9. Word of the Ladies

"So what you are telling me, is that the Concubines have made a pact of their own, and shunned the sixth Concubine out?"

"I'm afraid so, Your Majesty."

"What was her name again?"

"Princess Aurora Evanov of Rovamer, Your Majesty."

"Hmm. So they decided to make her their toy."

Empress Sera leaned back on her cushioned chair, sucking in a deep breath as she watched one of her her ladies in waiting paint a scenic view. She stared at it, yet her eyes seemed to be elsewhere along with her mind because of that distant look Mertyll, her Head lady in waiting, had come to get accustomed to.

"How does she fare in the Velarys Dome?"

Mertyll wondered what the best way would be to explain everything that happened today and the days before. Clearing her throat, she began. "Lady Jenivive had hosted a tea party today to get to know the ladies better, but I'm told Lady Aurora was not invited."

"And why is that?"

"Apparently the Ladies believe Lady Aurora to be too full of herself, after she claimed to know His Majesty from before she entered the Palace. They assume she is craving for attention. Not to forget, she is a foreigner. But so is Lady Amalia, so this part is rather confusing."

It was confusing indeed, but for Mertyll is was much more. For she had seen the princess on her first day and according to her, the girl looked nothing like a deceiving liar. So, when she found out that Aurora had lied about knowing the Emperor, she wondered why the girl had done something that could be clearly used against her.

But Sera had a feeling she knew why. She recalled the day the Concubines came to the Palace for the first time. The look of shocked recognition on both Aurora and Tesarius's faces, and one turning excited while the other baffled. She didn't know what was going on, even when Edward had expressed his suspicions, but she knew the two had something they weren't aware of. Something Tesarius wasn't telling them.

And she planned to know what it is.

"Mertyll."

"Yes, Your Majesty?"

"Heed my words."

So, Mertyll did as told.

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The day came to an end, and like everyone expected, Emperor Tesarius had spent the night with Lady Laira. They had all seen this coming, known it from the start, safe for Aurora, who whole heartedly believed every single day that today would be her day. She was proven wrong yet again.

And for the last time too, she was proven wrong.

On the fifth night, Tesarius visited the Velarys Dome.

To see Princess Amalia of Andrasia.

Aurora was the official laughing stock of the Women's Pavilion, so much that word about it had also reached the Empress Dowager, who felt embarrassed to have picked a girl so naïve and dumb. That is what Amy said, as she retold her encounter with the Empress Dowager to Aurora on the morning of the sixth day.

"The hierarchy is complete. Her Highness didn't expect you to be on the top of the chain, but she also didn't expect you to be the last. All of this happened because you were to greedy to get close to His Majesty from the start." Amy said all that with a sneer, while all Aurora did was sit on her bed with her palms on both her knees, staring at her lap. Anne had a lot to say, but she feared any words would affect her Lady, hence she remained silent and only hoped Amy would shut her mouth. She didn't.

With a look of disdain, she continued. "Her Highness wanted you to get close to the Emperor, all right. But did you have to do something so foolish on your own? Couldn't you wait for her orders?"

At the mention of this, both Aurora and Anne looked up at the woman, confusion crossing their features, but the one to speak of Aurora herself. "Why… did the Empress Dowager want me to get close to Tesarius?"

Amy scoffed, staring at the girl with disgust. "Don't pretend like you don't know what it is we are doing here."

What... is she talking about? Aurora stared at the girl helplessly. What are we doing here exactly?

Aurora had little to no idea, but a part of Anne was slowly starting to feel eerie. She didn't have the faintest idea of what Amy meant either, but she knew this much. It was nothing good. The Emperor is known to have bad blood with the Empress Dowager after the failed coup and the death of her son and exile of her grandson, so for her to specifically want a concubine to get close to him definitely wasn't good news. Not to forget, Amy's terrible behavior towards Aurora.

There seems to be… some sort of scheme. And Aurora is dragged into it.

Anne didn't want to believe it. She didn't know what King Henricus had sent them to without proper knowledge, but she hoped it wasn't as she thought. It would devastate Aurora forever.

When Aurora made no reply, Amy looked away, preparing to leave. "Don't do anything rash from now on. Tonight, is your chance, so you better make an impression. Don't disappoint Her Highness."

