7. Death Arrives
7
Death Arrives
The ceasefire came from Astrolos. Papers and fliers erupted in the sky and littered the main cities of the whole country. Every man and woman had a copy of the proposal of the ceasefire, and the acceptance of the Empire, and everyone rejoiced because of it. Many hoped that talks of peace would come after the acceptance of the ceasefire.
But it was only a start.
No one questioned the origin of the papers as Astrolos was a country of magic and enchantment. Dracone was filled with dragons and little magic that helps people bind with their dragons, but Astrolos was rich in it, everyone in their kingdom was born in it. filled with it. Dracone has only two who has such a gift.
In lower titles and castles, the wives that were left to guard the fief would soon greet their husbands as they announced their return from the front lines. A letter with the same nature arrived as her office window from a falcon as large as her torso.
Death is approaching.
That was all it said when Sileas opened it.
Her husband was coming back.
The whole palace echoed this other than the heat. It’s the middle of summer and everything made her sweat as no amount of window opening would make her cool enough during the day. She had opted to wear her chemise and nothing at all, which made all the men in the palace forbidden to walk in her wing.
Her hands stopped scribbling on the parchment. The overwhelming sense of an end rising in the pit of her stomach. She looked up from her paper and couldn’t help but stare at the distance of her open window.
It was funny that the window faced the direction of the frontlines, the arrival of her husband and Emperor, would be seen from her window. She’s not scared. She’s prepared for her end. No matter the circumstance. It’s just a shame it would be by an incredibly beautiful person.
The office was dark due to the fireplace being bare, and the candles were turned off. Even the incandescent light’s heat bothered her in this sweltering palace.
The servants all wore the long sleeve uniform, and they walk around fresh and pristine without a single wick of sweat despite their complaining. She on the other hand looked as if she was swimming with just a few minutes of walking around inside the palace.
She rose from her seat. Tucking her hair back behind her and almost immediately her personal maid is walking towards her to help her brush her hair back or pull more clothes off of her, but she raised her palm and Feina froze.
“I want to see the garden.” Sileas gave Feina a disarming smile, the kindest that she could muster. “I know I’m not dressed for a walk outside, but please order any male guards to step away.”
She nodded. “At once, your highness.”
She scurried away as fast as her feet could carry her, leaving Sileas to lean out of the window and absorn every catch of wind. Her skin felt sticky, but at this point, it has become a reality she’s gotten used to being.
The garden was planted by the late late queen. When this was still a small kingdom. The mother of the Slave King was kind they said. She protected her children despite having a Draconi mate who hated her. Eitr’s grandfather was a wicked man who didn’t like the fated queen. He locked her in a palace and tied her to the bed, while he took another queen. The cruel stepmother, who casted Eitr’s father to a country that took in slaves.
The garden in front of her window was the garden that locked queen adored. It was the only freedom she could see from her window. The only garden that Eitr’s father kept and didn’t burn to the ground the moment he sat on the throne.
A small rapt on the door took her attention.
“Your highness, they have followed your orders.” Feina slightly bowed and opened the door for her.
“Thank you Feina.” She pulled herself off the window and headed towards the hall. She paused to look at Feina closely. “Didn’t I tell you to sleep well? you look like you’re losing even more sleep.”
The maid’s head bowed lower. “Forgive me, your highness.”
“Feina,” She sighed. “What’s troubling you? We are almost heading to peace.”
With shaky hands and an even shaky breath, she looked at Sileas and met her eyes, the tall tamer looked incredibly terrified. “I… know of your correspondence with the Emperor. He… means to kill you the moment he comes back.”
“Wh…ho—” She breathed in deeply. Shocked stilling her words and dying on her tongue. Feina must have seen the letters from her trash. She should have burned them, but it seemed cruel to do so. “Feina,” She gently said. Touching her chin and guiding her to look at her. “The Emperor owns everything in this palace, especially me, but the moment he does what he wants with me, then I am free.” She smiled. “I hope that you find enough courage in you to take any freedom in this life. Do not be sad for me.”
