~HEARTS & FANGS~

42: TWO EMPRESS?👸👸

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...42...

TWO EMPRESS?👸👸

When he lifted her into his arms bridal style and proceeded to carry her out of the royal pavilion, she didn't protest though she had the urge to, restraining herself for some reason that seemed reasonable. She also let him do as he pleased because he was severely angry. He took her out of the royal pavilion and to his waiting horse, Clover. He set he atop the horse and mounted after her. He rode slowly with one hand around her waist and the other on the reins. She said nothing, relaxing and just enjoying the view and the ride. He had listened to her. She hadn't thought that he would do so. She should have let him eliminate the bitch from the empress contest, but she knew it will make him look like a tyrant -heartless and wicked, something that she didn't want. That was the only reason why she had intervened in the matter despite the fact that he was brewing with unsuppressed anger. As they approached his manor several minutes later, she took the initiative to speak to him.

'Beast,' she called though she was not expecting an answer from him.

'Yes, Mine,' he answered her after a moment. 'What is it?' he continued. She sighed softly.

'How did you become emperor at such a young age?' she asked him. He felt that the question was rather out of the blues. Why did she want to know that? He shrugged and decided to give her a reply nonetheless.

'I'm young?' he asked her, deciding to tease her a bit before going on to provide her with the answer of her choice.

'Well, of course you are!' she told him in an argumentative voice. 'According to the Linamine Emperor's Chronicles that I have been reading recently, all the emperor's before you ascended the throne at an age past forty.'

'Well, you see Mine, the throne was abdicated to the ones before me. But, my father died before he could actually do same,' he enlightened her. She nodded softly at his words.

'I see,' was her reply to him and then she was quite for a long time. He assumed she was pondering on what he had said and was manufacturing more questions to throw at him. Well, he was correct for she suddenly spoke up again with another question for him. 'Then, your mother?' she said in a tone that made her question sound more like a statement.

'My mother?' he replied her question with another question.

'Yes Beast, your mother, the one that we both saw back there,' she quickly clarified for him.

'Oh, that woman. What about her?' he asked nonchalantly. She raised a brow at his tone, forgetting that she was backing him and he could not see her facial expression.

'What is that tone? And why do you call her that woman? She carried you inside of her for a long time! Even if she has wronged you, be grateful for that you ingrate!' she scolded. He laughed heartily at her chide.

'I wish,' he murmured.

'You wish what? Besides, don't you think that you act too despicable and disrespectful to her?' 'You threatened to have her struck across the mouth. Isn't that too...awless?' she whispered the last word to him. He said nothing to her when she was done speaking, bringing the horse to a halt. She looked up then and realized that they had finally arrived at their destination, the royal manor. His hands snaked around her waist, tightly and he dismounted, taking her with him. He released her waist and took her hand instead as they both strode into the manor with their escorts right behind them.

Peter received them at the entrance with a bow and an information on food being prepared. The emperor declined food and his lady also did same, revealing her hankering for a fruit salad instead. Peter assured her that he would have such prepared and served to her in the comfort of the bedroom. She bought the idea and happily headed to the stairs alongside the emperor who had yet to let go of her hand in his. When they got to the mouth of the stairs, he took her by surprise one more time by lifting her into his arms and striding up the stairs confidently. Just like before, she didn't as much as protest, just choosing to go with the flow. She buried her head in his chest and enjoyed the coolness of his hard masculine body.