CHAPTER 194: WHEN SILENCE CUTS DEEP

[Imperial Palace—Emperor’s Office—Later]

I didn’t know what was wrong with Papa. Did he suddenly remember he’s the "terrifying tyrant emperor" everyone whispers about? Whatever it was, I didn’t like the way he treated my man like that.

So, I did the only thing I could—I finished every single one of those cursed documents as fast as my quill could fly. My wrist was crying, my brain felt cooked, but finally I slammed the last paper down and shot up from my chair.

"I AM DONE!" I declared to the world—or at least to the overbearing man sitting at the desk.

Papa only glanced up, unfazed, like my outburst was background noise. "Good," he said simply.

Good? GOOD? After my heroic sacrifice? I gritted my teeth but kept my mouth shut.

"Alright," I huffed, turning toward the door. "I’m leaving, Papa."

"Wait."

I froze mid-step. Slowly, I looked over my shoulder. "...Yes?"

"Where are you going?" His tone was calm, but it carried that dangerous weight.

I gave him my sweetest, most innocent smile. "Oh, nowhere special. Just thinking of writing to Grandpa Thalein or Brother Lysandre. You see, Papa, Marshi’s losing control of his power lately and I’d like to know why before he accidentally blows up my wardrobe—or, worse, my chamber."

That earned me a furrowed brow. "He cannot control his power?"

I nodded seriously. "Exactly. It’s been getting worse. I need to know the reason."

Papa thought for a moment before nodding. "Alright. Keep me informed."

And that was that.

The moment I stepped out, my eyes instantly found him—Osric. Still standing like a statue outside the office, his posture perfect, his face unreadable.

"Osri—" I started but stopped cold.

Because he bowed.

Bowed.

Osric only bows to me when nobles are around or when Papa’s watching. But here? The hallway was empty. It was just the two of us.

And his eyes... his eyes were hollow.

My heart lurched. Without thinking, I rushed to him, catching his hand in both of mine. "Osric, what happened? Why are you acting like this? Did Papa say something to you? Why are you so... distant?"

He looked down at me, and for a second I thought I saw something—pain, maybe—but it was gone before I could catch it.

"Your Highness," he said, his voice steady but colder than usual. He gently slipped his hand from mine. "It’s time for your training."

And that was it. No smile. No quiet joke. No warmth.

Just duty.

My fingers curled into a fist, nails biting into my palm. First Papa, now Osric? The two men who mattered most to me were suddenly acting like drunk idiots.

Well, tough luck for them—I’m not some tragic heroine who waits around, weeping in silence, for the other party to speak first.

I reached for his hand, my grip firm. "We need to talk. Now."

He stiffened, eyes flickering with something unreadable. "Your Highness, you shouldn’t skip your training—"

That was the last straw. My patience snapped like a brittle string. I fixed my gaze at him, voice sharp and commanding.

"Enough. I wasn’t asking, Osric. That was an order. I am the Crown Princess of this Empire, and when I command, you obey. Now shut your mouth and follow me."

His lips parted, maybe to protest, but one look from me silenced him. Without giving him the chance to breathe another excuse, I turned on my heel and dragged him behind me toward my chambers, every step a silent declaration: I will not be ignored.

***

[Dawnspire Wing—Later]

As soon as I stepped into my chamber, Sera was calmly feeding Marshi and Solena pieces of cake, as if nothing in the world could shatter this peace. My grip on Osric’s hand didn’t loosen. My voice was steady, but there was an edge to it.

"Sera, leave us."

She blinked at the unusual tone but bowed.

"Take those two creatures with you," I added, sharper this time.

Without a word, she gathered both Marshi and Solena, sensing the storm in the air. The door closed behind her with a quiet click.

The silence that followed was deafening.

"Now," I said, still facing away from him, "do you want to tell me why you’re behaving like some hollow ghost? Or should I command it out of you?"

Nothing. Not even a shift of breath.

I turned, and there he stood—rigid, distant, his eyes dull in a way that made my chest tighten. This was not the Osric I knew.

I crossed the room in two strides and took his hands in mine, forcing him to look at me. "What happened? Yesterday you were fine. Today you’re... this. What changed?"

"Your Highness..." His voice was low and strained, as if every word hurt. "Please. We should not—this is not right. There are boundaries we should not cross."

"Boundaries?" I repeated, my grip tightening. My heart thudded painfully. "You mean the boundaries you already crossed when you—when you gave me your heart? When you confessed your love to me? Are you talking about those boundaries?"

His jaw tightened, and he looked away, shame flickering in his eyes. "I was foolish. Reckless. It will not happen again. It cannot."

Something in me snapped—fear, frustration, I couldn’t tell. I stepped closer, forcing him to meet my gaze, and yet I tried to be calm and warm.

"And what if I want you to cross that line again? What if I am telling you that I—" My voice caught, but I forced the words out. "That I want you."

