Fate I

CXCVI

"So, how does the cuisine of our Kingdom suit your tastes?"

Serving Kouen and his entourage a simple yet elegant meal catered towards something light in hindsight of their departure and return towards the Empire, Sinbad questioned him with a forced yet seemingly genuine smile, fulfilling his duty as King perfectly. Lucy sat to his left with Wu Kong and Tomoyo seated beside her while Kouen and the others were seated to his right as Sinbad sat at the head of the table.

Kouen opened his eyes and answered impassively, "It's fine."

Not wishing for any unnecessary misunderstandings to occur, Koumei quickly spoke up but, was stopped by Lucy as she opened her mouth to speak, fixing the mood.

"We're more well-known for our precious fruits more than our agriculture and animal husbandry," Lucy said, eating the plate of food that had been specially prepared for her by Kaede gracefully without the slightest indication of effort. "It's only natural for the Emperor to reply the way he did. Right?"

"I-It is as Her Royal Majesty the Queen says," Koumei answered, a bead of sweat rolling down his face as he hesitated to meet her eyes.

Noticing his avoidance, Lucy smiled softly in acceptance but, the hurtful look in her eyes was seen by those closest to her. She may act indifferent and perhaps hateful towards them but, the thirteen long years of affection she held for them during her time as a member of the Imperial Family was not easy to forget.

"It is a meal that His and Her Royal Majesty offered us," Kouen placed down his fork, having finished eating and dabbing his mouth with a napkin, his crimson eyes gazing at Lucy as he smiled fondly, "we have no qualms about it. It was a pleasant meal."

The others eagerly nodded their heads in agreement.

Sinbad tightened his grip on his fork as multiple tick marks appeared on his forehead. "I'm glad to hear you've enjoyed your meal."

He saw the way Kouen gazed at Lucy and if he could gouge out his eyes right now, he would not hesitate to do so. Lucy was his wife and he hated the idea of another man, especially a man who was her previous husband, staring at her so affectionately. But, noticing her lack of interest in him, he couldn't help but smile helplessly at himself, wondering just how childish he was. Catching a quick glance from Lucy, who upon noticing his stare, flashed a soft, delightful smile. Sinbad widened his eyes, perking up as his heart skipped a beat, his foul mood immediately dissipating. Kouen narrowed his eyes in distaste but, he simply sat there and watched on, unable to interfere for the two were legally bound as husband and wife. As husband and wife, such interaction was normal and he had no right to say anything.

Glancing down at her half-empty plate, Sinbad gazed worriedly at her. "You're not going to eat more?"

Lucy dabbed at the corners of her mouth with a napkin and chuckled, smiling apologetically. "I don't have that much of an appetite today," she said, her face slightly pale.

"If you're feeling unwell, feel free to excuse yourself first," Sinbad said, caressing her cheek. His brows were furrowed in worry, not wanting her to push herself if she was feeling under the weather. "I'll take it from here."

"I'm fine," Lucy smiled, a bead of sweat rolling down her face.

Her retainers glanced worriedly at her. Though her health had been improving greatly as she neared closer to the due date, the fact that her health was still far worse than it had been before her pregnancy was a worrisome matter. But, based on Kaede's diagnosis, she would be better after her pregnancy since the symptoms she suffered now were merely a side effect of the fetus inside of her feeding off her magoi and disrupting the usual flow of magoi inside her. Nevertheless, it was still worrisome for her current image was far too similar to that of the time she was chained in the Cold Palace. For the retainers, it was a time they would never forget even if they wished to and a time that would forever haunt them in their nightmares. Living each day with the fear that she was going to disappear and waking up each day thinking that today would be her last, they had taken turns staying up either all day or night all so that they could ease their mind of the restless worries that gnawed at them. It was a habit that was hard to rid of and a habit that had begun persisting again during the duration of her pregnancy.