Aria gazed up at the sky, clutching a bouquet of flowers, her thoughts drifting to her lost child. The weight of her memories weighed heavy on her heart, and she fervently wished to shield herself from further sorrow.
Sitting beneath the expansive oak tree, she opened her book, struggling to comprehend Mikhail's sudden coldness towards her. Though he hadn't removed the empress title on her, the once familiar bond between them had withered, leaving her feeling like a stranger. Was it because of her marriage to Izekiel?
"You're here," a voice broke her reverie.
Startled, she turned to see Maximilian. "Max."
He smiled and asked, "Can I sit beside you?"
She nodded, and he settled down beside her, his gaze drawn to her book. "You still love reading."
Aria had developed an interest in books since her arrival, largely due to Gawain's influence. "I read when I'm bored," she replied simply.
"Bored? Why don't you visit your husbands? I'm sure they'd be delighted to entertain you," Maximilian suggested.
"They're all busy. Mikhail has assigned them various duties and tasks," she explained.
Maximilian's response was a simple nod.
The ensuing silence grew increasingly uncomfortable.
This is so awkward... Why isn't he saying anything?
She glanced at Maximilian, who only gave her a gentle smile.
She couldn't contain her frustration, letting out an exasperated sigh.
"Did I make you uncomfortable?" He finally spoke.
"N-No, it's not that," Aria stammered, her gaze averted, trying to find the right words to explain her feelings.
"About the marriage proposal... I don't want to pressure you," he began. "But, Kaye... I love you."
Aria's surprise was evident as she stared at him. Ehh? He loves me? How?
"I fell in love with you from the moment I became your escort knight. I initially approached you as part of my plan to use you as bait in the fight against Mikhail. My original intention was to wage war for revenge, to reclaim my country and my people," he explained.
Aria listened intently, her curiosity piqued.
"But I didn't anticipate that I'd be the one falling for you. When you allowed me to escape, I made a promise to myself," Maximilian confessed, his voice filled with determination. "I swore that I would find a way to get you and take you to a place where you can truly be happy." he continued, taking her hand. "Kaye, I know this is sudden, but I can't keep my feelings hidden. So, I'm asking you again for your hand in marriage. I'll respect whatever decision you make."
"Max..." she whispered, lowering her head.
The people in their empire were already aware that Maximilian had helped them in exchange for their marriage. Rejecting him would bring humiliation to both parties.
Finally, she made her decision. "I accept your proposal," she said.
"Really?" Maximilian's joy was palpable as he hugged her tightly. "I'm so happy. I promise to be a good husband and protect you for the rest of my life."
Aria smiled and nodded. Maximilian was kind and intelligent, she knew that she would need time to grow her feelings for Maximilian, but she was willing to open her heart to him and learn to love him over time.
Maximilian sealed their commitment with a gentle kiss on her forehead and an even tighter, reassuring embrace.
.
.
Mikhail angrily tore the papers that his secretary had given him, a letter from Maximilian announcing their upcoming wedding. He had initially accepted Maximilian's condition, believing that Aria had no interest in marrying him, but her actions had taken him by surprise.
Sighing heavily, he muttered to himself, "Kaye has become too soft, when did she become so concerned with the empire's affairs?"
In truth, his recent coldness towards her was fueled by jealousy, a feeling he couldn't escape. He couldn't accept that she had married his half-brother solely for diplomatic reasons.
"I want to marry her too," he mumbled, lost in his thoughts. "Once I marry her, I promise not to let any other man near her. She's too softhearted."
His musings were interrupted by a knock at the door. "Come in," he ordered.
Aria's consorts entered, their expressions filled with distress. Rasheen, with tears in his eyes, spoke first. "Your Majesty, have you heard the bad news?"
Mikhail raised an eyebrow. "About what?"
"Kaye is going to marry that Firenzan monkey!" Rasheen cried.
"Did you approve their wedding? Don't allow it!" Claudius urged.
