**
"Maximilian?"
I blink at her silently. She just called my name. By my name. Instead of feeling repulsed and detested by that sound I instead can't feel anything anymore. All I can see is her.
My breath stops for a moment again. Just like back i...
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"Empress, His majesty is waiting for you downstairs." A maid spoke while knocking on the door. Elizabeth was getting ready to attend the masquerade ball.
She had organized it this year by herself. It was like a social event to gather all the nobles in one place and increase her reputation, and interact with other noble people. She had wore an extravagant dress chosen by her maids. A shoulder slip dress but it was too revealing at her shoulders she had to wear a shawl around her too.
She wore extreme jewelry and her hair brushed down. The curls had fallen down correctly when they were released. The Empress had never looked any better. And a golden mask covering her face except for her eyes and lips.
She walked down and saw Maximillian standing with a finely refined suit. He looked as handsome as always, Elizabeth took a longer look at him by walking slowly down the stairs. She hopes he never looks around and watches her staring.
But then he shifts as he hears her descending steps, she startles and looks away immediately returns to focusing on the stairs. But for some reason she can feel his every gaze on her.
The places he's touched with his eyes over her. It felt uncomfortable.
"My Empress, you're finally here." Her husband says, looking down at her with his hands behind his back. His hair was brushed in a part and oh god, he looked so handsome right now. The emperor was known for his looks.
Back in the day, every single fawned over him like pests. But only one woman captured his attention. That was Ludovika.
"Yes I am down, finally." She tucked a piece of hair strand behind her ear and gazed downwards. She can never forget what had happened last night.
She was foolish. Foolish. Foolish. She repeated over and over again.
"Shall we go then?" He asks. Extending his arm, bended slightly so she can link her hands around his.
Elizabeth nods and wraps her hands around his upper arm.
They go to the main hall together, as the ball was held in the main hall of the palace. It seems as if everyone was almost there. Only Elizabeth and Maximillian were late.
"I wonder if we're late. That would be terrible as I am the organizer of this event." Elizabeth says, trying to get a view of the inside of the ball from far away.
"Don't worry. We're not that late, My Empress. Just a little." Maximillian says staring straight ahead with regalness.
They must dance at least once tonight. So Elizabeth was preparing herself well. She can't mess up.
She would never mess up anyways. It's never happened before. She had trained hard all her life to be the perfect empress.
But Maximillian had trampled on all her dreams. They were promised each other at a young age, so switching so suddenly sent her spiraling. When she saw Him and Ludovika together one day at a party. She fumed. She had done horrible things that day.
