Kira and Jared [Historical Romance]

✍️INTRO: The emperor's bastard

*A year ago*

   Emperor HanWi of the Aakhian empire threw a feast to celebrate the victory of his army over Sáük, a rival nation. The war which lasted for a decade was finally over and he invited Kings and Princes under his rule to join him in celebration.
But sadly, the joyous occasion turned into a sorrowful one when a huge fire started mysteriously in the palace, claiming the lives of His sons and daughters; his ten wives were burned beyond recognition, not to mention servants and guards.

"We lost them, your majesty".
The physician who had been trying to save as much lives as he could since the fire outbreak the previous night informed the emperor and his delegates, with his head bowed low in shame.

On hearing what the frail, old man said, the Emperor fell to his knees and broke down in tears before his officials. Words could not describe the pain and grief he was feeling from losing his family in just one night. The Aakhian empire had been hit where it hurt the most.

"You were warned by the gods to not embark on the journey of destruction, now look what it has cost you, your majesty. I have been vindicated..."

"If you say one more word, JeiQa, I will forget that you are the divination priestess and strike you where you stand!!!!".
Emperor HanWi was furious at her insensitive words. His eyes had turned red from anger and hurt. His long hair fell over his shoulder and face, his voice, hoarse, and his robe, dirty from trying to save his children.

The Priestess left immediately without another word.

"Are there no survivors?". Asked Regent Wushan to the physician.

"Yes, there are, the Concubine Xhi Lan and three of her daughters, princesses KaiAn, TeRai and JoKwan. They sustained injuries but will heal in a few weeks".

"I want to be left alone". Emperor HanWi said calmly, but when he saw that no one was moving, he shouted on top of his voice. "Leave, all of you!!".

They excused him to mourn his loss.

***

A week later, the dead were all buried and a grand funeral ceremony was held afterward.

A grieving Emperor HanWi filled his belly with as much wine as one could consume. It was as though everything he worked hard for his entire life, had been buried alongside his family.

He got up from the floor during meditation hour, refusing help from his guards. Then, he staggered to his inner chamber and collapsed on the floor.

***

A while later, the door was opened and a maidservant entered without noticing his presence in the darker side of the room covered by a curtain.
As she was busy cleaning the floor, he snuck up from behind and aggressively grabbed her waist. In his drunken state, he forced her to his bed and raped her, covering her mouth to keep her from calling for help.
After he was done with her, He made her swear an oath of silence before sending her out of his chamber.

***

A few days later, he wedded concubine XhiLan, upgrading her to the position of his wife, Empress Zhin XhiLan of the Aakhian empire. It was only after their wedding that she gradually revealed her true colours; cold, power-hungry, and uncompassionate.

***

Two months after the shameful incident between her and the emperor, Hayel found out she was with child.
According to Aakhian customs, if any member of the royal family had a child out of wedlock, the bastard child and both of its parents will be killed.
For fear of being discovered, she left the palace for another state within the empire. There, she had the emperor's daughter.

Word reached the empress's ears about Hayel and the baby. To satisfy her curiosity, she went into her husband's inner chamber and asked him if he had ever shared an intimate moment with 'the maidservant', to which he affirmed.

Knowing what the consequences would be, empress Xhi-lan knew she had to protect her husband from shame and execution. So, she sent two assassins to kill the mother and child.

***

Hayel was warned about Emperor and empress's evil plans by a letter from an unknown source. She fled with her child on horseback.

Whilst on the route, her horse reared suddenly and she fell off its back, hitting her head hard against the stony ground with her baby who also got stabbed by sharp rocks on the ground. But despite the great deal of pain she was in, Hayel wrapped a cloth around the baby's wounds, got back on the horse, and continued her journey, with the daughter of the man who wants her dead.

Finally, she arrived at her brother, Gerald's home in Konland, a small town in a kingdom called Verthona. She placed the baby in his arms and disappeared without a trace. His wife, Katrina accepted the baby wholeheartedly.

He went in search of his sister for weeks but never found her. Assuming the worst, they adopted Hayel's child and named her 'Kira'.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:
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