How The Princess Rewrote Her Tragic Ending - Chapter 110

The meeting didn’t end till both of them had had two finished drinks each.

Yvonne knew she was stretching it out more than she could risk, but she learned a few important things in her little rendezvous that would very soon be coming to good use for her.

As Yvonne made her way back to the boutique (which had not been but more than a distraction for the coach), she remembered back at what Aspen had casually remarked about.

“You know, I’ve actually been thinking about it during my stay here in Wisteria,” he said slowly and chuckled. “Mind you, we’ve been here for a nice while. I’ve noticed that the Emperor doesn’t really care about much, other than one thing.”

“What?” Yvonne asked, seemingly uninterested. Aspen was about to answer when he stopped and called the server boy over again. Yvonne groaned inwardly. When the server boy arrived and orders for second drinks were placed. Yvonne ordered herself a diluted prunellé. At once, he was sent back and Yvonne turned back to her associate.

Aspen smiled, knowing that the dramatic pause was torture to her, even if she acted as if she couldn’t care less. Yvonne waited in anticipation, though she already knew the answer.

“The Imperial Throne,” Aspen replied finally. “Maintaining his top of the chart hierarchy. Abiding by anything that brings him wealth and fame, even if it is immoral.”

Yvonne nodded. She had known that, of course, but how was it any important information?

The server boy returned with a tray and served drinks to both of them before returning back to his post. Aspen took a sip of his drink (a lemon topped mulberry gin) before he decided to speak again.

“Ah, that’s good stuff,” he muttered as he placed his glass back on the table. “Do you find that hideous looking plum drink to your liking?”

Yvonne smiled and folded her arms. She had yet to drink for her glass.

“Yes, it’s fine. But how does him caring for his throne have anything to do with us?

Aspen laughed. “Calm, now. It has everything to do with us,” he said before taking another sip of his gin. “Because if we knew the extent of his hunger to remain on the throne, then that would explain why he altered the prophecy.”

Yvonne blinked. “What the hell are you talking about?”

Aspen leaned forward in his chair, his handsome face eerily lit by a hanging lantern overhead. “I’m saying that he would even amend the prophecy to his liking if it meant that the Empire won’t slip away from his hands. You and I both know that.”

Yvonne knew she was getting too wrapped up in something that could just be a conspiracy theory against the Emperor. But something at the back of her mind was telling her that what this young prodigy of a man was telling her only confirmed the suspicions she had had all along.

She decided to challenge him one more time. “But how could he have possibly changed the prophecy when so many people know of the original one already?”

“Simple answer.” Aspen shrugged. “He had already had the 500 year old prophecy removed from writing from all parts of the Empire as best as he could. But to be honest, it wasn’t that hard of a job since legit written confirmation of the prophecy’s terms was barely even there. Not many people keep 500 year old pieces of parchment in the most optimum conditions.

“But the prophecy had already been contaminated because of the unreliable mouth-to-mouth phenomenon it had been passed down as since generations dating back. It wouldn’t have been hard for him to claim he found the actual words of the priestess’s descendant confirming the actual prophecy, when in truth, it was just a forged piece of paper. I know, because the divine prophecy we all know today is illogical and daft. God couldn’t be so dumb.”

Yvonne blinked as she took that all in.

“You’re a prodigy; you’d know that,” she chuckled finally. Both of them laughed and then sighed, finally falling silent.

“But what could’ve been the actual prophecy?” Yvonne wondered out loud. “Was it so bad that he had to go ahead and amend it to his liking?”

“I have a vague idea,” Aspen offered as he swirled his gin around in his glass. “The part about the awakening of powers was probably true, even though we have no way of knowing that. But I think, judging by the intellect of your Emperor, he couldn’t have made that up. And the Royal family would’ve been humiliated if the princess remained powerless even after coming of age, so it’s a direct loss for him if he took the risk of making it up. But the part about killing the princess after a year of exploiting her… I think he’s made that up.”

Yvonne tilted her head. “Why do you think so?”

He waved his hand in the hair, drawing an imaginary picture as he thought about how to answer. Eventually, he sighed. “I don’t know, it’s just too abrupt. I don’t believe God would’ve been that cruel to his own creation after going through all the effort to provide her with powers in the first place.”

