Three days ago:
"You asked for me, father?" Came Aurora's soft voice from the doorway leading to her father, King Henricus's study. Henricus turned his attention towards the door, a smile blooming in his face at the sight of his last child while Luidic, the crown prince and Aurora's brother, and Celia, Her older sister and the duchess of Rovamer, glanced at her with monotone faces, trying their best not to let their discomfort show.
"Come in, child." Henricus commanded, and in came Aurora, her eyes swollen from all the crying she had done. Of course, that did not go unnoticed by her family, as the smile fell from her father's lips in worry. "By the Lords, what has happened to you, child? Why the gaunt face?"
How was she to tell them she had been crying all the way back to the Palace after her terrible encounter with her lover, Julias? That she was never to see him again, and never hear his melodious laughter or break bread with him. How was she to share her anguish? When she knows they will not understand?
"It is the dust, father." Aurora replied meekly. "The dust had gotten into my eyes while I was out strolling."
"You went out again?"
Oh dear.
"Y-Yes, I-"
"It's a fine weather, Your Majesty." Cut in Luidic, offering a curt smile. "Aurora had been cooped up in her chambers for weeks due to the rain. A little sunshine will do her good."
Aurora felt a surge of gratitude burst forth from her for her brother as he offered her a gentle smile, which was much softer than the one he offered their father. Henricus mulled over his words, slowly nodding in agreement before he finally turned back to the matter at hand.
"I have news for you, Aurora." Long gone was the warmth in his voice, now accompanied with the authority of a King, which only made Celia and Luidic's face fall even more, wondering how their little sister will take the news. Aurora, however, waited. "What is it, father?"
"I have decided, it is time for you to be wed. and I have just found the perfect match for you. The one that is worthy of a princess of Rovamer."
Instantly, Aurora's body stilled, every single nerve in her body turning rigid at her father's words as fear crept its way inside her.
M-Marriage? Father wants me to get… married? And he's already found someone?
How?
Eyes now clouded with terror, Aurora looked at her father in shock whole her siblings looked away, unable to withstand it any longer. "M-marriage… to who…"
"The Empire of Lanterbur has ordered the Kingdoms to send in a maiden as concubine to the Emperor, and none stand worthy for that position but you, sister." Luidic said like he had swallowed a mouth full of sand, avoiding eye contact. "You are to become the concubine of Emperor Tesarius of Lanterbur."
It all felt like a dream. Aurora felt like she was in a state of delirium, unable to differentiate between dreams and reality. Just a few hours ago, she was the happiest girl alive, finally meeting her lover after weeks of distance, only for it all to come crashing down on her like harsh waves of the sea. She was already crestfallen at Julias's marriage revelation, and now she just found out she would be wed too. To a stranger at that.
She could not have it. No. She could not.
"B-But… but do I know him? Have I ever seen him?" Aurora's question had her father staring at her with pity, knowing how hard it was for him to do this. But he had to stay strong, if it meant protecting his family. "I have seen him. Emperor Tesarius is a man of great repute and one of the best men to sit on the Lanterbur throne. You don't need to see him."
"I don't need to see him? I DON'T NEED TO SEE HIM!?" Now Aurora was screaming, feeling the tears from before resurface again at the brutal words of her father as she stared at him with wide eyes. "I have been arranged to wed a man without my prior knowledge and I don't even need to see him!?"
"ENOUGH!" Thundered the King, making the younger girl flinch as she whimpered, tears streaming down her face. However the King remained unmoved, avoiding his daughters stare. "This is not a matter one can whine over, It is a matter of politics. And as a princess of Rovamer, is falls as your duty to your Kingdom to marry who your father sees fit."
"Who the King sees fit." Aurora corrected. And it was only then did Henricus dace soften, noticing the way his little girl had stopped crying, yet she didn't look at him anymore. She kept her head lowered like one does towards a King. Not a father. "Understood. I shall abide by your command, Your Majesty."
"It is for your own good." Henricus whispered as a last resort, but Aurora was having none of it. "Anything else, Your Majesty?"
"No. You may go."
With a final curtsey, Aurora excused herself. No sooner had she left the confines of her father's study, Aurora broke into a run, followed by Anne, who called out to her in hysteria.
"My Lady!"
But all the calls fell into deaf ears until Aurora was to the comfort of her chambers, where she could bawl her eyes out and cry as much as she wanted.
Despite her naïve nature, her family had never held it against her. They had always pampered her, showed her with unlimited love and adoration, so much that Aurora never had to lift a finger in her life for anything. And they all preferred it that way. That at least one among them wouldn't lose their innocence to the ugly politics of the world.
