The Emperor's Concubine

B.2 Chapter Sixty-Six

Lance pours tea into my cup, plating a few snacks for me.
"Thank you." I speak up, sipping the warm tea.
"Of course, Lady Luna." Lance smiles largely.
I look back at him, confused.
"Is something the matter?" I ask.
"Nothing at all, Lady Luna." He grins.
"Lance... You keep saying my name."
"Oh, I apologize Lady Luna. I didn't realize I've been doing it."
"You did it again..." I giggle, shaking my head.
"Forgive me... It seems I rather missed you, Lady Luna." Lance smiles.
"I missed you too, Lance." I speak up, giggling as I mock him.
Lance lightly laughs, seeming tranquil almost.

A light quick knock, taps on the door of my bedroom.
"Come in." I call out, lightly chuckling as I recognize who it is.
Cabel walks in, seeming cautious.
"Give us a moment alone, will you?" Cabel asks Lance.
"Of course, your highness. Lady Luna, please call me if you need anything else." Lance smiles, bowing.
Lance leaves my room, leaving only Cabel and I.
I sip my tea, glancing at him as he stands a few feet away from me.
"Aren't you going to sit?" I ask.
"Luna..." He quietly speaks.
"What is it?"
"Are you upset with me?..." He looks at me with worried eyes.
I giggle.
"You silly man, no. I'm not upset. Cabel, I've told you I wasn't upset."
"But... We barely saw each other the past few days."
"Cabel, we have to fix the empire. I've been busy trying to help, I wasn't avoiding you."
"I know but... The pain I caused you..."
I sigh, standing as I approach him.
"Cabel, I'm not upset. I will be honest, I was in the beginning, but it was mostly because you kissed who I thought was my eleven year old sister... Once I found out you were under a spell, it's obvious I wouldn't blame you."
"I know, but I just can't seem to forgive myself."
I look up at his sorrowful gaze. Almost watching his head think through every detail.
I hold his hand.
"Cabel... It's okay. I'm alive." I smile lightly, trying to comfort him.
"I know you are... I just don't know what else to do... I watched you die in my arms, and it was my fault you did..."
"... Can I be honest?"
He nods, looking back at me with pained eyes.
"... I knew you would kill me." I smile.
His mouth gapes open slightly, taken aback.
"What?" He mutters.
"Please, don't be angry but... Petunia told me."
"Petunia?..." A look of realization quickly crosses his expression, "That time..."
"Yes... Petunia told me when she checked my death, she saw you killing me. I was hurt by it at first and scared, but when the time came, it felt right. Even if I did die, I wouldn't have regretted it, because I knew that's how I could save you..." I hold my hand out to his face, cupping his cheek.
I sigh, giving a comforting smile.
I watch as tears gently flow down his cheeks, his expression pained.
"You knew you would die, yet you still died to do what? To save me?" He mutters.
"Yes, of course. Wouldn't you have done the same for me?"
Cabel lets out an airy chuckle, shaking his head.
"I would have burned the empire down to save you." He gazes back at me sincerely.
I smile, shaking my head.
"As insane as that sounds... I would have done the same for you."
I stand on the tips of my toes, pushing myself up. My lips meet his as I kiss him softly.
I pull away smiling.
"Cabel, I love you... Don't leave me again."
"I never wanted to leave you in the beginning." Cabel's hands move to hold me closer, his lips raining kisses on my skin.
His kisses trail from my eyelids, cheeks, down my neck to my collarbone.
"Ah, Cabel." I whisper, flinching under his ticklish light kisses.
"Luna..." Cabel's deep breath calls out.
He pulls away, gazing down at me with the kind loving eyes he always looked at me with.
My heart tightens as I feel a serene sensation wash over the moment, butterflies lightly fluttering in my stomach as I grow emotional, looking back at his loving eyes after so long.
I close my eyes, drawn into him as our lips meet.
He pulls away, kissing my cheek.
"Can I steal your time?" He asks.
I nod, smiling.
"Of course. What did you have in mind?"
He grins, kissing my lips lightly again.
"A picnic." He smiles, brushing my hair behind my ear.
I can't help but feel surprised as he suggests a picnic.

