The Solitude of an Emperor [TO BE UNPUBLISHED]

39 : More Storms

"My Crown Princess," Reginald comes to the Crown Princess' office to visit her. He immediately walks towards her to give her a hug but before he could come closer, Darya's personal aid was standing between them.

His sulking face turned annoyed as he glared at Lavenorth. "I came here to visit my wife. Can't I do it?"

"Excuse me, Corstan Crown Prince, for my insolence but Her Highness is currently doing her best to accomplish something you have not. As a concerned subject, I would have never wished to disturb Her Highness as I will feel so low as a pig in the mud."

Knowing what Lavenorth meant, his eyes went really dark as his whole body blazed in anger, however, his intent of killing Lavenorth immediately faded when he felt a hand hold his'. He saw Darya's hand while still writing on a piece of paper. She did not say anything but the tension between him and Lavenorth just faded.

"I would like to hear no commotion." She said after being engulfed with short silence, still focused on reading documents.

Touched, Reginald's cheeks went red as he pulled away Lavenorth on his way as he wrapped his arms around her shoulder. "My dear Crown Princess!" He then squeezed his cheek on her cheek and then kissed it.

"I am so touched. I hope you give me more attention." He remained in his position while Darya still does her work.

"Please consider that I have a duty to the country, Crown Prince Reginald." Darya explained, still not looking at him.

"Please call me not Crown Prince anymore. I am your consort, Your Highness. Call me by my first name."

Darya stopped writing for a while making Reginald smile because he got her attention. His smile even widened more when she turned her head to look at him.

"I could not call you by such a name, Crown Prince as you are a respected figure in your country. It would be such insolence on my part as a Crown Princess as well."

That struck him to heart and his smile almost faded in a second but then he must break the boundaries between them so he can take things further.

"However, it would not be insolence if such endearment were agreed by both parties right? I believe that it has no insolence in any way if that would be the case."

He saw the sharpening of her eyes but he remained unfazed. He knows that Darya is so intimidating just by the way she gazes at him but if he does not get used to it, he will lose in the end.

Darya was just looking at him to figure out his intention. This man is so persistent in any way and she could not stop him by just her intimidation. She knows that she must unlock all her cards to put this man at rest.

"You can call me Sage." She turned back her attention to her papers. "I rarely use that name." She reasoned out so Reginald could think that he became somewhat special because of insisting on a nickname.

"Yes, my Sage!" Reginald kissed her cheeks, making her frown in secret. He even rubbed his face to hers. This man is really clingy.

Gladly, Lavenorth pulled him away and stood between them. "Your sweet time with Her Highness is now up, Corstan Crown Prince."

"Alright. I will not bother my Sage anymore." Reginald smiled before lowering his head and got out of the office.

As soon as the door of the office closed, a sigh of relief both came out Darya and Lavenorth's mouth.

"It seems like we have attracted a storm, Your Highness."

"And it seems like we have a problem." Darya specifically took one document and showed it to Lavenorth.

"What?" He was shocked to read the document.

"Yes. We have more storms in this vicinity, Lavenorth."

It was a document containing a report that there are monsters found in the Vamono town. It is a town in the north of the Capital city which is basically at the far back of the Imperial Palace. This had happened before when she was still a Crown Princess. Darya insisted on coming with the Emperor but her grandfather did not allow her as it was very dangerous.

At that time, the Emperor took a large number of Imperial Knights and other knights from different estates. The Empire lost hundreds of knights and the Viscount Estate ended all the monsters at the end as they got the credit. Among all the nobles, Viscount Morata had the largest numbers of knights. His estate was given recognition as the protector of the Empire which is why she had a hard time getting rid of him when she became the Emperor.

"Summon all of the Captains, Sir Lavenorth. Tell them to come as soon as possible."

"Yes, Your Highness!"

As soon as Lavenorth got out, she stood up from her seat and went to the balcony to take some fresh air. She comes to think about the present, her standing as the Crown Princess and her relationship to everyone in her past.

As a woman who had memories of her past lives, it is easier to manage people and the Empire. It comes from the experiences she had in her past lives. All her hard work finally became worth it. And... she knows very well that Esteban was the one who killed his father. She just could not believe that the former Duke suddenly died due to illness because in her past life, the former Duke Garrett lived until she became Lady Amara. But why did he kill his father? And why does it feel like Esteban has completely changed? She could not even trace any information where he met with Kathika and Lorenzo. Did he perhaps have a change of heart because she also changed the course of the past?

But no, she won't forgive him for what he had done to their child. She can forgive him for what he had done to her but she just cannot, with the thought of her little child in her womb-

"I am alright, mother."

She stiffened after hearing a wave of calm voice in the air. She turned to the left to see where it came from. No one was there so she looked around as if she was looking at someone very dear to her. She looked desperate as she feels like her heart is being crumpled with just the thought of something blank.

"Where are you?" Tears started coming out her eyes and just stopped looking because no one was there.

"I am within you, mother. I can't get out."

She found herself touching her chest where her heart is located, feeling that she had felt something she had ever wanted to feel. Motherhood.

"I am sorry, mother. If I was born, I would have made you happy."

She fell on her knees as she cried soundlessly.

"But maybe it is good that I have not been born because I can protect you."

She suddenly felt like her heart was being rubbed gently to comfort her. "Please choose what your heart wants, mother, so you can finally feel your solitude."

"My child..."

***
END OF CHAPTER 39
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