But here she was. And here they were. Forcing her against her will to be married of all things. More so to a man she had never known. On the very day she just had her heart broken. Things couldn't get much worse.
A knock sounded on her door, but there was no announcement of arrival. And that only meant one thing.
"Go away, Celia." Aurora sobbed, as the older crept deeper inside the room before she was right behind the girl sprawled on the bed. "Are you not going to ask me to tell father to change his mind?"
At this, Aurora was on her feet, eyes wide as she held her sister by the shoulders. "Will you do it? Will you ask him to change his mind? I do not wish to marry the Emperor, sister. I really do not!"
Celia's heart bled at the sight of her sister's tear streaked face, but there was nothing she could do. "My sister. Oh my precious little sister! Even if I do tell him, which Luidic and I have already done, he won't change his mind."
"So you agree this marriage is a terrible idea!"
"I do. But I also know it is the only way to keep you safe."
"Celia!"
"Listen to me, Aurora!" Now Celia was the one holding her sister by the shoulders, placing her back on the bed as the both sat facing each other. Her eyes held a strong determination, staring down at Aurora as if she could pass on her determination to her sister through her eyes. "Listen to me very carefully."
Aurora said nothing as she held back a sob, so Celia continued. "There are things going on the continent, things we haven't told you to keep you out of political disputes. There's word of a rebellion spreading around against Emperor Tesarius, and rumor has it that Rovamer is an ally of the rebels."
"W-what? You mean father-"
"It is not true, of course." Celia corrected quickly. "Rovamer is loyal to Lanterbur, but the Emperor doesn't know that. And he doubts us. He's suspicious of us. And if the Emperor is suspicious of us, there will be war, and countless lives will be lost. And so-"
"So you are sending me as a sacrifice." Aurora cut in, making Celia's eyes go wide in shock. However, the girl continued. "You are ruining my prospects at finding love to protect the Kingdom, like father said."
"Foolish girl. Is that how you think of us?"
Celia's words made Aurora look at her sister in confusion, who sighed in defeat. "That is not why we are sending you. True, you may be the gift for the Emperor to prove our loyalty, but the sole reason we are sending you is for your own protection."
"Wh-what… what do you mean?"
"Rovamer may not be in league with the rebels, but there are noble families of Rovamer in league with them, planning to overthrow father and take over the throne of Rovamer as well. And in order to do that, they need to wed a member of the royal family."
"The duchy of Rovamer is loyal to the King." Aurora slowly put the puzzle pieces together. "And Luidic is betrothed to Lady Rowanda of House Mormont, Marquis Edward Mormont's cousin from Lanterbur."
"Both of us have clear connections. Save for you." Celia completed, as the words slowly settled in for the younger girl. It was then she realized the whole length of the game. The game she would have been a staunch player in, if her father had not made this decision.
"If I do not marry the Emperor, I become food for the rebels." Auora confirmed, while Celia nodded. "And if I marry the Emperor, I can assure Lanterbur that Rovamer is not in league with the rebels."
"Yes."
"At the cost of my own happiness."
"I'm sorry, my dear sister. I'm truly sorry." Ceila was indeed sorry. She had always hopped that unlike her, Aurora would marry for love and be with the man she came to love. Not get into a marriage of allegiance. That was also why the family had always kept Aurora out of political affairs so as to put as less attention on her as possible.
But so long as she has royal blood flowing in her veins, no amount of darkness can conceal her sight from the hungry hyenas greedy for more power. She will always be exposed as the lone wolf ready for mating, so long as she had no mate.
So, it was time they get her a mate.
"I do not wish to marry the Emperor." Aurora whispered, her shoulders slowly beginning to shake violently as she broke down in yet another fit of tears, making Celia break down as well. "I do not wish to marry this man, sister! I know I have to, for both mine and the Kingdoms future, but I don't want to! I don't want to marry a man I have never met, let alone do not love!"
"I know, I know." Celia whispred, pulling her sister in for a hug as if to confort her, but Celia wondered who it was that needed calming. She, or Aurora. "I'm sorry, my dear sister. But it's all for the best."
"Celia…"
"Once all this is over, once the rebellion is destroyed, we shall ask for you again." Celia suddenly said, making Aurora break the hug and stare at her sister with wide eyes. Celia continued. "Emperor Tesarius is known to be a just Emperor. If Rovamer helps in destroying the rebellion, His Majesty will grant us a reward, and what better to ask for, then our dear princess?"
