Ink: Living Life as Serena Gleis

XXVI: Feelings

It was announced all over the Empire that the Crown Prince, Cyn and I were engaged and meant to wed anytime soon. It was a power move for the people living outside the bounds of the palace.

A direct Descendant of the Duke of Gleis and a gold blood from the Imperial family becoming one. It was a delight for some but a threat for the majority, especially those who supported Zion as the next Emperor.

“This is it!”  Serena said, excitement was evident in her voice. I was busy all day preparing for the wedding. In less than a week, an Imperial wedding will happen.

Everything that Serena asked for.

The Empress isn't amused with everything that was going around but due to the fact that Cyn came back in the Empire victorious to the war she sent him in swayed a lot of nobles and commoners to support the current crown prince.

It looked like she brought Cyn to victory and that's why she hated it even more.

It is pretty unexpected that Cyn came back alive to be honest. Eldoria holds the majority of this continent's ore mines. Although they were an independent nation, they have a lot of allies overseas who they supplied ores making it possible for them to stand alone and not be a part of this Empire.

It is impressive.

The preparation of this wedding took almost a month to plan. Cyn never showed himself throughout that whole month.

I don't care anyway. The fact that this wedding will happen next week is a concrete proof that I will soon have my freedom from everyone.

The Empress was still furious as she cannot do anything about the wedding as it is an Imperial promise from the Emperor himself and the fool of an  Emperor was overjoyed of the victory that his beloved son brought to the Empire.

“Serena.” I called. No one's here in the garden anyway. Cyn granted me the permission to roam around some of the area in the palace where I will not encounter the Emperor or the Empress.

“What?”  She replied.

“What do you want the most, to live without love or to die with love?” I asked, still trying to persuade her to let me go with the plan without her resistance.

“What's to live for if there's no love?”  she simply responded.

“Cyn does not like you that way. We're going to die for nothing.” 

“Is that what love means to you? That you'll  die  for those you love only if they loved you back? ”  I was taken a back by her answer, maybe I was too obsessed with the idea of living a normal and happy life and did not think enough but this is still an absurd idea.

“I—”

“Serena?” I looked back and saw Zion. He was in this garden all along? It's been months since I have seen him, he was rarely in the palace after all. Zion's always in Wellington to strengthen his foothold in the neighboring nations, together with his fiance, Saoirse.

I did not know that they came back in the palace, maybe it's because of the upcoming imperial wedding. Come to think of it, the both of them are engaged longer than Cyn and I, yet, we will be married earlier than them.

“Who are you talking to?” He asked. So he heard.

“What are you talking about?” I acted like a fool, the last thing that I wanted is for people to think that I am crazy.

“I heard someone's voice here, a lady perhaps?” He replied, looking around the garden.

“Do you hear her?” He looked confused but nodded. I motioned him to sit down in the empty bench around the corner of the garden.