Chapter 14 The new Princess from the West
Amarien's POV
I woke up the next morning, and Daevir was gone. My shroul was wrapped around me like a blanket, and the only trail of him was his footprint leaving the cave.
Oh, the gods! It's daybreak!
I realised and quickly leapt to my feet. Eunuchs conduct early-morning checks on their concubines before leaving them for the day. Eunuch Corvin must be furious right now.
Considering what I did to him in the imperial courts, he would skin me alive if he had the chance.
Quickly, I burst out of the cave and raced to the palace. I was quick enough to sneak in through the strict palace guard patrol, but wasn't quick enough to get into my room before Eunuch Corvin did.
He had been waiting for me all night. His arms were crossed, his face in an angry frown, and he tapped the ground with wooden shoes. These same wooden shoes that almost got me paralysed yesterday.
I froze at his presence in my room, readying myself for another merciless wood shoe beating this morning.
But Eunuch Corvin wasn't in the mood for beating his morning. In fact, he seemed more nervous about my absence than he was angry.
“You foolish girl. You can play your games to get me in trouble, but you won't succeed.” He fanned his face with nervous irritation. “Here I am thinking I'll be excited this morning.”
What was he talking about?!
“The emperor will be throwing a banquet in honour of Prince Daevir and his lovely visitor from the West, Princess Catherine Taylor Stonbourn.”
I've never heard such ridiculous names in my life. Who is this Princess Catherine? And why has Daevir never spoken about her to me?
I was zoning out already when Corvin knocked my head with a hand fan.
“Ouch!” I held my head and winced in pain.
“The emperor demands your presence at this banquet.” Corvin finally said. “Looks like you're fast becoming his favourite. It's very strange because he hasn't even touched you yet.” Corvin seemed proud of himself, as if it were he who made Emperor Darian’s sickly attention to me possible. “Anyways, child. Enjoy his imperial majesty’s attention while it lasts.”
Corvin stepped away from me and opened the door, revealing a host of people, covered in silks and jewellery, waiting outside.
“It's time to get you ready.” He clapped.
One thing no one told you about being a concubine is that, despite being a child, you still had to look desirable in every extreme way.
Corvin said I'm doing this for my husband, the emperor. But I've never felt like this was a union I agreed to. Everything was forced on me, including this tight dress that pressed on my very delicate chest.
I felt that any wrong move would send my two lumpy moulds flying out. My breasts aren't even that big, compared to the likes of Velmira; the cloth is just too tight.
“Perfect! You look perfect.” Corvin cooed happily. He seemed to be very pleased with himself these days.
I understand.
When the emperor finds your concubine favourable, it can only mean one thing for a eunuch: More money in his pocket.
“When the Emperor sees you like this, he'd be running to your arms tonight!” Corvin cooed.
I cringed so hard I felt the dress rip a bit.
I still can't fathom why I'm terrified of the inevitable. It's only a matter of time before the emperor comes into my chambers to do what he always does.
And if the gods are favourable to Corvin, I would get pregnant and bear a child for the emperor. Only then can Corvin be promoted, and maybe I'd be given a chance to move into the imperial courts with the emperor.
The thought of having a baby with a man who quite literally hunts down babies to be his bride made me sick.
“Why is she losing the colour on her face?!” Corvin snapped at the make-up artist. “Add more colours to her face!”
Corvin seemed erratic. I get it. My conduct in the ceremony today could make or mar him. It must be quite sad having your entire existence hinged on a child who is forced into an affair with an older man.
As the make-up artist drew more colours on my face, a thought lit up my heart.
Daevir.
He would be at the party. Would he be pleased to see me like this? Or would it disgust him?
I want to please him so bad, but I have no say on how I look.
I thought about these thoughts, and suddenly I felt embarrassed.
Daevir is my son-in-law according to custom. It's forbidden to think such thoughts and want such things. After all, he is only my friend.
I shut my thoughts from further thinking about Daevir's approval of me. Instead, I practised the steps Corvin had taught me to please the Emperor when at a party.
I am only happy to see Daevir again and nothing else.
My heart thumped in my chest as I was escorted into the Imperial banquet. It was glittering and overwhelming at once.
I've never seen such high walls covered in priceless silk and flesh flowers that bloomed in the air. Musical instruments of all kinds were played, and everyone in the crowd was decked in the finest silk, with the best ornament and embroidery ever known to man, each better than the rest.
I stood there and stared so hard that Eunuch Corvin had to smack his head with a hand fan again.
“Don't get carried away, girl. You're here for the emperor!” He scolded.
We weaved our way through the crowd. Eyes trailed me, and I heard whispers after whispers.
“It's her.”
“The emperor’s new child bride.”
“I heard she's cursed.”
“She cursed the emperor with illness, yet tied him with her charm.”
I kept my eyes low and fixed to the ground.
If I had my chance, I'd untied the emperor from any charm he has for me and have him let me go.
As we weaved our way to the front, the crowd's focus began to shift from me to an event ahead of us.
“It's the prince,” some whispered.
“He's dancing with Princess Catherine.”
Being short had its disadvantages. I had to force myself not to stretch my neck to see what was going on.
But we were escorted to the front in a moment, and what I saw next stirred up something deep and unsettling in me.
It's true. Prince Daevir was dancing with Princess Catherine of the West. But it wasn't the dance that shook me up; it was how they danced. How they held each other tenderly like lost lovers who had just found themselves.
Princess Catherine is particularly worth looking at. She was tall. Just as tall as Prince Daevir. With red hair that was held up in a sophisticated heap in her head and curls that looked so delicate, I wanted to run out and touch them.
She was pretty. And she looked at Daevir with dedication and passion.
Daevir had his eyes firmly on her. Like no one but Catherine ever mattered. He held her hand delicately, his other hand on her waist as they swayed from side to side.
The way Daevir looked at her. The way he touched her felt like no other woman he knew deserved such, but Catherine.
Why Catherine?!
He literally just met her?!
And why am I suddenly aghast?.
I only had seconds to process my anger when, in a swift spark of a second, Daevir dazed away from Catherine and met mine.
A cold shock ran through my body, fear gripping my heart.
He didn't look at me tenderly like he did Catherine.
No.
His gaze held nothing but pure coldness.