Hareem of Queen Alessa
Provisional leader

The red-bladed man walked hurriedly towards the direction that Prince Evandor had pointed to, where someone who wanted to meet the Emperor was. Darius was very upset that he had to follow the words of the prospective concubine, in his heart he planned a retaliation if it turned out that the person in question was nobody.

“I will hang his feet on the gallows for his brain to freeze by his blood coming down to the head,” he muttered fieryly.

Prince Evandor who saw Darius from a distance only smiled meaningfully. The man looked forward to Darius' reaction when he met the man he thought was very important to the Emperor.

Darius's steps became wider when his net caught the figure intended by Prince Evandor. “Do You Want to meet Ka-“

His speech was interrupted as the man revealed his face which had just looked down at the ground. A figure that Darius was clearly familiar with. Who else if not Empress Rhea? The woman was sitting under a shady tree.

He rested from exhaustion. His age who was no longer young made his energy run out faster. Even so, the wrinkles have not been so noticeable on her beautiful face.

Of course the man gasped, not twitching. Like dreaming in broad daylight. The person who meant so much to the Emperor was before him. Whereas previously he and the Emperor had been looking for Empress Rhea for so long that it was almost desperate. But, now .. the person is present at an unexpected time. Even when the Emperor was in danger.

“Darius?” Calling empress Rhea made Darius aware of his shock.

“Ya-His Majesty the Empress!” Darius prostrated himself before the middle-aged woman. “Pardon me for having doubted you, please law servant!” he remembered his attitude just now that was not believing in the words of Prince Evandor. He really feels guilty. Why didn't Prince Evandor tell you the truth? Darius clenched his hands with a feeling of arrogance and shame.

“Wake up, son! You are completely innocent,” Empress Rhea invites Darius to rise from his prostration. The man complied and bowed respectfully.

“Thank you for Your Majesty's generosity,” Darius would have loved to cry, had the Emperor been here. That woman would have been so happy to know her parents were still alive.

Empress Rhea smiled. Darius kissed the Emperor's mother's hand. “May God always bless you, my son Darius. Until now you have kept my daughter. Where is the Emperor? I miss her so much, she's okay ‘ right? Prince Evandor recounted the assault on him and my daughter. But, you saved him ‘kan?”

Darius froze, should he tell the truth? The man finally ventured to be honest. However, before that, the Empress should prepare herself first.

“We'd better get back to the group. You need rest, Your Majesty. Your face is pale,” said Darius diverted the conversation.

Empress Rhea touched her face. “Really? Oh, naw! The Emperor would be worried if he saw me like a sick man. Alright, I will follow your advice, Darius.” Empress Rhea agreed to Darius' proposal to rest first.

The man was able to breathe a sigh of relief for a moment before he finally had to reveal the truth. “Pardon Your Majesty's servant,” murmured inwardly.

***

Meanwhile, Prince Evandor who had heard and read the letter brought by Knight Albert only fell silent while bowing his head. When he saw the entourage his heart was happy. He was finally able to meet and regroup with His Imperial Majesty.

He thought Darius' entourage had come to find him, thinking that the Emperor had made it back to Aegis. However, now that expectation was shattered to pieces. All his thoughts were wrong. The Emperor was taken prisoner by Emperor Louis and executed. This is totally unacceptable to his mind. His world is collapsing.

“This is impossible ... Your Highness ..” Prince Evandor shed tears. At the same time Darius entered his chariot.

“Means?”

“You and the Empress returned to Aegis today. Wait for news from me about the Emperor,” firmly Darius and the man turned to get out of the carriage. Prince Evandor who still had not digested Darius' intent immediately blocked his hand. Hold the man out of the train.

“I don't understand, hasn't the Emperor been executed?”

“Do you believe the Emperor is dead?”

Prince Evandor flinched, he let go of the check. Why did he just believe. The emperor was not a weak woman. That should be what he thinks.

“Emperor is still alive, I'm sure of it. Life or death, I'll take her home to Aegis!”

“Wait For Mr Darius! Let me come with you!”

“For what? Didn't you think the Emperor was dead? This way you can marry another woman. You're a free man now,” circus Darius.

The man expressed his frustration that Prince Evandor had not informed him of the identity of the person he had neglected. Therefore, Darius almost ignored Empress Rhea. What a regrettable act.

“Master! Even if the Emperor is gone, I will never marry any woman! I'll be alone until I die. Are you satisfied?!” Prince Evandor was deeply offended by Darius' words. Until now the man was still not willing to get an Emperor concubine like Prince Evandor. The hatred was still in his eyes.

Darius still did not respond. Prince Evandor is back. “I admit I'm a jerk! I'm not a man worthy of His Majesty. But I owe him a lot. His Majesty has saved my life many times. Even my pride as a prospective concubine. I ... feel my death was not enough to make up for it. So, does this devotion of mine seem to doubt you, sir? The Emperor has nothing to lose, the Emperor will not be miserable without me. However, otherwise. I'm without His Majesty just a lump of meat without a spirit. I'm nothing without him,” Prince Evandor's heart-expression managed to make Darius turn his head. Looking at Prince Evandor's desperate face, there was no lie in his golden bead.

Darius threw his face away. He turned his back to Prince Evandor.

“Prepare yourself. Take the Empress to Aegis and come back with Prince Jerome. Lead the Aegis army, I wait for you at the gates of Diocletianus.” After saying that Darius was completely out of the horse carriage. Prince Evandor was slightly surprised by the task given to him. But, then he patted his chest with a burning spirit. He will save His Majesty just like what that woman did to him.

“Wait for me Your Majesty, I will save you. I will repay you for all your kindness to me!”

***

“What is the situation so precarious? Why did my daughter leave first?” Empress Rhea was reluctant to go alone to Aegis.

Darius told me that they were at war with Diocletian and that the Emperor was already there. Arrest and execution were not discussed at all. She did not want Empress Rhea to be anxious, because she was sure the Emperor was still alive.

“Your Majesty the Empress need not worry. Reinforcements will be coming soon. The Aegis needs you as the power holder while the Emperor does not exist. Servant leave Aegis to you, Your Highness,” Darius puts the burden on Empress Rhea to turn her attention to the Emperor.

Tbc.