Chapter III

"𝑾𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔"

III

I wonder why does my chest tightens as if it's suffering in suffocating air despite of sufficient ranges of wind and warmth.

"Raven, let's go", but then suddenly a cold icy voice echoed within the hall way, keeping the pain inside my head away. I look at the one who called me who has his sword bloody by cutting the limbs of the traitor knight who dares to make a move in assassinating his Highness.

As I look at the dead corpse around me, the palace was filled with blood all of the sides. A thought filled my head all of the sudden, 'I wonder,  why the hell am I still in here?'.

My cousin's voice suddenly rangs in my head as I saw the dawnbreak from the east gently implementing the former dusk dawn as the wind blows like the whispers of the Northern wind god, Zephyr.

"Aren't you afraid to serve his highness at all?"…  that question make me stop and stay still for a moment.

"Of course I'm afraid, though I devote myself to him, it doesn't mean I am ready to die any moment",

"Then why are you still with him? You are just 13 Raven, you can still change your mind, you can still devote your everything for your family—",

"But I'm more afraid to lose the sight of him",

"Raven… "

"All my life I've been living in darkness, whispers of shadows keeps pestering me until my head goes numb, but when I'm with him, I see it, the glimpse of light, it's like the brightest sun, and when I'm with him, I feel like I'm walking down the brightest side towards the sun. I'm just a servant, I'll probably be until I die, but this is the path I've choose",I stopped for a moment before giving off a gentle smile" I devote my self towards the Emperor, not because someone said so, but because I wanted to".

It is simple. Human live to find light and warmth. For me, I found it under the cold voice and shining orbs of his. It's not love like other people thought off as I stay behind.

I look at the Emperor's back as he keeps on walking infront of me, I'm not here because I've been ordered to, nor because of the wealth I can get. I'm just here because I choose to. How come he also let me stay by his side?

"Raven, clean this mess, I don't like their  blood smell in every corner, I know you can do this shit"… he don't need love, nor affection, what he need is…

'it's unwavering loyalty'. A simple loyalty that will make people promise not to leave him. Ever.

'But that was the moment I forgot the fact that his Highness the Emperor is a human, despite of being a Tyrant'.

———

"Your Highness I know this isn't a good idea", I said as I watch him eat a commoner's food like a sort of men without elegance at all. My eyes are twisting in irony. An Emperor and and a Marchionne ([a daughter of a Marquis ] I just made that word cause why not?) wearing a commoner's clothes in the middle of thousands of crowds.

"Come on, Raven, enjoy yourself", I sigh before looking away, ' I can do that if only you aren't that troublesome man who kills anyone by accident'.

I look at my arms where all of his foods and home coming goods are placed. His Highness kills everyone who would not satisfy his plate inside the palace but he enjoys the harmony of commoners that's why he dares to enioy their company, unexpectedly.

Nobles would choke my neck when they heard I let him wonder around this place. Well, anyways, I will kill them before they can say otherwise so, I guess I just need to continue being His Highness's very grateful aid.

"Raven look! This is so sweet", yeah right.

I continue following him, watching him picking foods and enjoying the company of people who treat him like a normal person.

His Highness has a lot of people in the palace but they are natural born greedy for power and now that he is the only person of the Royal Family left after he rearrange the broken plate of the Palace. Well, killing his relatives, I must say.

Having treated equal and having a nornal conversation as if he is not something scary is the thing which makes him feel glad. Though disrespecting him is another thing. Though nothing change the fact that he is a walling bomb who'll burst and kills everyone when provoked.

I look at his visual who's laughing with a vendor. Looking like a harmless cub, hiding the fact that he is a merciless dragon.

And then suddenly I saw some kids running towards a certain place.

"Hurry! Ms. Marian is now opening her place! ",

Looking around, my eyes landed on a vendor woman with a very silky black hair, a very clear green irises. She's wearing a commoners clothes but she have a very charming smile while attending some kids who's buying her sweet like cotton candy. But it's not her visual who's getting me to look at her, it's her aura. Harmless. She's giving off the harmony that the cold Palace doesn't have.

She's really beautiful. She looks older than me,  probably with the same age as His highness.

But in the middle of looking at her, I failed to notice certain someone who's also looking at her.

"Look Raven, her hair is the same as your name", my eyes twitched after what his Highness said, nevermind that I didn't notice his presence at first.

"My name has nothing to do with my hair your Highness, and having Raven as a name—", I look at his Highness but my words was cut off when I saw him looking at her.

"… suits my Magic", my words was taken aback.

His eyes shows warmth as if looking at something with peaceful intent. It is the first time, I saw him with such peaceful glance.

The sun beams with such an enigmatic blaze but her gaze continues to glace at her and as if a blinding light, her eyes finds way to see him in the depth of swarming people.

That's the first time, his Highness find someone who looks at him with such warm eyes.

He who looks so fake all around, look so genuine all of the sudden. A foreign look only her was able to make him.

—and so, we watch her from a far until sun comes down for the Emperor is to cope up with looking at ther that he forgot his own job.

"Are you inlove now?", I ask him as he then look at away with as if hiding the fact that he is a blushing mess making me deadpan.

"Of course not", at the age of 13, I know I won't understand adults emotion other than their greed and selfishness, "love is just a foolish feelings", he continues making me sigh.

"She's so pretty and looks like someone who's so innocent yet strong at the same time how come you don't feel anything yet?", but I know...

"Shut it Raven", something about his Highness woke up. What emotion is that? Who knows.

I watch him in daze as we walk towards the Palace's hallway, I sigh for the umpteenth times.

"I really can't understand adults", not at all.