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The Empty Chair
Last Updated:
2024-04-07 19:29:40
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Will Bear the Moon Something is Fundamentally Wrong
*King Alexander* Alexander washed his hands in the icy water before drying them. He could feel Johan waiting behind him. But Alexander needed a moment to steady himself. “Is it all true?” Alexander finally spoke, watching the water in the basin bowl settle. His face looked up at him, suddenly years older. The grays in his beard seemed to have multiples in the very day. “Johan?” Alexander looked over to see his old friend. “Tell me.” “Her Majesty Hildenberg is right.” Johan went to make Alexander wince. “God.” “It’s worse.” “What could be worse?” Alexander was already in disbelief as it was. He had already seen and heard enough to be more than troubled. “What’s possibly worse?” How has Ana been able to survive this long on her own? It made Alexander more depressed the longer he thought about it. “Those rumors are back.” Johan went. “What rumors?” Alexander turned to see Johan only looking at him ”Oh,” Alexander’s stomach turned.” You mean ‘THAT ONE’ ” “That pesky rumo
Last Updated : 2024-04-12Will Bear the Moon The Coronation Dress
*Ana*“So, here it is?” I take in a deep breath and turn. “How do I look?” I would take a spin to show Father the entirety of the dress, but it is too difficult. All the jewels and embroidery make the dress heavy. Just extending my arms, I can feel the weight pull me down. All this work and the dress is still impractical. I can’t help but renew my distaste for the dress. Not only is it gaudy, but it’s not even functional, which I consider the worst sin. But I console myself that this will be the first and last time I must bear with it.It will be over soon. I keep repeating. It helps calm me down.“Papa?” I check on the uncharacteristically silent man. Father seems to be looking over the dress before reanimating. “Like a beacon of hope.” Father praises with a grand smile. “You are breathtaking.”“Papa,” I reached out to take his hands. He kissed mine before kissing my head. His beard moved the chains for my shawl as he pulled back to look down on me.“Your mother would be so proud.
Last Updated : 2024-04-12Will Bear the Moon The Coronation
*Ana*It’s finally here; I breathe and stiffen my back. It is the moment I have been waiting for. My heart is beating so fast. I barely feel my feet pick up as I step into the room.The head priest stands in the center. The old man is beyond years, and all the red in his hair has faded to white. But his eyes look over me with a cold sternness.I can almost hear him say, ‘Hurry up’ through his eyes. I would love to. But this dress is so heavy that I must pace myself or topple over. It would be better without heels. I already curse the damn footwear. But I couldn’t forgo them because the hem would be dragging. It is yet another addition that makes this dress somehow worse. I am starting to suspect this was done on purpose. Aunt Funda made the dress as uncomfortable and noxious as possible.But I won’t let it get to me. I stay focused. It’s finally here! I have to try hard to steady myself. But even with all my excitement, something lingers in my mind. “Why did he-” My lips still ting
Last Updated : 2024-04-21Will Bear the Moon State your Intentions
*Ana*It’s been a while since I’ve seen everyone in such a good mood. I think and try to remember when that was. The great hall is loud and full of excited voices. Everyone seems to be talking at once. Happy sounds surround us as we take our seats at the table. Maybe when Mykhol first came back from the academy, I recall. Yes, it’s almost the same. But this time, it’s not about him. I smile a little at the thought.“Ana?” Mykhol, meanwhile, looks up curiously.”What is it? You're smiling.” “I-” I feel my breath catch as I suddenly remember before. “It’s nothing, Cousin.” I quickly dart away to look at anything else. I must stop dwelling on it and force down the strange feeling in my stomach. “I was just admiring the room.” I avoid Mykhol to look at Aunt Funda purposely. “You did a wonderful job of decorating, Aunt.”“Ha, of course, I did.” Aunt Funda clicks her tongue and puffs up her chest in praise.” I have been slaving day and night to ensure everything goes well.”“I can see th
Last Updated : 2024-04-21Will Bear the Moon King Alexander Makes an Annoucement
