The Solitude of an Emperor [TO BE UNPUBLISHED]

71 : Barbarians

When the door of the Emperor’s room opened, General Theobarlt stood up and walked towards her. He immediately noticed the stain on her lips but he remained vigilant while washing away his irritation. He took Darya’s hand and kissed the back of her palm. 

“I am back, Lysandra.” He walked closer to her, wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her head. “I miss you, that's why I came back for a while.”

The first thing that Darya noticed was specifically the losing of his weight and he looked so down. She frowned and reached her hand to pinch his broad shoulders. “How did you lose weight?” She looked up to his eyes and noticed that he looked restless. There were dark circles under his eyes. It is breaking her heart.

General Theobarlt did not reply for a few seconds, making her think that there is something going on.

“Is there something you are not telling me?” Darya inquired as she reached to touch his cheek.

General Theobarlt closed his eyes to feel her touch. He held the hand that was touching his cheek and then he kissed her palm. Darya let him be for a while until he stopped and then spoke. He still could not look at her eyes.

“It was two days ago…” His voice was raspy. “A barbarian tribe attacked the town of Nirov in the west. They are using barbaric weapons and all extremely sharp…”
Emperor Darya was surprised to hear that since there was no report of barbarian people attacking a town within her empire. Is this a sign that everything is changing from before? Because she had changed the original course of this world?

“What we did not perceive was that they had wild monsters as pets,” General Theobarlt continued as he paused after that. It was because his heart was so heavy on this part that he is going to say next. “I… lost some of my comrades and Leon is extremely injured…” 

Darya was not in his shoes but the pain on his voice was so clear that it felt like her heart was aggressively pinched. General Theobarlt is someone who extremely values the lives of people, especially his comrades. Any occurrence that may take many lives, he would voluntarily be in the front line just so he could lessen the casualties. And this recent occurrence in the empire, he lost comrades and it also means that she lost some of her people. And hearing him say that Leon, his best comrade, is extremely injured, she can tell that he is blaming himself for what had happened.

She took the initiative to wrap her hands around his waist as she caressed his back. She did not console him with words. She listened to him until he was lost for words. She waited for him to calm down before she took a bath and ate breakfast with him. They had a peaceful conversation until she was sent by him to the Emperor’s office. He then made a formal report and they talked about how they are going to deal with the barbarians.

Darya wanted him to rest but she could not just make him feel guilty towards the loss of comrades. All she could do was lessen his work that is why she sent Captain Marshall with him. She also sent Sir Alluka with him. When they departed, she was left with silence. She keeps looking at the sky, wondering if he would be alright. She could not finish all her snacks or meals because she would be occupied with concern. 

Sir Lavenorth was worried about the Emperor. Seeing her overthink, he wonders how the Emperor feels concerned with someone as strong as General Theobarlt. General Theobarlt is simply an undefeatable hero. He can fight fifty knights alone without exerting too much energy. He is also understanding, smart, and firm. He has the perfect temperament befitted of a King. It is no doubt that Sir Lavenorth extremely favours General Theobarlt to be the main consort that the Emperor would choose other than Duke Esteban. Their affection to each other is also too strong. They will make a perfect couple and they can build a harmonious family.