14

The tiny information makes me want to puke and feel the dizziness in my system. For the past few days, I have become hostile while thinking about what I am supposed to do. The day of my marriage is getting near, and the emperor's warning is not helping me calm down and act accordingly.

Emperor's obsession with his curse is getting worse, and he is resisting daily. Even though I already put him under my curse, he can undo it slowly, not totally, but there's progress on how he acts, and it's not safe for me.

I feel trapped once he finally undo it, and my curse won't work with him anymore.

I didn't notice that the tea went cold, and the book that I am supposed to read turn the page by itself.

I'm out of focus, even my education, I can't learn that well, because 9f pressure from what the emperor Blake said last time.

His warning, it's making me feel insane and unstable, I have to focus, because if I didn't, I will lose and he will definitely throw my head at my father's throne.

"Is there something that's bothering you, her majesty?" I looked at Critesa and took a deep breath, hesitating if I will answer her question or just make an excuse why I looked bothered right now.

"You can rest for today if you're tired. I noticed lately that you can't focus." I put down the book and smile politely.

"I'm kind of occupied lately, maybe I need to rest, but also. I am worried about Prince Kier, is he avoiding me?" Lady Critesa pour some tea at my tea cup and pause for a while.

"I heard he's busy, doing the errands that the emperor should do. Emperor Blake can't travel lately, because the wedding is near." I lean back on the sofa and trying to find a comfortable spot.

Maybe that's true, and he's not also obligated to report what he will do, but I don't know why I feel there's something wrong.

A soft knock at my door makes us stop talking, the guard is waiting at the door.

"Go on." Lady Critesa stood up, went beside me and watch the guard kneel.

"Her royal highness of Drivike, I have a report of Prince Kier's situation." I slowly looked at the guard holding a letter, and he kneeled and offered the letter to me. At first, I am hesitant to accept the letter because that might be bad news for me, but on the other hand, I want to read it.

I took a deeo breath first accepting the letter.

"It's good to see you were working hard for the Empire of Gribe. You may go." I waved my hand and watched him get out of my room.

I slowly ripped the envelope, and the letter was from Prince Kier, telling that he won't be here for his brother's wedding because his mission was more important than the emperor's wedding.

My forehead creased, how is that even possible?

And I find it suspicious that Prince Kier never talked to me in this manner, and he said that he was happy about his brother's wedding and excited about the ceremony, and now he is not attending. I find it unusual for me.

He can't stop talking about the wedding, what his plan at the wedding day, and the presents that he prepared for his brother's special day.

At the same time, I feel sad because Prince Kier is one of the few people I trust here, and I don't know if I dare confess my mistakes by putting a curse on his brother, the emperor.

"Her royal highness, I have this herbals, q present for you, I heard that you're fond into medical herbals, I hope it will bring entertainment to you." Lady Critesa put down the box and bow her head.

"I really appreciate everything that you gave, and I assure you that I will enjoy doing medicines here while I don't have my own medicinal room." I caress the box and lady Critesa left the room.

Now, I am alone at my room again. I checked the herbals, and all of them are complete, from the book of herbals and medicine that I used to read.

The evening is near, the sun is setting down, and the moon is starting to rise. My energy from meeting the emperor for dinner for the past few days makes me weak. And they forbid me to enter the sacred place that Prince Kier introduced to me, where I can heal because my mana is almost draining.

I know that it's the emperor Blake who instruct his people, if I didn't replenish my mana, he's capable of overcoming the curse.

I took a deep breath and caressed my hair while looking at the people above me, busy with their chores before the evening started.

A breeze from my balcony makes me feel relaxed for a mean time.

I wonder what my father thinks if the emperor died, what will happen to me after that.

If I vanish at this empire, the people will suspect me, but if I stay here, I'm not useful. I can't marry the next line in throne, that's literally disgusting.

A lot of servants are busy, cleaning the garden below my balcony, and I remember Akeldama, I wonder how he managed to sneak around at the palace.

The big tree in front of my balcony, he's the only person that reminds me off when I saw the big tree.

A loud knock makes me look at the door, and the maid is kneeling at the entrance of my room after opening the door.

I look how the door open and I walk around.

"Princess Delaney, the emperor wants to share the delicious dinner with you." I sat at the edge of my bed and took a deep breath for the second time.

I am tired and fighting silently with the emperor, the most powerful man in this empire.

I don't have enough energy for today, and whatever he's planning tonight, I don't care about it.