A new surge of hope bloomed inside Aurora, making her believe that all hope was not lost. That this was all a temporary situation. That soon, when the rebellion is gone, she'll be back home, and then she'd wed again, but this time to a man of her own choosing.
Yes. It's not over. All hope is not lost. I can still find love. I can still live. I'm… not a sacrifice.
The pain of getting married did not seem very painful to Aurora anymore, for now she had something to hope for. But the same could not be told about her sister, for Celia had said all that in a whim, and none of it may even be true. Yes, the Emperor might grant them a reward after everything is over, but that is only after the rebellion is vanquished, and no one even knows when that is. It could take years. Then there is the matter of her position. Aurora does not know this. That once you become the King's concubine, there is no more marriage for you. Once the leader's woman, always the leader's woman. Even in death. All Celia could do was hope Tesarius was as merciful as everyone said.
Night had fallen, and the moonlight streamed in through the large windows in the young Princess's chambers, illuminating the silhouettes of the two sisters as the internally begged for comfort from one another, having no one but themselves in a world run by men.
---------
The day of the arrival of the six concubines had arrived, and today, Tesarius would officially welcome each one of them into the palace. The last three days had been hell for the Emperor, for he no longer found joy in anything other than the company of his friend Edward, and the occasional tea he had with Empress Sera, his wife and close friend. While the two were married and she was his Empress, Empress Sera had no children, which meant there was no potential heir to the throne, hence the number of rebel attacks. The bond between Tesarius and Sera wasn't sensual like that of a husband and wife, but more like close friends that relied on each other to keep balance in the court. Hence Tesarius did not dislike Sera, although he wished Aria was his Empress, he was glad it was someone like Sera and not the other noble men's daughter's For she understood him in a scale close to Aria's just not in the same level of innocence.
"Your Majesty," Barns said from the doorway to Tesarius's chambers. "It is time."
Not wasting another second, Tesarius exited his room and made his way towards the throne room, where the concubines awaited. On his way, he was accompanied by Edward, who briefed him on what was to be expected next.
"After the introductions, you will be expected to spend the next six nights starting from today with each of the concubines." Edward said with a straight face, making Tesarius grimace. "Is that really necessary?"
Edward shrugged. "Depends on how you view it. You don't have to consummate with them, you know. You just have to spend some time with them and then sleep together. It is to boast their social standing in the palace."
Tesarius scoffed. "Right. So judging by the fact that I need to take care of their social standing, I'm assuming they also come in an order?
"I'm afraid so, yes." Edward admitted. "If you were to ask me, I'd say you go by the list you were introduced to. Starting with Lady Jenivive and ending with Princess Aurora."
"That put your sister in the middle. Are you okay with that?"
"I told you, Your Majesty." Edward began. "I didn't send my sister to gain power, I only did to show my solidarity with you. Lady Madeline's position in the middle is exactly what it should be."
Tesarius nodded at his friends words, mulling them over in his head as they stopped before the double doors leading to the throne room, waiting to be announced. "I see. So that means, my grandmother's pawn falls last."
At the mention of Aurora, Edward, stilled still unable to believe Aurora was really here, and actually a concubine of Tesarius. He knew why the King of Rovamer was sending his daughter, but he didn't know why Aurora had agreed to it.
Or did she even have a say in this matter? Edward couldn't help but wonder.
While Edward remained busy in his own thoughts, Tesarius's own mind drifted off to a certain girl, wondering how she was and how she was doing. He recalled their last encounter, and how she cried her heart out as he left her alone on top of that hill. His heart broke for leaving his one and only love behind, and surround himself with women he didn't want nor like.
Fate was cruel to them both.
Very cruel indeed, because when the two finally came face to face and put the puzzle pieces together, fate had really played its game well.
While one rejoiced at the thought of reuniting with her lover, the other only felt betrayed shrouding himself in a misunderstanding of his own as he stared down at the girl with loathing.
Aria… is princess Aurora of Rovamer.
Julias… is Emperor Tesarius of Lanterbur.
Outrageous.
Delightful!
The two thought in unison, as Aurora smiled up at her future husband, unable to wait for when they'd actually be allowed to talk and celebrate their union in private.
But sadly, there would be no such thing. For it will take Aurora a while to realize that things in the palace of Lanterbur wasn't the same as in Rovamer. That the ladies had their own rules and protocols, some not very favorable to her. And to make things worse, the Emperor now has a harem.
Yes, things will definitely not be in Aurora's favor.