Zemblanity

Chapter 18

Seraphina had spoken less than two hundred words in the past seventy two hours. Azrozan wanted to comfort her but was at a serious lack of knowledge on how to do so.

Azazal had provided them with certain details but the image remained unclear as to why Ariel who happened to be the only non royal living amongst the central royal was killed.

According to Azazal; it wasn't a mass murder. Apparently it was a punishment for a crime not exposed due to the wishes of the present empress.

"Sera-"

"Do you love me Azra?" she cut him off.

"What?" he was perplexed.

"Do you love me Azrozan?" she repeated herself.

"I... I don't know Sera; we... it hasn't been that long. We haven't really indulged into something beyond sex." He said. She remained silent.

"We should head out; we're already pretty late." She said and walked out of the room. The Archfiend followed wordlessly as his concern for her increased to a point where the most bizarre thought invaded his mind.

Maybe we should head back, he thought.

"Empress, we have come to the conclusion that Ariel had no family. No emergency contact on any of her documentation, no family letters or contact information." The seventh commander said.

Talini kept flipping through the pages of the file resting on her lap; completely ignoring him. She didn't know what the file was about, her mind was focused on her lover; her dead lover.

"Ma'am?" he tried to gain her attention.

"Listen here sir; I don't care about her or her family! She was punished and that should be the end of it." Talini finally snapped.

"But ma'am the penalty clause requires us t-"

"I will not repeat myself, Ariel was punished for a crime she committed a week ago and that's it. I don't want anything or anyone lingering on it anymore." The man nodded in defeat and made a move to exit the office.

"Send mother in." Talini ordered him without lifting her gaze from the file.

"Yes ma'am."

"How are the wedding preparations going?" she asked him.

"Everything is in process ma'am but Mr. Malak wants to postpone." He told her.

"Set up a meeting with him after the hours." She ordered.

Azrozan unlocked the room they rented for the next week as a quiet Seraphina followed with essentials in her hands.

"Maybe we should eat?" he suggested. She shook her head making him sigh.

"Sera, you gotta eat."

"I wanna talk." She said. His eyebrows rose up to his hairline at the declaration.

"About what?" he asked; gulping after. She set the things down on the bed and sat on the edge; she patted the space next to her for him to join.

"About us." She said once he joined her on the bed.

"About us?" he asked.

"Azrozan did I break you?" she questioned his constant questioning.

"Can you blame me? You've avoided or shut down every conversation I've tried to have about us and then outta the blue you wanna talk?" he exclaimed.

"Alright; say what you have to, I will listen. Let's have this conversation." She said.

Azrozan now given chance was blank. He had no idea where to start and how to start. Seraphina could sense that, so she cleared her throat as a way to capture his attention and declare that she will start.