Born to be Empress

Chapter 10 - Imprisonment

Areus' pov:

- "I remind you of our meeting in an hour" I told him trying to change the subject when Phaedra was afar. Hearing Asger speak so highly of her infuriated me. I don't know why everything about this little dancer affects me so much. I cannot deny it anymore. This woman affects me more than I would like...She provokes rare feelings to me when I'm around her: possesiveness, jealousy, selfishness. I just want her all by myself.

-"You know something Areus? I really like this girl" Asger confessed me shamelessly.

-"I've already told you. This girl has taken a purity pledge. There are so many women you can bed" I scolded.

-"You don't understand. I don't want only to bed her" he said making me give him a questioning look while he continued undaunted " I want to take her with me".

-"What? What nonsense are all these? Have you completely lost your mind? This is one of the dancers" I shouted at him.

-"She is a dancer that lives among the concubines and took a purity pledge. Right....Who are you all kidding Areus?"

-"Unfortunately we don't have a special section for the virgins" I replied sarcastically.

-"Say whatever you want but you still owe me my booty from the last fight" Asger insisted.

-"You will have your gold, don't worry" I reassured him.

-"I don't care about the gold. I want the girl. In fact I will ask for her in our meeting. Giving this girl to me is unavoidable" he said decisively and left in hurry.

I was furious. I knew I couldn't meet his demands. I was not willing to give him the girl. I had feelings for her even if I couldn't admit it to myself. I was in desperate need of air.....

Phaedra's pov:

The Emperor looked at me and said in an angry way:

-"Your presence is no longer needed. You may go"

-"Yes Sir" I said and after I bowed to both of them I left without looking back. The Emperor today broke my heart and destroyed all my hopes and dreams. I knew that my hopes were vain but everyone has the right to have dreams. My dream was that someday the Emperor would love me. Today he made clear to me that I am nothing to him. Just an unworthy concubine, whose role is to keep her master happy and satisfied.

Not wanting to be seen in my current state, I run into the garden to get some fresh air and compose myself. I was crying uncontrollably. I know that having feelings for the Emperor and expecting him to reciprocate was foolish, but I couldn't help it. I fell in love with him. The nights we spent together made me develop feelings for him. Feelings I never imagined I would have for a man. Even when I thought I was in love with Josef, I didn't feel that way. But now all is lost. The Emperor made it clear to me that there was no way he had feelings for me. To him I am just a cheap, unworthy concubine and nothing more. I was a fool to think otherwise.

When my tears dried up, I sat on a bench and let the sun caress my body.  It was a warm and sunny day and I decided to leave everything behind.

I was enjoying the sun, the birds' chirpings and the beautiful flowers when I felt a hand on my back. I immediately turned around and look at the direction of the hand. Octavius was standing beside me looking at me worriedly.

-"Where were you? I've been waiting for you" he scolded.

-"I....I'm terribly sorry sir. I....I"

-"It's ok! You just had me worried, that's all!" he reassured me.