(Daan— meaning; way, direction towards to,)
"The crown prince has arrived safely in the Marquis Canencia household." Rogelio the Imperial Baccay announces in the Imperial Office.
"I will be there shortly. Make sure to not disclose any information about the Crown Prince's arrival. Settle the adoption documents immediately." The Emperor, Artheous says as he finishes the work documents he has for the day.
Artheous finishes his work for the day and orders Gerard, the Palace Butler to prepare a carriage to send him to the Marquis household. But before he goes, he planned to visit his daughter, Atherina, the princess.
He enters the princess' chambers as she was just finished being fed by the Empress, Kathiris Fatima Endora. "How's our princess?" Artheous asks his wife.
"She has been amazing. She has an easier temperament than the three boys, definitely an angel." Kathiris says as she smothers her daughter with kisses.
"I just stopped by to see Atherina before I leave and go to the Marquis' household. Your nephew, Jairo, has arrived. His documents are being finalized at this moment." Artheous says as Kathiris sighs in relief.
"I'm glad he's alive and well. I don't really know what's gotten into my brother, Vicente." Kathiris says as she says in a disappointing tone.
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[A few years ago, before the marriage of Kathiris Fatima Drerian-Endora and Artheous Hari Endora]
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{Kathiris' POV}
"Father says you are to be wed with the crown prince of the Endora empire. Is this true!? Did you agree to this!?" Johan, my brother says in anger as he barged into my room disrupting my afternoon reading session.
I did agree to it, and I have met the crown prince before. He is well-respected, loved by his people and strong-willed. I met him while I was studying in the Aegerine [Pronounced as; Ey-Jer-Rin] Endora Academy and gotten to know each other better. I have already told my father,
I will never marry a man I just met nor the ones I have never even met once.
Who in the right mind would accept a marriage for only one party's benefit?
I know it is my duty is the princess of the Drerian Empire to be wed with a man who'll surely bring good and benefit the kingdom.
But what about my own feelings?
Should I really be stuck in a loveless marriage and expect me to have kids of my own out of lust?
But Johan, my half-brother, still insists I should marry the duke's son, Alberto Carson Ellorza. Who's a womanizer, a self-centered selfish boy who's in a man's body and spends his wealth like there's no tomorrow.
Although he looked good and has always managed to renew his 'reputation' he was still a well-known womanizer who brings women day-in and day-out.
I've known him ever since we were children as his father, the Duke, always brings Carson in the Royal Palace to play with my brothers.
—And I have known since then, that he's always tried and make a move even when I was just seven.
He's done such terrible things...
"I did agree to it and my decision is final." I simply said and flipped a page from the book I was reading.
He angrily approached me and threw my book across the room, "You dare marry a foreigner!? You want to leave this empire and move on to another!? You are simply idiotic! A traitor!" He says in spite of rage. I knew what his purpose of marrying me off to the duke.
In my anger, I slapped him across his face. "You only want me to marry him, so you have the chance to the throne! You know the grand duke's son is on your side, so you're confident if you get me to marry him, father will choose you!" I said to his face.
"I have had enough of this childish bickering. You are nothing but a half-royal bastard for a son who's thirsty for the crown." I said again.
He hated being called a half-royal; he's been called that almost his entire life in the palace. But I just had enough of this, enough of him.
Every single day he comes into my room to disturb me from my work, or even my classes just to tell me I have to marry the grand duke's son. I may have to apologize later on, but I just can't with his attitude right now.
"You'll regret calling me a half-royal bastard Iris. I'll see to it that you will." He says in fury and left my chambers. I felt like that was almost a threat, to the point that I felt nervous recalling him say that to me.
Why was he like this? Why does he want that throne so much that he can just offer me up to a man the whole population of women in the empire hate? Is he that shallow or does he just desperately crave power?
That same night, my brother, Johan just vanished and stole money from the Imperial Treasury. An amount that could feed the people for months and the emergency funds reserved for droughts and winter periods.
