─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
SLAM!
The two french doors trembled with force.
"HOW...HOW DARE SHE! OF ALL PEOPLE, REQUEST SUCH A THING?! HAS SHE LOST HER MIND AT THE AGE OF FIVE?! SUCH NERVE! SUCH IMPUDENCE!" yelled the emperor as he entered the imperial office.
Hansol flenched.
He looked at Ezra with a confused face.
"What...happened, Ezra? Is he talking about the princess? Did something happen during breakfast?" Hansol questioned inside Ezra's head.
Ezra sighed lightly and nodded.
"Is it not obvious that there seems to be a problem with a five-year-old and this five-year-old? It was quite a show. Do not worry; the princess is safe. She left on her own terms. He must have been so shocked by her request and response that he did not attempt to stop her." Ezra explained in Hansol's mind.
Hansol took off his reading glasses and prepared himself.
"What seems to have bothered you, your majesty?" Hansol questioned.
"That...that witch! After all, I have done for her! After all, I have sacrificed! Such disrespect! To me! The emperor!" He said in an agitated tone while he sat down in the imperial lounge.
Hansol and Ezra looked at each other.
"May we offer you advice as family, and not as imperial staff, your Majesty?"Ezra offered as he approached the lounge section.
Xavier tilted his head back as a sign of frustration. He rubbed his eyes and nodded.
"But if you anger me, I will demand you to leave. I am in no mood for taking sides."
Hansol and Ezra sat down in the lounge chairs and waited until Xavier sat up straight from his chair.
"Mind explaining to me what happened so I can understand the situation and give proper advice?"
"Ezra, you were there- explain." Xavier demanded as he sat up with his arms crossed.
Ezra closed his eyes as a sign of defeat. He sighed gently and cleared his throat.
"I will do my best to retell what happened. However, please realize that all of this happened all too quickly, and even I have questions myself. Well, Hansol; for starters- Xavier here has the princess call him… 'daddy' now. Honestly, I have no idea why. It really has me puzzled."
"GO ON. THAT IS NOT IMPORTANT EZRA!" Xavier yelled.
"Anyways, as you know, Xavier had one of his headaches out of the blue last night. He requested for the princess. After all of that issue got solved, I'm assuming he had the princess spend the night in his room. For reasons, I have no clue." Ezra questioned.
"It… was so that if my headache came back, I would have her there by my side. It is annoying having to fetch for her every time this happens. Since this has not happened in such a long time, I just wanted to be extra cautious. Okay?" Xavier explained.
"So why did you request for the princess to have breakfast with you since you already have dinner arrangements with her every day and tea afternoons on Fridays?" Questioned Ezra.
"... It was my way of thanking her for the help last night. I heard that she enjoys breakfast foods the best, so I wanted the chefs to fix all of her breakfast favorites to show my gratitude. That is all." Xavier responded in embarrassment.
Hansol and Ezra looked at each other in shock.
"Is this really the bloodthirsty, tyrant emperor? The demon son? The soulless killer?!"
Hansol questioned in Ezra's head.
"...Very well. That...explains it then. Why did you not tell this to the princess, Xavier? Surely she would have been happy to hear that you planned a great breakfast to show you…" Said Hansol as he adjusted himself on the lounge chair.
"Did you not hear her request? I should not have told her I would grant her request after…" Xavier stopped mid-sentence.
"After what, Xavier?" Questioned Hansol.
"When she stayed with me last night, I could immediately tell she was uncomfortable. I know that she did not want to be there. Whether it was because of me or because we two were alone for once. She trembled in my bed as I sat nearly 20 feet at a distance. I knew that she was exhausted but afraid of sleeping. So, I did what anyone with my abilities did. I made her go to sleep with good dreams."
The room grew silent. Xavier grabbed his wine cup and stared at the fire.
"So you used your abilities to make the princess fall asleep with good intentions nonetheless. What is wrong with that? You helped a tired child sleep in peace." Hansol explained.
Ezra nodded.
"She questions what my powers were. I assumed she would not have guessed correctly since only you two know about it. So I told her if she guessed correctly out of three tries, I will grant her any request. In one try, she guessed what my powers were. She knew that she was exhausted but too scared to go to sleep. She realized that once I commanded her to sleep, she slept instantly. I'd assume she would have wanted books, toys, jewels, horses even. I would have granted all of it if she had just asked. However… Her… request…" Xavier stopped mid-sentence once again as he continued to stare at the flames from the fireplace.
"The princess's request was to not see the emperor again. Unless it is for emergencies. The princess wants to live without the emperor... involved…in her life." Ezra finished Xavier's sentence as he looked at Hansol.