The Emperor's Concubine

B.2 Chapter Fifty-Three

I walk around the garden with Petunia, who wears a new tight black uniform.
She keeps her face cover on as she cautiously looks around.
"New uniform?" I ask.
"Hm? Oh, yes. Ruler Canella bought us new clothing. She apparently said quote-on-quote, 'You're beginning to smell so bad, I can see the stench' to Riddle, and forced us all to receive new uniforms." Petunia shrugs, grinning amused.
"He never bathed?" I ask.
"He wasn't comfortable with wearing a men's hanfu, he claimed 'everything' felt exposed. So, he never bathed because he knew the maids would wash his clothes, and make him wear a hanfu while they did." Petunia giggles, rolling her eyes.
I scoff.
"Wow. He's something, isn't he?"
"Mhm, I'm honestly pretty relieved though. I think his old clothes started smelling so bad, it got to a point of being incapable to wash."
"Were you and Cethin uncomfortable with wearing a hanfu too?"
"Nope, we enjoyed wearing the hanfus, they're beautiful and comfortable."
"Hm, so Riddle's just very picky then?"
"Yes, it makes it difficult a lot of the times. He isn't too picky, but when he is, he's a snooty high maintenance boy. I understand why it must be uncomfortable for him to wear a hanfu though. He never wore such clothing before and if he felt too 'exposed', it's not like we can force him to wear it."
"Have you and Cethin worn hanfus a lot in the past?" I ask, glancing at her.
She shakes her head.
"Cethin was a prince for a western kingdom. The style he was used to is similar to Cypheler's, but when we lived all over the territories, we had to dress up like normal commoners."
"I see, and you?"
"Well, I do like all styles... But I grew up in a small town outside of Xiao's capital, so we wore similar hanfus you see here. I just haven't worn beautiful ones like the rulers gave us."
"I'm glad it makes you happy... Petunia, would you want to stay here?" I stop walking, turning to look back at her.
"Stay here?"
"Yes... The rulers did say they would give you employment, if you aren't welcome back to Cypheler. Xiao is technically your home, and you would be safe working for Canella and Ming."
"I... I don't know." Petunia shrugs, staring at the garden.
"How come?"
"Because... I would rather be with the people I care about, instead of being without them. Xal, Jax, and Eli are still back in the empire. Just because they offered Riddle, Cethin, and I a job, doesn't necessarily mean it's guaranteed for all of us."
"I suppose... It's very sweet of you, you're very loyal." I smile, giggling slightly.
"I think I am too. I know the reason I did enjoy Cypheler was because I could watch the boys just be themselves, and not always on edge." Petunia's eyes grow solemn as she looks down at the ground.
"... Are you happy though?" I ask, watching her.
She looks up at me, shrugging.
"I'm not sure... I regret getting close to others... With my abilities, it makes it very difficult to not constantly think about how someone dies. Sometimes I see how happy they are, and suddenly remember they'll be taken away from me."
"Have you used your powers on them at all?"
Petunia tilts her head, sighing.
"Not all... Only Riddle." She whispers.
"Why only Riddle?"
"It was an accident... One day when we were doing small missions, and Riddle came back to the base soaked in blood. I had to help, he was gushing blood but I forgot my gloves... I went to stop the bleeding, not realizing my gloves were off and saw his death. I was okay pretending this ability didn't exist before that incident, and was easily able to focus that they're alive with me now... Yet after seeing Riddle's, it made me feel miserable each time I saw their happy expressions..." Petunia sadly looks away, taking a deep shaky breath.
"... Have you spoken to them about how you feel?"
She shakes her head.
"I can't. It would be hurtful if I told them that I feel miserable. I feel happy with them, but it's miserable knowing I could save myself pain if I stayed away from them."
"It's hard... But sometimes love needs a sacrifice. I can't understand how you feel, but I know that when I left the empire, I couldn't say goodbye to you all. I really wished to do this alone, but now that you guys are here with me, it feels like I can do anything." I give a small feigned smile as I feel the weight lifted off my shoulders, "I was scared to be alone but I knew it would be my happiness, or your guys' happiness that would be sacrificed, so I couldn't ask you to come with me. I would rather deal with the pain alone than to have all of you suffer... I think it's the same with you. Sometimes if you love someone enough, the pain and unpleasantness is worth it, as long as you're with them. It only depends on if you think it's worth it enough."
"I... I do. I feel miserable but they make me happy. I could easily agree to live here and have a quiet life, but it's too late... If it was quiet I would miss their loud obnoxious voices." Petunia snickers.
"I get it, I really missed the silly, childish jokes and talks they have. It's terrifying especially knowing how your loved ones die, but this just means you have to make the most of the time you have with them. Goodbyes aren't promised, but what is promised is how much joy and love someone receives before they die..."
"You're right... I want to stay here... I want to have a quiet life and fulfill my dreams... But I'd rather sacrifice it to be happy with them and you." Petunia takes my hand.
She trembles slightly as she looks down at my hand in her gloved hand.
"Luna... I know your death, and it pains me to know how you'll pass, but I want to make you happy until that day. I can't promise I won't try to stop it, because just like all the other lives I tried saving, I want to try and save you too." Petunia smiles, staring back at me as an older sister would look at their younger sibling.
I smile, nodding.
"Thank you Petunia... I hope I can make you happy until that day too."
"Luna... Do you need us to come with you?" Petunia asks.
"Come with me?"
"I heard you speak with Cethin... I know you're going to go to Anatos mountain, and I will gladly come with you."
I smile, nodding.
"I'd be honoured if you came with me." I smile, growing determined as I look back at her supportive gaze.

