The Emperor's Concubine

Chapter Eighty-Six

"I'm not certain it will with how I am right now."
Luna gives a bittersweet smile as she stares at the glass in her hand.

Emperor Cabel watches Luna's expression as it twists uncomfortably.
He sits at a sofa, Princess Levita holds his arm closer as she giggles with other ladies surrounding him.
"Be patient..." Emperor Cabel whispers.
"Pardon me, your highness?" Princess Levita looks up at him.
"It's nothing." He responds, sipping his drink.
Princess Levita follows Emperor Cabel's stare, looking at Luna as she speaks with the marchioness and Lady Dulcie.
She rolls her eyes, smiling innocently.
"Don't mind her, your highness, you're having fun with us, right?" Princess Levita tightens her grip on his arm as another lady pours him another drink.
His eyes gaze at the ladies around him before looking at the people passing by where Luna sits.

"Your highness, the night is ending, I believe it's time for your speech."
Lance speaks up to his highness, bowing.
"Perfect." Emperor Cabel stands, leaving Princess Levita's grip.
"Your highness? Do you have to give the speech so soon?" Princess Levita asks.
Emperor Cabel subtly glares down at her as he watches her expression.
She flinches feeling the air grow cold.
"Just enjoy your night while you can." He turns, leaving without another word.

"Greetings, your highness." Marchioness Adara stands, curtsying to Emperor Cabel.
Lady Dulcie and Luna stand, curtsying as well.
"Good evening. It's time for my speech, my partner will have to come with me." Emperor Cabel holds his hand out to Luna.
Luna curtsies to Marchioness Adara and Lady Dulcie, placing her hand on Emperor Cabel's.
The two walk through the pathway the crowd makes, up to the stage where the thrones are.
Emperor Cabel urges Luna to sit in the empress's throne.
Luna looks up confused.
"Are you sure I should?" Luna whispers.
"If I wasn't sure, I wouldn't have suggested it." Emperor Cabel whispers back.
She sits on the throne, causing murmurs rise in the crowds.
She glances up at Emperor Cabel who stays standing, turning his back to look out at the crowd.
"The final night of the spring ball is coming to an end, so I would like to say a few words." Emperor Cabel announces.
"Thank you for attending this wonderful ball, may our empire shine brighter in the future. Unfortunately, the shining star in my life has been dulled lately." Emperor Cabel steps down the stairs of the stage, "To think some guests don't know that in this empire, in this palace of mine, I have eyes and ears everywhere. There have been guests who have caused my beautiful future bride to make a twisted pained expression. I love all of her expressions, but to think someone else decided to cause her to make such a distressed one... Irritates me."
Emperor Cabel draws his sword out.
The guests flinch, growing quiet as mice.
"Cabel?" Luna whispers, confused.
"I already know who's been causing her such trouble, but I'll give the people ten seconds to come out before me and beg on their knees." Emperor Cabel shrugs.
"Ten, nine, eight, seven-" Emperor Cabel counts down slowly, staring at his blade as he touches the sharpness.
"Six, five, four, three, two... One." He laughs as he watches the crowds, "What a shame I have to do this."
Emperor Cabel lifts his hand up, the maroon fog rising from his hand as a shadow shoots across the room.
A scream calls out through the hall as guests gasp.
A lady is dragged by her feet out of the crowds, thrown in front of Emperor Cabel.

Princess Levita shakes, lifting her head to be face to face with the cold blooded emperor.
"Y-Your highness..." She mutters, pale as she looks up at him.
"Look what crawled into my palace. A filthy rat. Seems as though it's not all of them. Why don't you call everyone else here too?" Emperor Cabel grins slightly, his eyes glowing as he chillingly glares down at her.
"Y-Your highness, I-"
Emperor Cabel kneels, his hand quickly grabbing her chin, forcing open her mouth.
The tip of his sword hovering in her mouth as he carefully holds the sword to not touch it to her tongue or lips.
"Did I tell you to say anything else? I said to call the others, so why are you trying to run your mouth? Don't make me take that useless tongue of yours if you can't do as I say." Emperor Cabel glares back at her as her eyes tear up, her body frozen, "I'm sure you've heard by your fellow guppies, this sword has been polished with Taipan serpent venom. If your companions don't come out, I'll make sure you get a good taste of it."

