An Arranged Marriage

The Verdict

You stared down at the floor with wide eyes, barely even moving as they set you down in front of the empress herself. You were kneeling down in front of her when they set you down and just stayed silent in hopes not to worsen the situation for yourself. 

Meanwhile, Gyokuen just stared down at you with disdain. On the inside, however, she was ecstatic that her plan worked so well. She coughed into her hand to make sure her smirk didn't come out, "do you not understand the gravity of your crimes?" She asked, her voice echoing through the room.

You didn't respond, you didn't even know what to say at this point. You knew you were in for it, especially if your father found it. He did all that work just to cover up your first incident and now that this was happening you were as sure as dead. 

Gyokuen sighed at your silence. "You attacked one of the Emporer's most precious concubines," she said causing you to flinch at your own mistake. It did strick you as odd, however, that the Emporer take one of Kouen's old concubines as his own. 

"You may be a princess of Kou, but if something like this gets out it would effect Kou negatively," she explained while standing up, "so, this is what I propose as a punishment and I'm sure the assaulted concubine will agree to this as well."

She walked over to you and stood in front of you. You gaze was now at her shoes instead of the floor, but you soon felt a hand in your chin. Gyokuen raised your head to look at her as she gave you the verdict. What she said made your shock increase tenfold. 

"She is to be sent to a dungeon raised by Judar without the assistance of her metal vessels the next morning. For now, take her away."

"Yes, Empress Gyokuen."

*~*~*

Kouen rubbed the back of his neck, he'd been in the library for about an hour now. He was surprised you weren't coming in here to scold like you claimed you were. Come to think of it, he hadn't seen you since the duel you two had. 

He brought a hand to his chin to think and stood up from his desk. Kouen was about to leave the library until he was interrupted when the door slammed open revealing a teary-eyed Kougyoku and Kouha. He rose a brow at their sad faces but was still concerned as to what could make them cry. 

"K-Kouen," wailed Kougyoku, "it's Y/N-nee!"

His eyes widened, "what happened?" He asked, "where is she?" 

It was Kouha's turn to speak, but now he looked more angry than sad. "It's Gyokuen," he said harshly.

*~*~*

Gyokuen was busy brushing her hair on her vanity when her door slammed open revealing an angry Kouen. She smiled at him and stood up with her arms raised, "what happened, my son?" She asked softly.

Kouen only glared at her and moved her arms away from him. "Why is my bride on house arrest to be sent to a dungeon tomorrow?" He asked, getting straight to the point. 

Gyokuen raised her brows in surprise, "you don't know?" She asked. Kouen only looked at her in confusion, it was clear he didn't. Besides he knew if he asked the servants their stories would probably be even crazier than what really happened. 

She sighed and sat down, "she attacked one of your father's concubines," she explained and watched as Kouen's face went from anger to shock in mere seconds. 

She stood up, "try to understand, Kouen. If this got out Kou's reputation is stake as well as hers," she said, laying a hand on his shoulder only for him to push it away. 

"The one thing I don't understand is why give her the punishment of going to a dungeon with no metal vessels," he spat, giving her a pointed stare.