"Listen up." Cethin speaks to Riddle, Petunia, and I.
"There are laws in effect that don't allow random people to go to Anatos mountain. We need permission from the rulers of Xiao, but I know they won't let us go, especially if it's putting Luna in danger. We'll need to sneak out of here." Cethin places papers and a large bag onto the table in front of us.
"What are these?" I ask.
"It's directions, maps, and important facts needed for Anatos mountain. We can't have you just walk out either, you were seen as Deimos by both rulers and maids, so we'll have to ensure you're not caught." Cethin opens the bag.
He pulls out uniforms as well as small trinkets.
"I stole Xiao's assassin uniforms. They're armoured, and easy to move in. We'll need to just get past the walls." Cethin grins.
I open a locket looking item, revealing a compass.
"But there's a small, major issue." Riddle speaks up.
"What?" Cethin looks back at him confused.
"Luna's trained with us and stuff, but there's no way in hell she can jump a wall like we do, especially one that high." Riddle speaks, brutally honestly.
They all stare at me grinning.
I grow confused as I look back at them.
"How about she gets piggy backed over?" Cethin says, thinking.
"I don't think that would work. She's petite, but her weight could throw one of you guys off." Petunia rolls her eyes, scoffing.
"It'll be fine! We won't drop her, compared to if you tried carrying her." Riddle scoffs back.
Petunia and Riddle make faces at each other, mocking each other.
"She's right... I mean we're good and all, but we haven't had experience lugging a body over that tall of a height." Cethin interrupts them, thinking to himself.
"What if we put her in a box and just walk out?" Riddle suggests.
"Nah, guards will check inside obviously." Cethin shakes his head, "We could get a rope then and she can climb it."
"And if she falls?" Petunia scoffs.
"Okay, then we can tie the rope to her and I can pull her up." Riddle rolls his eyes.
"You don't have the best grip strength, you'd just drop her." Petunia rolls her eyes back at him.
"H-Hey, I mean there is one obvious tactic." I sigh, speaking up, "Riddle's a wind holder, can't he fly me over the wall? Also my powers can carry me over too, but it's too noticeable."
They look back at me shocked until looking at each other.
"Why didn't we ever think about that?" Cethin mutters, stunned.
"Hell, why didn't I think about it? I'm the one with the powers." Riddle looks back at him, dramatically shocked.
"It's more stupid on your part, you could have been using your powers to travel, but instead you did it the tiring way." Petunia scoffs, rolling her eyes.
"You didn't think about it before too, so that makes you more stupid cause I could have travelled with everyone like that." Riddle sticks his tongue out.
Petunia rolls her eyes, sticking her tongue out too. They taunt each other, bickering with each other through the funny faces they make.

"Luna?"
I turn to the door as I hear Canella call out to me.
I wave my hands, gesturing Cethin to hide everything.
I stand, opening the door.
"Canella! Hello." I bow my head.
"Luna... I'm sorry for coming so late, but can we talk?"
I look back at the others, looking back at Canella.
"Of course. I'll be back." I tell Cethin, Riddle, and Petunia.
I follow Canella out of the room.

We walk outside to a bench in the stone garden.
"Please, sit." She kindly speaks.
I nod, sitting beside her.
"Is everything okay?" I ask.
"Ming and I were finding more information about the witch... But this came." Canella hands me an envelope.
I open it, pulling out an invitation.

'You are cordially invited to Emperor Cabel and Esmerelda Avri's wedding.'

I look at the wedding invitation, shocked.
"W-What?" I mutter.
"They're meant to be married in two weeks... Luna, we know why the witch has chosen his highness." Canella speaks, taking a deep breath, "In history, when witches were said to be humans, they needed someone with strong powers and immense mana. They needed to absorb enough mana to essentially make their souls immortal."
Canella hands me an old notebook.
"We found a journal from back then. One of the witches realized how wrong it all was. They stopped participating in the ceremonies and rituals necessary to become a witch. They began dying once they stopped their transformation... Before they died, they wrote this."
I open the notebook, the first page a letter.
The end of the letter, standing out to me.

'To those we've killed and sacrificed, I hope you'll be freed. I hope this notebook will be able to prevent the deaths of civilians. I'm condemned to live eternally in Hell and so this will be my last deed I do before I pass. I'm sorry.'
I flip through the pages, scanning over the information briefly.
"This was left by a survivor?" I ask.
"Yes... As you know witches were humans once... But they were citizens of Xiao centuries ago."
"Of Xiao?"
"Yes. They began their transformation here. The victim requested this to be gifted to the king of Xiao at the time, before they passed."
"But... If they were from Xiao, how did they end up in Cypheler? Did they expand their population?"
Canella shakes her head.
"No... The reason Cypheler was in danger was because of the king's daughter." Canella takes the notebook, flipping to a page.
I read it, my stomach dropping.