16

This is the day of my marriage, this might be my last day. Because at the moment that I finally became an empress, the emperor can fully manipulate the situation. Because I am no longer under the protection of my father, and will hold a new title, not a princess anymore.

A whole new world for me to adjust, and my education for being an empress is not enough. People will take advantage of me, for sure. But I gotta act and think smartly now.

"Your highness, are you ready to take a bath?" The servant is standing behind me, while I am sitting at the vanity table, combing my hair and appreciating my soft features.

I am kind of disappointed, I should wear some eye silk, in order to avoid cursing people. Why I am always at the position where I have to adjust for their safety? Am I really a harm to people?

Why they can't see that I also want to live peacefully, and in harmony with them.

"I want Critesa to bathe me," I said, and I saw how her eyes roll, because she want to sabotage me at my own wedding? This people really makes my blood boil, annoyed me and bring the worst mood to me.

Once that I become empress, I really won't allow them to act disrespectfully to me, I swear to myself.

But the real question here is, can I make it alive today? I am not sure if I will become an empress.

"Lady Critesa said that she will be late, because of her father." Why this servants are trying to insist that they need to bathe me.

"I only want Critesa to bathe me, that's final." I said in low and dangerous tune. The servant went pale when she heard me declined, if I don't want to, I wouldn't do it.

I still have my own decisions, and they are just a servants, I am still a princess even my family didn't treat me right.

"A-as you wish, your highness." I am pissed, I slowly removed my eye silk, and she started to panicked, running away from me and slowly close the door.

I looked at my whole face, womdering why other people didn't get cursed, like Sir William.

And the emperor, he's under my curse. But I have to know what is the origin of my curse.

I twitched when the door of my balcony creek slowly, I stood up and saw Prince Kier. Wearing a robe and smile sweetly.

I smiled back, walk to the door and lock it. To ensure that no one will see Kier here at my room.

"You're getting married anytime, are you nervous?" Prince Kier said, and handed me the flowers and jewelries.

I gladly accept the presents and appreciate them all while Prince Kier is looking at me.

"Yes, I hope I can run away now and ditch the wedding ceremony, because I know that they will take advantage of my position." I looked at Kier, and I saw a glint of sadness to his eyes, but he still managed to smile to me.

"Everything will be better soon, and once that my issue with my brother is fixed, I will help you with my strength." Prince Kier patted my hair and I excitedly went to the vanity mirror, tried the jewelries.

"Rubies suits on you, I knew it." Prince Kier helped me to wear the ruby necklace.

Kier is looking behind my back, smiling from ear to ear when he saw that the ruby necklace perfectly fits with my neck.

"I hope that they can see your whole face, without the eye silk, because they deserve to see how gorgeous the empress is," Prince Kier said and I just chuckled on what he said.

"I don't know if I will believe you or not, but I really appreciate the presents, I am kind of sad that you won't attend the celebration, because you're hiding, I really hate those nobles that set us up to their malicious plan," I cussed and he just shrug his shoulder.

"Let them, at least we both know that we didn't do anything bad behind Blake's back, right?" I nod slowly and toches the bracelet.

"My intention are always pure and will remain pure." I proudly said before tucking my hair behind my ear.

"I'm happy that my brother is so lucky to have someone like you, I hope he see what's within you and your insights about things." Prince Kier kneel in front of me and hold my hand, I keep my smile to him.

"I'm always here for you, to support you and do anything that I can, just because it's you." Prince Kier kissed the back of my hand and I chuckled.

"You're so dramatic, you will be back here, soon. So don't act like you're going to hide forever." I rolled my eyes and said that.

"I hope, I can as soon. But there's a lot of things that I should settle, so please while I am not around, be careful and take care of yourself while I am not here." I nod and I can feel the heaviness of his stares.

"Why you're acting like you're biding your goodbye to me, are you leaving?" I asked and Prince Kier showed his half smile and look away.

Why? Does it mean that he's really leaving the empire?

I feel that he's not going to see me anymore, and I feel sad that he's doing this, Kier is leaving and it's just because of baseless accusations and humor.

"Please, don't. If you vanish here, that means the humor is true, so don't go and stay here." Prince Kier shook his head.

"It's for your safety, because if I stay here, you will be their target since I can take care and help myself on my own, unlike you. All you have is me, and Critesa."

"That's the point, I only have you here beside me but look at you now, leaving and saying goodbye to me." I distanced my hand to Kier's hand and stand up.

"Just leave already, you're making my chest heavy by saying goodbye in this way, just go and leave Kier. I thought you're someone that I can lean on, but I am wrong, you're just the same as other people." Kier is about to talk when someone knocked at the door, and its Critesa's voice.

