WMEEM Ch 5

Freedom

It was Batizo. Terkan stood directly behind him.

Relief washed over me as Raff's foot fell limply back to the floor. The assault had stopped.

I immediately turned toward Tarega to check her for injuries.

[Celeste] "Let me see. Are you hurt anywhere?"

Tarega had absorbed Raff's blow unprepared. Her cheek was swollen red, and a trickle of blood leaked from her lip.

I wiped the blood away with my sleeve, and she pulled me into a desperate embrace.

[Tarega] "I am so sorry. Forgive me, Your Highness... It is all my fault..."

[Celeste] "Shh."

I gently patted her back to soothe her terror.

Though employed within the imperial court, she had never encountered the Emperor directly. Raff's sudden appearance alone must have been terrifying, to say nothing of his violence.

[Celeste] "I told you it is fine. When I say I am fine, I mean it."

She nodded, but her eyes filled with panic when she saw fresh blood soaking through the back of my dress.

[Tarega] "Dear heavens... What do we do..."

As she mumbled in distress, I kept whispering reassuring words.

While we held each other, I remembered Batizo and stood up.

He watched me quietly. He offered a subtle, sympathetic shake of his head and stepped closer.

[Batizo] "To think I would witness this firsthand."

[Raff] "A-At this hour... what brings you..."

Raff stammered, his speech slurred.

[Batizo] "I came to discuss urgent travel arrangements with my bride, only to stumble upon an intriguing performance."

His voice remained entirely nonchalant. He deliberately emphasized the words my bride.

Raff's shoulders flinched slightly. Yet, perhaps owing to his intoxication, a brazen smile quickly resurfaced on his face.

[Raff] "I felt sorrowful at the thought of the princess leaving us. I came for a quiet chat at this late hour, but a minor disagreement arose. Things escalated slightly, and this foolish maid dared to intervene.

She seems upset that I disciplined her master. Lacking any sense of her place, she thrust herself forward... and the princess, overly fond of her servant... well, matters grew complicated."

He chuckled and ran a hand through his hair. A harsh breath trailed after his laugh, betraying his barely suppressed rage.

Batizo halted a few paces away, stepping directly into Raff's personal space.

[Batizo] "Excuses tend to run long."

[Raff] "An excuse? Don't misunderstand."

[Batizo] "Indeed. What is there for me to misunderstand? This is a sibling matter, an internal affair of the Calyx imperial house. I have no intention of meddling. I learned that the renowned Calyx imperial family enforces corporal punishment upon their servants with utmost severity."

Raff's smiling cheeks twitched faintly.

[Batizo] "If your business here is finished, I ask that you excuse yourself. I have matters to discuss with my bride."

Once again, Batizo placed heavy emphasis on my bride.

[Raff] "Then pray, continue. I shall take my leave. I wish the princess sweet dreams."

Without another word, Raff turned on his heel and departed.

Had Batizo not appeared, the wounds on my back would have been torn open completely, leaving fresh scars.

[Celeste] "Thank you."

My gratitude was sincere. Today had provided countless reasons to be grateful to Batizo.

He looked down at Tarega and me. He casually raised an eyebrow and muttered a brief reply.

[Batizo] "Think nothing of it."

He paused and inspected my condition.

[Batizo] "Are you fit to travel?"

Aside from Tarega and Aranad, no one had ever expressed concern for my well-being. Though his harsh expression and stern voice remained unchanged, his simple question brought sudden warmth to my chest.

Finally, someone who worries for me has appeared.

Though our marriage was born of mutual ambition, a thrill surged through me at the thought of becoming true family.

[Celeste] "I am fine, thanks to you. You mentioned travel arrangements..."

Reminded of his purpose, Batizo promptly provided an answer.

[Batizo] "We must depart for Kellinev early tomorrow morning."

While pain medication had sustained me through tonight's banquet, a long journey remained out of the question, even with additional doses.

[Celeste] "How long does the journey to Kellinev take?"

[Batizo] "Fifteen days, riding without rest."

Riding without rest for fifteen days?

I doubted my capacity to endure it. Declaring myself capable without thinking risked burdening everyone later.

[Batizo] "You will not spend the entire fifteen days riding hard. You will spend a week to ten days in the saddle, and Terkan will handle the rest."

I struggled to find a response.

[Batizo] "Regardless of the strain, even if you fall ill along the way, you must ride. You will not die, at least."

You will not die.

He had not come to consult me. He had come to issue an order.

I regretted feeling touched by his earlier concern. Illness or not, departure was non-negotiable. Resting a few days longer had never been an option.

I had deluded myself.

[Batizo] "Even if we depart immediately, you have no belongings to pack anyway, do you?"

He swept his gaze across the cramped interior of the annex, verifying his claim.

[Celeste] "...No."

There was nothing worth calling a household here. Taking anything along was impossible anyway.

A few tattered dresses and my single pair of shoes comprised my sole possessions, hardly luggage worth bringing.

[Batizo] "Then we are settled. Terkan, let us go."

