The Flower Of Eternity
Chapter 37: Propose

The next morning, Anna gets a breakfast friend. A young Orient lady who was almost as tall as herself, with hair as black as night tied in a ponytail. The woman was wearing a black kimono behind the thick fur coat she was wearing. And even though she ate solemnly without saying anything, Anna knew the entire breakfast time the woman did not stop stealing glances at her as if she was admiring her.

Of course Eri did admire Anna, because the Queen of Dragons turned out exactly as she had been described in the books she had read. Hairy as red as fire with glowing skin as if born from the sunlight. And then, at breakfast together, anna's skin did look much more radiant because the large windows in the Palace's dining room were wide open so that all the morning sunlight could enter and illuminate her skin even more. For Eri, Anna is like a legendary figure in a book she often reads, a fairy tale that becomes real, a Goddess who comes down to save humanity, or even destroys it if she is not happy enough.

The breakfast was so quiet. No one spoke up. Anna is deliberately silent because she wants to judge Eri first before determining how she should act in front of the dragon tracker. While Eri was silent because his mind was busy thinking about what the reason was brought before the Queen of Dragons whom he adored so much.

After breakfast, Anna starts talking to him. Anna asks Eliza to get the documents from her study, then read them in Orient. Staying long enough in the Orient made his Orient language more fluent. Anna could even imitate Kaze's logat, the Ilbon tribe's accent perfectly.

"Sasaki Eri's. Dragon Tracker. 26 Years old. Ilbon Tribe. Unmarried. There is no family-related data. That's all the data I've got on you, Torakka Eri." Said Anna. He then shifted his gaze from the documents in his hand towards Eri.

Eri seemed to be sitting upright as if she was being interviewed for the position of Tsarina's honorary lady in the Palace or something. Then in a voice he tried to calm down, he replied, "Since becoming Torakka and working for the Emperor, we Torakkas cut off our relations with our original family, except for Torakka Yi-Zhuo who comes from the commander-in-chief family. I almost forgot the name 'Sasaki'. So the data you get is the most complete data at the moment, Your Majesty."

The language was so formal, it seemed so condescending, that Anna felt guilty. Perhaps it was because of his formal attitude as well, or perhaps because Eri was brought to the Main Palace all of a sudden by the Wolves. The situation between the two is so tense. But Anna assures herself that for now, she must behave like a ruler of her enemy country. She must behave like the Queen of Dragons in the presence of women from families who worship the Dragons.

Anna placed her documents on the table, crossed her legs, and formed a pyramid with her fingers that she placed on the table. Anna seemed to twist the brain, the way that Eri would open up, but not eliminate her feelings of arrogance. Anna wants Eri to thrust her with thousands of pieces of information on her, but she also wants Eri to respect her anyway. Not proud, but also not too friendly.

Anna remembers it was Eri who shot an arrow at Kaze back when Kaze was on her mission to find Yeon-Hwa in the Palace. Hurting one of the dragons wasn't something Anna could easily forgive. Although Anna knows, Eri is Torakka who is closest to Kaze and that the daughter considers Eri as her sister, but she cannot forget what Eri has done to Kaze.

"No." Said Anna. Her voice was colder than usual. "I need more complete data than this, Torakka Eri."

"Please, Eri, Your Majesty." Eri said as he lowered his head, "I am ashamed to call myself the Dragon Tracker before the Queen of Dragons."

"It should be." Said Anna.

"really. Sorry—“

"But there's no need to apologize." Cut directly. Seeing Eri who looked so sorry made her so unbearable to him. After all, Anna already knew the story of Eri saving Kaze from her biological family who ignored her. Because it was Eri, because it was discovered by a dragon tracker, Kaze was freed from her family who had almost made her starve to death. Anna finally decided to talk more gently to him, "Please don't be too shy. Can you tell me about yourself, Eri?"

Eri looked up, looking at him confusedly, "About me? Is there anything specific you want to know, Your Majesty?"

"Everything. Tell me everything. That's why I gave the job to Grand Duke Winterthur who picked you up to come here to see me. I want to know all about you. After that, you can go back to the Orient."

Eri seemed silent thinking, confused where to start.

