Diana Of Alcotta (Yrsoreth Chronicles 1)

45 ♛ Abandonment in Paper

Sorry for the late upldate, I'm currently sick and meds aren't helping much. Anyway, enjoy!

Ellena Odde ❤

❈
❈
❈

Two weeks already passed, Xander returned to the capital along with the reluctant Diana. But unlike her, his reasons for reluctance to leave were different.

In the capital, he's the emperor and she's what the people perceived as a hostage for the attempt of blowing up the capital.

In the capital, her walls may be rebuilt again and would be harder for him to break it down. It's not that he cared for rules and the tension for war, but more importantly, he didn't want to destroy the sandcastle bond between them by forcing himself upon her.

After the time they had at the cottage, she avoided his gaze for a day, but at least, she smiled at him more often after that. Awkward, but nonetheless, a smile.

As they returned to the Silver Palace, Diana, succumbed to authority, walking steps behind him along with the vassals with her head a little lower.

Upon the crossroads to his office and her room, Xander stopped. With a swift glance at the servants who have known his gestures meant for years now, left, despite the hesitation.

"I'll meet with the vassals tomorrow for the investigation and the war council shall convene for initial plans," he stated.

"What if Levich is really behind this?" she asked.

He could only look at her worried face. Gran Dacchia didn't become an empire by forgiveness and mutual trust. He built it on the blood of the nobles, corrupt and even the innocent caught in the middle. Although he's not heroic as most of his citizens believed, he could also not overlook such things. Then war it is. He held his tongue.

Instead of an answer, he offered his arm. "Please let me walk you into your room."

The way he changed the topic, Diana clenched her fist. Then war it is, she thought as well. Her face painted the same idea as him, with a prayer that Levich was innocent. Then she took the offer and anchored her arms on his. They walked in silence like they were marching to in a ball.

"Rest for now. You may be called in the council tomorrow, or be summoned by any chance Levich responds."

"Thank you for your benevolence and kindness, Your Majesty." She replied formally, already peeled away from him. It had something to do with the knights, already posted in her room as guards, but Xander had no qualms.

All of Gran Dacchia already knew that the woman in front of him was his life.

He raised his hand and paused. "May I?"

She tilted her head in question but then nodded.

Then he cupped her face, his thumb caressing her cheek. The knights stood motionless and had their poker face as they were trained to be. But the short tremble in their eyes and rapid blink did not escape Xander.

He couldn't blame them. The tyrant who killed the royal family and listened to the screams of his victims throughout the Hedalysia continent was now caressing a foreigner gently, much so from a potential war enemy.

"Rest, well."

❈
❈
❈

The next day, the supposed to be assembly with the vassals was interrupted by big news. A Levichian ship entered the Gran Dacchian waters with a messenger.