Your Betraying Love

DECISIONS

"Don't cry when the sun is gone, because the tears won't let you see the stars."

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Rosella was feeling slightly uneasy, many years had already passed but she still felt a slight prick in her heart, after hearing Nicholas' words. And why would that not happen?

Prince Nicholas was Empress Rosella's, first love. As Austin and Merlia were a famous pair, so were Rosella and Nicholas. Now she should have been happy to see him after so many years. But there was no feeling of happiness or relief.

But they were a pair in the past. Loving him taught her only one thing. One must not love someone to such an extent that they can never come out of that black hole. It causes nothing but destruction. If she had not loved him so much, then maybe her life would have been very much different than her current life...

Meanwhile, Prince Nicholas was patiently waiting for Merlia, who was thinking very hard, to give her answer. It looked like she might faint. She was arousing pity from everyone, especially from the Emperor. But inside Merlia's head, a plan was brewing. 'If I chose to die with Austin, then what about my Jaden? He would be all alone without any support. Though my father can still support him, I do not want to die...and that too, without any reason.'

With a very pitiful expression, her eyes full of tears, she looked at Prince Nicholas and carefully spoke. "Your Highness, I do not want to die, leaving behind my only child Jaden in the hands of other people. For him, I am willing to sacrifice everything... And if that includes sacrificing myself to be your concubine, then I am ready to do so!" Concubine Merlia knew how to play with her words, she gave a plausible reason for becoming a concubine. No one could find fault in this reason of mother's love.

'Heh! Jaden? Her father was the Imperial Preceptor who taught both Austin and Nicholas when they were young princes. Out of courtesy, Nicholas would not touch the Imperial Preceptor's household. Jaden will be able to live there peacefully, rather than living in the harem. This Merlia is quite a fox...' Rosella was not wrong in her thoughts, many people were thinking the same thing.

"What do you think of me?? Imperial Consort Merlia... Jaden will be very well taken care of. He will be able to live in the Imperial Preceptor's house peacefully. You need not to worry about that." Nicholas smirked while stating what was going on in everyone's minds.

Merlia felt blood rushing to her face. She thought that Nicholas would not point out this obvious fact. She unknowingly looked at Austin. Austin was highly enraged. It seemed that he also realized this fact. In the face of death, even the strongest of lovers become ready to kill each other. And Austin seemed to be unwilling to die if Merlia did not accompany him.

"Merlia! Even I love Jaden! The Imperial Perceptor will take good care of him. We promised each other to live and die together! We spent so much time together, I fulfilled all your wishes, took care of you for all these years, neglected all your sinful deeds and this is how you repay me?" Though Austin said all this, he was just testing Merlia. If Merlia chose to die with him earlier, he himself would have begged in front of Nicholas to let Merlia live, so that she could take care of Jaden. But Merlia did not even think once about Austin and chose to let him die alone. He could not help but feel betrayed.

"I know my father can take care of Jaden, but I still do not want him to lose both his parents at such a young age! I can not be so cruel to him." Merlia was sobbing now. The Emperor looked stunned at this moment. There was a dead silence in the hall. Merlia realised that she had indirectly cursed the emperor to die. Even though the situation was grave and it was not clear whether Emperor Austin would live or not, right now, he was very much alive. Even the Imperial Preceptor, who is Merlia's father, became flustered after hearing his daughter blatantly cursing the emperor to die. It was against etiquette. But spoken words are like spilled milk. Merlia could not do anything and she just bowed her head without speaking anything else.

He was so speechless that he lost his bearing for a few seconds. 'She is still adamant about her decision. Though lies only, if she had spoken once to be with me, I would have died happily', Austin thought bitterly.

After listening to the firm decision of Merlia, no one continued this anymore. It was clear that she would not change her decision no matter how much Austin convinces her.

Meanwhile, Rosella could not stop a faint smirk appearing on her lips. It went unnoticed by everyone. "Wow! I did not imagine that I would live to see such a day. It is so hilarious. What an epic love story! Austin would now think twice before loving anyone in his next life. What if someone records this incident and it goes down in the history of the Helian Empire? Ohh my... I want to laugh loudly.' Rosella's lips were twitching just thinking of this. She did not know the reason but she was feeling quite satisfied right now. Such satisfactory occasions rarely occurred in her life now. Meanwhile, Rosella did not know that Merlia was feeling angry after having noticed her twitching lips.

If the hierarchy was taken into consideration, then the Imperial Consort was a rank just below that of an Empress. A woman started from the rank of concubine, getting promoted to royal concubine, then Imperial Concubine and, at last, Imperial Consort.

Though it was disadvantageous for Merlia, who had already reached the rank of Imperial Consort, it is still much better than lying in the grave with Austin. 'I do not feel like something is wrong with my decision. Austin gets to marry and love so many women, and I can not even protect my own life? Am I not allowed to be this selfish?' Merlia was feeling more and more angry as well as embarrassed.

"Hmmm... so you decided to be a concubine in my harem...interesting! You have made the right decision." Prince Nicholas laughed. No one could decipher whether his words were praising or insulting Merlia.

Since the Emperor treated Merlia above everyone, she flew very high in the sky, putting everyone under her shoes, with no exception. Feeling beyond humiliated, Merlia tried to change the flow of conversation and looked for a scapegoat.

After locking eyes with Rosella, Merlia spoke bashfully to Nicholas, though loud enough for everyone to hear her, "Your Highness, I am wondering what course of action Her Majesty will take..." There was no concern in her eyes or in her words for Rosella.

Though her words were disrespectful, this was something that everyone present in the hall was wondering: whether Her Highness, Empress Rosella would join Prince Nicholas' harem or die with the Emperor...