The Flower Of Eternity
Chapter 16: The House of Sorrow

Leon hurriedly uses teleportation magic to the balcony and tightly grasps Anna's hand to then take her teleporting away from the balcony railing before anyone else sees that the Tsarina is just about to jump kill from the fifth floor.

"What are you doing!" Leon yelled at him. "Do you think he'll come back alive if you jump? Don't you think at all about your son who might want to live but you decided to die with him? Realize, Your Majesty!"

"Take me off!" Anna yelled back at him. He tries to get his hands off Leon's grip, but he's not strong enough. "Go, Leon. Don't be around me. Everyone around me is injured and dead. So let me die before you die too."

"Try it if you can."

"Take me off! It's orders!"

"Governance?" Leon laughed cynically. "I cannot obey the command of a leader who would rather die than fight to rise with his people. If you kill yourself, you're abandoning millions of your people's lives. People and Imperial, whom Xavier entrusted to you, which you should be able to take good care of and lead. Are you really going to abandon them all, Sire? What about your son? The boy that Xavier so desperately wants to see, the one he cares about so much, who is the only relic from him, the proof that he has lived with you, the proof of your love. Are you going to kill him too by jumping off the balcony? If so, please go ahead! You have ordered me to kill you! You know for yourself my ability to kill people."

Anna stopped fighting. His energy had been drained away and his body was now extremely weak. Leon loosens his grip when he believes Anna will not go back up the balcony railing and jump.

"I'm sorry..." Anna said then as she realized that her actions were wrong. He hugged his stomach with both hands. "I'm sorry your mother, my daughter. Ii'm sorry. I'm..." His words were cut off by his sobs. "I don't know what I was thinking. I can't think of anything. I'm sorry."

Leon wiped his tears. "I understand. You're so sad you can't think clearly. I was also wrong to leave you alone. I'm sorry. I should have known you needed a friend at a time like this."

Anna nodded. But her tears could not stop flowing as she stared blankly ahead, at the pile of furniture and chairs she had previously stacked up to climb onto the balcony railing. He regretted his decision.

"He doesn't know that I love him, does he? He must not know. If he finds out, he won't sacrifice himself and die." Anna said, more to herself.

"He knows. That's why he sacrificed himself. So you can stay alive. He doesn't want you dead. So don't waste her sacrifice on you by suicide. Live on. Hang on. That his death may not be in vain. Stay alive for your children and for your people. And most importantly for him, and for yourself."

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The next day Leon orders to lock all the windows of the balcony and install iron bars on each window so that Anna cannot jump from the balcony again without anyone's knowledge. Leon also doubled down on Anna's escort, making sure Anna was escorted around the clock and putting at least three of her ladies-in-waiting in her room at night.

Anna still could not get out of her bed. He did not sleep, but also had no energy to do anything other than lie down and cry. When he was really tired, he fell asleep. But soon she woke up and screamed from a nightmare. Dayang-dayang who was placed in his room began to worry about the state of his mental health. It got so bad that almost every night Anna woke up screaming. He said that every time he closed his eyes, he could see once again the events when Xavier was killed before him. Leon finally orders the wolves to look for Bloody Berry which serves as a sedative herb, after which Anna can sleep peacefully.

When the time for the examination of the womb, the doctor told that Anna's physical and mental health condition that is not healthy can harm the fetus in the womb. His body became very weak due to lack of nutrients and lack of rest. That state of affairs made everyone worry about the Imperial leader and his heir.

One day, when Anna had not been out of her room long enough, Irene came to him and asked him to accompany her. As sad as Anna was, she could not refuse the request made by her mother-in-law. So that morning Anna dressed neatly and accompanied Irene on a horse carriage to somewhere.

As they got off the horse carriage, Anna was surprised to see the building was still crowded and occupied by the previous occupants. It was the Palace of Concubines, the Palace which during the reign of King Vlad was occupied by his concubines, the stepmothers of Xavier. Anna was more unexpected because the one who invited her to go to that place was Irene herself.

Anna turned to look at Irene who was just smiling looking at the look on her confused face.

"I heard in this palace there are widows whose husbands have died" Irene said. "I'm one of them, actually. But my job is a little higher. I'm an official wife, while they're just concubines."

"Why?" Ask Anna.

Irene shrugged her shoulders. "We were all equally left dead by our husbands. Although my love for my husband is not as great as your love for Xavier because it was a political marriage that was not based on love, believe me, I also mourned the death of my husband. Secretly, unbeknownst to anyone, I still cried at night, when I realized that I missed her. So too with all the women in this palace. I don't forbid you to grieve, just don't grieve alone. You need a grieving friend."

