The Palace of the Sun stood high and bright on the right side of the Imperial Palace. Opposite to the Palace of the Moon, this palace shined brightly. The only place where the big hallways didn’t feel enormous and cold, and the servants greeted me with a genuine smile.

This place belonged to me, and here I ruled in peace. 

My confronting place, the place where all my doubts would roam free. 

I passed through my office, not even wasting a glare to look at it, I headed straight into my room. 

My hands grasped onto the handle, and, before I fully opened the door, a big smile greeted me. Rushing towards me, tightly embracing me, was my Lady-in-Waiting, my dear friend, Isabella. 

As she let go of me, her eyes analyzed my face. Was it maybe my dark circles under my eyes that made her smile drop? Or was it that she already knew what happened? For someone like her, who always stood by my side, and whom I trusted more than my own family, it was easy to know when something happened. 

‘My Lady, what’s that look on your face?’ she whispered 

Slowly, she stroked my hair, as if I was a small child, and under her kind gesture, I could feel happier. 

‘It appears that my father had found a great use for the Festival of Offerings.’ I gathered the courage to mutter those words. 

Isabella stopped stroking my hair and took a step backward. She looked into my eyes, and I had to look the other way, holding down tears. 

‘And that use being what?’ 

‘It is time for me to reveal my powers. There are numerous petitions asking me to show my powers, so much that my father couldn’t ignore them anymore.’ 

Approaching the window, I leaned over the border of the window and raised my head to look into the sky. The branch of the trees knocked into the window and a shiver passed through my body. 

‘Isn’t it a good thing, My Lady? Once you reveal them, no one would even dare question your decisions. It is better to happen now, since, in 3 months, you’ll be too busy with the ascension to the throne.’

In an instant, I turned around to look into her eyes. At that time, I felt a wave of anger running through my veins. 

‘You know very well that I’m not sure if I even have those powers the elders spoke about! If I fail, you, me, my army, my servants, my plans, all of them would be destroyed! They would kill us if they felt we cheated them!’ my voice raised, almost to the point where it looked as if I was yelling. 

Once I said those words, I felt tears running down my cheeks. I lowered my head, and I hid my eyes from her. 

For Isabella, who raised me, this gesture must have broken her heart, yet she still rushed towards me and embraced me tightly. 

‘My lady is strong and smart, and because of this, no one would even dare steal what’s hers. I trust you with my life, and I know you’re the only children that could save this Empire, with or without some sort of Prophecy.’ 

‘But— but… If I screw up?’ 

At that moment, Isabella started giggling. 

‘For that, if it ever were to happen, which I doubt, maybe my plans would be of use. Would you like me to tell you about the plans that I have?’ 

I nodded my head, from time to time, if it felt good to hear something else, other than all the duties I had to do. 

‘Well, if it’s for you to screw up, we could blame it on the one who rules the Underworld! Think about it. Doesn’t someone have to protect the barrier between the two lands? Someone has to take care of the souls of those who died. What if that person doesn’t allow you to enter? Isn’t it a rational answer of why you could not pass through the portal?’ 

My eyes lingered with hope before I started laughing like a child who just heard the best joke. Despite the fact that this plan felt childish, I still wanted to grasp onto it and believe that it could work. 

I questioned her: ‘And what if that plan fails?’

Isabella didn’t even ponder for a moment, she came close to me, whispering into my ear: ‘If that happens, then, we could run away to that house you brought me secretly! No one knows of its existence, other than us, meaning that we won’t be found! We can live there like you always wanted! We’ll harvest crops and make a beautiful, big garden full of flowers!’ 

Isabella came from a noble family, who abandoned her once she refused to marry out of obligation. Yet, here, she showed much support towards my mother, endless support that, over time, earned her this place now. 

Even this didn’t make all the bad luck vanish. No matter how much she tried, she wasn’t treated greatly. As a child, I couldn’t do much to protect her. Not until I had the power into my hands. And, when I had it, I brought her a house, her own house. 

With the intention that there could be a time when I fail to complete my duty and people rebel against me, I brought her to this house. She, and all my other supporters, like K, don’t deserve to be mistreated because of my actions, so I tried my best to give them a chance if things go bad. 

To hear her, offering to hide with me in her safe space, made my heart flutter. I embraced her back. 

‘Thank you for trusting me. I will not let you down!’ 

Isabella nodded: ‘I know.’ 

If I were to know how things would change in only 3 days, I would have embraced her more tightly. 

Yet I never expected things to turn out so bad, so fast.