Aria's husbands were summoned to the Crown Prince's office.
Aria keeps biting her fingernail. She's nervous.
Mikhail removed her finger from her mouth. "Stop doing that."
The door opened and they entered.
"Greetings, Your Highness!" they all bowed.
William, Jenny, Cedrik, Napoleon, Valentine and even Ryu also came. Aria asked Mikhail to let them know about her real identity because she trusted them too.
They all sat down, except the three servants.
"Aria, why did you call us here?" Gawain asked.
Aria hesitated, her heart racing. She glanced at Mikhail, he was busy drinking his tea.
"Actually," she began, unable to meet their eyes, "I...I called you here because I wanted to tell you something."
Rasheen pressed, "About what?"
Her heart thudded in her chest. "Actually..." she stammered.
Mikhail intervened with a commanding tone, "Before you share this with them, I must insist that whatever you learn today remains a secret. If anyone leaks this information, consequences will follow." The Crown Prince's aura of authority weighed heavily on them.
Napoleon reassured, "You have my word, I'm not one to spread gossip."
Valentine pledged, "Your secret is safe with us."
William nodded, affirming, "We promise not to divulge anything." Cedrik and Jenny nodded in agreement, as did the others.
Xerxes inquired further, "So, what is it all about?"
"I...I lied to everyone," Aria finally confessed, her hands trembling.
The men exchanged shocked glances. Gawain asked, "What do you mean?"
"A-Actually..I am not the.." she closed her eyes, her voice wavering, "I am not the real Aria!"
The room fell into stunned silence.
"Huh?" Rasheen struggled to believe it.
"The Princess... she's no longer here," Aria explained, "After her accident, my soul was accidentally trapped in her body. I woke up as her."
"What are you saying? Y-You're just joking, right?" Rasheen said.
"She's telling the truth." Mikhail said.
"If that's true, then where is the real Aria?" Gawain demanded.
She couldn't find the words to answer.
Mikhail stepped in, stating bluntly, "She's dead, she died in the accident. Her body survived because of her."
"I-I'm sorry for lying…" her tears fell. "I-Im very sorry.."
"Tss.." Rasheen stood up. "So all this time you're lying to us?" he couldn't contain his frustration and stormed out of the room
"Rasheen!" she called to him, but he ignored her.
Ryu also stood up. "I want some fresh air.." he said, leaping out of a window.
She cried..they hate her now..
Napoleon muttered, "Tsk, those bastards. So, that's why you couldn't accept my marriage proposal?"
She nodded in confirmation.
"I already suspected you were not her." Xerxes said.
She was surprised. "H-How?"
"After our wedding, I noticed that you didn't possess the same energy as the Princess," Xerxes explained. "The Princess had strong energy, so it's impossible for it to vanish suddenly. I watched your every move, even from a distance." Xerxes glanced at Mikhail. "I watched you every time.."
Gawain reached out and took Aria's hand, offering comfort, "Aria, or whoever you are, don't worry. I understand now why you treated me kindly, and I'm not angry. Because of you, I experienced love, and if I had to choose between you and the real Princess, I would choose you."
Her tears kept falling, Gawain wiped them and hugged her.
Napoleon chimed in, "Me too. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have come here every day. The Princess was never kind to us, so I prefer you."
Valentine expressed his heartbreak, saying, "I'm sad that Aria is gone, but I'm grateful for your honesty. I won't hold it against you."
"I will not hate you either. For us, you are the real Princess. You have treated us kindly since you came here, you never got mad at me, you treated me like your own sister. I am thankful that you came here... Your Highness." Jenny shared her gratitude.
"You're the one who freed me from being a slave. Because of you, I feel so special. You cared so much for me..you are the nicest person I've ever met..so I have no reason to hate you." Cedrik said.
William kneeled in front of her and vowed, "I am saddened by the real Aria's death, but your presence in this world has changed our lives. I, William Hughes, will protect you, just as I protected the Princess in the past."
"T-Thank you…thank you so much!" Overwhelmed with gratitude, Aria hugged her loyal friends.
Mikhail continued drinking his tea. He really hates watching dramas.
.
.
....
"Are you still thinking about Prince Rasheen and Captain Ryu?" Cedrik asked.
Aria sighed. "I guess they don't want to see me. I don't know how I will talk to them."
"Your Highness, you should not give up," Jenny encouraged her. "I believe that they will understand and forgive you."
Aria sighed once more. "I hope so."
Jenny then changed the subject, saying, "By the way, Your Highness, Master Xerxes told me that you must come to his chamber."
"Why?" Aria asked.
"It's about Hachi," Jenny explained. "He said he had something important to tell you."
