"I am most insulted you do not cower into my arms but chose to trust the air instead. But that is fine. You will learn."
Blood rained all over, a painful sound screeching through the room with the collapse of the black puma following emperor's Joaquin sword. I swallow my scream out of fear. There is blood on my cheeks, more on his clothes and a decapitated puma in front of me.
Despite the domineering words, I inch closer to him. I do not care that he wields a sword. I do not care of the brutality that just occurred in front of me. All I knew was that near him is safe. Safe. Safe. I had nearly died- at the hands of a beast at that. Just how many dangers lies in these parties?
"I- hardly think that's the main concern right now. Are you alright, my imperial majesty?" In a fluster, my head mixes up my and your. My stomach churn in response to the mistake. What an embarrassment I am. How could I claim to be imperially majestic?! This is lese majeste, now, my head may be the one to roll.
The man in front of me laughed, smirches of blood blending into his reddish brown doublet that mimicked dried blood, I realize there was not much difference to the man wearing it, with the stench and shape always following his conscience. But to me, it changed everything.
Here is the man that saved me. Here is the man that killed. Right now, I can still accept the fact a beast died. But what about next time? Who will fall to his blade? When he said he'd kill my lovers, was he speaking truthfully or was it just a jest? I come to question everything I know about him. But still, amidst all this dread and confusion-
He felt safe.
"My, you say? Such an ambitious woman you are, aiming for the empress's seat. But, that's fine, as long as you are mine." Emperor Joaquin jestingly says, that grin on his face, like a sip of the finest wine. After his words, he lifts a hand to wipe away the stain off my cheeks. Even soundless I can feel his reassurance telling me to let him carry this guilt. For the blood to stain his hands and his hands only. "Good girl. Desire me until you can no more, Aliah."
Immediately, I regret making a mistake. The embarrassment turning my cheeks so red, I am dragged out to the surface, my sinful thoughts that I do not possess hung in front of everyone's faces. However, there is someone in a worse condition than me. And that is Lady Zinnia who is currently weighing in ground, clutching her heart once more before running up and falling in front of the dead puma.
"Joan!!" Even from afar, I could feel her anguish. Most likely Lady Zinnia really did develop a bond with the creature. However, under the stares of the crowd, her sniffles eventually dies out, and her breaths evened, she stood up, amongst the critique of every person standing and curtsied, "It is this fool's mistake to have erred so much. I plead for thy forgiveness, your imperial majesty."
Still, the heart of the man in front of me did not soften. He merely used the tip of his sword to prod her neck. Not enough to actually make her bleed, but enough for her to feel the coldness of the steel. I dread for the future awaiting her. "Do you understand your crime?"
Uncaring of the danger, Lady zinnia maintained the curtsy. It is so much like her tactics when she is composed. Safe and risk reducing. Perhaps the dead of her companion drilled sense into her head. I look into the hostility that flickered in her eyes. This is it. There is no more chance of friendship between us. Plum loathes, hates and is repulsed by me.
"It was unintended but I understand the severity. Endangering the life of the emperor. It is more than a crime, a sin." Lady zinnia says, tears dripping from inside her eyes. Before standing up and stepping in the head of the puma, "I will make sure to treat this animal with the same disrespect it has shown your imperial majesty."
The crowd once more come into murmurs. I myself falling into a state of shock. This Lady Zinnia might have loved the creature, but it wasn't even a drop compared to the ocean of ardor she held for emperor Joaquin. To diffuse the situation I decide to meddle, "The creature is already dead, and his blood spilled. I am sure no more retribution is needed. Isn't that right your imperial majesty?"
Emperor Joaquin didn't relent but merely continues cornering her with his words. Uncaring of how, Lady Zinnia still had her heels on the puma. The hems of her dressed stained in the blood of her beloved pet. Her expression on the verge of mimicking the puma seconds before its attack.
"Spare her? When she nearly assassinated you?"
As if to prove his fury, emperor Joaquin threatened further. Blood begins to leak out from Lady Zinnia's neck, the slight press of the sword daunting on her. "Mark my words, your crime is terrorizing dear Athaliah. And your sin- is to dare put her in harm's way under my watching eyes."
All sort of colors passed through Lady Zinnia's face. Her expression seething with hatred. The horrid way she looked at me- simply horrifying. This is it. The day I made an arch nemesis. The day I become what I feared to be. A heart stealer.
"Do you think I am deaf? You are but a measly duke's daughter yet you dare called my woman, a wrench in front of me?"
The man in front of me, pulled her head and clenched her chin by his hands. A dangerous air emanating in the room. Blood has already been shed, but it doesn't seem to be the end of it. I could only wreck my brain for a way to keep the loss to a minimum.
However, the scene in front of me didn't diminish, with emperor Joaquin prying Lady Zinnia's mouth open. The horror stretched across her face truly making me want to close my eyes. "Shall I cut of that truly wretched tongue of yours? Maybe you'd finally learn how to not speak what shouldn't be said."
I swallow a large gulp, before the emperor could complete the action, I grabbed his arms from the side and hugged it tightly. One hand reaching for the sword. This madness has to end. A single mistake shouldn't cost someone their lives. The puma is already dead. I do not wish the death of another.
"Your imperial majesty, how would she learn how to discern if she doesn't have the choice at all?" The arms within my embrace struggled, but I pulled him all the more and eventually it relaxed into my arms, "I say, we should call her all the words she has others for a month each time she said it. A testimony of her sins. But otherwise leave her alive. Your imperial majesty is all dashing, but dare I say, you are most majestic when you show mercy."
'I'm sorry plum, but this is the only way for you to survive.'
The sword remained unmoved for a few seconds, unflinching in face of my firm pull and pleading face. Not knowing what else to do, I grab the blade with my two fingers softly, ensuring I do not get hurt, a declaration of my stances. "Your imperial majesty… I beg of you."
"As you wish, my love." Emperor Joaquin utters, letting go of Lady Zinnia's chin, the air in the room reverting to a more laidback state, though I could still hear my fear jumping on the edge. "It is such a shame, your form of address reverted. I would have longed for it to progress, my name on your wicked tongue."
In front of me, Lady Zinnia whimpers. From the way she bit her lips, I could tell that she is holding in her scream. Every inch of her was trembling yet she dig her heels into the black puma's carcass further . Her fondness of the animal destroyed by the effect it had on emperor Joaquin and me. I imagine she regrets not killing it sooner.
I do not know what occurred in between the days he ran away and now, but I could tell one thing for sure. The emperor- he is attracted to me. Rather, he considers me his. Ravishing copper brown hair and eyes that's lit ablaze by ardor. A man who would raze the world for me. Of power and charm. I look and the person everyone would have wanted and think-
'But- you're not the one who I love, emperor Joaquin.'