Chapter 53: A Promise
The emperor's knight reappeared in his Chambers and changed into T-shirts and pants before making his way to the imperial garden where a couple of younger knights awaited him,some of which had sent a telepathic message to him after the briefing pleading to meet with him before they met with their superiors.
These were young Squires who were unqualified to attend a battle briefing and who after returning from the hunt alive would turn Knights as Tyran had ordered.
Within him Gerald had been against the idea because of their inexperience but it was a Royal command,something against which his opinion or suggestions would be irrelevant.
Usually there would be a gladiator contest at the imperial battle grounds but these ones were quite unfortunate going up against beasts they never faced nor saw before in their lives.
He was beyond relieved he wouldn't get to fight along side them or babysit them as Tyran had tasked a group of Chief knights and generals with training them at a real life battle field,he couldn't bear to see their any of their blood shed by those beasts.
As he approached them,he watched their innocent inexperienced young faces,on some he could read fear from their eyes,these ones probably didn't want to go but they had no choice than to surmount the challenge set before them and the only barrier between them to becoming a Real knight.
Gerald sat on the only empty seat available and began repeating what had been said earlier at the Knights briefing.
He attended to their questions and gave out a couple of battle strategies and advices which he knew they would find useful tomorrow.
His mind was partly present and partly absent as his thoughts occasionally drifted back to his meeting with Athena,and the letter still tucked under his armour,her final words rephrasing in his head.
Apparently she didn't want him dead but were they really after his life?,these 'them'.
What frightened him the most was what their identities could be.They could even be close companions of his or the emperor's.
The thought of his own death and what he knew dying with him sent shivers down his spine.He had to let Tyran know about this before their enemies next move.
Gerald tried forming a telepathic link with the emperor but Tyran had blocked his.
Suddenly,he heard Ju's voice in his head which succeed in cutting him off from his ravaging thoughts.
"I've got real good news"his enthusiastic voice boomed.
"Let's hear it then"
"I just saw Carolene_"
"Really!"Gerald stood up abruptly, trying to hide the enthusiasm in his voice.
"Hmmmm ..She is in the empress's garden right now....it appears the emperor had let her out... which means,the emperor must be with his son right now"
"And what were you doing in the garden?"
"Nuu... nothing master....I saw her around the empress quarters and followed her".
"Thanks Ju.... you've finally proven your Worth to me at last"Gerald voiced out in his head with a teasing smile on his face.
"How would you say such an awful thing master,I have always been useful to you,I run errands for you I_"
"Relax ju,it's just a jester, will talk later".
Gerald cut off the telepathic link and excused himself from the squires presence asking them to wait for him only if they can.
He hadn't seen Carolene in a while and the excitement he felt to see her was one he couldn't hide.
Gerald appeared ran and walked half way to the empress quarters,which was situated not too far away from the imperial garden.
That he didn't notice the demon on his trail from afar she had seen him running with an excited grin on his face and her curiosity had pushed her to follow him.
Smart enough to keep a reasonable distance from him so he wouldn't smell her,she was lucky the wind aided in mingling her faint distant scent with the scent of the evening air.
When he reached the gates he responded to the pleasantries of the knights on duty at the gate and then stepped in.
He spotted Carolene somewhere past the fountain in the middle of the garden, walking towards the other end aimlessly,an end which he never saw.
A strong wind arouse immediately as if out of excitement of its own had been triggered by the joy flowing through Gerald's heart,tossing Carolene's short brown hair along with the green knee length gown she wore to the rhythm of its euphonic melody.
Unknown to him the demon who followed him had stepped in and hid behind the orchid trees at the entrance,watching as he hastened his pace towards her that he almost tripped once.
"Carolene!"he called out as memories of the day they last met filled his head,the day she held him so close to her that his heart never stopped racing and the day she had touched him there.
The thought made him grin widely and for some reason he wanted her to do it again only this time he wanted her to do it for a much longer time when he had stripped.
Carolene stopped and when she turned to see him,a smile spread across her gloomy face.
She walked towards him and he towards her.
Gerald stopped by the fountain as she drew even closer.
He could notice how excited she was to see him and was glad it was mutal.
When Carolene met him at the fountain but they both stood looking at each other both hesitant to do or say what was on each other's mind.
Gerald however made the first move,he drew even closer and pulled her into a hug.
At first a startled Carolene stood numb hands down,unsure of what to do but after a while when he didn't pull free she let herself get used to the warmth of his body allowing her arms to wrap tightly around him.
"I missed you"Gerald whispered into her ears.
"I....did as well"Carolene replied,still trying to believe what she had just heard.
She had suspected he was attracted to her as well but not to dept as to miss her.
He released her from the hug and held her hands, looking deep into her eyes.
She wanted to look away but couldn't, somehow those eyes kept her glued to his face.
They made her stomach turn soft and her whole body tingle.
Gerald gazed at her for what seemed like forever, slowly caressing her hands,his whole body hesitating yet his mind urging him to attempt it's next movement.
He reached out his other hand and rubbed on her face gently and before Carolene could blink again their lips had met.
He kissed her tenderly with a hand against the back of her head and the other on her waist.
Carolene held her breath, unsure if she was dreaming or not.
If it was a dream she wished never to wake up.
She prayed to remain in the moment,prayed his lips would never leave hers.
