“Night At The Emperor’s palace”

Cathain opened his eyes in a shock as soon as his dream ended and found himself laying on Eleanora’s lap.

He slowly got up as his eyes kept staring at the sleeping Eleanora with a guilt feeling.

She was sleeping so peacefully that it made Cathain’s heart ache in pain as he thought of the older Eleanora whom he meet a few moments ago.

He took Eleanora’s shining silver hair on his hands to kiss as he vowed in his mind.

‘I promise to give you justice, My empress.’

“Your Majesty; should we wake her up?”

Brayden, who was waiting at the entrance of the garden had came in to look for them as his superior hasn’t came out for a long time with other escort knights.

But as he found them, both of them was sleeping.

So, he didn’t dared to wake them up and only wait for them to wake up.

.....

“No need... I can manage.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Cathain carefully carried her up on his arms and headed towards the emperor’s palace.

Where maintaining a proper distance, Brayden kept following them.

As he went through another way to reach the emperor palace so that Eleanora would be on his embrace for a long time, Cathain suddenly stopped as his eyes fall on the abandoned mansion of the imperial palace.

A frown appeared on his face as he felt some mixed feeling coming from that place.

Cathain walked out without waiting there anymore and soon, he stood infront of his new room.

Eleanora frowned a little in her sleep as she felt some movements but as soon as she was tucked into the blanket by Cathain, she become relax and continued to sleep.

Seeing this, Cathain couldn’t help but poke her cheeks.

‘Why are you so cute?’

Cathain thought on his mind and left the room happily after placing a kiss on her forehead.

But his happy mood ended as he heard a cold voice from behind.

“...Your Majesty.”

“...”

Turning his head back, Cathain’s eyes fall on Alexander, who was waiting outside of the emperor’s bedroom.

“Duke Dalton.”

Alexander took some steps towards him and his face relaxed a little as he saw Eleanora sleeping in the bed.

But then his facial expression darked again as he looked at his new emperor and spoke.

“Am here for my daughter. Thanks for taking care of her, Your Majesty.”

“This is what i should do as her future husband, don’t you think so? Father in law...”

“...”

Alexander clenched his fist at Cathain’s words. He only agreed to not cancel the marriage agreement for now to help Eleanora become a knight.

Which would be hard if he didn’t took Cathain’s help. But that doesn’t mean he will agree to their marriage.

“It’s late now, Your Majesty. We should return.”

Alexander spoke as he wanted to get in to carry out Eleanora but he was shocked as Cathain suddenly stood infront of him.

‘What does it mean?’

Alexander was furious because of Cathain’s actions.

“Let her rest here tonight.”

“...Thanks for your offer, but i have to reject it, Your Majesty. She needs to prepare for the crowning ceremony of Your Majesty in the morning and then also depart for the war.”

“She can do that from here too.”

“...”

If Alexander was a white winter wolf then Cathain would be the furious black panther.

None of them wanted to back off, making the people around them shiver in fear.

‘Thank god... the duke doesn’t know that our emperor used to climb on her ladyship’s window and spend time with her every night.

We have to look for a new emperor, once the duke knows this.’

Brayden thought as he stood like an invisible wall beside them.

...

In the morning, Eleanora was tossing and turning her body, rubbing her sleepy eyes.

She found herself in a place not familiar to her.

‘Where am I?’

Eleanora was still sleepy so she couldn’t see clearly but she could tell that it wasn’t her room.

The window in her room is infront of the bed, but she could feel the light coming from beside the bed now.

So she was certain that she isn’t in her room.

Someone approached her while she was wondering what happened, and bowed deeply.

The badge of the palace affairs office on her chest was clearly visible.

‘Huh? Am I inside the palace now?’

The startled Eleanora immediately got up from the bed.

This time the crest of a roaring golden lion engraved on the carpet caught her eye.

‘Oh my God!’

Eleanora asked the maid with a trembling voice, trying hard to open her mouth.

“Where am I now?”

“It is His Majesty’s bedroom, Lady Dalton.”

‘...’

‘I hope daddy didn’t killed him yet.’

Eleanora felt goosebumps.

She clearly felt her father’s possessiveness over her yesterday.

All kinds of thoughts passed through her mind.

Now that she didn’t returned for a whole night, she can only imagine how angry her father will be.

Let alone the fierce bickering between the imperial faction and the noble faction over her overnight stay at the Emperor Palace.

It didn’t matter that nothing happened. Politics was a battle for justification.

“Why am I here?”

Eleanora asked the maid infront of her.

“I don’t know. I was ordered by His Majesty to serve you when you woke up.”