"Y-Your highness!" A man calls out.
The man who danced with Luna, steps out of the horrified crowd.
"Just you?" Emperor Cabel smiles.
"I-I had planned this with Princess Levita." The man's hand shakes as he stares back at Emperor Cabel.
"Help this pathetic trash up." Emperor Cabel swiftly removes his sword from Princess Levita's mouth, standing up.
She collapses forward onto her hands, trembling.
The man quickly helps Princess Levita up, whispers rising as the guests stare at the two.
"To think you two fools started the slandering of my fiancée, yet you shake helplessly in front of me. To insult my lovely bride is to insult the emperor, and the empire." Emperor Cabel waves his sword, admiring it, "Your name?" Emperor Cabel points his sword to the man.
"V-Vincent, your highness..."
"Vincent what? Don't tell me a commoner with no last name dared to slander my bride." Emperor Cabel laughs loudly, amused.
"I-It's Vincent Poldeir..."
"Poldeir? What a joke." Emperor Cabel scoffs, "The second son of a poor baron? Weren't you here to assist another princess?"
"I-I."
"Don't stammer like an idiot. Tell me, why are you working with that thing?" Emperor Cabel points his sword at Princess Levita.
"P-Princess Safiya would be sold if she couldn't be a candidate... Princess Levita said she'd buy her if I helped!" Vincent admits.
"You peasant! How could you rat me out?" Princess Levita screams.
"Y-You were the one who threatened me! Your highness, she had blackmailed me, but I care about Princess Safiya which is why I wanted to do anything to make sure she wasn't sold off! Princess Safiya, I-I'm sorry!"
Vincent cries, looking back at Princess Safiya who stands shocked.
Princess Levita grows pale as she looks back at him.
"How could you blame everything on me! This was your plan! Y-Your highness, I didn't think about any of this! He was the one who had planned everything!"
"Shut up." Emperor Cabel's voice authoritatively commands.
The two silence as they look back at him.
"What pathetic rats, trying to sell each other out. Did you think I'd spare either of you if you blamed the other?"
"Y-Your highness, I didn't do anything!-"
"Didn't I say to shut your mouth?" Emperor Cabel cuts Princess Levita off, "How... Uninteresting. I've grown bored of your reasonings. Everyone pay attention, this is what happens when you insult the bride of the emperor."
Emperor Cabel lifts his sword to slice their necks.

"Enough!"

Emperor Cabel's eyes widen as his sword is stopped.
He stares surprised at the hands gripping the blade of the sword, blood dripping down from their hands onto the floor.
Luna stands in front of Vincent and Princess Levita.
"Are you insane!" Emperor Cabel shouts.
He tries pulling the sword back, but Luna flinches as the blade slices deeper into her hands as he moves.
He freezes, watching her reaction.
"Let go, this instant!" Emperor Cabel's voice thunders.
"No! You will not kill for me, you will not harm them for me!" Luna shouts, glaring back at him.
"You'll die! Let go!-"
"No! I will not take the throne like this! You can execute whoever you wish, but to kill these two for my name, for my honour, for my revenge is twisted and cruel! I will not allow you to harm them, I will not allow you to kill anyone for my justice!" Luna screams, her hands beginning to tremble.
Luna's fingertips growing white from blood loss, a sensation of being burned with fire grows through her hands as the venom spreads.
She begins to take shallow ragged breaths, the venom instantly effecting her.   
"You didn't even tell me they were bothering you!" Emperor Cabel shouts.
"How could I rely on everything to be solved by my husband? What credibility will I have if all the issues I'm faced with, were solved by you?" She grows weak as she looks back at Emperor Cabel, "H-How could I have the right to stand by your side when I haven't earned it?" Luna stutters, growing faint.
Her eyes tear up as her body grows weak, trembling slightly.
"Let go. I beg of you. I won't harm them, so please let go!" Emperor Cabel's voice calls out, desperate.
His complexion turning pale as he watches in fear.
"You can not harm people for me. You can't just decide these things by yourself anymore. You promised you'd talk to me about everything... You promised to rely on me, you promised!" Her legs tremble, struggling to hold her up.
She gasps for air, blood spurting out of her mouth as the venom spreads rapidly.
"I'm sorry! I won't do it again! Luna please, just let go! Please!" Emperor Cabel's expression turning panicked as he begs to her.
Luna's body grows numb, her grip on the sword weakens as she stumbles.
She takes a ragged breath as she releases the blade, falling towards the ground.
Emperor Cabel throws the sword, quickly catching Luna's body before she hits the ground.
"Get the healers, now!"
Emperor Cabel shouts as whispers rise from the crowds.
Luna's face turning deathly pale as she closes her eyes, blood dripping down her chin and hands.