Astelle's life had been marked by relentless dedication and a single-minded pursuit of her dream. Her goal was clear...
To become the beloved wife of Kaizen, the Prince of the Lastiel Empire.
This dream was born when she was just ten years old, on the day Kaizen gave her a necklace with blue gems known as the 'Blue Moonlight,' a treasure of the imperial family and a symbol of their engagement.
For the next decade, Astelle's life was one of rigorous education and preparation for her role as the crown princess.
She delved into various subjects, from politics and history to military studies and the arts. Courtly etiquette became second nature to her, more familiar than mathematical formulas.
She had little time for play or leisure, devoting herself entirely to her studies and her dream.
Despite the challenges and sacrifices, Astelle endured it all for the sake of the boy she had met on her tenth birthday.
Kaizen, with his dark hair and red eyes, had become the central figure in her life. The necklace he had given her became a symbol of her purpose, a reminder of her destiny as the prince's fiancée.
As the years passed, Astelle's commitment to her role as the crown princess remained unwavering.
She continued her studies, even taking on responsibilities as an empress in waiting. Her dedication and loyalty to Kaizen never wavered.
However, ominous rumors began to circulate, casting a shadow over their relationship. Whispers of the Crown Prince's desire to break up with Astelle slowly spread, creating an atmosphere of uncertainty and tension.
In response, Astelle's father, Duke Reston, hastened their marriage to put an end to these rumors.
At the Duke's request and with the Emperor's approval, Astelle and Kaizen officially became husband and wife, embarking on a new chapter in their lives.
Astelle's marriage to Kaizen, the Crown Prince, began with a glimmer of hope and understanding. Kaizen expressed his desire to delay starting a family, saying their youth and the presence of the Emperor.
Astelle was appreciative of this consideration, knowing that having children immediately after becoming the Crown Princess would be challenging.
Despite this, tradition dictated that their first night together as a married couple must be observed to avoid misunderstandings. Astelle proposed taking contraception to avoid any complications.
However, Kaizen, after some contemplation, refused to burden her with this responsibility and decided to take the contraceptive himself.
Throughout this time, Kaizen treated Astelle with utmost care and courtesy, easing her nervousness and making her feel cherished.
Astelle believed in their marriage, viewing it as a partnership based on mutual respect, even though it was primarily political. She held onto the dream of a harmonious life together.
Yet, their dreams were shattered abruptly on the first morning of their honeymoon. The shocking news of the sudden death of the Emperor reached them, altering the course of their lives dramatically.
"Divorce me," were the cold, unfeeling words Kaizen, now Emperor, uttered to Astelle, who had become his Empress.
He continued, dismissing their marriage with ruthless indifference, "My late father arranged this marriage, not me. I never desired to marry you, not even for a moment. So, let's better end this."
In that moment, Astelle felt the weight of reality pressing down on her. She couldn't help but think of the necklace that had hung around her neck ever since their first meeting when she was just ten years old.
A gift from Kaizen, it was the 'Blue Moonlight,' a symbol of their engagement, marking her as the future Empress of the Lastiel Empire.
"You never had any affection for me, right?"
She remembered their formal letters exchanged during his times away at war and cherished every word spoken lightly at banquets. But it had all been in vain.
It was clear to her now that Kaizen had never shared her feelings, nor did he ever intend to.
He had even been considerate enough to suggest delaying having a child on their wedding night, a night that had now become a distant memory.
In reality, it seemed he had been planning to rid himself of her from the very beginning.
Astelle gazed into his cold, red eyes, devoid of any affection, and made a choice. She decided to speak the lie he wanted to hear, to protect what was left of her pride.
With a heavy heart, she replied, "Yes, I didn't."
And thus, Astelle's reign as Empress, which had held so much promise, came to a swift and heartbreaking end.
She would forever hold the record as the shortest-reigning Empress in history.
As soon as the new emperor assumed the throne, the empress was swiftly expelled, sending shockwaves throughout the empire.
Traditionally, divorces within the royal family were exceedingly rare and contentious affairs, often leading to drawn-out legal battles if one party resisted.
