Divine Empress

Chapter Twenty-Five

Raina's POV

"I would be marrying the mad King!" I snapped, and he busted into laughter. Realising he was lying about Grand Empress dowager taking my snow soup, I gasped in shock and jumped onto my feet. "How dare you trick me!?" I stormed towards, he continued laughing—pulling me into his laughter, I smiled and chuckled.

"You should see your face when I mentioned snow soup," he chuckled, I playfully punching his chest. "Please forgive me, Your Highness," he said in his chuckles, as he cradled both my wrists, stopping me from punching. Holding my hands close to his warm chest, I lifted my gaze—staring into his crimson red eyes as he stared back down into mine. Before I knew it, everything went dark...

Wow... I was seriously tired; my energy was low.

A collection of four nights of no sleep and four days being on the Hippasang, my body had ached and tired. Then there was healing Tookai's land, a large barren land for peace and beneficial for the villagers. Just for a kingdom, just for peace, to lessen the Emperor's worry and maybe, to see who this mad King was, everyone talked about. King Daehyun, a cheerful and welcoming king, but he snapped at his servants—almost like he did not trust them or do not respect. It would be scary, but King Daehyun had a good side.

Surrounded in warm comfortable darkness, I never thought I missed my beauty sleep and the soft caresses on my forehead were calming me more in my sleep. Wait... When did I fall asleep? I asked myself, remembering crimson red eyes staring into mine and mine staring back, and then darkness engulfed me.

My eyes opened, meeting those crimson red eyes staring down to me. Those eyes carried concern and warmth, they suddenly lightened up then cheeks rising, realising there was a smile on the Emperor's face. "Hey?" I whispered, smiling warmly.

He sighed in relief, leaning forward and his forehead placed on mine, "thank the gods and goddesses you are okay." He whispered.

"It's not like I died or something," I chuckled.

"You suddenly passed out and didn't wake up the whole day," he said, leaning back and his warm hands cupped my face. I watched his eyes glanced around my face like there was something on my face.

Leaning away from his hold, pushing myself up and glanced over the Emperor's shoulder, noticing the dim lighting and peaceful night silence, "did I really sleep all day?" I asked. Nodding his head 'yes', leaning back and clearing his throat, "what time is it?"

"Midnight-one in the morning," shrugging his shoulders with a smile.

I stared at him, noticing his tired look on his face. Did he stay by my side? I wondered, pushing and shifting to make room on my bed. I opened my bed cover and patted the space on my bed; he glanced at my hand, then back up at me. I rolled my eyes, "come and lay down!"

Nervously chuckling and shook his head 'no', "I shouldn't..." He nervously chuckled, standing up, and I grabbed his wrist, pulled him down onto my bed. Awkwardly he laid next to me, or should I say, he laid on me. "Forgive me," he quickly trying to get up.

"Don't act shy!" I groaned, rolling my eyes and pushed him to lay on my bed, then I pulled the bedcover on top of him. Staring down at him, and he looked awkward, lifting a questioning eyebrow, "I will not bite you." I rolled my eyes, then laid next to him and I felt how stiff he was. There was silence in the room, my eyes closed and wondering why he was acting like an awkward teenager, "what have the council said about the recent change of Gaia Kingdom?" I asked, trying to get him to relax and maybe rest.

"Some close by council members had come to the palace to find out more, but I never attended to them. By tomorrow, I know there would be letters and another visit from the council members." He sighed, then chuckled softly. "You may even get gifts from some council members to congratulate you, hoping to get on your good side."

I chuckled devilishly, "I love gifts..."

Hearing shifting next to me, "you like to shower in gifts?" He asked.

Turning my head and our eyes met, "don't you?" He furrowed his brows, thinking, I guess, "I do... Because it makes feel like I'm there... I'm here!"

"You are here... I can see you."

Smiling, "yes I am..." I whispered, turning back onto my back. Thinking back to when I was a child, "I had parents but always felt like I never did, their careers were always in their minds. And they forgot about me." Suddenly, I felt an old familiar pain in my heart, and forced a nervous gulp. Then threw a laugh, "I got to closely learn independence..." Turning my gaze back to the Emperor.

"How is it you can easily laugh about it?"

Shrugging, "it's the past and my life, I can laugh about it."

He shook his 'no', "I can't laugh about my past, it's just... pop up and reminding me, who I am and what I am... I never had my parents around me at all and when I accidently met my father, he died on the spot." He slowly turned to lay on his back.

"Well... None of my parents died, but..." I turned my gaze away again and stared up at the ceiling. "... I became a cause of concern for the first time. When I chose not to complete college." A smile graced my face, it was sad that my parents only pay attention to me after I dropped out, but happy while they got their attention. "I should have done it earlier..." I murmured.

Then glanced over at the Emperor, his eyes were closed, "my mother placed a curse on me before I was born, and she done things that the palace wishes never would happen, and want erase her madness..." He murmured.

"Is that why she's in the Temple of Darkness?" Silence answered me, listening carefully I could hear slowly steady breathing coming from the Emperor. I smiled warmly, I turned to my side and shifted towards him, then brushed the hair on his cheeks and I caressed his hair down. As I tuck his hair behind his ear, and my eyes catch a thick black mark on the lower back of his ear, slowly I hooked my finger on the neckline and pulled it down. Narrowing my gaze, it looked like a straight line heading down.

Does He have a tattoo? I never thought someone could have a tattoo around here...