I bowed toward Batizo's retreating figure as he turned without hesitation.

[Celeste] "Have a peaceful night."

He offered no response to my farewell.

Instead, Terkan, who followed close behind, bowed at the waist. As he straightened up, our eyes met.

Though his posture remained impeccably polite and his expression impassive, his gaze felt almost pitying.

Was this another delusion of mine?

I didn't know. Delusion or reality, it mattered little. The spectacle in this room tonight certainly warranted such a look.

Once everyone departed and left only Tarega and me behind, exhaustion crashed over me like a storm.

Prioritizing sleep was essential to prepare for tomorrow's journey.

---

Despite feeling bone-tired, sleep evaded me, leaving me awake until dawn.

Whenever my eyes drifted shut, the throbbing pain in my back jolted me awake. Eventually, I gave up on sleep altogether.

[Celeste] "Did I wake you? I am sorry."

Shortly after I sat up, Tarega awoke and began tidying the bed.

[Tarega] "I couldn't sleep anyway, Your Highness."

[Celeste] "Are you nervous as well?"

[Tarega] "Very much so."

She offered a warm smile and placed a hand over her heart.

[Celeste] "Tarega... should you not send a letter to your relative?"

Knowing she occasionally exchanged letters with a distant relative, I asked out of concern.

She was entirely alone in the world. Her parents had passed away early, and after entering the palace to care for me, she had never formed a family of her own.

[Tarega] "I shall write once we arrive in Kellinev. Surely no letter will arrive before we depart?"

[Celeste] "What if one does?"

[Tarega] "I shall explain the circumstances later, and they will understand."

In Calyx, we had relied solely on each other. I sensed life in Kellinev would follow the same pattern.

Without Tarega, imagining a solitary existence in a foreign land was a nightmare I refused to face.

[Celeste] "Thank you for coming with me."

[Tarega] "There you go again, Your Highness."

Tarega gathered our belongings. When I offered to help, she adamantly refused and insisted I sit at the edge of the bed.

As I watched her pack our meager possessions, memories of the years spent within these tiny walls resurfaced vividly.

Though a wretched dwelling, it had served as my sanctuary. Because Raff had never barged in unannounced as he had yesterday, this space had belonged entirely to me.

It was a place where my will prevailed, a haven where I could roll on the grass or shout aloud without drawing reprimands.

A realization struck me belatedly.

The forest of my childhood, the one place that offered freedom when the villagers shunned me, closely resembled this annex.

Perhaps that was why, despite my burning desire to leave this wretched palace, a heavy melancholy settled over me, prompting me to hug my knees tightly.

It was not a reluctance to depart, but a heavy heart that prevented pure joy.

Dawn broke just as Tarega finished packing.

A servant sent to check our readiness departed upon seeing us prepared, and Terkan arrived shortly after to escort us.

My steps felt heavy. I wondered if this annex would remain standing if I ever returned.

[Celeste] "Terkan."

[Terkan] "Yes, Your Highness."

[Celeste] "May I ask a favor of His Majesty?"

[Terkan] "What manner of favor?"

[Celeste] "I wish for this annex to remain untouched."

[Terkan] "This is the Calyx Imperial Palace..."

[Celeste] "You said it yourself. A command from Emperor Batizo makes anything possible."

[Terkan] "I shall convey your request to His Majesty."

Though shameless, I hoped Batizo would grant this small request.

I picked up our bags. Of the two, I took the smaller one, while Tarega handled the larger as we stepped outside.

I gauged Terkan's mood and spoke softly as he walked ahead.

[Celeste] "Thank you."

[Terkan] "Royalty should withhold expressions of gratitude toward subordinates. They are merely performing their duties."

Are royals not human?

Superior or subordinate, gratitude deserved expression. I struggled to comprehend his logic. Yet if such rigid decorum was required, my path toward becoming true royalty would prove long and arduous.

Suddenly, Terkan turned around, stepped closer, and took the bag from my hand.

[Celeste] "I-I can carry it."

Surprised by his sudden action, I stammered. Yet his movements remained remarkably delicate and fluid.

[Terkan] "This, too, falls under my duties."

[Celeste] "Tha—"

Just as the word left my lips, Terkan gave a subtle shake of his head.

Right, he told me not to say it. I swallowed the gratitude back down.

We proceeded toward the main palace to offer formal farewells to Raff.

By daylight, the imperial palace looked vastly different from the previous night. Where awe had intoxicated me under the moonlight, the brilliant sunshine brought a bitter realization.

The morning air smelled faintly of warm, comforting sunlight, a bright, inviting scent. It belonged to an entirely different world from the dim rays piercing my annex.

Throughout the endless days and nights I had spent locked in dark dungeons, this world had continued to shine brilliantly, oblivious to my pain.

Terkan's words, that few within these walls knew of my suffering, proved painfully true. I was merely an invisible, unwanted shadow in the imperial court.

Raff stepped out to see me off after keeping me hidden for so long.

I had hoped to steel my resolve by viewing his imperial throne before leaving, making his early appearance somewhat disappointing. It felt as though he had deliberately blocked my path, anticipating my desire to see where the throne of Calyx sat and how grand it looked.

