As Axel watched Lila and Kairos walking out of the grand wedding hall, his fists clenched by his sides. The high priest had just declared them as the Empress and Emperor of Azro, and Axel's blood boiled at the sight. He had expected chaos, but not like this. Lila, the woman he had once seen as strong and fiercely independent, was now bound to another man—a man who had just been crowned emperor.
His instincts screamed at him to intervene, to put an end to this madness, but before he could take a step forward, a firm hand grabbed his arm, stopping him in his tracks. Axel turned sharply to find Noah, Lila's father, standing beside him, his face calm but his grip unwavering.
"Father?" Axel muttered in surprise, trying to pull his arm free. "What are you doing? I have to stop this. Lila's being dragged into something dangerous. I can't just stand by."
Noah held his gaze firmly. "You need to trust her, Axel," he said, his voice low but filled with conviction. "This is all part of Lila's plan. She knows exactly what she's doing."
Axel's brow furrowed in frustration, his eyes darting between Noah and the distant figures of Lila and Kairos. "This… this marriage to Kairos, the crown, everything… How is this part of her plan? She's tying herself to an empire, to a man she barely knows."
Noah's expression softened as he looked toward his daughter. "Lila may not have wanted this marriage, but she's always had a sharp mind. She's not one to be controlled, not even by the laws of an empire. The power is hers, not Kairos'. You heard the high priest—only she can make him king. Right now, Lila holds all the cards."
Axel shook his head, his frustration still bubbling beneath the surface. "But how can you be so sure? What if something goes wrong?"
Noah's grip on Axel's arm tightened slightly, his gaze intense. "Because she's my daughter, Axel. She wrote to me, telling me of her plans. She made it clear that this marriage is a formality, a means to an end. Kairos may have royal blood, but he's no threat to her power. He's agreed to give her full control. Lila is the one in charge."
Axel blinked, his mind racing. Lila had planned this? All of it?
Noah continued, his voice calm but firm. "Lila is far more capable than you or I ever gave her credit for. She's always known how to navigate dangerous situations, and this is no different. She's playing the long game, and if you interfere now, you'll only put her in more danger."
Axel's fists unclenched as Noah's words sank in. He glanced back at Lila, now standing at the edge of the courtyard with Kairos, and for the first time, he noticed the confidence in her posture, the way she held her head high even in the face of this new alliance. There was no hesitation in her movements, no sign of fear.
He let out a slow breath, his anger subsiding. "So, all of this… is for her to gain control?"
Noah nodded. "Yes. She's not just marrying into power—she's claiming it for herself. And she needs you to trust her, Axel. Now more than ever."
Axel's jaw tightened, but he nodded. "I trust her," he said quietly. "I've always trusted her."
Noah released his grip, offering a small, reassuring smile. "Good. Then let her handle this. She'll succeed, I promise you that."
Axel turned his gaze back to Lila, watching as she spoke quietly with Kairos. His heart still ached with the complexity of the situation, but now, knowing it was Lila's plan, he felt a renewed sense of respect for her. She wasn't a pawn in anyone's game—she was the one making the moves.
"I'll stay back," Axel said, his voice steady. "But if anything goes wrong…"
Noah nodded in understanding. "If anything goes wrong, we'll both be there for her."
With that, Axel stayed his ground, watching as Lila and Kairos left the palace grounds, the weight of an empire on their shoulders. He couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning, but if Lila had a plan, then he would trust her—just as he always had.
≿━━━━༺❀༻━━━━≾
As Lila and Kairos stepped outside the grand hall, the cool night air washed over them. The moon hung low in the sky, casting a silver glow over the palace grounds. The intensity of the wedding, the bloodshed, and the political games seemed to fade for a moment as they walked in silence. Lila's mind churned with thoughts of the power she had just secured, but Kairos appeared unusually calm.
Breaking the silence, Lila glanced at him, her curiosity getting the better of her. "You just handed over the reins to a kingdom, Kairos," she said, her voice steady but questioning. "Surely, you must want something in return. Something more than just being a figurehead."
Kairos stopped walking for a moment and looked up at the moon, his expression thoughtful. After a beat, he shrugged lightly, his voice soft but honest. "All I've ever wanted is a warm place to sleep and a good meal to eat. That's enough for me."
Lila blinked in surprise. "A warm place to sleep?" she repeated, her tone carrying disbelief. "You're the rightful heir to the throne of Azro, and that's all you want?"
Kairos smiled faintly, a hint of sadness behind his blue eyes. "You don't understand, Lila. I've spent most of my life running, hiding, and surviving. Power, wealth, titles—they don't mean anything to me. I've seen what they do to people. My father, my family—they all chased after it, and it destroyed them. For me? Just having a roof over my head and food on the table… that's enough."
Lila fell silent, processing his words. She had expected ambition, greed, or at least some desire for power in return for his cooperation. But what Kairos sought was simple, almost painfully so.
"I don't need to rule," Kairos continued, his voice low. "I don't need to be the most powerful man in the empire. I just want to live peacefully. That's why I agreed to the terms. If you can give me that—a quiet life without the burden of leadership—then I'm satisfied."
Lila's sharp eyes studied him carefully, trying to understand the man she had allied herself with. There was no deception in his words, no hidden motive. Kairos was, in his own way, content to let her have the power she craved. In exchange, he only asked for the basic comforts most people took for granted.
"You're… not like most men I've met," Lila said quietly, almost to herself. "Most would kill for a fraction of the power you hold."
Kairos laughed softly, a sound that was more bittersweet than amused. "Maybe that's why I don't want it. I've seen how power corrupts. It's a never-ending hunger that devours everything in its path. I've already lost too much to it."
They continued walking, the faint sounds of the palace fading behind them. Lila felt an unexpected sense of respect for Kairos, even if she didn't fully understand his simplicity. She had spent her entire life surrounded by ambition, by people who would stop at nothing to seize control. And here was the rightful heir to a kingdom, a man who could have had everything, asking for nothing more than warmth and food.
"You're a strange man, Kairos," she said after a while, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
Kairos glanced at her and shrugged with a grin. "Maybe. But I've made peace with that."
Lila's smile lingered as they reached the palace gates. For all the power she had just secured, for all the political maneuvering she had done, her new husband was a man who wanted nothing but peace. It was a strange alliance, but perhaps, in the end, that would make them stronger. Kairos had no desire for the throne, no hunger for control. That left her with full reign—and she would make sure to use it wisely.
"I'll give you what you want, Kairos," Lila said firmly as they approached the courtyard. "A warm place to sleep and food to eat. But in return, you'll stand by my side, as agreed."
Kairos nodded, a look of quiet gratitude in his eyes. "That's all I ask, Empress."
With that, they stepped into their new roles. Lila, the true ruler of Azro, and Kairos, the emperor by name, content in the shadows. Two people bound by circumstance, but both determined to carve out the future in their own way.