his ears turned red again, he is shy again. I patted his head and the empress laughed at his cuteness.

"Talking with you two surely feels great and refreshing." Her majesty said as she took a deep breath and smiled towards us.

"It's the same for us, talking with her majesty has always been fun...."I said as I remembered all those days we had spent together "....So please get well soon..."

The empress didn't reply instead she smiled weakly toward us, "I can't promise anything but if possible I would like it if both of us come to visit me now and then....you see it feels kind of lonely and stuffy inside this room all alone..." The empress said as she looked around the room.

"We understand." both me and ash said. "Thank you!" she said with a smile. After that, we were told to leave since it was time for her medicines.

On our way back home, Ash nor I uttered a single word. I guess both of us were worried for her majesty.

But it'd weird when I first heard that the empress was sick I thought it was just a glitch in the novel, but looking at her now it doesn't look like a small glitch...Even though it was right that she would one day fall sick and die in the novel but it happened after the crown prince turned 21 years old .....so why now??

Why is the novel taking such a big turn? And why do I feel as if the empress is hiding something? What's happening...I don't understand anything...

Thinking that I just banged my head in the carriage window.

"Sister what's wrong!!" Ash asked me surprised by my sudden action.

"HaHa, I was just thinking about this and that..." I said as I laughed awkwardly.

"Huh, Do you still bang your head like that when you get feel pressurized..." Ash asked as he touched my forehead which now had a small bump. Huh but wait!!

"Ash...how did you know that I bang my head every time I feel pressurized..." I asked him because as far as I know I never told him that, did I??

"Th...That I saw you doing it few times...like when we had our etiquette classes you were not able to do it properly so the teacher scolded you even at that time you banged your head just like that..." Ash said as he looked at he turned towards the other side.

"OH, right I did it back then too..." I murmured but still, it doesn't explain how did he know that I did it because I was pressurized...Does Ash....No No I might be thinking too much!

Ash is smarter and more mature than other kids of his age but still, he is a kid and my only brother. I must trust him!

"looks like my brother is not only intelligent but only observant!" I said as I patted his head.

"But sister will Her Majesty be alright??" Ash asked as he looked outside the window.

"I am not sure but if we take of her and pray for her maybe she will," I said

"Sister....tell me truthfully.." Ask asked in a serious tone. "Ash, What do you mean?" I asked suddenly shocked by his reply.

"Sister the empress is dying right..." Ash said in a sad and cold voice which was so unlike his real self and it was more unlikely to hear it from a kid's mouth.

"Ash it isn't like that..." I said but was cut off in between my Ash.

"Sister It is like that!!..... Even though she kept smiling I can tell she was still in pain....she must be feeling scared and helpless at this moment but for the ones who care about her....she is trying to keep a strong front.....and Sister you know what .....the reason she feels lonely isn't because she is always alone in that room but it's because she knows soon she will be gone leaving everyone alone....." Ash said all those words in one breath and this was the first time I saw him this irritated.

I truly had no idea why he was acting like that...but the only thing I was able to understand was that I knew too little about him and he knew too much about me. And at that moment I had this thought in my mind as I wondered if I am really working on changing our doom fate or am I just passing the time with some lame excuses.

Silence filled the carriage ride again and it didn't end until we reached our house.

"Finally I can lay in my bed!!" I said after washing up as I lay down, I thought about all the things that happened today. For sure what Ash said is the truth that can't be hidden...I wonder if Ash is feeling this upset.... how much upset would the princes be feeling right now.....I haven't seen them for a while now...."Should I meet them tomorrow?" I talked to myself.

"Sister, who are you going to meet?" Ash said as he entered the room.

"Huh...I was just thinking of meeting the princes tomorrow...I want to know if they are okay or not?" I said as I smiled towards him.

"OH, then can I come along...I am worried about them too" Ash said avoiding eye contact.

"Yeah...you can," I said as I tucked myself in the blanket...I don't know why but the air between us has become too awkward. "...umm..okay then Good night.." saying that Ash left the room.

*sigh* "How long are we going to avoid each other." I said to myself as I looked at the stars which were visible to me thanks to the window near the balcony.

That same night at the imperial palace, The empress room.

"Looks like her majesty is satisfied with her decision." A man with long bluish hair and crystal blue eyes aka His Holiness said.

"Surely I am." Her majesty said as she smiled towards his holiness.

"Even though you are going to die like this..." His Holiness said.

"Everyone must die one day so what's the difference if I die a little earlier than my estimated time. And that too for a good reason" Her majesty said she looks at the white lilies kept in a vase.

"Her majesty might think like that but what about the princes and his majesty?" His holiness asked her.

"What does His Holiness mean?" She asked him in a serious tone.

"Does her majesty don't understand what I am saying or are you pretending to not know it?" His Holiness said as he smiled towards her.

"I understand and...I know they will understand it too." Her majesty said looking at the family portrait which consists of his majesty, the two princes and herself.

"And how does her majesty thinks that they will accept the fact that....the reason behind your upcoming death is no other than the Winter Family!" His Holiness said as he looked towards the empress who was now speechless.