The Emperor's Killer Bride

3

Eduardo spent most of the morning in the chapel, although his mind was barely even there. When the priest came to greet him soon afterwards, he spent only two minutes with the man before he excused himself.

All through his prayer, images of the woman kept coming back to him. Some were more disturbing than the last, and he was horrified when a vision of her standing over him with a dagger suddenly invaded his thoughts.

"Nonsense," he told himself. He would never see her again. If those men were anything like what he guessed them to be, then she would probably be dead right now.

Or worse.

Somehow, the thought made him even angrier than he was. Perhaps he should have helped her. It would have been the appropriate thing to do. But he'd made his choice, and now he must face the music.

Arman was waiting for him by his chambers when he returned.

"My liege," he said, bowing as he approached, "Lord Janos is waiting for you in the war room."

"Have him taken to the second floor study instead," Eduardo replied. "I'll be joining him soon."

"As you wish, your My Liege," Arman nodded, bowing as he retreated. "I also received word that the women who will be participating in the hunt have arrived in the Capital. Perhaps you might want to visit them later and see them for yourself."

The thought of the hunt dampened Eduardo's mood even more. He was irritated that he even had to be a part of this in the first place. But like his grandmother had explained, it was tradition. And as the king, he would have to be seen at least acknowledging the existence of the contest.

"Where are they being kept?" he asked.

"House Farlan, of course," Arman smiled knowingly. "Would you like to go see them?"

"Remind me why I chose my best friend as my Royal bodyguard, Arman?"

A loud bubble of laughter filled the room for a moment, before it stopped. "I suppose because it was the best thing to do?" Arman asked, raising one of his dark brows.

"We will go there after my meeting with Lord Janos," Eduardo replied with his own smile. "Have the men ready the Palanquin."

"Not the horses, My Liege?" It was obvious that Arman was aiming to annoy Eduardo, and he seemed to be doing that job perfectly well.

"Silver has had enough riding for today," he said, deciding what to say to annoy Arman as much as he's trying to annoy him.

"Of course, your Majesty."

"You know Arman, I wonder what Lady Andrea is doing right now. Perhaps a note saying you'd find someone would spice things up?"

That seemed to bring Arman back to his senses. And for a moment, they both looked as though they won't say anything more, before they both burst into loud fits of laughter.

"Drop the honorifics when we're alone, Arman. I don't know how many times you wish to make me keep repeating that."

"You didn't have to play me that way just to pass on your message, Baal." Arman grunted, blowing air with mouth to get the hair threatening to get into his eyes away.

"That was the only way to get to you. Anyways, I'll see you in a few."

That was Arman's que to leave, and without as much as allowing him to say anything more, Eduardo pushed him out through the door and closed his room.

Eduardo had his breakfast in his chambers, even though his grandmother was in the dining hall waiting for him. There was too much on his mind to face her at the moment, so he proceeded to the study to meet Lord Janos after his breakfast and bath.

"Your Liege," Lord Janos bowed swiftly as soon as he walked into the room.

"Lord Janos," Eduardo replied, pausing at the door. "I trust everything is okay?"

"Well enough, your Majesty," he replied bowing a little more. "I thought I should see you before the time for the council meeting."

"I see," Eduardo need no one to tell him the prime minister was here to try to get something out of him. Silently, he walked towards the large throne room.

A red colored rug runs down from the throne for a few meters before coming to an end, while large banners with embellished borders swing gently from the walls. Between each banner hangs a lantern, almost all of them have been lit and in turn illuminate the artistic depictions of chairs below them, which have been kept purposely for the ministers.

Hefty windows were framed by drapes colored the same red as the banners. The curtains have been adorned with burnished corners and fancy tassels. A great throne of onyx sits in front of a giant painting of the kingdom and is adjoined by three plain, but comfortable seats for Eduardo's direct family. His grandmother mother precisely, and maybe when he finally chose a queen.

The throne was covered in engravings and fixed on each of the ornate legs was a gem encrusted butterfly wing. The stiff pillows are a dark red and these too have been adorned with embellished needlework.

However, when those from the lesser class expects and audience with the Emperor, can do so on the abundance of decorated, but somewhat uncomfortable mahogany benches, all of which are facing the throne.

Eduardo sat back comfortably on throne, his eyes trailing slowly on the prime minister's. "Get on with it, Lord Janos."

"Thank you, My Liege. I suppose you know very well of the impending hunt coming up in seven days?"

"Of course. Was that why you insisted on seeing me?" Eduardo's voice had a edge to it. Stiff even.

"Of course not, My Liege. I only want you to stamp the petition I sent in two days back, about allowing those women to be used for labour only. There's no need to waste so much resources for the hunt, and particularly no reason for our noble men to choose their women from slaves of lower Kingdoms."

"Their women? Do they marry them after the hunt?" Eduardo asked in astonishment.

