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It was the night before the day of her wedding and Rishe couldn’t sleep. She was a bundle of nerves and she knew forcing herself to sleep would be pointless. By this time tomorrow, she would officially be married.
Everytime Arnold called her his wife, it would be real. Should she start calling him her husband, then? The thought of actually saying that while looking in his eyes made her heart flutter.
She slapped her cheeks before her mind could keep going down that road and focused on the private set of notes on her desk.
Since getting engaged and coming to Galkhein, a lot had happened. She was business partners with Chief Tully. Prince Kyle was on the road to recovering his health. She’d managed to shift Professor Michel’s view on himself and his creations. Her lady Millia and her future-former comrade Leo were safe. Siguel now had a trade deal with Galkhein, so Curtis, Harriet, Raul, and the others in her former hunting band would all be alright. So long as Galkhein didn’t start a war.
Making sure that didn’t happen was still her primary goal. She’d done much to head it off in this life, but she still didn’t know what had happened to set Arnold down the path of killing his father and waging war across the world in each of her previous lives. The new alliances with Coyelles and Siguel were the most significant changes in this life. But based on her previous lives, there were still two years in which the war happened. Until then, she wouldn’t know if these changes were enough. Rishe was hopeful she could make more progress in that time, but she couldn’t get complacent.
She spent a while jotting down notes and ideas she could work on next. Getting herbs and medicines from Renhua would be useful for future epidemics (and it’d be nice to see Master again).
She set her pen down and looked over her list. Some were feasible and some were more ambitious, but a common thread that arose was politics. If she wanted to avert the war, she’d have to have at least a bit more knowledge on the inner workings of Galkhein and the empire.
Rishe stretched her arms above her head, satisfied. Most of her nerves had settled down and she was feeling much better about tomorrow. No pre-wedding jitters was too much to ask for, whether she was getting married to the foolish Prince Dietrich or the future conqueror Prince Arnold.
Tomorrow, once she became Crown Princess, her work towards getting her carefree life would be easier. Her eyes were pulled towards the ring on her finger. She splayed her hand in the candlelight, admiring the way the jewels glittered.
This time, Rishe would live past twenty.
🙞🙜
Elsie woke her as the sun was rising. Months of preparation and planning meant all Rishe had to do was to go with the flow today. After she washed up and ate breakfast, a veritable army of maids filled her room. Her usually cheery maids looked stern and determined, like knights setting off for battle. Rishe held back a giggle, as their lady, that would make her their commander, she thought.
It was fitting, though, since she was sure there were going to be social battles she’d have to face today. Representatives from all over the world
Who would try to curry her favor? Who would try to belittle her? Today was the chance anyone who opposed her and Prince Arnold’s marriage would have before she was a princess.
Elsie herded her over to the vanity where Nicole, Amelia, and Hilde got to work on her hair, nails, and makeup. The rest of her maids got to work on preparing her dresses for the wedding ceremony and the reception under Elsie’s supervision.
The morning passed quickly. Her room was a buzz of activity and last minute preparations.
Rishe felt oddly calm. She was ready for the wedding. The people from her past lives were here as guests. Prince Theodore’s people hadn’t heard anything of worry in the last month and the knights had been briefed on contingency plans and potential assassination attempt vectors. With so many important people in one place, it only made sense to keep an eye out. Rishe felt ready for anything.
Before long, it was time. Oliver had come to retrieve her and take her to the church. Also accompanying her were a few of her maids and a greater number of knights than usual.
Waiting for her at the bottom of the main staircase of the villa was Prince Arnold, dressed in full regalia. When their eyes met, her breath stuttered and she saw fall ever so slightly open. She held herself back from racing down the stairs, but not from descending as fast she could.
Arnold met her at the bottom of the stairs. He took her hand and raised it to his lips to kiss the back of her fingers. They hadn’t even left the villa and her heart was in overdrive.
He lowered her hand, but didn’t let go. “You look beautiful, Rishe.”
“So do you.” It was a lame response, but still true. What else could she say when she felt like she could barely breathe?
Neither of them moved to leave until Oliver prodded them to get going.
Before she knew it, they were on their way to the center of the city. Rishe looked out the windows of the carriage as they made their way. The streets were full of people, but the mood was more muted than she expected. It wasn’t dour, but she expected that the wedding procession would have more fanfare than the day she arrived in the capital.
Finally, the carriage stopped in front of the church. Arnold got out first and helped her step out to the cheers from the crowds around them. She smiled and waved back, letting their excitement rally her own.
They entered the grand doors of the church. Multi-colored light streamed in from the stained glass windows. Even if there was a commotion today, it would not be her fault if any more windows broke.
The pews were already filled with guests, from Galkhein officials to locals lucky enough to get a spare seat.
The music started and that was their cue to walk down the aisle. The ceremony itself was a blur. The priest was talking, but she didn’t process what he was saying. All she could focus on was Arnold next to her, the low murmurs of a crowd, and the ring on her finger. After what felt like forever, it was time for the kiss.
Even though it was the briefest of kisses, it made her heart hammer.
Once the priest finished his remarks, Rishe and Arnold (her husband! ) turned to face the crowd and linked arms.
She froze. There in the front row was the Emperor. He looked just like Arnold. His hair and his eyes were the same shade. He had the same sharp features. It was like she was seeing Arnold twenty years into the future, except for the way her instincts screamed that she was in danger. It was like she was back at the end of sixth life, when Arnold rounded the corner covered in the blood of her comrades. Under the Emperor’s critical gaze, she was acutely aware of the knife strapped to her leg and the sword at Arnold’s hip.