"You said she wouldn't marry him!" Rasheen accused Claudius.
"I didn't expect her to accept him!" Claudius defended himself.
"Could she be in love with him as well?" Gawain wondered.
"That's impossible!" Rasheen and Claudius chorused.
Xerxes, the voice of reason, interjected, "You already know the reason she accepted him, right? Complaining won't change anything."
Mikhail observed their bickering with a stern expression.
"This is all Claudius's fault," Rasheen accused.
"Excuse me? I only suggested a plan. If you had a better one, we wouldn't be in this predicament," Claudius retorted.
The two continued to argue until Mikhail grew tired of their noise. "Enough!"
The men fell silent and stood at attention when they saw the seriousness in Mikhail's face.
"It has already happened, so blaming each other won't change a thing. Besides, Kaye is marrying him for diplomatic purposes, to strengthen the alliances between our empire and the Firenzan country and promote peace. Imagine the conflict it would create if she were to turn him down. Kaye has already suffered greatly in the past. Let's give her the peace she desires," Mikhail explained, attempting to bring some reason to the situation.
The men sighed in unison, acknowledging the wisdom in Mikhail's words. They couldn't afford to create more problems in the empire. Aria had endured a great deal of suffering, from being a hostage to enduring abuse, experiencing miscarriages, and nearly losing her life at the hands of Gilmesh.
"For the sake of peace, I won't complain again," Rasheen said, breaking the silence.
"Yeah, besides, she has no feelings for him," Claudius added.
"Let's trust Kaye," Gawain chimed in, and Xerxes nodded in agreement.
"Now that you finally understand, get lost. I'm busy, and seeing you four irritates me," Mikhail dismissed them.
Rasheen couldn't resist a smirk. "Ha! Have you forgotten? We helped you become free from being captives of Firenzan. You owe us."
Mikhail's irritation flared. "Yeah, and I also haven't forgotten that you tried to leave me there to escape."
"Haha! Your face during that time was so funny!" Rasheen teased, further provoking Mikhail.
Gawain, sensing the impending storm, gulped and tried to intervene. "A-Ah, Sheen, I think we have to go now..."
"Why? We're still not done here," Rasheen protested.
The three glanced at Mikhail, who was slowly unsheathing his sword, his dark aura intensifying.
"We have to go now, Sheen," Claudius insisted.
"Oh, come on. Stop being a coward," Rasheen complained, but the tension in the air was palpable.
Mikhail finally stood up, his grip tightening on his swords. Rasheen's eyes widened as he saw Mikhail walking toward them.
"Fuck!" Xerxes pulled Rasheen, and the four of them ran away.
"COME BACK HERE, F***ERS!" Mikhail shouted and chased them.
"WAAAHHH! SORRY!!!" Rasheen screamed as they all ran for their lives.
Xerxes, in a desperate move, suddenly disappeared, while Gawain found refuge in a vacant room and locked himself inside.
"Tsk. I don't want to lose my life because of you," Claudius muttered and dashed in another direction.
"Hey, guys, don't leave me alone!!!" Rasheen shouted, looking back to see Mikhail still in pursuit.
"C'mon, I was just joking earlier!" he pleaded as he continued to run. The chase between them continued in the palace, leaving the servants confused and scared.
Aria was in the middle of her tea when she heard shouts echoing through the palace.
"Huh? What's that noise?" Aria inquired.
She and her attendants spotted Mikhail in hot pursuit of Rasheen.
"It seems that they were playing tag, Your Majesty," William suggested, attempting to provide a more innocent explanation for the chaotic scene.
Cedrik, however, couldn't help but scratch his head in bewilderment. "I don't think they were playing," he whispered to himself.
The sight of Mikhail brandishing a sword was far from typical in a game of tag.
His Majesty is holding a sword; that isn't a tag game!
"Looks like they were having fun," Aria commented with a smile.
Your Majesty, Prince Rasheen needs your help! Cedrik thought.