“I see... Where is he now?”

“He is in the meeting room.”

“Meeting room?”

The maid bowed deeply to her when Eleanora was tilting her head and spoke.

“Yes, that’s right. I heard that he called the heads of the dukes families last night and spent the night with them.”

“Huh? Did he summon all of them?”

“Yes, I heard so. His Majesty asked to serve you breakfast and get ready to attend the crowning ceremony when you are awake. It’s already late, so you had better hurry up...”

“Oh, I see.”

Eleanora stood up with a sigh of relief.

.....

As he was with the nobles last night, there was no possibility that any weird rumors about her would spread in the capital.

When Eleanora stepped down from the bed, she was bothered by her costume as she was dressed in the same black satin dress, corset, and petticoat.

But it become a little revealing as she slept while wearing it.

‘I wonder if he saw my outfit.’

Hiding her blushing face, Eleanora washed her face and changed into the clothes the maid gave her after having her breakfast.

The light water-colored dress fitted her perfectly as it was tailored for her body.

Even the light jewellery and makeups was according to her taste.

Eleanora was a little puzzled because it was her first time wearing it, but she went out as the maid was in a hurry.

“It’s been a long time, Lady Dalton.”

historical

“Hello, Sir Anthony, Sir Raymond. Long time no see!”

As Eleanora left the room, the two knights standing at the door bowed to her, including The emperor’s aid Marquis Hill’s heir Brayden Hill.

Sir Raymond started to spoke with a bright smile.

“I was ordered to escort you. Please come with me.”

“Oh, thank you.”

Eleanora quietly expressed her gratitude and walked with the two knights.

Although she wasn’t that uncomfortable with Brayden anymore, but she wasn’t comfortable with him either because of the her past.

As Brayden gave testimony against her which just proved her to be more guilty of a crime she never did.

So, she just maintains the courtesy with Brayden by greetings and talk about necessary things only.

“Did you have a good sleep last night? It seemed like you were sleeping very well.” -Brayden asked.

“Pardon? What do you mean... ?”

“Well, I happened to be on duty last night, so I have been keeping an eye on you since you arrived at the Emperor Palace with His Excellency.”

“Oh my...”

Suddenly, her face blushed.

It was only natural for the guards and the aid to follow the emperor, that was how they knew about it.

But even though Eleanora understood it, She felt suddenly embarrassed to hear that he had seen everything last night.

In addition, Sir Anthony and Sir Raymond were close to her as they guarded her for the past three years.

“I’ve never seen the emperor sleep so comfortably. I am not sure if you know it, but his Majesty can’t sleep because of insomnia. He often suffers from nightmare’s.

But yesterday he had a sound sleep.

So, our opinion was divided over whether to wake up the emperor or not because it was cold at night.”

“...I see.”

When Eleanora slowly nodded, Brayden continued in a very satisfied tone.

‘I should help my superior to have a peaceful private life to get a peaceful working life for myself.’

Brayden thought in his mind as for the past three years, he had to cover up for the crown prince, who was busy with his fiancé in a disguise to pursue her.

Making Brayden do all the works.

This was why he thought of letting Eleanora know of Cathain’s problem to create a soft spot for his superior in her heart.

“So, after a long discussion, we approached the emperor to wake him up, but...”

“...”

“When he noticed we were approaching, he quickly opened his eyes and told us to go back.

So, we watched him at a distance. He looked at you for a long time, took off his robe and carried you in his arms.”

‘What?!’

Eleanora’s eyes popped out.

She thought somebody carried her to this place because the place she fell asleep was different from the place she woke up.

But she never thought the emperor would carry her in person.

Not caring about her surprised look, Brayden continued.

“And then, he laid you on the bed and looked at you for a long time, he came out with a deep sigh, only to find the duke standing at the door.”

“...”

‘My father didn’t fought him, right?’

“If his majesty wasn’t the emperor and the duke wasn’t the lady’s father, I was sure they would start fighting over you.

In the end, our Majesty won and the duke forced him to start a meeting so that his majesty won’t be in the same room as you.”

“...”

“This is why youth is good. Oh my, I wonder if I will ever have a date...”

“...”

“Sir Brayden, stop there.”

Spoke Sir Anthony, who seldom talks.

“But...”

“That’s enough, man.”

“Okay, okay. So stop frowning like that.”

Sir Brayden and Raymond shook his head at Sir Anthony’s warning voice, then remained silent.

“My ladyship...”

Eleanora was walking silently, covering her blushing cheeks but stopped on her steps in horror as she heard that person calling her.