Everyone was busy when morning came and Celestine take that opportunity to leave the palace because the Crown Prince was also busy that morning, she didn’t notice that Celestine was out that morning. Celestine immediately goes to the bone forest and after minutes of walking she then finally saw the Ivory tower.
“Izora! Raven!” she keeps on calling those two but no one answered, Celestine then quickly goes inside. She raised her eyebrows when she saw the empty tower. “Don’t play with me and come out!”
“Why are you shouting? I’m taking a peaceful nap here.” her eyes widened when he saw the Sorcerer that help Alesana back then. The only thing that keeps on popping on her head was to run. “Oh, to think that we have a visitor here.” Leix smiled and stared at the woman who altered her appearance.
“Who are you?”
“Playing dumb?”
“Lenore Izora!” she shouted and after that a blinding light appeared and when Celestine opened her eyes, she saw Izora and Raven smirking at her.
“What was that? that was fucking boring.” Raven then throw a knife near her foot, she flinched and glared at him.
“Why is he there?” she then point outside.
“Well, that annoying lad was keeping an eye on me. I was amaze he didn’t kill you.”
“II altered my appearance, but I hope he didn’t recognize me.”
“But why the hell I ended up there? I’m not here to play games.”
“He was suspecting me, then he put too much spell in this damn forest.”
“So where is my book?”
“Ahh, the book to meet again? I kinda like the story, did you write that?”
“Of course not!”
“You’ve got an interesting book, Celestine.”
“Now I know why are you so fixated on killing her. Crazy bitch.”
“Ugh, just give back my book.”
“Hey, I’m curious why did the story suddenly changed. Do you want to know?” Celestine shakes his head.
Lenore Izora she is the enchantress that lived in the Ivory tower that is located in the bone forest. She’s been trapped in the bone forest for how many decades. She was in the verge of dying when Celestine saw her. Celestine together with Raven made a contract they made a contract with the Enchantress of Ivory tower.
“Everything will be back once Alesana died.”
“I told you not to touch her.” Raven glared at her and Izora was grinning as they watch them fight.
“But what about my happy ending?”
“Greedy bitch.”
“Obsessive maniac.”
“Second choice.”
“Hah she doesn’t remember you, Raven. Ugh just give back my book.”
“Here.” Celestine catches the book and hug it.
“Please stop touching my things, I will go now.”
“I’m sure you blood will boil when you heard this one. Alesana will be at the palace today.”
“What did you say?” she turn his body; Celestine was quiet shock and angry on what Raven said. She thought that Alesana won’t be able to go back so she didn’t tried to find her. But now after she heard that all she wanted to do is to kill her when she saw Alesana.
“She was going to attend the wedding.”
“How come?”
“You’re not really using your brain. Such a shame that in the near future the one who will rule the Erden is a dumb-”
“You said it again I’m what?”
“Dumb, foolish, dolt!”
Celestine’s face turned red when Raven insulted her, she was about to hit Raven but the tip of Raven’s sword was just an inch in her neck. She gritted her teeth and glared at him.
“Fucking useless, that’s why your jealous of her.” He said it with finality in his voice.
“Raven please put down your sword and Celestine calm down. We are not here to fight.”
“But your enjoying this.” Raven retorted and Izora laughed. “And she was mad at me because she know that what I said is purely a fact.”
“How come she was able to attend? It’s because the person who was with Alesana was the emperor of Orion.”
“No… How?” her voice was shaking; she stared at the book and bit her nails. “But it is not supposed to happen, the Emperor of Orion coming here, Alesana was supposed to die, and I will have my happy ending. So why?”
“That’s why I’m asking you, do you want to know why the story change?”
“And what is it that you want?” she clasp her hands and smiled.
“Let me borrow your body for a second until I finally get out of this forest.”
“No, thank you.” She rolled her eyes and walked out.
“Damn she already leaved, why you didn’t tell her sooner that the spell you put to Alesana was about to end.” Izora laugh and sat on a chair.
“Well, she was getting in my nerves, acting rudely to me when I am the one who help her.”
“What do you expect she was so obsess with her ‘happy ending’, but in the end, she will crawl her asking for your help.”
“Like what I said before, I was curious of the sudden change… but I’ll found it out sooner or later. Now that she was back. I was excited on what is the ending of this.”
+++
“Your Majesty, are we still not going?” I ask the emperor and he nod.
“Later.”
He was saying it’s still early to depart but I doubt that. Travelling will take a week but if we used the teleportation gate it will only take two days but that time the wedding is already done.
“Ah yes.” I sat down again. The dress I'm wearing is not comfortably. Now I’m scared for the dress that I’m going to wear to the wedding. It's too beautiful and elegant!
When his Majesty is already done reading the report of Marquis, he ordered that we will leave now. The emperor is on the other carriage with Sir William and I'm alone here in this big carriage.
After we teleport, I suddenly feel dizzy that is why we do stop for an hour. I even insist that I will just rest while we travel but the emperor said no.
I fall asleep and when I woke up, we already passed the borders, we are now on Erden. When the carriage stops, I opened the door.
“Your Majesty is there something wrong?”
“We are going to have a break, are you okay now?”
“Ah yes.”
“Go back inside it's hot here and go eat this.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.” I just watch the emperor while eating, he was seriously talking with Sir William.
“Are you done eating?” the emperor asked and I nod. “Then we will go now.”
“Yes.” the carriages are started to move again and hours pass I can now see some houses. They made a way and the people there are watching us, we are still far from the capital.
I closed my eyes and wait until we already arrived at the palace, Emperor Altemere offers his hand and help me to go down.
“Emperor Altemere!”
