{Tea}

Staring blankly at my works, I placed down my books, having no urge to finish them.

My room became a mess so is my office. Pieces of paper scattered around the floor while the inks were now beneath the broken mirrors. If you came inside, it would look like chaos made by a hurricane. The curtains were thorn using what look like knives, broken teacups, and actual knives occupying the space on the floor.

After carefully examining the mess I made, I stood up and opened the window behind me. It measured to around fourteen to fifteen feet tall. I gently placed my hands on the window sill, admiring the sight before me. In this entire palace, I have the grand view. The garden used to be my reliever, but now it's just empty. Nothing looked special anymore, they're just there. Just like me, the flowers and ornaments seemed to have lost it's light as well.

My favorite part of the garden was this hidden stream behind my most loved tree. It will take about an hour to get there, but there's this magical path to lead you. There are colorful flowers, birds beautifully harmonizing while the tree gives you a perfect amount of shade and sunlight. The place is a paradise filled with varieties of flowers. Sadly, the one I loved most was the flower I'm living with, my husband.

"I hate him..."

"I hate him a lot," I mumbled, battling my emotions from overlapping.

Why am I still thinking of him when he took everything I have? Everything I am?

"P-pardon me,"

"H-his Emperor asked us to prepare a meal for you."

I turned around, facing the servant. From her looks, I can say she's not that pretty, moreover just awkward. She's nothing special so why did He called her to deliver my meal? "We are aware t-that you feel unwell, and...and in g-grieve. But you must eat even if it's a small portion only. The cook wasted their time preparing your meal, to only make it a waste." she stated, holding a cloche. "Y-you should at least try it,"

Indeed she is nothing. "Are you telling me I pay the cook for me to become a waste of their time? Should I have them fired?"

"No! That's not what I meant, Your Empress!" She started sweating, trying to pick up an answer. "We are just worried about you, Your Empress." I slowly went her way with my plastered smile, "I was only joking. Can you tell me your name, darling?"

"It's Pomie."

"Pomie? It's such a beautiful name." Her face turned bright red making me chuckle. "How about you join me? Eating is much better with a companion." I walked towards my desk, emptying it. "Are you not coming?" I asked, trying to sadden my voice.

"Of course, Your Empress! I'll come and eat with you!" She hurriedly went to sit in front of me. I tried my best to maintain my smile as I watch her arranged my meal. "My my, it even looks more appetizing since it was you who prepared it for me." The redness of her face darkened while she tried to remain calm. "Shall we eat now?" I sliced the meat and took a bite. I then tried the potato, eating a small portion of it. "Aren't you gonna eat?"

"P-pardon?" Her face tells it all. How can I ever repay my husband for always thinking of me? "Is it because you don't like me? I already knew I'm nothing more, but an outsider not fit, to become the Emperor's Empress."

"No, Your Empress! Your the perfect empress there is!" she then proceeds to eat a portion of the meal before staring at me with a shocked expression. "Is something wrong, Pomie?" Her confused look turned to a relieved smile. "Nothing, Your Empress, I'm just happy I can share a meal with you."

"To be honest, Your Empress, I'm happy I got to talk to you," she stated. "We never really got the chance to know you since you're always tailing His Emperor. But now I can say, your very kind, Your Empress." her smile brightened. "Thank you, Pomie."

"The room is a bit messy, ain't it?" I asked. Her eyes roamed around the room, eyeing each corner. "It's not that bad, to be honest. We can make it prettier, Your Empress." Seeing her like this reminds me a lot of my memories with Savine.

I grabbed the kettle and poured her a cup of tea. "Why were you shocked earlier, was the food not in your liking?" She continued to swallow the meat, "Not at all, I was just worried. Thank you for the tea!" I smiled before returning to my seat, "You shouldn't worry, Pomie, the meal wasn't the poisoned one."

Her face went pale, staring at me with disbelief. She stood up and ran towards the door. I continued, "It was the tea."

Before she could even reach the handle, her body collapsed. I took another bite of my meal as I watch her take her last breath. "She could have been a worthy ally. But her death was near, how heartbreaking."

I wouldn't say I didn't feel a pang of guilt, yet seeing it happen again still leaves a crack in my heart. My husband loves feeling in control. He thirsts for power, glory and lastly, he thirsts for my downfall. He already tried to get me assassinated a few times already so, I have prepared beforehand. Sadly no assassin can get ten meters near me before falling in the amid of death. Instead of getting along, he spends his time finding a swordsman to execute me or lock me up. The last time I saw him was two years ago. If something urgent came, he would only send someone to take his place.

Would it hurt his pride to see me? I couldn't even remember his voice nor how tall he was.

After everything that happened, all I want is, "To kill him myself." One of the butlers then entered my room with two men behind him. "We are from his order, His Majesty, ordered us to come and check on you," the two men bowed. "Hurry along, clean this mess before it rots." the head butler stated without even acknowledging my presence. Among all his dogs, this one seems to enjoy following him.

The two men dragged Pomie's body outside. They walked down the halls, slowly disappearing in my sight. I sneered, diverting my attention on the butler, mumbling under his breath. "Are you perhaps displease?" I stood up, walking closer to him. "I'm alive and breathing,"

He stared at me before answering, "I have no clue what you're trying to imply." He dusted himself before walking out the door. "You're right. The poison was probably a work of an amateur unworthy to be with His Emperor. It was so terrible that a mere servant survived."

Stopping on his tracks, I smiled as I added, "You couldn't even prepare a proper attempt to get rid of me. Did you think the emperor would still keep you leach?" He turned around with an annoyed look. Taking this as an opportunity, I grabbed my dagger, throwing it in his direction but missed. A sad look was placed upon my face, before it changed into a bright smile.

"I was aiming at the wall, but your shoulder blocked it."