1. Rebirth

Sianna Marie had everything but luck.

Her face was beautiful, like a flower drenched in the full moon's sheen. Her demeanour was graceful and gentle, with an extraordinary intelligence unquestioned throughout the Empire; that news about her always blows from a good way.

Sianna Marie grew up in the residence of Marques Nesia who was known to be the most generous in the area. Not only that. Apart from being generous, Nesia's husband and wife are rumoured to have raised both Sianna Marie and her brothers and sisters, with great affection and tenderness. So that none of them grew up as failures.

Anyway, Sianna Marie has everything but luck.

With her beauty, even though she couldn't enter the palace as an official, she at least managed to seduce the Crown Prince, who claimed to have fallen in love at first sight.

Looking back, her life so far seems like a lovely fairy tale that street performers dare not tell because it is too unrealistic. She thought, by jamming her feet into the cold and majestic palace tiles, her life would be even more unthinkable than before.

And it turns out her guess was right.

But sadly, that doesn't lead to good things.

Paper kites that are flown into the sky think they will float along with the expanse of stars and moon. But the paper kite would never have guessed that the moon was too far away to reach, and the stars too unreal to dream of. In the end, the paper kite had to fall back to earth just because of the rain. Not only damaged, but paper kites also lose their meaning.

The Crown Prince who, not long after marrying her, was made Emperor, was a wise ruler. He had the virtues of a ruler and the promising charm of a man. He was an Emperor who was admired by his people, an Emperor who was respected by his officials, an Emperor that if someone talk something about him, only good things could be heard. He became Emperor not only because he was descended from the previous Emperor, but moreover because he was capable. Hence, he was the leader most compatible with all of his attributes, whether it be with his golden crown, his golden throne, his golden sceptre, or even his golden robe.

The Emperor was the right man as a leader, but not as a husband.

It was his incompetence as a husband that ultimately led Sianna Marie to her cold and tragic grave.

Her first son, whom she named with the two lines of words she had been thinking about during her 9 months of pregnancy, had to eventually grow up under another name under someone else's hands. Her little son did not even consider her a mother and continued to label her as an irresponsible woman, who dumped nurturing duties on the Imperial concubines.

Not that Sianna Marie didn't want to do it. She just wasn't given the chance to do it. In her son's eyes, she was probably the most cruel mother. But behind the curtain on a show that no one but the cast knew about, Sianna Marie was forced by circumstances to become an irresponsible mother.

She was never let out of her lonely palace other than for big celebrations that required an Empress to appear. As soon as the event took place, she would be sent back to her palace, with the door tightly shut, so that not even hearsay could sneak inside.

Sianna Marie was loved as an Empress but despised as a wife and mother.

That day, on her 22nd birthday, as usual in the cold and gloomy Empress palace, she celebrated her birthday alone, with a small candle held in her hands.

The bluish-orange flames continued to sway. Hot molten wax dripped and accumulated from her hands down her arms, and pooled and solidified in her lap. She didn't say anything, didn't pray or sing, and didn't let anyone else do it for her. At that time, it was raining heavily. After finalizing several state documents, such as compiling the budget for the palace within the next year, Sianna Marie finally had time to relax.

Even though she was locked up for inconvenient reasons, she still carried out her duties as first lady well. This may have been the Emperor's consideration not to dismiss her from this position shortly.

Inside a golden cage, truly a cage with bars coiled around each side, Sianna Marie closed her eyes for a moment. The rain was still falling heavily. Because the three-foot-tall window next door didn't shut tightly, soon enough, it opened with a bang. The wind was blowing hard bringing the water droplets in. Sianna Marie, who was still inside the golden cage with only a sheet of red satin in contrast to her pale skin, was trembling with cold.

It was not known by anyone except the Emperor and those in charge of dressing her up, that the kind-hearted Empress who had been rumoured to be suffering from a serious illness that could not move from her sick bed, was actually still healthy enough to continue to comfort the Emperor. Not known by anyone but those in charge of dressing her, that the beautiful Empress was left alone in a golden cage with only a sheet to be shown as entertainment.

Every day, at certain times when the Emperor could set aside his busy life, he would pay a visit to the Empress's palace. Those who didn't know would think that the Emperor was a husband who was worried about his wife's condition, so he always made time to visit her every day. But for those who knew, they would only see that the Emperor admired his wife in a distorted way.

Every day, Sianna Marie completed her state duties as Empress in her golden cage. With only a single sheet of satin wrapped around her body, it became a beautiful spectacle for the Emperor who was seated on a golden chair not far from her. Watching silently, with eyes that don't blink much the whole time. At first, Sianna Marie found the habit turned her stomach. As time passed, he discovered that these activities were little more than daily occurrences that... A little unbearable, but bearable.

