The Emperor's Lover

Chapter one

The headlines everywhere in the city are saying "EMPERORS NEW MISTRESS." That mistress is my sister, both of us are sitting here in the palace waiting for his highness to come greet us.

"Does my makeup look good?" My sister Aldia turns to me for my opinion then laughs and turns away, "never mind your opinion doesn't matter." She looks over my shoulder to see the paper "oh my, they are already talking about me" the room fills up with her witch-like cackling, as the large white and gold door opens.

We stand and bow as The Emperor enters the drawing room.

"Your majesty," my sister bows even lower and his highness smiles at her "please Lady Aldia, stand up straight."

He glances at me and raises an eyebrow out of curiosity "who's this?"

My sister stands up and instantly plays the cute older sister card "this is my younger brother, your majesty" she smiles at me, her nails digging into my skin hard enough to leave a mark. 'She's so fake.' The voice in the back of my head echoes.

I bow my head, "What would your name be then?" he asks me. I stare blankly at him, unsure as to why he was speaking to me.

Aldia, still clutching my arm, pinches me to get me to respond to the emperor. The question caught me off guard 'my name?' I looked over to my sister knowing she would humiliate me if I stepped out of line, she simply nodded as I stood up straight. "His name is Dex your highness"

I nodded at the Emperor to agree. "Does he not have his own voice?" The Emperor seemed displeased with me not speaking.

"I apologize, your highness. He means no ill will, he has a condition that hurts his throat
when he speaks."

My sister spoke in a soft tone, one that I could only hear when she was faking it to the Emperor. She acted as if she pitied me, possibly to gain some trust from the emperor. But behind the facade, she knew all too well that she's the reason.

"I see," the Emperor looked suspicious, but he didn't question any further. "Lady Aldia, sir Dex would you like a tour?" I was visibly shocked that the Emperor himself wanted to give me and my sister a tour.

"I wouldn't want to inconvenience you," my sister said with deception lining her voice.

"Not an inconvenience at all my dear, now please follow me," we both walked as Aldia dug her nails deeper into my skin, this was her way of controlling me. It hurt, and I even felt blood begin to trickle down my arm and drip on the floor. As the emperor turned around to speak to my sister, he noticed the blood dripping from my wounds.

"Sir Dex!" He looked frightened and grabbed my arm from my sister's grasp. Pulling up my sleeve, he questions me, "what happened to your ar-"

I looked up when he suddenly stopped speaking, his gaze fixed on the other scars from the years of abuse from my family. I pulled my hand away and scrambled, trying to pull my sleeves down. I turned around and started walking away from him out of fear.

"Halt." He commanded, his voice echoing throughout the palace halls.

I stopped dead in my tracks and turned to him as he gripped my other arm and dragged me away from the scene. Not too long after, a maid was called over to finish showing my sister around.

I turned around to look at my sister, as she looked at the emperor, she looked worried, but not for me, for her relationship. When her eyes darted to me, she gave me the most menacing scowl I had ever seen.

He pulled my hand as he dragged me through the maze-like hallways. After many twists and turns, I was finally yanked into his study. He grabbed Bandages from his desk drawer.

I put my hands out, expecting him to hand them to me but to my surprise, he started to dress my wounds himself.

"Sir Dex." His voice sounded cold and authorotitative, almost threatening.

"How did you get these scars?" I paused at his question and looked away. "My apologies; I forgot it hurts when you speak," he sighed and leaned back on his desk. "Was it an accident?"

Knowing that if I told the truth, my sister would do worse, I nodded at him.

'Really, Dex? An accident is a bold-faced lie,' I heard the voice in the back of my head reprimand me. "Very well then, Sir Dex. Allow me to show you to your room."

He stood up and walked to the door, holding it open for me. I put my head down and walked out of his study.

"Sir Dex?" I looked at him as he walked in front of me to lead. After a short amount of walking, we stopped at another large door.

"This is your room. I have to go for now, but I will make sure to stop by and make sure you've settled in okay." He gave me a warm smile, filled with pity.

As I entered the room, my eyes immediately fixed on the large bed with a blue and white silk draped over the top of the bed. The sun was shining through the thin curtains, emitting a light shadow on the floor.

I walked over to part them some more, and a beautiful view was revealed to me. I saw a large garden filled with orange lilies, and I smiled as fond memories flew back into my mind.

"Sir Dex," I spun around, being interrupted from my thoughts, to see a maid blushing.

"I'm Lidia. I'll be serving you." She bowed so low I thought she would fall.

"Lunch is ready." Her hands trembled, and her head stayed down.

Please, follow me." She quickly opened the heavy door and began walking briskly down the halls.

Left, right, left, left again, right. Another large door in front of me revealed a dining hall. At one of the tables, sat my sister and the emperor.

"Thank you for bringing him, Lidia. You are dismissed." I heard the door close behind me, and my sister sneakily glared at me as she turned to speak to His Highness.

"I thought it was going to be just you and me," she pouted.

"Now, Lady Aldia, you seem to forget you're not the only one in my home."

He looked at me as another maid poured a glass of wine. I watched it and felt uncomfortable when she was done.

"Is everything alright, Sir Dex?" His Majesty's voice brought me back from my hyperfixation on the wine. I looked at my sister, and she glared, sending silent threats my way. I opened my mouth to speak. "I don't like wine." I felt my throat burn and sting as I spoke.

"My sincere apologies..." He spoke to the people around him and I was served hot tea.

During the meal, my sister fawned over him, clutching his arm and beaming. I focused on my meal, and once finished, I sat back, sipping my tea, silently counting the cups from the refills of my tea, '1, 2... 29, 30.'

Even after 30 refills, she continued chatting with him, but it was evident he was no longer engaged in the conversation.