My limbs numbed and heavy, I open my eyes to see black.
A view of distant stars appear as I look around.
As if floating, lost in space I stare at my hands. The cuts gone yet the burning sensation of poison lingering.
"You shouldn't be here."
An echoing voice calls out.
I turn, searching for the direction of the voice.
Instantly, I feel the gentle touch of hands covering my eyes.
"Child... Who are you?"
The voice calls out to me.
Tingles rush down my neck as I feel their breath on my ear.
"Well, who are you?" I question back.
"Hm? Someone you should not be meeting." The person chuckles, amused yet kind.
My floating body instantly drops.
Their hands covering my eyes as they hold me close from behind.
"W-What?" I try to hold onto their hands yet my hands touch nothing.
My body drops as their hands let go of me.
I flinch, abruptly opening my heavy eyes.
I look around the room to see the sun shining brightly through the window.
Cabel leaning onto the bed from his chair, his hand resting on my stomach.
I look down at my hands, both bandaged up.
Quickly, I bite the bandages with my teeth, unravelling my hand from it. The bandage falls to the bed as my healed unscarred hand is revealed.
I take a deep breath as I grow anxious yet unafraid of that dream.
"Cabel?" I whisper.
Cabel's body flinches, his head shoots up to look at me.
"Luna... You're awake..." Cabel's eyes fill with tears.
Abruptly standing, he tackles me with a tight hug.
"You're an idiot..." I mutter into his shoulder.
"I know... I know I am. I'll take all the blame, please forgive me."
"Why didn't you ever just ask me? How could you decide to do that?"
"How could I ask when I had no right? I was surrounded by those annoying princesses, and I knew it was difficult for you to watch. How could I ask if you were okay, when I knew you weren't?"
"Because you should have asked if I wanted help. I can't rely on you for everything, I need to earn the right to sit by your side. To hide behind you is not what a queen should do."
"You're not going to be my queen. You're my empress. It's unfair for the empress to not rely on me, when she expects me to rely on her." Cabel scoffs, kissing my forehead.
"I know it's unfair but for this point in time, I have to earn the love and respect of citizens with my own hands."
"You don't need to keep doing things all by yourself. You're enough as it is, it'll take a while for word to spread of what kind of empress you'll be... But only a woman who brings me to my knees, has the only right to wear any crown by my side." Cabel nuzzles his face into my shoulder, "You scare me all the time. I want you to stay still so you're safe, but I know you won't which excites me, but it's nerve racking every time. It's only worrying me more that if you're willing to hold a poisoned blade, what other things are you willing to do?"
"Isn't that the best part though?" I pat his head as I giggle, "To live an exciting life, a life where you do reckless things without thought, is better than to stay reserved and quiet. Living a life where everyday's the same, isn't living. Who knows maybe I'll fight a monster, steal the moon, maybe I'll get mad, or maybe I'll live peacefully. It's only fun when you don't know what happens in the future."
"You worry me by saying that... What do I do with my anxiousness?"
"Nothing, you learn to accept that I'll do the unpredictable, just as I have to live with the fact that you're unpredictable too." I smile, kissing Cabel's head.
"Love is difficult, isn't it?"
"Yes, but we can work through it, can't we?"
"You think I'd let you leave me again?" Cabel kisses me passionately, running his fingers through my hair.
"Are you feeling okay now?" He asks, gazing into my eyes.
"Yes... I guessed that I would've survived. I trusted that my powers wouldn't let something like that kill me." I smugly shrug.
"It could have. You worry me, what if it killed you before your body could heal you?"
"Then I guess I would have died. It was worth it though."
"Worth it?"
"Yes, if they died because of me, I wouldn't know how to continue to live."
"You would risk your own life for those peasants?"
"I know you might think it was selfless, but it was a selfish act. I didn't want to live if I knew I was guilty of having them killed at your hands... I'd rather have killed them by my hands if I wanted them to die."
I honestly speak, the words cruel and chilling, yet my honest thoughts.
Cabel's eyes widen slightly as he raises a brow. His expression not seeming to be disappointed, rather proud.