Today, on her birthday which falls on the 10th of the 10th month, rarely, the Emperor did not come even until night fell. Sianna Marie, who had never really expected the arrival of the man, wasted no time. She prayed out loud after a long time of silence.

"Lord, if you are out there, please bring me to my son, and let me touch and hug him."

Sianna Marie is a beautiful woman whose beauty can overthrow a country. Her skin was pale white, which, in her time, was a sign that a woman had been well cared for by her family and husband. Her face was oval, with a smooth forehead that was neither narrow nor wide. Her nose is small and aquiline, with a mole on the bridge of the nose. Her naturally red lips were neither too thin nor too thick, adorning her face with the right proportions. Her eyes, round and large with a dense curtain of eyelashes, were always the most attractive thing to behold on her entire face.

Her body is slim and smooth with sharp curves at the hips. She used to be slightly thin. To those who enjoy her, she may look incredibly gorgeous. But to those who truly cared about her, that gaunt appearance was simply unbearable to look at. However, shortly after giving birth to her first son, many parts of her body grew slightly. Like her chest and hips. So that her appearance is now so perfect to be seen.

Her little son, who had inherited at least half the features from her, had never failed to attract the attention of people from all walks of life. That's why everyone loves him. Unfortunately, her lovely little son had never felt how soft Sianna Marie's hand was in his entire life. Sadly, he could only assume.

"Your Highness." a soft voice was heard amidst the lively rain and thunder that shouted.

It was the kind of soft voice that could make Sianna Marie's feelings fluctuate. Shortly, she turned her head towards the door, towards the source of the sound that was covered by the thin veil. Her hair moved gently, like the entanglement of heaven's threads.

Sianna Marie's long hair usually appears in a healthy and beautiful jet-black colour. Unfortunately, not known by many, that her natural hair color is silvery white. That colour is always hidden to avoid many things, one of which is suspicion. Most of the people in this Empire had all kinds of hair colours, but none of them was silvery white.

It was because the tribe with that hair colour had long been annihilated due to the sins of their ancestors in the past.

If there was even one person who knew that the Empress who had been glorified so far was a descendant of a cursed tribe, what would they think?

So far, the secret was kept tightly closed solely because of the help from the Emperor. If the Emperor had so wished, Sianna Marie would not have lived long ago. And she's grateful for that. But for the rest, Sianna Marie would never see the Emperor as her messiah. The man who at first whispered words full of love into her ear has now become a husband who keeps his wife away from their child. That one sin she will never forgive.

"...Come in." After thinking for a while, she finally answered.

The person behind the door whispered softly, which couldn't be heard due to the increasing intensity of the rain. Before long, the door leaf swung with a strong scraping sound, and a person appeared.

It was a woman no less beautiful than Sianna Marie. But no prettier than Sianna Marie. Both have different characteristics. If Sianna Marie appeared as a sublime and dignified beauty, then the woman in front of her appeared as a gentle, holy beauty. The two were definitely not on the same level.

The woman entered in a black funeral gown, which was forbidden to wear in the imperial court unless someone from the Imperial clan had died. Her coming here dressed like that was clearly an insult.

Her name is Dayana Davina. She is a former saintess who is most admired by the people. Moreover, she's the young Grand Marshal's beloved adopted daughter who was most respected by the knights throughout the Empire. Shortly after ascending to the throne, to maintain the stability of his position, the Emperor gained much support by marrying Dayana Davina.

Even though she was only bestowed with the title of a noble concubine, her prestige was never far from that of an Empress. Not to mention, the Emperor looked so fond of her and kept taking her everywhere, even to special occasions that the Empress couldn't attend. But Dayana Davina can. What hurt even more, the Emperor trusted this person more to raise the Crown Prince than his own biological mother. Therefore, the presence of Dayana Davina has always been a thorn in Sianna Marie's eyes.

"What are you here for..."

Dayana Davina did not instantly answer. First, her dark eyes glanced at Sianna Marie with unconcealed scorn. She then pulled up the golden chair not far away, which the Emperor would usually use to witness Sianna Marie's degradation.

Dayana Davina sat with her legs crossed and said, "Empress, long time no see. I heard it's your birthday today..."

Sianna Marie frowned. "Just get to the point."

Dayana Davina, who usually appeared fragile and vulnerable, now looked so proud and strong, as if the world was under her feet. She laughed softly, which was masked by the sound of the raindrops. Said, "Then this lowly concubine won't mince words."

