Chapter 212: Bitterness
The steward returned not long after, his face composed in that perfect way only a seasoned courtier could manage. He bowed low before Lucas and spoke with practiced deference.
"Her Excellency, the Empress, has received your request. She has commanded me to inform you that she will see you shortly. In the meantime, accommodations have been prepared, and refreshments shall be brought to you and your company."
Lucas inclined his head, his voice calm, betraying nothing of his thoughts. "Very well. We shall wait."
Servants moved gracefully around them, laying down trays of fruits, sweetmeats, and golden goblets of chilled wine. The room where they were seated was vast, its walls lined with tall windows draped in crimson and gold silk. The scent of incense wafted faintly through the air.
The girls settled beside him, but it did not take long before their curiosity overtook their patience.
"Xavier," Selene whispered, glancing toward a gilded archway that opened into another hall, "may we explore the palace? To sit here and do nothing feels unbearable when such beauty is all around us."
Nyx gave a faint, knowing smile. "She is right. This place is filled with wonders. The carvings, the tapestries, the art...it calls to be seen."
Lira chimed in with a soft laugh. "And surely, they will not forbid us. We are guests, after all."
Lucas regarded them for a moment, weighing their eagerness. He leaned back in his seat, a hand tapping idly on the armrest. "Do as you will. Explore if it pleases you, but remain within the palace walls. Remember, you are not merely travelers here....you bear the eyes of Valerion upon your shoulders. Do not cause trouble."
Selene rolled her eyes dramatically. "Do not cause trouble? You speak as though trouble follows us like a shadow."
Lucas gave her a wry look, his lips curling faintly. "Does it not?"
Nyx let out a quiet laugh, and even Lira giggled. With that, the three of them rose and slipped away, their laughter trailing softly as they wandered through the endless corridors of marble and gold.
Lucas remained seated, his hands folded, his expression calm as stone. Servants passed silently around him, replenishing goblets and changing trays, but he neither drank nor ate. His eyes were fixed forward, and though outwardly serene, the patience in him was tested with each passing day.
For the Empress did not summon him that day.
Nor the next.
On the third day, the steward appeared once more, bowing low. "Her Excellency sends her regards. She will see you in due time."
Lucas only nodded, betraying nothing.
The days stretched on, each one blending into the next. The girls returned from their wanderings with talks of beautiful gardens, endless libraries, halls adorned with jewels, and private courtyards where nobles strolled in silken robes. Yet, even they began to grow weary.
"This palace is too quiet," Selene muttered one evening as they dined together in their chamber. "It sparkles like a jewel, but it is lifeless. I feel as though we are prisoners dressed in silk."
Nyx answered calmly, "Patience is a virtue few truly possess. An Empress does not show herself so easily. This is her way of testing him."
Lira sighed, propping her chin on her palm. "Twelve days, and nothing. Even the beauty of this place fades when one is bored."
Lucas listened to them, his face unreadable. He shared none of their complaints, though he understood them well enough. His own impatience was a heavy stone within him, yet he never revealed it. His purpose here was too important to mar with frustration.
And so he remained.
At last, on the eve twelfth day, a message came. The Empress would grant him audience.
The girls hurried to dress in the finest gowns they had been gifted during their stay, their excitement restored at the thought of finally entering the throne room. Lucas, however, dressed simply, his manner the same as it had been since the beginning...calm, measured, unshaken.
When they entered the throne hall, it was filled with people. Other envoys and messengers from kingdoms far and wide were already gathered, seated in designated rows according to their status. Their voices murmured softly, some curious, some arrogant, some impatient like he had been.
The air was heavy with anticipation, and all eyes fixed on the dais where the throne stood empty, draped in crimson and gold, awaiting the presence of the woman who ruled Lechia.
Lucas took his seat with the girls beside him, silent as the others watched, waiting for the Empress to make her appearance.
The tension in the throne hall was already thick with anticipation, and the low murmur of conversation was broken only by the soft sound of footsteps approaching from one of the side entrances. When the guards announced the arrival of Prince Khan, the entire assembly rose in unison. The shuffle of chairs and the rustle of silken robes filled the vast chamber as every envoy, noble, and servant bowed deeply in respect.
Lucas rose as well, the girls following his lead, though none of them showed the same reverence as the Lechians around them. For Nyx and Lira, their movements were controlled and graceful, but there was a cool detachment in their eyes. Selene, on the other hand, made the gesture of respect, but her lips curved slightly as though she found it distasteful to bow to someone she did not truly honor.
Khan entered with the air of a man well accustomed to being the center of attention. He was dressed in ceremonial robes of crimson lined with gold, his hair tied back neatly, his walk deliberate and elegant. The nobles’ faces lit with admiration, whispers following him like shadows. Yet when his gaze fell upon Lucas, the princely mask faltered ever so slightly. A flicker of displeasure crossed his expression, sharp and undeniable, before he forced it back under control.
Lucas caught the look but did not react. His expression remained calm, his posture steady, and his eyes unreadable. Inside, there was no ripple of agitation, no spark of anger....only an iron certainty that Khan was a man unworthy of the space he commanded. To Lucas, Khan’s hostility was nothing more than an insect’s buzzing.
Selene, standing beside him, noticed the shift in Khan’s expression and leaned closer to Lucas, whispering just loud enough for him to hear. "He is still bitter from the street, is he not?"
Lucas gave her a sidelong glance and a faint smile. "Bitter men stay bitter, Selene. It changes nothing."
Nyx’s voice was soft, as though she were merely observing aloud. "He looks at you and sees only insult. That is dangerous."
Lucas chuckled under his breath, his eyes never leaving Khan. "Dangerous would be if I cared."