Yvonne nodded slowly. “Good God, that’s a lot to take in.”

Aspen nodded thoughtfully. “The possibility of it all… It’s baffling, really. Who could’ve wondered such foul play could’ve been taking place on the insides without anyone else knowing.”

“But still, I still don’t understand why he would’ve wanted to kill her in the amended version of the prophecy.”

Aspen scratched his chin as he thought. For a moment, all went silent. Then his eyes widened as he finally realized.

“What if it was because the original prophecy removed the Emperor from his throne?”

Yvonne finally decided to sample her prunellé, which turned out to be fruity and refreshing. Then she put the glass back down and interlaced her fingers on her knees.

“What do you think?” Aspen asked, looking at her expectantly.

“I think that you,. Mister Yelwynn,” Yvonne said and paused, staring into his dark eyes, “have cracked it.”

Aspen broke into a grin.

“It would totally make sense if he would want to change up the prophecy because it was of disadvantage to him. There’s this old law set by the 12 founding sages of this Wisteria that a woman can’t become emperor, even if she was the only child of the current holder of the throne. What if,” Yvonne paused as she thought over the possibility. “What if God’s words set out to defy that?”

Aspen massaged his nose bridge. “God, why make things so complicated?” he muttered as he glanced at the ceiling. “I think likewise, actually. The Emperor is no man to give away his throne to his daughter, and if the prophecy prophesied something of the sort, he would’ve had no choice but to change it because of his pride. He couldn’t take the risk.”

Yvonne nodded. “But what are we going to do with this information? We have no proof.”

Aspen groaned. “And to top it all off, the princess is dead. Good God, if she was still alive, we could’ve proceeded so much faster.”

Yvonne pursed her lips. Should she tell him now that the princess was, in fact, still well and alive? No, she couldn’t risk it; she still didn’t trust the man enough to give away such a big secret.

For a moment, all was silent.

Yvonne stared at Aspen as he looked at the table, lost in his thoughts. She knew he was cooking up a scheme, and by the way he raised his eyebrows as if he just realized something was when Yvonne knew he had it in the bag.

“For someone dealing with the loss of his only child,” Aspen muttered as he still stared at the table, “the Emperor seems quite happy, am I wrong?”

Yvonne tapped the side of her glass with her nail, not knowing how this would help them. “I’m glad it has come to someone else’s attention other than mine. It’s as if he’s much more relieved after the news of her passing away. He barely even shed a tear at the funeral!”

Aspen frowned and downed his drink before sighing.

“It’s as if she wasn’t even his daughter,” Aspen hissed, looking Yvonne straight in the eye.

Yvonne leaned back in her chair, shocked at the statement her associate was so bold enough to make. If he had said something of the likes at the reception out loud, he was sure to be castigated for defamation. But when Yvonne took the time to think about it, hadn’t it crossed her mind even once? It had, of course it had. The possibility that the Emperor wasn’t even the princess’s father would be the final missing piece in this whole, gigantic puzzle in Yvonne’s mind.

“What do you think?” he asked, leaning forward in his chair with his eyebrows raised.

Yvonne’s eyes widened. “But that would mean-”

“Yes.” There was a mischievous gleam in Aspen’s eyes.

Yvonne scoffed unbelievably. “But if he’s not his father…then who is he?”

A smirk played upon Aspen’s lips. “Take a guess.”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“Good God.” Yvonne put her hand over her mouth. “I can’t be… But then what happened to her actual father?”

“Killed, I presume.”

Yvonne held her head, feeling sick. “My God…”

Aspen leaned back in his chair, satisfied. “Yes. To think that the Emperor was the imposter all along… I was in his presence last night! If I had known then, I would’ve killed the old beggar.”

Yvonne smacked her hand on the table, bringing Aspen back to his senses. “Hush! Lower your voice. I’m just as excited as you are, but we must proceed with caution now. I’ll let you in on a big secret once you gain my trust.”

Aspen frowned. Yvonne had now realized how crucial it was for her to add a strong contender to her team to help make right what’s right.. After all, the princess’s rightful place was on the throne to begin with.