The End of Time

6. The First Secret Revealed

I woke up the next morning via Jena. "Wake up, my Lady. You must prepare yourself for the day."

I sat up and immediately felt my stomach churning. I ran to the wastebasket and threw up... again. Jena rubbed my back and handed me a mint leaf as she said "Your majesty, Jauffre said you hadn't been able to keep a thing down for the past three days." I shook my head and said "Please, don't. I am not yet Empress, and refuse to be acknowledged as such until I am." She nodded and said "Very well, Mikaela."

I stood up and walked to the drawer and pulled out the blue dress that Martin bought me. I'll never forget that day...

We were standing in the middle of Radiant Raiment looking for some nice clothes for Martin and I, since we were about to become very popular. He found a long, flowing blue dress, and his eyes widened in excitement.

"Ooh, this is beautiful. Try it on."

I looked up at him and said "Martin..." He scolded me playfully and said "You have to get something anyway, don't be difficult." I snatched it away from him and said, "Me being difficult. Of all the concepts..." He chuckled and grabbed my wrist before I could get away. He pulled me close to him and kissed my forehead. We smiled at each other, then I went to try it on.

I came out, and he turned around, and said "It's perfect. Don't you think?" I grinned and said "Yes, it's very pretty." He nodded, and I walked up to him until I was standing three inches away from his body.

"But it's missing something." He said as he looked down into my eyes.

I realized that he was blood red and shaking slightly. He pulled a black box out of his bag, then opened it and said "I know that I love you more than I ever could have imagined. I don't want to rule this Empire unless you're standing at my side. You've been the only one to truly stand by my side with an unwavering loyalty. Will you... be my Empress, Mikaela?"

He looked up at me with an expression that said his entire future depended on my answer. I looked down at him with a shocked expression, and I said "But... why me? Out of all the more eligible, beautiful women that you could have, why choose me?"

He looked up at me strangely, then a grin took over his face as he shook his head. "Because no other woman has stood by me like you. It's always been you by my side, no one else." He cupped my cheek in his hand, and said "And I have yet to see a woman whose beauty compares to yours." He held eye contact with me, and said with a grin, "Do I need to ask again?"

I smiled and said "Yes, I will. I will be your wife." As I pulled him in for a kiss, he slid the ring on my finger. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and he pulled me to him by my waist.

After we kissed for what seemed like an hour, Jauffre came around the corner saying "Alright, I've got the... Sire! Mikaela! You two are in plain view of the store!" Martin took one hand off my waist, and pulled a clothes rack in front of us so we couldn't be seen. I chuckled at what he did, which made him chuckle too. Jauffre sighed loudly as he walked away muttering something under his breath.

We pulled away from the kiss, and he pressed his forehead to mine. We bought it, and got back in the carriage outside the city. When we got back to Cloud Ruler Temple, Martin and I went back to our quarters. I put the dress away, then set my bag down, completely beaten.