Under the harsh morning sunlight, Raff's features twitched repeatedly into grimaces. Though his face was etched into my memory, I stared directly at him to burn every detail deeper into my mind.

His silver hair, the proud symbol of Calyx royalty that I had always envied, used to remind me of my late father. Over time, that association had faded because they shared no facial resemblance.

Raff stroked my hair.

A shiver ran down my spine at his touch, yet I endured it. He offered a smile entirely different from last night and delivered his formal farewell and blessings while I kept my eyes anchored on him.

Finally, he pulled me into a brief embrace and whispered softly into my ear.

[Raff] "Survive well in Kellinev."

Startled by the cryptic warning, I looked at him in confusion, but Raff pushed me back with a benevolent smile to bid me farewell.

I turned slowly and walked away, stealing one last glance over my shoulder.

Raff waved his hand. It was a half-hearted, insincere gesture devoid of genuine regret.

Why bother waving at all?

Then again, I possessed no desire to receive his blessings either. My sole wish was that Raff would remain healthy until the day I returned.

On that day, I would grab him by the throat and demand answers: why he had tormented me so relentlessly, and the truth behind my mother's death.

---

[Celeste] "Is this what a carriage looks like?"

I whispered softly so only Tarega could hear.

A carriage I had seen only in book illustrations stood right before my eyes.

I longed to inspect every detail, but I held back, fearing Terkan would launch into another lecture beginning with Royalty doesn't...

The horses, whose size I had never been able to gauge, were far larger than I had imagined. Having read in a book about someone severely injured by a horse's kick, I used to wonder just how massive they were.

Tarega had given me a rough description once, but imagination had its limits, especially since every animal I encountered in the forest during my childhood was smaller than me.

Up close, the horses posed a genuine threat with their sheer size. Even so, an urge to touch their sleek, black coats welled within me.

[Celeste] "May I touch the horse?"

Unable to resist, I asked Terkan, who gave a subtle nod.

Its coat felt remarkably smooth, radiating warmth against my palm. Touching an animal after so long felt unfamiliar, yet comforting.

[Celeste] "You are a good horse."

Though it offered no response, the horse remained still as I stroked its mane.

[Terkan] "Your Highness, we must depart. Please board."

Terkan mounted his horse alongside Batizo, leaving only Tarega and me inside the carriage.

As the carriage lurched forward, Tarega and I clung to each other. Every bump sent our bodies bouncing, filling us with anxiety.

Over time, however, we adapted and gained the composure to inspect our surroundings.

[Celeste] "Tarega, this seat is remarkably soft."

The plush cushion beneath me felt comfortable.

[Tarega] "It seems to be a fine carriage. Except..."

[Celeste] "Hmm?"

[Tarega] "The color..."

She hesitated.

[Celeste] "What about the color? Is it strange?"

She leaned closer to me and whispered cautiously.

[Tarega] "It is so pitch-black... like a funeral carriage!"

I had paid it little mind, but her words held truth.

[Celeste] "Perhaps the Black Winged Tribe prefers black?"

The steeds ridden by Terkan and Batizo were pitch-black, as were the horses pulling our carriage. In fact, every mount ridden by their escort soldiers appeared black.

I opened the window and leaned out to check.

My observation was correct: every single horse was pitch-black. From a distance, the procession might resemble a line of marching ants.

[Terkan] "Do you require something, Your Highness?"

He brought his horse alongside the carriage window and asked. His short hair fluttered in the breeze, faintly revealing his usually obscured eyes.

[Celeste] "No, nothing."

[Terkan] "Please step inside. It is dangerous."

[Celeste] "May I get a breath of fresh air for a moment?"

[Terkan] "Are you feeling stifled already?"

[Celeste] "I have always felt stifled."

Having lived confined within the annex of the imperial palace, the outside world unfolding before my eyes felt surreal, like a dream.

Though the air, sky, and sunlight were identical to those in the annex courtyard, I had entered an entirely new world.

[Celeste] "Not even for a brief moment?"

I pleaded with him.

[Terkan] "Then pray, return inside shortly."

[Celeste] "All right."

[Terkan] "Furthermore."

[Celeste] "Yes?"

[Terkan] "Don't seek permission from me for such matters. If Your Highness wishes to do something, just do it."

With those words, he turned his horse and rode ahead.

I had pleaded because he warned it was dangerous, yet that too had breached proper royal conduct.

Is he telling me to state my desires firmly, even when corrected?

Despite his puzzling advice, I felt no annoyance, only a quiet smile.

[Celeste] "Tarega, come look at this."

[Tarega] "I have seen plenty over the years, Your Highness. Please enjoy the view to your heart's content."

Though I didn't know what future awaited me, it would surely be brighter than my past.

A cool breeze swept into my chest, making me feel as though I had become the wind itself.

It felt like a rebirth.

I was finally free.

---

If you enjoy it, feel free to leave a rating or review on Naver Series and Novel Updates.