Word Count - 2,022 words
Year 843
The emperor of the Eldian empire, Emperor Erwin Smith, the sun lion of the Eldians, traveled to Marley to renew the peace treaty between the Eldian empire and the Marleyan kingdom.
In the same year was also when he met his second wife, and the new empress of the Eldian empire, Lady Y/n Tybur, an illegitimate child of the previous Marleyan king, and half-sister of King Willy Tybur.
The renewal of the peace treaty between Marley and Eldia was publicized by the announcement of Emperor Smith and Lady Y/n's engagement, and the treaty and alliance was legalized when Lady Y/n finally became the empress of the Eldian empire.
Year 844
The year of the emperor and his wife's marriage happened. It was also in this year whn Lady Y/n was crowned as the new empress of the Eldian empire
Year 850
The emperor and empress were married for six years, without consummating their marriage. There were lots of doubts and hesitations before their secret love for each other even bloomed.
In the same year was also the year where the empress and emperor finally confessed their love to each other, and spent the night together.
Empress Y/n got pregnant with the emperor's child three months later.
But then the empress had to leave for Marley to help her brother, clueless about the conflict that her husband was hiding from her.
And so, this resulted in tragedy.
- Thy Empress -
(The Final Season)
Year 854
The throne room became dead silent when the large door opened. It was a deafening silence for both the factions members.
They lowered their heads down as the emperor walked in, his heavy footsteps echoed all over the silent throne room.
"Duchess Ackerman, how is the war going on in the west?"
Kuchel looked at the emperor, only to see the emperor reading an appeal, he looks so uninterested unlike the emperor she knows back in the past.
"Your majesty, we were finally able to recover the west territory from the Eastern kingdom. Though we've lost a lot of knights, there were too many casualties...the families of the dead are petitioning for compensation for their loss...I'm afraid this might cause a dispute between the imperial government and the mass if we won't abide by what they want."
Erwin threw the appeal he was reading, shocking Kuchel as well as the others.
The emperor suddenly looked mad.
"Why am I still receiving appeals about getting a new empress?"
No one was able to answer.
Erwin glared at the right faction.
"Everyone in the right faction signed in to the appeal. I'm certain I have made myself clear that I am not getting a third wife, and another empress."
The emperor shut his eyes, he stood up from his throne seat, then walked out, making his way to the door.
"This assembly is done. And I won't let it slide next time I receive another appeal about getting a new wife and empress."
Erwin left the throne room, leaving everyone in silence, and abandoning his duties for today.
Sir Levi picked up the appeal on the floor and sighed as he read the contents of it. The nobles, and members of the right faction are appealing to the emperor to look for a decent woman he can marry, and make as his new empress.
And this is all to keep the order in the inner court.
It has been four years since empress Y/n had perished, and the inner court hasn't been the same.
Everything hasn't been the same.
--
"Mother..."
Crown Prince Evan and Princess Eleanor place the bouquets of flowers they made themselves on the sides of empress Y/n's tomb.
Today is empress Y/n's death anniversary.
And that explains why the emperor's mood is worse than usual.
"It's nice to see you again, mother."
Eleanor said as she smiled. Her blue eyes were glossy. The once 2 year old baby girl, and 9 year old young girl, is now a thirteen year old lady. "Evan and I miss you."
"Everyone misses you." Eleanor added.
The princess closed her eyes when the wind blew, her tears had escaped her eyes. She held onto Evan's arm, and leaned her head on his shoulder as she shed tears.
Evan wrapped an arm around her to give her comfort. "Father misses you more than anyone else, mother. Would you do me a favor and visit him with a good dream?"
The royal twins both shed a tear. When they heard of the empress' passing four years ago, they were both heartbroken.
Because again, they lost another mother.
"Bring our sibling with you too, mother, when you visit his majesty, mother. His majesty will surely be happy."
Eleanor said with a sad smile on her lips.
Not only did they lose another mother, but they also lost a sibling who hadn't even been born yet. "Will his majesty still won't visit her empress, Sir Mike?" Evan looked behind them, where Sir Mike and Sir Nanaba were standing, guarding them.
Sir Mike gave the crown prince an apologetic look. "I'm afraid his majesty won't be able to visit again this time, your highness. He's occupied with his duties."
Evan let out a sigh. He just nodded, then looked at his sister. Eleanor looked at him with a disappointed look on her face.
"...not even once did he visit mother."
"Try to understand his majesty, Ellie."
Eleanor let out a heavy sigh. She looked at the empress' tomb, walked towards it then crouched in front to caress the empress' name engraved on the tomb stone.
The wind blew causing her straight and long blond hair to be blown by the wind.
"I hope you understand his majesty, too, mother. He is not visiting for a reason..."
Everyone knows why the emperor does not visit his empress' or his second wife's grave.