*King Alexander* “I want to make an announcement.” Alexander used a strong, clear voice to make the room turn. Suddenly, Alexander could feel a thousand red eyes staring back at him. It was intense and pulled on his gut. It’s like a mouse gazing into the eyes of a snake. Alexander mused darkly. His instinct was flaring up, but he fought it back. It would only make things worse if he backed down. Most of all, Alexander didn’t want to give the satisfaction. They would like nothing better than to see Alexander cower. Even now, Alexander could see the open glares come from many. “Damn foreigner,” A low hiss rumbled across the floor as another coughed. “Just like a human, trying to steal the attention.” “Why is he even here?” Alexander looked at the mass of sour faces. So few faces looked neutral, let alone friendly, which only reaffirmed Alexander’s resolve. “Everyone,” Alexander went again, pulling on his winning smile.“ first, I propose a toast to my daughter,” Alexander motioned
Last Updated : 2024-04-21Will Bear the Moon Are You Sure
*Ana *“Papa?” I notice a change in Father, who seems to grow quiet. I follow his gaze to see Admiral Nugen leaving. Did he have business with him? “Do you need something with Admiral Nugen?” Should I call him?“What?” Father blinks like he is waking back up. “What, oh, no, nothing.” Father smiles and moves to take his wine. He reanimates as if it were nothing, but I can’t help but look over.I am too late. Admiral Nugen is long gone. Whatever Father needed, I won’t find out. But I have other things to worry about right now, like how this will work. “Are you sure about this, Papa?” I ask after recovering from the shock. Everyone else seems to be moving back to a leisurely pace. People converse or eat again. Save from Mykhol and Aunt and Uncle. They are reticent despite how loud the room is getting. Maybe they are just enjoying their food. Aunt Funda certainly worked hard enough for it. I consider watching her fiddle with her fork. She must be hungry.“How will this work? ” I look
Last Updated : 2024-04-28Will Bear the Moon Long Awaited Plans
*Ana*“This,” Father starts but then stops again as he looks over my plans; his face shifts as if he's biting his tongue. At long last, he looks up at me. “ Are you sure, daughter?”Am I sure? The words strike deep. I immediately grew alarmed.“Is something wrong with the calculations?” I’m retracing my thoughts. Did I mishandle something? Perhaps I haven't explained thoroughly enough? But I am sure I have everything done. I reviewed it more times than I can count. I’m sure I have- but if Father is having this much trouble, I must have missed something.“Give it back, and I’ll review it again-” I reach to take the papers, but Father lifts them out of reach. “No, that’s-” Father quickly shakes his head at me. “There’s nothing wrong, per se.” Father looks stumped. “How did you come up with this?”“I based it on what previous civilizations did,” I explain. I thought if it worked for them, it could work again.” At least, that is my theory. If I repeat them, I should have the same result
Last Updated : 2024-04-28Will Bear the Moon That Could Have Gone Better
*ana*Well, this is a first. I steal a look around the room. “Why is everyone quiet?” Even Mykhol is uncharacteristically quiet. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the room so silent. It is the last thing I expected. I assumed there would be questions. I was ready to answer. But they look more shocked than curious.“Speak.” I urge, looking to look at Aunt Funda and Uncle. Aunt Funda steps back out of the line of sight, leaving Uncle to take the fall. He seems to fumble but tries to start.“Your Empress…” Uncle steps with a hesitant look between Mykhol and me.“You can speak.” I encourage him with a smile. “I want to hear what you have to say.” But the smile has the opposite effect, and Uncle steps back to join his wife. “Cousin, what do you say?” I turn to Mykhol as my last resort. Mykhol pulls a misshapen smile that doesn’t seem so confident.“Anastasia, this is…” Mykhol falls off as he looks over the room and sees the same shocked faces.“Yes?” I lean in, ready to hear the first opinio
Last Updated : 2024-05-05
Latest chapter
Will Bear the Moon Chapter 36 Everybody Form A Line Prt 2
