Chapter 2: The Emperor in Hidding
1387 Words
The cabin fell into complete silence.
Elara stared at the glowing silver mark on her wrist, then back at the stranger sitting on the edge of the bed. His silver eyes remained fixed on her, filled with disbelief rather than joy.
The strange symbol burned like living fire beneath her skin.
"What... what is this?" she whispered, clutching her wrist.
The stranger didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he lowered his gaze to his own wrist, where the identical mark glowed beneath the torn sleeve of his black tunic. For a brief moment, pain flashed across his face.
"It shouldn't have happened," he murmured.
"What shouldn't have happened?"
He slowly stood. Though his injuries had not fully healed, he carried himself with effortless strength, as if simply standing filled the small cabin with authority.
"You should forget what I said."
Elara frowned.
"You called me your mate."
His jaw tightened.
"I was mistaken."
"Mistaken?" She held up her wrist. "Then explain this!"
His gaze lingered on the mark before he looked away.
"I can't."
Frustration rose inside her.
"You wake up in my cabin, covered in blood. I spend the whole night saving your life, then you say I'm your mate, and now you expect me to pretend none of this happened?"
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips despite the tension.
"You speak boldly."
"I speak honestly."
For the first time, he looked directly into her eyes—not as a wounded stranger, but as a man weighing every word.
"My name is Cassian."
She waited.
Nothing else came.
"Just Cassian?"
"Just Cassian."
"You don't have a family name?"
"I'd rather not say."
Elara crossed her arms.
"So you're hiding something."
"You could say that."
She sighed.
"Fine. I'm Elara Ashford. Village healer."
"I know."
She blinked.
"You know?"
"You told me while treating my wounds."
"I did?"
"You were talking to yourself."
Heat rushed to her cheeks.
"I... I do that sometimes."
"I noticed."
For a heartbeat, the tension eased.
Then Cassian suddenly staggered.
He caught himself against the wooden wall.
The movement reopened one of his wounds, and blood stained the fresh bandages.
Without thinking, Elara hurried to him.
"Sit down."
"I'm fine."
"No, you're stubborn."
He raised an eyebrow.
"People usually don't speak to me like that."
"Maybe they should."
She gently guided him back onto the bed.
As she replaced the bandages, she noticed something she had missed before.
A black ring rested on his right hand.
It was unlike any jewelry she had ever seen.
Forged from dark metal, it carried the engraving of a majestic wolf wearing an ancient crown.
The craftsmanship was flawless.
"You have a beautiful ring," she said quietly.
Cassian instinctively covered it with his other hand.
"It belonged to my father."
"It looks expensive."
"It isn't something that can be bought."
She nodded, sensing the sadness in his voice.
"I won't ask."
He studied her for a long moment.
"Most people would."
"I'm not most people."
A faint smile appeared again.
Outside, the forest had begun to awaken.
Birds sang from distant branches.
Sunlight filtered through the trees.
For a brief moment, the cabin felt peaceful.
Far away...
Thousands of miles from Blackwood Forest...
Peace no longer existed.
---
The Imperial Palace.
Panic spread through the magnificent halls like wildfire.
Imperial Knights rushed through marble corridors while servants whispered in fear.
Inside the war chamber, generals stood before a massive map of the Lunar Empire.
A middle-aged knight slammed his fist onto the table.
"We've searched the northern mountains."
Another shook his head.
"The eastern borders are clear."
"The southern provinces report nothing."
Silence settled over the room.
Finally, an elderly man dressed in silver armor spoke.
Commander Magnus.
One of the Emperor's most trusted warriors.
"If His Majesty survived the ambush, he will avoid returning until he knows who betrayed him."
A younger knight stepped forward.
"Commander... should we tell the nobles?"
Magnus' expression hardened.
"No."
"But they're demanding answers."
"They'll receive none."
Another voice interrupted.
"And the Council?"
Magnus looked toward the palace doors.
"The fewer people who know the Emperor is missing..."
"...the longer he stays alive."
The room fell silent again.
Someone inside the empire had betrayed their ruler.
No one knew who.
---
Back inside the cabin...
Cassian stood by the window.
His sharp eyes scanned the forest.
Too quiet.
Far too quiet.
The assassins who attacked him never worked alone.
If they had failed...
Others would come.
His hand unconsciously tightened around the window frame.
The curse was awake again.
For ten years, he had kept it under control.
He had buried every emotion.
Avoided every possible bond.
Yet the moment he met Elara...
The mate mark appeared.
Impossible.
The ancient prophecy had spoken of a Forbidden Luna.
A woman whose existence would either save the empire...
...or destroy it.
No.
He refused to believe it.
Not her.
Not the kind-hearted healer who risked her life to save a complete stranger.
She deserved peace.
Not the endless wars that followed him.
He glanced toward Elara.
She was carefully organizing herbs into small cloth pouches, humming softly without realizing it.
She had no idea that every powerful faction in the empire would kill to possess—or eliminate—the Emperor's mate.
His chest tightened.
"I have to leave."
She looked up.
"So soon?"
"The longer I stay..."
"The more danger you'll be in."
She smiled sadly.
"You keep saying that."
"Because it's true."
Before she could reply—
His eyes narrowed.
Footsteps.
Many of them.
Coming fast.
Heavy armor.
Horses.
Cassian's expression changed instantly.
He extinguished the fire with one swift movement.
"What are you doing?"
"Someone's here."
A loud voice echoed from outside.
"Search every cabin!"
Another shouted,
"His Majesty must be somewhere in this forest!"
Elara froze.
His Majesty?
Before she could ask, another command rang out.
"If anyone is hiding the fugitive, they will be charged with treason!"
Cassian's hand instinctively reached for the sword leaning beside the bed.
His silver eyes became cold once more.
Outside...
Dozens of Imperial soldiers surrounded the cabin.
The pounding of armored boots drew closer.
Then—
BANG!
Someone struck the cabin door.
"Open in the name of the Imperial Crown!"
- Writer
