Lena pulled off her blindfold and looked around in confusion. Looking up, she saw Horace hanging out of the carriage with a kind smile. "I’m sorry. I can’t exactly take you home, but here." He handed over a note with a single gold coin. "Hire a ride to the city and go to the address; your husband will find you there."

Looking at it, Lena felt slightly conflicted but nodded, giving him a warm smile. Seeing it, Horace leaned closer to her. "I’ll be back. So be good until I do." Pulling himself back in, he closed the curtain as one operative told the driver to move. Looking at his men, his smile fell replaced with a cold face.

Lena watched as the carriage left. Her hand tightened around the gold coin, and looking at the address, she felt tired.

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Reports flooded Alfred’s desk, ranging from the easy change of hand to his reforms from small riots that had to be quelled. It was expected that it wouldn’t be perfect, but seeing nothing that required his attention, he weakly smiled.

"Your Majesty." A servant walked in, deeply bowing. "The Lisaponic envoy wishes to speak to you." Waving him off, Alfred stood up. He had been waiting for the summon. Walking through the palace halls, he entered the room where the envoy stayed.

The man looked at Alfred with a small smile. "Your majesty."

"Let’s just get to business, shall we? What did Emporer Cyrus say?"

"Well, " the envoy said, taking out the letter and throwing it over to him. "He finds the offer a little insulting," Alfred smirked, shaking his head, and opened the letter. Reading it, he couldn’t help but find Cyrus funny.

"Is this a joke? He wants me to marry his daughter."

The envoy smiled and shrugged his shoulders. "Polygamy is accepted in our land. Besides, what man doesn’t get bored of their wife after a while." Alfred deeply frowned at hearing that and stood up. Walking in front of the envoy, the man leaned back.

"Never say something like that to me again." The menace in his voice forced the envoy to smile and apologise politely. Seeing it, Alfred nodded and retook his seat.

"It’s nothing personal, Your Majesty. The Emporer simply feels he is marrying his daughter to someone unbecoming of her status if he accepts." The envoy tried to defuse the situation and move on with the conversation.

"And where does he get the audacity to think she deserves to marry me." Alfred countered with a sharp tone.

"Well, she’s a second wife. Emporer Cyrus is an understanding man. He doesn’t expect you to make her your main wife. Think of her as a concubine, if anything."

"You don’t understand. I do not want another wife. I never will. Tell His Majesty not to insult me or my the Empire again by offering such a joke of an offer."

"The Emporer made this in good faith. There is no need to spit on it." It was the first time, but the envoy became angry. Looking at Alfred and seeing his smirk only fueled this. "For someone who claims to be so offended, you sure have a lot of bastards." The veins on Alfred’s head popped hearing that, and the envoy could return a smirk.

"You sought me out." Alfred slammed his hand on the table. "Did I come begging on my knees for the great Emporer Cyrus?"

"Maybe you should have." The envoy narrowed his eyes and stood up. "But what should we have expected? You are still a child compared to those around you."

Alfred looked at the envoys back and shook his head. "Tell Emporer Cyrus the thought was appreciated." The envoy didn’t look back and continued to walk off. Scoffing, Alfred went in the other direction.

He knew there was a chance for failure. Unlike the Slathans, who needed the alliance, the Lisaponic Empire didn’t. Despite that, he still felt angry. To offer him a second wife was insulting to Isra. It was a slap in the face to his Empire’s culture and everything he stood for.

Throwing open the door to his room, Isra sat with Edward. The young boy was sleeping soundly, not awoken by Alfred’s loud entrance. "Be quiet. He’s napping." Isra sternly told Alfred.

Sitting beside her, Isra rested her head on Alfred’s shoulder. Playing with her long hair, he kissed it to his mouth. "I just got offered a second wife." Isra choked on her breath, hearing that and staring daggers into Alfred; he chuckled. "Please. Do you think I would ever accept anyone other than you?"

"You better not." Isra coldly said. Grabbing his cheeks, she leaned in and rested her forehead on his. "Because if you do. You will never see me again."

"You know I won’t, Isra. How could I ever abandon my lovely wife like that." Alfred joked, making a warm smile bloom on her face.

Leaning in, Isra gave a deep kiss before whispering in his ear. "I mean it, Alfred." Her voice was still warm but serious. "You dare, and I will kill whoever it is before I leave."

Her words shocked Alfred. Leaning back, he looked at her in confusion. Whilst he knew she loved him, it felt like it was becoming something different, something possessive. "Isra." Gulping, he wanted to say something but stopped himself. "There’s no need to worry."

Isra hugged in reply, carefully playing with the hair on the back of his head. She already hated that Alfred had children with another woman. Although she could sympathise with him for how it happened, it still irked her. She couldn’t imagine what she would do if another woman came into his life, especially if it was one he loved.

Falling into his shoulder, Isra took a deep breath and clutched harder. Alfred returned it, and the tension she had been feeling vanished. ’He would never do that to me.’

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Lena walked into the manor, escorted by the guards who had found her. Piast quickly ran over and hugged his wife, his hands slightly trembling. Pulling away, he grabbed her shoulders and looked deep into her eyes. "Are you okay? You’re not hurt, are you?"

Feeling the intensity of his emotions, Lena sweetly smiled. "I was treated fine," Lena said softly, and Piast nodded, hugging her again. "Thank god that monster didn’t hurt you."

Lena froze up at the words. "A monster?" Looking at her, they both looked confused. Piast slowly backed up.

"You must be tired. Come." Turning around, he brushed it off and led Lena to their room. Looking at it, she couldn’t help but feel strange. Gliding her hand over her bed, she felt the soft sheets, a stark difference from the straw bedding she had been sleeping on.

Piast leaned on the door and looked at her. He wanted to ask many questions but held himself back, letting her adapt to her old life. "I tried to look for you."

"I heard." Lena dismissed it, going over to the small book on the table. Looking at it, she stroked the cover. Piast came over and carefully took her hand, causing Lena to seize up.

"You’re home now. I’ll make sure this doesn’t happen again, my love." 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Lena smiled at his words. "What happened when I was gone?"

Piast sighed and took a seat. "They did their job. I narrowly escaped a war with the duke." Lena squinted and looked at him.

"You met the Duke?" Piast found it strange. Her voice was full of scepticism, but he carried on by brushing it aside as a lingering effect of her capture.

"He killed the Duke’s grandson. When the Duke found out, he came to me. He thought I could do something like that. I mean, how could I? It was an innocent boy."

Lena lowered her head. It felt wrong, but remembering how Horace said he could have used her children didn’t seem too far-fetched. "He didn’t seem like that." She quietly muttered under her breath, but Piast picked it up.

"That thing. It isn’t human, Lena. He may not have enjoyed it, but he feels nothing." Piast couldn’t bring himself to call Horace a human anymore. If he enjoyed killing, it would make more sense to him, but Horace felt like a doll, one which could only mimic the people around him, one with the sole purpose of completing his mission.

"But you did tell the Duke?" Despite what she heard, Piast’s words ate away at her. looking at his nod, she couldn’t help but bite her tongue. "I just want to sleep. Alone, please."

"Of course." Piast walked over to her and gently kissed her cheek. "There will be people outside for you. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call for them."

Lena silently nodded before breaking away. She climbed into bed and didn’t change her clothes, surprising Piast, but he said nothing, leaving his wife alone. "If anything happens, call me straight away." Ordering the nearby maid, she bowed.