Princess Shyra's life has only extended till planet Ziya and she doesn't know how to look beyond helping her people. As far as she's concerned, she's being trained to rule her entire life, and it's the only goal she's ever known.
Cue the handsome pr...
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"So," Emperor Soren began, staring at his intertwined hands. Shyra shifted uncomfortably in her seat and glanced at Mahi, but he refused to meet anyone's eyes, choosing to stare at the wall instead.
Shyra's gaze moved to his mother instead, and noted her meek, placid expression with a slight amusement. It seemed like Empress Inaya didn't fight her husband in his decisions. The passive Empress was so different from Shyra's own mother that she sometimes found it hard to comprehend.
"You two want to get wedded," the emperor said, breaking the strenuous silence with his rumbling voice. "You two have been in a courtship for quite some time, in secret, may I add, and you want to get wedded."
The way he said it, as a statement rather than a question, steeled Shyra's nerves. The emperor seemed ready to accept their union, and she would push his support as much as he could.
"Emperor Soren, I know that this must seem too soon for you. I'm sorry for keeping it hidden till now, but we wanted to confirm our feelings for each other before letting everyone know."
"Father, are you really running out of time? Are you... dying?" Mahi asked with a tremor in his voice, speaking for the first time since the courtroom. It was clear that their conversations were not registering in his head, and she understood his anguish, but it still hurt Shyra that she was having to fight for their marriage all alone.
Soren swallowed thickly and nodded, acknowledging Mahi's question with a solemn regality. "My son... I'm sorry you had to find out this way. I'd intended to talk to you about it, but I never expected to see you standing outside those doors."
Shyra hadn't had such conversations with her parents in a really long time. Hadn't talked to them about her fears, hopes and dreams since she was a child.
So, hearing them talk opened a wound in her heart that she had forced down. Memories of her mother burying herself in work, and her father in spirituality, came rushing to her mind and in this vulnerable moment, she almost started sobbing herself.
She suddenly felt a pair of hands hold her shoulders and pull her in a hug. At first she thought it was Mahi, but when she inhaled the sweet scent of mallige, she knew that it was Empress Inaya.
"There, there," the empress whispered, patting her back gently. "All of us think fondly of you, princess. And Mahi cares for you more than his life. I think all of us will benefit from this marriage, and I'll be blessed to have a daughter-in-law like you."
With great difficulty she managed to reign in her tears and pulled back with a smile. Emperor Soren was watching her with a tenderness that surprised her, and took her hands in his own.
"My dear, you are exactly the empress this kingdom needs. Now that I'm going to retire soon, Pranali's stability will come into question. Mahi will need an empress by his side."
Shyra inhaled deeply as she took in his words. She was going to be an empress if she married Mahi. Emperor Soren was agreeing to this wedding only because she would make a good ruler. Somehow, this was worse than him fighting against it.