The officers involved with Johan's plan was arrested, but there was not a single information leading to his whereabouts.
I felt guilty for the next passing weeks, I called him a half-royal bastard without knowing he was capable of do something like this. I blamed myself for saying something insensitive and thought of myself as the cause for his actions. Although my father, reassured me that I wasn't to blame, but I still couldn't help myself but think I am the cause.
Several months passed, I got married to my husband, the Emperor of the Endora Empire, Artheous Hari Endora and became an Endorian myself. There was no sign of Johan anywhere even with the constant search parties sent to look for him across borders and different neighboring empires.
Several Years later, Even with my father dying, and the first prince, my brother took the throne and got married himself. Johan was never found or seen once.
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[Present time]
"I have to leave now sweetheart. I'll see you when I get back." Artheous says, as he kisses my forehead sweetly and kisses Atherina too.
"Travel safely, your majesty." I said to him back. He never fails to be the sweetest person to me once he enters my chambers, along with being the best father to our children. I can never imagine the Grand Duke's son back from my empire ever being like this to his own family.
If I ever followed Johan's wishes, I never would have been happy and feel the warmth of the family I have now.
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The Emperor, Artheous arrives at the Marquis' household. He was welcomed by the maids and butler along with the head of the household, Luca Cornelius Canencia.
He hasn't visited quite frequently unlike when he was just the crown prince of the Empire. So, Artheous fondly looked around the front gardens to see what has changed.
And until now, it still fascinated him how Luca still grows the same flowers his mother grew when they were just kids.
"Welcome your Majesty. I apologize if the Marquis residence is not fit for the emperor's visit. I'll see to it that you will be accommodated with any of your concerns on the residence." Luca says as he does his greetings.
The Marquis' land is filled with greenery and its gardens are the best amongst all the residences of the noble families. It has 40 acres of land, occupied by the several buildings of the Marquis household along with its forests leading to the sea with the view of ships passing by towards the docks of the Empire.
But the Emperor doesn't care.
He's practically visited the Marquis household over several dozens of times when he was just the Crown Prince. Why would he care now that he's the highest reigning noble of the Empire?
"Luca. I do not worry myself about the size of your residence. I am just here to see your son." Artheous responds. The staffs of the residence cannot know that the adopted son of the household is actually the crown prince of the neighboring empire and the nephew of his wife, the empress.
"Has he settled?"
"Yes, your majesty. He was a bit fussy at first but the nannies and maids you sent were able to calm him down and tend to him to as much as what he needed." Luca answers sternly.
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{Artheous' POV}
I, along with Luca and his butler went in the main building and led me to where the crown prince, Jairo was staying. As we went in, the maids had just finished bottle feeding him and Luca told them to leave the chambers and wait for us to call them in.
I approached his crib and saw his beautiful drowning blue eyes.
'The same color as my empress.'
"He somewhat looks like her Majesty, the Empress." Luca says bluntly.
"He does."
His butler, Iago [pronounced: I-ya-go], seemed to be confused with what's happening and who the child really is.
"This child is the crown prince of the Drerian Empire, the nephew of my wife, the empress." I started off.
"His father, the emperor and his mother, the empress was recently killed by my wife's half-brother, Johan to take the throne and rule the empire himself. Resulting to the Empire's downfall in its hierarchy."
"How will that look in the Marquis' image in the newspapers? Will his life be in any danger?" Iago bursting with questions in concern for Luca's safety.
"Nobody has to know the real identity of the crown prince. Besides me, Luca, you, and the head of the Imperial Guard. As soon as the supreme court agrees to the adoption papers and the Crown Prince's real identity, he will stay here for the time being as the Marquis' son until he can return to his own empire." I answer. "And no, the Marquis' safety along with the crown prince is my responsibility."
"What happens when someone suddenly found out his real identity?" Luca asks me to pertain to the crown prince.
"Execute them."