The Emperor's Concubine

Chapter Fifty

"Cabel?" I call out.
My face buried in his chest, I tap his arm.
"Don't look yet." He speaks up.
Cabel spins me around, still covering my eyes.
I walk, guided by him. The heavy concentrated scent of iron hitting my nose.
He takes his hands away. I open my eyes, looking to see we're in a hallway of the castle. The despair filled hallways, reminding me of the past.
Instantly, I get hit with a dizzy spell as my knees collapse under me.
Cabel catches me in his arms.
"Are you okay?" He looks down at me, panicked.
"I-I'm okay, I'm just feeling a bit weak..." I whisper, holding my stomach as a sharp cramp hits me, quickly disappearing.
Cabel's warm hand grazes my forehead, his warmth comforting me as my eyes fill with tears.
Unable to hold them back, my tears begin falling.
Cabel looks back at me, surprised.
"Did you call for a carriage to come before you left?" Cabel asks Cethin.
"Yeah of course. We don't feel like walking back, so you better let us ride with you." Cethin stretches, winking playfully.
"That's fine. Leave us." Cabel waves away the assassins.
They leave down the hallway, disappearing around the corner, leaving Cabel and I.

I do my best to stop the tears, but my heart breaks remembering the pain.
"Why are you crying? I'm sorry I couldn't save you sooner... You must have endured a lot."
Cabel's warm finger wipes away my tears. I begin to cry more, overwhelmed.
I shake my head.
"It's because you're so cruel..." I mutter through my cries.
Cabel looks down at me, his eyes pained.
"You think I'm too cruel?..."
"You died! You left me alone! How is that saving me!" I snap at him.
I sniffle between my sobs, holding my chest as my heart aches immensely.
"That's why you're crying? I'm here aren't I?" Cabel looks at me astonished.
He snickers and sighs.
"It's not funny! You died! I kept thinking about how you wouldn't ever touch me, you won't ever speak kindly to me-"
"Or how I wouldn't know your feelings?"
I freeze, the pain in my heart disappearing for a moment too.
I slowly look up at him. I tilt my head confused, my tears quickly stopping.
"What was it again? 'Don't leave me alone, I couldn't even tell you my feelings', that's the last thing you said, right?" He grins, giving an arrogant satisfied look.
My cheeks grow hot.
"Y-You were awake?" I exclaim, embarrassed.
I try to cover my flushed face with my hands, but his hand takes my wrists, pulling my hands away.
"Well no, I very much died. But to think the last words I heard before my death, were such passionate sentences." Cabel teases, pulling my hands to his chest.
"D-Don't laugh! Y-You're so mean!-" I exclaim, trying to push him away.
Instantly, a warm sensation cuts me off.
I stare back, surprised as Cabel's lips press against mine. His hand on the back of my head, pulling me into him.
He pulls away, his tongue licking my bottom lip as they depart from mine.
I look back at him dumbstruck. My cheeks growing more hot as I stare at his beaming, arrogantly proud expression.
"Hm, not bad." He snickers.
His hand caressing my cheek, he pulls into me again, but this time for a deep long kiss.
He kisses me gently, but passionately as the kiss causes my body to grow warm.
I tap his arm, struggling to breathe.
He pulls away watching my expression.
"C-Cabel, you're so mean." I whisper, embarrassed.
Tears begin to roll down my face again.
I wipe my eyes, feeling his hand rest on my head. He pulls me kindly into his chest, embracing me.
"And? What will you do about it?" He proudly whispers, kissing me sweetly again.

I open my eyes, feeling my body shake slightly.
I stare up at a black leather lined ceiling. I look down to see a window lined with gold.
Cethin, Riddle, and Xal all sit on a cushioned seat across from me. Cethin stares out the window, deep in thought. Xal and Riddle lean on each other as they sleep.
I look above me to see Cabel's eyes gently closed, my head on his lap.
Quietly, I sit up.
Cethin looks over at me and smiles.
"Hey, sleeping beauty, finally finished with your beauty rest?" Cethin snickers.
"Shh, you might wake them up." I point to the others, rolling my eyes.
"It's fine, they've been knocked out for a while now."
"How much longer until we get there?"
"Should be another hour or so, you can go back to sleep. I'm strong and great so I'll protect everyone." Cethin flexes his muscles and snickers.
"Mhm, I'm sure." I giggle, watching Cethin pose.
We sit in silence as I look out the window.
I watch as we pass fields of sunflowers, illuminated by the sunlight. The morning sky, tinted orange and pink.
"Hey..." Cethin calls out.
I look back to him as he rests his cheek against the palm of his hand, leaning on the window sill.
I nod my head slightly, waiting for him to continue.
"So... I knew you had a rough childhood, but didn't think it was that tough... I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what?" I look at him dubiously.
"I said before you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth, but that was really insensitive of me... Your childhood was a more shitty than I even expected, and I shouldn't have assumed you hadn't been through anything difficult. So, I'm sorry..." Cethin gives a small pained smile.
"There's no need to apologize. You didn't know and that's okay, but I appreciate you wanting to apologize." I smile lightly.
Cethin nods, looking away as he closes his eyes.
I yawn and lean back, closing my eyes too, soothed by the carriage ride.