The Lotus Of East Palace
Epilogue: The King

Anna refused to stay in Schiereiland temporarily while waiting for me to fix the internal affairs in our kingdom— it feels so good to now call this kingdom our kingdom.

"If you really love me you shouldn't ask me too often to stay away from you." Said.

So he went to Nordhalbinsel with Ludwig in the morning after Ludwig's wedding to Constanza in Schiereiland—after Ludwig took Constanza to safety. I did not allow Ludwig to teleport from Schiereiland to Nordhalbinsel for fear that it would make Anna nauseous again if she teleported that far. While I first flew to my palace, sneaking into my room. That morning, I came out of my room and shocked everyone in the Palace. They still assume all this time I was sick—not completely wrong because even now I still feel pain throughout my body—more because Anna is not near me, so as soon as I saw that I looked healthy and walked out of my room, everyone who was facing me immediately prostrated gratefully.

The first thing I did was to hold a meeting with the nobles discussing my divorce with Elle and— with a heavy heart—the death sentence for her and her entire family. He hasn't been proven to kill Prince Yi and my father, neither have the nobles been able to prove it, but I already know the truth. And of course the ones who will get the death penalty are those in the jail—Elle, Grand Duke Winterthur, as well as the fake Grand Duchess Winterthur— who is the prisoners who were changed face by Elle so that it resembles the Winterthur family members. Meanwhile Elle and her parents could no longer appear before anyone. I will send them all far away to the northern border region near the Northern Palace as punishment for what Elle has done: the murder of Prince Yi.

I met Elle at my mansion after meeting while waiting for Anna—'s arrivalif my calculations are correct, Anna should have arrived at the Palace this afternoon. Elle looked much healthier. His stomach was already enlarged and he looked much better now. It might be a good idea to keep him out of trouble at the Palace. The palace had been stressful all along.

"Don't worry, I'll send the doctors and servants in the exile and they won't divulge the secrets of your existence. You will be able to give birth comfortably and safely there. If you want, I can provide a boat for you. Didn't you aspire to travel the world by boat and sail the ocean? You can go anywhere and start a new life if you want, but make sure no one knows or change your face with transformation magic. Because as people know, you and the entire Winterthur family are being sentenced to death."

"I would probably consider the offer if I had given birth and my son was old enough to sail." Said Elle. To the size of the person who had just been sentenced to exile, he looked ordinary.

"Why did you do it?" I asked finally after a long time I held back the question. Actually, I'm not really ready to hear the reason. But I need to know why Elle killed Prince Yi.

"Will it change your decision if I tell you why?"

"Maybe. I think I deserve to hear your reasons. And I think you have the right to defend yourself. Did he hurt you? What did he do to you?"

Elle was silent for a moment. Empty look. "He didn't hurt me. He did nothing but openly show me his love for me and ask me to marry him." Answer finally.

"So you killed her because she wanted to marry you?"

Elle shakes. "Not that."

"Then what? There must be a reason, right? You're a good man Elle. I know it. I've known you since I was a kid. You took care of me when I was hurt by my father's concubines. You support me and accompany me when everyone doesn't care about me. You're like my own sister. Sometimes I think of you as my mother's replacement. I actually can't give you a punishment for exile. So if there's anything I need to know, just say it."

"There's no reason whatsoever. And I don't regret killing him. I'll accept the punishment of exile." Said. He looks like a daydream. For a long few seconds he did not blink even a little. When she suddenly turned to look at me, I saw something strange about her. His eyes were as bright purple as his mother's. "If you're done, you can leave now. I want a break before going to the border tomorrow morning."

"Who are you?" I asked directly because I was sure there was something strange about him.

Elle looked surprised. But just then, her ice-blue eyes had returned. She smiled, looking like the Elle I knew. "Whatchu mean? You're talking weird stuff, Xavier—Baginda King, I mean. Go back to the palace. Aren't there a lot of things you have to do?"