The moment broke when Arnold tapped at her inner arm. She let Arnold guide her towards his father, despite her instincts. She focused on remaining calm and followed Arnold’s lead. She spoke only when directed to, and she said only polite, empty greetings worthy of the situation.
As soon as the minimal required amount of greetings was over, they left. Rishe trailed beside Arnold, smiling and waving despite how dazed she felt.
Rishe thought she had been prepared. In all of her lives, she’d never met the Emperor. She’d heard of him, of course. She knew what he had done to Arnold, his wives, and the rest of his children. Galkhein had a fearsome reputation even before Arnold had killed him and assumed the throne. Knowing that wasn’t enough to prepare herself to be in his presence.
Rishe held on to Arnold’s arm. Her skin crawled to turn her back on that man. Her instincts still screamed danger and she could pick out exactly where he was. She had never been so glad that she’d already had Arnold move out of the palace and to their villa.
The rest of the day went as planned. Rishe changed into her dress for the reception and Elsie touched up her makeup, congratulating her all the while.
Rishe reunited with Arnold at the palace for the reception party and they spent the majority of it greeting their guests and receiving their well-wishes. She was glad to establish a connection with those from her previous lives and catch up with new friends from this one. But the whole time, she was distracted. She was aware of the Emperor’s presence and she did her best to steer clear of him, wanting to avoid even catching sight of him.
Rishe was relieved when midway through the party, the Emperor left with a fair number of counts and dukes.
It was well past the middle of the night when Rishe and Arnold returned to their villa. They parted to change and wash up. She returned to her room, tired, but content. Elsie was the only one waiting for her, in contrast to that morning.
After bathing, she put on a delicate chemise and Elsie helped Rishe to dry her hair. The rhythmic brush strokes had nearly lulled Rishe to sleep when Elsie broke from her normal nightly routine. Elsie set the brush down on the vanity and picked up several small containers. “Would you like to use some of this, Lady Rishe?”
Rishe took one of the containers and opened it. With the cap off, she could make out a sweet floral smell. “Lotion?”
“Yes, my lady. I thought you’d like something special for tonight.”
Rishe could feel her cheeks go red. Special . Right. Arnold was next door, waiting for her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Something special would be nice.
Once Elsie was done putting some on for her, Elsie walked with her to the door. As Rishe stepped into the hallway, Elsie said, “Enjoy your night, my lady!”
Rishe wouldn’t have been able to come up with a response even if Elsie hadn’t already closed the door behind Rishe.
She knocked on Arnold’s door and let herself in.
Arnold was at his desk, dressed in a loose shirt and trousers.
“You’re working?” She walked over and put her hands on his shoulders and peered over to look. She’d long given up on the ‘no touching’ rule.
“Only a few small things till you were ready.”
Still seated, he looked up at her with the faintest of smiles. The candlelight glittering in his eyes mesmerized her. She was alone with the man who’d killed her, but completely at ease.
“I’m ready.”
In a flash, he stood up and turned around. Even as she jumped back in surprise, he moved with her and her legs were swept out from under her and she was being lifted into the air. Rishe pouted, but wrapped her arms around his neck in defeat. Just because he’d carried her like this before didn’t mean it wasn’t embarrassing!
Carrying her, he crawled into bed, set her down, and sat beside her. The hand on her back lingered there and he leaned in close.
“Do you trust me?”
She was tempted to say no, but she nodded. He touched his forehead to hers and she longed for him to close that last bit of the gap between them.
“Then lay down.”
Rishe did. As laid her head on the pillows, she felt her hair spill around her shoulders.
“Close your eyes.”
Rishe did, and waited for what he would do next. She felt the bed shift as he moved and in a moment she felt him lay down beside her. Just as she was about to ask what he was planning to do, his arm brushed her chest and his hand began to pat her just below her collarbone.
She opened her eyes and turned to him. “Wha—?”
“You need to sleep, so I’m returning the favor.”
Her lips parted in surprise, but she was touched. “Really? Are you—”
“Yes. So close your eyes and go to sleep.”
She giggled, but did so, his hand thumping on her chest like a second heartbeat all the while.
🙞🙜
Arnold kept up with the patting motion, even after Rishe’s eyes closed and her breathing slowed as she fell into sleep. She’d been on alert all day and he was glad to see the tension fall away.
She’d once said that he was the most dangerous person to her, but Arnold didn’t agree. No, the one who put her in the most danger was his father. In theory, she was a hostage, her position wasn’t a strong one. Arnold had technically fulfilled his father’s requirements for a wife, but Hermity was weak and had next to no influence. If they’d wanted Hermity to fall in line, they didn’t need a hostage to do it.
Up till now, Rishe had been safe because his father’s attention passed over her. Now, she was Crown Princess and future Empress. Her position was more fragile now that she was an official representative of the royal family. She would be at the Emperor’s mercy for whatever slight, real or imagined. Why would he care about his son’s wife when he didn’t care about his own? What would he do to Rishe’s children when he murdered his own?
And Rishe knew that, too. Arnold had felt her tense up when she first laid eyes on his father, he’d seen her lingering unease for the rest of the day. She had only calmed down once the two of them left the reception and returned to their villa.
No, Arnold wasn’t the biggest danger to Rishe. As long as the Emperor was alive, Rishe was on the brink of death. Arnold wouldn’t let that stand. He would keep Rishe safe. He would make her Empress as soon as possible.