The Devil In Guise - Chapter 146

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The Author’s POV.

The Emperor left queen Valeria in his room. He wondered why she was sent here again. Last night, when she came , he slept on the couch.

Grandmother was in charge of the harem. She was not aware of the atrocities that her favorite daughter has committed.

Outside his room, he met Apollo. The blue shirt he wore made him look younger. Looking for a bride for him was what the Emperor wanted to do.

“Prime minister” the Emperor called. “Let’s stroll together. We need to talk.”

Apollo bowed and they started walking down the downstairs. None of them spoke. They walked in silence, while the guards and maid greeted.

The Emperor wanted to go to the harem but he changed his mind. If he goes there, Apollo will have to wait outside.

“We should go to the main garden. It’s been long I went there” He said, looking towards the harem. “The weather is cool. Let’s go and talk.”

“As you wish your highness” Apollo bowed. He was smiling. It’s been long they spent time together. The Emperor has been his best friend since childhood.

“She came very early today, I wondered why” He said as they walked.

“Who are you referring to ?” Apollo asked. They were many women in the palace. If a name is not mention, you could be confused.

“Queen Valeria, of course” the Emperor sighed. She came again this evening. “I don’t want to see her in my room.”

“Grandmother doesn’t know that she betrayed you. For now, we have no choice than to pretend. Her health is important, your highness.”

“That’s why I am enduring” He said, when they reached the garden. The Emperor saw a group of people sitting in the special garden. “Who are they ?”

“I will ask a guard” Apollo turned to go but he saw prince Edwards , who was coming to meet them.

“Father, why did you stop here ?” He asked, looking at the Emperor, then Apollo whose head was bent low. The prince wondered why he was so loyal. The prime minister was the best Akkad would ever have.

“You are here too. Who are those sitting there ? They laughed like market women” The Emperor said with a smile. “I want to know what is making harem so happy.”

“Queen Alissa, Vida, Arya and Ariadne are the ones sitting there with prince Elvin entertaining them with amusing stories” Prince Edwards told him.

The smile on the Emperor’s face disappeared and he had a frown on “I thought you said the preparation of the battle has exhausted him. Here is Elvin laughing with the women.”

“Your highness , he is free only this evening . We all came back to today” Apollo said.

“Should I call him here ?”

“No. We will go to them” he said, as they walked to the gathering. The Emperor was restless as he feared that Queen Ariadne would start liking his brother. He did not want the situation where by he had to fight for a woman with Elvin. He was his family despite the hatred they carried for him. He still cared.

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Queen Ariadne’s POV.

Prince Elvin was sitting on the long bench in the garden. The sun has gone to rest and the cool breeze found it way to the Earth. I could smell the different fragrance coming from the beautiful flowers.

The garden was said to be the most beautiful garden in Akkad. The Emperor was lucky. Everything he owned was known to be the most beautiful. I grew up without nothing. Today, I could boast of a daughter and a husband.

“Prince Elvin” I curtsied. He stood up from the bench and came to where I was. Queen Vida was seated with Arya already. Anne stood behind them, with a smile. What was funny ?

“The most beautiful of all the queens” prince Elvin took my hand and kissed my knuckles. I gave him a grin. This was hilarious. “You are the special queen. The sun of this palace.”

“You have your way with such words” I laughed. He showed me where to sit and I sat opposite him. It’s was forbidden for us to sit same bench.

Arya went to sit beside him. She was his niece. It’s was allowed.

“What stories do you want to hear ?” He asked her. She looked at me for an idea. I had something in mind already.

Before I could say a word, queen Alissa joined us. She said the Harem was boring.

“Tell us about the castle, prince Elvin. Why was it built?” I asked him. Queen Vida nodded as well. She was interested too.

He sighed. “The old palace of Akkad. Its was situated where the castle is built now. ”

“Why are we here not there ?” I asked curiously. If that was the palace, why did we moved here? What happened?

“The location was too far from the people. We have to move here. It’s happened long before great grandfather was born” Prince Elvin laughed and continued. “The palace was demolished. Years later, my father built a castle there to honor a witch.”

Our eyes widened. A witch? The people of Akkad hated that race. Even the emperor did not like them.

“Why a witch ?” Queen Vida asked. The confusion was written on her face. I was glad that she was showing more interest.

“I don’t know. It’s was built in her name Castle of Angelina, daughter of Zev” He said. “We don’t know what happened. Only grandmother can tell this story, you should ask her.”

She? That old woman will never tell us the story. She hated me for no good reason.

“Grandmother is busy with the harem. Tell us what you know please” queen Alissa pleaded.

“The Emperor renovated the castle when he came in to power. Grandmother was asked to stay with my mother. They had a misunderstanding with him” prince Elvin narrated. He continued with a low tone “The Emperor does not forgive. He makes sure that the defaulter pays for the rest of his life.”

That’s was bad. Cold shiver ran through my spine. I looked at Queen Vida , her looks were cold. Her facial expression changed. She looked worried.

But, I was scared. What was going to happen to me, when the Emperor finds out the truth behind my fake identity? Will he punish me for the rest of my life?

“He forgave queen Valeria for all her mistakes and sins” I blurted.

“Yes, prince Elvin” queen Vida affirmed. “She is spending nights with him.”

“That’s the Emperor’s private matters. If you don’t want to lose your head, keep your mouth shut, women” he warned. Scaring, the Emperor was a complex man.

“What about his hair ? Why the turban?” I asked another question.

“I don’t know either but the queen mother said, he was born with a disease that affected his hair. No one has ever seen his hair. We saw him with a turban since the day, he was born” Prince Elvin explained. “Don’t ask him about hair. Never.”

I now, understood the reason why he was angry the day I asked him about his hair. The Emperor was suffering within. I was beginning to see something no one saw. He was wounded from inside.

“The concubines that live in the cast…” I started.

“I will tell Arya’s stories now” he interrupted me. Strange. Queen Vida laughed and I joined her foolishly. Queen Alissa came closer and whispered to me that the Emperor was coming to meet us.

We stood up as a sign of respect when the Emperor came. He looked at us as we greeted. He did not respond.

“Come here my princess” He spread his hands for Arya as he squatted.

“Father” she ran in to his arms and kissed his cheeks.

“How are you my moon faced princess? Your hair is beautifully made” He stroked her hair gently.

“I am fine. Uncle is telling us stories about you” Arya let the cat out of the bag.

The Emperor looked at me, then back to Arya “What stories is he telling you?”

“The beautiful castle you built. I want to see it* she told him. I closed my eyes. Thank goodness she did not tell him about his hair. He would have killed me for discussing about it.

“Take Arya inside, is cold out here” The Emperor told Anne. She went forward and took her away. I knew we were in trouble.

“I warned you to stay away from my harem” he reminded. Prince Elvin’s head was bent low. He did not answer him.

“My king, I asked him to tell us why the castle was built. It’s nit his fault” I spoke. “I was curious about the concubines too.”

The Emperor ignored me. “Queen Vida, Alissa, go back to your Chambers. And please take queen Ariadne with you.”

Wow, it’s was clear that my presence disgusted him. But why the change all of the sudden? I used to be his favorite queen before Marlena came.

“Goodnight your highness” I said with tears in my eyes. I looked at prince Edwards and Apollo who stood behind him. They felt pity for me.

My heart was broken. Each time, I came out of my room, they did things to annoy me. Now, the Emperor joined them.. I was alone.