[Disclaimer: This chapter contains minor violence and domestic abuse that some readers may find uncomfortable.]

Page Twenty:

After discovering that feeling of being stuck in a cage, I was suddenly hit with such a strange feeling. I began to wonder if this life is even worth continuing.

The Head Priestess and the Holy Maids were dead.

My first son has never seen my face.

My daughter was killed in front of me.

My second son was taken and turned into a child solider against his will.

Why should I continue this life while just being stuck in a cage created by others? I do not want this life. I want freedom. I want to know what it is like to run outside. I want to know what it feels like to truly be loved.

I attended the party to host while still feeling this way. The Sanki King did not pay me any attention. Since I was acting, all I needed to do was pretend to be happy. However, I could barely bring myself to do that.

Gilyn gave me wine and told me that if I drank it, it may help me act happy. So I did just that.

However, I still feel so empty inside.

I snuck away from the party and looked out of the window in the Palace. The wine made my face warm and my head fuzzy. The Imperial King also staggered out drunk and found my hidden place. He told me that I was beautiful and magnificent like a flower that was blooming in a ray of sunshine.

I was stunned.

I never heard someone compliment me so much. Even the King does not compliment me like this. The Sanki King would say that my eyes were ugly. That my hair was too unpleasant. My face was annoying to look at.

Yet, the Imperial King said the opposite. He said my eyes were so beautiful they were like looking into deep pools of one's soul. My hair was so soft that all he wanted to do was run his hands through them. My face was far from annoying.

It was enchanting.

After he said such sweet words, he kissed me so tenderly. It felt like something exploded inside my chest.

I wanted to feel it again.

So I did.

Sure enough, I felt something far different from when the Sanki King and I kissed.

He said that he liked a woman who took charge. He wanted to find an empty room with me. Against my better judgement, I found myself wanting the same. I know that he was only using me. He had a wife and would never love me. But, I didn't love him either. I just wanted to feel something that made me feel alive. So I lead him to a room where we could spend time together.

It was far more enjoyable than anything I had ever done with the Sanki King.

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Page Twenty-one:

A few months after the party, the King came to my room late at night and demanded that I fulfilled my marital duties.

This man took my son. Killed his own daughters. Refused to visit me for months. Now he thinks that I should just lay down and behave?

No.

I do not care anymore. Even though the Imperial King used me as well, at least he tried to make it enjoyable for me. After feeling the joy of such an activity, how can I go back to how it was with the Sanki King?

He was always too rough. It always hurt too much. I do not want to go through that again.

So, for the first time, I spoke to him aloud. And I said-

No.

In response, he not only beat me, but he also killed my bird in front of me. I was so scared; I could not even move. I did not care what happened to me, but I felt the urge to protect my stomach.

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Page twenty-two:

I discovered why exactly I was so protective of my stomach.

For a few months now, my appetite has increased and my body has changed but only to my awareness. Since I did not feel sick, I did not think too much about this. However, now I understand.

I am with a child.

But this did not make sense to me. I had not slept with the King in over a year. There was no way this could be his…

It could only be the Imperial King's child.

If the King finds out I am carrying the Imperial King's child, he will definitely kill me and the child. He already fears the power I have over the people and tries so hard to keep control over me.

I need to figure a way out.

For the sake of this unborn child. I must escape.

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Page twenty-three:

Now that I am older, I have seen how foolish I truly was. I allowed myself to believe that the King was a good person because he saved me from that room. However, now I understand he massacred all of the church workers except for the Head Priest because they held more power over him.

That man killed children, women, defenseless men. He killed all of them just to take me from the church and marry me. He did this so that no one would argue with the legitimacy of his reign. He wanted complete control with less headaches. The only way to do that was to take me. That way, the citizens would follow him since they have always followed the Holy Empress.

I was merely a hostage in his eyes.

Yet, I was still determined to be a good wife to him.

How foolish I was to think that if I was a better wife, then maybe the King would be kinder to me.

That man is nothing short of a demon.

He is no God.

And he is no King.

If I stay here, I will surely die. He will kill me and this unborn baby as well. I have already figured out how to escape. I am going tonight while there is no moon to give away my position.

This will probably be the last you hear from me.

I only hope that by the time you read this, I have succeeded.

_____

[Author's note: Back to Seri's perspective]

I put down the papers in horror. I had wanted to learn the truth about the Holy Empress, but this was too much. I knew that the King was despicable and cruel, but I did not think he was this bad! To think he would kidnap the Holy Empress at such a young age and force her into becoming his child bride.

She was only fourteen, which by this world's standards may be considered an adult, but it was clear her mind was like that of a young child. The girl was only raised off of church scriptures and did not even know what it meant to be a wife.

Despite what happened to her in the Palace, she remained kind hearted. In most novels, the wife is usually jealous of the concubines and fights over their husband for his attention. However, in her case she was never jealous enough to try to hurt them. Even when she was stuck in the Palace and miserable, she was always acting with a kind heart.

But where were the concubines now? I could only guess that they were most likely dead. After all, the Sanki King would kill them for just having a daughter instead of a son.

If I do not succeed and have to marry Simon, what would happen to me? Could it be I would become the new Holy Empress and be stuck within these walls?

I shivered at this thought.

No. I would rather die than go through that.

A life without Dante seems even worse than being killed for having a daughter.

I heard footsteps and panicked. I stuffed the papers into my shirt. I casually looked over to see Simon approaching me with an eyebrow raised, "Why do you look so guilty?"

"Who looks guilty?" I stood up and winced, "I just had a bunch of books fall on me and instead of asking if I am alright, you instead ask why I look guilty."

He bent down without responding and picked up one of the books. He opened it and smirked, "If you missed these books so badly, you could have just asked me to bring you some."

"Huh?" I looked at the book in confusion then suddenly recalled what kinds of books I had been looking for. Immediately my face turned red as I scrambled to pull the book away from him, "NO! I wasn't looking for these books! I was looking for secret notes!"

Simon held the book up out of my reach and watched as I jumped up in vain to grab it. He chuckled with a smile, "I can't believe I forgot about this fascination you have with these books. I guess I should have been a better fiancé and gave you one sooner. Don't worry. I will make sure I find you the raunchiest material to enjoy."

I stopped jumping and huffed indignantly. It's not that I am ashamed to be caught reading this material, but it is the fact that it is Simon who is literally holding it over my head!

Why do I feel like I am losing?!

Simon saw my irritated expression and reached out to tussle my hair. I slapped off his hand, "Oi! No touching!"

He smirked, "Should I carry you back to the room since you are so hurt by the books?"

I stepped away quickly feeling wary, "No thanks. I can walk."

He didn't pressure me more and only nodded with a teasing smile. As we walked back, I felt like a lion was watching me while preparing to pounce on me. When I looked around for the lion in question, all I saw was Simon's dark eyes watching me with a taunting grin.

I shivered and tried to ignore Simon's animalistic stare.

Once we went back to the room, Simon stepped out of the room to take care of something the King asked him to do. While he was gone, I stuffed the papers into my hiding spot. I laid in the bed and closed my eyes to sleep.