After he and the unconscious Beatrix entered the carriage, Emperor Valentine immediately ordered the coachman to drive very fast and use the secret passage to the Solaris Imperial Palace! He carefully settled Beatrix into one of the best rooms inside the palace and summoned all of his trusted physicians to check and cure Beatrix!

Emperor Valentine helplessly sighed as he recalled what exactly happened on the island that day and how they reached the Solaris Imperial Palace. After a considerable amount of time that Beatrix did not get out from the dressing room, he decided to knock.

"Beatrix, I am sorry. Open this door. Promise, I won't tease you anymore..." He told her after knocking. He waited for a moment and finally, the door opened and he saw that Beatrix is still huffing and throwing him a piercing glare.

"I did not peek at you! Everything is just an accident!" She insisted.

He smiled helplessly and replied.

"I know... I am just kidding the whole time. Do not be mad, okay?"

She immediately dropped the piercing glare and returned to normal.

"Okay. But I do not want to hear you accusing me about it anymore!" She immediately told him her terms.

"Sure!" He happily agreed and then excitedly asked. "Do you want me to tour you around the imperial palace?"

She immediately agreed and left the room to join Emperor Valentine in touring the imperial palace...

Several miles away, in the Cloud Empire, Emperor Andrew looked coldly and indifferently at the burning structures of Cloud Empire's capital! He and his massive troops marched from Sky Empire to the border of Cloud Empire. He is determined to enter this foreign territory to look for his Empress Beatrix and his Imperial Brother, who took away his one and only beloved wife!

He and Beatrix were not officially married yet, but in his mind, heart, and soul, she is already his beloved wife! She is his Empress! The official marriage ceremony and celebration could wait until he got her back and they went back home to Sky Empire's capital. He intended to give her the grandest wedding and coronation as his Empress when they are back. Before he left the capital to explore his empire and the other empires to look for her, he already assigned trusted individuals to prepare for this grand wedding and coronation so when they go back, he could immediately marry her and officially make her his Empress!

To avoid delay, he sent two identical letters to the Emperor of Cloud Empire, one is sent using a peregrine falcon and the other one using his high-level messenger. Inside the letters contain a polite request to peacefully enter the Cloud Empire to search and retrieve his Empress and Imperial Brother and a promise to peacefully exit after he got ahold of these two important people. It is indicated that they will not fight and create trouble if the Cloud Empire's Emperor agreed to this until he completed his goal.

Emperor Andrew has the ambition to unite the three empires under his absolute control but right now, he misses her so much! He does not want to get entangled in a lengthy and time-consuming war! Well, at least not in the meantime that his Beatrix is not with him! He will give her the whole world, not just Sky Empire!

Two days later, Emperor Andrew received a rude and haughty response from the Cloud Empire's Emperor:

Boy Emperor, who do you think you are?!! You just recently ascended the throne and you already think that you are so high and mighty?!! You dared to pressure this Emperor to allow you and your men safe and peaceful passage to my great and powerful empire?!! Do you think I am stupid that I would easily believe your nonsense? Hah! You do not have an Empress! Do you think I would not investigate? I know what you want! You just want to invade my great empire and plunder its riches!!! This mighty Emperor will never allow a good for nothing and ambitious boy like you to enter! I will make you see and realize how far is heaven and earth to each other! You better go back to your poor, small, and pitiful empire and stay there forever!!!

Emperor Andrew crumpled the letter after carefully reading the content. His face remained indifferent and expressionless. His eyes became colder and darker as his lips smiled mercilessly! Of course, he understands why they will not let him and his massive army enter Cloud Empire...

As I expected... Tsk! Tsk! Tsk! Do not blame this Emperor if fire rains down from heaven and your empire is reduced to nothing!

Emperor Andrew completely understands but he will never forgive and back down! This fatuous Emperor of Cloud Empire mercilessly rubbed salt and chili to his psychological and emotional wound!

I will do whatever it takes to get her back! I will obtain or destroy anything and everything if I have to! I will use or kill anyone and everyone if I have to!

© 2021 Jezel Mandin Sapata-Gentiles. All Rights Reserved.