Aurora said not a word as the girl took her leave, not even when Anne told her she needn't heed Amy's words and that it meant nothing. Because now Aurora's head was spinning. Not because of the matter at hand, but because of what Amy said last.

"You know Amy, Your Highness. Do not be bothered by her, alright? Alright, Your Highness? Your Highness? Aurora?"

"It's tonight."

"What?"

"It's tonight." Aurora repeated in a daze, making Anne quirk an eyebrow at her. "What is?"

"My night. My night of consummation. It's tonight! TO NIGHT! Anne, it's tonight!"

Before she knew it, the girl was up and about, jumping in excitement and laughing like the heavens had finally reached her, perhaps it had. Her eyes glittered with happiness and her smile was the widest Anne had seen since her arrival in Lanterbur, which only made her heart swell for her Lady as well.

She smiled, laughing a little at Aurora's excitement as the girl grabbed her hands and begin jumping up and down along with her. "It's tonight! It's tonight! It's tonight!"

"It sure is, My Lady!" Anne agreed along, laughing until they could not laugh anymore, and the two were tired from their little dance. While a voice in the back of her had whispered negative thoughts, Anne decided from listening to it. She was glad Aurora had forgotten about the mess with Amy and the Empress Dowager and finally had something to look forward to after so long.

She would finally be reunited with her lover. At long last. After all the tears and sorrow, the long distance and the far away glances, they would finally be in the same room, under the same light, listening to each other's voices and seeing each other's faces.

We can finally express our love to each other openly without having to worry about our backgrounds. Aurora sighed dreamily, sinking down on her vanity stool as she stared at the smiling reflection of herself.

We can finally be together.

That is what spiraled around in Aurora's head, while Tesarius, on the other hand, stared out of the massive balcony in his chambers, at the distant mountains that glistened against the sun. his face held no emotions but the tight grip he had on the goblet in his hand said a different story.

Today is the night. Tesarius told himself, sucking a deep breath as if the mere thought of it alone was irksome. I have to see her. Tonight.

He had no idea how to feel about this, but one thing he knew for sure was that the thought of seeing Aurora didn't excite him anymore. It didn't fill his heart with warmth, nor did her almond blossom scent feel sweet. If anything, it now made him sick to the stomach, and her smile only made him wonder what sort of intentions she was hiding behind that sweet and delicate smile.

How he had trusted her to be so innocent once…

Tesarius was always cautious about his step grandmother, more so ever since the random rebel attacks. He knew his grandmother had a hand in all this, and that her exiled grandson was the one initiating everything. But he also knew they weren't alone. They had someone backing them, at least one of the vessel kingdoms.

Rovamer.

Of all his vessel Kingdoms, Tesarius distrusted Rovamer the most. He knew they had close ties to the Empress Dowager, and although his closest friend and ally House Mormont had given their daughter in hand for marriage to the Crown Prince, he still believed they harbored ill intentions towards Lanterbur. That was another reason why he used to visit Rovamer in secret, trying to see if he could find anything in disguise, but what he found, was someone else. His Aria.

Edward had often tried to deduce his suspicion towards Rovamer with stories of the Nation, and that the Royal family where loyal to him, and while a part of Tesarius had a feeling his friend was right, all that flew out of the window when he found out Aurora was the mole his grandmother had placed to watch him.

He wasn't wrong. He was right all along.

But now the day had arrived. The day he was to be alone with her again. A million questions raked around in his head, but he knew no matter what he asked, he wouldn't get the satisfaction he was hoping for. He knew she would try to lie to keep his affection like she had been trying all this time, but even if she did tell the truth, he knew it would not ease the pain of betrayal that he was feeling.

That he was used, his love was used, his heart was used, and he was discarded like an unwanted handkerchief. That the tears she shed on their last day were nothing but an act, or the adoration in her eyes were all a façade. Nothing about the time they shared was real, which means Aria was never real. She was just Aurora, princess of Rovamer, and now his sixth Concubine.

So, she will be just that. Nothing more, nothing less.

A knock sounded on the double doors, followed by the voice of the knight stationed outside. "Chancellor Barns is here to see you, Your Majesty."

"Let him in."

Barns walked in with his hands folded behind his back, offering a bow when he had reached Tesarius. "Your Majesty."

"Barns."

"King Drillis has sent you a gift to appreciate his gratitude once again."

