ALVIA'S POV
"What have you done?! Do you have any idea how severe this matter is? Have you lost your mind? Dissolution never fixes anything and you should know that!" My father literally yells in front of me. I can see that he is genuinely angry because of my action.
"I only did what I must. Besides, they don't acknowledge me as their emperor. They don't have my back when I need them. You are the only one who thinks that they contribute something to this empire. I don't see why I should keep them rule by my side while there is a lot of qualified candidates out there,"
"Such as?! You don't understand, Alvia. Being council members need experience and they have it. They act as your advisor when it comes to dealing with the empire important matters. They have been there advising me with countless of decision that's important for the future of Gralia. I ..."
"And I don't see that future you're talking about, father," I know I sound rude to him but it's the fact.
"Alvia! Oh my God! What makes you act this way? I thought I taught you better than this. They hold some of the greatest secrets of this empire. Why would you do something this big without consulting me beforehand?!" He slams his hand on the desk.
"Because I'm the emperor of this empire. Whatever I say, goes!" I never raised my voice at my father before but it's for his own good. He needs to stop living in the past and let me rule this motherfucking empire with my own ways!
"Do you even listening what you're saying?! I don't want this empire that your ancestor built from scratch to be destroyed by your baseless ideology! Sometimes you need to think rationally before doing something that will only lead to failure! You have 12 million citizens to care for. Think about their future rather than yours!" Is my father being real right now?
He actually accusing me of being negligent?! I get up from the chair I was sitting on and face my father.
"Your ruling leads to nothing but problematic aftermath that I have to deal with. Your action nearly cost the life of my future wife not once but twice! Don't get me wrong, father. You were once a great leader for this empire but it's not enough. Do you why?" My father decided to gets up from his chair and meet my eyes.
"Why? Tell me, Alvia,"
"Because you were being chained by those council members. Because they realised they can't chain me the way they did to you, they start to revolt against me. Because they can't kill me, they try to kill my future wife! THEY! TRIED! TO! KILL! MY! WIFE!" I make sure to scream every single word to him so he would listen.
"Kathryn is important to me and the people of Gralia. You can see how they accepted her as their future empress and I will do anything to protect her. I'm sure you understand how I feel, father. You feels the same with my mother," my father sighs heavily.
"Do you concrete proof that they tried to kill your wife?" He still in denial.
"Of course. Not only that, I have proof that the president of the council has been embezzling money from the royal account. Who in the right mind giving him the authority to use our personal account even? Oh wait, you did," his reaction was priceless.
"They were heard talking about how they want another ruler for this empire. They might be working for us but they're trying to destroy us, father. Wasn't it you who told me that do not trust anyone when it comes to rule a nation? But you trust them so much you don't even notice that they're literally ... backstabbing you," my father sighs.
"You won't back down from your decision? I know you too well, Alvia. You won't. How do you expect for the empire to run with them not there? Who will be taking care of the affairs? You can't simply do everything by yourself," I smiled at him.
"Don't worry. I have chosen the best replacement for them. Some will be here by tomorrow while the rest will be here the day after tomorrow. I have taken a lot of measures to choose the new council members and even though they don't have the best background, they're loyal and share the same ideology as me," my father sighs yet again.
"Same ideology. Like what? Futuristic entertainment centre where youth could indulge themselves with fun and games? Maybe I should let your brother be the emperor instead of you. Why ... why did I listen to your mother?! I knew things like this will happen if we let women ..." my father didn't finish his sentences.
"Why did you stop? Do you mean to say that you knew things like this will happen if you let women rule? I'm not a woman in your eyes. Isn't that why you put my gender as male in my birth certificate?"
"Alvia I didn't mean that. That's not what I wanted to say ..."
"Then what exactly do you mean by that? Enlighten me, father? I'm sorry if I'm exactly like my brother who listens to you and believe that this empire doesn't need a revolutionary ruler. I'm different, father dearest. I've done my research and I've done everything that I could to revolutionise Gralia's education so that this empire sets an example to others. You may have overlooked it but it's working," I literally slam the files I had brought with me in front of him.
"Here is the proof that you want so bad. This report shows that everything that I've done is working and it benefited the people of this empire. What you left me to deal with was horrible but I'm fixing it. Little by little. Tell me right now that I'm the worse emperor you have ever seen after reading this report. I dare you," my father swallows the lumps in his throat.
"Alright. Proof to me that your council can do what the people I handpicked can do. If it goes south, I'll make an arrangement for your brother to take this throne from you. I have to think of the people first then my child's feeling," so be it.
"Enjoy your time by thinking how much money they took from you while you were in reign. Don't you ever wonder how did they get so rich to the point it almost outmatch us? Think about it, former emperor Ferdinand," and with that said I leave my father to think of his action alone.
