Chapter 12- 50 years ago

50 years ago. Year 700 founding of the Empire.

"My Majesty, it's time already." Sarah gently called to wake up the sleeping Empress. She knows that the Empress wakes up easily, so she is confident that Empress Yuna will immediately wake up.

She must be tired. Sarah thought, however, minutes have passed but the Empress was still asleep. The Empress bedroom canopy is covered with thick, expensive curtains since she is sensitive to light every morning. She sleeps peacefully in the total darkness of her room.

Sarah slowly opened the curtains to awaken the Empress and just like what she suspected, the Empress was still deeply asleep. There were times that she is hard to wake up, but it seldom happens. While looking at the sleeping Empress, Sarah's heart, throbbed with an impending bad feeling.

"My Majesty, My Majesty, please wake up." She slowly shakes her shoulder a few times, yet the Empress shows no sign of waking up. Her heart feels a sudden panic. "Empress Yuna, Empress Yuna. You should wake up. You will be late at the banquet. Empress, please wake up." she desperately called.

A cold sweat ran down her back. Sarah was suddenly feeling nervous. She was not sure, but looking at the peacefully slumbering Empress, she got the feeling that it was the same as the last time she falls asleep the whole day.

"It cannot be." Sarah tried to shake up the ominous feeling as she keeps waking up the Empress.

"Is the Empress still asleep?"

Sarah turned around and saw with wide eyes the Emperor walking closer to the bed of the Empress.

"Hail to the Yin of the Empire, Your Majesty the Emperor." she bowed her head as she greeted the Emperor. "Yes, the Empress is still asleep. I was trying to wake her up but~"

"She looks really tired. Is her health okay? Is she not sick?" The Emperor inquired while looking intently at his sleeping wife.

"Her Majesty's health is good. She was always busy, however lately, she was having a hard time sleeping." Sarah hesitating reported.

"She was pushing herself hard." said the Emperor, still looking at the Empress. "Please tell her to take her time once she wakens up. I will be on my way to the banquet. Tell her not to worry."

"Yes, Your Highness." Sarah bowed once again as the Emperor walked away into the room. She was having second thought if she should tell the Emperor that the Empress might not wake up the whole day just like the last time.

Sarah worriedly stayed in the bedroom. Every now and then she tried to wake up the Empress, yet to no avail. The hours passed already and the servant from the banquet came to inquire about the Empress condition.

"The Empress is still not waking up," Sarah said to the servant. She was worried about the outcome of this incident. The Empress must be present at the event. She was the one who organized the Banquet as Welcome and Victory party to the Emperor together with the Heroes of war but she was not present. Surely, there will be an uproar from the aristocratic faction who is against the Empress, questioning her capabilities as the leader of the Empire.

"Empress, please wake up." Sarah silently pleaded. The dreading feeling was increasing as time passed. The room is too silent that even the ticking of the clock is deafening. She was scared momentarily as if someone was observing inside.

Several moments later, the servant announced after knocking the door.

"Miss Sarah, His Majesty has arrived."

"Explain what's going on." The Emperor barged in just as the servant announced his arrival. His fierce-looking eyes are seeking for an answer. Sarah felt scared and bowed her head down.

"I am afraid that the Empress is not waking up like what happened a month ago," she explained immediately.

"A month ago? What do you mean?"

"Last month, Her Majesty fell asleep the whole day. The doctor said that there was nothing wrong with her body, but overwork and exhaustion caused her body to a deep slumber the whole day."

"Do you mean to say, she will not wake up today too?" he asked unbelievingly. He did not know it. Her wife did not inform him about her health even though they are in constant communication.

"It is possible Your Highness," Sarah replied with her voice full of regrets.

An ear-splitting silence filled in the room when disrupted with a knock.

"Your Highness, the High Priest from the Temple wants an audience with the Empress. He said that it was urgent to see Her Highness." said the servant.

The Emperor knitted his forehead in confusion as well as the lady-in-waiting Sarah. It is on a very rare occasion that the High Priest visited the palace and at this hour. He even rejected the banquet.

"Escort him to Her Majesty's receiving room." ordered the Emperor. He looked at the lady-in-waiting and said, "Come with me."

Sarah immediately knew that the Emperor wanted to accompany him in meeting the High Priest.

"Hail to the Yin of the Empire, You Majesty the Emperor." greeted immediately by the surprised High Priest when the Emperor walked in the receiving area instead of the Empress. "The war has finally ended thanks to you, My Majesty. Please accept this humble congratulatory of mine."

"Yes, thank you, High Priest even though it is not really your intention of coming here, are you?" Emperor Van said sarcastically.

"Ah~ Yes. Yes. I have immediate news to the Empress, can I see her?" a sweat is obviously dripping down his forehead as he was looking around nervously.

"No. I came here on her behalf together with her lady in waiting. She is not feeling well as of this moment." Emperor Van said calmly but the High Priest reaction was far from the opposite of the Emperor. He looked shaken.

"By any chance, i-is the Majesty asleep? I need to see her condition immediately." the urgency of his voice struck the Emperor and the lady-in-waiting. "Let me see the Empress immediately," he demanded.

The Emperor nodded, feeling the urgency of the situation. He too wanted to know what's going on and why is the High Priest looking afraid.

They entered the Empress chamber with the High Priest. He immediately went to where the Empress was lying. He looked at her face and gasped loudly, his knees were shaking and fell with a thud on the floor. Both Emperor Van and Sarah looked at him in surprise.

"The curse, it's already happening. The Empress is cursed," he announced, looking more scared.