4

The stupid emperor screwed me over. He came to visit with my father under the excuse that he wanted to be shown around the palace, due to its history.

I live and grew up in the Easter palace. It is the farthest away from the main palace, but it has a lot of history to it. It's an old place. It was the original palace where the first emperor and empress lived. Then it was the first palace to only have the empress and her children reside in it. At some point they kept expanding and this palace became the smallest one on the property. It wasn't well maintained either so it became a place that emperors would send there children when they miss behaved as a punishment or that they would send wives of foreign countries that they only married to gain control of there old empire. Such as my mother.

Thomas used this knowledge to his advantage and said he was extremely interested in the history behind it and the architecture of the old building. Thus he kept coming around. It wasn't just one day it became everyday that he stopped by around lunch and requested tea.

He made it very difficult for me. He was an attractive man. His hair as blonde as platinum and his eyes as blue and cold as ice. He had a very attractive face and body. It would be a lie if I would say I wasn't attracted to him. We bonded over conversation we had while drinking tea. He also would sneak over during the night and climb to the second story balcony that went to my room and we would go out for walks or sit and talk for hours. It was simple that I started falling for him. I wanted him, but knew I could never have him. If I did it would enrage my fathers other wives.

The night before the ball Thomas spoke to me about something different than normal.

"I have had a dress made for you. I would like to escort you to the ball."

"Thomas you know as well as I do that you can't do that. I hold no power so marrying me wouldn't help your empire in any way." I said, he had given me permission to call him by his name instead of your highness the first night he came over. He didn't like me being so formal with him.

"No, I have a plan. Here me out."

"Ok."

"Your brothers have gain momentum and are going to come back war hero's. Let me help put one of them on the throne. Then you are a strong link to another empire."

"That would take years though, and so much could happen before that. If you take me or give me a dress it will mean war. There's also no way the empress or the first queen won't know beforehand."

"I had a dress made for the Empresses first daughter. It will be delivered to her tomorrow morning. She will think I'm going to choose her. They will all be so wrapped up in that they won't even notice that you are my true goal. I wish to marry you and announce our engagement tomorrow. I already have to all plained. All you have to do is wait. I will be sending one of my personal attendants to bring your dress and help you get ready. She will bring you to me and I will have a guard there to escort you as well to make sure nothing happens. I don't believe they will have time to be watching you when they are so busy getting everything ready and getting ready who they believe to be the women I will choose to marry, for a very special day. I don't want to marry any of your siblings, since the first time I saw you my attention has been captured and the more I'm around you the more I feel something I have never felt before. You are the one who has captivated me, and the one I choose as my wife and the empress of the Khista Empire. All you have to do is say yes. It doesn't matter how long things may take or how much you can offer. You are the person I want to spend my life with."

"Do you promise that you won't regret your choice?"

"How could I ever regret something such as choosing you?"

"I have no power and nothing to offer you. This could also lead to my death after they find out."

"By laying a hand on my fiancé they would be declaring war. You are under the protect of me and my people. We will return to my Empire the day after the ball if that makes you feel better. We can make arrangements and have our wedding in my empire."

"That would make me feel much more at ease. Thank you."

Thomas back up and got on one knee and pulled out a ring.

"I feel I should do this the right way. Morgan, will you marry me?"

"Yes." I said and smiled as I hugged him. He put the ring on finger.

The ring was rose gold and had a diamonds in the middle around it was rose gold diamonds that made an X and crossed underneath the main diamond, then there was white gold with diamonds that opened in an oval-ish shape. The outside of the ovals highest point ran underneath the main diamond as well connecting all of it. Then it all closed back in to connect in the area that wrapped around my finger, the rose gol was on top and bottom of the white gold in That part of the band. It was a beautiful ring.

It had his kingdoms crest inside the main diamond. The crest is a winged lion. It was imprinted enough to see if looking closely.

Thomas kissed my forehead and bid me a goodnight. He left with the promise of seeing me the next day as he would escort me to the ball where I would officially be announced as the crown princess.