"You sure it's okay? You look a little weird."

"I was just sentenced to exile. How do you think I should look? Already have. I told you I would accept the punishment. So leave. Meet your wife."

I was just going to urge him to tell me what really happened, when suddenly I felt like my heart was being stabbed and torn apart. I tried to endure the pain, but it was hard. I tried to regulate my breathing, trying to heal myself, but just breathing was painful. While breathing, it felt like it was not air entering my lungs but rather glass fragments. I couldn't see clearly, my vision was blurry. I hurriedly closed my eyes, preventing blood from coming out of my eyes.

I can't hold it anymore. It was like dying many times, but not some kind of peaceful death. It's really torturous.

"Xavier!" Elle panic. "You why? What's going on?"

It seemed like Elle was shouting for help. I seem to be the one screaming in pain. I don't know anymore because the voices are faint. I don't seem to be sitting on the couch anymore but falling to the floor. I could feel nothing but pain.

It had been a long time since the last time the poison had attacked. During my time in the Orient with Anna, I never felt this again. Now that the poison is back on me, the pain is only getting worse.

It seems much easier if I let this pain engulf me and overwhelm me. What would happen if I let him? Am I going to die?

"Don't leave me." I remembered Anna's words, in her voice that implied fear at that moment.

I don't want to leave you, baby. But can I just give up? It's exhausting and painful.

"You have to fight the poison. You have to hold on." His words are what kept me going. If he hadn't said it, maybe I'd just give up. I would have preferred to die because it was easier. But now that I die, I will not only leave Anna, I will also leave our son.

"You're not going to die." Again, Anna's words were held for me to endure.

As you wish, my love. I'm not gonna die. For the sake of you and our children, I will survive even though it is difficult.

Anna now knew that the poison was still in my body. That I'm dying and I might be able to leave him at any time. No. gabe. Anna knew a long time ago. Since before we got married. Before he asked me to propose to him on the eve of the thousand-star festival so that our marriage in this life would have the blessing of the Goddess of Heaven.

"Xavier's..." Call him back then in our channel so no one hears him but me. Everyone was staring at the stars falling from the sky. But I was looking at Anna who seemed to be fascinated by the scene that night. "I think I understand why this happened to us." He turned his eyes to me. It wasn't Anna's face, it wasn't Anna's eyes, it was Diana Vinogradoff's face looking at me. So why do I feel like I'm seeing Anna? Why is my heart still pounding even though Anna is disguised as someone else?

Then I realized, it wasn't because of her pretty face. It was not because of her being so similar to Zhera— with her face in the past. It was not because his eyes were like emitting morning sunlight. Not because of her red hair like thousands of rose petals. My heart recognizes it, not in its physical form. I love him because it's him, no matter what magic changes his form.

"Why?" Tanyaku later.

"You shouldn't have loved me back then. I shouldn't love you either. We shouldn't be together. Our relationship has no blessing from the Goddess of Heaven. It's a forbidden relationship because you're an immortal and I'm just a mortal. You should have gone back to heaven after your earthly business was over, but you settled down and we got married."

He's talking about the past, I know that. But my heart still hurts when I hear it as if she was telling me to stay away from her. He's correct. I should have stayed away from him so I wouldn't repeat the same mistake. From the beginning, I was planning to give up. I cannot expect his love. Anna would later return to Schiereiland and marry Leon. And I will die peacefully knowing he will live happily with his loved ones. So why do I want it more and more and it's hard to take it off?

"We have no blessing from the Goddess of Heaven." He repeated those words over and over again in our channel as if once had not hurt me enough. Anna now looked at me seriously, "So get that blessing in life now."

"What do you mean?"

"If you don't want to, I'll kneel asking you to marry me so that our marriage gets the blessing of the Goddess of Heaven this time."

"What—“

"Lamar is me. Now." Now."

"Wait a minute..."

