NYMERIA: THE EMPEROR'S LOST TREASURE

CHAPTER FIVE

The palace had grown quieter in the weeks since the priestess' visit. The kind of silence that wasn't devoid of sound, just emotion and only Nymeria seemed to feel it.

She paced around her room, which had become more of a personal prison. Stepping out those doors would mean having to bear the looks from the palace staff which made her stomach churn. If not for the Emperor's order for her to have her meals by his side, she would have simply lived in her chambers.

"Milady," a voice fanned away her thoughts.

She paused and turned to find Winter standing by the door, unaware as to when she had come in.

Nymeria let out a sigh, while Winter was the only maid who seemed to not look down on her, she was also the bearer of bad news, frequently conveying orders or tasks Nymeria had no interest in.

"What is it this time?" She asked.

Winter's eyes darted to the door and back. "There's...a visitor you have to acknowledge."

Nymeria's gaze shifted to the balcony, into the dark night sky. "At this time?"

"Er...they...um." Winter stuttered.

"Speak," Nymeria rolled her eyes.

"The princess of Dalton is the visitor, and you're required to pay your respects."

A knot twisted in Nymeria's insides, she forced her expression to remain neutral. "She's here, right now?"

Winter nodded slowly, sensing the change Nymeria was trying to hide.

"Does the Emperor...." Before she finished the question Winter nodded again, and her eyes squeezed shut. A sharp pain flared in her chest—she had told herself she would be ready for this.

It's just the bond, she reminded herself.

A bond the emperor refused to acknowledge.

She forced a tight smile and the maid's muscles relaxed. "Fine, I'll greet her."

She made her way to the throne room, the moment she stepped in, a breeze of jasmine and citrus swept past her. And then her eyes met the unmistakable visitor.

She was standing before Zyaire on his throne, dressed in a soft blue gown that screamed its cost while gems littered around the fabric. She turned and Nymeria got a view of her face.

Sharp sticking features, bearing even sharper blue eyes, framed by her straight charcoal black hair. The smile on her face seemed too perfect to be real...practiced.

"I was beginning to wonder if you’d come at all," Charlotte spoke, her tone was high pitched and held a buttery feeling that made Nymeria sound manly in contrast.

Nymeria peeled her eyes of the beauty before her and bowed to the emperor. "Your Eminence."

Zyaire barely acknowledged her greeting, "Charlotte, this is my breeder." He said dryly.

Breeder. Nymeria’s hidden fist balled. She was still referred to by a mere title, as though her name was nonexistent.

She bowed her head to Charlotte and stood like a statue as the princess moved closer.

"So you're the girl," she said, her lips still curled in a smile.

She stopped in front of Nymeria, who managed to keep her cool despite the pair of blue eyes scanning her face.

"I expected someone...healthier" her smooth tone almost hid the stab in her words.

Her head angled to the Emperor, her smile sweet. "No disrespect, your Majesty. I understand it was the mood goddess' decision."

Her attention shifted back to Charlotte. "You're yet to pay your respects. Kneel."

The command caused Nymeria's eyes to widen. Her eyes scanned around to see no one behind her. Upon arriving in the palace, the only one she had ever had to kneel to was him and even that was rare.

"What?" She whispered.

The slap landed before she noticed Charlotte's hand, it snapped her face to the side with so much force, her footing faltered.

She caught herself just before she hit the floor, but not completely. Pain jolted through her leg as one knee hit the hard floor, the sting in her cheek was enough to make her eyes water up instantly.

"Better." Charlotte nodded approvingly.

Nymeria's eyes shifted to Zyaire whose eyes were on his wine glass. Like he could feel her stare, his gaze flicked to her, brief and assessing, before returning to his glass.

She forced herself back up, wiping the tears rolling down her stinging cheek and bowed again to the Emperor. "Excuse me, I have to return to my chambers."

"It's time for dinner," Zyaire said in response.

She swallowed the sobs clawing at her throat. She knew what he meant, she had to eat by his side, what she didn't believe was that he expected her to obey, even now.

