Bab 81: 'Do you want to be an empress?'
Amelia took a deep breath. It's not wise to yell her arguments, but she said every word of her statement with conviction and confidence that she didn't knew she had in her.
"I am well aware that the peace we enjoy now was stained by the blood of our enemies, as well as our own. But might I remind you, Lucius Robina," Amelia didn't mean to disrespect be calling him without his proper title, but he did it first. She's not going to tolerate such behavior towards her anymore. "...that while your ancestors were lucky enough to be given Bruiles to them as a wedding present, my ancestors fought and died on that battlefield almost two millennia ago. That my ancestors, despite having the same opportunity to sit on that throne, chose the quiet land of Osmea to—" Amelia paused. Her heart throbbed so fast she can hear it breaking her eardrums. Despite the cold, she was feeling hot all over. She wanted to stand, she wanted to stomp her feet. She wanted to throw a fit, drill her words into Lucius's skull that he wouldn't dare cross her path again.
"The way I see it," the duchess started again through gritted teeth, "House Florence placed the Rosenburgs on the throne. My ancestors made them—made your ancestors—emperor. You could've been bowing down to me if only my ancestors were greedier." And so, she said it. Raw, unfiltered, thoughts that's been brooding in her mind for a while.
There's no going back from this.
She felt taller, bigger... stronger. She leaned back on the cushioned high-backed chair and looked down at Duke Robina's clenched fist. At the corner of her eye, she noticed Vernon looking at her. She wanted to face him, gauge his expression, but he's been so quiet, and no good things came when the Sapphire Lion is quiet.
The emperor... Amelia faced him and asked herself what's going through his mind. He was staring at her, no hint of getting mad for claiming that her family put his family on the throne. Augustine clasped his hands together, covering his mouth, then in a heartbeat, a chill went down Amelia's spine, alerting the hairs on her nape and arms. The duchess noted the side of his mouth turned up and his piercing through her.
What's this? Why does he seem happier by her claim? Amelia concealed her confusion.
"You haven't answered my question, Duchess Amelia. Is that the reason why Duke Clement has been seen in and out of your palace? Or are the rumors true?"
The room was silent again for a while as everyone waited for Amelia's answer; the tension rising faster this time. And then she said it. Plain and simple.
"Yes… to both."
Except for Alexander who discreetly cleared his throat and straightened in his seat, the others didn't dare to move and could only hold their breaths. Even Duke Robina was too shocked to rebut. But all of a sudden, the emperor let out a hearty laugh that dismissed the tension.
"I like honest women." He declared, wiping the side of his eye. "But I cannot allow that, unfortunately." Augustine inhaled sharply through his nose, as he too, leaned back on his chair. His eyes narrowed and shifted between Alexander and Amelia. "Duke Robina is right. How sure are we that by the union of your House, and all these new projects of making Osmea the new center for trading, that you won't team up and overthrow the emperor—me? As you said dear Duchess, it is your House that placed the crown on the Rosenburgs. What's stopping you from taking it back?"
Amelia blinked. She's thought of it, sure, but she hasn't thought of it that much. She didn't mean to go that far, but Ayland's father needed to be put in his place.
First of all, she has so much to do for her duchy, for her people. Taking over the throne is the last thing on her mind. Not only that, but she also still has her grandfather to think about. She hasn't learned of the details, but she knows he's from a noble family since her mother was said to belong to one based on the remaining records of her at the Keep.
"As I have mentioned before, Emperor Augustine," it was Alexander who answered. "We can easily settle and draft an agreement regarding that matter."
"I am not asking you, Duke Clement." The emperor's gaze bore a hole at Amelia, and it took all her courage not to shrink in her seat. "Let me rephrase my question. Do you want to be an empress, Duchess Amelia Florence?"
Amelia's eyes wavered and the room silent. How did it turn into this? All she wanted was to propose her business. If only Lucius Robina didn't intervene with his unsolicited comments—
"I..." Amelia paused when all of a sudden, a loud thud on the table beside her made her flinch.
"We've strayed from the important matters of this Gathering," It was the Sapphire Lion of the North. His voice bigger, loomed over them, thunderous, than usual. "I think we've been sidetracked well enough. Here's my thought about it, even though the duchess' proposal was well-thought of and will benefit our empire in the long run, I must also agree with Duke Robina that this poses not only a security threat but also possible succession problems in the generations to come. Though Duchess Florence and Duke Clement have the best interest of their duchies in mind, and they are open to an agreement, we still don't know what their grandchildren's children would think far in the future. Would they quietly live as dukes and duchesses, or would they make a move for the crown?" Vernon's eyes shifted between Amelia and Alexander. The duchess recognizes and welcome the duke's wisdom, and he has made a good point. Too good that she felt like a child rambling about nonsense. Both she and the duke of Thuenia were rendered speechless. How does she turnaround from this topic? "Now," he inhaled sharply through his nose as he turned to face the emperor, "I would like give my report from my travel to Ragalla, if you allow me, your highness, Emperor Augustine." The emperor gave one last glance towards Amelia, as if saying 'we'll continue where we left off later' before shifting to position his body facing the Duke of Aclador.