Finally Anna helped him by asking him a few more questions, "You have a close family you still see or call?"

Eri shook his head, "Nothing."

Anna wrote something on the document about Eri. Then, without looking at Eri, she asked back, "You have a brother?"

"No."

"Love? Fiancee?"

"Nothing, Your Majesty."

This time Anna put down the document and the questioner, then looked at Eri seriously, "Is Torakka not in a relationship with anyone?"

"It's not so, Your Honor. Yi-Zhuo is a mistress of Prince Yuza—, Suri's mother actually does not know this. I'm sure the Queen Mother would be very angry if she found out that Yi-Zhuo was flirting with one of her sons. While my other dead colleague, Gyeoul, is the fiancee of the Prime Minister's grandson."

Anna of course remembers Gyeoul, Torakka who was killed by Xavier's fire for angering her. For delivering a prophecy about the death of Anna and their daughter. He tried to get rid of that thought and refocused on his interview with Eri.

"But you don't have a boyfriend?" Anna asked back, making sure.

"Every time I try to have a lover, the next day she is already one of Reina's lovers. So I stopped trying. It is not that we are forbidden to have a relationship with anyone. I just don't want to be disappointed anymore."

"All right then. No prohibition, yes. That'll make things easier." Anna muttered to herself in Schiereiland language.

"Sorry, Your Majesty?" Eri seemed confused because he did not understand the language.

"It's nothing." Anna replied with a friendly smile at him. Enough of pretending. This time, he knew that he could make Eri a part of his plan. Anna knew Eri would not be able to resist. "Well, Eri, are you willing to help me? If you're willing, I'll give you a very precious hairpin. A historic hairpin. But I need you to do a secret mission."

Eri hurriedly knelt before him, "I am willing to do anything for His Majesty without the lure of a gift. Please use me as you please, Your Majesty. I devote my whole life to this moment, to helping the Queen of Dragons. It would be a great honor if I could be useful to you."

Anna actually did not like to hear those words as if she would act arbitrarily towards people she did not even really know. But just then, Anna simply smiled as if those words were what she had been waiting to hear.

***

Tefafelo, Navarro Region, Westeria

The atmosphere of the morning was peaceful. The birds squealed, rejoicing among the branches of the trees, welcoming a long spring in Westeria. A gentle breeze blew away the petals of the dandelion flower, spreading the reborn spring to the corners of Westeria. But the fluttering petals of the dandelion are fused with other things that are also carried away by the spring wind. Something that smells bad and reddish. Dust of human corpses.

"Next." Andromeda said in a bored tone. This part of him already had to meet some people who wanted to meet him and did not want to meet him.

The next person advanced with trembling legs. Every step was like being dragged towards a hanging pole. He was a man about sixty years old with a distended stomach covered in a red velvet coat. His half-bald head was covered in the latest black fedora hat of the year. His ten fingers were adorned with jewel rings that glittered in the sunlight until all who saw him were quite sure the man's feet were trembling from being too heavy carrying all the jewels on his fingers and the fat on his belly, it was not that he was going to meet the leader of the Navarro Clan.

"Baron Alvarez." When Andromeda mentioned his surname and title, the man looked like he had shrunk ten times his original size. Andromeda's voice echoed through the halls of Navarro's residence. "You're here again after...wait let me remember, one month? Didn't you just come to me last month to ask for an extension on the monthly tax return? You've been seeing me this past year, haven't you?"

"Punish me, Lady Navarro. Please understand that the people are in great difficulty. And we don't have much of a crop this month." The Baron said in a begging voice.

"Oh, poor people. You know I've always been generous to people in trouble. It's Navarro's family's duty to always help those who are suffering." Andromeda said in a dramatic tone. She was sitting on her throne chair, next to her feet resting on her other legs, the hem of her dress showing her legs. He looked down at the Baron who was now kneeling before him a rat ready to step on with the heels of his shoes.

"You are indeed very generous, Lady."

"I'm asking for more time, Lady. I promise next month when all the Tulips are in full bloom, I will bring you double the monthly tax. No. gabe. Three times!"

Andromeda looked silent, only staring at the Baron while the man kept his head down on the floor. Not daring to look into the eyes of Amethyst belonging to Andromeda.