"Your Highness, your job as Empress is truly beyond doubt. You are very capable and agile. However, becoming an Empress can be done by anyone as long as they are given the chance, right?"

"Sianna Marie cannot be replaced by anyone, but anyone besides Sianna Marie can become Empress." At the end of her sentence, Dayana Davina clapped her hands lightly.

She got up from her seat, then took two steps forward and arrived in front of the bars of the cage that bordered the Empress. She crouched down. The sinister smile never left her face. "Empress, you know that our Empire is always at war with Verdant, right?"

"..."

Sianna Marie did not respond, and Dayana Davina continued. "When the peace treaty is finally done, our Empire must first show hospitality. Verdant's diplomat will be arriving today at the capital. They especially sent their Crown Prince here. And we as hosts will naturally do the same, right?"

"..."

"To show his benevolence, the Emperor should have sent someone of equal importance as a diplomat, right?"

"..."

"Thus, a peace treaty will be reached."

Curly fingers infiltrated and gently stroked Sianna Marie's soft cheeks. There was a hint of sadness in Dayana Davina's eyes, before giving way to apathetic alienation. She pulled her hand down slowly and stopped just above Sianna Marie's left chest. Sense her steady heartbeat on her fingertips. "But the Emperor has other plans."

Her finger stabbed rather forcefully into her chest, causing Sianna Marie to frown in agony.

"His Majesty intends to kill the diplomat."

"..."

"If the Emperor also sends our Crown Prince as a diplomat to Verdant, wouldn't his fate end equally badly there?"

"…What did you say?" when her son was mentioned, Sianna Marie couldn't maintain her composure anymore.

"According to him, peace can't be achieved with a handshake. So he chose to subjugate Verdant by brute force." After speaking so, Dayana Davina stepped back, but not so far that she could notice the slightest change in expression on Sianna Marie's face which was always dignified.

"But I didn't come here to talk about that."

"..."

"I came here to make an offer." Along with those words, she took out a small vial from her other hand. "Empress, you were fated to make sacrifices as soon as the decision was made. I knew you would not let the Emperor send out the Crown Prince, and I knew you would do anything to replace him."

"Empress," Dayana Davina's face was so close when she called out. "If our Empress dies right after the diplomat from Verdant arrives, wouldn't the Emperor have no more reason to send the Crown Prince? There's no point in leaving now or later. But if you leave now, I will bring up the Crown Prince to you."

The two-finger-sized purple glass bottle in Dayana Davina's hand was instantly grabbed by Sianna Marie without a word. She opened the lid in a rush, and drank the contents in one fell swoop without much thought. After the contents were wrapped up, Sianna Marie threw the bottle in Dayana Davina's face and said, "I did."

"Fine, very good." Dayana Davina smiled gently, but not the winning kind of smile. With a face that somehow looked lonely and sad, she stepped back and left. Perhaps it was because the rival she had so painstakingly chased after was finally eliminated by her own hands, so she felt a bit emotional. Anyway, Sianna Marie didn't care, as long as she could be reunited with her son.

"Your Highness." an unknown maid entered and called out. She handed a plain white dress to Sianna Marie, which she put on instantly.

Not long after, there was another knock on the door. And a soft and sweet childish voice greets the ear amidst the falling rain that is starting to subside. The sky was still dark, but as if spring had come, Sianna Marie's world became bright and fragrant. She excitedly stood up and leaned against the bars of the golden cage. Both of her hands gripped the gold bars with enthusiasm.

The door swung open once again, and a small figure in luxurious clothing entered in a daze.

As long as the Empire's official meeting was taking place, mother and son would finally be able to meet. But all they could do was stare at each other from a distance without ever being able to reach for each other. It was really sad even to think back on.

"Oh, my Son!" Sianna Marie could not hold back the tears that instantly fell like a waterfall. Her quite strong and excited call slightly startled the little Crown Prince.

"Come here, my dear. Let Mother take a close look at you."

The little Crown Prince, Maximilian, tentatively approached. His face is exactly like a copy of his father when he was young. But if you looked closely, his beautiful round eyes were really like his mother's. Those round eyes, filled with astonishment, looked back and forth at Sianna Marie and what bound her, trapped her inside the golden cage. The 6-year-old Crown Prince tilted his head.

"Why is the Empress in such a place? You are like the bird that the Father Emperor kept in his study…"

Sianna Marie was silent for a moment, before bursting out a low laugh, a look of amusement, which was so rare, could be seen on her face. Her little son, thinking that he had succeeded in making the Empress happy, chuckled too.

