Chapter 5 - Emperess Vs. Concubine

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Not far away from them, Ophelia, Peter, and Sandhya were enjoying the cold breeze in the gazebo by the lake. Sandhya stood with her back straight behind the two royals. She had bought an extra cotton blanket and a hand warmer for the two of them so they both could enjoy the view without having to suffer the cold breeze. Ophelia had to make sure that Peter was wrapped with another layer of the blanket before feeding him breast milk and formula milk from a bottle.

Again, she reminds herself that she was in an otome game build in the modern world with little research about the actual life in medieval times. There was still some modern world influence in the game. One of them being the main plot of the game that was held in an academy where students from upper class would attend when they reach the age of fifteen. For five years the students will learn and associate with potential partners and lifetime followers.

Peter, the main love interest of the game, have only fifteen years before the game will begin and before he stepped inside the academy Ophelia will make sure he wouldn't be strayed away by a maid or any women for the matter. For now, she will enjoy the peaceful times where her little pumpkin is still a baby. A very obedient baby.

The sounds of footsteps came approaching them destroying the quiet atmosphere. Sandyha snapped her head towards the direction of the footsteps standing on guard. Ophelia, however, was still occupied by Peter who was sucking the bottle hungrily.

The intruder was a beautiful woman with straight blonde hair that only reaches her shoulders. Although Ophelia commented that she was beautiful it couldn't be compared to the out of the world beauty of her own. Yes, she admits, she was a bit of a narcissistic. But who won't? Have you seen how she look in the mirror? With luscious raven hair that curls at the end compliments with her soft pale skin and plump crimson lips. However, to her, her eyes stood out the most. Crimson eyes that grow darker at the core of her orbs were both beautiful and captivating. The longer she stared at her own eyes in the mirror the longer she wished she could pull her eyes and make a pearl out of them. It was as if her eyes could trap any poor souls and make them submit to her. Enchanting yet dangerous.

Behind the woman was two of her handmaids that was the opposite of their mistress who boldly scanned Ophelia from the tips of her hair to the sole of her heels. After she was satisfied with what she had seen, she humphed. "Is that the first prince? Give him to me."

Ophelia was more of impressed than offended. She had never spoken to anyone except her servants and the emperor. Most of those interactions were only master-servant interactions that made it less fun. Yes, in front of that man she viewed herself as a servant even though they both shared the same standing.... kinda..... That moment was the first time that she talked to someone similar to her standing. Yes, she knew right away that the women before her must be one of the princesses that were held captives. To the people of the country, the princesses were seen only as the concubines of the king.

It wasn't odd for the current emperor to have hundreds of princesses. The previous emperor also had numerous concubines and a handful of children. At least the current emperor had better management of his inner household with only one empress. The previous had five empresses who had fought for the attention of the emperor.

Let's just say that the inner household was a mess.

The rumours about him massacring women and children began when he, current emperor, had personally killed his father and all of his wives. He even killed most of his half-siblings and the only remaining princes and princesses were sent to the other countries in act of diplomacy. At first, the people were enraged but after a few months, they noticed how their country was slowly healing. The emperor was merciless to those people who stood in his way to claim the throne.

So that leaves her with the concubines residing at the harem palace far away from the emperor's residential since there was no other woman figure other than herself that could have some authorities in the palace. But why was a concubine doing here in the emperor's courtyard? Wait! Did she just ask for her baby?

"Is that how you treat an empress where you came from, concubine? This is the mother of the country you are currently standing on. Show some respect", Sandyha barked to the concubine standing right in front of her hiding Ophelia with her body.

The woman scoffed, "Not for long. Haven't you heard? Your task was only to give birth to the first prince and that's all there is. Nothing is said whether the child will be the crown prince or even alive. Before you know it he will be among the babies that had died in these walls."

The concubine knew her words will offend Ophelia terribly but instead of shouting at her or threatening her Ophelia just remains silent and pretend as if she never even there in the first place. Peter that was in her arms was whimpering as if he understood the words that had come from the concubine. Ophelia had to soothe and calm him down to make him relax.

The concubine was infuriated. "Hey! Are you deaf or something? I'm talking to you here".

The concubine had wanted to reach for Ophelia but once again Sandyha stood in her way. The woman pushed Sandyha to the side and Sandyha fell hard to the floor. She charged towards Ophelia with her arms outstretched to reach her. What Ophelia cared the most in the situation was Peter who was in her arm. She was afraid the woman might endanger him in some ways. She even threatened her son so, of course, she was afraid.

Ophelia quickly stood up and back away from her. She embraced Peter securely in her arms. Sandyha and the concubine's handmaids had colours drained from their faces seeing the situation. Back towards a pole and nowhere else to run, Ophelia was checkmated. The concubine was only an arm away from her. Ophelia was waiting for the anticipated tug of war for Peter with the concubine but oddly enough the pull that she was waiting for didn't happen. Instead, there was a loud thud on the wooden gazebo floor.

Ophelia watched as the concubine fell to the floor with a painful shriek. The crazy woman who was about to attack her was no more and there was only pain and agony in her face. Ophelia had noticed the weird way the concubine's legs had become. It was snapped in a painful way that she had to look away from it. Her legs were broken, no, snapped.

How could this happen in less than a minute? She was fine a while ago. What happen?

Peter was moving around in her embrace and she knew he was feeling uncomfortable with the tight embrace she was giving him. She coed and bounce him in her arms. She also makes sure that Peter saw nothing that was happening right now.

Sandhya must have realized what had happened and quickly stood up and ran to her side, "My Lady, are you alright? Is the first prince alright?". Sandhya takes them both in while looking out for any possible injuries.

Before she could even answer, a booming sound easily covers the horrible shriek made by the concubine and her wailing handmaids.

Thanks for all the support that you have given me, readers and Happy New Years!!!!!

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I'll be busy in the next few weeks cause its the new school term and I have to take care of my siblings until they get used to their daily activities plus I have one big project that really needs my full concentration and a full-time job working in a restaurant so please understand my situation if I'm not able to update in time.

Instead of pressuring me to update more how about encouraging me by telling me what you think about the story... Help

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