The Solitude of an Emperor [TO BE UNPUBLISHED]

28 : The Colours

It is just like how it used to be, during these years, Princess Darya will call for him when she wants to rest and relax. Yes, Captain Theobarlt would sleep with the First Princess while he is holding her. The barrier between them was already gone since the day the First Princess kissed his eyes. However, this intimacy is already enough for him. As long as the First Princess keeps him by her side, he has enough.

Captain Theobarlt combed her smooth hair with his fingers as Princess Darya slept soundly in his arms. He then watched her beautiful face as he came across her lips. He found himself running his hand to her cheek and tilted his head down to kiss her lips. And just like that, he stayed in that position until he fell asleep as well.

Used to this kind of situation, Silla, her personal maid as well as personal knight went to the curtains to open it. When the sun came to light the Princess' room, Captain Theobarlt was the first one to open his eyes.

"I bet you have morning training, Sir Theobarlt." Silla stated while crossing her arms and annoyed to see these love birds early in the morning.

Captain Theobarlt gets up carefully not to wake up the First Princess but she opened her just after he stood up to leave.

"It's morning already?" The First Princess stretched out her arms, yawning.

"Yes, Your Highness. I will have my morning training so I will be leaving."

The First Princess smiled at him, "Alright. Good luck. See you soon again."

Captain Theobarlt walks to her to kiss her forehead before leaving. So then, Silla can finally breathe.

"Good morning, Your Highness!" She enthusiastically greeted her. "I have prepared your morning bath. Please tell me if you need something."

Princess Darya chuckles with Silla's energetic greetings. It's been two years since she took her in. She sent her to the Academy to learn, only to find out that she wants to be a knight. As of now, she is still training for knighthood and insisted on serving her when she is on break.

"I am good, Silla."

"You always say this when Sir Theobarlt is with you. Perks of having a good lover."

Princess Darya chuckles before going out of bed. She was then attended by her and other maids to the bath. They clothed her and designed her long hair. They braided her hair and put on flowery hairpins. They served her meal to her room and after eating, she went out to greet the Emperor.

She had a small talk with her grandfather before Duke Esteban arrived to report to the Emperor. She waited for Duke Esteban to finish his report and when he came out of the Emperor's office, he walked closer to her. He wraps his arms around her waist to embrace her.

"I have longed to see you again, my Princess." He kissed her head. "You look so beautiful today."

Princess Darya just let him be. He was so clingy before but since the time he rejected him, she noticed that he is refraining himself. He would not carelessly cling to her publicly and he does not hear him doing something to Captain Theobarlt. It might also be because she gave him a chance after rejecting him. For over two years, Duke Esteban thinks that they are 'lovers'. It is a good thing that she convinced him to propose marriage later. She just does not know how Esteban managed to control the former Duke with this plan.

She had a 'date' with Duke Esteban. He took her to the town and bought her beautiful dresses and accessories. He also took her to a good place where they can relax alone. It was up to a hill, covered with coreopsis flowers, while on their picnic blanket under the first tree, she watched Duke Garrett's face who's currently reading an educational book. While lying on his lap, she looked up to his eyes that resemble the clear blue sky above her.

Again, this question came to her. 'Why did you change?' Would he be like this if he had become this way in her first life? If he had been like this in the past, would she desire something like this revenge that is living in her heart? If he had been this good in her past life, would she ever desire to love him again?

But... where is her love for him? Where is that love that killed her before?

She secretly touched her abdomen and found herself gripping her clothes upon remembering the touch of becoming a mother that she should have felt before. She remembered that time she drank the poison served by her husband. She will never forget the sight of him with Kathika as the rulers of the Empire.

Just what made him change?

Tears started falling from her eyes and Duke Esteban saw it. He immediately put down the book he was holding. He cupped her face and wiped her tears.

"Are you alright?" He asked, worried.

"Do you..." As a woman who had her memories from her past lives, she could not help but say something. "Do you... have regrets?"

Duke Esteban froze. Fear clouded his eyes as he remembered the phases the 'god' mentioned. Why does it feel like Princess Darya is not merely asking about his regrets in this life but... it is about his past life? Does she really have memories of her past life? Just what did he do to make the First Princess cry this much? Did he ever hurt her?

Too many questions filled up his head as he was not able to say something like a mute. Because of what happened at that moment, he was not able to sleep during the night. He kept remembering the First Princess' first cry.

"Raula," somehow he felt like he needed to talk to the 'god'.

"Are you finally tired of waiting for the right time?" He heard Raula from nowhere. "Are you now going to ask me to show you a phase of your memories?"

He got silenced for a few seconds. "You..." he spoke. "What is it like to be an apostle?"

"An apostle? Hmmm. An apostle will have many lives if the god who chose them lets them. They are also able to use the power of the god who chose them."

"How do you choose an apostle?"

"We tell them through dreams and they will not be able to remember what we have talked about."

"Does that mean Princess Darya does not know she is an apostle?"

"Judging by my observation, she does not know. However... hmmm, should I tell you what I saw?"

Suddenly, he got curious. Did Raula see something through Princess Darya?

There was a long silence. "Raula?"

"I will tell you in one condition."

"What is it?"

"I want you to never tell anyone about me and the gods. Never spread any information about us. I do not want to anger the god who chose the Princess as he is among the powerful gods."

"Yes. I assure you that my words will never reach a single ear."

"Ha. It's not like you are going to tell people that you have gone insane by suddenly claiming that we exist, anyway." Raula sighed. She paused for a bit as she recalled the time she saw Princess Darya. As she looked through her soul, there was a mixture of dark colours that she does not know what represents the other colour she saw.

"That human... was vengeful but she is looking for her solitude..."

Raula also saw one light colour but she doesn't know why it was within her body. That was supposed to be out of her system. She needs to ask the other gods about that.

***
END OF CHAPTER 28
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