“It's nice to see you again, Your Majesty Emperor Galahan.” They shake each other hands and the smiling Emperor of Erden look at me.
“I'm happy you came.”
“I'm sorry if we arrive late, I just finished a sudden work.”
“It's okay, I know how busy you are but you still came here. May I ask who is this, Lady?” I slightly bow my head.
“She is Shanara Aytan.”
“Greetings to His Majesty, it's a pleasure to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you, Lady Shanara. Lydia escort the Emperor and Lady Shanara to their rooms. I will see you again later, Emperor Altemere.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Your Majesty, My lady this way please.” When we arrive to the room they ready for us, the two maids that His Majesty help me to dress. I was relieve when the dress was comfortable the soft fabric that was hugging my body, I'm wearing a black dress that was adorned with jewelries on the lower part. They braid my hair and put a gold pin, they also do my make-up and finally I’m done!
One of the maids opened the door and there I saw the emperor outside my room he was with Sir William.
The emperor is really handsome today wearing the official military uniform, complete with a decorated, breasted frock coat, a fur-lined cape, trousers, and boots. He’s blinding.
“You look very pretty in that dress.”
“Thank You.” I smiled and the attendant guide us to the great hall.
“The Emperor of Orion Empire has arrived!” everyone in the ballroom look to us and bowed, then we stopped in front of the Princess and the Duke.
“It's a pleasure to see you here Emperor Altemere.”
“Thank you for gracing us your presence, it is a great honor.” they both bowed and His Majesty nod.
“Congratulations.”
“Duke Hart, Princess Selene congratulations. This is the gift from His Majesty.” I said and they placed the gifts together with the other gifts.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“Please do enjoy the party.”
“We will. Thank you for having us. Shanara.” His Majesty offer his hand and I help. We sat and they immediately put delicious food in front of us.
“Shanara you must hungry again, here.”
“Your Majesty I'm already full.” I shake my head but he gave me a plate full of food.
“But your thin, you still need to eat more.”
“But-”
“Eat.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Your Majesty the Crown Prince wanted an audience with you.” Sir William said it and the emperor look at me.
“Ah yes, I will just talk to the Crown Prince.” I nod and he pointed the plate. “Eat, I hope when I get back you already finished that.”
“I will do my best.”
“Greetings to the Emperor of Orion Empire.” the prince bowed and I look at the emperor.
“Crown Prince Ares, raise your head.” Everyone do respects His Majesty Emperor Altemere.
“You've come a long way here, how are you Your Majesty?”
“I'm fine, how about you?”
“I’m doing well.” and now they are talking about politics.
“Sir William here.”
“Why are you suddenly giving me food?”
“Why not, the food here’s delicious so you must try it.”
“You want me to help you, no?”
“Shh.” He shake his head, I smiled when he also eat the dessert.
“This is good.” I nod.
“You’ll participate in the hunt this year, Your Majesty?”
“Yes, I do miss hunting. Heard that Erden won last year.” Then I saw the Crown Prince smiled as he nod.
“Yes, yes.”
“Hmm. I hope I am still good at hunting.”
“Your Majesty why don't you go and dance the Lady? She seems bored.” I both look at them with wide eyes.
“Me? Haha. I'm fine I'm not bored.” I wave my both hands and shake my head.
“My Lady have I seen you before?” the Crown Prince stared at me and I shake my head.
“This is the first time that I've been here at Erden.”
“You kinda look like someone I knew.”
“Shanara you sure you’re not bored?”
“Ah yes, Your Majesty.”
“If you need anything tell it to William.”
“Yes.” when the Crown Prince leave together with His Majesty I comfortably lean on the couch.
“You’re bored?”
“No, just sleepy.” Then I closed my eyes.
“Just a second.” She called a maid so we can go back to my room.
“Sir William is it really, okay?”
“Yes.”
“Rest comfortably, I’ll tell His Majesty that you already go back on your room.”
“Thank You.” when I turned around, I suddenly bumped into one of the guests.
“Oh my! I'm sorry!” we both said sorry.
“Miss Shanara you, okay?”
“Yes.”
“Miss I'm sorry.”
“I'm sorry too.” I bowed and fixed my dress.
“You’re from Orion Empire, right?” I look at them and nod.
“Yes, do you need anything from the Lady?” Sir William said and step forward. The noble man that I bumped step backward.
“Duke Falco is there something wrong?”
“Sir Calixto it's nothing.”
“Oh, from the Orion Empire, welcome to Erden.”
“Thank You.”
“I'm Calixto Morri and this is my wife Ellaine. And this is Duke Falco my wife's brother.”
“Greetings, I'm Shanara Aytan. It's a pleasure to meet you all. And this is Sir William.”
“The Lady needs to rest so can we excuse now?”
“Ah, yes. Again, I'm sorry.” I slightly bowed my head again and we head now to the room.
“Rest now, I'm going to the emperor.”
“Thank you, Sir William.” he nods and closed the doors.
“My Lady if you need anything just ring this bell.”
“Yes, thank you.” I lie on the soft bed and just a second, I'm now asleep. I sleep for hours when a maid wake me up so that I can now eat dinner. After eating I was about to leave when nobles from Erden came in. I just bow my head and passed when one of them stop me.
“Excuse me Lady Shanara.”
“Yes, My Lord?”
“We just want you to join us for a cup of tea?” I was about to said no when Sir William suddenly came. He greeted them and Sir William look at me.
“His Majesty was looking for you.”
“Ah yes. I’m sorry for I cannot join you.”
“No, it’s fine.”
“Then, we’ll take our leave now.”
-_-||
—IAmRoseee