Aria nodded and stood up. "Okay, I'll go see him now." She left to find Xerxes.
.
.
"How is he?" Aria asked while looking at Hachi sleeping inside the magic circle.
Gawain had also come because Xerxes had called him.
"I want to be honest with you, your dog is not an ordinary dog." Xerxes said.
"What do you mean?" she asked, confused.
"While I was observing him, I discovered that he was from the wolf tribe." Xerxes answered.
"What?" Gawain and Aria were both surprised.
"But I bought him from the pet shop." Gawain explained.
"I don't know how he ended up there, but I am sure he's from that tribe. His symptoms are signs that he's about to transform into his human form. Sooner or later, he will transform, so we need to be ready. He might go wild or maybe not. It depends on him." Xerxes explained.
"I should ask the shop owner about him." Gawain said.
"No, if someone finds out about him, they will harm him. People believe that the wolf tribe and other beast tribes no longer exist in this world," Xerxes said.
"Then how did he end up there?" she asked.
"The Beast tribe lives in the forbidden forest. Maybe a hunter caught him and thought he was an ordinary dog because of his appearance, so he was sold to the shop." Xerxes answered.
"He's lucky he was brought here or else.." Aria glanced at Hachi again.
"So what's your plan, Aria?" Gawain asked.
"I will still keep him. If I let him wander outside the palace he might get hurt or worse, he will develop hatred towards humans. He's my Hachi…so he will stay at my side whether he transforms or not." She said.
The two men both smiled.
After their conversation, Gawain left them..
"Xerxes.." she called.
"Hmm?" he said, while reading his book.
"You told me that you always watched me…Does that mean that you.." she bit her lower lip.
"If you're talking about you and the Crown Prince, yes, I know about it." he said.
"I-Im sorry…" she looked away.
"I understand why you had to do that thing with him. I know he forced you. In order for you to stay safe and alive, you had to obey him so he would protect you."
"I had no choice…"
He smiled and caressed her face. "It's not your fault. But starting from today, I will no longer sit and remain silent. You are my wife, so I must protect what's mine."
He smiled again and kissed her on her lips.
"You don't have to hesitate, you are my wife, whoever you are.." he whispered and kissed her again.
.
.
....
The following day.
Aria was enjoying her tea.
She was no longer thinking of leaving the empire in the future.
She could now live as who she was. Although the Emperor and the people still had no idea about her secret, she was sure now that she was safe because of her husbands.
"Your Highness, you seem happy today?" Jenny asked.
"Hehe," she kept smiling.
Jenny noticed the kiss mark left by Xerxes on her neck. "Oh my gosh, Your Highness. Did you finally.." she covered her mouth.
"Ssshhh.." she put down her cup.
"I'm so happy for you, Your Highness.." Jenny said.
"I also didn't expect it, it is so sudden..but I am happy that I can no longer hide my feelings for them."
Yes, she loved them all. After being with them for so long, she had developed feelings for them too. At first, she had denied it because she wasn't their real wife, but now she could finally give her love and trust to them.
"But I am still worried about Rasheen and Ryu, they are still mad at me."
She tried to talk to them, but Rasheen always avoided her, and Ryu was also not showing up.
"Don't give up, Your Highness," Jenny cheered her up.
"Your Highness!" Cedrik came in.
"What is it?" she asked.
"I saw Prince Rasheen in the backyard. I asked him if he could give you a chance to explain, and he finally agreed. Your Highness, please meet him now before he changes his mind," he said.
"Cedrik..you.."
"I want you to be happy." he said.
She hugged him tightly. "Thank you so much."
She ran to see Rasheen.
"You really didn't give up on begging him?" Jenny asked Cedrik.
"It's for the Princess. I promised that I would do everything to make her happy." He answered.
"You really love the Princess."
He smiled. "I will always love her."
"Why don't you confess to her?"
"I don't have the right to do that, I am just her butler. I can't compete with them."
"Idiot! If you really love her, then tell her. Don't wait until you regret it."
He chuckled and scratched his head. "I hope I have the courage to do that."
.
.
"Rasheen.."
Rasheen saw her, he was now sitting on the bench.
Aria sat beside him.
"I-I'm really sorry.." she began.
He didn't respond.
"I truly didn't mean to lie to you, but I had no choice. I admit I was afraid that if I told you the truth, you might hate me and stop talking to me. I'm genuinely sorry. If you no longer have feelings for me because I'm not the girl you fell in love with, then…" she tightened her grip on her skirt, "then I will grant you a divorce."
Rasheen immediately looked at her. "What?"
"You don't love me, so there's no reason for us to stay together. I know you want to be free from me since I'm not the woman you married. So, I'm setting you free."