"Go ahead. I heard it wasn't a pleasant one."
With a nod, Vernon reiterated the highlights of his travel one by one.
Though Ragalla shares its northern borders with Osmea, Amelia never made any significant connections there. Walton, however, have plenty since he's got family there. She's not sure how much information about Walton's new business reached either Vernon or Augustine, but the duchess braced herself to answer any if it does come to light.
"Ragalla won't renew signing the treaty." Vernon simply said, and another wave of silence crashed into the room, drowning everyone there. But for Amelia and her companion, everything became so clear. So clear that she felt like letting out a good laugh at how troublesome her aunt's husband has become. How did she not know and let him go past her defenses? He was so... unimportant and desperate and foolish for her to even bat an eyelash towards. And yet, here he is, being the biggest headache he could possibly be, and will probably the very root of another war.
And where will this start? In Osmea, of course. The very land that stands in its way.
Various emotions stirred in the pits of her gut. It was maddening. Truly. If only she could storm out of this room and straight to Walton, she'd put her in his rightful place—six feet underground.
"The king is in his deathbed, the other princes, have been dying one after the other over the past few years..." for the first time since the meeting started, Augustine looked genuinely troubled by the fact. He has heard about the conspiracies, but he was hopeful that most wasn't true. "Instead of hearing their pleas of independence, our ancestors should've just conquered them all." The emperor sighed loudly then he raised his hand saying, "The dukes and the duchess will stay. Everyone, leave. If any word about what's been discussed here leaves the room, know that I will personally go after your heads." The attending servants gulped, some even caressed their necks before they hurried out. Oswyn and Christa waited on Amelia to give them permission before leaving, the same with Ancel and Jyver. Duke Robina's secretary also left, as well as Vernon's but he asked the emperor to let Elias stay as he is his heir.
The remainder of the Gathering was spent discussing the possibilities that may happen as a result of Ragalla not signing the treaty not only with the empire but also with Toutis and Guvien.
Of course, while the four of them was brainstorming, thinking about their respective lands and people, the audacity of Duke Robina to be so overly dramatic, his hands flailing all over, to think of how that information will affect the marriage of one of his daughters—illegitimate, at that—to a certain widowed nobleman in Ragalla was too... stupid in the simplest term of it.
Reading the atmosphere of the room, the four of them, the emperor included, have one thing in mind—that is, how to make the duke shut up for a very long time.
In the midst of the heated discussion, Amelia pondered whether or not she should disclose what's keeping Walton busy these days. Also, Alexander's silence was suspicious. Maybe he knows something? It was Reignold who got a hold of the information, and he did say that they've seen each other a few times while Reignold was in Castle Talcard. She must ask him about it later.
"We will try negotiating with them again. I'll personally pen a letter to the crown prince's advisor and if all fails, I might consider going there myself." That was the temporary solution the emperor came up with, and it seemed enough for the meantime. There's no point in excessive worrying of what hasn't happened yet. Ragalla neither has the military powers nor the wealth to hold out an all-out war. When she gets back to Osmea, she will discuss this matter with her council and come up with some precautionary measures, just to be on the safe side—and find a way to deal with Walton while his plans haven't hatched yet.
She looked at Vernon and wondered if she should tell him about it too. He's much more experienced at these things than her. Then she shifted her attention to the emperor. If she's going to take drastic measures to flush out rotten souls from her duchy, it's only logical to have the emperor backing up her action. And Alexander—well, he'd be easier to deal with right now. She'd have to sit through it with her grandfather, but Lucius Robina. Amelia mentally sighed. She wants him out of the picture so she's not even going to bother letting him know.
With the thing about Ragalla was settled, only slightly insignificant topics followed and then the Gathering finally ended. Augustine was the first one to stand up before the rest followed not a second after. They all bowed at the emperor and thanked him for his wisdom and vigor to discuss this Gathering's agenda. But just as Amelia was about to turn around to head for the door herself, she stopped. The emperor who she thought was already by the door, now stood too close in front of her that she had no choice but to sit back and look up at him.
"I'll walk you to the door," he said with his hand held out.
Amelia looked at the door which was only a few steps away from where they are considering that her place where she sat was the closest to it. "I…" words completely failed her when Augustine already took her hand and coaxed her to stand, which she did despite not wanting to.
Past the emperor, she could see Vernon's death stare directed at Augustine, and behind her, she could feel the same aura coming from Alexander. Duke Robina also has a wretched expression, maybe because he thought that the emperor is favoring Amelia over him. But the highlight of this… unwelcomed gesture was just when the door opened, Amelia felt the emperor's lips on the back of her hand for everyone waiting by the door to see.
"I hope you'd grant me a dance later, our dear Duchess…" he said and Amelia's face and stomach twisted.
Hadiah
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