And the reason for that is because the emperor refuses to believe that the empress has long been dead. Even after four years had already passed, Erwin, not even once, considered that his wife is living no more.
"Pardon us, your highnesses...but we must go back to the palace now before it even gets dark." Nanaba spoke, now standing close to the crown princes and princess.
Evan and Eleanor nodded. The crown prince offered his arm to his sister to hold, which Eleanor gladly took since she had a hard time walking with her dress.
"Sir Mike, are we allowed to visit his majesty tonight?"
Mike and Nanaba looked at the crown prince after the young prince asked a question. Then they looked at each other, not knowing what to really answer.
They know that Erwin does not like to be around anyone whenever this day comes.
The day of his wife's death anniversary.
"...I apologize, your highness. But I suggest that you just visit his majesty the next day."
Crown Prince Evan sighed, nodding his head. "I understand. We'll just wait."
Everything and everyone...changed.
--
Sir Levi has his arms crossed over his chest while leaning back on a wall, steel-gray like eyes are staring at the ground.
Even if it's the summer season, the night felt cold. And it's always been like that. Whenever it's the night of the day of empress Y/n's death anniversary, summer seems to leave for a while and her absence brings coldness to the warm season.
The raven-haired man looked at the door across from him. It's slightly opened, allowing him to see the emperor who's inside. The said room is the empress' personal library where she also has her own office.
Levi stared at the emperor who was sitting down on a chair placed in the center of the room, while the emperor was silently staring at the empress' large portrait hanging on the wall across from where the emperor is.
Everything feels the same yet so different.
In the past, the emperor used to do this, too, after empress Marie's passing, and now, he's doing it again after empress' Y/n's passing.
Sir Levi felt like he was only in a deja vu.
"Is he still inside?"
Levi looked to his left where Hange had appeared coming out from the dark hallway. He only nodded as a response.
"It's late. The emperor has to go to the west tomorrow. It'll be a long journey. We should get him to rest."
"I'll do it."
Hange nodded. She stayed in her place and watched as Levi made his way inside the empress' room.
The raven-haired man was shocked upon seeing Erwin is actually asleep on his chair, but what surprised him the most was when he noticed the redness of Erwin's nose as if he cried.
The emperor's lashes were also soaked from certainly his tears.
Levi hadn't seen Erwin cried yet. Not even when empress Marie died. Erwin always hid whenever he feels vulnerable, he did everything to not let him see in a state where they will think he had become emotionally weak.
Erwin has always been hiding.
But now he's actually seeing him.
The raven-haired man sighed. He quitely left the room, leaving Erwin to sleep on the chair inside the empress' library.
"What happened?" Hange asked.
"Let's just let him be. He's resting."
Hange felt confused, but just accepted what Levi said. The two left quietly, not daring to disturb the emperor anymore.
--
"Your majesty."
Erwin slowly opened his eyes, he groaned upon feeling a sudden headache. His eyes felt hot, after all he cried while sleeping.
The emperor shifted to his seat, feeling his bottom in pain from sitting all night and his body somehow tensed from sleeping in an uncomfortable position.
His blue eyes squinted as they met the sun rays coming through the window.
A small sigh escaped his lips, realizing that another day had passed and he has to do things again that he's had enough of doing.
It's just that, he feels empty. Everything seemed to just be repeating. The only thing he can really find relief in is whenever he spends time with his children.
Anything else is just nothing to him. He's become a man who only lives because he has to.
That's how much empress Y/n affects him.
"An emperor shouldn't wake up late."
Erwin stiffened in his place, hearing a familiar voice coming from his side. He looked to his left, eyes widening as he saw his empress getting books on a shelf.
Y/n looked at him with the sweet smile on her lips that he misses the most.
"You have work to do, your majesty."
The emperor didn't hesitate. He quickly stood up, making his way towards Y/n while his eyes were getting blurry with tears.
"Y/n, my love-"
But before he could even reach her, she was already gone. He stopped on his track, then stared at the same place where he saw his wife standing.
Erwin clenched his fists, his jaw locked as he tried to stop himself from tearing up.
The emperor shut his eyes, taking a deep breath.
"Your majesty."
He was only interrupted when someone knocked on the door. "Yes, come in."
Sir Levi walked in. He looked at the raven-haired man who looks somehow hesitating to speak what his business is with him.
"What is the matter, sir Levi?"
The raven-haired knight looked down, sighing as the guilt on his face appeared.
"The church of the walls had sent a petition for you to remarry and give the empire a new empress...majority of the nobles have also signed into the petition, your majesty. I'm afraid that if you ignore this again, the church of the walls, and the nobles will turn their back against you."
Erwin kept a straight face, he stared at Sir Levi for a few moments before sighing and then glancing at his wife's portrait with both longing and guilt expressing in his eyes.
"Arrange an assembly immediately. We'll discuss this matter just like how they want me to."
______________________________________
______________________________________
:)