Whose fault it was in the end?

Lloyd walked out of the courtroom giggling to himself. That was the best view of the courtroom he had seen ever since he started participating in the assemblies. It felt like his heart which was heavy suddenly got lighter.

"You look pleased," a familiar yet annoying voice addressed Lloyd from behind.

He turned around and bowed.

"I greet Your Majesty the Emperor," Lloyd said as a scowl appeared on his face while looking down. As he raised his head up to look at Asterus' face, the scowl was cleverly replaced with his 'all-know' smile.

"How about a cup of tea, Marquis?" Asterus said as he beckoned Lloyd to follow him.

"I'm afraid I need to return to the estate soon, Your Majesty. Maybe next time..." before Lloyd could explain the reason why it was impossible for him to stay, Asterus interrupted him.

"I feel rather lonely today, Lloyd. I would appreciate it if you would give in to my request this time," Asterus said and started leading the way.

Lloyd gritted his teeth. Well, he had no choice but to follow the emperor. He couldn't actually keep refusing the emperor in front of so many people. The fact that the emperor knew this was making the situation even more annoying.

Reaching his private chamber, the emperor let the aide go back to his place and Lloyd followed him alone from this point. It had always been that way for the last ten years since Lloyd came to the capitol with Julia.

Most nobles called Lloyd the emperor and the late crown princess' child who had mysteriously survived. He looked almost identical to the emperor in his youth. His eyes were the rare violet color that the late crown princess had.

But, however much fire the rumors surrounding Lloyd being the prince had, no one actually believed that Lloyd was the hidden prince. The fact that both the emperor and the Marquis had neither denied nor confirmed the rumors was unsettling enough to reach any concrete conclusion.

That was why it was called an 'open secret' by the high society and no one hardly brought up this topic in any conversations considering how sensitive to public opinion it was.

But nobody other than the emperor and Lloyd knew that Lloyd was indeed actually the emperor's son. And that was also the reason why Lloyd despised the emperor so much.

Now seated and served tea, the two were maintaining this awkward silence that had never been there in their usual squabble.

"Why did you make me come here?" Lloyd asked, completely uninterested in any tea.

"Do I need a reason to talk with my son?" the emperor chuckled. "As I've previously mentioned, the age I'm at now, makes me crave more for the company of my family than worldly pleasures."

"Ha! It must be a hobby of yours. Torturing your so-called family," Lloyd scoffed. "You know I hate this place yet you still always lead me here."

"And I still don't know what you hate so much about this splendid room," the emperor said while sipping the hot tea.

"As if you don't know!" Lloyd slammed his palms on the table in front of him, shaking all the pots and cups with it though not at all startling the emperor. "If you want me here next time, I want that thing off the wall!"

"What's wrong with it?" Asterus said looking at the wall towards his table. "I believe that's a very painting of your mother. Taking it off would be an insult to the artist who made such a masterpiece."

"'What's wrong with it?' You ask that!? You have no right to see her face after what you did to her!" (Lloyd)

"I have no regret with what I did, Lloyd."

"Mama and Papa had no fault at all!!" (Lloyd)

"That man was not your father! I am!" (standing up)

"He was! Way better than you could ever be! He was always there for me and Mama when you didn't even show your face for ten years!" (Lloyd) (standing up too)

"That gave them no right to do what they did!"

"And what they did gave you no right for what you did to them!" (Lloyd)

"I say it again. I have no regret for what I did that day, Lloyd Evanlite!"

"You should! At least a little bit! It was your brother and wife, for god's sake! It makes more sense that you have regret!" (Lloyd)

"I did what was right."

"It's pointless," Lloyd said as he walked to the door. He looked back at the painting of his mother, she had a smile and her violet eyes shone. "I want that off the next time I come here. Or I'm tearing it apart."

Lloyd left and closed the door behind him.

The emperor stood there for a while staring at the empty room. He coughed and fell back in his chair. A horrifying amount of thick dark blood spilled on his hand from his mouth. He scoffed and sniggered. It soon turned into silent sobs.

"Ahahaha, I had so many people to be with me in my last moments. Where did they go?" he chuckled between his sobs and then sat in that chair looking at the portrait of the late crown princess.

"Isabelle, Belle, Bella, Ella, Ibe. Which name should I call that you would listen to me?" he said in a soft voice. "I want to pass on this burden so I can come find you." He said pointing at his crown.

"Would you forgive me if I apologize?"

The emperor fell asleep mumbling apologies as his aide came in and laid a blanket to cover his body.

"Whose fault do you think it is in the end, Your Majesty?" he said this half in his mouth.

He left the room after doing so. And the emperor slept there, alone.

Julia patted Frank's head as she cuddled with him.

"You looked so scared, today," Julia said with a smile. "Raymond said you couldn't find me."

"Kiss me," Frank said demandingly wrapping his arms and legs around Julia.

"You were freaking out so much," Julia chuckled. "You looked like you were about to cry."

Frank nuzzled his way to Julia's belly and started climbing up into her shirt.

"It was so funny. You looked so cute being all fussy and sulky," Julia kept on going as she pushed Frank down. But he kept on going further and further in.

There was some silence and Frank continued inching closer to her chest inside her shirt. Night clothes were usually baggy and super airy, so Frank had no problem paving his way up. He plucked open her buttons and pushed out his head from her shirt's neck right in front of her face. Now they were facing each other and were in the same shirt.

Frank wrapped his arms around her waist and looked at her right in the eyes.

"Are you sulking again right now?" Julia asked as she ran her hands soothingly on his neck inside her shirt.

"You're not allowed to have guests again," Frank said tightening his grip on her.

"And If I have?" Julia asked, amused by the situation.

"Have them with me," Frank snapped and bit her on the cheek. As he chewed and gnawed on her soft cheek, Julia giggled.

"You're being so cute today," Julia said tracing lines on his back with her fingers.

"I'm always cute," Frank said as he let go of her cheek and bit her lips instead.

He kept slowly gnawing at her lips as an infant nibbling on a toy. He fell asleep with her lower lip still in his mouth. Julia couldn't stand this cuteness. She slowly moved her face away from him as she watched him searching for her lips in his sleep with a pout.

She was so happy, so happy she felt she would die.

No one could have Frank now. She so much wanted him to just stay in this room with her. And the fact that the feeling was mutual between them, made it all the more better.

If only that night could stay forever.