"Well, not really, My Liege. Most women are mostly still kept as slaves, and if luck happens to be on some of them, they end up giving birth to noble children. But I suppose instead of treating them nice and taking care of them before the hunt, we can just send them to labour, and increase our mode of earning for the upkeep of the kingdom."

Saying he was pissed was an understatement. Was it not enough that innocent women were made to run for thier lives thinking they'd be killed only for entertainment purpose? Now, he wants them sent directly for hard labour? In a empire oppressing theirs? Pathetic.

"I'm afraid I won't be signing that petition, Lord Janos. If that is all you wish to discuss with me..."

"I believe the northern fraction are planning something using those girls. We need to act before something terrible happens, My Liege." He cut Eduardo off quickly, seeming not to care he might appear rude with his actions.

"Do you have an evidence to back up what you just said?" Eduardo asked curtly, already seeming to hate himself for agreeing to meet Lord Janos.

"I assure you that my hunch is always right. I am made to believe that they intend to make you choose the queen from them."

"Isn't it prohibited for the Emperor to choose any of the women brought from the lower countries?" Eduardo asked, furrowing his brows angrily.

"Yes, My Liege. But..."

"If that's the case, then I'll have to excuse myself as I have other duties to attend to." He stood up with that, and without spearing Lord Janos another glance, walk gracefully out of the room.

Arman was waiting outside the throne room, and with a quick wave of Eduardo's hand, he knew they were to leave to see the women.

*

The Capital walls could soon be sighted as the cavalcade broke through the trees. Tall and grey, they stood out prominently against the mountains behind, where a small, winding river could be spotted. The palace stood in the middle of the city, its topmost towers and citadels so high that they could easily be spotted from outside the walls.

Regina stumbled behind the carriage she was tied to, her legs dragging underneath her. About thirteen kilometers ago, her feet had given out beneath her and she clung to the carriage only by the chains which held her captive.

Her legs scraped across the dirt, where tiny stones cut into her skin and the heat from the earth scorched her flesh. Her breath came in quick, sharp bursts, and the blood had dried all over her face.

The girl who'd helped her, Skyler, kept glancing back at her pitifully, not sure of what she should do. By all indications, Regina wouldn't survive much more of this torture. But her hands were tied, both figuratively and literally.

"Can't we plead with him to let her back into the carriage?" she asked her companions. There were eight of them in total, squashed together in the same carriage. It was so tight that one could hardly move without bumping into someone else.

"There's nothing we can do," said the lady beside her. Her name was Fiona, and her brown locks fell across her face as she turned to look at Regina.

"Perhaps she shouldn't have tried to kill Sir Merian then," the woman sitting across from them said. Of all the women in the carriage, she was the most frightening of the bunch. Her hair was cut short in a pixie style, and it had streaks of red in it. Her eyes were dark and hooded, and on her right arm was a tattoo of a flaming dragon. It covered the length of the entire arm, while every other visible part of her body was either covered in scars or piercings. Her name was Jade, and her presence was so imposing that the other women kept away from her.

"Wouldn't we all try to strangle that fat old man if we got the chance?" Fiona said. "I actually respect her for trying something at least."

"And look where that ended her," Jade said bitingly. "Perhaps you would like to join her out there. Maybe enjoy a bit of fresh air. Wouldn't you like that?"

If Fiona had anything to say, then she decided to keep it to herself. She didn't miss the nasty glare which was coming from Jade, and she knew better than to provoke her.

Regina, meanwhile, could hear the conversation playing out within the carriage. She tried to imagine what the people who were speaking would look like, in the hopes that it would at least distract her from her torture. But it did very little to diminish her torment.

It wasn't until they finally reached the gates of the Capital that she felt something marginally close or relief. They had to join a long line of other carriages trying to pass through the gates. At least Regina could rest while the carriage remained standing.

The rough grey stone of the walls frightened her as her eyes drew slowly upwards. It was an imposing figure, and she couldn't imagine anyone trying to scale over the walls and succeeding. She'd heard rumors of how the Capital had never been attacked successfully, and standing under the shadow of its walls, she understood why that could be true.

Eventually, they made their way through the gates. A few guards stared curiously at Regina as the carriage rolled past, but none of them said anything. Perhaps a few of them even found the sight amusing.

Within the walls, the alleyways were narrowing, winding streets which sloped upwards ever-so-slightly. Several houses were packed closely together, and the balconies overhead shielded them from the sun so that everywhere seemed dark and foreboding. The smell of rotting flesh was everywhere, and it nearly made Regina gag. Somewhere in the distance, she guessed that a market must be nearly, as the din of several people haggling floated overhead. A blacksmith's hammer broke through the sound distinctly as he forged his creation somewhere out of sight.

A few people walked past them, barely paying any attention to the cavalcade. That was, until they saw Regina being dragged along like a pathetic animal. A few stopped to point and whisper, while the children stared frighteningly at her figure before they darted away.

"So now I'm a monster," Regina muttered to herself. "If only that were enough to frighten Sir Merian."