"Aren't you aware of it yet? Do you still not know why I'm willing to come with you to the Orient? Do you still think it's just for the sake of state affairs? A kind of professional cooperation without involving any feelings? Do you think I left my palace and left with you just because I was bored in the Palace? Or to be a solace so that I don't drag on mourning my parents' deaths?"

"really right? You do need to be outside of Schiereiland Palace because you will always remember your father and mother if you stay locked up there. And because at Schiereiland Palace there's Selena who can hurt you."

"You don't think I did it for you? What about the letters and poems I sent you? Do you still think I wrote it just to outwit people who spy on us? I spilled all my feelings for you in those letters. And do you think I'd let you enter my room and hold me to sleep if I didn't have any feelings for you? Do you think our kisses are just for healing? Do you know that I've thought of a thousand ways to make you know what I feel about you? Because I don't know how to express it properly. And it seems that even now you have not realized that I am trying to express my feelings to you. I—“

Before he continued his words, I had already first knelt before him. His hand in my hand felt so warm. My heart seems to be running out of my chest. Anna looked surprised. Even I myself was surprised.

What the hell am I doing? Did Anna really want me to propose to her? Can we really get the blessing of the Goddess of Heaven? Is this allowed?

But I love her. And he, with all his speech, if I don't translate the woman's language wrong, seems to love me too. And tonight the Goddess of Heaven will probably really bless us.

"I know this is very sudden. I didn't prepare the ring either, but..." I took a deep breath, trying to calm my heartbeat as I saw a smile on his face with his eyes glazed over. I didn't see Diana in that face, me, my heart, all the cells in my body and all my soul saw the woman I loved both then and now. And we may be able to change our destiny in this life. We might have a happy ending this time. "Are you willing to marry me and get the blessing of the Goddess of Heaven?"

I just realized that we're not communicating through our channels anymore. That I just proposed to him in front of all the residents of Dong-gung— in front of Elias, Kaze, Shuu and Yeon-Hwa. That this will probably look strange in their eyes because all they know we are Riz and Diana—and they are married.

"I thought you were married!" Yeon-hwa.

"Ssttt..just let them." Shuu.

"We have never been blessed by the Goddess of Heaven." My gaze did not shift from Anna. "You can refuse—“

"I'm willing" Anna said directly. Her tears were flowing, but I felt no pain. Because I know it's happy tears. Because he's happy now and I've never been happier than this before in my entire life.

...****************...

"What was that?" Asked Elle who was now standing at the door carrying a tray of purple liquid. One of his ingredients.

"Do you keep Elias' clothes here? I'm gonna borrow it."

Elle did not reply, but she swung her hand into the air and the clothes I was referring to were directly on the bed. "You haven't answered me yet. What was that? You why? Does that happen often?"

"It's nothing." I answered while walking towards the changing room to change clothes quickly. I don't want to keep it a secret. Elle might be able to help me because she's also a witch. But right now I don't have much time to tell Elle everything. Outside the sky was already very dark. I don't know how long I've been unconscious.

Xavier, where are you? That's Anna's voice. It seems like he has already arrived at the Queen's Palace. I asked him to wait for me there when I arrived. How long has he been waiting for me? From his tone of voice he sounded a little annoyed.

I have a little business, baby. I'll be home soon.

Over where? I've been trying to reach you since, but you didn't answer me. What the hell's going on? You're all right?

I'm in my mansion in Winterthur County, which is occupied by Elle.

You went to see Eleanor?

Please don't be jealous. We are only talking about his exile. We didn't do anything and I sat away from him. Don't be mad at me. Please...

Anna laughs. His laughter is like a pain reliever to me. Calm down. I trust you. But hurry home. I miss.

Without realizing it, I smiled. Elle was surprised to see me suddenly smiling to herself. Yes, Ratuku.

...****************...

