11 - The Emperor's Warning

The tiny information makes me want to puke and feel the dizziness in my system. For the past few days, I have become hostile while thinking about what I am supposed to do. The day of my marriage is getting near, and the emperor's warning is not helping me calm down and act accordingly.

Emperor's obsession with his curse is getting worse by getting worse, and he is resisting daily. Even though I already put him under my curse, he can undo it slowly, not totally, but there's progress in how he acts, and it's not safe for me.

I feel trapped once he finally undoes it, and my curse won't work with him anymore.

"Her royal highness of Drivike, I have a report of Prince Kier's situation." I slowly looked at the guard holding a letter, and he kneeled and offered the letter to me. At first, I am hesitant to accept the letter because that might be bad news for me, but on the other hand, I want to read it.

"It's good to see you were working hard for the Empire of Gribe. You may go." I waved my hand and watched him get out of my room.

I slowly ripped the envelope, and the letter was from Prince Kier, telling him that he won't be here for his brother's wedding because his mission was more important than the emperor's wedding.

And I find it suspicious that Prince Kier never talked to me in this manner, and he said that he was happy about his brother's wedding and excited about the ceremony, and now he is not attending. I find it unusual for me.

At the same time, I feel sad because Prince Kier is one of the few people I trust here, and I don't know if I dare confess my mistakes by putting a curse on his brother, the emperor.

The evening is near, the sun is setting down, and the moon is starting to rise. My energy from meeting the emperor for dinner for the past few days makes me weak. And they forbid me to enter the sacred place Prince Kier introduced to me, where I can heal because my mana is almost draining.

I took a deep breath and caressed my hair while looking at the people above me, busy with their chores before the evening started.

A loud knock makes me look at the door, and the maid is kneeling at the entrance of my room after opening the door.

"Princess Delaney, the emperor wants to share the delicious dinner with you." I sat at the edge of my bed and took a deep breath for the second time.

I am tired and fighting silently with the emperor, the most powerful man in this empire.

"Sorry, I don't want to eat with the emperor, my head feels heavy, and I will sleep early tonight." She looked at me with a questioning look.

"Bring my dinner here. I will rest early today," I said, and the maid bowed her head before leaving. I know that many people don't like me here to become an empress of the Gribe empire.

As Lady Critesa said, they won't like me at all because they think I am lacking and incapable of ruling the empire. I will be the weak spot of an emperor.

But I am still doubting that I will make it alive until the day of my marriage. I am just a disposable princess, the replacement of the beloved daughter of Emperor Divino.

The food came into my room quickly, and I instructed the servants that I wanted my night to become peaceful. I don't want anyone to disturb my rest.

I want a peaceful night, and now I can finally have the peace I wish to.

"This can wait. I'll rest now." I put away the book and drank some water while tasting each food they gave me for dinner.

It's hard to chew, and I feel that I am not comfortable, like something terrible will happen tonight.

I need to stay alert, but while I am convincing myself to stay up, loud sounds outside my room make me stand up, and a groan of a familiar voice makes me open the door and see if there is someone outside.

But there's no guard, and a man wearing a black robe is sitting on the dark side of the hallway, and I gasped when I recognized his face.

"Prince Kier!" I hissed, and he covered my mouth and walked inside my room, still covering my mouth and didn't make a sound when he closed the door of my room.

I gasped once again when Prince Kier slowly removed his robe and revealed some bruises on his body that made me terrified.

"Who did this to you?" I asked and grabbed my robe. "I need to report this to your brother; someone wants you dead." Prince Kier held my wrist and shook his head.

"No, don't report my situation because my brother wants me dead." My jaw dropped when he said that, and I kneeled in front of Prince Kier, helping him to remove his shirt, and I hurriedly ran to get some clean water that was good for drinking.

It's good that I have a few herbals here, a gift from Lady Critesa.

"How sure you are that the emperor wants you dead?" While cleaning his wounds, I asked Prince Kier, and I remembered that I had some medicines I used to apply when Sir William was injured, like Prince Kier.

"I heard that some of the Nobles are putting some malice on our relationship and spreading false information that I am trying to have an affair with you." I dropped the towel and slowly walked back.

"N-no, it's nothing, I swear, it's just them; you're not the problem here. The nobility is trying to put me down because they know what I am capable of, and I am not interested in dethroning my brother. They want to use me for their hidden agenda." I slowly wipe my tears and continue to clean his wounds.

I feel bad for Prince Kier. The nobility now in Gribe is using me for their propaganda.

"I can't communicate with Lady Critesa and to his father. You're my only hope now, Princess Delaney; help me to hide because that is all I can do now. Run away and hide under the shadow while my name is tainted." I nod and hold Prince Kier's hand.

"I'll do my best to help you, don't worry."