"How amusing." Cabel grins, kissing me softly.
"Your highness? May I come in?"
I pull away as I hear Lance call out.
"Come in." He calls out.
Lance opens the door holding a tray.
"M-My lady!" Lance exclaims.
He rushes to the bed.
"Are you alright? How could you have done that!" Lance scolds, panicked.
"I'm okay, it basically feels like nothing's happened." I giggle.
"I told his highness to be careful! Of all the things you could have done, I can not believe you grabbed that treacherous blade!" Lance continues to scold.
"I'm fine, I promise!" I smile, amused by his reaction.
"If you weren't fine, then what? I'm so disappointed with you and his highness! You injured yourself, could have died, and your highness, you should have been more careful! You said you weren't going to kill them, so how could you brandish your sword so carelessly!" Lance rubs his forehead, stressed.
"Wait... You planned it?" I glare at Cabel.
He avoids my glare, nonchalantly staring away.
"In a way, yes. Once I started, it was impossible to stop myself." Cabel sighs, shrugging unbothered.
"My lady, he only planned to scare them to understand your position to him." Lance exasperatedly sighs.
"What?" I stare at the both of them.
"He knew he had to affirm your position and was going to scare the people to understand. Though it seems he couldn't help himself." Lance glares at Cabel disappointedly.
"How could you plan this? I don't want my position to be defined only from people's fear towards you."
"I just forgot myself and grew mad with wanting to exert my power. It seems the plan still worked by your own doing." Cabel leans back in his chair calmly.
Lance walks closer to me, removing the bandages from my hands.
"What does that mean?" I ask.
"Word has spread that the future fiancée stood up to his highness. The citizens are impressed by how you're the only one who's willing to stand up and yell at his highness." Lance explains.
"Yell?" I look at Lance, confused.
"Yes, you yelled at him about not wanting him to kill for you. The citizens are impressed with your conviction to stand up for even a princess who treated you rudely." Lance chuckles, "It all worked out, even though we got side tracked from the initial goal."
Lance glares at Cabel again.
"I didn't expect her to jump out like that, don't look at me like that." Cabel scoffs, raking his hand through his hair.
I giggle as I watch.
I sip the tea Lance hands me as he continues to bicker with Cabel.
A few days go by as I continue to rest, my body feeling heavy from my powers working to rid my body of the toxins.
I sip my tea, staring out the window. The sky turning dark as the rain returns.
The door knocks.
"My lady, may I come in?"
Magnolia's voice calls out.
"Yes, come in." I respond.
Magnolia enters the room, bringing a pile of books.
"How are you feeling, my lady?" She places the books on the table, handing me one.
"I'm fine, I promise. I told you I was better when I woke up." I giggle, watching Magnolia's worried expression.
"I know, but still... I heard you're quite the popular topic in the empire." She smiles, proudly.
"Oh? What about?"
"How you stood up to his highness of course! You risked your life for that awful princess, after everything she's done to you! You're praised highly!"
"I don't think it's an honourable thing to have done." I giggle, scanning the book pages.
The door knocks again.
I nod to Magnolia to check who it is.
"My lady, it's a maid of Princess Levita." Magnolia calls out.
"Princess Levita?" I place the book down, "What does she want?"
"She wishes to meet with you."
My eyes widen, confused.
I walk outside, heading to the sapphire palace as I'm escorted with the maid and Magnolia.
We enter the sapphire palace, walking through the hallways.
The maid stops, knocking on a door.
"My lady, Princess Luna has arrived." The maid calls out.
"Let her in." I hear Princess Levita's voice call out.
The maid opens the door for me, letting me inside.
I walk into a parlour. Princess Levita sits at a table, sipping tea.
"Why did you want to meet?" I ask.
I stand a few feet away from her table.
"Please, sit." She offers.
"I'd rather not. I'd like to return soon, so tell me what you wanted to see me for." I gaze down at her.
Her hands fiddle as she looks away awkwardly.
Instantly, she gets up from her seat, bowing her head.
"What are you doing?" I call out calmly.
