When Sahara had finished getting dressed, she did her hair and finally looked back at Matthew.

Matthew was stunned, her face, her eyes, it pronounced a huge amount sadness and a whole lot of sorrow. Which was most likely because she couldn’t handle a few things at the current moment. Her instincts were stating to stay with him, her wounds stating something she had to get over and she felt her heart was practically unmelted and scared…

Unable to continue to stare at him, Sahara looked away, then said, “Don’t come here, if you do…I’ll go elsewhere…There is no future for us.”

Pursing her lips, Sahara looked back at him and closed her eyes, teleporting to the Academy.

She had just gone against her instincts…And she felt like she just lost the world!

 

Falling to the ground, near the wall and tree, Sahara tried to calm her breathing down, but it got heavier and heavier.

Putting her head down and picking up her knees, she unhappily let a few tears escape, unable to hold them back…

She was angry, she was sad…But she knew…Sahara just knew that she needed time. She needed to be away from him…

Will this be worth it? What will happen to me now?

Sahara shook her head and felt sadness go through her and knew that she had already been softened by Matthew, she didn’t suppose it would be too long before he would have her entire heart. Well, it didn’t help that it felt like fate, she thought. Her instincts were hard to fight and well, she knew damned well that she was attracted to him and at times unable to stop herself from thinking or acting out while being with him…

Breathing out heavily, Sahara tried to stop…

Stop thinking about it…Don’t…Think about it!

 

 

After Sahara left, Matthew didn’t move for a few minutes.

We hadn’t even been given the chance to try…Can’t she just give me a chance? Sahara? Did she know it was my fault that she was kidnapped? Is that why she said…

Sitting up and putting his head into his hands, Matthew felt like something just broke. He knew that what she had gone through would probably change something, and that it was all his fault! Yet…All of those words hit him like heavy rocks as big as horses…

‘Don’t come here’, ‘I’ll go elsewhere’, ‘There is no future for us.’ Dammit Sahara! What am I supposed to do!? I hadn’t felt like this with anyone else! And now I can’t be with you!? This is ridiculous!

Having seen a relationship in the past, that hadn’t worked, he didn’t think much of it…Until now. That woman was infatuated with a man and that man did not care for her at all, yet the woman couldn’t stop going after him.

Was it because she had felt like I did? That there was no one else?

 

Even strangely thinking of Miss Have’s behavior towards himself, Matthew sort of understood now.

Perhaps this love of mine is one sided…Or…Perhaps I’ve come across too strong…

Shaking his head, to being confused, Matthew could only know if he asked, yet he couldn’t ask!

Since he couldn’t ask…

Getting up, no longer wanting to think about this, he grew distant, “Band One?”

“Your Highness.”

“Tell me.”

After Band One told His Highness about the Emperor’s visit, he was very surprised to see the indifference that had been seen for many years now, back on his master’s face. “Do you want me to follow the Princ…”

Matthew interrupted him, “No, leave her be…Don’t follow her anymore.”

Don’t think about it!

“Let’s go see the emperor!” Matthew said, taking a deep breath in and feeling like he’d be leaving his soul behind…

 

***

 

During this time, Rose and her father had been able to finally see the Empress and Empress Dowager, on their wishes of marriage and what they had to ‘propose’.

It had been talked of previously, but today the visit had been rushed, having made both the Empress and Empress Dowager upset…But this was all but forgotten halfway through the visit…Anyone in the whole of Green Haven would be tempted with wanting to receive the ‘Spirit Convert Association’ just for a marriage…How easy it was to obtain such a grand deal, was hardly something that they should pass up!

To both the Empress and Empress Dowager, there was nothing wrong with this plan. Matthew had not had a Princess for too long now and this ‘proposal’ was enough to tell both Miss Haves and her father that they will most definitely consider thinking things through…

​

Rose and her father having left, the Empress and Empress Dowager gave what they had ‘proposed’ considerable thought, before they both agreed to the request and went to ask the emperor to finalize the engagement...To get the decree, was the emperor’s action, but as they are the Empress and Empress Dowager, they had a lot of authority over any prince or princess’s marriage.

The marriage prospect became very good news in their hearts, and they really wished upon this arrangement, not only for the royal palace treasury, but for their beloved Matthew as well. It was quite unusual that he had gone so long without a Princess, and even more unusual that he had never had a normal consort all this time. Knowing that things needed to change, because they wanted to see their grandchildren or great grandchildren, there was no time like the present to get this to happen a little sooner.

 

 

The emperor, having let everyone know of his return with a solemn look, eunuchs, maidservants and even Ministers were very careful and only talked when directly spoken too.

It wouldn’t be the first time that the emperor was like this, and their silence helped the emperor show a less angry manner. Strangely, he had lost quite a bit of anger anyway, seeing his beloved son with someone that looked special to him.

At this time, the emperor had still not rested yet and was in his study trying to concentrate. Matthew finally came in, getting his attention, and everyone else’s as well. He was welcomed back with smiles and nods and a few words of happiness towards his innocence being restored. But, just as the Emperor and Matthew were to go into specifics on how to finish the investigation upon the Crowned Prince, the Empress and Empress Dowager came in with their news of marriage for Matthew.

