Calm Mind (Very Slow Updates)

Gossip heads

The royal couple would return to the capital city after being away for two months. Aria was five months pregnant now and his belly had started to show and Tyler was very protective of him, despite the empress having a lot of attendees.

"I heard the emperor and empress are returning to the palace today." Imperial Consort Mary said, she was currently in the royal garden what the other consorts and concubines. The first 10 wives of the emperor, not the new additions, Imperial Concubine Rose was obviously absent. Ever since the emperor was summoned by the empress to Givv district, Imperial Concubine Rose has been bitter to no end, always seen cursing her maids in attendance out and causing unnecessary scenes in the walls of the palace.

"Yes, I think there's something brewing in their midst. I feel a storm coming."  Second Class Concubine Erica stated from behind her fan. All these women had the luxury of everything they could wish for, but they decided to just gather at the royal garden and spend time together. The could be watching soap operas on television, being on the internet, but they chose the mundane olden days life and gossiped with each other. For they were genuine friends.

"I'd advice my sister's to bear in mind who were talking about here." Imperial Palace Wife Lee stated from the head of the table.

"Oh come on, Imperial Palace Wife Lee, everyone here knows that when they come back the palace will be sappy and jolly." Imperial Consort Mary said with a smile and the pregnant woman chuckled at that. Everyone at the table smiled, but the mood got affected by the yelling the heard over the luscious green bushes of the garden.

"She's being a menace again. If I were the crown princess, I'd be embarrassed to call the Imperial Concubine my mother." Royal Noble Lady Sofia sighed. The rest of the wives just looked at where the commotion was coming from and shook their heads in disappointment.

"She should just accept it like we did a long time ago. At least she should be happy she had the chance to mother an imperial heir. Ungrateful bitch." First Class Concubine Matilda said as she snickered at the wicked concubine cussing out her maids as she walked like the wind to who knows where.

"Manners, Matilda." Royal Concubine Brianna corrected as she chuckled.

"She's out of favor. She couldn't do much to me. The empress won't allow it." Matilda said confidently.

"I won't allow what?" Aria asked as he entered the shaded shelter of sorts. The wives froze at his entrance, but stood up nonetheless to greet him. He saw Imperial Palace Wife Lee trying to get up with her big belly and stopped her.

"You may rise." He said, he's bump very much visible.

"This concubine apologizes for my brazen behavior, your highness." First Class Concubine Matilda apologized.

"There's no reason to apologize for the truth." He said calmly as he took a seat provided by Eunice next to Imperial Palace Wife Lee. He looked at his best friend weirdly and the other concubines seemed to notice, the person in question realized too that the empress was looking at her.

"Anything wrong your highness?" Lee asked with a raised brow.

"It's the tenth month, why have you not birthed?" Aria asked genuinely confused, he'd thought by now she would have given birth, but her big belly suggested otherwise.

"Oh, this. The imperial doctor said I'll give birth in a few days, it's a delayed birth." She replied.

"Is it? Aren't you scared or something?" Aria asked.

"I'm fine, as long as it's healthy."

"Ok, I hope you don't have any problems during birth and after." Aria said as he held the other woman's hand in his.

"My sister's, I come bearing news. Some may take it has bad news but it want you all to embrace it as a new beginning." Aria stated facing the other wives he seemed to have ignored.

"I told you." Second Class Concubine Erica whispered and Aria caught on to her and just stared at her with a raised brow. She just shrugged, smiled and bowed her head slightly.

"As I was saying. I have requested that the emperor dismiss the harem on the grounds that my sisters have been here for years and the emperor has yet to bed you all and with the subsequent evidence he won't bed any of my sisters here. He agreed to the terms I gave hime and I've come here to hear all of your opinions on the matter." Aria stated to the wives and the facial expressions differed from one woman to the other, but in the end they all smiled gently.

"What of the ones who have royal heirs, your majesty?" Imperial Noble Lady Amber asked, a question that made the other wives nod in agreement or support of the question.

"Well, since they have royal heirs, the emperor has decided to keep the Imperial Palace Wife Lee and Imperial Concubine Rose." Aria stated.

"What of you, your highness?" Noble Lady Arianna asked.

"What of me?" Aria asked the woman dressed in a beautiful floral sundress.

"The divorce, is the emperor keeping you too?" Noble Concubine Bridgette asked the question Noble Lady Arianna wanted to ask.

"I never signed the papers." Tyler said as he entered where the ladies and man were seated. The wives stood and greeted the male monarch.

"Greetings, your majesty, may you live a long life." The all said in unison.

"Your majesty, Imperial Concubine Rose is running around the palace like a madwoman, please attend to her before she actually hurts someone." Aria said immediately after the wives sat down. Before he came here, he saw Rose running around screaming and yelling, he was quick to rule her mentally unstable and stayed clear of her route.

"What a way to ruin the mood." Tyler snickered and glared at the empress, but stormed off nonetheless, towards Rose it seemed.

"Such drama." Imperial Consort Mary giggled out and received a glare from the empress, but she just chuckled at him.

"Back to the issue at hand. We're ok with whatever decision your highness has got us regarding the dismissal." Royal Noble Lady Sofia said, she wasn't the highest rank of the wives that were about to be dismissed but she knew all of the ladies at the table felt the same.

"Are you not mad?" Aria asked genuinely concerned for them.

"I'm not, no offense, but I've long wanted to leave this boring palace your highness. The Imperial Concubine is just melodramatic and pathetic, plus the emperor has never looked at me, let alone any of us." Imperial Consort Mary said genuinely free of fear and anything beyond. She felt like she could now fly and soar high because of the dismissal.

"I agree with the Imperial Consort. The emperor doesn't like any of us and it's been years without a man's touch." Second Class Concubine Erica said and the women chuckled at her statement.

"You were chaste this whole time?" Noble Concubine Bridgette snorted a question.

"Were you not?!" The empress choked out.

"I was your highness, I meant, the toys." The Noble Concubine shuddered at the too much information she just shared.

"I am so sorry I was this ignorant to you all's states. Had I been a great empress for the past years, the emperor should have bed at best most if not all of you or at least I'd have dismissed you early." Aria said feeling genuinely sad about these poor women.

"You're a great empress, you were treated badly, it's totally understandable." Imperial Palace Wife Lee stated tightening her grip on the male's hand, they still held hands all this time.

"Anyways, you all can stay in Atlia after the dismissal or go to Allira. If your families don't want you, I'll fully see to it that you all are supported and get jobs if necessary." Aria said which made the women happy. They knew what it meant to be an emperor's dismissal wife, they'd read ancient records about it. Although they lived in a new world, it didn't mean everything was all sparkles and perfect.

"Thank you so much, empress, may your live a long and healthy life." They all said after having stood up and boeing their heads respectfully at the pregnant male.