The grand Hall was a cacophony of whispers before the emperor arrival. When the door swung open ,silence fell like a blade .the emperor stride to his throne his face a mask of cold authority and his dark robes billowing behind him ,exuding an aura of unyielding authority.
He ascended to the steps of his throne his steps measured and delibrate ,he sat down on his throne,his cold eyes sweot over the gathered officials freezing them in place , the officials bowed deeply with their head lowered respectfully until they heard his merciless and sharp voice that broke the stillness of the atmosphere "you may rise "he said each word laced with an icy finality .
When the officials straightened their faces masked with respect ,the emperor continued his face void of emotion
"Concubine edith had a stillborn yesterday and she passed away due to heavy bleeding and grief"
A heavy silence followed, the weight of his words pressing down on the room like a suffocating fog.whispered stirred not aloud but at the recesses of every mind ,speculations bubbling beneath carefully maintained expressions.
Then,a sudden thud shattered the fragile stilness.all heads turned to the source.
The grand Duke father of the late concubine edith collapsed to the marble floor ,his frame crumpling as if struck by an unseen blow .his face was ashen ,a stark contrast to the opulence around him.
The hall erupted in startled murmurs as guards rushed to his side ,their armor clinking in urgency .it was no secret that the grand Duke had doted on his daughter, a jewl in his life.it was sad he only permitted her to enter the harem because if her unyielding love for the emperor .
Edith renowed for her unparalleled beauty and talent had once been a pride of her family .who would have imagined that such a radiant figure would meet such a tragic end,her life extinguished before its time?
As the guards lifted the unconscious Duke a shadow passed over the emperor face bur he gave no sign of concern.his gaze remained impassive as though the fainting of grieving father was beneath his notice .
The room,however buzzed with unspoken questions and supressed emotion,the weight of loss and suspicion lingering like an unshakable specter.
After the grand Duke was rushed out everyone heard the emperor cold voice"the court is dismissed "
Without another glance he turned and strode out ,his dragon robe trailing behind him like the shadow of storm .the officials remained frozen for a moment ,exchanging cautious glances before filing out in silence ,their thought a whirl of unspoken speculation.
***
In the stilness of her private Chambers, the empress received the news of concubine edith passing. Her maid barely finished speaking when a smile played on her lips,a rare sight these days.edith death along with her child was a very relieving news ever since the younger woman entered the harem ,she had monopolise the emperor's attention leaving the empress to languish in bitter solitude.
But now maybe the tide might turn.with edith gone ,perhaps she could once again draw her husband gaze back to her and restore her place not only as the first wife but also as the pnly woman worthy of his affection.
The news rippled through the harem like a stone cast in deep water .some women rejoiced in secret ,others feigned sorrow and still other remained silent, their emotions unreadable. The harem water ran deep an ever shifting tides of alliances ,jealousy and ambition.
*****
On the guard side,the night stretched on in an oppressive silence ,and the guard could find no peace ,his thoughts churned endlessly, his mind consumed in worry for the fragile princess ,was she still alive?rescued? Or better still killed? Even though he had not abandoned her in the wilderness as instructed his conscience still gnawed at him .
He had never felt the weight of guilt so sharply before.his duty has always been clear -serve the emperor without question .but now ,as the hours passed in restless agitations,doubt gnawed at him .
With a grim resolve, he gripped his sword and set off before the first light of the day .his steps were swift ,his heart racing as he traced the path to the forest part to the forest .he had to make sure she was safe .or at least find our what have become of her
The dense trees loomed ahead ,their twisted branches reaching out like fingers to pull him into the shadowed of depth .
When he finally arrived at the spot where he had left her ,he let out a sigh of relief the princess was still there .he stopped her up into his arms ,his fingers trembling as he noticed how cold she was ..likely from spending the night alone without anything to keepnher warm he checked her breath and sigh in relief when he noticed she was still breathing ,his first instinct was to take her away but then a cold thought struck him.
Where could he possibly hide her ?for a moment he froze the weight of the decision pressing down on him ,should he abandon her just as he had been instructed or defy the emperor
What kind of man could feed an inn9ncent child to beast ? His heart wrenched and a griwing hatred began to take root deep within him ,he thought of all the merciless thing the emperor has done and in the moment he saw him for who he truly was ,bothing more than a tyrant who saw life as expendable .