Feina’s eyes filled with tears. “But… you did nothing wrong, madam. You have done the work of ten clerks and scribes. You… you care more than the Emperor.”
“No, I do not.” She softly chided. “Don’t ever say that in front of me or the Emperor. He cares in his own way, and I care if you keep your tongue.”
Feina nods fervently and bowed. “Forgive me your highness.”
Sileas sighed. Looking around to make sure that there wasn’t anyone listening then tapping on Feina’s shoulder. “Stand up. Just don’t say those things again. The Emperor is doing his job. He cares about the future of this Imperial country.”
“yes, your highness.”
“Good. Get me some refreshments in the garden.” Sileas rubbed Feina’s shoulder. The leather material of her servant’s uniform felt like scales in her touch. She stared at it intensely and saw that it was actually dragon leather. “Meet me there.”
The Queen’s Garden, as it is befittingly called, is home to an array of hydrangeas. Pink and white they littered the whole grounds with their scent and colors. Lotir once told her the story of how when Eitr was young, he would run around this very garden with their mother, and she would often have this look in her face as if that was a lifetime ago instead a few years ago.
She took off her slippers and felt the cold ground on the soles of her feet. Felt the dirt between her toes and languished in the cold air. She avoided the stone path and continued to walk around barefoot and in her underclothes in the garden.
“Freedom like this” she wondered out loud. “I would never enjoy in that mansion.”
How long has it been since she felt dirt? Her grandmother hated plants due to her allergies and could only stand green lawns. Not even Apple trees were allowed to exist in the near vicinity of the mansion, and the old woman didn’t like the falling leaves.
Her father on the other hand adored flowers. Sileas remembered that her father would always pick flowers for her mother and adorn every room with it, her mother plants them, but her father would adore them.
“What the fuck are you doing?!”
The sound of his voice made her jump. She whirled behind her and saw the Emperor in his glistening dark knight’s armor with clawed hands and horned shoulders. Dirty and dark water dripped from his claws, and seem to stain the path.
“Your Imperial highness,” She bowed deeply. Ignoring the wind as it whipped her hair into disarraw. “I didn’t know you were coming home tonight.”
“How long have you shown yourselves like this? Do you want tongues to wag and be called a lunatic? Ah! But you are one! What’s more befitting for a mad Emperor is a lunatic Empress!” He grabbed her shoulders and made her face his helmetless head. The stench of iron and something rotten reached her nose. “You indecent—”
“I am doing nothing indecent.” Her cold voice cut through his hazy rage. She met his eyes with the coldest balm against his heated glare. “I am like your mother, but without any gifts. I am human in all aspect and do not feel cold when everything is incredibly hot. The palace is boiling me inside out and I need to be in my chemise to be comfortable. I ordered the men in this wing to transfer for a moment. I am not being indecent for the sake of things. You can ask Lotir about this as she recommended this to me.”
His eye twitched. Slowly his breathing started to ease and soon the look of confusion overtook his features. He looked at her body from toe to the tips of her head and seemed content. Taking a step back and turning away without another word.
Death. Is. Here. her heart drummed.
Not in fear but in actual mortification. Her cheeks blushed and her body warmed as she touched her cheeks and tried to calm her nerves.
She touched her shoulders and felt something slimy on her skin. She looked at her fingertips and saw blood. Dark congealed blood. It stained on her skin and the sleeves of her chemise.
He had just come from the front lines it seemed. She hurried to get her slippers and walk back to the palace. She saw Feina running towards her direction with a robe.
“Your highness, his h—”
“I know” SIleas smiled. Patting the taller woman’s head to calm her down. “He’s here and I need to dress for dinner to meet him.”
“Yes, yes,” She tried to catch her breath. “Did he—”
“I’m alive.” Sileas patted the red faced servant. “That’s all we need to know.”
After the bath, she stared at herself through her reflection. There were still red marks on her shoulder from the way he held her, the brute strength it took to leave marks on my body would have been immense. It was the one saving grace this very human body was that she’s hearty and hale. It took a lot for her to get sick even though her grandparents spread rumors of the opposite.
