"Nooo! I won't leave her!" Aria heard Rasheen's desperate shout from outside. He struggled to break free from the guards. Aria had instructed them to forcefully send Rasheen home and had tasked his butler to look after him during their journey back to their kingdom.
"No!!! Please, Aria, don't do this!" Rasheen cried, his voice filled with pleading.
Aria averted her gaze, attempting to ignore his heart-wrenching pleas. She knew she had to do this for his safety.
"Aria! Do we really have to do this? I can't bear leaving you here alone!" Gawain's voice trembled with concern.
Aria forced a faint smile as she gently caressed his face. "Please, trust me. I'm doing this for your own safety."
"Whatever you say, I will never leave the palace!" Claudius declared, clenching his fists. "I married you, and I vowed at the altar to protect you until death. How can I stay in our household, knowing you are in danger?"
"Aria! He's right! Please don't do this to us. We can help you, I know you need us!" Rasheen begged once more.
She closed her eyes, summoning her courage. It pained her deeply, but she knew what she had to do. "I've made my decision. We will reunite after I've resolved the issues here in the palace. Please stay safe during your travels."
"No!!!" Rasheen's voice echoed with anguish.
She turned to the knights who would accompany them on their journey. "Please, protect them."
They all nodded and knelt before her. "Yes, Your Majesty!"
Her husbands struggled to break free from the knights but were forcefully ushered into the carriage.
Aria watched as the carriage left, wiping away her tears. She then head back inside the palace.
"Master..." Hachi's voice was filled with concern as he spoke softly.
She rushed to embrace him, her tears flowing freely.
Hachi sensed her sadness and provided solace. With her husbands gone from the palace and Ryu absent by her side, she could only rely on three people: Sir William, Cedrik, and Hachi. The emperor, weak and in a precarious state, also depended on her.
If only Master Xerxes were here...
.
.
....
The carriage was on its way when Claudius suddenly opened the door and leaped out.
"Your Grace!!!" the butler shouted, alarmed. He sprinted as fast as he could, attempting to return to the palace.
Gawain and Rasheen heard the commotion outside and peeked. Upon seeing Claudius running away, they quickly jumped out to follow him.
The servants and knights were in a panic and swiftly chased after them.
.
.
....
"How is the palace?" Duke Wolfsbane asked as he drank his wine.
"The empress's consorts already left the palace before our knights arrived there. However, the empress and the emperor remained inside," his knight reported.
"Hmm... I wonder what she's planning right now. I'm sure she's planning to escape as well with the emperor. Don't pay attention to her consorts, they are weak, just like the emperor. Focus on the empress, she still has her knight and the Crimson Blades. I will visit the palace later to check on them," he said.
"Yes, Your Grace," the knight bowed and then left.
Duke Wolfsbane stood up and looked out the window.
Lord Gilmesh Wolfsbane, the Duke of the South, was the reason behind his parents' death. He had ordered the bandits to push huge rocks onto his parents' carriage, all in his ruthless plan to attain the position of Duke. He was also responsible for ordering Douglas to kill his own brother, Hadrian.
Gilmesh was willing to do anything to secure his position as Duke, and now, with the palace teetering on the brink of collapse, he saw an opportunity, it was time for the empire to have a new leader. He had become even more consumed by greed for power.
He's ready to sacrifice anything or anyone to ascend to a position of authority and dominance.
"The empress... Hmm," he pondered deeply. Then he smirked.
.
.
....
Aria gently caressed Izekiel's face as he slept. She was determined to find a way for Izekiel to escape without being chased by the knights of Duke Wolfsbane, who were stationed outside the palace, ensuring they couldn't flee easily. Thankfully, her three other husbands had left the palace before the knights arrived. Outside, protesters stood their ground, demanding Izekiel to step down from his throne.
Aria no longer cared about the empire; her sole focus was their safety. She wanted to leave this empire and find a place where they could live in peace and happiness.
Izekiel felt her touch, and slowly opened his eyes. "Aria..."
He sat down. "Aria... I had a nightmare. T-They want to kill us..." he cried.
She forced a smile and held his face. "It was just a nightmare, Kiel. It won't happen to us," she reassured, comforting him.
"Aria, I'm really scared. Please, let's leave the palace!" he pleaded.
"I want to, but there are so many guards outside. Duke Wolfsbane's troops are growing, and the people are already on his side. I'm still trying to figure out a way to escape without being noticed," she explained.
He sighed. "If only I were as strong as my brother." Now, he regretted killing his brother.
Knock! Knock!
"Your Majesty," Sir William called from outside.
"Come in!" Aria ordered.
The door opened, and William entered, kneeling before them.
"What is it?" she asked.
"I've found a way for you to escape," he said.
Their faces brightened. Finally, they would be able to escape this place.
"Really? How?" Izekiel asked.
"I discovered that there is a secret underground passage beneath this palace, and the exit is located under the huge statue of Grand Emperor Charmange in the nearby forest," he explained.
The statue of Grand Emperor Charmange, the uncle of the late emperor Gustav, was built to honor his kindness and love for his people. The place was his favorite training spot.
If she was correct, the emperor emeritus was still alive due to a curse, isolating himself in a faraway place. No one had heard from him in a long time.
"You can use it to escape, Your Majesty. Please leave tonight," William added.
"You will join us, right?" she asked.
He nodded.
They would escape tonight.
"Please call the remaining servants secretly. Tell them to meet me in my office," she ordered.
Some of the servants had already left the palace safely, and others had chosen to stay with the empress. She couldn't leave them behind. They would escape together with the remaining loyal knights and part ways at the exit of the passageway.
.
.
....
Napoleon and Arthur stood before the towering palace walls, unable to breach the guarded gates due to Duke Wolfsbane's order. A throng of protesters further blocked their direct entry.
"How can we scale these enormous walls?" Napoleon pondered.
Arthur reached into his bag, searching for a solution.
"What brings you both here?" Valentine arrived, catching their attention.
"You're here as well?" Napoleon asked.
Valentine nodded. "I couldn't get through the main gate, so I thought about using the rear walls of the palace. I didn't expect to find you here."
"I've heard from my men that Aria's husbands have already left the palace, and I'm concerned about her. Izekiel is frail and clueless, I doubt he can protect her," Napoleon expressed his worries.
"You have a point," Valentine acknowledged.
"Will this rope be of any use?" Arthur presented it.
"How are we going to climb those walls with just a rope? They're far too high," Napoleon pointed out.
Arthur scratched his head, pondering a solution.
"Allow me to assist you." Valentine conjured a magic circle. "Step inside, we can use this to fly."
"Wow, that's amazing," Arthur marveled, promptly jumping into the magic circle, with Napoleon following suit.
They soared towards the towering walls.
.
.
....
"Seriously, why did we come here?" Rasheen grumbled as they hid behind the trees.
"Hush, lower your voice," Gawain cautioned.
They peered out and observed, no sign of the palace's knights, heaving a collective sigh of relief.
"We can't return to the palace, Aria will only drive us out again. Besides, the knights know we'll attempt to return, so it's better to use this route," Claudius suggested.
As they discussed their plans, a hawk's cry echoed in the air. Their gazes turned upward.
"That hawk is enormous," Rasheen remarked.
The immense bird glided in their direction before transforming into a human.
Their eyes widened when they recognized him.