I really hope Freida found what I asked her to find.
***
"That's it! That's how you dance ballroom dancing. If you're worried that you might forget the steps, your partner will help you. It is your wedding dance after all. If he's not going to be your pillar at the dance, he wouldn't make a good husband," excuse me?
I raised an eyebrow when I face my sister.
"And speaking of the devil himself," I look around the ballroom and I see the other court ladies seems busy with nothing in particular. Are they here to help Kathryn learn how to dance?
"I didn't know that you all are here. What's a surprise," I smile at the others but not my sister. How dare she say such things about me in front of my fiancée.
"Are you still bitter? You know I was just telling her the simplest way to understand ballroom dancing. I was just telling her that even if she made a mistake, you'll be there to be her frame and to cover for her. Is that wrong of me? Huh, brother?" My sister pouts but I simply look away.
"Kathryn! Did he just rejected my pout?" Kathryn chuckle.
"I think he just did," Kathryn went to my side and took my hands in hers.
"Please forgive your sister. She doesn't mean to say he thinks she did," I don't want to be view as weak among the court ladies and especially my sister but Kathryn's voice when she asked me to forgive Madeline ... made my heart flutters.
"You're forgiven," I said loud enough for my sister to hear.
"Wait, what? Can you repeat that?" She's asking too much!
"I said you are forgiven. Now please, don't pressure me to say it again," Madeline laughs follows by the rest.
"See, it's not that hard, right?" Kathryn touches the tip of my nose with her finger. This woman is going to be the death of me.
"Wait, why are you here? I thought you went to father's chateau to see him," Madeline wipe the sweat that's forming on her forehead.
"I just came back from his chateau,"
"How did it go?" Should I tell her in front of everyone? No. That wouldn't be wise. I gave her a knowing look before diverted the conversation to something else.
"How did the wedding planning goes? I'm really sorry for not be able to do anything to help. It seems like everything is forbidding me from helping you," Kathryn rubs my back when she wraps her arms around my waist.
"That's okay. Everything is going perfectly according to plan. Beside ... Grand duchess Annabelle is coming to help," Annabelle is coming as well? Wait, is that why the court ladies and my sister is here? To help her with the planning?
"It wouldn't be fair to let Genevieve do all the work so I asked if they're willing to help us. There is only so much a person can do, right?" She's right. I return her hold by wrapping my arms around her shoulders.
I pull her close to me before giving her a small peck on her forehead. God, I want her all to myself. But I can't. Not now.
With the news about the council dissolution made public, I have so much on my plate right now. My people need their emperor.
"My emperor! There you are. You need to answer important calls from our allied kingdom. They need an official explanation from our side. Oh, I'm sorry. Am I interrupting something?" Freida struts in the ballroom high and mighty.
"No. Not really. I'm just here to see my fiancée," before we even get to smile to each other, Genevieve came to the ballroom searching for Kathryn as well.
"Duchess Kathryn! Where have you been? You need to get yourself ready for the press conference. I hope you have the time to look over the speech that I wrote for you. Oh! Hello there, my emperor," Genevieve bow to us.
"Is this how it's going to be when after we're married?" Kathryn suddenly asked while keeping me close to her.
"I suppose so. But, it won't affect our love for each other, right? I mean we still have our nights alone together. I will never let my work gets in the way of us," Kathryn giggles.
"How is it possible for you to know the right thing to say?" I turn her body to face me before placing a finger under her chin. I smile as I lift her chin up.
"Because knowing you were the best thing that happens to me. It's only wise to keep you happy," I give her a short but longing kiss on the lips. Before she said anything, I let myself free from her hold and walks out from the ballroom with Freida.
Any longer I might've just carried her away with me.
"I look so much like a love scene from a movie," I heard Freida giggles behind me as we walk towards my office.
"Was it corny?" I asked her.
"It was. But I think your sister and the others seem to be enjoying it. By now I'm sure they're making fun of her," I smile. I'm so glad she managed to make friends in court.
"She truly is a magnificent Rose, my emperor. No wonder you gifted her the Juliet Rose. Not just expensive but rare indeed. She will manage to be the people's empress in no time. I'm sure of it. The way she treated everyone equally is what makes me admire her the most. She's not scared like most nobility," that is true. I'm glad someone sees that as well.
"Even she was looking down upon, she never once be threatened by it. I wish I can be as strong and brave as her," Freida said with a sigh.
"But you are, Freida. You're strong and brave. Anyone who rises from their fall is strong and brave. I mean, you didn't let your father's scandal stopping you from doing what you do best. And that should be admired as well," Freida laughs when she opens the door for us.