The Devil In Guise - Chapter 143

The Author’s POV.

Queen Ariadne’s POV.

I went back to my room. Anne was waiting for me at usual. She wanted to take Arya to school. The sad look on my face , made her worried.

“My lady, what happened at the dinning room ? Since you came back your mood changed.”

“Why won’t my mood change Anne ? Everyone choose to annoy me today” I sat on the long sofa in my room. The peeking of the sun made the room brighter. “I am becoming jealous like Queen Valeria.”

“How ? Who are you jealous of this time ?” She asked, carrying Arya’s bag. I was glad she was not in the room.

“Marlena. The Emperor called her to his private chamber this morning. Only the gods know what is going in there” I told her. “At the dinning, he was concern about her. He is losing interest in me just like Queen Valeria had said.”

Anne sighed and came to where I sat “Don’t think about these things my Lady. The Emperor loves you only. Don’t allow queen Valeria’s words to get in to you.”

She was right. I was scared of Valeria’s words and they had an effect on me. But if they turn out to be true? Will my heart be able to stand this pain ? ?

“What of Marlena ? She is in his bedroom now. What if it’s continues ? The Emperor will fall in love with her too” I said with fear. The thought of him loving another woman made me sick. Now, I understood the agony queen Valeria went through all these years.

“Queen Ariadne, you should not think like Valeria. You are different from her. The reason why the Emperor stop caring about her was because of her crimes. You haven’t commit any” Anne explained. She wanted me to feel better. I was hurt.

“What of Marlena ?” I asked again. Why was she on my mind the whole time ?

“You are the most beautiful queen in this harem. Not only that, the emperor loves you only. Love is not easy to come by and you got it from him in the end. I will advise you to stay calm for now. Don’t make the same mistakes , queen Valeria did.”

“You are right Anne” I nodded. Her advice were the best.

Anne stood and went out of the room. She came back after few minutes.

“Arya left just now” She told me.

“Good. We have work to do before she comes back from school” I stood and went to the wardrobe. Grandmother was taking me to the other castle, I have to look good.

“Grandmother asked me to accompany her to the castle.”

“What ? When are you going?” Anne was surprised. I was too. The old woman never liked me.

“We will be going in the evening” I replied. “We are spending the night there.”

“I am happy to hear that , Queen Ariadne. Finally, she has realized that you are also a daughter in law.”

I thought about it. Anne was making sense. Grandmother has started liking me , that’s why she asked me to accompany her to the castle. I have never been there before. People said it’s was a very beautiful castle.

Together, we packed the clothes and things we needed. Anne told me that there were blankets in the castle so I didn’t carry any.

**

“I want to ask a question, your highness” Queen Marlena said. She hoped he gives her chance to show him how she loved him.

The Emperor looked at her and urged “Go ahead. Feel free to say your mind.”

“Thank you your highness” she bowed and continued “I want to know my place in your palace and heart. As you know, I am supposed to be your first wife but due to my age, all the women came here before me.”

He smiled at her question. “You are not my first wife. Queen Valeria holds that office. You are now part of my harem. Just like the other women, you will be treated as a queen.”

“You mean I am your last wife ?” Her eyes widened as she asked.

“I don’t know but for now you are. As for my heart…” The Emperor paused and stood up from his chair. He walked to where she was and held her chin in his hand. “I don’t have a heart. Forget about having a space there.”

“So how are you able to love ?” She asked shakily. Queen Marlena was scared but she decided to be courageous.

“It’s my business to find out or to worry” he released her. “Go back to chamber, woman. I shall send for you soon.”

She looked behind her to see if he was talking to someone else but there was no one in the room. Queen Marlena wondered what she said that made him sound so rude.

“Your highness, about our night…”

“Get out Marlena” he yelled at her. She ran out of the room with her heart racing.

She placed a hand on her chest when she got to the stairs. The Emperor frightened her. His voice sounded like a roaring lion. Was he like this all the time ? Maybe what people said about him was the true. A devil in disguise of a man.

A man should never treat a lady like the way he did.

When she got to the Harem, the women were staring at her. It seemed they believe that the Emperor touched her. There were no secret in the harem. No privacy.

Her heart skipped when she saw Queen Ariadne coming out of the room. The woman who felt like the Emperor was hers alone. She was going to break those wings.

The ones who made her to feel like she was the most beautiful woman in the harem. It’s was just yesterday they met. She hated Ariadne already.

Quickly, queen Marlena changed her walking steps. Raising both her shoulders higher , she brushed and passed Queen Ariadne with a smile.

“You should look where you are going Marlena” she said to her.

“Oh. Forgive me my Lady. I have a poor sight” queen Marlena apologized. She was actually faking it.

“Thank you. You should send for the physician. She will help you with sight” queen Ariadne left.

She sighed. What kind of woman was she ?

**

I gritted my teeth when i went back to my room. Queen Marlena was doing this on purpose. She knew that it’s would hurt me to see her coming back from the king’s room. That was why she made me notice her

But I was glad that I did not let the fire in me to surface. It’s would have been a disaster.

When it’s was evening , Arya came back from school and we began to pack our loads to carriage.

“Where are we going to Mother ?” Her eyes darted back and forth with a hope that she was going to see her biological mother.

“We are going to visit the castle. You like it there” I said, carrying her in to my arms.

“But I want to sleep next to father today” she said shyly.

“Grandmother is waiting for you downstairs” Anne informed me. She was looking tired because of the day’s activities. “Let’s go , my lady.”

“Anne, you will stay back and rest. Vidor needs you tonight” I told her. She looked weak too.

“No my lady. I want to come and keep you company” she insisted.

“Why am I going with grandmother ?” she will keep us company. Stay back please I opened the door and went out.

The women of the harem stared at me while I passed. They must have heard that I was going to the other castle with Grandmother. It’s was a privilege. Not everyone gets to see the other castle.

In fact, it’s a privilege to leave the palace and see the outside world. The Emperor did not allow us to go outside the palace for the fear that we might run back to our kingdoms.

The only place we were allow to go was the village temple and it’s must be an important occasion.

I searched around but there was no sign of Marlena. Was she sleeping or has she been called by the emperor again ?

Of course he won’t. The Emperor was not in the palace. He went out.

I met mother, Grandmother and queen Valeria at the entrance door. They were waiting for me to join them. The emperor said I was a late comer when it’s came to events. I chuckled. He was right.

“May the gods bless you my child” mother took Arya in her arms and kissed her. I was glad that she loved her. Its hurt that Grandmother did not care.

“I don’t want to go grandmother” Arya said with tears eyes.

“Why ?” Mother asked with a surprise look.

“She wants to spend time with her father” I answered, taking her from mother’s arms. She looked at grandmother for an answer.

“Stop forcing words in to her mouth , Ariadne. Get in to the carriage” Grandmother said to me. I turned to mother who kissed my forehead. She was not coming with us.

My heart melt when the carriage started. How was I going to cope with Grandmother and queen Valeria in the castle? What if they team up and decide to kill?