“Hidi?” But before I can have a chance to ask any further, Hidi only taps my arm, her fingertips pressing just a fraction too firmly against my sleeve."But we will talk later, as for now—" Her green eyes immediately shift to Nicoli and brighten, like lamps suddenly lit from within. The strange expression suddenly disappeared again, replaced with a mask, so perfectly that I wondered if I had seen anything at all. Her smile is bright and full, with blunt white teeth again, but something about it feels rehearsed, a performance she's put on countless times. Her attention was solely on him, her body angling toward his like a flower turning to the sun."Nicoli, did you see that? Look how helpful I am to our dear Ana." She beams, as if nothing were wrong at all, stepping slightly closer to him than necessary, her arm brushing against his in a casual gesture that somehow feels deliberate. "Our dear Ana" sits strangely in my ears, as if I'm a shared possession rather than a friend. Her voice
Will Bear the Moon Everybody Form A Line Prt I
Ana*“Please, everyone, if you would just-” But it's clear no one is listening. My voice is swallowed up by the cacophony of string instruments and the colliding conversations surging around us like crashing waves. The air thickens with perfumes and colognes—spiced amber, midnight jasmine, and something metallic that clings to the back of my throat. If I ever felt overwhelmed before a court of nobles shouting over each other after some new decree, it's nothing compared to the suffocating pressure closing in now. Actually, I think I'd prefer that over this.I don't even think my coronation was this bad. I recall that, being just a bit more orderly, the crowd maintained a respectful distance that allowed my lungs to fill properly. But then again, Mykhol was pushing them along so I could eat, right? It's a delayed shock of wisdom to realize that it was indeed helpful. I feel ashamed now that I ever thought he was being haughty at the time. He wasn't. His curt dismissals created a buffe
Will Bear the Moon Chapter 34 The Fair Trade Prt 2
Naska stared at the cup instead of taking it, more shocked than surprised at the motion. Someone poured her drink? It was indeed a first. No one had ever done anything for her. She was so used to doing everything for herself. And glancing up, the sight of who did, only made her more confused.It was one of the veiled women—a Bulgeon, a human. Her eyes lined in that inky black shadow seemed to regard her in silence just as she did. Her hand lifted the cup, steady, as if she were still waiting. Naska, not knowing what else to do, took the cup. But her eyes remained glued to the woman. Because of the veil, she couldn’t know what expression the woman was making. Was it friendly? Bitter? What did her face even look like under the cloth?Watching her, the mysterious woman moved with grace. She poured another ladle of blood, not wine, to steam against the glass. Her thin fingers peeked out of her sleeve to swipe a slice of meat to dip in, and she moved to eat under the cloth. Naska raised
Will Bear the Moon The Fair Trade Prt I
*Naska*“What a joke of a party,” Naska muttered, baring her fangs as she leaned against the wall. ”Mine will be so much better.” Her pale red eyes flickered over blue and gold streamers hanging from the center of the high ceiling with a sneer. Ugly colors, she immediately found it stupid. But not as stupid as having to sniffle every other minute. Her nose was irritated and starting to run from all the damn pine scent in the room. Each breath was like choking on a bottle of soap. From the platform near the far wall, the gentle strains of stringed instruments played a song too delicate and indistinct for her to recognize. It filled the air like perfume—pleasant to some, she supposed, but meaningless to her. Light laughter floated between the nobles, punctuated now and then by the sharp clink of crystal goblets. Beneath the noise, however, the pressure in the room was thick. Everyone waited for Her Empress to return. The tension curled under the music like smoke, unseen but unmistakab
Will Bear the Moon Chapter 32 Drinking Buddies
*Johan*As he entered the banquet hall, Johan quickly noticed quite a few things. The first was that King Alexander was nowhere to be seen, though Johan expected that. He must have still been talking with Queen Bratha.What surprised him, though, was that others were missing—two, to be exact. The handsome brunette prince was not in the banquet hall as he thought he would be, considering he did not see him in the lobby or even the line. He was gone, and neither was Ana. Who he did see was just Hidi.The giant queen stood out among the partygoers- not just because of her size. Her very presence seemed to overpower anyone who dared draw near. Those who attempted to pass her either darted their eyes down or weakly bowed before hightailing it inside. Johan could see that even that old coot kept a safe distance if anyone wanted to try to talk to her, like the ever-eager Sir Celbest.The blonde was not pleased about something, and Johan could easily see it. The girl had never been one to hi