The carriage wheels groaned as they progressed slowly, until finally, after what seemed like an eternity, they came to a halt in front of a dark, stout building. Tall, grey drapes were hung from the rooftop of the building, and a strange symbol was carved onto the door. Regina barely paid any attention to it. So great was her pain that she imagined collapsing right there on the spot and never waking up again. Perhaps there might be some relief in death, a relief which she desperately sought.

Sir Merian alighted calmly, humming to himself. The sound could be heard clearly in the quiet alleyway, the tune of 'Fair Maiden Blue'.

The doors to the house were thrown open almost immediately, and a flustered looking woman stepped out. Her face, caked with makeup, spread into a radiant smile as she spotted Sir Merian.

"Oh, Merry," she said, fanning herself. "I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to come."

"Well here I am, my lady," he said, bowing before her. His large, protruding stomach prevented him from bending over properly, so instead he settled for a half-bow.

The woman soon spotted the state he was in, and she gasped.

"Good heavens! What happened to you?" she asked, placing a hand over her ample bosom. "Where you attacked along the way?"

"Nothing of the sort," he replied quickly. "There were just some... complications along the way, but they've been taken care of."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely," he said as he pulled her close, wrapping his beefy arms around her figure. It was a surprise that his hands could go completely around her, given the width of her hips. She allowed Sir Merian to hold her however, and she blushed as he placed a very wet kiss on her cheek.

"The girls?" she asked.

"All ten of them are here," he said, pointing to the carriages. "Well, nine of them are."

"What happened to the last one?" the woman asked.

"That's her over there," he said, pointing towards Regina.

"Good heavens!" the woman gasped again. "Why does she look like she was attacked by a bear?"

"Something of that sort happened," he replied, chuckling.

"We must get her cleaned up at once," the woman said, pushing Sir Merian away and hurrying to Regina's side. "His Majesty cannot find her in this state."

She placed one arm gently on Regina's shoulder, which caused her to look up slowly at her.

"What is your name, dear?" she asked, her tone dropping a little to show her concern.

"R-Regina."

"Well, Regina, you can call me Madam Gisella," she said. "The girls here just call me madam. Come along with me. We'll get you cleaned up and have you eat something. Merry, where is the key?"

Sir Merian walked up behind her, a sadistic smile on his face. "I didn't hear her say please," he said, dangling the key in Regina's face.

"For heaven's sake," Madam Gisella said, yanking the keys out of his hands. Regina collapsed on the ground as soon as the chains were removed. Madam Gisella called for two girls to carry her into the building. They were both wearing grey uniforms, and their hair was tied in short ponytails.

Together, they helped Regina to her feet and carried her towards the door.

"Don't treat her too nicely," Sir Merian called as they walked away. "Heaven knows she doesn't deserve it. After all, aren't they just preys to be used in five days?"

The words struck Regina, but she was so exhausted that she passed out right as they crossed the threshold of the house. She wasn't aware of what happened afterwards. When she came around, it was to find herself in a small room, wearing a plain white dress and lying on the most comfortable bed in the entire kingdom. Her head buzzed with a slight headache, but otherwise she felt better than she had.

"Thank goodness you're awake," Valeria said beside her. Regina turned slowly to face her. She'd also changed into a white dress as well, and her bruises had been cleaned up nicely.

"I was beginning to worry," someone else said behind Valeria. It was Skyler, the girl who'd given her a drink.

"How long was I out?" Regina asked.

"A couple of hours," Valeria replied. "But the physician who came to see you said you'll be fine. He applied some ointments to your wounds, and he said you should feel better soon enough."

Skyler was watching them curiously, and Regina could tell that she wanted to be a part of the conversation.

"Thank you for the water, Skyler," she said. "That was very kind of you."

The girl beamed, her pretty face lighting up as she said, "it was nothing. I didn't like what Sir Merian did to you."

"Hopefully we'll never have to see his face again."

A sudden noise outside caught their attention.

"Admit it!" a woman's voice came floating into the room. It sounded like an argument had broken out in the hallway.

"What is it now?" Skyler cursed loudly as she slid off the bed and hurried towards the door. Valeria follows quickly, and Regina also stumbled out of bed, albeit awkwardly as she made her way to the door.

Out in the hallway, they were horrified to find two of the girls against the wall. One of them had her hands around the other's neck, and was pressing her up against the wall while her feet dangled in midair.

"Admit you took it," the first one said, ignoring how quickly the other's face was turning purple. "Admit you took my bracelet."

"I-I didn't," the other one said, desperately clawing at her neck.

"Liar!" the first girl screamed. Suddenly, she reached for the candelabra on the table beside them, and before anyone could stop her, she'd stabbed the metal into the other girls stomach. Several screams erupted in the hallway, and the lady stepped back to examine her work as the other one's body crumpled to the floor.

"Next time you think about touching my things," Jade said as she set the candelabra down, "let this be a lesson to you."

She shoved Fiona's lifeless arm away from her as she walked away, while Regina stared blankly at the corpse in front of her.