The Emperor's Concubine

Chapter Fifty-Six

"Luna."

Through the calm night, Emperor Cabel calls out.
Luna stirs in her sleep. Opening her eyes, she meets the gaze of Emperor Cabel who sits by her bed.

"C-Cabel?" She sleepily calls out, sitting up in a dazed and confused state.
"I'm sorry to wake you so late... I heard what had happened, and wanted to make sure you were okay." He gently speaks.
"I'm okay. My powers healed me instantly so there was no harm done..."
Luna averts her gaze, slightly pained sadness in her eyes.
The emperor looks back at her, analyzing her expression.

"Were you scared?" He asks.
Luna nods, continuing to avert her eyes.
"Why is it that you refuse to look at me?"
Subtly jumping at his words, she thinks for a moment—unsure of what to do. She slowly faces Emperor Cabel, his eyes piercing into her.
"Has something happened?" He speaks.
"Nothing... I just have some issues of my own to deal with..." She whispers.
"Issues?... Why not take a few days to ignore them."
Confused by his words, she gives him a dubious stare.
"What do you mean?" She quietly asks.
"Sometimes to run away and ignore the problem can help. Some problems disappear over time, maybe this is like that."
Luna's mouth gapes open slightly as she processes his words. Words opposite of Duke Oslo's, a baffled expression shows in her look.

"U-Unfortunately, I can't ignore such things." Luna mumbles, fiddling her fingers.
"How come? You seem quite pained by it, are you not?"
"I am... But I need to accept the pain." She explains in an exhausted tone.
"You need the pain?" Emperor Cabel's expression twists into a confused look.
"Yes. It'll help me in a way. The pain I feel is not simple nor easy to ignore... Regardless, it'll help me grow and move past it, if I acknowledge it." Luna stares at Emperor Cabel, her eyes piercing back at him.
"I see..."

An awkward silence falls between them.
Luna fidgets slightly unsure of what to say to break free of the awkward atmosphere.
Glancing around the room awkwardly as Emperor Cabel thinks on her words, she stares at the moonlight that seeps in through her windows.

"What was the reason you came here again?" She asks.
"Ah, I wanted to know what had happened and who to punish. Jax has not woken up and I need your side of the story."
"Please don't punish him... It was an accident that his staff hit me."
"Yet, you were bleeding. Do you not realize your room reeks of the heavy iron scent I've grown used to?"
"I do know... I also know it was an accident. Jax wouldn't hurt me purposefully." Luna looks at Emperor Cabel, biting her lip as she lies about what happened.
Emperor Cabel sighs before giving a nod.
"Okay... I'll take your word for it."
"Thank you..." Luna whispers.
"You should go back to sleep."
Emperor Cabel raises his upper body, leaning towards Luna. He gently kisses her forehead.

Luna jumps, her heart pounding loudly as she stares up at him. Emperor Cabel meets her eyes.
They lean into each other, their lips touching.
Luna sits up more, continuing the kiss before wrapping her arms around his neck.

'If I give him everything I am, would that make him love only me?'
Luna thinks to herself.

She holds onto him tightly. The room filled with sounds of their tongues intertwining with each other.
Emperor Cabel breaks away.
"How naughty." His deep voice whispers lowly.
"Please, kiss me more."
"I can't do that." He moves away.
Luna wraps her arms around his neck again, pulling him back closer.
"Please! I-I want to continue." She exclaims—her expression twisting into a pained one.
She averts her eyes for a moment, her eyes glistening as they begin to tear up.
"Why should I?" He whispers in a low voice.
"Just a bit more... Please... I want you to feel me." Luna whispers back in a shaking voice.
Her cheeks beginning to grow a faint shade of red from embarrassment and shame, she meets his eyes courageously.
Emperor Cabel analyzes her expression for a moment, closing his eyes as he thinks to himself. Meeting her eyes again, his eyes seeming cold for a brief moment.
His hands grab her hips, pulling her to the edge of the bed—causing her to fall onto her back.
He swiftly moves on top of her. His hand under her head, pulling her into him as he kisses her deeply.
Luna's hands ball into fists as she rests them against his chest, her expression growing more pained by the second.