In Time And Memories

Epilogue

The birds sings as they land on the tree near my office. It soothes my mind and my lips automatically formed into a smile when I saw them. I was envy of the birds, they can fly where ever they want and they are free. While I am stucked here in the imperial palace.

Until now.

"Commander, the emperor wants to see you," Jekous said, one of the members in Golden Xazuiqiel. I smiled at him and nods.

He must have read my letter now.

I sighs and grabbed for my coat to wore it before leaving my office. While I was walking through the hallways, I saw the queen mother. I bowed before her as a greetings.

"Greetings, Your highness," I greeted with respect but I never got a reply, so I stayed my head low until she passed the hallway.

When she was gone, I turned my head to look at her disappearing figure. Every time I greet her, she never replied to my greetings. And I don't know why but I feel a deep anger towards her that I'm just trying to suppress.

A heavy sigh escapes my lips before I continue walking. I am a few steps away from the emperor's office when Celestia came out of it.

"Greetings, Your imperial highness."

Celestia, my adopted sister, is the empress.

"Greetings, Commander Laurenze," she greeted back. Her voice towards me is always mischievous and I don't know why. I know that I don't really like her but on our younger days, she is kind to me.

In which, annoys me a lot.

And the way she looks at me... I don't understand it. It feels like there are some hidden meaning on the way she looks at me. Every time. Her stares gives me an expression that she's plotting against me.

After that, she walks away and I just realized that I was clenching my fists. I shut my eyes tightly to calm myself.

"Your imperial highness, Commander Laurenze has arrived," the butler announced and let me walk inside the emperor's office.

There he is. Pierre is now the emperor.

I bowed before him. "Greetings, Your imperial highness."

"Do you really have to leave, Azelaine?" He asks me. His eyebrows are furrowed and his expression looks depressed. Aside from the queen mother and celestia, I also feel something strange towards him. I only shows respect to him as he is the emperor.

I nods. "I am resigning, Your imperial highness."

"Why?"

Because I want to be free.

Ever since I got in the imperial palace as the commander of Golden Xazuiqil, I feel suffocated and my mind has become hazy. I can't remember when I started to feel a deep anger towards them.

The snob queen mother, the hostile empress, and the unpredictable emperor. All of them. Whenever they commands me, I feel suffocated and an anger that I never understands.

Emperor Pierre stood up from his chair and went close to me. He held my hand and I feel disgusted whenever our skin touches.

"Please, don't leave. I need you here. Please," he begs.

I am aware of how he looks and feels towards me. I know that Emperor Pierre have feelings for me but I only feel disgusted towards him.

"With all due respect, Your imperial highness, but you can't stop me. According to the law, it is my right to resign whenever I like since it is a priviledge of the Golden Xazuiqiel commander."

I have made up my mind that I will leave this place and go travel somewhere far.

In the end, he couldn't do anything about it. I left his office with a smile on my lips as my plan is successful. I immediately went to my office and packed my things.

My battalion already knows that I am resigning and we already talked about. At first, they didn't want to let me go but later on, they understand. Although I only told them that I want to travel and I never told them the real reason why I want to leave.

As I am leaving the imperial palace, the knights started to weep when they dropped me off in the palace gate.

I feel sad for leaving them but I know that they will find a more competent commander for them. Besides, I can still see them even if I am no longer a knight.

When the carriage arrived at the Laurenze dukedom, I packed my things. While I was packing, my mother went to me.

"Are you really leaving?" She asked with concern and I smiled.

"I will be okay. I just want to take some rest and enjoy," I assured her. Her palm touches my cheek and caressed it. Mother worries a lot but I also know that she wants me to go.

The carriage finally left the dukedom after I finished packing my things and I am ready to go. This will be a long ride.

As the carriage passed through Azeroth, my eyes caught a signage for wanteds.

Crown Prince Urus is wanted for treason.

They said that he killed Emperor Ytrius to immediately sat on the throne since he is greedy for power. But after they caught him, he fled away and no one saw him again. In which, Pierre has to take the throne.

That is almost two years now.

Until now, he is still hiding somewhere. Some people assumes that he must have died now since he was badly injured when he escapes.

I averted my eyes and it fell on my hands. I scanned my left hand and saw a pale lining on my ring finger.

When did I wore a ring for too long that it left a pale lining? As far as I know, I never wore a ring since it can cause callus on my hand while I was training.

But what make me more confused is that if I really wore a ring before, where is it now?

Another reason why I want to travel is to find something. It feels like I have to find something. I also have this feeling that I am missing something. My memories are hazy and there are so many things that doesn't make sense to me.

I have to find it.

———

end of book one.

thank you so much for supporting and reading this story! i love you all so much!

and i will publish the book two around december or next year.