"No!" he shouted.
She jolted.
He held both her shoulders. "Why would I divorce you? Yes, I got angry because you didn't tell me the truth first, but that's not a good enough reason for us to get a divorce!"
"B-But you.."
"I was only upset because why did the Crown Prince have to be the first to know this? Did you know I was jealous? If you have secrets and problems, you should tell me first. I'm so upset," he wiped away his tears.
"So, you're not upset because I lied, but because I didn't tell you first?" she asked.
He nodded.
She hugged him. "I'm sorry."
"Just promise me that if you have a problem, you'll tell me first so I can help you." he said.
She smiled. "I promised."
He hugged her tightly.
"But how about the real Princess? You love her, right?" she suddenly asked.
He scratched his head. "Well, I do love her but.."
"But?"
"You're the one who's been by my side longer, so I've already developed feelings for you. In fact, I love you more than her."
She was stunned into silence.
"It's okay to love you, right?"
She smiled and hugged him again. "Of course."
He smiled as well and kissed her on her lips.
.
.
....
The following day.
"William, could you please leave us for a while?" Aria asked.
William nodded and walked away.
Mikhail signaled for Philip to leave as well.
The two were left alone. They sat on the bench.
"So, why did you want to see me?" he finally asked.
"I have something to tell you," she said.
He raised an eyebrow.
"Can you please…set me free?"
He burst into laughter. "Hahaha, excuse me?"
"My life is no longer in danger, and you no longer need to protect me. Please...set me free."
"No," his face turned serious.
He stroked her hair. "Why would I do that? You're my woman, remember?"
Her face turned red, then she looked away. "B-But…"
"Do you think I'll let you go that easily?" he whispered.
She stood up. "Please... I'm begg—"
He grabbed her hand. "No! I'll never let you go! After all I've done for you!"
"M-Mikhail, let go of me!"
"Aria, you're mine!"
Mikhail sensed something was coming and dodged it. A black flame?
Someone quickly pulled Aria away from him. Damn it! He's fast.
He saw Xerxes carrying her.
"Xerxes!" she was surprised to see him.
"Are you all right?" he asked.
"I'm all right.." she answered.
He put her down and then looked at Mikhail again. "What do you think you're doing, Your Highness? Harassing your own cousin?"
"Pfft...AHAHAHAHA!" Mikhail laughed. "Who said I was harassing my beloved cousin? Isn't it normal for us to have a small disagreement? Besides, how dare you attack me?" he drew his sword.
Xerxes released black flames from his hand. "Do you think I'll just sit back and relax when I know my wife is in danger?"
Aria panicked when she saw that they were about to fight.
"Stop!" she shouted.
The two both looked at her.
"Why the hell are you fighting? I didn't wish for this! I don't want anyone to get hurt because of me."
"Aria... I'm sorry." The flames in Xerxes' hand disappeared.
"Aria…" Mikhail offered his hand. "Come here, no one in the empire can protect you except me."
She looked into his eyes.
Why is there sadness in his eyes?
Why can she feel sincerity from him now?
"Aria, don't listen to him, he's fooling you." Xerxes said while glaring at Mikhail.
She clenched her fists. "I….I want to be alone!" she ran away.
"Aria!" Mikhail called after her.
Xerxes blocked him, and they glared at each other again.
.
.
Aria hides in the bushes again,
her thoughts in turmoil.
"What the hell is going on? Why doesn't Mikhail want to set me free? He doesn't love me... he just wants me to entertain him," she whispered to herself, hugging her knees tightly.
Xerxes could protect her; he was stronger than Mikhail because of his magic. But...
"Argh! Why can't I choose?" she shouted in frustration.
"There you are."
Startled, she looked up to see the man who had spoken. "William..."
He smiled and sat beside her. "You really love to hide here."
She frowned.
"I saw what happened earlier. I'm sorry. I tried to intervene, but Sir Philip stopped me."
They also pointed their swords at each other that time.
"It's all right, William.."
"Your Highness, I know it's not right to ask but…what's going on between you and His Highness?"
She was surprised by his question. "I…"
"That night, I saw you... you came out of His Highness's room running and crying. In the morning, I saw some marks on your neck that you were trying to hide from everyone. Your eyes were also swollen from crying the whole night. Your Highness, did he harass you?"
Tears welled up in her eyes. "W-William... I... I'm sorry," she sobbed.
William clenched his fists.
So, it was true. He had done something to her, knowing that she wasn't the real Aria.
He hugged her tightly. "I'm sorry, I couldn't protect you... I always fail... I'm very sorry."
.
.
....
Since that day, William never left her side. He made sure that the Princess and the Crown Prince didn't meet each other when they were outside the Palace. Mikhail hadn't summoned her in these past few days.
