Fate's Prisoners

Chapter 44

Youngbae

I woke up the morning of my big day with a smile on my face. At last, it's here and I am feeling what many have felt before. The excitement of getting married along with the nerves of such an event. I took a few deep breaths before I got up from my bed and headed to my throne room. When I arrived, I saw my mother there alone just looking around. "Mother?" "Youngbae, what are you doing here? You should be getting ready. Your wedding is in a few hours." She reminds me with a smile on her face, one I haven't seen in a long time. " I have plenty of time to get ready. Why are you here by yourself?" "Just thinking to myself for a little bit." She says bushing off my shoulders lightly. "Did I disturb you?" "no-no, in fact, I was thinking about you." She admits with a sigh. "Me? What about me?" She didn't answer and just smiled at me. "Mother, I haven't seen you smile like this in a long time." I pointed out her facial expression and she put her head down for a moment before she picked it up again. "Well, its been a long time I have been this happy Bae," she says turning and walking to my throne slowly with me trailing behind her. "Since your father left years ago, there have been very few times I have smiled like this. The last time I truly smiled like this, that I can recall, was at Leon's first birthday here a few years back." "Why then?" "Because I was so happy you were able to be with your child for his birthday and for everything else that would follow from then on." She ran her hand softly over my seat as she thought of my father and of Leon. "When I think of Leon, he looks just like you. And you, you look just like your father, so in a way, I feel as if he were still here living through his bloodline. Living here with me." I saw a tear slowly roll down her perfect cheeks. "Mother, don't cry today is a happy day at the palace. If you cry, what should I do?" I asked wiping her tears softly. "I am fine, do not mind me. I am just feeling emotional right now." She says taking a sniff to stop her tears. "Youngbae do not worry about me, go get ready now. We shouldn't waste any time." She says making me leave her alone to get ready.

Luna

When I woke this morning it was because Liluo, Suzan, Lucas, and Xander were all in my room shouting for Leon and I to wake up and get ready. Lucas was taking care of the boys while I was in a bath before I got dressed. Liluo and Suzan constantly told me how beautiful I am and how beautiful I will be when I married the Emperor but my mind often seemed elsewhere as I got ready for the wedding. When I got out they helped me get dress then they started doing my hair. They pined it up so many times I couldn't keep count. As the time for me to get ready ran out, my heart sped up to the point I felt I was going to have a heart attack. When I was all dressed and ready there was still time left. If I stayed there the whole time, I feel I would have passed out because I felt like I was suffocating. I decided it would take a walk to clear my cluttered head and shaky heart.

As I walked alone in the walkways of the palace, I did anything I could to keep my mind on anything but what was going to happen in less than an hour. Maybe I'm so out of it right now because I don't want to marry the Emperor? Impossible, you have been looking forward to doing nothing but that these last 2 years. How can one day change everything so quickly, what should I do? I took a seat where the area was completely clear and closed my eyes to clear my head. However, I had drifted into what feels like sleep but I was not fully asleep just dreaming. This calmed me down a lot and let me clear my mind. When I was calm I reminded myself how I felt about the Emperor and the feeling I had when I lost him before. If I were to turn away this opportunity, if I were to stop everything, I would regret it more than anything in this world. I was woken from my dreamlike state when I heard footsteps in the distance. I opened my eyes but when I looked around there was no one there until I heard a voice. "There you are." I turned to see Leon running over to me. "Leon." "Ma, everyone is looking for you," he says taking my hand and leading me back to my palace where everyone was relieved to see me back in one peace. "Luna, its time to go. the Emperor is waiting for you."Lucas says making me smile. We all headed to where everything was going to change forever.