Meeting Her Parents

When her family met Lady Giselle again, she was sitting calmly at the emperor's sitting room, with Alice at her side.

They were asked to dress up in their own dresses again. Honestly, Lady Giselle's daily dress and jewels were similar to the ones the Royal Family's Princesses wore. She looked like she was at home, in that room of splendor.

Once they saw her, her mother and sister in-law ran to her side, hugging her and crying in relief to see her safe and sound.

"Are you alright, my daughter?" Lord Kirstein asked.

"Yes, Father. I am alright."

Lord Kirstein took a deep breath and wiped his sweaty forehead with a handkerchief. He felt his senses returning.

"Good afternoon, Lord Kirstein. I apologize for the emotional challenge you and your family have endured today. I'd like to extend my apology by informing you that I have decided to marry your daughter and enthrone her as my queen."

Lord Kirstein looked like he was going to have a seizure.

He looked at his son then at his wife, daughter and daughter in-law.

"May I ask why, Your Majesty?"

"She has to be the smartest woman in her generation. I want to marry her to ensure my happiness and

hers."

Master Nathan Kirstein massaged his temple.

Lord Kirstein fought to breathe.

"Daughter, are you willing to marry His Majesty?"

Surely, no one could refuse him. But Lord Kirstein still had to ask his daughter for his peace of mind.

"Yes, Father. I'm not going to refuse His Majesty."

The emperor smiled, although Lady Giselle didn't see it.

"Why? Life as a palace lady could be so hard" Lord Kirstein replied, despite the king listening to

them.

"Because His Majesty offered to expand my academy, a chance for higher education, and he will hire

a tutor for me from Engravia to learn the language of the western world."

Her family was taken aback. Of course, only the emperor could propose to Lady Giselle with the dowry she wanted most in the world. They understood why she decided to accept him.

"Is this true, Your Majesty?"

“Yes, Lord Kirstein, it is."

"It's the best bargain for my freedom, Father."

Everyone was shocked with the brutal honesty.

The guards, the court ladies and all her family members stared at her open-mouthed.

"It's a bad way to talk in front of the emperor!" her mother scolded.

She blinked. Right. Is he going to be angry?

Lady Giselle chanced a look.

The Emperor was chuckling.

"It's alright, My Lady. Please always speak your mind with me."

She froze. That's the sweetest thing a man had ever said to her.

"Your Majesty, may I speak freely?" Lord Kirstein asked.

"Please, Lord Kirstein."

"You have two wives already, Your Majesty. I'm afraid my daughter would have a difficult life if she

marries you."

"I'll protect her from harm, Lord Kirstein. Whoever tries to harm her will be punished. But even if

she faces a challenge, I believe she will be able to overcome it."

Lady Kirstein actually liked the answer. More than assuring her that she would be protected, she was

glad that the emperor believed she would be able to face any challenges on her own.

The emperor's answer was a good one. But Lord Kirstein pushed through.

"Are you sure you want her as your queen, Your Majesty? She is stubborn and outspoken. You might

end up getting irritated with her then punishing her severely."

"She is a breath of fresh air for someone like me, Lord Kirstein. The only women who speak their

minds to me are my grandmother, mother and older sister. My wives were the choices of my mother,

and they are too obedient for equal partners. My third wife is my own choice and she'll be my queen

if she could give me a son."

Lady Giselle frowned and turned to the emperor.

He noticed it, but she looked away.

"If she couldn't give you a son, would you take a fourth wife, Your Majesty?"

It was so brave for Lord Kirstein to ask the question. No one else would dare to ask it. But Lady

Giselle was her father's most beloved, so he decided to fight for it.

"I should, for the sake of the throne. Or give it to my uncle. But we shall see, would I be able to do it

after Lady Giselle or not. I personally doubt it, but I have my obligations."

The emperor was being very honest as well. For Lord Kirstein, it's good enough.

"Will you marry her at an official ceremony, Your Majesty? My daughter is a good and virtuous

woman. She deserves to enter matrimony in a respectable way."

"Of course. The ceremony would be on the sixth day of the week."

"This week?"

"Ne."

"But, Your Majesty, the sixth day is only four days away!"

"We'll arrange everything. It will be ready and splendid, don't worry."

"Alright, Your Majesty. We'll see you again on the sixth day."

"Lady Giselle will stay here until the wedding day. I won't allow her to leave my side even for a day."

"But, Your Majesty, that would create a bad reputation for her! Please let me take her home, you'll see

her again in four days."