The hand on her hair travelled all the way down to her buttocks, meeting the other as he squeezed gently on it, slowly caressing it in a circular motion while he kissed her.
It wasn't enormous but it was sufficient for him,everything about her was.
Carolene let herself get immersed in the moment, gently tightening her grip on his shirt.
For a while, Gerald's lips didn't leave hers rather he kissed her even faster and slowly the feeling of her entire being began getting him carried away.
He squeezed on her breast gently and used his other hand to lift her gown,his hand moving all the way up till it touched her underwear.
Carolene caught his hand and gently pulled her lips away finally managing to avert her gaze to stare at her feet,she had brought him back.
Gerald quickly removed his hand and took a step back,cursing himself.
He looked away as well, bitting his lip with an embarrassing expression on his face as his hand ran through his hair.
He had actually thought they were both immersed in the moment and hand been engulfed by each other's desires but he was wrong.
He couldn't even look her in the eyes any longer,he felt so disappointed he wanted to hit himself.
"I am...am sorry_"
"No no need for an apology my Lord I am as well attracted to you and my heart longs and desires you in like manner ....it's just....you have forgotten....we...we ar...eee in the empress's garden,this is not a befitting place"Carolene cut in before letting out a soft chuckle.
"Oh!"Gerald felt relieved.
The demon hiding behind the orchid had her back against the tree with her hands tightened in a fist,her lips thin,trying her best to hold back a sob.
She had both seen and heard it all and it broke her.
The moment Gerald's lips touched her's,the way his hands ravaged her body,the sweet words he whispered to her,only seemed to shred her heart even more that she had abruptly turned her back against the tree to keep her from letting out the sorrow she felt in a loud scream.
"If his imperial majesty were to find us here we would probably be having our next romance in the dungeon by now.
"You are right my lady,I must apologize i got carried away for a moment there".
Carolene laughed and he took her hand again.
"The Emperor kept you locked up and left me longing for you...I could think straight no longer"
"I begged his majesty to let me into this garden to see you I longed for you more....my lord...I didn't know you longed for me....since when?"
"As long as I can remember....at first I didn't understand what I felt but now I do".
She drew closer and touched his hair tenderly while looking deeply into his eyes.
"Are you certain of this?"
"Of what?"Gerald asked and she looked away.
"You are the emperor's knight,a man of high social status with one of the most important positions in Delvin and I'm.... I'm just a servant".
Gerald eyed her closely.
This was exactly what Ju had said earlier,he wondered how many people would think the same way if they came out publicly.
It was at times like this he was most thankful he wasn't a royal.
He put his hand under her chin and pulled her face closer to his.
"Don't look down on yourself my Lady...I am not a royal and there is no rule or restriction that would stand against our union....After our union you will also have a high social status as the wife of the emperor's knight".
"Union?"
"Yes my lady...I already feel you are the one"
Carolene flushed at his words.It rephrased In her head and she felt her heart soar.
He gave her a quick peek on the lips and rubbed his hands on her shoulder.
The demon finally summoning enough courage had turned to watch but had seen the peek.
Her brows furrowed deeply as her face flared in anger,one she could hold back any longer,she could watch no longer as she didn't want herself doing something she would regret.
She quickly stormed towards the gates of the garden.
She reached for the gates but stopped when she heard Gerald say;
"You were locked up for weeks in the empress chambers taking care of the imperial prince isn't it....tell me about it".
The demon turned and walked back to the shadow of the orchid where she had hid before.
"My lord you know very well I can't"
Gerald shook his head.
"I know more than you think I do my lady...I know all what is going on...that the imperial prince is no Demon, about the doomsday prophecy upon Delvin...Fiona's Curse....do I go on?"
The demon's jaw dropped on hearing this and she strained to hear even more, blaming the strong wind which interfered with her hearing but she could still make out the words.
"The Empress was cursed?"Fiona asked wide eyed.
Gerald laughed and have her a triumphant stare
"Turns out I even know a lot more than you do".
He noticed she avoided his gaze,she was still reluctant to speak.
What exactly had the emperor told her to keep her from talking,how had he threatened her?
He knew all these but the more truth he discovered,the more his curiosity grew.
If she didn't want to speak now he had no intention of pushing her.
But he would get to hear what he wanted from her and was certain she would let it out,he would make her tell him".
"My lady if you don't wish to speak about it now it can wait till after the hunt...I do have a lot to tell you as well and I will tell you the little I can and the most important right now".
Gerald leaned closer and whispered into her ears,sentences which left her hands trembling,as he held them he felt it and his grip against them tightened.
"Oh my lord!all there...oh!"Carolene exclaimed as she let loose a hand from his grip which she used to cover her lips with widened eyes, trying to take in what she had just heard.
"I promise I'll return to you then I will belong to you forever".
"My lord....you sound unsure..."she said in a worry coated tone with frightened eyes as she stared into his eyes.
Gerald sensed her fright and wondered if he should tell her about the letter and warning he had received but he discarded the thought, seeing it would be too much for her to bear together with what he had just told her.
Suddenly,they both heard a distant sound as the gates slammed shut.
Someone had been there all along and listening to their conversation and they did not smell any presence.
But Gerald had caught sight of the tip of the reddish brown long hair which tossed behind her immediately she walked out of sight.
"Who was that?"
"Oh I know exactly who...stay here I'll be back".
Weekly Power Status
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