It took me days to officially arrange my divorce with Elle because normally the royal family is not divorced. I also finally officially announced to all my people that I would be sentenced to death for the Winterthur family. Not everyone is happy about the announcement—including myself—although most people agree on my decision because the killing of the nobles of other countries can lead to war and result in more lives lost. I then gathered the nobles in the meeting room and announced that I would marry the Princess of Schiereiland as soon as possible. My decision, of course, sparked debate among the nobles. Partly protested because I just got divorced and if I remarry immediately, it will only make various rumors not good spread among the people of—and usually the women who are more harmed. Some welcomed their new Queen with enthusiasm and considered it a good step to establish diplomatic relations with Schiereiland as we did with Westeria. But most of them protested because they wanted me to marry their daughter, not the princess of another kingdom.

And before they started offering their daughter to be a concubine like their predecessors had done to my father, I hurriedly added. "I won't have a concubine. My decision is inviolable."

They were silent for a moment, looking annoyed and brainwashing to be able to enter their daughter into the Palace. Duke Richterswill first spoke up, "Of course His decision can change if there is no heir—“

"Ah, about that you don't have to worry, Duke Richterswill." Cut me. "It's none of your business."

I was going to tell them that I was going to be a father soon, that Anna was pregnant, but later I had to explain everything when they knew for two months I just locked myself in my room.

"Does Grand Duke Winterthur not mind your decision, Sire?" Ask Count Iseltwall.

Somehow she felt I had to get approval from Grand Duke Winterthur for my wedding. Perhaps because for generations before the Queen in this kingdom was the woman of the Winterthur family. Maybe because my closest relatives for now are only Wolfgang Winterthur and his little family. Perhaps it was also because they still considered Elle as their Queen.

Wolfgang Winterthur is no longer Grand Duke of Winterthur. All they know is that Wolfgang Winterthur is still in prison and preparing for the death penalty to be held next week. The truth is, Wolfgang Winterthur no longer has a noble title and is now in the northern border region for good because I have to be firm as King. If Elle was going to tell me what really happened, maybe I wouldn't have to punish them. Whichever it is, the point remains the same, Wolfgang Winterthur is no longer Grand Duke Winterthur. And his only son, Elias, who was supposed to inherit the title, received the same punishment. But I haven't seen Elias since I got to Nordhalbinsel. He is still in the Orient with Yeon-Hwa. He would be very surprised if he knew what happened to his family here. I'll tell him later if he's back from duty. Maybe it's good if he doesn't go back to Nordhalbinsel and settle down in the Orient with Yeon-Hwa.

"Should I mind?" Ask someone who has just entered this room, whose voice is so familiar to me that I don't have to turn to him to be sure. The person who had just entered was the new Grand Duke Winterthur. Winterthur's only remaining son for now.

"Who are you?" Ask Duke Richterswill.

All eyes are on him now. I also looked towards him. He was still holding Zuidlijk's sword in his hand. His clothes were covered with blood stains. Everyone looked horrified to see it. But he didn't seem bothered at all as if the enemy's bloodstains on his clothes were a victory medal for him. He had already successfully carried out his first stint as Grand Duke of Winterthur as one of my Generals.

Leon bowed respectfully to me—I don't think I'm used to his treatment. "Pardon my delay, Your Majesty. Your wedding gift I brought and I left it neatly in the palace courtyard. Ready to execute. Although I've actually executed some that are hard to manage." Said Leon.

Everyone in the meeting room seemed to be whispering as they saw the famous Lion from the South standing in this room.

"Isn't that General Leon of Schiereiland?"

"What are the Lions of the South doing here?"

"Why did he just enter this room? What did the guards do to let him in?"

"Wedding gift you said?" Versoix asked Leon.

Leon looked at the nobles one by one. Look at them with a look of disdain. Should have. His title as Grand Duke made him above all of them. "Leader of the Black Mamba, Orthion Richterswill—or if I should call it by its real name, Argus Riverra." He then turned to me back and added, "Together with all of its members. Without one left."

