"Well, I've not thought about it.", Flavia said casually.
"We need to think about it.", Quintus was thinking of a solution.
"I thought that I would run away to mother's country to avoid this marriage.", Flavia.
"But it can be a reason for conflict between two empires. Uncle is already afraid of our growing power. If you do this, he will be furious. Do you want a war? There are low chances that we will be able to win but we can figure it out.", Quintus started his calculations.
"No, I'm not going to take this matter that far. War is not a solution. We need to think of something simple.", Flavia declared.
"But killing Lucius is the only best possible solution. It is the perfect answer for our all problems.", Quintus tried to convince Flavia.
"If you can't think of a good solution. It is better to remain silent.", Flavia said.
Juli couldn't follow their conversation. She asked, "Whose uncle and what are you talking about? Running to the neighboring empire?"
Flavia and Quintus diverted their attention toward her. They had forgotten that she was also present there.
"Hmm... It will be a long conversation. But long story short. My marriage is a political strategy. The emperor Decimus Tiberius Sulla is our uncle. After the Publius empire had droughts and asked our uncle for help. He offered a suggestion. It was more of an order as compared to the suggestion. He asked the hand of the Queen of the Publius for his younger brother our father. So, he could control both countries.", Flavia was explaining.
"You guys are prince and princess, and your surnames are also Publius. Why is that?", Juli asked.
"Actually, it was an arranged marriage, but our mother successfully bewitched our father. They are the couple of this century. We got our mother's surnames. But according to the conditions of the marriage, their children couldn't leave empire Sulla until they turned twenty and any boy born from Sulla bloodline will never rule the empire Publius.", Quintus explained further.
"So, that is the reason. Quintus became a chancellor here and your uncle was afraid that Flavia could rule the Publius Empire. That's why he had pushed Flavia for this marriage. He is a sly fox.", Juli said.
"He is a sly fox, but he loves us a lot. He will definitely listen to us.", Quintus said.
"But if we will tell him about this. He will behead Lucius for rejecting his loving niece.", Flavia advised.
"Why did not I think about this? If I had then he would have been dead by now?", Quintus said calmly.
"Eliminating Lucius is not an issue right now. Even if he will be dead. Uncle will arrange another dog of his. We must end this story once and for all.", Flavia said.
Juli thought that it was a very complicated matter. It was not the issue of arranged marriage anymore. It was the political strategy between the two empires.
"Why is your uncle exactly doing this? Wouldn't it benefit him if his own blood relatives would rule the Publius empire?", Juli asked.
"Well, when empire Publius had accepted the marriage proposal from our empire at that time they had rejected the proposal of empire Cyrus. But after our parents' marriage, they had promised the Emperor of Cyrus an unwritten proposal and maybe they had promised a marriage between their kids. It is an unwritten proposal. So, nobody is sure of it. That is the greatest threat to our uncle.", Flavia answered.
"I'm confused again. What are you guys talking about? There exists another empire as well. Shouldn't your uncle give that empire priority for your marriage?", Juli asked.
"Maybe we should move to the study room. We'll explain you there.", Flavia said.
They went to study. The study room was not well furnished. It only had a study table, a few chairs, and lots of bookshelves. There was not a single vase or flower in it, no decorations at all. It was a white room with maps and books only.
"Look here, this is the map of our region.", Flavia said while pointing toward a map.
"This is our empire Sulla and this empire Cyrus. In between these two empires, there is a small empire called Publius. Both Cyrus and Sulla empires signed a peace treaty with the empire Publius. This treat is for a millennium. It was signed after both large empires started a war. That war ended with a treaty and Publius empire was formed."
"Publius empire is the beneficiary between the empires. Both empires wanted to control it after they got over the losses of the wars. But Publius empire had also strengthened the economy and developed diplomatic relationships with both empires.", Flavia explained.
"So, the Publius empire is very important. But I still don't understand the reason what does it have to do with your marriage?", Juli asked innocently.
"Well, Cyrus Empire doesn't have any princesses. They have a prince only. Our uncle wanted to strengthen the relationship with them and tried to propose a marriage between his daughter and the prince of the Cyrus empire. But they refused. It was not an official proposal. It was a private matter.", Quintus said.
"Until the emperor of Cyrus asked for Flavia's hand. It hurt Uncle's ego and he announced Flavia's engagement with Lucius. He wanted to weaken the relationship between the empire of Publius and Cyrus. Uncle wants the emperor of Cyrus to attack the Publius empire and break the treaty. So, he can get a chance to start a war on empire Cyrus.", Quintus finished his explanation.
Juli's brain was not braining anymore. She thought that it was a simple story and she only had to make Flavia happy but that was not the case.
"Father is also in the empire Publius with our mother because there is an uproar between the empire Publius and Cyrus after the announcement of my marriage.", Flavia said.
"I can't believe that I went against my mother to get married, and this marriage is not going to happen.", Flavia said.
"What do you mean by that?", Juli asked.
"Our mother was against this marriage and advised me to run away with her to empire Publius. But I rejected it because I didn't want to put my mother's life in danger.", Flavia answered.
"Wait a minute. So, you were not crying because of Lucius. You don't even like him. You were crying because you regretted your choice. Am I right?", Juli asked astoundingly.