[Completed] Amaryllis And The Labyrinth Of Magic

Chapter 9

"Salien," he uttered my name with a gravity that sent a shiver down my spine, "you disobeyed a direct order. You sneaked into my private palace when I expressly forbade you from leaving your own."

I swallowed hard, the weight of his words settling heavily on my conscience. I stood there, silent and apprehensive, as my father's piercing gaze bore into me.

"Do you comprehend the gravity of your actions?" His voice, usually steady, now carried a sharp edge.

"I... I had my reasons, Father," I stammered, attempting to articulate the turmoil within me.

"Reasons?" The Emperor's eyes flared with an intensity I had rarely witnessed. "You jeopardized not only your safety but the sanctity of our roles. How many times do I need to tell you this?!”

His scoldings are generally calm. But, not today. He was practically screaming at me. Suddenly I remembered what my father had said to me back then during my outburst in the tavern. A pot overflows when water is filled in it without taking into consideration its capacity. I had managed to press a nerve for him.

“There are boundaries, and you have overstepped them." He got up and paced towards me. Each word felt like an arrow being shot at me. It hurt. I barely held back my tears.

His words hung in the air, a palpable silence following each sentence. I struggled to meet his gaze, the weight of disappointment heavy on my shoulders.

"Your recklessness reflects poorly on the throne, on our family," he continued, his anger simmering beneath a controlled facade. "You must understand the consequences of your actions. This empire cannot afford to be governed by impulsive decisions!”

The weight of my father's scolding hung heavy in the air, each word a reprimand that echoed through the chamber. I stood before him, my shoulders sagging under the weight of disappointment, a stark contrast to the mischievous grin I had worn just moments before. The Emperor's eyes, usually a source of guidance, bore into me with a stern intensity.

"Salien," he admonished, his voice cutting through the silence, "I had hoped that my warnings would be heeded. Yet here you stand, defiant in your disobedience."

I had anticipated a lecture, perhaps a stern talking-to, but the severity of his tone caught me off guard. My attempt at a harmless prank, a light-hearted escapade into the main palace, had morphed into a transgression that earned me the Emperor's wrath.

“What made you come here?!” He asked me suddenly. His voice carried absolute anger. My heart beat very fast. But I can't keep quiet. If I did, I have no clue what punishments I would get.

"Father," I began, my voice trying to carry the innocence of my intentions but I stuttered in between. I was scared of his reaction, however, I felt the need to confess. I said, "it was just a jest, a harmless prank. I never meant to—”

His hand shot up, a gesture that halted my words mid-sentence. The room fell into a hushed stillness as I stared at him, wide-eyed. My father, the epitome of composure, had raised his hand against me—a physical manifestation of his frustration.

"Prince," he spoke with a measured calmness that sent a chill down my spine, "do not mistake the throne's leniency for tolerance of indiscretion. Your actions reflect not only on you but on the very foundation of this empire."

I swallowed hard, my attempts to explain caught in the tightening grip of an invisible vice. The air crackled with tension, and my father's gaze seemed to pierce through the facade of my intentions.

"Answer honestly," he continued, his tone unwavering, "you were planning to sneak out again, this time with Amy. Weren't you? Such behaviour is not befitting the Prince of this realm."