Will Bear the Moon Chapter 31 Is This How You Like It
*Nicoli*Nicoli held onto Ana like a man gripping the edge of a cliff—tight, unyielding, unwilling to let go for even a second. The very idea of releasing her, even to their father, was absurd. No. Absolutely not.He had waited too long, ached too much, spent years longing for this moment. And now that she was finally by his side again, he refused to let anything—anyone—take her away. Not tonight. Not ever. So be it if he had to fight off the entire court to keep her close. Vampire, noble, or king, he didn’t care. He’d take them all on.She was his Anastasia. And now that they were together, everything felt right again.A rare, genuine grin tugged at his lips—one that wasn’t for show, unlike the practiced smiles he wore in Dawny. This was different. This was real.But as they moved through the white halls, his excitement warred with Ana’s slow, deliberate steps. Too slow. She still walked like an old lady.Nicoli’s muscles twitched with pent-up energy, his entire body screaming to mo
Will Bear the Moon Chapter 30 Misdirection
*Ana*My body freezes, every muscle locked in place as Nicoli leans in closer. His face is inches from mine, and I feel my breath catch, a whirlwind of confusion and anticipation racing through my mind. What is he doing? Is…he going to kiss me?But we can’t—we shouldn’t. We aren’t children anymore.As children, it was innocent. Nicoli used to kiss me on the lips, but it was always affectionate—nothing more, just like when he would hold my hand or offer a playful hug. It was natural to him, something that didn’t feel strange, something I expected from him without question. But that was then.Now, we’re adults. And that changes everything.We can’t– I try to tell myself that, but something in me hesitates, unsure whether I want him to stop or... not. I’m paralyzed, my heart beating so loudly I can hear it in my ears. As his face nears mine, I feel the world shrinks, the air around us thick with tension. A strange eagerness stirs in my chest—a warmth I don’t understand. It coils through
Will Bear the Moon Chapter 29 Interconnection
*Ana*“Nicoli–” He’s going the wrong way again. I shake my head, the soft chime of my gold chains punctuating my amusement. But he insists on leading, judging by the stubborn set of his shoulders. He’s determined to get somewhere despite having absolutely no idea where that is.For the past twenty minutes, Nicoli has forged ahead with all the confidence in the world, only to crumble in confusion when we inevitably hit another dead end or loop back to the same hall. Left, then right, then left again. Each turn is taken with steadfast determination — and each time, I have to stifle a new laugh as we encounter yet another wall.“Nicoli, just let me show you–” I try, though I’m already bracing for him to ignore me. It would be far easier if he let me lead, though. This is my palace, after all. I know the twists and turns, the subtle variations in the endless white corridors. But he seems lost in his resolve. As if doing this out of spite at the challenge and not wanting it to get the bett
Will Bear the Moon Chapter 28 Not Everyone Can Be Happy For You
*Hidi*“But, what about me–” For once in Hidi’s life, her voice was too soft to hear—lost, swallowed under the sound of laughter. Their laughter. Hidi froze, her breath caught in her chest, her words useless in the space they left behind. Her eyes only widened as she stared after them, watching–watching, but not moving in disbelief.The two of them were running, laughing, hands clasped like children lost in their own world. And she was still standing here.She blinked. Did they really just… leave me?The air seemed too still while everything else moved too fast. Nicoli had been right there. Right there. She could have reached out, close enough to brush her fingers against his sleeve. But he hadn’t even looked at her. Didn’t even voice a hello.Not once.His sapphire-blue eyes had locked onto Ana, and nothing else had mattered.For the second time.A cool flick of irritation ran beneath her ribs, lodging itself somewhere deep inside her. She knew this was their grand reunion, knew th
