Hareem of Queen Alessa
Shire Town
The rose petals were floating on the water that filled the pond where Emperor Alessa was soaking. The woman leaned her back on the edge of the pond, closing her eyes to enjoy the fresh water of the flower. Not far from there stood Darius who faithfully accompanied the Emperor. Compared to the maids, Emperor Alessa was calmer when Darius was nearby.
In the midst of the silence Emperor Alessa opened a conversation. “Darius, Mr. Cicero said that it wasn't Judas who killed my father. What say?”
Darius flinched, he had just heard this and was a little surprised. Emperor Alessa twisted his soaking body and looked at Darius who had no voice at all.
The man caught the Emperor's gaze and only gave a strange expression.
“You definitely don't believe... The same! I am too.” The emperor raised his shoulders indifferently.
“Hamba will soon find out, Your Majesty,” Darius bowed his head as the Emperor rose from the pool. The man took a cloth to cover the innocent body of the number one woman in Aegis.
“Thank you,” said the Emperor after Darius covered his body. The fragrance of roses that were much more fragrant was emanating from the skin of the Emperor. Darius breathed in the scent. So soothing.
***
The next day in the Palace Hall
The news of Emperor Alessa who wants to have a concubine, Santer became a byword. Especially around the Ministers he had just formed. They began to prepare their sons to be nominated to be concubines of the Emperor.
"Your Majesty... I want to ask what kind of criteria of concubine do you want?" ask one of the advisors at the palace meeting.
Emperor Alessa fell silent and thought for a moment, too, he had not told her what a concubine was worthy of accompanying her. Darius who was reporting the progress of the army on the Emperor also became silent. Even his face was grim.
"The obvious criteria must be handsome, I don't want ugly." Some advisors were a little surprised and shrieked. The problem is, their sons can be said to have a standard level only. Unlike the Minister of Defense, Mr. Attala. Reportedly he has a son whose face is very handsome. Even the most handsome in the Aegis plains.
"In addition, he must be smart. Don't let my husband be no better than me. If you only rely on good looks. But, his brain is empty. I can take a man from a brothel," the Emperor's circus. "Deliver this competition to the land allied with us. Ask their representatives as a form of political cooperation.I will appoint 4 concubines this time, one of them is a man from my own land," concluded the Emperor.
"Four concubines?" the advisors and ministers parroted.
"Why? is something wrong?"
"We think there will be more, because only one Aegis blood you take," replied the adviser, who is confident that his son will not pass the selection.
Emperor Alessa chuckled, she thought the ministers and advisors felt she was too greedy because of her many concubines. But the Emperor was wrong.
"I certainly would not want civil war within this empire if I took more than one of your representatives" explained Emperor Alessa.
Pupus was the wish of the higher-ups who wanted to make a message with the Emperor because the competition was very difficult.
"If estimated from the blood level of the nobility. The likely husband of the Emperor was Lord Attala's son. I hear he's a philosophy whose good looks can thrill every woman" whispered one of the advisors making Mr. Attala smile proudly.
"I will ask Helios first" said Mr. Attala.
"Ah.. true as well. I heard Helios has a high taste until still single until now. It would be an honor if the Emperor asked for it directly" said another adviser who was busy making a list of men who would become concubines later.
Lord Attala simply nodded then took a sip of red wine. It was no more honor that he would have if indeed his son had become the Emperor's spouse. Except power. He would persuade his son to become the Emperor's concubine.
'Helios must be the Emperor's concubine, if necessary the most beloved among the other concubines. I'm sure the Emperor will like Helios!' batin Attala.
After the Palace meeting, Emperor Alessa walked back to his room before practicing swordsmanship with Darius.
The man did not make a sound since earlier, especially when he heard the intention of the emperor who would raise 4 concubines at once. Darius stared at the back of his great Emperor. The woman's back is so powerful.
"What are you thinking about Darius?" the Emperor asked him to break Darius' wandering reverie.
"Hamba. I am only remembering our time in the city of the Shire" replied Darius.
The city of the Shire was the place where Emperor Alessa struggled to survive with Darius after the stabbing of Prince Judas. The city that became the beginning of the innocent woman's change became powerful.
"You want to go there?" bargain with the Emperor.
"No, Your Majesty, I just remember." Darius nodded slowly.
"Let's go there!" Suddenly, Emperor Alessa clasped Darius' hand and gave a look of vigor. What power is Darius, if it is so. He couldn't possibly refuse it.
"Well, Your Majesty the Emperor," Darius nodded.
***
"Darius, I have never felt this free after becoming an Emperor," the woman spread her arms as the horse-drawn carriage led them towards the city of the Shire.
"His Majesty likes it?"
Their train stopped at a small palace owned by one of the figures in the city. A suburb unknown to all Aegis. Because in fact this city was formed by the people of the belief of the previous Emperor, before the coup occurred.
"His Majesty Emperor Alessa has arrived!" exclaimed one of the inhabitants of the city to the boisterous cheers dazed the Emperor.
"The Lifetime of Emperor Alessa!"
Emperor Alessa raised a hand with a friendly smile luring every man there. However, they immediately turned their eyes away as Darius with his sharp eyes unsheathed every man who looked at the Emperor.
"Thank you for the welcome. I'm sorry I just saw you all" the Emperor told a figure in the city of Shire.
"Emperor need not hesitate, we all belong to His Majesty...." The figure prostrated before the Emperor.
"Wakeup! I don't want any distance between us" the Emperor asked the figure to rise from his bow.
After all, the city had been meritorious for accommodating him, even considering him Emperor before the coronation took place. Emperor Alessa felt so indebted.
Emperor Alessa smiled and followed the character to his palace.
"Does Your Majesty want to stay here? His Majesty's room is still the same as it used to be no fox servant" the figure said.
Emperor Alesha walked towards the balcony, circulating a gaze into the desert as long as the eye could see.
"It seems like it will be fun, prepare a room for me as well as Lord Darius," Emperor Alessa said as he looked at Darius who was training the sword down there.
"Ready to do His Majesty the Emperor."
***
"You didn't ask me to practice?"
Darius who was swinging the sword came to a halt, shocked by the presence of Emperor Alessa.
"Pardon Your Majesty's Servant, I think Your Majesty is resting," Darius lowered his head to reveal his negligence.
"You don't remember if I practiced sword today?" Emperor Alessa approached with a sword in her hand.
"Hamba just thinks-"
"Don't think too much, let's start now!" The Emperor Alessa prepared with his horses to cut Darius' words.
Darius nodded and began sword training with the Emperor.
Jem!
The Emperor's sword was stuck in the ground, while the Emperor was asleep on the ground. His breathing was stingy due to exhaustion.
"Your Majesty the Emperor, are you okay?" ask Darius to worry.
Emperor Alessa closed her eyes. "Let me just for a second...."
Hearing this made Darius immediately speechless and chose to sit beside the Emperor who was lying on the ground.
"From..."
"Yes, Your Majesty?"
"Will you promise me!"
"What promise does Your Majesty make?"
"Always by my side, no matter what...."
A request that could pull the corners of Darius' lips. Ever since his eyes met the lady's bead, it had been since that time that he had devoted his life to the Emperor.
"Without Your Majesty asking, I will always be there for Your Majesty so that it may make Your Majesty uncomfortable. Because it's... His Majesty.. means a lot to the servant." in a soft voice Darius said. His heart beat fast. However, strangely there was no answer from the Emperor. The man immediately turned his head and found Emperor Alessa asleep.
Darius smiled and rubbed the Emperor's golden hair, inhaling it deeply and bringing his face closer slowly.
Tbc.