The Tyrant Emperor's Wife

four - persuasion

I wasn't sure if he had taken my words to heart, so I visited him after every meeting with Empress Medea after that. Medea was pleased enough - her version of my dress had been sent over shortly, and in the absence of new beauty products, I had brought over luxurious fabric samples for her to comment on. She also seemed to think that I lingered around to catch glimpse of Ieuan, which couldn't be further from the truth. I knew Ieuan back when Ethan still followed him around in my past life.

Ieuan felt dangerous.

"You have to save my brother," I said, standing over Roman again. I had seen him twitch when I made my way under the wisteria flowers. He wasn't sleeping.

"You're here again," he said, sitting up.

"Yes," I said. Why did his gaze always put me off? His eyes, as pale and blue as ice, were following me around again.

"You're planning on going to the battle at the border, right?" I sat down delicately on the tree trunks. Today I was wearing a dark blue velvet gown embellished with diamonds. Medea had eyed it hungrily.

He was silent for a moment, and then leaned his head up against the trunk of the tree.

"Why?" Roman tilted his head. "Why do I have to do that?"

"Because then the Aedile family will be in your debt." I met his gaze with mine.

"Everyone in the palace hates me." Roman's grip on his sword tightened. "How can I trust you?"

His eyes were guarded and full of fear.

"I'm not lying." I dug around in my dress pocket and then pulled out a golden pendant, the size of my palm. "Here." I tossed it at him. "That's my sign. For Valerie Aedile."

Golden pendants were a special thing among the nobility. They ensured a person's identity, rank, and inheritance. Passing one's pendant to someone else signified incredible trust. It also represented a debt yet to be repaid.

My pendant, characteristic to the Aediles, had a vine-like border with intricately carved flowers. Along the top lay the antlers of a white deer, and nestled underneath was a white lily. My symbol. My father's carving had laurel wreath, my mother a dove, and my brothers a wolf and a fox, respectively.

Roman's eyes widened as it landed in his lap.

"We're married now," he said. "You're a part of my family. So your eagle crest and vine border will change." I hesitantly handed my pendant, and he gripped it gratefully. "Here's your new one."

It was beautiful, a soft, matte gold that nestled carefully into my hands. The border of the pendant was carved to look like twisting locks of sunlight, and along the top there lay the wings of a phoenix. Underneath, there was a white lily surrounded by delicate bundles of wisteria.

"I added this in." He tapped the wisteria, smiling. "As my symbol."

"Take that as my word." I said indignantly.

The prince's troops had planned to leave two weeks after Ethan told us his assignment. I visited Roman with a fervor, consistently trying to persuade him. My brother's departure was now less than a week away, and I was growing desperate.

"Why are you always sleeping on the ground?" I had asked him.

By now, it had been three years since he first returned triumphant from war. Although his popularity fell far below Ieuan's, Roman still had some influence.

"The palace is cold, and empty." Roman shrugged.

I knelt down next to him. "Why are you always sleeping?"

Roman's eyes met mine. "There's nothing more unthreatening than a sleeping, starving, purposeless boy." He nodded at me. "Why don't you have the first prince save your brother?"

It was something I had asked myself too, long ago. Why didn't I just have Ieuan save Ethan again? Why didn't I just marry Ieuan? We could murder Roman together, and secure the crown. Then the Aediles would be behind him and the throne would be in clear sight. I could live out the rest of my days by his side, with my family safe and alive.

But then I would think of Ieuan's cold, bitter words and his gaze. I would think of my life abandoned in the palace. I would imagine Roman's eyes - burning and blazing, willing and capable to cut everything down. I would think of Roman in my arms, red staining my dress, the life pooling out of him in puddles of blood.

It had to be Roman.

If we sided with Ieuan, we'd all still be dead. I knew Roman, and his will. He would obtain the throne. He would murder Ieuan and anyone associated with him. He'd do it all again.

"It has to be you." I said.

The next time I visited I brought him a sandwich.

"Here. Eggs, chicken, and basil."

It was his favorite.

"And little fairy cakes." He regarded me warily, but took the food nonetheless. My heart crumpled a little bit. He probably thought that it was poisoned. And he probably thought that even if there was poison, he'd still eat it, because he was hungry. And because Medea's tricks had made him a little resistant. I reached up and brushed his hair back.

"There's no poison," I said softly.

He stared at me. Realizing what I'd done, I pulled my arm back quickly and turned away. "Um, —"

"I'll go," he said abruptly. I stared at him, surprised. His gaze was steady as he bit into his sandwich. "I still don't trust you, but I'll go. I'll go and protect your brother."