The social circle frequently heard about her always getting sick and summoned doctors to keep up appearances. But those doctors were paid to see if there was anything extraordinary about her as her grandparents hoped that she had some of the abilities as Eitr’s mother and his sister.
Controlling flames was not for her, the gift skipped her, but it did give her this incredibly healthy body. With a few rubbing, the marks on her shoulders quickly faded. Feina barely noticed it as she watched her bathe and dressed her up for tonight’s dinner.
“the dress truly suits you” Feina smiled at her through the mirror.
She smiled back. “Thank you. It was a dress given to me by my mother.”
“It’s truly beautiful your highness.”
“I heard that Lotir would be joining our dinner. Is that right?”
“Yes, my empress.” She nodded. Relief clear in her face. “She would be accompanying you in welcoming the Emperor for tonight.”
Sileas nodded thoughtfully.
She realized as of late that Lotir intends to quell her brother’s violent tendencies. The night of her wedding night was an example, and for days she was asked to go back to her estate and do her duties there, but she never left Sileas side.
But she did keep her distance and did her work inside the palace, but they only ate breakfast together since Lotir doesn’t eat dinner. Making her intentions clear now.
She felt a sudden surge of affection for Lotir and respect.
“Let’s go”
Feina opened the door for her as she stood from the dressing table. She pulled at her mother’s sage green dress with the long sleeves and detailed embroidery of all her favorite flowers. It was the only dress she has that was given by her mother.
In the dining hall, the long and incredibly ostentatious table was only filled with three plates. Lotir was already seated on the middle and on the other head was Eitr. She was the only one remaining and quickly bowed to the Emperor.
“I greet the Sun and Dragon of Dracone.” She greeted.
“Sit” He ordered.
“Yes, don’t be so stifling.” Lotir waved her hand. “We just sat.”
“I truly apologize for being late.”
“No, you were on time.” Lotir smiled. Still in her trousers and light bloused. Incredibly casual from what she and the emperor were wearing. “So, brother, welcome back”
Eitr barely looked at the both of them and stared at the wine on his hand as if it was the most interesting thing on the table. “Thank you Lotir.”
“How was the front lines? Did you visit mother and father in the south?”
He nods. “it was fine and they are as well. Mother continues to fret.”
“And father?”
“The same” he soberly said before finishing up his glass and tapping for another one. “What have you been doing in my absence?”
The question wasn’t directed at Lotir, he didn’t need to look at her for her to know.
“I have done some administrative work in my office.” She answered just as the first course of their dinner arrived and were expertly served in front of them.
He nodded thoughtfully. Eyes still staring at the wine.
Lotir raised a brow towards her brother before turning to the other side and looked at Sileas. “How was it? I heard you were busy with the problems in the south.”
“Ah, yes, the plague.” She smiled unknowingly. “It took a few days to resolve, but it was more of an administrative problem than a medicine problem.”
The moment she finished speaking. He scraped his chair back loudly and left. Leaving Lotir and her on their own in the large dining hall.
Lotir breathed out a sigh of relief. “He’s in a good mood.”
“That’s… a good mood?” She asked.
“Pretty much.” Lotir took her plate and moved to sit beside her. “I heard you two had an encounter in the garden.”
She nodded. “It was… shocking. I thought I was alone and that he won’t be back till a few days.”
“You’re right. He shouldn’t have been back, but it is strange he came back home so early.” She quickly ate through her first course. “He used to detest coming home and would drag his feet.”
Sileas licked her lips and tried to catch up with Lotir’s eating. “He hates that palace that much?”
“Pretty much. I guess, there is another reason why he’s so excited to come back.” Lotir smiled. “he must have missed me.”
Sileas laughed. “I would miss you as well.”
“This is why I asked my mother for a sister for the longest time.” Lotir dramatically sighed. “Don’t eat too fast or you’d get a tummy ache.”
“Don’t worry about me.” She licked her lips and tasted the meat. “I rarely get sick.”