Maximilian had always thought that he was not loved by his mother. Although the relationship between the two was not exactly good, he never really hated his mother. Even though there was much disappointment in his heart, he would not be angry if the Empress would meet him specifically at least once, and explain everything to him.

Even though the noble concubine Dayana Davina treated him well, still, the motherly love that he yearned for could only be obtained from the woman who actually gave birth to him. Maximilian was not without action. He had several times persuaded his Father Emperor to meet his Mother Empress. But whenever he asked, his father would reason that his mother didn't want to meet anyone, not even him. Therefore, Maximilian never protested again and obediently waited.

He waited until the time came when his mother asked him for an audience first. He was so happy that his heart skipped a beat.

Unfortunately, a sip of water cannot quench thirst. It will only make him more thirsty than ever.

If earlier he longed to meet his mother, now he begins to desire something more. He felt that he had become greedy and shameless.

"Empress... Don't you want to come out?" come out of that place and hug me, Mother. He wanted to say it out loud but was too shy and afraid to do so.

"Will you help me, my Son?"

"Um." Maximilian nodded his head steadily.

Sianna Marie smiled gently. "No. Come in here. It must be cold outside."

There was a twinkle of joy trying to hide in Maximilian's eyes. "May I?"

"Yes. Come in and accompany Mother."

Maximilian looked embarrassed, but he didn't hesitate as he unlatched the door and entered. Sianna Marie greeted with open arms, and Maximilian threw himself at her. The two hugged tightly for the first time in 6 years. Each held their tears in silence and did not want to move.

Sianna Marie who had grown up enough was able to hold back her sobs and reduce them to a tight hug. But Maximilian was still so tiny and young, he didn't know how to hide his feelings properly. As a result, his cries broke and grew louder from time to time.

Besides his crying, he furthermore started pouring out his complaints one by one.

"Mother, why have you never seen me?"

Sianna Marie did not answer, allowing Maximilian to continue shedding the feelings that had shackled him.

"Why do you always turn down my audience?"

"You never even came to my birthday party!"

"You only went to meet Father Emperor and shut yourself up in this palace!"

"Don't you want to see me?"

"Mother, do you love me?"

Sianna Marie finally reacted to that last question. She tightened her embrace and said in a hoarse voice that she, until whenever—

"Mom loves you so much, Maximilian. You are my world. You are my everything. You are the jewel of my heart. You are the apple of my eye. In this world, you are the only one who has my love. There is no one else who has the same love as me, and only you own it. "

—will continue to love him.

"Huuuu, huuuuu..." Maximilian was unable to answer, and could only continue to cry while tightening his embrace.

Sianna Marie, on the other hand, became calmer. She stroked the back of her son's head and spoke softly.

"Mom got you right after we got married, only a few months apart. At that time, Mom was still 15 years old. Unlike other people, Mom didn't know anything. Just like you, Mom grew up alone, without a mother's love. At that time, when Mom found out that I was pregnant, it was the happiest moment of my life. We were together for 10 months. You never made me fuss, and always acted quietly in my stomach. You rarely kick and don't have any strange craving requests. You came out a little late, but very healthy. Your weight was close to 4kg. You were born in the spring when the flowers are in full bloom. Mom thought of naming you Aster, which is a symbol of wisdom, faith, and victory for me. Unfortunately, your father doesn't think so. He said that name is too delicate for the Empire's first son." There was a subtle laugh at the end of her sentence.

"Aster..." Maximilian's tiny maw muttered the name sadly. If his name was Aster, can he always be with his mother?

"Mother, I—" Maximilian wanted to ask his mother many things, but he wanted to do so while looking at that beautiful face. When he was about to look up, his head was held.

"Mother?" it made him wonder. But Sianna Marie wouldn't let go and kept holding on. She held his face against her warm and soft chest.

After all, she didn't want her son to see her current state. She couldn't hold it anymore. Blood had flowed from all the orifices on her face. And she would have looked entirely terrible for her young son to see.

Well, Maximilian would have seen it sooner or later. But not now. Not while she was alive.

"Maximilian, my sweet and fragrant Aster, this Mother loves you very much."

Shortly, Sianna Marie closed her eyes. And for the last time, she thought that if she had known she would end up like this, she wouldn't want to fall in love with Kaizen, her husband. Her love story wasn't too wonderful to be memorized even in death, so she didn't try to drag it back into her memory.

But having Maximilian is not a mistake. And she's very grateful for that, at least.

"Goodbye, my little flower."

Little Maximilian felt her heart beating in his ear gradually slow down from time to time. And he started to panic.