"Please, forgive me! You saved me, I understand now why you're by his highness. I realize how much more terrifying he is compared to the rumours. Thank you for saving me!" She exclaims.
I snicker, staring at her bow. I bite my tongue, something in me stopping me from speaking up.
'What a joke... I could forgive her but if I do, I would lose the chance to reprimand her before she returns to being arrogant... How foolish. '
I think to myself, until Cabel's expression pops into my mind.
His amused, almost proud expression even when I thought the words I spoke were too cruel.
'I'm not the same child I was... I know how to speak for myself... I need to learn to speak up for myself... Cabel isn't someone to think low of me if I spoke up...'
My resolve growing more clear, I grow comforted as I think about Cabel being by my side.
"Don't get me mistaken." I coldly speak up.
She lifts her head to look at me.
"I was going to deal with you myself. I didn't want someone else to take it away from me. The abused princess, the abandoned concubine, the filthy concubine. All the names you've labelled me with were correct in some way, but don't underestimate me. I was all those things, went through hell and back, so don't believe for one second that I'm weak or easily forgiving as you think. If his highness didn't try to execute you, I would've gotten you back myself." I smile, coldly glaring down at her.
Her face grows pale, she falls to the ground on her hands and knees.
"Please forgive me!" She begs.
I giggle, watching her desperately beg.
"Forgive you? I'll warn you, if you don't keep my name out of that filthy mouth of yours-" I grab her jaw, pointing her face up to me, "I'll personally rip your tongue out. Slander me again and you won't have your father's status to protect you once I'm crowned."
"D-Don't act all high and mighty! His highness might be your fiancé, but you're threatening a princess still!" She shouts, angered.
"Just as you've threatened me? I am the princess of Avris, regardless of my fallen kingdom. I'm a princess just the same as you."
"Y-You just hide behind his highness! You're nothing!-"
"I have more than enough financial stability to pay your father off if I punish you. His highness isn't the only one with wealth to pay off kings. You forget that Avris was known for their wealth from jewels produced from their mines, and now all the wealth is entitled to me. Just because I'm to be engaged to his highness does not mean I don't have power of my own. I'm warning you, keep my name out of your mouth or else I'll demonstrate what a 'filthy' concubine can do. I'll gladly take the role of a villain from you, so I'm warning you, my patience is limited, dear princess. From now on, don't ever show yourself in front of me again." I smile sweetly.
Thunder and lightening strike outside, shaking the sapphire palace.
Her face pale, and horrified as it's lit up by the lightening.
"Those eyes... How marvellous. The look of fear and despair. What a lovely expression. Too bad I never want to see it again." I push her face away, letting go of her jaw.
I take a napkin off the table where she sat.
I dip the cloth napkin into her glass of water, wiping my hands. I walk by her as she sits frozen on the ground.
"Clean yourself up. You're disgracing your title, you so dearly cherish." I drop the napkin on the ground in front of her.
She cries, unable to move.
I see myself out, leaving the sapphire palace with Magnolia.
I breathe a sigh of relief outside.
"What a beautiful day!" I exclaim.
Thunder roars in the distance, the skies turning more grey.
"Beautiful?" Magnolia asks.
"Yes. It's a beautiful day." I giggle, walking back to the palace.
Magnolia follows, confused.
Cabel falls onto the bed beside me.
We both breathlessly pant, our bodies covered with sweat. Cabel pulls me into him, kissing me gently.
"I won't be able to see you for a while..." He sighs.
"How come?" I tiredly look up at him.
"I have some business to do."
"Hm..." I stare at him, unamused, "I thought you promised to tell me everything."
"It's just... I'm meeting with Lady Canella, and Princess Ming."
"How come?" I cock my head.
"It's about Ming's concubine title... We have to approve it, but I have to talk to them about some private things. I'll reveal them later on, so please be patient and trust me." Cabel smiles, reassuringly.
"Okay... I promise." I nod slightly.
Cabel kisses my head, holding me close to his bare chest. I take a deep breath still feeling the afterglow of our night spent together.