"Sorry, I don't want to eat with the emperor, my head feels heavy, and I will sleep early tonight." She looked at me with a questioning look. I want to ask the mere servant why she react that way, but I am not in the mood to start a scene.

"Bring my dinner here. I will rest early tonight," I said, and the maid bowed her head before leaving. I know that many people don't like me here to become an empress of the Gribe empire.

They have no choice, even I am a abandoned princess at the Drivike empire, I still hold the title of Princess.

As Lady Critesa said, they won't like me at all because they think I am lacking and incapable of ruling the empire. I will be the weak spot of an emperor.

But I am still doubting that I will make it alive until the day of my marriage. I am just a disposable princess, the replacement of the beloved daughter of Emperor Divino.

The food came into my room quickly, and I instructed the servants that I wanted my night to become peaceful. I don't want anyone to disturb my rest.

The food looks good, and there's a lot if it.

I want a peaceful night, and now I can finally have the peace I wish to.

"This can wait. I'll rest now." I put away the book and drank some water while tasting each food they gave me for dinner.

It's hard to chew, and I feel that I am not comfortable, like something terrible will happen tonight.

But the food taste good, maybe I am just overthinking my situation, all I gotta do tonight is rest, relax and find a better plan before the emperor finally undo the curse.

I need to stay alert, but while I am convincing myself to stay up, loud sounds outside my room make me stand up, and a groan of a familiar voice makes me open the door and see if there is someone outside.

But there's no guard, and a man wearing a black robe is sitting on the dark side of the hallway, and I gasped when I recognized his face.

I can't help but to covered my mouth, to avoid noise and not to caught the attention of the guards.

"Prince Kier!" I hissed, and he covered my mouth, again and walked inside my room, still covering my mouth and didn't make a sound when he closed the door of my room.

I gasped once again when Prince Kier slowly removed his robe and revealed some bruises on his body that made me terrified.

How it happened, he's the prince of this empire, brother of the emperor.

"Who did this to you?" I asked and grabbed my robe. "I need to report this to your brother; someone wants you dead." Prince Kier held my wrist and shook his head. Gasping for some air and trying to calm me down.

"No, don't report my situation because my brother want me dead." My jaw dropped when he said that, and I kneeled in front of Prince Kier, helping him to remove his shirt, and I hurriedly ran to get some clean water that was good for drinking.

It's good that I have a few herbals here, a gift from Lady Critesa that she just gave earlier.

"How sure you are that the emperor wants you dead?" While cleaning his wounds, I asked Prince Kier, and I remembered that I had some medicines I used to apply when Sir William was injured, like Prince Kier.

I am focused on putting the herbals, trying to calm down, because it seems that any minute, I'll cry because of how deep his wound.

He's lucky, Prince Kier is not dead even the wounds is serious.

"I heard that some of the Nobles are putting some malice on our relationship and spreading false information that I am trying to have an affair with you." I dropped the towel and slowly walked back.

As what I've expected, they're using me and Kier on their plans, how dirty are they!

"N-no, it's nothing, I swear, it's just them; you're not the problem here. The nobility is trying to put me down because they know what I am capable of, and I am not interested in dethroning my brother. They want to use me for their hidden agenda." I slowly wipe my tears and continue to clean his wounds.

My hands are shaking, I can't help but to become emotional now.

I feel bad for Prince Kier. The nobility now in Gribe is using me for their propaganda.

"I can't communicate with Lady Critesa and to his father. You're my only hope now, Princess Delaney; help me to hide because that is all I can do now. Run away and hide under the shadow while my name is tainted." I nod and hold Prince Kier's hand.

"Lady Critesa's father are one of my loyal people, but you must be careful, all of the servants and the guards here are under control of my brother now, and I also heard that he's planning to do something that will harm you." I anticipate that.

"I'll do my best to help you, don't worry."

I hold Prince Kier's hand and give him some water, while I am still putting the herb at his wounds.

"For a while, just be careful. I can't stay here, and please, if my brother do something horrible to you, I won't tolerate it. I'll help you to run away from here, because I know that you also don't want this political marriage." I stopped putting the herbs and put some bandage to the wounds.

"You're right, but I have no choice. Even I tried to decline, my father never consider what I feel, because I am just a disposable to my empire, being princess of Drivike is just a title." I look away and got the robe, helped Kier to wear it.

"But you know, one day. I'll do what makes me feel happy, and I will become happy without hesitation."