"Princess Delaney, it's time for preparation." I looked at Prince Kier and show my sad and disappointed reaction.

"Leave, I'm going to prepare now." I didn't look back and walk to the door and unlocked it. When I look behind me, Prince Kier is gone now.

I felt the heaviness and I didn't notice that a tear run down to my cheeks, and when Lady Critesa saw my face, her smile fades and locked the door automatically.

"Her majesty, why you're crying? Aren't you happy that the marriage day is here?" I gently shook my head and look away.

Why I feel this way? This is really heavy, and indeed an disappointment.

"I don't know, I am nervous and those servants are trying to bathe me even I already decline because I am asking that I want you, only you to prepare at my wedding day." I saw how Lady Critesa's reaction changed, and she looked at the door.

"As what I expected, even at your wedding day, they are trying to sabotage you, just tell mw who's the servant that disrespected you, and I'll do my all might to take care of it. I'm so sorry that I am late, your highness." Lady Critesa kneeled, showing respect to me.

"Thank you, you're always here. Please don't leave me, and whenever happened, please be with me?"

I just feel that Critesa is a friend of mine, not a lady in waiting. She's nice, and I hope that this time, the person that I am trusting is a real one.

"I won't, as what I swore, I will always be your loyal lady in waiting, and my job is ti fulfill anything that you need with all of my might." I can't help but to kneel and hug her tight, burried my face to Critesa's shoulder and cry.

I hope she won't leave, I hope she will remain as what she promised. I hope everything will be alright.

"Don't cry, princess Delaney. Your eyes might get swollen if you cry in that way, let's prepare all you need, before the gown arrives." I nod slowly and Lady Criseta helped me to stand up, we went to the bathroom, and there's a milk bath at the bathtub.

I slowly removed my dress and tighten the eye silk, before dripping my foot, until my whole body.

Lady Critesa went behind me, wash my hair while I am laying at the edge of bathtub.

"I heard Prince Kier's voice lately, or it's just my imagination?" I didn't answer or talk at what Lady Criseta said, and act like dumb.

"I hope he's safe, my father said that his majesty is hiding right now, that's the safest decision, even it's hard. The nobility never stop to break the royal family, and use that as an opportunity to get them on top, once the emperor is alone." I took a deep breath and look at Lady Criseta.

"Look, he's here and biding his goodbye, leaving the presents to my wedding, Prince Kier and I have a misunderstanding until you knocked lately." I saw how shocked she is when I said that and I lean back again to the bathtub.

"I feel bad for the prince, he's always be the number one supporter of his brother, but they always did is to break the relationship of those two. I hope the emperor Blake notices that the Prince's intension are pure." Lady Critesa and I took a deep breath and I looked at the ceiling of the bathroom.

My forehead creased, noticed Akeldama at the ceiling, I know it's him, his presence.

I also feel the uneasy feeling that Lady Criseta feels, I saw it by the way she talked and moves.

"I'm washing your hair now." I closed my eyes and wait for the water to feel at my scalp.

"I will make sure that you will glow later, and the people of Gribe will be thankful to see how beautiful the empress is." I can feel how excited and eager she is when she said that.

"Thank you, for always taking care of me, and helping me to become a better empress of this empire. I truly appreciate that, Lady Criseta." I said and when she's done at washing my hair, I slowly stand up.

A robe touched my skin, and I walk out of the bathroom.

The thin inner clothes, drying my hair while I am sitting at the vanity mirror.

The corset, I demanded that it shouldn't be that tight, because I'm having a hard time to breath, and Critesa did what I request.

While she's drying my hair, the gown arrives at the room, and it's all white. The accessories was delivered as well, but I am looking at the accessories that Prince Kier gave.

"I won't use the accessories that you delivered, I want to wear this one." I pointed out the rubies, and they are all look pale.

"But this is the original plan, uer majesty. The emperor Blake might get mad if you wear a different jewelry—"

"So, you're disobeying me?" They can't talk when I said that with my low and serious tune.

"He won't notice that, and if that's what I want, I will wear it." They all bow their heads when I look at them.

"We understand, your majesty." Critesa fixed my hair, curl the end of my hair, they put some lotion to soften my skin and applying the make-up to my face.

I watched them while helping me to wear the gown, it's perfectly fits to my body.

At the moment that they're all finished to button all and to wear the veil, I looked perfect with this gown.

"My wife, I'm excited to see you walk down the aisle." I looked behind me, and the emperor was there, smiling from ear to ear.

Now, I am even more nervous.