Bride of the Ruthless Emperor

Episode Three

Leanna slept fitfully. She dreamt of cold winds and lonely places, dragons and humongous flames that consumed wailing maidens. She awakened to the sound of rain.

Her heart hammered in her chest, sweat beading on her brow, frenzied emotions warring for attention in her head. One feeling stood out from all the rest; resentment. For her father.

How could he do this to me? Of all the kings and lords available, why Emperor Alaric?

Once, when she had just turned eighteen, when they hosted the coming of age ball for her, he spoke to her of marriage and marriage prospects.

“I cherish you,” he said, a gentle hand on her head, his eyes crinkled in a smile. “Men don’t dream of having daughters because they wonder about their legacy. But you, Leanna, you make me proud. I will do anything to protect you.”

She didn’t feel very protected. She felt abandoned and expendable.

It was still dark. The day hadn’t arrived yet, but Leanna was weary of the bed and the heavy covers. Throwing them off, she padded to her desk, guided by the faint light of the fireplace.

She lit a lamp and sat, pondering on what was to come. But thinking brought her no comfort. Her heart lay heavy in her chest and the room seemed to grow smaller, crowding over her.

Donning a cloak over her night dress, she chose to walk around the castle. Perhaps if she was lucky, she could make it to the castle grounds, find a horse and go for a long ride in the rain. Perhaps the sense of freedom it’d give her would take the weight off her chest.

Leanna took the lamp with her, hugging the cloak around her. The castle was quiet except for the occasional sound of the wind and gentle rain outside. She wandered through empty hallways, meeting the occasional dozing guard who snapped awake at her approach.

In due time, she found herself at the library.

For a moment after opening the doors, she didn’t enter, preferring to stand there and look inside. Will there be a library like this in Thollus? She chided herself for foolish thinking. Emperor Alaric ruled one of the most powerful empires in the world. Surely, he’d have one of the largest libraries too.

She went in, leaving the door slightly ajar. Deeper and deeper she went, past the familiar shelves of romantic tomes and poetries from simpler times, to the place where maps were stored. She found a map of the world and took it to a table deeper in the library.

She was about to spread it when someone else showed up.

“Oh. Leanna!”

It was her father.

She stared at him, trying to keep her expression neutral. “Father.”

He came to the table and dropped a handful of books on it. “You should be sleeping. You have a long journey ahead of you.”

In the pale light of her lamp, her father looked frail and thin. Worn out and weary. He was in his night garments as well, with a warm robe decorated with her mother’s neat embroidery. His head was bare and she could see his thin and tousled graying curls. She knew he wasn't so old. But it seemed that the troubles of the recent past had sucked something vital from him.

“I couldn’t sleep.”

“Well, you should at least try.” He smiled at her warmly. “You seem angry.”

“I am.”

“Don’t hate me too much, Leanna.” He came closer to her, touching her shoulder and arm. “War is coming.”

“But isn’t it just a hunch?”

There had been political tension in Dorwall, the neighbouring continent. After the death of one of their strongest Grand Emperors, the land fell into great tumult, each new Emperor getting assassinated and a new one rising in their place. But there had been no war. The present Grand Emperor, Ur, had kept the peace for the time.

“The prophets say otherwise. They believe there’ll be blood running in our streets and chaos like none we’ve seen in centuries. And in our position, so close to the coast, we are vulnerable. Our mages are weak and our armies unaccustomed to fighting. If Emperor Ur leads his armies across the sea, we’ll be in trouble.”

“Do you trust Emperor Alaric to protect us? Do you think he’ll keep his word?”

“I believe he’s a man of his word. We’re bound by an oath.” Her father got a faraway look. “I truly wish there was another way, Leanna. I would’ve done it.”

“But his concubine? My position is precarious! What if his true bride chooses to send me away from his palace?”

“It was part of the oath. He won’t allow her to do that. Besides, your position as concubine ought to be temporary. You’ll prove invaluable to him. And he’d marry you.”

These expectations were a heavy burden. Tears fell from Leanna’s eyes and she dabbed at them with the edge of her cloak.

“You must be so frightened, my dear,” her father said, touching her cheek with his warm palm, wiping a stray tear falling from the corner of her eye. “But you have to be brave.”

“That’s what mother said, too.”

“Your burden is a heavy one, but I know that you’re capable. You’re beautiful and smart and you’d keep out of danger.”

“But what if I'm not strong enough? From all we've heard about –”

“Hush, my dear. You'd be fine.” With a gentle touch, he dragged her into his embrace. He smelled of cinnamon and old books. “I can't tell you what you're capable of yet, but I believe in you. It would be hard, yes, but you'd be safe. I promise you that.”

She didn't know what to believe. She only knew about her duty and she struggled to remain resolute.

“You have to promise me one thing, father.”

“Of course, Leanna. What do you want me to promise?”

Leanna sighed and whispered her words to her father, while the wind howled around them and the lamp’s flame flickered.

*

In a land far away, where snow fell heavy on the walls of a sturdy stone castle, a woman slipped naked out of her bed. A man slumbered beneath the covers, his breathing steady. She headed to the window, where a crow tapped on the glass with its sharp beak.

Why now? she thought, thinking of the cold that would greet her when she opened the window. But she did it quickly and the dark bird fluttered in. Her n*****s puckered and she let out a soft sigh as she quickly shut the window.

Tied to the bird’s leg was a small note. She took it off and rubbed the bird’s head before padding towards the fireplace to read.

She licked her pink lips. Interesting.