The nobles immediately walked towards the window and saw the scenery out there. I know what they saw there. Dozens, maybe dozens, of Black Mamba members who had been feared by the border guards. For years the bandit group became a frightening specter for the people, their leader cooperated with Selena also to kill me several times despite always failing—and they had almost killed Anna. Leon managed to catch it all in just a few days.

I didn't ask for it, I just told her about Selena working with the fake Orthion Richterswill who is the leader of the Black Mamba. I told him that Anna had Selena. So Leon didn't want to lose, he immediately asked me to give him an army of witches with decent sword skills. Leon trains them how to harness their magic power in swordplay in just a few days, then leads them to search for and capture the Black Mamba. General Leon became the first general in history to lead an army of sword-wielding magicians.

"Thank you very much, Grand Duke." I said, who was then greeted with uneasiness from the nobles when I heard me calling Leon the Grand Duke.

"Grand Duke?" Ask Duke Richterswill. He looked at Leon and I took turns. Leon seemed to be unconcerned. I can't wait to tell everyone.

"The inauguration will only be a few days away, but let me introduce you to everyone in the room first. He was Leon Winterthur, the first son of Irene Winterthur as well as the new Grand Duke of Winterthur and General who would guard the northern territories in place of Wolfgang and Elias Winterthur."

...****************...

"How's meeting? Surely they disagree, right?" Anna asked one day as we were walking in the crystal Tulip Park.

But this is not the garden in our palace. I really still can't believe I can call my home from childhood our Palace. This woman, who was beside me, whose hand was in my grasp, who was leaning her head against my shoulder as we walked very slowly through the snow and ice, was now my wife. How perfect my life is now. How lucky I am.

"How are you doing? Don't you feel nauseous or dizzy?" I asked, shifting the topic.

"I'm fine, Xavier. You asked him earlier. Looks like my guess is right, huh? They don't agree we're married."

"We're married."

Anna stopped her steps and now stood in front of me. "In Orient. Not here." Said.

I-i know. Although we were married in Orient, we were not considered married in Nordhalbinsel or Schiereiland. That is why we had to hold weddings and parties twice in two kingdoms with different customs. In Nordhalbinsel, I only needed to formalize the marriage despite the opposition of the nobles. I don't need to think about their disapproval because I'm a King here. But in Schiereiland, I had to ask King Schiereiland for permission to marry his brother according to the prevailing custom. And I don't think that's easy.

But if it was for Anna's sake, even if King Alexis asked for the entire Nordhalbinsel as his requirement, I guess I can give it to him.

"They'll take you soon, don't worry." I said, putting my hands on her cheeks to warm her up because she looked cold. I tried to radiate the heat of my flames around it. "They just don't know you yet. They don't know how amazing you are yet."

Anna smiled. Her cheeks were red, making my heart go crazy. She looked like a rose growing on the snow. I want to hold her and kiss her. No. gabe. I might have to take her back to the Palace and hide her beauty from other men. Not particularly. I want to show it to all my people that this beautiful woman, whose kindness and sincerity illuminated my soul, whose existence is the only reason I still survive today, she is my wife and their queen. I want to tell everyone that I'm very lucky to have him in my life. I want to tell everyone that they are lucky to have her as Queen.

"Oh, I'm not worried at all. Whether they agree or not, we will continue to formalize the marriage. You might as well meet me with those nobles. I'll make them all accept me." He said excitedly, leaving me stunned.

"Did I tell you how much I love you?"

Anna hugged me. And although I never usually feel cold from being born and growing up in this country, even though I am always warmed by my fire, her embrace has a different warmth that not only warms the body, but also warms the body, except my heart. And as I hugged her, I returned that warmth to her so that she and our child in her womb would feel warm.

"Today you've said it seventy-six times." Said.

I laugh. "Not enough has turned out."

So I kissed her. Because words never seem to be enough to describe my love for her.

...****************...