"Will you be joining us?" He asked Charlotte who beamed at the question.

"Of course."

She raised her hand, and Nymeria flinched before realising she was gesturing to the remaining of her luggage by the door. "Take that to my room, will you?"

Out of habit, Nymeria's eyes flicked to the emperor again, but just like before, he didn't show an ounce of care.

Without another word she dragged the heavy bag to the room next to Zyaire's, as one of the servants informed her, was where Charlotte would be staying.

By the time she returned back down the Emperor and Charlotte were at the table, even though Zyaire's face looked as unreadable as normal, Charlotte's joy radiated off her.

The smell of the food turned her stomach, though she forced herself closer to the table and settled in.

"What? You want to eat here? How bold." Charlotte wrinkled her nose dramatically.

"This is where I sit," Nymeria didn't bother hiding the edge in her tone.

"It seems you've mistaken the Emperor's kindness for leniency".

A sarcastic chuckle escaped Nymeria's lungs, it even made Zyaire glance in her direction.

"Did I say something funny?" Charlotte asked.

She didn't respond, instead she let the princess see the small smirk twitch on her lips.

Charlotte's perfect expression crumbled and her fist balled, "I'm speaking to you, Breeder". She snapped.

"Enough," Zyaire finally spoke, his voice dangerously calm.

With his eyes on Nymeria, he said. "She is not significant enough to threaten to you. You have no reason to be bothered by her."

Nymeria didn't react to the statement, what she didn't notice was the Emperor's eyes, watching her for the very reaction she refused to grant them.

A maid placed her dish in front of her and scurried off. She scooped a spoonful of soup and swallowed, but the taste of the meat lingered unpleasantly.

Charlotte continued blabbering about things the Emperor barely acknowledged with more than a faint nod while Nymeria tried her best to focus on the unsavoury meal.

The edges of her vision blurred for a second. She reached for her glass, but her hand paused midway.

A rising ripple formed in her stomach, she pushed back from the table hurriedly and dashed out of the dining hall, hand clasped over her mouth.

The vomiting seemed like more than what she could have had in her tiny body, her brain fogged so much she didn't notice the taps on her back or the hand gently holding her hair from her face as then everything went black.

*****

Nymeria's eyes fluttered open, her body sore and her mouth filled with a bitter taste. The first thing she noticed was the strange yet familiar ceiling before her, but by the time her head shifted to the side to see the Emperor standing by the bedside it clicked.

Realising she was in his bed, she panicked and made to stand but the ache doubled and sent her back down.

"Careful," a gentle voice came, the healer in the room she hadn't noticed, pressed a hand on her forehead. "You're weak."

Weak?

Her last memories flicked through her mind and she stiffened. Was she sick? Dying?

"What's wrong with me?" She asked weakly.

The healer had a serious expression on her face, which made Nymeria's fingers curl. She knew her luck was bad.

"No, you're with child."

"What?"

Silence hung in the room.

She waited for a cruel laugh but none came, her hand moved to her stomach. A sharp breath escaped her lungs.

An uncertain smile slowly crept on her face like the feeling might vanish if she moved too fast.

"It has to mean something," she thought, "it was his child. His heir."

Something bloomed in her chest, light and beautiful in contrast to what she had felt the past weeks.

But...she paused. Why wasn't he smiling?

Awkwardly she shifted her gaze back to the healer whose plain face was just as joyless.

"Your body won't survive the pregnancy," she announced

"Huh?"

"The baby is too much for you to bear, if you have this child, you will die . We have to remove it immediately." She explained.

The light in Nymeria's eyes died instantly, as if submerged in water. "W...wh...why?"

"Your body can't take it, you would be choosing between your life and the child's."

Tears formed in her eyes and she looked back to Zyaire,

"No wonder his expression was the same," she thought. She shut her eyes and tears rolled down.

Nymeria knew the universe hated her, just like she knew the Emperor was indifferent towards her but nothing prepared her for his next words.

"The child stays."