"Welcome, Sire." Greet a woman whose age may be about forty years or more. She was wearing a simple dress for the size of a concubine of the King. But her beautiful face and graceful manners convince Anna that she is from among the nobility. "Please come in." He said with a friendly smile to Anna and Irene.

"What else has come, Eliza?" Ask Irene.

"All has come, Your Majesty. Twelve concubines of the late King Vlad were present. Only one person was absent." Eliza said.

Irene smiled cynically, making her look a lot like Leon, "Selena?"

"of course. His son locked him up with a magic thing."

Irene clucked, "What a pity. I have unfinished business with him because he almost killed my son several times and even killed my husband. Though I've sharpened my sword just in case I can finally meet him." Irene shrugged lightly, "Later on then."

Anna follows Consorts Eliza and Irene towards the Crystal Tulip Garden that is behind the Consort Palace. The park has been beautifully arranged for morning tea. There was a large circular table and the king's concubines sat around the table. They all seemed busy talking to each other with their fellow concubines, but when they saw Consort Eliza coming with Irene and Anna, all of them were silent and standing stiffly.

"Our cordial greetings to Tsarina Anastasia and the Queen Mother, Lady Irene Winterthur, may a long and healthy life always." Greet them all, simultaneously.

Anna nodded, welcoming their greetings though still confused as to why her mother-in-law had brought her to a place filled with people she definitely hated.

Meanwhile Irene rolled her eyeballs. "Based on these people. I told you to call me a general, still think of me as a queen mother." she whispered to Anna.

But Irene's pupils widened as she looked at one of the women she knew among the concubines. "Juliana!" Irene gave a cheerful shriek as she looked at one of the concubines who had brown hair and thick eyebrows.

Juliana, the concubine, smiled kindly at Irene. When she smiled, her dimples were clearly visible. Anna immediately recognized her as the mother of Prince Jeffrey, the third son of King Vlad who married Queen Eugene.

"Aren't you mad at him?" Ask Anna.

"I? Why?"

"He seduced your husband and slept with him. Even to have children."

Irene laughed bitterly. "Oh, I'm so angry and upset. Sure oes. You didn't know? I am the jealous type. I'm pretty sure it's going down on Xavier." He paused for a moment as he subconsciously mentioned about Xavier before Anna. But seeing no change in the expression on Anna's face, she resumed her words, "You can't imagine what it's like to see the man I married, the father of my son, sleep with another woman—and not just one woman! How many times have I cried and screamed at her while still locked up in Selena's magic room. But now it's just the past. My husband was drunk and completely unaware of what he was doing. Sometimes he did it because one of the concubines who was quite sneaky put stimulant drugs into his drink. More often he hallucinated sleeping with me, but not—that was the effect of the drugs he had been taking since my death. Juliana seduces him into sleeping with her because Juliana hates Selena so much and wants to upset Selena. Other concubines did so because they wanted a position as Queen or just a favorite concubine of the King so that his life was guaranteed and the treasure. Some of them never slept with her, and only pretended to be pregnant with her child when it was someone else's. I know best that there is no love between my husband and all of them. I remained superior to all of them because at least I knew my husband loved me so much that he lost his mind after my death." Irene smiled bitterly as she talked about it all. But his eyes were full of sadness. "Am I evil to be content with seeing my husband suffer for the rest of his life? I felt sad after he died. He couldn't see me back alive."

Irene then invited Anna to sit on the chair that had been reserved for her among the Concubines. The concubines greeted him and introduced themselves. Anna wasn't sure she could memorize all of them, but she certainly didn't have to bother doing that.

Anna sat down to the left of Irene, who had just sat down after being satisfied to let go of her longing with Juliana. After they all sat down, the tea began.

Anna was unable to enjoy either the tea or the sweet food provided, as somehow everything tasted bland to her. Since Xavier's death, he could no longer taste food nor breathe the scent of flowers. The sky always looked cloudy to him. And even during the day, everything feels dark like living in a colorless world. Anna knew it was due to her psychological state. When Xavier leaves, he carries away all the colors, scents and flavors in his life so that he only feels empty and dark without end.

Anna was barely even aware that the concubines were talking and trying to get her into their conversation. Until finally a concubine sitting to her left held her hand.

