A Habit Of Making People Wait...

~Queen Ariadne POV~

"Take her to her room" my mother-in-law instructed.

I was too weak to move, shock spread all over my body like I was paralyzed. With the help of the maids, I got to my room. The Emperor had insulted my parents even though he didn't know anything about them. Hot tears rolled down my cheeks, I couldn't control them. I cried my heart out this time, letting it all out -the pains I went through all these years.

His words broke my heart. My parents were killed on their anniversary. I was the only child with no other relatives.

I had no one to call my own. They left me in this cruel world to survive alone. Nobody was there to comfort me when I needed love the most.

All my life I spent in the castle, trying to impress people.

Today the Emperor reminded me of my ill luck. I was determined to change the fate of my family. My name will also go beyond the seas and oceans alongside the Emperor in history. That was a promise I made to myself. Was it a promise or a way of comforting myself?

"But how am I going to do that? He has so many wives, and I was the youngest of all!"

"Queen Ariadne, the Emperor's mother, is here to see you" Anne interrupted.

" Let her in please", I quickly wiped my tears with the back of my hand.

"I'm sorry my daughter, I raised such a bad son who doesn't have respect for women. Forgive me if you are hurt", she sat on my bed and smoothed my cheeks.

"No mother, it is not your fault at all. You are different", I told her.

"No my child, I caused it" she insisted.

"Mother, please don't cry like that. Her cry like this broke my heart. Why would the creator let a sweet woman have such a devil as a child?

"Please forgive me, Queen Ariadne" she kept on apologizing.

"Mother, I am not hurt at all. I am fine" I pretended. She was so stressed because of my arrival that I didn't want to add to her problems.

"Anne, please take mother to her room, make sure she goes to bed".

"Yes my Lady" she bowed, and they all left the room. That night, I stayed in bed and did not have dinner. I was hungry and my stomach burned a lot. Inside my head, thousands of monsters played a painful game of catch. Instead of a ball, it was my veil they threw at each other.

***

The next morning, I woke up early. What happened yesterday bounced back to my mind. I walked to where the mirror was. I glared at it to see my " thin body" as the emperor had said.

Someone knocked on the door. I wondered who it was.

"Come in," I said a few minutes later, and the door opened. Six maids walked into the room alongside Anne.

"Good morning my lady" Anne greeted him.

"Morning Anne, I didn't send for you". Seeing them in my room made me confused.

"The queen mother asked me to inform you about the family breakfast. It's a tradition too. You have to be present."

"Anne, I don't want to go, I have yet to take my bath, it's going to take me time to do so".

"Don't worry my lady, that's why I brought the other maids along. They will take care of everything" she explained.

I didn't want to go out there and meet the Emperor again. He scared me yesterday. Who knows what he was going to do today?

"Anne, what will happen if I don't go to the dining?" I asked

"My lady, it is a small family gathering. If you don't go, no one will eat, your present is important to everyone."

I finished taking my bath and the maids helped with my dressing. They perfumed and combed my long dark hair. My makeup was done. I was ready to go out there and meet with the devil himself.

Anne took the lead, showing me around the palace as we strode down the stairs. The dining hall was bigger than I imagined. There was a long table in the middle with four benches surrounding both sides.

Everyone was seated already. I took a headcount and found out that there were eighteen people at the table. Wait! Was this what they called a small family gathering? This was a big family retreat. They were all smiling at me except for one person.

I knew at once it was the Emperor. He was wearing a black garment and a red robe: I love the design, it was unique. He appeared to be in his late twenties, his features were best described as sharp with his pointed nose, reddish eyes, strong jawline, and thin attractive lips. His skin looked radiant.

His frame conveyed strength and his hair…I couldn't see it. A turban was tied to his head. Why would he tie that ?

One of the maids told me to sit next to the Emperor. I sat down quietly. I was too afraid to talk. Everyone was.

The silence was broken by the Emperor's voice. "Queen Ariadne, you have a habit of making people wait. I won't tolerate such behavior next time".

"Forgive me, your highness, I wasn't aware of this gathering," I told him.

"Who was supposed to inform her about this?" It was a general question thrown to the rest.

"I was to inform her, but due to the commotion last night, I forgot" Queen Aslaug answered.

"Mother, you know how much I work on time. Please don't make me wait for nothing"

Nothing! So I was of no use to this man.

"She has already apologized. Please forgive her." I could tell from her voice she was still sad".

No answer.

Breakfast was served and we ate silently. I took the spoon in front of me and drank my soup, making sure it didn't pour on my clothes.

"Pass the salt, please," mother said.

We reached for the salt at the same time. The Emperor and I touched the crystal shaker, my finger brushed him gently, and he let go. A shiver went down my spine, his touch was tense and delicious. So this was the feeling women felt when their husbands touch them.

"What is my schedule for today Apollos?" The Emperor asked.

"The court proceeds in an hour, my king," he answered.

" I see... How many cases do we have left?

"Just one "

"There is going to be a council meeting, do inform the rest".

"I will do that, your highness ".

When they did with their conservation, mother turned in my direction and asked politely.

"Ariadne dear, please will you attend the court meeting today? ".

"I will mother," The Emperor's mother treated me like I was her child, she was the only one who cared about me in this palace.

"It's better you don't come in late because I will have you thrown out of the court without thinking twice about it", he warned.

"Yes, your highness," I said. This man was the definition of terror. He brought unhappiness everywhere he went. He didn't even consider that I was his new wife. He spoke anyhow to me without caring that I might get hurt.

"I made potatoes, especially for you, my king" queen Valeria said. "I made, with much affection".

I wondered how Empress Valeria did it, how she opened her mouth and had words flow easily out in the presence of king Sargon.

The Emperor spent some time washing his hands before he answered her "Let me be". He stood up and left the hall.

I could see from the woman's face that she was disappointed.

If the king could be rude to his special queen, who am I?