"No, she'll leave the palace on the morning of the wedding day, Lord Kirstein, to perform the

ceremony at her house. Not before that. I would not compromise on that."

"But, Your Majesty--"

"Please, Your Majesty. Let me go home first. I will return here properly on the wedding day. I will

respect you a lot more if you let me keep my virtues and dignity."

He turned to her. And he realized it would be hard to refuse whatever she wanted in the future.

"Do you really have to leave me for four days, My Lady?"

"It's the proper way, Your Majesty. If I stay here before the ceremony, it's disrespectful to my honor.

Please let me enter this marriage with a good reputation."

"Alright, My Lady. Just this once. After you're legally mine, I'll always keep you by my side."

Lady Giselle bowed.

And so it was agreed that she would come home for the day, and return to the palace on the wedding

day.

Before she left, the emperor asked her to have lunch with him first.

They were silent, as she stirred her soup round and round.

"I know it's hard to be comfortable with me only after meeting me once. But please, don't be afraid of

me. Talk to me. Tell me how you feel and think."

"I want to say several things. But it's hard and embarrassing to say."

"I'm your husband. Tell me what's on your mind."

"Not yet, Your Majesty. We haven't had the ceremony."

"It's better to be honest now, than regret it later."

"Can you not.......consummate our marriage on the wedding night? I wish for time to get to know you

first."

"That's a very hard request, My Lady. How long do you think I have to wait?"

"One year?"

He laughed. "That's impossible."

"Then how long can you......wait for me?"

"I don't want to wait at all."

"Please, Your Majesty. This is too sudden."

"Alright. One week."

"Six months."

"No."

"One season?

"No."

"Very well. One month."

"Hem........"

"Besides, if you really need a son, Your Majesty, you have to physically prepare for it!"

He raised his eyebrows. "I have to physically prepare for it? What do you mean by that?"

"I wanted to be a female doctor, but I couldn't, because Father forbade me. But I read a lot of medical

books, and came across a doctor's journal, who used study cases of ten women who successfully conceived sons. Ten is not that many, but not nothing either. The doctor concluded that there are practical methods to conceive a son."

"My doctors told me that it's only a myth. That there are no proven ways to conceive a son."

"Ten women who had sons said the same things, Your Majesty. I think it's worth trying. And although this sounds strange, the research proved that the one who is responsible for a baby's gender is the father, not the mother. So you can't really blame your wives for having daughters."

"..............should I blame myself, then?"

"Daughters are precious too, but I see how important a son is. Especially for you. And yes, it's the father who physically could influence the gender of a baby. The mother is only responsible for the child's level of intelligence."

"What's the proof that it's the father and not the mother who could influence a child's gender?"

"From the case studies, 4 of the ten women were widowed then remarried. With their previous husbands, they had daughters, but with their new husbands, they had sons."

"Hm......"

"Can't you see, Your Majesty? It's not the mother, it's the father."

"So? How can a couple conceive a son?"

"The details are too embarrassing to tell. I'll tell you on our wedding night."

"Then we can directly practice it?"

"No. We both have to eat certain food and have enough rest before we do it. At least for three

months."

"I can't wait for three months, My Lady. That's too long. And even I know a woman is fertile once a month."

"If you immediately want a son, please wait for a month, at least."

"I don't immediately want a son. But I do want a son from you. That would stop the necessity of finding another woman to give me one."

Lady Giselle became speechless.

"You just wanted to postpone an intercourse with me," the emperor said matter-of-factly. "You're not really concerned about giving me a son, you just want to prevent me from touching you as long as you can."

She had been found out, so she looked down at her hands.

The emperor concluded that she was not only extremely smart and pretty, but also very adorable.

"Do you know what I want, My Lady? I want you to drink the anti-pregnancy potion for a year. So I can make love to you without being inconsiderate for one whole year. Then again, even when you're heavy with my child, I think I'll still want you."

That's the dirtiest thing a man had ever said to her. She felt her face burned with embarrassment and stood up, needing distance from him.

Oh dear, it's too fun to tease her, the emperor thought.

She had walked away to one corner of the room, and he approached her.

"I apologize. I'll wait for a month for you. That's the longest I can take."

Lady Kirstein could only inhale and exhale.

"Please. It's hard. I just met you a few hours ago, Your Majesty."

She was pale and was holding her belly, looking like she felt queasy.

"Alright. Would you feel better if I let you go home now?"

"Yes, I'd like that."

"Very well. You can go home. I'll wait for you until our wedding day."

He walked with her to the front gates of his personal palace, where her family was waiting for her.

She bowed to him, he nodded, then she went home.

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