Tesarius finally turned away from his balcony, walking inside the room to asses the gift sent by the King. It was a chest, the size of a dinner plate that looked like it had jewels stored inside it. But once Tesarius pulled the latch open, there sat a scroll neatly tucked inside and bound together with a silk ribbon.

A smirk quired up on Tesarius face as he picked the scroll up and shut the lead. He didn't need to see what it was to know what it was. he already knew it.

The recent movements in Rovamer.

While Tesarius harbored a deep resentment for the royal family of Rovamer, he had a staunch support from the Kingdom of Andrasia, who he trusted a lot. That was why his visit last night felt to him like the most valuable among all the rest, for finally he felt like he could actually make use of one a concubine. Princess Amalia proved to be the perfect supportive concubine that he had always imagined.

"What is it, Your Majesty?" Barns asked as Tesarius walked towards his desk before pulling a drawer open and placing the scroll inside. All the while he smiled to himself. "Nothing to worry about, Barns. Good job."

"Is it another report of Rovamer?"

"Well, you are clever, so why bother to ask?"

"Just making sure, Your Majesty."

"What do you think of Lady Amalia, Barns?"

Barns looked up at his Emperor with slightly wide eyes, wondering why he was asking his view on a woman that was his concubine. And in all honesty, what could Barns even say? He couldn't say anything negative if he wanted to keep his head, nor could he say anything remotely positive because then that would be questioning the Emperor's taste. He could not highly compliment her either, because then it would seem like he had an interest in her although their age was measured in miles. So all he could do, was lower his head and say, "Your Majesty had chosen her for a reason, so I'm sure she is a woman that matches Your Majesty in certain aspects."

Tesarius had seen that answer coming, so he wasn't surprised. He merely smiled, circling around the room. "Sera will like her company, don't you think? After all, they are both intelligent women. And Sera is always alone. It would do her good to have some company from high society."

"I'm sure Her Majesty will find Lady Amalia highly agreeable, as you have already said, they are both intelligent women and will have a lot to agree on." Was Barns's straight reply, making Tesarius node in contentment. He knew how alone Sera had been ever since her marriage, more so when the court had begun to admonish her for not doing her job of siring an heir. It was another excuse the Empress Dowager had found to ring in Concubines to help with the work, making Sera even more lonely than she had been. Having some company now would do her good, especially someone she could trust.

"As for Lady Aurora-"

"What of her?"

The shift in Tesarius's tone didn't go unnoticed by Barns, making the man look up at him to assess his reaction. Tesarius, was annoyed.

"It is your first night with the princess."

"I'm aware."

"If you could perhaps-"

"I don't think I could do anything to fix the Lady's tarnished reputation, Barns." Tesarius cut in yet again, his good mood soiled again. "The princess should have known better than to flaunt around with lies."

"You mean to say those were all lies?"

"Then do you suggest I have known her before her arrival at Lanterbur?"

"Did you, Your Majesty?"

Barns was crossing a line he didn't know he would, but his Emperor's behavior lately had prompted him to do so otherwise. And the sudden silence from him was yet another clue.

Barns stared back at Tesarius boldly, and strangely enough, the first to look away was Tesarius himself, knowing that whatever he was saying was all a lie. That he did meet Aurora before she became a Concubine, and one word from him could end her suffering at Velarys Dome, but he didn't want to do that.

Because she had back up. She had the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager would save her lackey however necessary. Tesarius had to do nothing.

"Is there anything else?"

"Nothing, Your Majesty."

"Then you may leave."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Barns left, and Tesarius was left to his own devises again. The thoughts he had before the arrival of his Chancellor was back in his head again, thoughts of Aurora. Especially because the sun was soon to set, night would draw closer, and he'd have to see her tonight.

Today is the night.

And he didn't know if he was ready to see her face just yet.

"It will be okay." He whispered to himself, sucking in a deep breath with his eyes closed. "I did nothing wrong. I don't have to be nervous. It will all be okay."

"It's going to be okay." Aurora told herself, as she sat on her bed, dressed in her best, all alone, with scented candles burning everywhere. They were her favorite scent, almond blossoms, and the room was lit dimly to give a sensual glow around. Anne and Amy had left her for the night, and now she was on her own, waiting patiently for her better half.

For Tesarius.

For the night had come.

It was consummation night.

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