Having not seen Matthew in quite some time, both older, royal ladies doted upon his health and their happiness over his innocence being declared.

 

When the subject of marriage finally came up, Matthew had gone still and even more distant. Making even the emperor notice this change, so he paid more attention to the topic of conversation.

“Miss Haves is lovely, she was very mature and lady like. She was telling us that there perhaps might be some kind of enchantress that has come over our Matthew and that if she were to come to Matthew’s estate, Miss Haves will make sure that this enchantress doesn’t do anything that would ruin Matthew’s reputation.” Said the Empress, trying to ignore Matthew’s quiet behavior. Her words implied that she did not like the idea of Matthew being in a position where he could be ruined.

The Empress was indeed taken into all of what Rose had said, and frankly did not want this enchantress to enter Matthew’s estate at all! Her words…Also meant that this was being taken too lightly, and that Miss Haves was befitting the perfect lady, by stating she had accepted this enchantress already.

“I also thought well of her, she has known our dear Matthew for so long and I am glad that she still wants to be his Princess!” The Empress Dowager said, taking the Empress arm and nodding her head. Her thoughts weren’t like the Empress, they were more impatient to see Matthew happily married once again and holding his first child.

 

I don’t want to hear this. Marriage…The woman I want to m…

Matthew didn’t look at anyone, as he silently got up and left the study.

The emperor frowned at seeing a slight change in his son, it seemed to be that he had lost a little bit of the authority part of his personality at present.

Wouldn’t he normally disagree straight away?

At this moment, the Right Minister came in with Minister Ward and gave two more consents of Ministers that want to revoke the Crowned Prince’s title and had agreed to having put him into the Cold Palace. Having nearly half of the Minister’s agreeing now to the first punishment of revoking the title and banishment, the emperor felt a little relieved. He did love his first son, but his position and who he was…

He reminded himself that he had thought about this previously and had made a decision about this already. He wasn’t going to change his mind!

 

A bigger problem…Was making the next Crowned Prince his second beloved son, Matthew…

Suddenly, the Emperor had an idea. Perhaps he would agree to Matthew marrying the Thirteenth Young Miss, if he would agree to become the Crowned Prince…

But, of course, he was a person of the law…Threats shouldn’t be something that he should do, as an Emperor who detests other’s doing it…But was it a threat? He could perhaps make it a…Trade? The emperor couldn’t think of the exact word that he wanted to use.

The day has been long, I must rest before a mistake is made!

 

After Matthew’s strange exit from the emperor’s study, some confusion filled the room, while the emperor silently talked to Minister Rolland and Minister Ward, the Empress Dowager looked at the Empress.

“I think it is good time to add a positive event for the people, Your Majesty, especially for the capital! Now that Matthew has been deemed innocent, we should celebrate a marriage!” The Empress had already spoken of this to the Empress Dowager, and she couldn’t help but think that it was a grand idea!

The emperor sighed, “My son likes someone else. He has already chosen his next Princess. This King dares to say it won’t be long before he comes to ask to have the marriage bestowed.”

“My Son, who is it that my dear grandson has taken a fancy too?” The Empress Dowager asks.

This topic, of course, they already knew of, but hoped to find out more information. The Empress already started to formulate a plan…

 

As soon as the Empress finds the identity of this person, she would order them to come and see her! Measures must be taken to keep someone that could ruin the Second Prince to stay away from him! After all, the Empress knew her biological son, the Crowned Prince, was going to lose his title. That would mean that the Second Prince, from whom she had adopted to be her own child, will become the next Emperor!

Knowing that he had given up the right to the throne, she still did not even think of the Third Prince at all and only thought that the emperor will talk the Second Prince into becoming the next Crowned Prince. Since that was the case, the next Empress, Matthew’s Princess, will have to be considered very carefully!

Miss Haves has presented herself very capable to becoming the next Empress, and this…Enchantress…Will have to stay away or be conveniently killed!

 

After all, ambitious people in the Empress’s generation had come to nothing, and this enchantress must want status that she doesn’t even deserve! Only sweet and independent ladies like Miss Haves, will be able to keep the harem from going to war…

Of course, this Empress was quite formidable, or how else was the harem able to live so peacefully…Having kept everyone under her constant surveillance, it had led her to lose the night-time visits of the emperor, but he has often stated that he is very happy with how the harem is being looked after and will often still have a meal with her to show others that she is still very much respected.

Willing to teach Miss Haves, the Empress was somewhat in a hurry, knowing of this enchantress…

At present, a child has not been heard of, but if in the future this enchantress bares a child…How could they let that happen, when she, the current Empress, has not accepted this person!

Too tired to care about keeping secrets, or perhaps too tired to think that it was a secret, the emperor looks directly at the Right Minister, “The Right Minister’s Thirteenth Young Miss.”

The Right Minister halted and rudely stared at the emperor in shock, “…Ex…Excuse me, Your Majesty.”