22 I Shall Go Tonight!

Daphne clutched onto her aching heart and sobbed uncontrollably, unable to believe that her dream of ever being with Luthiel had disappeared in a flicker of light.

She angrily tightened her fist and, unwilling to back down, she grabbed a hold of her dress and stormed out of her chambers.

She walked towards her father's chamber, and once she arrived there, the royal guards at the door quickly announced her presence to the emperor.

The emperor gave his permission, and with a deep breath exiting her nose, she stepped inside.

The guards shut the doors afterward, and the emperor, who was seated on his chair with his legs crossed and a book in his hand, raised his head to look at her.

"Is there a problem?" He asked, and Daphne breathed heavily, trying to muster up the courage to speak to him.

"Are you... really marrying me off to the Darighton empire?" She inquired in a low tone, and the emperor shut the book in his hand.

"Yes, I am. Do you have a problem with that? " He questioned, and Daphne's heart pounded within her.

"But... I have someone that I already love, father. I will not be happy married off to-"

"Daphne, who said you have a say in this? You are lucky enough that I am marrying you off to a good empire. Whether you're happy or not is entirely up to you."

He said this to her with a stern expression on his face, and before she could retaliate, he ordered the guards to escort her out.

"Father!"

She shouted, but the guards shut the door in her face, leaving her broken within.

The maids escorted her back to her chambers, and she took a seat on the sofa in her room, a few drops of tears falling from her eyes.

She can't give up like this, can she?

She asked herself and shook her head.

Maybe if she confesses her love to Luthiel, he may do something.

I mean, the emperor holds him in really high regard, so maybe he can help her out.

A smile spread across her face as she thought this, and quickly, she stood up from her seat.

"I shall go tonight." She smiled widely and took a deep breath of relief.

__________

Finally awoken from her sleep, Yennefer sat up on the sick bed and rubbed her forehead, which was aching badly.

"Ah... it burns." She groaned and blinked her eyes open.

She looked around the room, and seeing all the herbs and drugs, she immediately knew that she was in a hospital or something.

She shook her head and stood up on her feet.

Heavy dizziness hit her, and she staggered back a bit before grabbing onto the edge of the bed to keep herself from falling.

"He probably brought me here." She said, recalling that she had fainted at the training ground.

The sudden snore coming from someone attracted her attention, and she turned her head to see Celvit seated on a chair with his head resting on the table, fast asleep.

'He must be the physician.' She thought and, without saying a word, she staggered out of the chamber and proceeded to make her way to her chamber.

However, she unexpectedly bumped into Daphne, who had a cheerful smile on her face.

"Sorry, sorry, I am sorry."

Daphne quickly apologized the moment she bumped into Yennefer, and Yennefer raised her head to look at her.

"It's okay." She smiled at her, and Daphne nodded.

Without uttering another word, she walked past Yennefer and continued wandering toward Luthiel's chamber.

Yennefer stared at her and, seriously wanting to mind her business, this sudden urge to follow her and find out why she was smiling so happily that she even apologized first, overwhelmed her.

"Hmmm..." she narrowed her eyes into a thin line and, wanting to satisfy her curiosity, she secretly followed after Daphne.

….

Daphne arrived at Luthiel's chamber, and the guards bowed to her in respect.

She nodded at them, and they pushed the door open for her.

She walked inside, and the guards shut the door behind her.

"Princess..." Luthiel, who was stunned by her presence, turned around and on seeing him, Daphne stilled in a trance.

The general she was looking at was clad in nothing but his white night pants and his upper body was completely bare.

She could tell that he was yet to be done with dressing up from the shirt that he was holding in his hand.

Her eyes trailed up to his hair, and she suddenly couldn't help but admire the way it flowed down to his waist with some strands resting on his shoulders.

"Ahem!" Luthiel, who was feeling quite uncomfortable with the way that she was gazing at him, cleared his throat and immediately snapped back to her senses, Daphne shifted her gaze to his face, her gray eyes meeting his emerald green eyes.

"Apologies!" She hurriedly apologized, but Luthiel, who was fixated on knowing why she had come to his chambers, furrowed his brows at her.

"Is there a problem?" He asked, and a wide smile emerged on Daphne's face.

It was so sweet of him to actually notice that everything was not okay!

She giggled, and now even more confused, a slight frown ensued on Luthiel's face.

"Are you...okay?" He inquired yet again, and Daphne shook her head at him.

"No, Luthiel, I am not okay."

A sad expression appeared on her face, and she walked closer to him.

"You see, my father is selling me off to the Darighhton empire to marry their crown prince for the sake of the alliance. But I already have someone I love, and I cannot afford to marry the crown prince."

She explained, and Luthiel tilted his head in a bit of bewilderment.

"What... does that have to do with me?" He questioned, and ready to tell him, Daphne's smile broadened.

"Well, you see, I don't exactly know how to tell you this-" she fiddled nervously with her fingers "-but that someone that I love... is you."

She finally confessed, and Luthiel, who did not expect that from her, gazed at her for a few moments in shock before a deep frown slowly settled in between his brows.

"Are you out of your mind?" He asked and, heavily shocked by his question, Daphne's smile slowly faded, replaced by a baffled expression.

"What made you say that to me? You and I barely knew or spoke to each other, so where did this feeling resonate?"

He asked, and Daphne laughed nervously.