His head snapped toward me, shock rippling across his face, but still, he said nothing.

I turned, went to my wardrobe, and opened the small box that held the delicate sapphire earrings he had once given me—the gift that carried a promise neither of us had dared to name. My hands trembled, but I removed the ones I was wearing and replaced them with his gift.

When I turned back, he was staring, eyes wide, as if the world had just tilted off its axis.

"This," I said softly, touching the earrings, "is my answer."

The tension in his face shattered—shock, pain, and longing all flashing at once. I thought he might smile. Instead, I saw the glint of unshed tears. My chest ached.

I stepped closer, close enough to feel the uneven rhythm of his breathing, and wrapped my arms around him, pressing my cheek against the solid warmth of his chest. "You said if I wore these, it would be my answer to your proposal. So here it is, Osric." My voice trembled despite my resolve.

"I... I love you. I love you so much that I would tear down every law, rewrite every rule, and defy the world itself if it dared to keep us apart."

For a heartbeat, he didn’t move. And then—he pushed me back, too gently to hurt, but firmly enough to break me.

"Don’t," he whispered, his voice hoarse. "Please, your highness. Don’t do this. Forget everything I said before. We cannot. We shouldn’t."

The confusion and the sting of his odd behavior hit me like a slap. My heart pounded painfully.

"Why?" My voice cracked, but I didn’t care. "Why are you saying this now? What are you hiding from me?"

Osric didn’t answer. He kept his gaze fixed on the floor, his silence heavier than any sword he had ever wielded.

That was it—my patience snapped.

"Hah," I scoffed, running a hand through my hair before gripping my temple. "You’re really testing my nerves today."

Before he could react, I stepped forward and smacked his shin—not hard, but enough to jolt him.

"Ah! Your Highness!" He winced, stumbling back. "What was that for?!"

"For being an idiot," I snapped. "Stop behaving like some tragic heroine, will you? I confessed my feelings, not declared a war."

"It still hurts," he muttered, rubbing his leg like a sulking child.

I rolled my eyes and in one swift motion, seized his shoulders and pushed him down onto the couch. He fell with a startled grunt, and before he could even think to rise, I planted my hands on either side of him, leaning in until our faces were only inches apart.

"Now listen to me," I said, my voice low, dangerous, trembling with raw emotion. "I told you I love you, Osric. And you’re acting like I handed you a death sentence. What’s wrong? Tell me. Because I’m not leaving this room until you do."

His jaw tightened, but he still avoided my gaze. His words were quiet, almost breaking. "I fear... you’ll only end up miserable with me, Your Highness. And I cannot allow that."

I squinted, incredulous. "So you’re pushing me away because of some future you haven’t even seen?"

He didn’t nod. He didn’t shake his head. Just that damned silence.

My chest tightened. Enough. I cupped his jaw with one hand and forced his face toward mine.

"Look at me." My grip tightened as he resisted. "I said, look at me, Osric."

And yet he didn’t look at me, and now I didn’t hesitate.

"You—" I leaned closer and then roared near his ear, "ARE YOU A COMPLETE IDIOT?!"

His soul left his body, and it’s likely that his eardrums did too. However, this was my only option because it was the only way to make this man stop acting strangely.

He trembled in shock.

I pulled back, glaring. "Do you think I’d let myself be miserable? Do you think I’d allow anyone to hurt me?"

"No, but still—"

"I WILL TEAR DOWN ANYONE WHO DARES TRY!" My voice rose, my hands tightening on his shoulders. "If I have to burn the empire to ashes, replace every noble, and uproot every traitor, I will. I will make them regret even breathing near my unhappiness. I do not lose, Osric. I do not break."

For a heartbeat, there was silence. Then—

"...Pfft."

A soft laugh escaped him.

"...Hahahahaha..." Then another laugh.

"....HAHAHHAHAHAHA...."

Then he was laughing, really laughing, like I hadn’t seen him do in years.

And just like that, something inside me melted. My anger softened, my chest warmed, and I almost hated how much I loved the sound of his laugh.

"You...look like an angry squirrel... Hahaha...!!"

"WHAT!" I was offended.

Before I could react, his hands rose and gently caught my wrists. In a smooth motion, he pulled me forward. I stumbled, landing on his lap, my face just inches from his.

"You really are a tyrant princess," he murmured, his smile warm but laced with something deeper.

My heart pounded. His arm wrapped around my waist almost unconsciously, holding me steady. We stayed like that, caught between laughter and something far more dangerous.

"Good," I whispered, my breath brushing his lips. "Because you’ll never escape me."

His eyes darkened, the smile fading into something far more intimate. The distance between us shrank to a whisper, his forehead almost touching mine.

"And I don’t want to," he said softly.

And for a moment—just one moment—the world outside ceased to exist. His lips hovered a breath away from mine, close enough to steal my breath but not close enough to take it.

Almost.

And that was enough to leave my heart burning.