Forgetful Marriage

No Peace and Quiet

[Lillian POV]:

It had been a total of 5 days since our marriage and arrival to the kingdom of Fioreh but my supposed husband still has not clarified as to what he meant in the carriage. His demeanor was something completely different when he was alone with me, It makes me wonder if there is more to him than what meets the eye.

I am truly and completely alone here, I was not allowed to bring myself a maid or else I would have brought Fiona, but no. I must start anew, completely from scratch. I look around my unfamiliar new room, it had everything, things I had not even seen in my previous room but it still did not make me feel like home. In Fioreh the emperor and empress stayed in different palaces, it was probably a show of wealth but It hurt to think how much I would need to walk to have an audience with him.

I called on my lady in waiting countess Mary, she belonged to one of the most affluent noble families in Fioreh making her worthy to help an empress settle in. I still had to get used to not having Fiona around, being with people I did not know felt like walking on pins and needles.

"Yes, your majesty?" Mary smiled; her features extremely soft; in a sense it was comforting. I turned to her, unsure of how I should frame what I was about to say. I did not want to sound like an undeserving empress who seemed unfamiliar with how things worked in Fioreh. "Is there a certain time frame to when the emperor visits the empress here in Fioreh?"

I bit my lip, releasing I had sounded like someone who had no idea what goes around in this kingdom. Mary lowered her gaze, her demeanor seeming a little nervous as she answered my question. "Not that I have heard of your Majesty."

Then, the only reason Julian has not come to my chambers yet is because he does not want to consummate the marriage. I turned away from the countess, excusing her. I fiddle with my fingers as I sit on my bed, a growing worry rising in me after knowing that the emperor has been avoiding me. I have heard of such behaviors, distant mutterings I had picked up back in minora. Maid gossip; about noble men who would not bed their wives if they did not like them, and there was only one outcome of that.

I shook my head as I thought of becoming fodder for some gossip, some woman that can be casted away so easily. I looked at my hands, before using them to cover my face. My place in this kingdom is being challenged, If the emperor continues his behavior, I would be no empress at all.

I will have to take the first step.

...

Third person:

A walk in the royal gardens, that was Lillian's idea of the first step. It was close to the emperor's palace and after asking Mary it seemed like he was one to visit it often. She had mustered all her courage to strike up a conversation first if she spotted him, preparing herself to be ladylike. It would be great if he spoke to her first but his avoidance had proven otherwise.

Although she had come here with the intention of meeting Julian, she found herself getting mesmerized by the flowers. They were so different, exquisite and unlike what she had seen in Minora. Sure, they had beautiful flowers too; but this garden held some things she had only ever read about in books. The urge to bend down and pluck some came over her but she fought it, after all she was in another kingdom and the flowers had no relation to the reason she had stepped foot in the area.

"Empress." A voice called out, making Lillian jump. It was deep and hoarse, she immediately knew who it belonged to, after all the owner of that voice seemed to frequently appear in her thoughts.

She turned around to face him. "Emperor." Lillian spoke, a proper smile etched onto her face. she did feel irritated that it took him so long to finally reach out to her but dared not to show it. Julian returned her smile, but there was some underlying tension behind it; she could see it in his eyes.

"I did not think I would see you here." His voice was calm.

"I did not think so either." She lied. She could not tell him she had been pacing around the garden for hours hoping to bump into him. She was a well dignified lady after all.

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I heard you had been spending a significant amount of time in the garden without leaving, so I came to check."

She bit her lip. He had caught her in her lie, but she could not back down now. Not when she had already embarrassed herself in front of him. "If you had heard, you should have come sooner your majesty."

His eyes narrowed at that. "Why?"

Lillian clenched her fist. "I was told that you would explain what you meant in the carriage when I reached Fioreh but not only did your majesty fail to do that, you have also been avoiding me."

He let out a dark chuckle, his demeanor only getting colder with every word she uttered. "Are you accusing me of something, empress?"

Lillian smiled. "I would not dare dream of such things your majesty."

Julians face twisted into some unexplainable expression. Like he was fighting something. He ran his fingers through his hair. "We don't have to do this right now Lily."

She was stumped, he called her by that name again. This weirdly adoring nickname, but it rolled of his tongue in a mix of complicated feelings. A certain distaste, yet so easily uttered. It sent a shiver down her spine when he spoke of her as if she was familiar.

"Is this not what you wanted?" He continued. "You, your father, your kingdom? I have given it to you, yet you plan on hindering me more than you have already?"

Lillian fell silent, she had no idea what he was referring to. There was a certain pain in his eyes, but he quickly masked it when he realized he was slipping. It made her stop and think, but there was nothing that came to mind. Her father hadn't told her anything but that she was to be married to the emperor of Fioreh.

"You talk to me like I know what you mean." The words slipped out before she could process it. The tension is the air seemed to have risen even more with those simple words.

Why did it stir him up so much? What had she ever done to receive such a look?

He clenched his teeth. "Do not test me, Lillian."

This offended her, she had not a single clue yet was at the receiving end of his raging anger. She clutched onto the sides of her gown, hoping to calm herself down. "All I wanted to do today, was to ask you about what you meant in the carriage and- "she paused, unable to say the next few words.

His eyes narrowed. "And?"

"And ask you to visit the empress's palace, It is not proper for a husband to not visit his wife." She looked away, embarrassed. She had known what those words would imply, but it seemed Julian did not share the same feeling.

His eyes were cold, almost emotionless at the mention of it. "So that is your intention behind this?"

"You want to warm my bed?" His voice was harsh, as he stepped closer to her. His body almost brushing against her. The space between them had become nonexistent. "Why?"

Lillian took a step back, unsure of what to say. "Because I am the empress of this nation."

He scoffed, inching even closer; his breath hitting her ear as he leaned in to whisper. "You think so highly of yourself, but you forget, this kingdom belongs to me and no matter what you try to pull it will always be so."

His eyes lingered on her for a moment too long before he turned to leave. This was it for them, a declaration of war.

Why had he proposed to a woman he seemed to hate?

Lillian's hand clenched her dress tighter. Forget peace and quiet, It seems her life in Fioreh would be nothing short of the misery she had always experienced. 

...

a/n: hope you enjoyed this chapter! let me know your thoughts on the story so far! :D