As the emperor stormed out of the empressā palace, he arrived unannounced at Dianeās quarters. Upon hearing the news, Diane hastily jumped out of bed and made her way to the emperor. To her, he looked like a beautiful but dangerously poisonous flower amidst the darkness of the night. Karl, stared blankly at the scene unfolding before him. As Diane approached, she carefully studied Karās expression, sensing that the emperor must have been very upset about something.
āYour Majestyā¦ Was he displeased by the Empress?ā Diane asked in a soft voice, to which the emperor remained silent and simply looked at her with an enigmatic expression. Sensing his discontentment, Diane wondered if it was because of the Empressās aide problem.
āHow could she hire an aide over His Majesty? I really donāt get it,ā she whispered, hoping to placate him. But the emperor remained silent, fixated on the nape of her neck.
Suddenly, he buried his face in her neck and took a deep breath, as if savoring her scent. Diane was startled but managed to call out to him in confusion. After a moment, the emperor raised his head, his brow furrowing slightly as he studied her face.
āWhy are you like that?ā she asked in a sudden burst of emotion.
āClose your eyes. I will kiss you,ā Karl commanded her.
Dianeās heart skipped a beat as she closed her eyes, her body trembling in anticipation. The emperorās kiss was like a promiseāa dangerous allure that she could not resist. But as she surrendered to his embrace, she couldnāt help but wonder what was really troubling him.
Years had passed since Diane had become Karlās lover. When he asked her to close her eyes and inhale the fragrance of her neck, she complied with a sense of bewilderment. As she shut her eyes, Karl observed the delicate curve of her eyelashes and wondered why he had made the request in the first place. He struggled to articulate what he was trying to convey or gain through the comparison. Meanwhile, Dianeās eyes remained shut as she anticipated Karlās kiss, but he remained silent.
Suddenly, Karl spoke in a soft and measured voice, āLike a feather on a quill, like a flower in a vase. Live like that.ā The words were cryptic and disjointed, leaving Diane to blink a few times in confusion. After a momentās pause, she flashed a warm smile and replied, āIt must be a comfortable life, that is.ā
Dianeās eyes sparkled with love and contentment as she squeezed Karlās hands and asked, āWhen I become a feather in a quill, will you use it, Your Majesty? Will you put the vase next to you when it becomes a flower in a vase?ā She tilted her head coyly, reveling in the sensation of being adored like a treasured gift.
Karlās heart fluttered in response to Dianeās affectionate words. He felt a sudden urge to seize the nape of her neck and draw her close, like a magnificent and wild creature taming its prey. As Diane looked up at him with playful eyes, he reached out and encircled her slender neck with his hand. Holding her like a leash, he savored the weight of her delicate frame against his chest.
He pressed his thumb against her lips, feeling the softness of her mouth give way to his touch. As he squeezed her lips, he imagined them as fragile flower petals, crushed and molded to his will. Diane parted her lips and lightly nibbled on his thumb, savoring the heady sensation of being under Karlās spell.
āThe eyes will be blurred, turning red and cloudy,ā the emperor warned. But the subsequent actions of the monarch were a far cry from what Diane had anticipated. Without warning, the emperor abruptly withdrew his hand, leaving Dianeās eyes to widen in surprise.
His fingertips were slick with moisture, much like her own luscious, glistening lips. āYour majesty?ā she inquired, her voice soft and tinged with regret and doubt.
The emperor, however, ignored her thin voice and turned away from her, his demeanor cold and aloof. He stormed out of the room without a word, leaving behind no trace of lingering emotion, as if he had been summoned by something urgent. At the sight of his swift departure, Dianās heart began to flutter ominously.
āIām not someone who can be denied. What is this now?!ā Dianeās eyes shook violently as she tried to make sense of the perplexing encounter with her beloved emperor.
****
In less than an hour after storming out of the empressā palace with an angry expression, the emperor returned, his face contorted with a dangerous intensity, resembling a dark fire. Mrs. Giggs, who had rushed out with a surprised look, was caught off guard when the emperor stopped in front of her.
āIs the empress available for a joint audience today?ā the emperor asked, his question directly and to the point.
Mrs. Giggs was taken aback and unable to respond. The emperor scrutinized her face for a moment before muttering, āSeeing as you cannot answer, it appears that it is indeed possible.ā
With that, the emperor left the bewildered Mrs. Giggs behind and strode into the empressā bedroom with a sense of purpose.