The Royal Harem

Capitol XXVI

"No" Stellan mumbled in his breath "you can't just leave like that" his hands were tightly gripping on the hem of his coat. For once, he didn't mind if the expensive clothing gets crumpled.

Why is it that he felt like he can't leave—that he shouldn't leave?

Yes, he hated how people inside the palace would talk behind his back, he hated wearing these fancy clothes, but he surely did not hate staying by Alathea's side.

She saved him from that godforsaken place, offered him a new life. He can't just leave her like that.

Alathea's hand were already touching the door when he suddenly stood up from the couch while shouting "I said NO!!" this had earned a flinch from her. When she stepped up as the ruler of the Empire, even though people saw her as a puppet, no one had dared to raise their voice at her.  Stellan's action was definitely punishable but before she could even process them well she looked back and was caught off-guard when a pair of arms wrapped around her "I don't want to leave, I want to stay here with you"

"I don't quite understand" she blinked, trying to pull away from his hug "Stellan?"

His eyes went shut as he felt his heart beating rapidly "Please, let me stay here with you. I don't want to leave you" he uttered in almost a whisper, his hold on her tightens, fear that if he let go he won't ever see her again "can't I?"

Moving gently to face him properly, she felt his hold on her didn't disappeared. She know she shouldn't since she is a faithful wife to her husband and anyone who would accidentally enter the room will definitely create rumors that would question her fidelity to Dion. However she also couldn't help but place a hand on his back, patting it gently as if she's soothing a child "Of course you can, if that's what you want—"

"Is that a proposal to be her second consort?"

The two were frozen in their places as they heard a voice right by the doorway. Stellan's hug loosen, she pulled away and looked behind her to see a usual Dion smiling but she knew he's not happy at all. Dion had the tendency to show his fixed smile for formalities, he is after all a nobility who was taught with proper etiquette. No matter how unflattering a person is, he should still maintain his posture as a proud son of a Duke and now a husband of the Empress.

"My apologies for the interruption but please keep your hands off of my beloved" Dion said with a smile on his face. The dress shoes he was wearing had almost dug on the midnight carpet as he approached the two. He tried to be polite about it but he was rather uncomfortable with the scene and so he slapped Stellan's hands away while he took Alathea by her arm, pulling her closer to him "for you to touch the Empress like that, how rude can you get?"

A shiver went down on Stellan's spine as he locked his gaze with Dion. Yes, he is smiling but there's something sinister behind them. Of course, he is upset and he is right. Stellan was too rude to throw himself to the Empress. He couldn't help but think of himself as an uneducated prostitute who's only throwing his arms to someone just because they wanted to live lavishly in exchange of pleasure they could provide. Although that wasn't his intention, he could only hang his head low in shame and utter "I apologize"

"Dion" Alathea placed a hand on his chest, hopefully to calm her other half "It's fine. Don't scold him. I'm sure he was feeling too overwhelmed and needed comfort" she looked up at him to hopefully have him look at her properly "There's no need to worry, my love—"

Despite of her trying to get his attention, Dion remained still, his eyes are solely looking at the commoner in front of him. He placed a hand on his wife's shoulder and said "only the Empress' consorts, the emperor and the king are allowed to touch her. A mere commoner is not worthy of touching her—"