The Emperor's Concubine

Chapter Fifty-Nine

I return to my bedroom, fuming with anger.
"Is that all I am to him? Useful?" I run my hands through my hair, scoffing, "I care for him, but he can't even be civil if I disagree with him."
I pace the room thinking back at our conversation.
Overwhelmed by my thoughts, I grab my cloak, quickly leaving the room.

The hood of my cloak covers my hair and eyes as I roam around the bright, sunny garden.
I look up to the sun shining brightly.
"What do I do? Is this really all life is going to be?" I whisper.

"Please let go!"
I hear a girls voice shout in disarray.
I peek around the corner of the maze to see a young girl, appearing around Magnolia's age.
She wears a white cloak, covering her face, with two guards cornering her. My eyes widen with anger at the sight.
"C'mon miss, why not play with us?" The guard gripping her wrist, flirtatiously says.
"We don't need to return just yet, play with us." The other guard grabs her jaw, attempting to peer at her face.
The hood shifts slightly, revealing her cute face. Her eyes are a vivid emerald green, with her light brown hair peeking out from the hood she wears.
I notice her clothing as her cloak moves, revealing the skirt of her gown as she attempts to get away from the guards.
"Oh my what pretty eyes, I'd like to see them closer." The guard provocatively comments, grabbing her more.
"S-Stop!-" The girl exclaims, attempting to push him away.

"What are you two doing?" I call out.
The guards turn around to look at me and sneer.
"Oh? What's this we have another thing to play with?" The guard releases her face, stepping closer to me.
He wraps his arm around my waist.
I scowl, disgusted by his touch. My hand trembles slightly from fear, until catching a look back at the small girl again.
The memories of Avris guards grabbing me however they pleased, fills my mind. Instead of fear, the memories begin to fuel my anger more.
"I suggest you unhand me." I speak, unamused.
"You just need to be quiet, I'm sure you'd do well to play with me." The guard grins.
A scent of alcohol from his breath, hits the tip of my nose.
A strong aura hits me instantly.
I turn my face slightly as I hear a humming from the aura coming from above me.
I grin as I recognize it.
"What are you looking at? I'm right here, you should pay attention to me." The knight speaks, pulling me closer.
I turn back to him and sigh again, calmly removing my hood.
"Oh dear, what a shame I have to do this." I shrug, smiling brightly.
The guard looks down at me, his eyes widen as he stares at my face.
"L-Lady Luna, forgive me." The guard steps back, quickly releasing me.
"Now, what are you drunkards doing to that girl?" I smile kindly.
"It's nothing to concern yourself with, we're only doing an inspection. Please continue with your walk." The guard holding the girls wrist speaks, hiding her hand behind his back.
I glance at the girl who stares at the ground, her eyes watering as she struggles to remove his grip.
"Who are you to order me on what to do?" I harshly speak.
The guard flinches.
"I-It's really nothing to concern yourself, Lady Luna." He smiles, hiding the lady behind him.
"I see. What are your names?" I step closer.
"Pardon?" The guard closer to me replies.
"Your names. I should know who I'm addressing, should I not?" I smile innocently.
"I'm Farron, and this is Julian, Lady Luna." The guard bows, pointing to the guard gripping the girl's wrist.
I nod and grin.
"Unhand that girl, I'd like to see her closer." I step forward, holding my hand out.
They look at each other and Julian releases her wrist, pushing her towards me.
I hold my hand out for her to grab. She slowly places her hand on mine.
Instantly, I pull her close to me, looking down at her eyes. Crystal green as if forged from emeralds.
I smile, moving her cloak over to look at her clothes, noticing the intricate details on her dress and the quality of the fabric.
"Gentlemen, I'm afraid you'll have to be punished." I grin.
"You're only a concubine, you can't speak to us in such a brazen way, when we are knights of his highness." Farron spits out, "If you wouldn't mind moving on, I suggest you return her to us so we can finish our jobs."
"That is not the job gentlemen." I stare at them, a light grin on my lips.
"My lady, this is an inspection-" Julian speaks, I cut him off coldly.
"I am not your lady." I coldly emphasize, glaring back at them.
They both flinch, averting their eyes briefly.
"Y-You can't punish us for doing our job. You're just a princess from a fallen kingdom, you can't do anything to us, so I suggest you give her back." Julian laughs mockingly.
I push the girl behind me, stepping closer to the guards.
I snicker, staring at them.
"Give her back? She's not a belonging, she is a lady. I may just be a princess from a fallen kingdom, but I'm also wise enough to recognize the marquess's daughter."
The guards freeze, staring at the girl and I, confused.
"The marquess?" Julian calls out.
"Yes. For royal guards, you seem to forget that any visitor allowed in the palace, will most likely be a noble. I'm sure the alcohol in your system may have made you forget that obvious fact." I giggle, mockingly grinning, "Gentlemen, the lady you've been fondling has deep emerald green eyes, the signature of the marquess's bloodline. This is Lady Dulcie, the daughter of Marquess Simone."
I pull the girl's hood off, her eyes brightly shining in the direct sunlight, her soft hair swaying in the breeze.
The girl looks up at me, her eyes widen.
"Lady Dulcie?..." The guards stare frozen.
"I know my place. A concubine does not have authority to punish the emperor's knights, but the marquess does not apply to that law when it's an insult to his blood." I turn back to the knights, grinning, "Firstly, your job as knights is to protect his highness, and any guest on the premises, yet you failed to do that the moment you laid your hands on a guest. Secondly, you harassed and groped the marquess's daughter without regard for her commands to release her. Thirdly, you then carelessly touched and insulted his highness's only favourite concubine. Lastly, regardless of these titles, you should never place your hand on a lady without her consent, you bring shame on the empire who you're meant to protect, and shame on all other men for your disgusting actions. I suggest you both leave, before this fallen princess ensures those who have offended a noble, experience the punishment for offending a noble who ranks above a simple guard." I glare at them, grinning sweetly.
Their faces turn pale as they realize their mistake and punishment they can face; continuous days of torture before a public execution.
They turn sprinting, leaving behind a dust cloud from where they stood without speaking a single word.