"Adonia." Andromeda called out to her younger sister with a very subtle tone of speech.

A young lady whose age might be around mid-twenties stepped towards the Clan Leader. Her long purple dress swung with each step. His eyes glittered like jewels. Two different jewels. His right eye is an Amethyst gem like his brother's eye, while his left eye is a Sapphire gem. Like father.

Adonijah knelt before his brother, "Yes, brother."

"Rise up and stand beside me, my brother." Andromeda.

When he heard the call that seemed familiar, Baron Alvarez looked curiously at the newly arrived woman.

Andromeda smiled as he looked at the surprised expression on the Baron's face. "Declose, this is my sister. Yungkuku's sister. Adonijah Navarro." As he said so, Andromeda's voice sounded like a death sentence for the Baron.

"Mata—“

"true." Cut Andromeda. "He's half Ortiz. Oh, of course the news of my mother's affair with Orlando Ortiz has been spread since many years ago, right? Adonijah was one of the children of their relationship, a twin sister from Arizona who has not yet returned home." This time he grinned when he saw the Baron looking agitated. Cold sweat drenched his leather jacket. "Well, Adonia. Do what you can." Andromeda said to his brother.

Adonijah looked at the Baron. His left eye was shining brightly. And just then, the Baron said, "Devil-eyed fucking Amethyst! You're a fool to just believe! Since a year ago I've been piling up taxes given to the people and not giving them to you! In a moment I will be rich enough to destroy your entire Clan! Alvarez will be the ruler of this region, Devil! Get lost!"

Andromeda grinning. He shakes his head. "Oh... Is that so?"

Baron Alvarez hurriedly covered his mouth with both hands. "Sa-I never said that! That's not—I'm innocent! Your sister—the bastard did a wicked trick on me!"

Andromeda got up, looking very angry, "And now you're insulting my sister!" As he stood up, his eyes shone so bright they were almost blind.

Before he could open his mouth to say another line of defense, Baron Alvarez was already crushed into red dust, blown by the spring breeze along with the dandelion petals, he said, spreading a foul smell among the fragrant spring flowers.

"Adonia, please tell Gervaso to deliver the sad news to the Alvarez family. Then distribute all their treasures to the people. After that you go to the palace to tell the Queen about this. Remember, tell me as polite as possible." Andromeda's word to his sister.

"Good, brother." Adonijah immediately departed from that place.

"Next."

But the next one who came in was not a Westerian. And when the man entered, Andromeda looked so surprised that he immediately stood up and hurriedly walked up to him.

"Grand Duke Winterthur..." Her speech. His eyes were only fixed on the man before him at this moment as if worried that if he shifted his gaze, the man would disappear like a mere illusion. But despite being very happy to see him, Andromeda managed to keep his tone calm. "What are you doing?"

"You hurt Tsarina." Said Leon directly, without making small talk. If he had brought his sword with him, Leon would have already grasped the tip of the handle of his sword. Leon deliberately did not bring his sword out of fear that his anger at Andromeda might lead him to decapitate the woman before he could actually think clearly. Anna's words last night rang in her mind, forbidding Leon from starting unnecessary wars with their new allies.

"Not true." Andromeda Struggles. "I only made him feel the pain that the late King Xavier had felt. I think she must want to know what her late husband felt. No need to be amazed so, it's just one of my talents. Creating an illusion of pain. Or in this case, imitate the pain."

"Stay with—“

"Is that what you're here for?" Cut directly. Andromeda stared at him, half hoping that he would be born Adonia Navarro who not only had her mother's ability to destroy everything before her, but it also has the ability of Orlando Ortiz who can read the contents of people's minds and control his thoughts. He hoped that by then he could read Leon's thoughts so that he wouldn't have to ask much. "So you guys talked? Does he know you love him?"

"Yes." Yeah."

Andromeda. "Good." he said. But his heart was the opposite of his words. If the Tsarina knew Leon's heart had always been with her, that the man had loved her for a long time, then there was a chance that they could be together. Then it is possible that they are already together now, and Andromeda cannot try to get close to Leon again. "So why are you here?"

