**
"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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"Your Highness, the Empress!" Roman stumbles into the drawing room that Elizabeth was waiting in, panting lightly as he crosses to take his seat. He plays a smile on his face, trying to hide the struggle clearly written on his face that he was out of breath. "What brings you here?" He asks after an episode of restraining his fatigue.
"The Emperor had left to the eastern kingdom as you know too. I too also have some business in the eastern kingdom. Will you please accompany me? It's about the hunting competition business. We worked on it together right."
Somehow Elizabeth doesn't feel very safe that he went there alone. This might be an excuse to at least watch him from a further distance and make sure he is safe always. And then she'll return even before he could notice she ever was there. But she did truly have some business to conduct in the eastern kingdom.
"Of course I will accompany you, Your Highness My empress." Roman places a hand over his heart, in a way of promise. She smiles at his promise and meets his eyes again that stared back at her already with something like compassion in his eyes. Roman has always been by her side, even when they were young. He was one of her brothers friends that always took care of her. The only friend that cared for her as Maximillian was not interested in caring for anyone else until he met Ludovika.
"That's great. Then we shall leave early tomorrow so that we can arrive before the sun rises in the afternoon. I hear it's quite hot in the afternoons." Elizabeth could almost feel the blistering sun breaking her into a sweat, she pressed the back of her hand to her forehead wiping the sweat. Roman stood up first, and then Elizabeth. He offered her a hand before she can make another move, and with no choice Elizabeth took his hand. He was going to escort her.
"I don't know if I can say this, but I do remember that Johannes lives in the eastern kingdom. He had left there all those years ago." Roman informs her, incase they ever run into Johannes on their trip. Elizabeth drew a breath, closed her eyes even though she was next to Roman. Then opened them again, after processing what he just said. She doesn't have anything to say in return except for a thank you. "Thank you for informing me. I will keep that in mind. And in case we do run into him, I want you to never tell me that he's here. I don't want to see him. If you see him, just lead me away without telling me so I'm not curious enough to look his way." Elizabeth tells him.
Roman agrees with her requests before he sends her into the carriage she can in earlier. "I will do anything for my Empress. Do not worry, I have given you my promise, remember?" He says softly before closing the carriage door. Elizabeth was left struck by his words. Why must he speak in such a way that drives her heart crazy. Was he always so good with words, even back then? Elizabeth felt the heat gathering in her cheeks and she quickly covered the blush that spread. No one can ever know. She tried not to think anymore of why her heart seemed to pound harder remembering him. ____________________________
Maximillian was already at the cafe, as he reserved a table for two. He felt so antsy all night that he couldn't sleep, tossing and turning his bed reminding himself of how Ludovika looked now. She still looked as beautiful as ever, her soft plump lips the color of a rose. They almost taste like nothing but sweet things. How long has it been? The sun still hadn't risen and yet he woke up so early to be there. Worrying that if he went late she might leave and never return. And he would never find her again. That thought scared him him further than anything, it created an undeniable unsettling feeling. It incited a shiver through him even though the weather here was hotter than any other place.
