The Abandoned Empress

As Duke Lars descended down the platform, instead of the High Priest stepped forward to the altar, dragging his long hair on the floor. The symbol of Vita, embroidered on a green cloak, danced splendidly in accordance with his movement.

“May the end of life and the blessing of rest be with you! Father of Life, God Vitasi, May comfort and rest for Mircan Lu Shana Castina who took care of your children … ”

While the High Priest recited the prayers of rest for the late emperor and blessings for the new emperor, I looked at the new emperor with my hands resting on my chest. I couldn’t take my eyes off him who looked very sad.

“… May the late emperor rest in peace, and the blessing of Vita be bestowed on the new emperor! ”

When the High Priest was done praying, a requiem rang through the temple again. The royal knights who approached the altar carried the coffin on their shoulders. The procession passed out of the huge hall following the High Priest holding the symbol of Vita in one hand, and the top priests. The new emperor and nobles followed.

How long did I walk? All arrived at the imperial cemetery in the basement of Sanctus Vita.

When the late emperor was enshrined in the ornately decorated stone coffin, and the High Priest and the top priests sprinkled holy water and chanted prayers, the state funeral process was all over.

After showing due manners to the new emperor who remained silent all along, all the nobles, including me, stepped out of the cemetery, leaving him alone.

I hesitated alone among the nobles who climbed the stairs, whispering among themselves. I didn’t feel good because I was bothered by the new emperor.

“Oh, you are here, Tia.”

“…Daddy.”

Hesitating to climb the stairs for a long time, I came to my senses at my father’s voice.

His dark blue subdued eyes looked at me anxiously.

“I’ve been looking for you as I did n’t know where you were. Do you have anything to do here?”

“Oh, no.”

“Then let’s go back.”

“Yes, Daddy.”

I climbed the stairs, looking back. As I stepped on the last staircase, I suddenly recalled the crown prince when he ordered a funeral preparation on the day of the emperor’s death.

That day, none of the people who came to see the emperor for the last time might have noticed his emptiness. When I, who isn’t tied directly to the late emperor by blood, am so sad, how hard it is for him now! Because of his status as the new emperor, he wouldn’t be able to express his sadness openly, so he would be sitting alone and swallowing up sadness. The ruler is supposed to be like that by nature.

The moment I recalled his navy blue eyes, I found myself walking back downstairs.

After saying I was sorry to my father, who called me with a surprised voice, I ran down, grabbing the hem of my skirt.

Some royal knights stood at the entrance of the Imperial Cemetery, but they gave me a pass without stopping me. Thanks to this, I could step inside relatively easily.

When I looked around, gasping for breath, I saw a young man sitting in front of the sarcophagus of the late emperor and looking at it.

“Your Majesty!”

“…”

“Your Majesty!”

“… Aristia? ”

He was not a man who responded slowly, but this time he turned around slowly after I called him twice. At that moment, my heart sank.

His navy blue eyes were empty as expected.

“Why did you come here? Why don’t you go back and take a rest?”

“Your Majesty.”

“Oh, look at your dress. Your hat is about to fall off.”

When he said that lightly, unlike the old him who always buried his feelings, I felt heartbroken. Obviously, he was so stricken by the sorrow of losing his father that he forgot the imperial etiquette deeply embedded in his mind. He was a man who knew how to control his words all the time. As he was in a position to take responsibility for each of his trifling words and actions, he always refined his thoughts and expressed them in well-refined words when he talked about something. He was such a man.

“Your Majesty, you called me, but you didn’t… Please come to your senses!”

Although I knew I was rude, I spoke to him loudly for the first time. But there were no feelings like surprise or anger in his navy blue eyes, which were still empty and lonely.

He looked more serious than I thought, which tore my heart out. I took a deep breath and knelt down on the floor. Then I hesitated for a moment before reaching out to him.

Was it because of my memories of him in the past? I found myself still reluctant to contact him unconsciously. It was okay for me to hold his hand for an escort or dance at official events, but I felt uneasy about contacting him physically in private places.

However, I wanted to comfort him for some reason now. I couldn’t let him crumble like this.

I hesitantly touched his fingers with my fingertips. His hand that I held first for the first time was very cold, as usual. Is it because of that? I thought I might feel creeped out, but I didn’t. Rather I felt sympathetic, I didn’t feel scared or tremble.

Now I took a little more courage and carefully wrapped his hands. When I patted the back of his hands as if to comfort him, he said with a surprised voice, “…Aristia? ”

“Your Majesty, please harden your heart!”

“… ”

“Don’t you tell me to harden my heart all the time?”

I spoke to him with a low voice. He was always a level-headed man, so I didn’t want to see him crumble helplessly.

“I know how hard it is for you now. It’s natural that you are so sad because the emperor, who was your only blood, died in Vita’s arms. ”

“… ”

“Please overcome your sorrow. The late emperor would not want you to crumble like this.”

“He would not want me…?”

While listening to me silently, he spoke in an unstable trembling voice.

“Maybe. He was only concerned about the empire even until the last moment of his life. ”

“… Your Majesty.”

“He would be more worried about the empire than me, his only son.”

“No, that’s not true. The late emperor loved you from the bottom of his heart.”

“I don’t think so. He thought of me only as his successor, and he was worried about the empire until the last moment, not trusting me.”

When I saw his wounded feelings in his eyes, I was really emotional.

‘Ah, Your Majesty. You shouldn’t think so.’

I sighed unconsciously, thinking about the late emperor.

‘Why did sadden your son who craved your love so badly? Why didn’t you love and care about him? You were so mean. Why didn’t you say some kind words to him until the last moment?’

I looked at his eyes and said, “No, the late emperor was…”

When I opened my mouth to help him clear the air, there was suddenly a loud noise from outside the cemetery.

What is going on? The owner of the voice looked like a woman, given its high tone.

Frowning his eyebrows, he stood up, raising me carefully. Then he adjusted his dress after shaking it off, and touched my hat with his soft hand.

I thanked him in a little voice and headed for the entrance to the cemetery, holding his hand.

I saw a woman bickering with the royal knight there.

“Nobody can enter here.”

“I’ve got something to tell the emperor.”

“Please speak to him later.”

“I am an official candidate for the emperor’s wife. Why do you stop me without asking the emperor?”

It was none other than Jiun and the royal knights who made the loud noise. While quarrelling with them in anger, she rejoiced to see the emperor, then frowned badly. Obviously, she saw me coming out with him side by side. Only

Regardless of her reaction, who was breathing roughly, he said to them, “We’re much delayed. Let’s go back.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

I felt a bit relieved to see him giving instructions, but he looked back at me and said, “Let’s go.”

“Pardon?”

“I said we should go back. What’s wrong?”

“Ah…it’s nothing, Your Majesty. ”

Squinting at Jiun who was staring at me sharply, I was escorted up the stairs.

My father standing at the entrance of the stairs looked at me coming out with him and frowned a bit. After a while, he said to my father who bowed silently, “Marquis, may I talk to her for a moment?”