Aisha was alarmed hearing his question. "Does the Emperor want to see me?"
"Yes. He wants to visit you as soon as he knows you are awake. Unfortunately, there are a lot of things that require his attention right now. So he wanted to invite you tonight."
Aisha became even more nervous. Whatever the reason he had, it couldn't be good.
Nevertheless, she had no choice but to comply with his whim. Unless she wanted him to corner her like before. If that were to happen again, she wouldn't have any means to save herself and her people next time.
"I understand. Then I will prepare myself."
Leslie nodded respectfully. "I will relay your message to the Emperor. For now, please have some more rest. Just call one of our men if you need something."
After leaving those words, Leslie bid his goodbye. Aisha was left alone to think about what she should do next.
This place was heavily guarded, and Leslie was always around to monitor her. She couldn't run away while they were still in this land. Besides, she still needed to talk with Maya.
Once they arrived at the Brusellia Continent, she would hatch a plan to leave the tyrant's clutch.
For that, she would need to talk to Maya first.
Aisha took a deep breath. Whenever she recalled Archibald's cold eyes and sinister smirk, she could feel her heart racing in fear. She was nervous about what would happen tonight, but this was her only chance.
***
Time passed so fast, and the night had fallen in no time.
Leslie came again at dusk to deliver her dinner and a new outfit. He said it was a gift from the Emperor as he wished to see her wear it tonight.
After finishing dinner, Aisha washed herself again and slipped into her new outfit. However, when she looked down on it, she felt embarrassed. She knew nothing about Roseau Empire's clothing and was bewildered by the unordinary design.
The chest cut was too low, exposing her cleavage and half of her chest. The purple skirt was soft and light but too thin for her liking. It felt like it could easily be blown by the wind, even though it was long enough to cover her calf. Wearing this at night would only make you catch a cold.
Were women from the Roseau Empire liked these kinds of clothes?
Aisha wasn't used to revealing clothes like this and felt uncomfortable. So she took a shawl and covered her upper body with it.
Leslie came to pick her up when the moon was right on top of her head. He looked at her for a moment before lowering his gaze. "Priestess, allow me to escort you to the Emperor's tent."
"Yes."
Aisha hadn't stepped out of her tent since she regained consciousness, but the camp was quiet tonight. There weren't any soldiers in sight. Her short trip went smoother than she thought without anyone staring at her.
"The Emperor has been waiting for your arrival. Now, I shall take my leave." Leslie bowed respectfully. There was a hesitant look on his face before he added, "Good luck, Priestess."
Aisha watched him leave with confusion on her face. But she couldn't stand there forever. She swallowed hard before steeling her resolve and entered the tent.
To her surprise, it was pretty dim inside. The only light source was the little candle on top of the table. She looked around, but she didn't find Archibald anywhere. It made her relieved and anxious at the same time.
"Your Majesty?" Aisha tried to call him out, but there was no response.
Leslie clearly said he was waiting for her inside. Did he step out for a bit?
Aisha tightened her shawl and walked deeper into the tent. She thought she should wait while sitting, but a figure suddenly flashed past her before she could reach the chair.
Aisha: "!!!"
She almost screamed when a pair of hands suddenly came from behind. One hand swiftly covered her mouth, and the other found its position on her belly.
Aisha was shocked to the bone and instinctively tried to struggle away from her captor's grip. She threw kicks and punches wildly, but none worked against the person behind her. It was like she was battling against thick walls.
"Don't struggle. It's me."
The low voice from behind her immediately stopped her from moving. That was Archibald's voice!
Aisha slowly turned; sure enough, he stood there with his blood-red eyes staring at her sharply. In the dim light from the candle, his eyes seemed to flicker with inexplicable emotion.
Aisha pointed his hand at her mouth, and he slowly dropped his hand from her mouth. However, he still kept his other hand wrapped around her body.
"Your Majesty, why do you have to sneak behind me like that? You can just talk to me normally."
Aisha dared not to meet his gaze as they were currently very close together. Archibald usually has his hair up, but tonight, the hair fell and covered his forehead, making him look more approachable and relaxed than usual.
She lowered her gaze, only to find that this man was in a topless state. The minimum light created a shadow on his glistening abs. She assumed he had just taken a bath based on how cold and watery her body was.
His broad chest and shoulder blade were right in front of her eyes. The arm he used to envelop her frame was bulging with the right amount of muscle; she could see the veins on that manly arm. Completed with his perfectly sculpted face and that subdued gaze, he oozed a strong male pheromone.
Aisha had never seen a man's body before, so her cheeks burned to see such a raunchy view. She didn't know where to look and finally closed her eyes.
Archibald chuckled, seeing her reaction. His voice was husky and tantalizing as he leaned down. "What's wrong? Don't you like what you see?"
"Y-Your Majesty, you should cover yourself. The night is freezing, and you might get sick if you stay like that."
"Really? You should look at yourself. Putting on thin clothes like that while walking in a man's abode. Could you blame me for mistaking it as an invitation?"
Aisha was flabbergasted by his statement. "Your Majesty, aren't you the one who prepared these clothes for me?"
Archibald looked at her weirdly before an idea hit him. He muttered in an inaudible voice. "That guy really should mind his own business."
"Pardon? Is there some kind of misunderstanding here?"
Archibald returned his gaze to Aisha.
Fresh white skin, innocent-looking violet eyes, long black hair like a veil of the night sky, and a curvy body that could make a man's imagination run wild.
Did she really have no clue how beautiful she was? She was way too defenseless.
Aisha could feel his scorching gaze on her, making her shiver for some reason. Gulping nervously, she tried to push him back.
"Y-Your Majesty, didn't you have something you wanted to say to me? Let's sit down and talk first."
Archibald's corner of mouth curled up in a wicked smirk. Her push did nothing but set something ablaze within him. "Since you have dressed up for me, it would be impolite for me to reject it. A man has to appreciate a woman's advance. Show me everything."
"Wha—"
Aisha had yet to finish her sentence when Archibald suddenly tore her shawl. The ripping sound reverberated in the silent room, and Aisha's heart felt like it was sinking to the ground, along with the ruined fabric.
Archibald's eyes lightened up, seeing the smooth shoulder and voluptuous breast in front of him cradled loosely beneath the thin gown. She looked slim from the outside, but she actually hid such a sexy body inside her Priestess attire.
No man could resist tainting that pureness when given a chance.
The dark purple made her skin look even whiter, and the small waist looked like it would fit perfectly in his hands.
A hungry look flashed across his eyes as he stared at her figure greedily.
Aisha's face turned pale when she noticed the shift in his mood.