"Do you regret rejecting me now, Aliah?"
I face the crowd, their pandering gazes all over my body, the animosity in the air from the ladies- As though I snatched their lovers and used his shoe to step on their heads. That kind of deep grudge. From afar, I sense the sharpest hostility, plum unusually dressed up in all black and lilac, clutching her heart and the pillar.
'Is she alright?'
All of them appear to be on the verge of bursting into gossip but are all too afraid to say anything at all. Near the edge of the room which is white in color, came plum, walking confidently, though her face looks a bit contorted. Before she could enter hearing range, I immediately answer emperor Joaquin.
"Forgive me for the impudence your imperial majesty. It is my err for not recognizing your majestic bearing," I curtsied late but followed in tandem with the rest, glaring at him a bit from my position. "But, I hardly think that's a question that should be asked considering your imperial majesty is the one who took the offer back."
The crowd all gasp in horror, some closing their eyes. I see the place their gazes all land on, the sword at emperor Joaquin's waist. Still, the man in front of me merely smiled, his hand hardly inching near the dangerous item.
I still can't reconcile the fact that maister door blocker and the bloodthirsty emperor Joaquin are one and the same. The jesting, the vulnerability, the softness, how can it all belong to a war machine, the sovereign? For once, I realize I do not understand the person in front of me at all.
"Dawn of blessings to the Vranid empire." Plum-no- Lady Zinnia appears in front of emperor Joaquin and curtsies once again, "I am most honored by this visit. It is a relief to see the black puma we acquired has not come to waste. Shall we prove that your imperial majesty's fascination of black furred creatures is not a bygone matter?"
It is not the mention of a black puma or this fascination that caught me unguarded, but the fact that Lady Zinnia is acting so differently. What is this lady that is extremely polite and demure. Who is she and what has she done to the scheming and brash plum?
I question in my heart but keeps it hidden there. There is bunch of spectators, a vengeful emperor in front of me and a puma soon to come. Too much things at once to ignore. I try to distract my thoughts, and end up thinking about what they said. 'Perhaps the reason why he proposed marriage to me was my hair.'
"Show me the creature and we'll see." It was just one sentence- but Lady Zinnia seem overwhelmed with enthusiasm, her eyes shining like it had been been graced with a billion stars. In no time, she ordered her servants to bring the cage and without much delay, a black puma was brought into the grand hall in a cage.
The puma's body was of absolute darkness. Without a hint of color save for its amber eyes. I shiver in fright from its majesty. Even if it looks tame and docile, even if it stands still without growling, there is this instinctive fear against such a horrifying creature.
Noticing my reaction, emperor Joaquin chuckled. Something that highly excites the ignorant lady Zinnia. "This is the black puma acquired from the collapsed kingdom of Livea. It has been tamed enough to not attack even when released. And I have personally guaranteed the fact these past few days."
I nod at the sound, now her absence makes sense. In her pursuit of a dangerous creature, she has been taming another dangerous one. What a fearsome lady. The crowd all went gasping and murmuring one after another. A reaction that is understandable considering it is probably the most tame animal in the world if it came from Livea.
"Oh? If it's the kingdom of Livea, then your words should indeed be true. Their taming skills are unrivaled by anyone ever recorded." Emperor Joaquin utters, beckoning her to release the animal with his hands. When I take a step back out of fear, the emperor closes up on me and consoles me, "Don't fret, it's safe."
The heavy steel door opened, the puma stealthily walks out. Passing everyone in the room before circling Plum and then at her cue walking to emperor Joaquin. The man in front of me admired it and reaches out a hand to which the puma nuzzled his head against.
"Your imperial majesty, it is a sensitive creature. I do hope you do not rob it of it's deserved attention and give it to another black haired beast too often." Again comes the derogatory hidden insults of Lady Zinnia. The way woman like us speak. So hideous and meticulous. But a necessary thing to mask our even more horrific intentions indeed.
The laughter of the crowd sneaks on me and I am compelled to flee or attack. But amongst it all, the emperor cast a chaining gaze on me. I end up standing in the same spot before I am pulled inwards into his arms. Strong and secure but the last place I want to be in right now after that puma's jaws and claws.
"Deserved you say? What makes you think this creature deserve my attention more than my woman?"
My woman. This is it. I am doomed. Amidst the increasing susurration of the people, all I could think of was how to block and erase that sentence. I have just destroyed the dreams of many people in this room and thus made them an enemy. Crushed and twisted.
"My woman…?" From the corner plum enters into a trembling state, her hands clutching over her heart, looking like she had trouble merely standing. The puma immediately circled her, however she didn't seem to get better. Instead falling to her knees whilst pointing at me. "You- you wrench!"
It would've been fine if that was the end. But the worst of worst occurred. Hearing her hostility and seeing her hostile fingers, the tamed puma heard her fury as an order to attack. Instantly, he lunges for me, running in high speed and opening his jaws. I could only shut my eyes and shield myself with my hands.