The Commoner Consort: The Country's Respected Empress

Maya stares at Ryan curiously. Her eyes were so focused and could see his face very clearly. Yet she couldn't say where she had seen him. She couldn't see anything fake.

His face is so clear without his beard or moustache. She couldn't find anything to doubt his identity.

She tilts her head curiously.

'He looks very familiar. Where did we meet? But this man looks too… Royal?  How can I forget such a face? I even found Prince Xavier's disguise. Where did I see him?'

As if sensing her gaze on him, suddenly Ryan turns and looks at her.

Maya "...?!" 

Both stare for a moment.

Before she could react Ryan winks at her.

Maya gasps stunned "...?!" What the… 

Ryan turns his head back nonchalantly.

Maya is flabbergasted by his mischievous attitude.

'Is he insane?!'

She turns away displeased and clenches her fist. She is flustered and irked at the same time.

'Why would he do that?! Has he lost his mind? How could he do this? I am his cousin's wife!-'

'Wife?'

Maya freezes in this thought. 

'Wife'

'Wife'

She mentally repeats the word again and again and feels strangely sad.

The word seemed so distant and funny at this point. She could only smile bitterly as she looked back at the court.

Ryan's face is still expressionless. .

She smirks mockingly.

Kalki turns towards the Crown Prince of The Western Realm and declares "Western Realm. I am grateful for their magnanimous gesture of lending this for a short time".

Saying so, he looks at Jonathan.

Jonathan, who has been in a huge shock, snaps out from his daze and announces "The Northern Realm welcomes the Crown Prince Ryan!"

The Crown Prince of The Western Realm only nods his head acknowledging him and remains silent.

Announcing so, he swiftly brings the copy of the Treaty carefully. He had no idea what was in the bundle when Kalki handed it. He never would have thought that was the actual copy of 'Treaty of the Realms'!

Kalki grabs the copy carelessly from Jonathan's hands and opens it.

Jonathan "...?!" Isn't this very precious? 

Everyone present on the day when the treaty was made gets nervous and looks at each other worried.

Maya raises her eyebrows and listens to Kalki who has started reading the copy. 

"The treaty states that the land lies beside the Southern river belongs to the respective Realms. Since the Pavilion built by The Northern Realm doesn't have any river around it to define the border and also it possesses a high advantage of its elevated ground level, the Imperial Court will have the possession of the Pavilion to keep the peace among the Realms".

Maya gets stunned hearing him.

'This is it! This is why he has been so confident that he can get the Pavilion in his hands!'

She whips her head towards Xavier who is smiling with a surprised face.

'Prince Xavier too realizes what this man has done'

'No wonder… In the past, the river didn't flow into the Northern Realm and so this piece of land didn't belong to any other Realms unless... The river changes its path-'

Maya gasps astonished and get shivers realizing Kalki's trick.

'Now the River changed its path?- wait! *gasps remembering something* The construction of the dam! The Southern River is diverted into the Northern realm due to the heavy floods in The Southern Realm! So... Now the river created a border itself! And The Pavilion already belongs to The Northern Realm by the Treaty!'

Kalki hears Maya's gasp and turns to look at her.

She just stares at him speechlessly "..."

He smirks before opening his mouth cooly "Her Highness chose wisely".

--------

The Royal Garden.

"Maya!"

She grins as she hears Xavier's loud and happy voice.

He runs towards her and mutters "God, I am so happy today".

As soon as he gets near Maya, he engulfs her in his bear hug and whispers "Thank you. I appreciate you standing with us".

"...?!"

Maya felt her heart beating fast and couldn't utter anything.

He releases her from his embrace. He is about to speak but stops.

His face lost its colours looking at her crown as if he realized something. He whispers, taking a step back but still his hands never let her shoulders go.

"I can't do this…"

Maya frowns "Hmm?"

She is puzzled to see Xavier's strange behaviour.

Xavier stares at her crown and declares darting his eyes nervously "I can't do this... with this crown. This belongs to my brother's wife… How can I".

Maya is still confused even after hearing him and looks at him cluelessly. But she didn't like him mentioning her as his brother's wife.

Xavier suddenly snatches the crown from her head and stares at her intensely.

Maya gets startled as she looks at the crown in his hand.

Maya gulps as she stares into his eyes and gets anxious as she doesn't understand a single thing from his expression. The only thing she guessed is he is being very serious.

She couldn't help but ask slowly "What's wrong? I have never seen you so worried… What happened? Weren't you happy just-"

She freezes when Xavier leans forward towards her holding her shoulder softly. Her eyes are wide in shock. But she doesn't step back too for some reason even though his hold over her shoulders is gentle. 

"P-Prince Xavier"

She could only whisper in worry.

'Is he sick again?'

Xavier whose face is just an inch apart from hers sighs defeated. He didn't step back or leaned forward. He declares staring into her eyes "I don't care if you don't, Maya. But... I love you".

Maya trembles hearing him.

"I don't care if you want to give your marriage a chance. I don't care if my brother wants to make you his Queen. I just… feel like dying without telling you this. I don't want to regret not saying this to you.. I can't ever say this if not now".