Never in Blake's history of meeting with women, had he seen one like Imogene. They couldn't even bat an eyelid, speak or clear their throat in front of him unless he granted them permission. And when they did speak, they were cautious with their manner of speech.
Even the women he bedded worshiped the ground he walked on.
Talk more of having one tiny woman speak to him without any ounce of respect. On their wedding day!
Perhaps Imogene was sick in the head or pretending, because she didn't value her small, ivory-skinned neck.
He could have her killed at the snap of his fingers and despite knowing this, she still misbehaved at their wedding, in front of five hundred guests.
There was supposed to be a wedding reception but it couldn't take place because of what happened. Everyone was dismissed after Imogene was taken away.
Blake had fought wars, killed kings, and seized their kingdoms, he was the most powerful man in the whole country. People only whispered about his name because he could go on a killing spree if he heard awful rumors about his name.
Yet, one woman had puzzled him. For the first time in his life.
Rubbing all that booger on her wedding dress.
Doing that awkward dance in front of everyone. Blake hadn't seen anyone dance like that, even the people who acted as clowns in plays never did that.
Where in the seven hells did she learn it from? It was just so morally wrong.
The crazy, incredulous backflips and the kisses she blew at the kings.
What in Pete's name was wrong with her? Blake couldn't help but ponder about this. He was in his grand room, yet to change out of his wedding clothes even though it was late afternoon.
The grand Duke's daughter requested death amid the chaos she caused. It was as if she wanted to get killed off rather than be his wife.
No one had asked him to kill them before.
She even wanted to die by shooting.
Was this a joke?
It was driving him mad.
He could still recall a month ago when she had arrived at the imperial palace. The frail little thing trembled non-stoppingly and stared at her feet, wherever he summoned her presence. Because she was afraid of him. Knew what he was capable of. She was like a hand-sewn doll that he could toy with and toss aside when he desired.
Things weren't smooth from the start because he never wanted her, he only married her because of his mother. The only person whom he respected, because she was his earthly oracle.
Imogene had not only humiliated him, but she also tainted his image in front of his wedding guests. People had journeyed hundreds of miles just to attend the wedding, only for it to end in ruins after the empress's coronation.
There would be an inflow of blood for this.
Blake had no idea he was curling his fists so hard until he heard the cracking sounds.
"It's been three hours, your imperial highness. What will you do about this?" Ramsey, his butler, looked at him.
"Contemplating having her swim with sharks, let her die by poisoning, hanging, or the easiest way, decapitation," Blake answered stiffly. Ramsey was one of the few people he didn't hate because the boy had saved his life.
"I was told she isn't fine. Just this morning, maidservants from her palace claimed she tried sneaking out after disguising as a maid," Ramsey walked until he was standing in front of Blake, "she even asked a guard to shoot her before the wedding."
Again, Blake was confused.
Why on earth would she want death so bad?
"Yesterday she fainted and we thought she was poisoned. You wanted to kill all the cooks, only to have her up and active this morning. And it was a relief to us all.
Except she has awoken with a new personality today."
"Don't you dare justify what she did at the wedding," Blake warned.
"My apologies, your majesty," Ramsey knew better than to go further with this. He bowed, recoiled, and stepped backward.
"Wine, Ramsey," Blake ordered.
The butler hurriedly fetched a wine bottle from the stack, and poured some wine into a fancy glass, before handing it to Blake.
"I'd get her to talk and then kill her," Blake toyed with his wine glass for a few seconds, "she's not fit for a wife or to rule beside me as an Empress."
"And her family?" Ramsey inquired.
Blake drank from his wine glass and stared into the air thoughtfully. It was surprising to see how calm his outward appearance seemed when inside, he was brewing with fury.
"She'll be beheaded by noon, tomorrow and I'll have her head sent to her parents in a gift box," he clenched his jaw.
Ramsey took a rough gulp and said nothing.
"First, she needs to explain the reason behind her sudden madness and if her family has a hand in this, then it'd be too late to be sorry."
This ended with a slam of his glass against the table.
***
Imogene's mouth hung open so she could yawn and she didn't have the decency to cover her mouth whilst she was at it.
She was locked up in a cold underground dungeon with two guards watching over her cell. Each holding a wooden stick of fire.
Her once-white wedding dress was blackened with dirt because she was seated on the floor with her back pressed against the wall. A lantern was standing three feet away from her.
Was it bad that she had cravings in this body?
She would eventually die but why was she famished like a starved, malnourished lion in the wilderness?
Court Lady Alice denied her any food. She only had water in her stomach.
"I'll bet you two don't know pizza or how Mac and cheese tastes like," Imogene frowned at the guards through the peephole.
They were still stiff and quiet with straight, emotionless faces like human figures made from candle wax.
"Meatloaf, Chicken-fried steak, chili, pasta.." Imogene paused when something downed to her senses, "wait a minute...I'll bet pasta in this century is bland with no dressing. Tastes like cardboard paper and you morons eat it with bare hands like barbarians!" She accused them.
The guards couldn't understand her.
One minute she was quiet, doodling names on the floor and then the next, she was screaming at the top of her lungs.
"I wonder why the Blue-eyed monster would keep me here," Imogene was referring to Blake.
"If he had killed me off earlier, I would have been awake in my own body, eating the edibles I am used to. And not staying here and being trapped in the body of a twenty-one-year-old."
The guards exchanged a glance.
Imogene's shoulders were rising and falling heavily when she rose to her feet.
"I'm fucking hungry! Damnit!"
"I hate Bryan for letting me go through this shit. When I'm out of this body, I'll skin him alive."
Her scream was ear-piercing that the guards had to cover their ears to refrain from sustaining temporary deafness.
Imogene couldn't hear the sound of marching footsteps because of her offensive peals.
"Tell that bastard of an emperor to feed me because I cannot die on an empty stomach. If he plans on leaving me here to starve to death, then fuck his saggy balls!"
Suddenly, one blue eye was fixed on the peephole, shooting her a murderous glare.
Aha! It was Blake, the emperor.
And judging from how his one eye was darkened with anger, Imogene could tell he overheard everything she just said.
Including his balls that she mentioned.
And for the first time since she woke up, she was frightened of him.