Once wedding vows were exchanged, not even an emperor could dissolve the sacred union without mutual consent. However, in Astelle's case, the divorce was remarkably straightforward.
"Yes, I want a divorce too," she readily agreed when the new emperor expressed his desire for separation. With both parties in agreement, there was no grounds for objection.
This decision left her father and other influential nobles in astonishment, but Astelle relinquished her empress crown without hesitation.
After ascending to the position of empress, life should have been a path strewn with privileges and comfort, a destiny she had striven and prepared for diligently over the years. But when she willingly walked away from that prestigious title, all that remained was a sense of solace and liberation.
Her father, appalled by her acceptance of an effortless divorce, promptly disowned her.
"To relinquish the empress' position without a fight, I no longer recognize you as my daughter. Leave my house this instant!"
Astelle refused financial aid sent by an imperial palace attendant and departed from the capital. With the funds she had amassed and the sale of her cherished jewelry, she purchased a modest house near a serene forest.
In this tranquil retreat, she envisaged spending the remainder of her life, generating income through the sale of her embroideries and paintings.
Time passed quietly and harmoniously until a few days later when a nearby pharmacist uttered astonishing words.
"Well... I think you're pregnant?"
• 🍁 •
The sound of approaching footsteps echoed downstairs, the ominous click of shoes on the cold stone floor drawing nearer with every step. Astelle's heart raced as panic surged through her.
Frantically, she rushed to a closet, the only piece of furniture in the small room aside from the bed. It was roughly attached to a damp stone wall, and she knew it wasn't much of a hiding place, but it was all she had.
She swung open the door and sifted through the haphazardly stored items inside, her trembling hands searching for a small bottle of medicine.
It had been two months since she had been on the run, constantly moving and seeking refuge wherever she could.
For the past week, Astelle had found shelter on the second floor of a modest bakery.
During the day, she helped with baking bread and other chores in the store below, blending in with the kind-hearted owners and the simple rural villagers. At night, she slept in a small room on the second floor with her child.
Life was tough, but it was the only option she had with her limited resources. And compared to some of the other places she had been, this one wasn't so bad.
The bakery owners had shown her kindness, and the remoteness of the small village meant there weren't many prying eyes.
Astelle gently shook the child buried under the old quilt to rouse him.
"Theor."
The dark-haired child slowly awakened and blinked his eyes open. Dark red pupils stared back at her, a stark reminder of his father.
It was a trait she had feared he would inherit, and it pained her to see it.
Yet, despite the striking resemblance, Theor was a beautiful child. His face had the delicate charm of a doll, and after rubbing his eyes with a small hand, he looked up at his mother.
Astelle cupped his soft, white cheeks tenderly, gazing into those eyes she had prayed wouldn't resemble his father's too closely.
"Theor, do you remember what Mommy told you?"
Theor blinked, his sleepy eyes still clouded with drowsiness. "A play?"
Astelle smiled gently at her child's innocence.
"Yes, my love, a little play. It will make your eyes a beautiful blue, just like the sky." Fortunately, Theor, though young, was quite intelligent for his age and understood his mother's words well.
Astelle gently lifted his small face and opened the medicine bottle she had retrieved from the closet.
Carefully, she administered each drop into her son's eyes, watching as the crimson hue slowly transformed into a serene blue, like a tranquil lake reflecting the sky.
"Thank you for your patience," she whispered, holding Theor close and planting a tender kiss on his forehead. His skin was soft and smelled of the innocence of childhood.
But then, the world outside their small sanctuary was disrupted by a thunderous banging on the door.
Astelle's heart lurched with fear, and she instinctively shielded the medicine bottle she had hidden in her arms.
Before she could even react, the door was violently torn open, revealing knights dressed in the uniforms of the imperial army. Their sudden intrusion left Astelle shaken.
"Lady Astelle?" The man who appeared to be their leader addressed her, his tone concise and firm. He had a presence that suggested authority.
Astelle stood by the bedside, clutching Theor protectively in her arms. "Your Majesty the Emperor is looking for you."
The words struck her like a bolt of lightning, sending a shiver down her spine.