"I heard you wanted to marry me." Said Leon. Both of his hands were clenched to the side. His eyes looked into the eyes of Amethyst belonging to Andromeda. "Then let's get married."

Those words should make Andromeda happy. But in fact it's not. Because Leon said it so coldly, without any feelings. It was as if he was taking Andromeda to practice the sword with him, which if that was the case he would have rejected because Andromeda could not use the sword as well as Leon and he did not like to lose.

"No. I don't want to." Answer Andromeda. Despite trying not to show it, there was pain in his words. Knowing he had just turned down an opportunity he had been waiting for. And because the opportunity came because the man wanted to protect the woman he loved, not because he really wanted to marry her. "I don't want to marry you if you do it just to make sure that I won't hurt her again. I wouldn't marry you if you did it just to defend my Clan as an Imperial ally in the upcoming war against the Orient. I can wait until you want to marry me. At that time, I applied because you wanted to. Not because of anything else. At that time, I wanted to have only me on your mind, not another woman. We have plenty of time for that. My age could reach five hundred years if I didn't die in the war, and you live forever for a thousand years. And for that long, I'll try to make you love me."

"I'm not going to propose to you again. This is the last time."

"You call that a proposal?" Andromeda laughs. His laughter echoed throughout the room. "No ring? Poetic and romantic words? You're not even on your knees. I like it best when men kneel. Look, Grand Duke, I won't hurt the Tsarina again. I know, I was wrong. I was so emotional back then that I couldn't act wisely. I seem to be getting a little crazy because this is the first time I've ever loved someone. I'll go to the Tsarina and apologize to her directly. I promised to protect her too. And the Navarro Clan will remain an Imperial ally. But allow me to wait for you until you can open your heart for me. That's my only request."

For a while, Leon said nothing. He just stared at Andromeda in silence, not entirely sure what the woman felt was really love or just an obsession. Or because Andromeda was curious about him. They don't even know each other so how can Andromeda say that he loves Leon.

Then Leon said, "You can wait as long as you want." and he left the leader of the Navarro Clan.

Andromeda looked at Leon's back which was getting further away. Even when the door in front of him was closed, he still looked at the door as if it would open again and Leon would come back to him. For a long time he stood still and waited. But nothing happened.

Andromeda raised his hand, touched his chest, his heart was still pounding and now it hurts so much. "I really don't stand a chance, do I? You loved her so much that you were willing to marry me for her. I'm getting crazy about you, Leon. It's critical. I'm worried about what I can do to get you." It whispers in the spring breeze carrying the dust of corpses and petals of dandelions.

***

The journal of King Xavier:

This is how it feels to be loved by someone I love. All of a sudden, I want to live forever. I can't wait to welcome tomorrow, but I don't want it to end soon either. All the food tasted delicious and I don't think I need wine to get drunk. And sleep feels so easy. Especially now that I know I won't sleep alone.

I never knew that having a family was the greatest gift. When I was born, my mother was gone—not dead, just no—and my father.I really don't want to blame her, I know she was busy being King and was busy comforting herself because of her suffering from the loss of my mother. Then came Selena, then the other stepmothers, then all my half-sisters. But I never really knew what it was like to have a family until I married Anna. And we lived in Dong-gung with Shuu and Kaze who were like my own siblings, a biological sister who kept calling me 'Baginda Raja'. And also Elias and Yeon-Hwa who are like a long married couple so that they continue to fight and fuss throughout the morning. I almost wished that I didn't have to go back to the Palace and could stay in Dong-gung with them forever.

So, today, unbeknownst to Anna I decided to buy a house in Shina. The house was previously a halfway house belonging to one of the Orient officials who was sentenced to death for corruption. The house is very large and is located in a place far from the hustle of the city, on a hill with stunning views and a very spacious garden. When I saw the vast and beautiful garden I imagined Anna and our children playing and picnicking in the park. Shuu and Kaze would also be very happy to stay here. This house will be our vacation home if the air in Noord is very cold or when we are in need of a vacation to a warmer place. Even though I bought it, I'm not really sure when we will be able to use it because even now our business with Orient is still not finished. I'll tell Anna later when we're actually going on vacation to that house.

***