Title: "Obsession of the Emperor"
The grand halls of the imperial palace were gilded in gold, marble floors reflecting the soft glow of candlelight as the Emperor sat upon his lavish throne, overlooking his court. Dressed in the finest silks, surrounded by noblemen and advisors, his mind was elsewhere—on a girl who was not supposed to matter, not in the grand scheme of his empire.
She was a maid, a lowly servant, beneath his notice. Yet, she consumed his thoughts.
Her name was Elara. The first time Emperor Cassius saw her was in passing—a fleeting moment when she was cleaning the halls. Unlike the other servants, she didn’t shrink back in fear when he walked past. She didn’t tremble or bow low enough. In fact, their eyes met. Her deep, amber gaze pierced his soul in a way no one ever had.
From that moment, Cassius became obsessed.
Days turned into weeks, and he found himself watching her from the shadows, drawn to her every movement, every soft gesture. She was delicate, like a flower blooming in the cracks of the palace, and yet, she remained oblivious to the storm brewing inside him.
He knew he had to have her.
---
One evening, after a grand banquet, Cassius sent for her. Elara was summoned to his private chambers. She hesitated, unsure why the Emperor himself would request the presence of someone so insignificant. Her hands trembled as she walked down the long corridor, servants whispering behind her back.
When she entered the room, she found him standing by the window, his broad figure outlined by the moonlight. He turned when he heard her approach, his eyes intense and predatory.
"Your Majesty," she curtsied, her voice trembling. "How may I serve you?"
"You already serve me, Elara," he said, his voice soft, but with an edge that made her heart race. "But it is not enough."
She looked up, confusion clouding her expression. "I don’t understand, Your Majesty."
Cassius took a step toward her, closing the distance between them. He reached out, brushing a strand of her dark hair away from her face. She flinched, but didn’t move away.
"You've captivated me," he whispered, his fingers lingering on her cheek. "Ever since that day in the hall, I haven't been able to stop thinking about you."
Elara’s eyes widened in shock. This was not what she had expected—this was beyond dangerous.
"Your Majesty, I’m just a servant—"
"Do not call yourself that!" he interrupted sharply, his voice rising in frustration. "You are not just anything. You are mine, Elara. Mine."
Elara took a step back, her heart hammering in her chest. "I don’t belong to anyone, least of all to you."
Cassius laughed bitterly, the sound echoing through the room. "You think you have a choice? Do you think I, the Emperor, would allow someone like you to escape me?" He stepped forward again, his hand now gripping her wrist tightly. "You don’t understand, do you? I could make you Empress. I could give you everything. But you refuse to see what I offer."
Her wrist throbbed under his grip, but she stared at him defiantly. "You can't just force me to love you."
"I don’t need your love," he growled, pulling her closer until their faces were inches apart. "I only need you to be mine."
Before she could respond, he turned away abruptly, calling out to the guards. In seconds, the grand chamber doors swung open, and the nobles and advisors who had gathered for the evening meeting poured in. Cassius still held Elara tightly by the wrist, his eyes gleaming with a dangerous light.
"Everyone," he announced, his voice booming with authority, "I have an important proclamation to make."
Elara's blood ran cold. She tugged at her wrist, but his grip only tightened.
"This woman," Cassius continued, pulling her forward for all to see, "is no longer a mere maid. She will now serve me as my personal attendant. She will stay by my side, night and day. She is mine, and I will have no one dare question it."
The crowd gasped, whispers spreading like wildfire among the court. A maid? His personal attendant? It was unheard of—improper.
Elara’s heart raced. She tried to pull away again, her voice trembling. "Please, Your Majesty, this isn’t right. I don’t want this!"
Cassius ignored her, raising his chin as he addressed the murmuring nobles. "Do any of you dare challenge my decision?" His voice was low, dangerous, as his eyes scanned the crowd. "Do any of you wish to question the will of your Emperor?"
The room fell into a deathly silence. No one dared speak. No one dared challenge him.
Cassius turned his gaze back to Elara, his eyes softening for a moment as he brushed his thumb across her knuckles. "You’ll understand in time, Elara," he whispered, his voice laced with possessive hunger. "You’ll see that you belong to me, and only me."
Tears filled her eyes, but she blinked them away, her voice barely a whisper. "You can’t make me stay."
His smirk deepened. "Watch me."
---
The days that followed were torment for Elara. She was given the finest clothes, the best food, a room that was far too grand for a servant. But she felt imprisoned, suffocated by the Emperor’s constant presence. He watched her every move, always nearby, always wanting more of her.
She would catch him staring at her while she worked, his gaze dark with obsession. He no longer hid his feelings; he flaunted them in front of the court. He would touch her whenever he pleased, hand lingering on her back or brushing against her arm, possessive and unrelenting.
One evening, during a formal dinner, he made his final move. In front of everyone—nobles, generals, and foreign dignitaries—Cassius stood and took her hand, pulling her to her feet.
"Elara," he said, his voice loud enough for the entire hall to hear. "I have waited long enough. From this day forward, you are mine in every way."
Before she could protest, he kissed her—forceful and possessive, claiming her in front of the entire court. She froze, the world spinning around her as gasps filled the room. When he pulled back, his eyes were blazing with satisfaction.
"You will never escape me," he whispered darkly into her ear, his lips brushing her skin. "You are mine, Elara. Forever."
As the court erupted into murmurs and shock, Elara knew there was no escaping him. Not from the Emperor's grasp.
---
𝙉𝙚𝙭𝙩 𝙪𝙥𝙙𝙖𝙩𝙚; 𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐭 (𝐜𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐞-𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫) 𝐗 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧
