The Emperor's Bride

Chapter 3

It was going to be a cold and rainy day, the clothes I was wearing were not equipped to keep me warm.

I could already feel the cold travelling up my spine and into my lungs,

the Emperor opened the doors and for a second he looked surprised that I was here and awake.

However his young eyes had dark circles under them and I could tell that he was tired and didn't sleep much.

"Greetings Your Majesty."

I said politely.

"Follow me."

He said instead of returning my greeting, I followed behind him like a timid thief.

He went to the quarters where he had his clothes changed, he dismissed Eunuch Hwang.

"You will dress me from now on."

I bowed my head and didn't dispute it, then suddenly he took off his clothes and he stood in front of me naked.

His clothes were shielding a lot of scars on his skin and perhaps for the first time I felt some sympathy for him, tears pricked my eyes.

He was silently watching me as he helped me to dress him.

"Wait for me outside the Courthouse."

He whispered in a soft voice, now I was fully crying!

Perhaps he deserved to behave the way he was, after all his body looked like someone was designing it with a sharpie.

I kneeled by the Courthouse door and I waited, and I was wiping my tears so that I wouldn't get scolded and have people asking me what's wrong.

After the morning session with the Court, he had decided that he wanted to have breakfast in the Garden that overlooked the riverbank and its wild flowers.

When the food came he was staring at me expectantly.

"Taste my food."

Eunuch Hwang wanted to dispute but he pinned him with a cold stare.

I tasted his food as per his request and then I kneeled down as he ate.

"You are awfully quiet today, what's wrong?"

He questioned softly,

"Nothing."

I muttered softly.

He ate silently without speaking and when he was done, he continued to enjoy the beauty of the river until the rain started.

My clothes got wet and my body underneath my clothes was frozen!

My nipples were screaming and protesting in pain,

all I wanted to do is curl up and fold myself and just sleep.

As we all know luck was just not with me,
he took me to his study room where he does his work and he had me curl up like a wet dog on the corner of the door.

At this point there wasn't any part of me that wasn't cold! Not to mention I bathed with cold water too!

"I have a question for you and I need you to answer honestly."

I nodded my head.

"Do you think I am a fair ruler?"

"You try to be."

"That's not the answer."

"Okay, you're not."

"Why?"