The Solitude of an Emperor [TO BE UNPUBLISHED]

18 : The Travel

With Alluka escorting Princess Darya to the secret escaping passage of the Imperial Palace, to the tunnel, she wore her hood to hide her identity upon entering it.

"Are you sure to not take me with you, your highness?" Alluka had been asking her this, three times now.

"I told you, I would leave with Sir Theobarlt, only Sir Theobarlt, Alluka." She answered the same, three times now.

"You have only met Sir Theobarlt just five times and you are already entrusting your life to him instead of me who had been with you for ten years-

"Stop being a child, Alluka."

"Are you throwing me away, your highness?" Alluka started sulking. "Did you get tired of my handsome face or- maybe you like Sir Theobarlt's face more than mine?"

"I cannot deny that." She admitted it, nonchalantly, surprising Alluka after hearing her reaction.

"What? So you admit that he is more handsome than me?"

She chuckled because he sounded like a kid, "I did not say anything, Alluka."

They have finally come out the tunnel where they saw Sir Theobarlt waiting outside with a horse. Upon seeing him, Princess Darya commanded her horse to go closer to him, faster, leaving Alluka behind.

"It is good to see you, again, Sir Theo."

Sir Theobarlt got alerted by the sudden nickname but he stayed in pace. "I am grateful to have seen you again, your highness." Sir Theobarlt lowered his head to greet her.

"Call me Lysandra."

Sir Theobarlt flinched there as he felt the beating of his heart. He felt like his heart was knocked open. His face became red but thanks to his hair, no one will realize that.

"It would be an honour to have called you such a name but this lowly servant does not deserve to call you such." Lysandra, Lysandra, he will never forget that name from now on.

"Who told you that you are lowly? You are a Captain now."

"W-What?" Sir Theobarlt's eyes went wide.

"Apologies," Alluka who heard what Princess Darya said, stated. "I have forgotten to inform you about it, Sir Theobarlt. It is my mistake to have not told you that I have put your name as the Captain of the Gates after the former Captain got sentenced to a lifetime imprisonment." Alluka proceeded to explain.

"The knighthood asked me to decide who must be appointed as the next Captain of the Gates. As a knight who had witnessed your exceptional talent and strategic skills, you are the most suitable Captain I could ever think of. Please tell me if you have concerns so I could make adjustments."

Sir Theobarlt got silenced. In fact, he does not know how to react after getting such an offer that he loathed all his life. He never dreamt of going into a higher rank despite all his comrades' encouragement. However, since he had met Princess Darya, he had finally woken up from his extreme prejudice. And because he met her and secretly made a promise of being by her side, he wanted to be someone who can stand beside her. He wants to be a person who deserves to be beside her. And that is why he turned his gaze to Princess Darya who seemed to be genuinely proud of him, like he is someone she really likes to be given this title.

He found himself sighing in giving up all his past prejudice and opinions. He found himself choosing a different path that will change him for the rest of his life.

"I have no concerns, Sir Alluka."

Upon hearing no complaints, Princess Darya clapped her hands to Sir Theobarlt's achievement. "Congratulations, Captain Theobarlt! I am so happy for you."

While looking at Princess Darya's genuine happiness, inadvertently, a smile formed in his lips as his heart melted faster than an ice melting from extreme heat. This is his first time to feel like he is worth his position, like he is someone who can stand by her side. Just the Princess clapping for his achievement, it is enough to hold no celebration.

During their alone time while travelling across town to town, Captain Theobarlt was still unable to process that he had become a Captain, one of the prestigious positions in the nobility. As an ordinary knight whose position is to the lowest, he was thinking how he would face his friends and how he would manage a large number of knights. He is now one of the Five Captains of the Largoth Empire. Each Captain has at least one hundred knights to manage and lead. They also have specific stations and specific training grounds. Now that he had become the Captain of the Gates, he had replaced Captain Warron, his superior.

Captain Warron should have not become the Captain of the Gates from the first place but he was a son of a noble which is why he was appointed as the one who will guard the gates of the Imperial Palace walls. Their team was assigned to guard the outer walls where the capital city was located. They guard the city and maintain peace and order. Captain Theobarlt was just an ordinary knight who patrols every morning and late at night. He had no interest in knowing Captain Warron's dirty work since all he knew about him was his tyranny and his hobby of bringing different women every week. He was just an ordinary knight who followed the command of the higher ups.

Captain Theobarlt came to his senses after feeling a cold temperature on his left cheek. He looked at Princess Darya who just pushed the glass of wine to his cheek. She was offering him that drink.

"You should cool down your head. You have been thinking too much." She smiled.

He inadvertently accepted the drink. "Thank you, your high-"

"Shh." Princess Darya put her fore finger to his lips, signalling him to hush.

So then, he realized that they are actually in a small inn where they will stay for the night. He looked at the surroundings and there were almost all men who are also drinking loudly. He drank what Princess Darya offered him and regretted it later. Now, he is swinging and his vision is spinning and blurry. Where is he? And what is he doing?

Meanwhile, Princess Darya could only guide Captain Theobarlt so he could walk. She never thought that he would be this drunk after just one glass. It was such a bad idea to offer him a drink as she thought that he might be a heavy drinker. As for her, she only drank water because her body is still young for an alcoholic drink.

She dropped Captain Theobarlt's body to the single bed of the room she rented for the night. She then let out a sigh of relief after exerting so much strength to control him all the way to the room. He is so heavy for her teen-aged body to carry. So then, somehow, she ended up staring at his face and had the urge to move the hair that is covering his closed eyes. But then, she chose not to since she already knew that he had red eyes.

One thing that is confusing her all this time when he is around Captain Theobarlt is because... she is too comfortable around him. Is it because he is the only person who was able to make her feel something in two lifetimes? Is it because she can be reassured that he is someone who can be by her side? It does not make sense that she is too attached to him and it is not because she can make use of him in the future but because of something unknown. What is it?

Princess Darya sighed and just went to the next room to stay the night. Upon lying to the bed, she thought about what she had seen a while ago. She saw... the seven year old Lorenzo, Esteban's son.

***
END OF CHAPTER 18
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