"Sorry, Sire. I don't mean to be presumptuous, but it seems like your mind has not been here since." The concubine said. Anna looked at him confusedly, so the Concubine added, "I am Linea, the thirteenth concubine. I was the youngest among the concubines. Eight years ago, when I was the same age as you are today, I was made a concubine by King Vlad to improve diplomatic relations between our country and Nordhalbinsel. My home country, the Dowa Federation, is located far away from here, across the Tygriss ocean. King Vlad won't touch me before I allow it myself. At first I hated him, but for a long time I admired him because he always tried to look strong in front of everyone even though he was so fragile and destroyed by the death of his first wife. He was also always polite to all concubines and treated us well if his mind was clear. When King Vlad died, I was pregnant with his son. At that time, I just started loving her."

"I'm sorry—“

"It doesn't need to be like that, Sire. I know that King Vlad killed your father. No need to mourn his death." Linea said with a friendly smile. "I understand if you hate him. But to be honest, I can't hate it even though I know in your eyes, the late King Vlad is the one you hate so much."

Anna also could not really hate King Vlad because after all, he was Xavier's father. Her father-in-law. And after hearing Irene's explanation earlier, Anna understood that King Vlad had lost his mind after his beloved wife died. Anna now understands that suffering. The grief leaves a powerful and powerful man like King Vlad devastated and ultimately makes him a ruthless killer who destroys his life. The suffering, the same suffering, is now gnawing at her so that Anna is confident she can be as devastated as her father-in-law if there are no people who care about her around.

"Where's your baby?" Anna asked Linea.

Upon hearing the question, Linea was shocked. Anna could see tears in Linea's eyes as she replied, "I miscarried. I feel so sad for the death of King Vlad that I cannot take care of my own health and my womb. I failed at being a mother."

Anna shut her mouth, "Good shit... Excuse me... I am truly sorry for your loss. Really..."

Inevitably Anna immediately imagined if she also experienced what Linea experienced. Anna felt she would no longer have a reason to live if the baby she was carrying left her.

Linea again clasped her hands, "If Your Majesty is truly sorry for my loss, I would like to ask you one thing. Whatever happens, no matter how you grieve, please take care of your content. Take care of the child, and deliver him safely. Don't regret it like I did."

Anna could only nod, unable to speak.

Irene held Anna's hand and stroked her slowly, giving her calmness and comfort, "When Linea miscarried, Xavier, who was already King at the time, let him stay in the Palace and give him treatment until completely healed. Xavier even brought the Linea family from Dowa and allowed her to stay at the Palace to accompany him."

"The late King Xavier was very kind to us, whereas some of us had injured him when he was a child." Said a concubine whom Anna had forgotten her name.

"After the death of his father, the late King Xavier gave us the option of staying in the Concubine Palace or staying where we wanted to be. If we choose to leave the Concubine Palace, he will give us a home where we want."

"So who lives here now?" Ask Anna.

"Nothing." Answer Eliza. "We all chose to leave the Concubine Palace because we originally thought King Xavier might have a concubine as well."

"In fact not. He insisted he did not want to have a concubine. Though my uncle, Duke Richterswill, has long been preparing his youngest daughter to become the King's concubine." Said a concubine who, if Anna didn't remember wrongly, her name was Catherine.

The other concubine also spoke up, "Did your Majesty know? The late King Xavier gave us severance. Every month, we concubines get more than enough monthly money for our daily lives so we don't have to worry about falling poor. She was amazingly kind to us when we were her stepmother who had done evil to her."

"Our sons, his half-brothers, were also given decent work, both in the Palace and outside the Palace. He even gave them all the titles of nobility, though he knew some of them weren't even his father's sons." Another concubine chimed in.

"We all owe him." Juliana. "So when we found out he was dead, knowing that you would grieve like we did, too, we sent each other a letter and agreed to ask Her Majesty Lady Irene for permission to allow us to accompany you."

"At first we were very afraid of Lady Irene. We slept with her husband and hurt his son. We were worried that our request would be rejected because Lady Irene must hate us." Another concubine said.

"I hate all of you who have hurt my son. But if you're willing to accompany my son-in-law and comfort her, I think I can forgive you. That's why I agreed to that request." Irene.

Linea again clasped Anna's hand, smiling she said, "Stay strong. Never think you are alone in this world. Indeed, at this time it must be very quiet and dark, like there is no one around you. I've felt it too. But believe me, we are all here for you, Sire. We will accompany you and mourn with you. Because when you lose a husband you love so much, we all lose a kind-hearted son, whom we love and respect so much."

Anna couldn't hold back her tears as she saw all the concubines seem to be giving her support, "Thank you..." He said in his tears. Irene immediately hugged him. "Thank you very much..."

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