I sigh and turn to the lady.
I smile kindly.
"Hello, I'm Luna. Are you alright, Lady Dulcie?" I curtsy.
"Lady Luna... Thank you for helping me... I was so afraid." She stares at the ground while speaking.
I stare at her, raising an eyebrow as I watch her expression.
I snicker, lifting her chin with my hand. She looks back at me, astonished.
"Forgive me for touching you without permission, but a child of the marquess should never hold her head down." I smile kindly.
"F-Forgive me... I'm rather shy I suppose."
"Being shy is alright, but you seem to not understand your status."
Her eyes shine as she looks up at me.
"Lady Dulcie, you are the marquess's daughter, you will use your status when you know you should. You should not accept such treatment as those guards have given you."
"To be honest I've never met a man besides my family, his highness, and Duke Oslo..."
"Never?"
"Yes... I've read stories of what men are like when I was younger... I snuck into father's office and read investigations of terrible men. I grew afraid of what a cruel world this is to be a woman, and refused to meet anyone else."
"Yes, I guess it can be frightening at times... I suppose there's no helping that it is treated to be a 'mans' world. You seem precarious in front of me though, is it because I look like a man?" I giggle.
"No!" Lady Dulcie exclaims, "Not at all! You look as beautiful as a Goddess! It's just... Once I grew afraid of men, I hid in our estate, unable to meet anyone. I've grown afraid of strangers in general I suppose."
I giggle as her cheeks flush, embarrassed.
"How lovely." I snicker.
"Lovely?"
"Yes, you are a very lovely lady. You should learn to be confident. No matter how scary other's appear, or how scary this world may seem, no one would dare slip their tongues when in front of the lovely marquess's daughter. You will hold yourself on a higher ground, and should realize that you are a noble ranking above others. You are apart of the third most prestigious noble family in the empire, no one can hurt you if they value their lives." I smile.
"Thank you, Lady Luna... I apologize for getting you involved."
"Nonsense, I couldn't leave a young lady on her own, now could I?"
She nods, averting her eyes.
I smile, feeling relieved I was able to protect her.
"Would you care to walk together?"
"Yes, I would love that!" She exclaims, nodding happily as she quickly looks up at me.
"Let us be on our way then."
I gesture for her to walk first, she walks beside me as we admire the flowers.