Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"May God bless the Emperor and his Empress with longevity and marital bliss. May the bloodline continue uninterrupted as the Great Empire of Eshar prospers. May peace prevail. Rejoice!", the loud voice of the royal announcer reached every corner of the crowded palatial grounds as drums started beating and flutes played in harmony.
The people cheered loudly in merriment, sharing sweets and drinks. Fireworks burst upon the clear blue sky, smearing it in shades of red and yellow and green. Fairylike dancers performed on a smaller stage while singers sweetly sang songs of true love and divine will.
You stood still as a statue amid the deafening merriment, a red smile painted on your face as foreign ambassadors and royal guests came up to greet you and your new husband.
Your head ached in pain due to the heavily bejeweled crown that sat atop your head, decorated with all the world's precious gems which caused the morning light to be split into the seven colors of the rainbow. Your dress was breathtaking on its own, weaved by the best tailors of the empire over six months, using threads of gold and the finest of silks. Small gems were encrusted on the heavily decorated fabric, the sewn flowers looking alive with each sway of your body.
"Are you tired, my doll?"
The sudden whisper jolted you. Rei, resplendent in his golden and white robes, chuckled at this.
"Just a bit more, and you can rest."
Before his words could reassure you, he continued.
"Take a nap in the afternoon, since you won't get much sleep at night."
He winked mischievously, and suddenly you were transported back to an innocent time when you had viewed his mischievousness fondly.
A bitter taste remained in your mouth as you tried to ignore the possessive hand coiled around your waist that seemed to be as heavy as lead. That very hand which ended the lives of his ailing father and exiled brother to solidify his claim to the throne. That same hand that killed so many nameless soldiers in the quest for more land, more riches, and more greatness and glory. His greed truly knew no bounds...
Now you too were one of his 'possessions', a doll, all regally dressed up to be showed off to others. His glimmering green eyes seem to smirk at them as if saying "See? This belongs to me!"
But, thankfully, life was not all bad. The man who had helped you to see Seran for one last time, escaped his punishment with the help of your servants. Your old neighbors had apparently hired him as an extra hand, helping him to keep his head low from your husband's hawkish national guards.
As for your child...
In the distance, you saw your mother holding an infant girl in her arms. The baby giggled as she stared at the antics of the playful tiger cubs that belonged to Rei.
You smiled genuinely this time, albeit a bittersweet one.
For as long as you would live, you promised to yourself that you would protect your girl from all the avaricious foxes of this world. The weight of a promise... now you knew it all too well. And you would keep this promise till your dying breath.
