The Emperor Who Loves Me Dearly

A fair lady steps down slowly and elegantly from the black limousine. The vehicle has the emblem of the Theavarian empire, signifying that she's part of the royal family or treated as an important guest of the royals.

Her golden ball gown matched her golden hair that is now twisted into a bun, strands of her hair are falling down into a curl, framing her enchanting face. Her make-up enhancing her mesmerizing green eyes and luscious lips. The gown was customized and made solely for her, the woman of Logan Daxon Ruwedor Fergus.

This gown has been the cause of many sleepless nights of a world-class designer, Fleur Delphine. Her task, to make a gown that represents the Empire, and how great a mistake it was to think that it was for Astrid Vega!

Fleur Delphine remembers it clearly...how the assistant of the domineering emperor called her. It was just a week before the ball. JUST ONE WEEK.

"Good day, Fleur Delphine on the phone" she responded with full enthusiasm. It seems like the emperor will be needing a new set of clothes again and it will be a big contract as usual! Of course, great money is involved in here. However, she just finished creating him an extravagant pair of coat and slacks with a necktie and cape made from the finest silk, how come the emperor still needs her service? As far as she knows, the clothes she made for him are for the upcoming ball held for his wife, Astrid Vega.

"Good afternoon Ms. Fleur Delphine, the emperor requests that you make a gown" Oliver's voice occupied the phone.

It seems like the empress is finally going to be her customer!

Serve that Dahlia right! She's been stealing some of her customers for quite a while now and even though Fleur Delphine ranks number one in terms of fashion and designing, Dahlia has been her rival ever since, always landing on number two. Fleur Delphine doesn't really know why the empress prefers Dahlia over her though when even the emperor is on the top list of her regulars.

"What kind of gown Sir? And when is the due date?" she asks with one phone on her ear and another grabbing down a piece of paper. Actually, she is on a vacation right now, enjoying the sea breeze that's why her assistant is not there. Before she went outside again after applying her sunblock, she grabbed her phone to answer Oliver.

"The emperor replied in a concise manner, he said to make a gown that signifies the empire and he needs it by next week for the ball" the man on the other line responded as if his words held no importance to the woman on the other line.

The woman who is in her late 30's felt that the world crumbled and piles of debris are falling down her head.

NEXT WEEK? FOR THE BALL?

She almost cursed while still online, good thing she reminded herself that this are all about the royals, His majesty to be exact.

With a lump in the throat, she managed to gulp down a big ball of saliva before responding, "O-kay, consider it done, I will measure the empress later, I'm on my way"

It seems like her vacation will be postponed... well, it's okay if it means that Dahlia will lose another valued customer and even the most precious one! She's laughing internally while picturing Dahlia's face when she learned that the empress will be taking her as her new designer and tailor!

It is because of that Dahlia that she, Fleur Delphine is still not married!

'That backstabber...'

"Oh, it's not for the empress" Oliver replied which crushed Fleur Delphine's happy thoughts and imaginations.

If it's not for the empress...

THEN WHO IS SHE DOING IT FOR?!

---

Celestia felt all the cameras flashing at her face, it's blinding her but still she smiled and waved, she knew the consequences of attending this ball using one of the limousines of Logan. She refused but he insisted fervently, and who can even turn down an emperor anyway? Well, only her but this time she trusted him...after all, he promised that he will protect her and Logan always kept his words.

However, this time, Celestia is getting nervous and having cold feet. They already arrived at the entrance of Zoticus, the name of the grand place where balls and parties like this are to be held. It is a part of the Imperial Palace. She has never been into the palace before, she's not allowed anyway and Logan never initiated nor thought of bringing her in. Well, it never even crossed her mind until now when she's needed to step out.

"Logan where are you?" she muttered nervously, the man said that he will fetch her but up until now, there is no sign of the Theavarian's emperor.

She breathed heavily, the line of luxurious cars and limousines started to pile up at their back and even the driver is looking at her warily.

She needs to go.

'You owe me one Logan!'

'Maybe he's just busy' the other part of her brain reasoned out. Whichever the case was, she will know it later, but the first step to accomplish that is to walk down the long red carpet with hundreds of reporters waiting.

'You need to get use to this' she reminded herself.

She will become an empress soon...

Hopefully...

She never thought of becoming one, she wishes to live with the man she will fall in love with. She's a hopeless romantic but never in her wildest dreams that she would end up here, at Theavarin Empire fighting for the position of the empress although there's already one.

She never thought that this day would come, when she will be willing to give everything for love. Indeed, she is the princess of Thusha, the love Kingdom.

'One...'

'Two...'

'Three...'

'Let's go Celestia' she cheered herself, now on her full composture.

As she steps down the car, the reporters bombarded her with questions.

"Are you the concubine of the emperor?"

"What is your relationship with His Majesty?"

"Where are you from?"

"Do you believe in love?"

"What is your stand regarding the cure the emperor developed? Are you anti or pro?"

These questions were repeatedly asked by the eager reporters but Celestia only waved and smiled at them.

'What cure?'

She has no clue on what the reporters are talking about. Time seems to fly speedily when she's with Logan and watching news seldom entered her mind since she saw Logan from it. That's the last news she saw... and remembering the headline, it pertains to some sort of cure.

But a cure for what?

She sighed and tried to stop thinking about it, this is an important day, everything must go right.

"THE EMPEROR IS MISSING!" a loud voice boomed throughout the hallway and it seems like whoever he is, he is also shouting at the guest outside. And for a moment, everyone stopped moving.

"FIND THE EMPEROR RIGHT NOW!" now, it is the turn of the head of the guards to shout, he will surely receive a great punishment for being lenient! Just a while ago, the empress, Astrid Vega entered the chambers of the emperor, how come there are no traces of them found inside?!

Everyone began to panic and gossip loudly. This can't be...

Celestia's heart sank upon the news.

'This is not true!' This is not how it is supposed to be, what happened?

"Keep your promise Logan"

Your promise to protect us, the kids and me.

Keep your promise, Logan, to love me all your life.

"Keep your promise to never leave me again"

Her heart went rampant and unsettling, she's not having a good feeling on how this evening will end.

Clutching one hand on her heart, she walks faster inside the imperial palace, towards Logan. Her guts are telling her that something disastrous will happen and it feels like...feels like history will repeat again.

"Am I going to lose you again?"