Episode 8: The Beginning of Game
"Some wars are not fought with swords and blood, but with whispers and glances. And those? Those are the deadliest of all."
Seraphina had underestimated Xavien Draethis.
She had thought he would ignore her.
That she would be a forgotten wife in a golden cage.
But last night had changed everything.
Now, he was watching her.
Testing her.
And when a man like Xavien Draethis took interest in something…
It was never a good thing.
The court was different today.
Seraphina could feel it the moment she stepped into the grand hall.
The air was heavier.
The whispers were sharper.
And the eyes—
They followed her like a predator stalking prey.
She was used to it by now. The nobles had been curious about her since the moment she arrived.
But today, it was different.
Today, they weren't just watching.
They were waiting.
Waiting to see if she would survive.
Because last night, the emperor had spoken to her in the open.
Had laughed with her.
Had acknowledged her.
And that made her dangerous.
Xavien sat upon his throne, dressed in black and gold, his gaze unreadable.
The conversation around the hall was nothing but noise to him.
Because his focus was on her.
Seraphina entered like she belonged there.
Like she was not out of place in his court of lions.
And yet, she was.
Because she was not a pawn.
Not a piece to be moved.
She was something else entirely.
And he still wasn't sure whether to admire it—
Or destroy it.
Seraphina felt the weight of his gaze but did not look at him.
Instead, she walked towards the nobles, a polite smile on her lips.
"Your Majesty," a voice purred.
Lady Varella.
Beautiful. Intelligent. Ruthless.
And one of the many women who had expected to be Empress.
"You seem well-rested," Varella continued, her tone pleasant but sharp. "The palace suits you."
Seraphina smiled.
"Does it?"
Varella's lips curled.
"Of course. It is rare for a foreign bride to adjust so quickly. Most find it… overwhelming."
Seraphina held her gaze.
"Perhaps it is not the palace that overwhelms them," she mused. "Perhaps it is the people."
Silence.
A flicker of amusement crossed Xavien's face.
He was listening.
Seraphina's heart pounded, but she did not let it show.
Because if there was one thing she had learned in her short time here—
It was that kindness was a weakness.
And weakness?
Would get her killed.
Xavien did not interrupt.
He let them circle her.
Testing her.
Pushing her.
And yet—
She never stumbled.
Never faltered.
She did not cower.
She played the game.
And she played it well.
"She is not afraid of them," Valen murmured at his side.
Xavien's fingers tightened around his goblet.
"No," he said. "She is not."
And for the first time since she had entered his world, he felt something new.
Something dangerous.
Curiosity.
The court eventually dispersed, the nobles slipping away like shadows, but the tension remained.
Seraphina left without another glance at the emperor.
Without acknowledging his presence.
And that—
That bothered him.
He was used to being the center of everything.
Feared. Respected. Obeyed.
And yet, Seraphina Elyssar—
Had not even looked at him.
A smirk curled at his lips.
"Interesting."
The game had begun.
And now?
Now he wanted to see how far she was willing to play.