Without a Care

As Arthur and Julia ran away, the workers in the palace curiously watched them run to the halls as they exit, leaving the place behind, not accomplishing anything they set out to do.

As they went home, looking back to see if anyone followed them, they rushed inside their house, closing the door behind them as they huffed.

"What do we do? Will His Majesty have someone kill us?" Julia spoke, tugging her shawl even tighter towards her.

"Hah," Arthur laughed as he raked his hair, the streaks of gray showing underneath it. "If it wasn't for your... nevermind." He clicked his tongue.

"How did he even know about that?" He sat down on their dining table and grabbed another bottle of wine. Julia's eyebrows furrowed at him.

She shrugged. "He must have wanted to know if she was still pure. They are about to be wed."

"You said no one touched her."

"Which must be why he is still marrying her."

"Has he no shame?" Arthur burped through his words, making Julia look at him with disgust. "That was supposed to be Prince Friedrich's wife and yet he dares to marry her?"

Julia scoffed and took off her shawl, placing it on the back of the dining chair and sat down. "Must you ask that? He killed him. What line would he even be crossing with marrying Meredith?"

Arthur sighed. "So what do we do?"

"Seems to be nothing--"

A knock.

There was a knock on their door.

They looked at each other, sharing a glance and gulped. Is this it?

The knock came once more and Julia urged Arthur to stand up and open the door for them. Narrowing his eyes at her, he stood up and grumbled as he slowly opened the door.

"I... what?" Arthur spoke.

Julia raised an eyebrow and sat up, wondering who it could be. From the shocked expression on his face, Julia couldn't help but peek who was at the door.

Arthur glanced up and down at the hooded person in front of him. Tall and slim, a gentle smile on his face... and that familiar blue eyes.

"Prince..." he muttered.

______________

"You knew about the brothel?" Meredith asked, her voice shaky. Of course, he knew. He was the Emperor. Shouldn't he know about the purity of the woman he was about to marry? If he knew about that... then he must think that something had happened. Or did he know the truth as well?

Was that the reason why he was still willing to marry her?

"Yes," Krillien finally spoke. "I know about it."

She blinked. "Why..." her voice trailed off, trying to find the right words to say. What was the problem? Krillien knew about it and he doesn't seem to mind. It didn't seem like he would throw her away. He wanted to throw her parents out for selling her. For claiming to still be her parents.

"Nevermind." She said, shaking her head. It was fine now.

"Why?" Krillien asked. What was she curious about? He wanted to know. So far, Meredith had never been afraid to speak her mind. Why stop now?

They both sat in the silence of unanswered questions. There was a line they couldn't cross as they weren't allowed to go there in fear of offending the other. They would be facing consequences they are not prepared to face. So they sat in that silence.

Until Krillien couldn't take it anymore.

"Do you think I would cancel our wedding for that?" He tilted his head and put his sword back into its sheath.

"I..." Meredith clenched her hand into a fist. "Yes. Of course. Even other men wouldn't wish to marry a woman who has been there. Especially someone who worked there."

"Forgive me," Meredith blinked at his words. What? Forgive me? "But were you not there against your will? You were sold off by your so-called mother. Even your father must have relished in the brief richness they tasted because of such deed. Why should I throw you out for that? I would be too cruel, don't you think?"

Meredith swallowed, trying to find words to say. Suffice to say, she was speechless. This man in front of her doesn't sound like the cruel and ruthless man the stories were told about him. He has been nothing but... kind to her. Nothing like she imagined.

"You are correct, I suppose." She cleared her throat. Krillien smirked as he watched her compose herself. His mood then shifted thinking how awful it was for her to think of such thing.

Should he say the truth? That he knew nothing happened there? But that would mean he was only marrying her because he knew she was still pure. And what of being pure? Krillien did not care. At all. Why do the others care for such thing? Is it really as sacred as they think it is? It's just fucking. He thought. It was just that. So why the sad look on her face?

"I do not care." He said which made Meredith look up from the floor. "If anything or nothing happened to you at that brothel. I do not care."

Slowly, the ends of Meredith's lips curved upwards. She had no idea how much not caring would bring her this much relief.

"Thank you," she said. "And about my parents..." she glanced at the door where they left.

Krilliend looked towards the door as well. "They will be fine. As long as they do not step foot inside this palace again." He glanced down at her. "If that is fine with you."

"Mn," she nodded. She couldn't help but think how awful of a daughter she was to think of being relieved to never see her parents again. But then again, what parent would sell their child?

Meredith hoped nothing like that would happen to her dear siblings who were left in their care. They had always preferred the other two than her, anyway. They will dote on them far better than they did with her.

Krillien recalled Aurelius's report of her escape. There was not a single line as to how she did it. No one saw her. There was no trace of it, too. Just that on that evening, Meredith had disappeared and gone to the palace, asking him to marry her.