A TALE OF FIRE AND ICE

End of a Long Night

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Lisa was just about to leave when the ground shook hard.

An earthquake...?

He immediately turned to Irene who was now embracing the ice incubator protectively. It seemed like she noticed him hesitating because she gave him an encouraging smile.

"Go," Irene told him in a calm voice. "I'll protect our Winter. But I'm worried about our servants."

"Leave them to us," Saint Forrester said. "I can feel Miss Luna's aura around the house. She probably created a barrier to protect the mansion and the servants. You know how powerful the barriers that the witch makes, don't you?"

He and his wife both nodded as a response.

"Then, I'm really going this time," Lisa said, then he turned to Irene again. "I'll be back quickly, honey."

Irene smiled and nodded. "Winter and I will be waiting for you, hon."

***

"WELCOME, Your Majesty."

Taeyeon ignored the High Priest's greeting and walked past him.

He didn't need to ask where Tiffany was because first, he knew where her room was. Second, he could feel his beloved's presence. He didn't waste any time so even though running was disgraceful for an emperor like him, he still did.

" Tiffany," Taeyeon said as soon as he entered Tiffany's room.

Tiffany, who sat on the bed in her night gown, smiled weakly at him. " Taeyeon."

He immediately sat on the edge of the bed and hugged her, his face buried against her neck. "I've missed you, Tiffany. Are you okay? Do you need anything?"

"I only need you, Taeyeon."

That made him smile.

Now, he was calm.

He looked up at Tiffany and touched her face. "I've really missed you."

His advisors prevented him from visiting Tiffany in the temple for the past months because the empire had important visitors from various neighboring kingdoms.

Remembering what happened these past few months made him feel quite annoyed.

After all, the "visitors" that he had to entertain were princesses and higher noblewomen from their allied kingdoms. His advisors invited several high-ranking ladies from all over the empire as candidates to be his Royal Noble Consorts.

In their law, an emperor could have up to three Royal Noble Consorts and each one would be given the title of 'Queen.'

But of course, the empress would always have the highest authority. In fact, their law also stated that the empress was the one in-charge of the Royal Noble Consorts. That meant that the empress had the power to strip a concubine off her title.

Though his advisors might be crazy if they thought he would take a Royal Noble Consort when he wasn't married to Tiffany yet.

Not that he had plans to get one.

Tiffany is the only one for me.

"I've missed you, too, Taeyeon," Tiffany said with a smile.

"I'm happy to hear but please call me by my name," he said. "We're going to get married soon, Tiffany."