After changing into a picnic appropriate attire, we walk for a while to a hill past the palace garden.
He holds my hand, helping me walk up the hill.
As we reach the top, my eyes widen.
On top of the hill, under a large tree; a soft blanket is laid out. A wicker basket, and a small stand that holds two champagne glasses are on the blanket.
"Cabel..." I whisper, touched by the romantic scene.
"Sit." He smiles, helping me down onto the soft blanket.
I fix the skirt of my dress, getting comfortable.
Cabel turns to the basket, taking out a plate of sandwiches, desserts, fruits, and vegetables.
He lays them out in front of me.
"I can help." I speak up, moving to help him unpack.
"No, stay seated." Cabel stops me, giving me a gentle gaze.
I nod, my cheeks growing warm as I grow flustered by his kind expression.
He takes a bottle of champagne out of an ice bucket, pouring me a glass. He pours himself a glass, handing me my drink.
"Thank you." I smile, holding my glass out to him.
He smiles, clinking our glasses together before we take a sip.
I take a deep breath, overflowing with happiness as I look at the clear blue sky.
"Luna." Cabel calls out, "Come, stand."
He stands, holding his hand out to me.
I place my hand on his as he gently helps me stand up.
He spins me around, wrapping his arms around my waist from behind.
"Cabel?" I call out.
"Luna... Look over there." His deep smooth voice gently tickles my ear.
He gestures for me to look at the far away scene.
Past the palace, the distant view of the empire with the setting sun, glistening over the buildings in the empire.
I stare astonished.
"I wish I could take you to the heavens and show you the stars, but I thought you'd like this." He speaks, hugging me tighter.
"Cabel... This is beautiful... I hope we can come back here more." I turn my head around, smiling.
I look back at the view. His arms loosen around my waist as he gazes out with me.
"We can come back whenever you'd like... I... I can't promise you'll live a safe life, it seems as though only pain happens from being with me... But I can't let you go..." His voice drifts farther from me.
I turn around, confused.
My mouth gapes open as I look back with wide eyes.

Cabel kneels down on one knee, in his hand is an open black box with red velvet lining.
Inside is a diamond ring, glistening as the sunlight reflects through it. A large diamond surrounded with rubies, the same shade of Cabel's enchanting eyes.
"Cabel?..." I whisper.
"Luna... I need you. I can't heal the wounds created from being with me, but I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to you. I never thought about love, it always seemed to be filled with greed... In a way I still think love is filled with greed, but the greed I feel for you is different. It's greedy and selfish and yet... I find myself wanting to be the only one you look at with your beautiful eyes, I want to be the only one by your side, and I want to be the only one you smile with. My life was dull, it felt like a constant numbness in a world coloured grey... Yet after meeting you, my world became unimaginably bright... So, I never want to live in that colourless world, where you didn't exist... Luna Avri, I will devote my life to loving you in sickness and health, in life and even death, and I will do everything I can to bring happiness to you. Will you let me love you for eternity by marrying me?"
My eyes overflow with tears as his sweet words come out.
I nod, unable to speak as I hold back my sobs.
He takes my hand gently, placing the ring on the fourth finger of my left hand.
He stands, pulling me into him.
"C-Cabel, I-I love you. I don't want to live a life without you too, I-I want to be happy with you and love you forever." I sob, stuttering as I do my best to calm down.
I cover my eyes with my hands, hiding my crying expression as I try to take deep breaths.
"Luna, look at me." He calls out.
I look up at him, his hand quickly wrapping around my waist, his other hand cupping my cheek.
He pulls me closer to him, his lips meeting mine.
I close my eyes, my cheeks wet with tears as we kiss. I hold onto his jacket and arm as we kiss, the butterflies in my stomach growing stronger.
He pulls away, gazing down at me with sweet eyes.
"Luna, I love you." He whispers, wiping my tears away with his thumb.
"I-I love you too." I smile, leaning into his hand.
His lips meet mine again for a gentle sweet kiss.