Renouncing the Emperor's Heart

Fading Bliss

The first few years were blessed with marital bliss.

Shortly after the Prince's proposal, the two had gotten married in the Holy Temple, where Jovine and Richard declared their vows to one another and to the people of Theolos. It was a grand affair, exceeding in luxury and splendor, but all she would remember from that day was the vision of Richard waiting for her at the end of the altar.

She would never forget it—his monumental form clad in a dark velvet uniformed suit; the graceful sweep of his silky hair billowing in the breeze; and a single yellow rose tucked into his lapel. Although he wore a guarded expression, as soon as their eyes had met, a pleased glint sparked in the depths of his eyes. So, as she allowed the world to fade away, Jovine Rainer walked towards the man possessing her heart, and vowed to love him forever.

That night, Richard and Jovine had become one.

Their bodies and souls joined in a bond more intimate and deeper than any connection she had in her life. With hazy memories of twisted sheets, drenched bodies, and the breathless release of ecstasy, the consummation of her marriage with Richard was a treasured souvenir of their union.

Moving forward, the Prince's affection for his new bride grew with every sunrise. He would summon her to his chambers more often than not, and their intimacy blossomed into something carnal and seductive. They grew familiar with the bliss of pleasure, and it fed the new Princess's hope for more.

The more time passed, it became easier to forget the things he couldn't promise.

It was foolish.

His intentions were always clear. He promised to be a good husband, and in that regard, he upheld his duties. He was her partner, her supporter, her leader.

During official Imperial events, he stayed by her side, unabashedly showing the people his devotion to his new bride. He defended her when she found herself on the receiving end of several disguised barbs from the opposing Eastern Faction, who disapproved of having a Western Princess in power. He kept her company and offered a place of solace in his arms when the loneliness of bearing a crown crushed her with its severity. And he regarded her as an equal in his ambitions for the Empire.

Jovine was happier than she ever thought was possible in a marriage of arrangement rather than choice, but she wanted more.

She wanted to be loved.

Here she was, irrevocably in love with the man, but Richard could never say the same.

She could convince herself he loved her anyway when she woke in his arms, or when he'd spontaneously press his lips to her brow in greeting. She felt promise when he'd summon her at night, eagerly pulling her into his arms the moment she entered. Jovine held onto hope when he'd smile at her from a distance as he watched her take tea with the gracious Empress Helene, who guided her in her studies. But she could never be sure, and asking the Crown Prince of Theolos for more felt like greed.

Even so, she found herself optimistic when she witnessed the way the Emperor loved his Empress. If the current monarchs of the Empire were solidified in a loving marriage, perhaps Richard would be open to finding the same with her one day.

As long as I have Richard, life is good enough for me, she often thought, but as always, the good never lasts.

Shortly after the celebration of her second anniversary with Richard, news of tension in the Northern Borders called the Emperor and his son away from the Palace and to the frozen region of Mallory. The lands belonged to the young Amon vel Feyras, the Grand Duke of Theolos, and Jovine couldn't shake a strange sense of dread.