Aria gazed out of the window, watching the birds chirping on the branches of a tree.
"You look upset."
"R-Ryu!" she called his name. He was sitting on another branch.
He hadn't shown up since the day she told them the truth.
He entered her room by jumping through the window.
"Where have you been?" she asked.
"Finished some jobs," he answered.
She lowered her head. "I'm sorry..."
"Why didn't you tell me about your real identity?"
"Because I wanted to know who wanted to kill the Princess. I was afraid that if I told you in advance, you wouldn't help me because I'm not her and not even a member of the imperial family. I just wanted to make sure that this body would be safe, and... I wouldn't die. I'm sorry for being selfish."
He sighed. "I thought you trusted me?"
"I'm very sorry..."
"Stop apologizing. Even if you're not the real Princess, I'll still help you because you're living inside her body. In the eyes of the public, you're still the Princess, you're still royalty."
"Then... why did you leave? You never spoke to me again."
He caressed her face. "I'm sorry... I left because I wanted to be alone to think. When I was away, I realized that whatever reason you have, I must accept it because you are still the woman I love." He stroked her hair.
Her eyes widened. The woman he loves?
"Since the day you showed up in this world and treated me differently from how the Princess did in the past, I slowly developed feelings for you. At first, I ignored these feelings because my job is to protect you, but... you always looked at me differently. You always smiled at me, you always praised me... until I fell more deeply in love with you. But I didn't want to be a burden to you, so I just hid my feelings and remained in your shadows."
"I…I have no idea.."
He smiled and put her hand on his face. "I know, and I understand. But always remember this. You may not be the real Princess, but you are the woman I love." He kissed her hand.
She wiped her tears. "You're no longer mad at me?"
"I never got mad at you."
He wiped the tears that were left on her cheeks. "Now that I've discovered that you're not her, can I have the right to do this to you?"
She was surprised when he kissed her on her lips.
"You have no idea how long I've been holding back on kissing you.." he whispered between their kisses.
.
.
CRASH!
Philip looked at the broken vase on the floor.
Mikhail kept throwing objects inside his office.
"Your Highness, please calm down." he said.
"How can I calm down? Those bastards! Who do they think they are? They are just her husbands!" Mikhail shouted.
Philip sighed. It seemed like the Crown Prince had already fallen in love with her. He knew she was not the real Aria, but he hadn't expected the Crown Prince to act like this after her husbands stopped him from seeing her.
"Damn! I want to kill them all!" he shouted.
He sat down in his chair.
"Your Highness, please lower your voice. If people find out that you like your cousin, they will start to spread rumors."
"Who said I liked her?"
C'mon, don't deny it, I can see it in you.
"I'm just mad because she chose those bastards over me! I'm the strongest man in this empire!" he's throwing a fit again. "No one has ever refused me, only her!"
Sighed. "If you stay like this, she will never accept you."
He stopped and glanced at him. "What do you mean?"
"She doesn't like men who are scary. Can't you see? All her husbands and suitors are gentle with her."
The suitors he referred to were Lord Claudius and Lord Napoleon.
"Tsk.."
"Your Highness, why don't you act nice in front of her?"
"I've been nice to her from the beginning."
"I doubt she knows that. Harassing her, forcing her, scaring her. That's what she's thinking about you."
He rolled his eyes. "So what do you want me to do?"
"Please reconcile with her."
"What? Why do I have to be the first to apologize?"
"Believe me, she will not apologize to you. Women love to be soothed."
He gritted his teeth.
"Please think about it, Your Highness. If you want her to like you, please consider my suggestion."
"Tsk.."
.
.
....
The following night.
"So when are you planning to marry my brother?" Nikolai asked while eating his cake.
Since when did Nikolai become my regular visitor?
"I don't want to talk about marriage right now." He's not proposing yet, she doesn't want to be the one to propose. She's also afraid that people will spread rumors again about her collecting more husbands.
Besides Claudius, there were other men who had confessed their feelings for her: Ryu, William, Napoleon, and even Valentine.
This is so frustrating!
"Why not? Is my brother's efforts still not enough? Don't you know I'm the one he keeps bothering every time he buys gifts for you?"
"Haha I'm sorry to hear that."
"Hmph!"
Nikolai had already accepted the fact that Aria would never have romantic feelings for him. He had never confessed his feelings for her, so she remained unaware.
"Your Highness!!!"
Their conversation was abruptly interrupted by the sight of Cedrik rushing towards them.
"What happened?" Aria asked with concern.
Cedrik was panting heavily as he tried to catch his breath. "H-Hachi... he's going to transform now!"
"What?" she stood up.