Divine Empress

Chapter Four

Raina's POV

Snapping my eyes open and glanced up, looking up into crimson red eyes—staring back down at me. Staring at his face, he had a strong jaw line with long jet-black hair flowing over his shoulder.

"Sir!" I snapped out from my train of thought by the person behind my saviour.

"Huh... Thanks... Sorry!" I uttered as I stumbled back onto my feet, as this happened, something fell from his waistband. "Oh, sorry about that," I said, as I quickly picked it up.

"NO!"

"STOP!"

I heard him and the person behind him yell, staring at them confused, "did I do something wrong?" I asked, keeping my palm open that held the piece of jewellery that fell from his waistband. They both stared at my hand in horror, as the company behind them gaped in shock.

I feel like I was not supposed to touch this...

There was silence, not even the monkeys were humming. All eyes were on the piece of jewellery in my hand, looking at it, it remembered me of a charm bracelet. It had five white different curved pieces of ornaments with red fringes at the end. Lifting my gaze at the owner of this charm, he stood six feet tall, wearing royal blue coat looking clothing with a brown piece of leather on the right side of his chest.

His crimson red gaze was on his charm that laid on my held-out palm. Why doesn't he take it? I wondered, my lips parted to tell him to take it, but Tearl's voice beamed through the tense silence, "Raina!" I glanced at Tearl's direction as she ran towards. She slowed her pace; her gaze took in the people around as she hesitantly approached closer.

"Tearl?" I said, and her gaze came back to me and she noticed my hand and looked down at my palm. A gasp escaped her lips, and she glanced at the man in front of me, "did I do something wrong?" I nervously asked.

Suddenly, Tearl dropped to her knees and bowed to the point her forehead touched the ground, as both hands placed above with her left-hand palm touched the ground and the right-hand palm laid on top of her left. "Forgiveness, Your Grace!" Tearl said nervously, staying in her tense bow. Slowly, I turned my gaze back at the man in front of me.

Did she just say... 'Your Grace'?

Holding my breath, I wondered about all plausible reasons for causing shock. Was it because I fell onto him? Or because I did not bow!? I must bow! Yes, bow right now!

"Huh... I'm sorry," I gasped, then tried to drop to knees, but he grabbed my arms again to stop me. I stared up at in confusion, and I saw he looked... Sad. I glanced at my hand that held his charm and lifted higher, so he looks at it, "this belongs to you... I meant nothing rude."

"Your Grace, please forgive my friend. She is not from here," Tearl said, turning my gaze back at her.

Looking back at his Royal-ness, wondering what was going on in his head. I felt his hands let go of my arms as he stepped back from me; he glanced at his friend, who wore armour. His friend quickly ran to Tearl's side and helped her on back up on her feet, "we hold a case back in the palace. We leave tomorrow," he said, without looking at me and walked away.

His company quickly followed behind him, leaving his armour wearing friend with Tearl and I alone. When he was far enough, I turned my attention back at Tearl, "what case is he talking about? And what about his ornament piece?" I asked.

Tearl released a sigh of relief and stepped away from the guy who helped her up, then quickly she bowed, "thank you, Sir." She said.

"You'll be staying in one cabin in the Royal residence. So please me closely," Tearl bowed again, and he glanced my way then nod slightly before heading the same direction His Highness went.

I slowly approached Tearl, while she hurried over to my side, "Tearl... What's going on?" I asked.

She glanced down at my hand that held the charm, then she stared into my eyes, "you got yourself engaged with the Cursed Emperor..."

...

"What?" I calmly asked, lifting an eyebrow. Did I hear her right?

"Your engaged to His Royal Highness, Emperor Wooha(h) Kai Rai..."

...

"WHAT!?" I screamed.

Cero No, goddess of Marriage would make small pieces of ornaments with every marriage she blessed and would wear them as her pride in creation. To her, the charms represented who she was, Cero No, goddess of Marriage. Yin Foma, goddess of Tricks and Misfortune, became interested by the goddess' charms and wondered what she would do if another would take her charms. So, Yin Foma plotted with her trickster spirits. However, Ros Cu, god of Love, caught wind of the goddess' plan and he knew Cero No would be heartbroken if she lost her charm.

On the day of Praise, Yin Foma planned to have her spirits steal Cero No's charm while distracted in the praising the God of god and goddesses. Ros Cu knew he would be trouble for interfering the important day, but he could not allow the goddess of Tricks and Misfortune, have her. So as everyone was paying their respect, Ros Cu boldly approached Cero No and took her charm, his action had everyone's attention on them—revealing tricksters spirits' presence were in the heavens.

The God of gods and goddesses, amazed by Ros Cu's bravery, asked Cero No to forgive Ros Cu for taking her charm. Ros Cu moved Cero No, instead of just forgiving Ros Cu, she gave him her charm as a symbol of promised love—from that point on, people would create their own charms and would give to the one person they genuinely love.

"So, what does it have to do with my situation?" I asked Tearl. We were alone in the cabin; it was small but had some much room for two rooms and sitting room. Tearl was trying to explain my situation.

She sighed and pointed the Emperor's charm that laid on the table, "no one else must touch another's charm, unless you have interests in marrying the person. A charm is a symbol of Promise Love." She then pointed on the charm that hung from the corner of her chlamys. "Even if someone drops their charm, you don't pick it up."

"What if it's lost?"

"Then you tell an Omen, they are the only ones who can touch charms. In the cases of accidents, like yours, Omens are the only one who can either stop the engagement, and return charms to rightful owners."

"These Omens sound really special," I grumbled. She giggled and nodding her head, then I realised, "aren't you a priestess!? Can't you do something?" I asked excitedly.

"I'm in training and no priests and priestess can do those sorts of things." I groaned, turning my gaze down to the Emperor's charm. "But I can try my best to argue your case. Maybe you will not marry the Emperor because his cursed..."

Lifting my head, "that reminds me, I heard you calling him the Cursed Emperor. What's that about?"

"The story of the Cursed Emperor isn't a story one can talk so lightly," she shook her head and looked away. "Bad things happened in the palace before his birth... Haven't you seen his eyes? It is the curse the gods placed on him."

I saw fright on her expression, that unbelievable look one gets when things cannot be explained. I shrugged my shoulders, "I never thought you would say that I mean he seemed good-looking, and have all girls fawning for." She slowly looked back at me and laughed, I noticed a rosy blush on her cheeks, then she looked away again. I giggled then sighed heavily and muttered, "I sure gotten myself in a tight mess..." Tearl must have had heard me as she hummed in agreement then we stared at each other, "what happened to those spirits in that story?"

"They were cursed to fall in-love with mortals. However, those mortals would never love them..."

"Oh..."