HENRIETTA: PRAELUDIUM [TO BE EDITED]

CHAPTER 22

CHAPTER 22

[ 11 YEARS AGO ]

IMPERIAL YEAR 599.
AMARANTHIA EMPIRE, CLAREIAN KINGDOM.

"How could you do this to your brother?!" Avery asked. She was enraged to find out that the current emperor was the man behind her kidnapping.

Avery could only cry in vain because of how powerless she was. She was the only daughter of Annaritas Nation's Duke Verdelia who's known for her goddess-like beauty. However, she was disregarded as nothing but a prized possession that her father can use to obtain more power for their family. It was pitiful, but she was powerless.

The only man who had seen her worth and loved her, despite her flaws, was the second imperial prince, Prince Deus. She was her only love, and now she had betrayed him. Unconsciously, she had.

Would it be best if she will just end her life? With her now dirtied body, she won't be able to meet him anymore. It was because of the emperor's greed, but does she has any power or right to accuse him? Won't she only ruin herself and family if everyone finds out that she had slept with another man? Even if she was unwilling, she won't be able to do anything since it already has happened.

"Marry me then, Avery. I promise to give you everything you want and spare my dear brother's life." How dare he threaten her for her beloved's life?! How dare he?!

But if it's for his sake, she'll do anything. Even if it means crawling in to the devil's den.

The wedding happened just as quickly as how their engagement was announced. The second prince who was busy protecting their empire from the uprising at south had yet to hear the bad news waiting for him.

Empress Avery spent her days crying and praying at the imperial palace's prayer room. The first empress had made a special room that they use to directly pray for their goddess Amaranthine. Avery heard a few stories that the goddess herself can hear her people's prayers, especially those desperate ones, like her.

"I had heard you, my child. And I shall help you. Continue praying for the time being and start gathering people that can help you. I will appear at the right time." Avery was astounded to hear the goddess' response. She quickly heeds to her orders.

She started gathering people like what the goddess ordered and even devised a plan that she can use. She might be known only for her beauty and elegance, but inside of her were a mind of a villainess. She kept dangerous people close to her while acting all dumb and beautiful in front of everyone.

As she waits for the right time, Avery didn't stopped praying. She mostly spent her days in the prayer room and would talk to the goddess as if she was listening to her. A few months passed, and Avery didn't even lose any hope from the goddess' words. Then the right time she said came.

The goddess appeared in her dream. She had asked her what she wanted the most and Avery answered confidently, "Vengeance. I want to take revenge from the people who made me suffer. From those who took everything I have."

The goddess wasn't vile, but she shows no mercy to her people that turns away from the good only to feed their greed, like the current emperor and the empress' father.

"Conceive a child with the man you love. And I shall make her a powerful being that will fulfill your wishes."

A few days passed after that dream and the second prince had returned from the south. The empress arranged a secret meeting between them. She had planned everything right after that dream. Avery knew that it would be hard to convince her beloved prince that she prepared a drug to neutralize him beforehand. When the prince drunk the wine, she brought for him, the empress continued with her plan. It was delightful that the prince she loves had fallen on her trap, but at the same time, it breaks her.

The empress didn't stop just there, if she had to make this a believable act, she have to do something to deceive even the emperor. The emperor, who was oblivious about the empress' plans, will soon fall on the same trap the empress set. She used the same neutralizing drug and contracted a maid to spend a night with her husband, right before her eyes.

She banished the maid she contracted and gifted her enough wealth and a secured land at the farthest nation in their empire, the Nation of Moondelia. With that, another problem has been resolved. Even if it pains her, explaining her side to her beloved prince wasn't really part of her plan. If anything, she wanted for him to despise her, enough to maybe completely forget about her. She'd be truly happy if he finds somebody else he could love, like his dead fiancé and the mother of his two sons.

Suddenly, the memory of their first encounter as adults flashed in her mind. It was the first anniversary of his fiancé's death when they met at a banquet they were both forced to attend to. They were already close back then since they were childhood friends raised at the same duchy. They only parted when the second prince had left for the academy and the last news she heard about him was that she impregnated a noble woman. She honestly thought that everything was just rumors to stop her from wishing to see him again.

The empress sighed as she watches the leaves in front of her dancing with the wind. She was overwhelmed at how fast the days were. It was already the imperial year 600 and a few more weeks will be her labor day.

Avery's actions might be cruel and cold, but that's how powerless people move to achieve their goal. But at this point, her true goal had changed. She now wished for her future child to rule this empire and make everyone bow.

It was the eleventh night since the empress completed her first step. She hasn't been expecting anything yet, but the goddess had shown in her dreams again. This time, the goddess told her their next step.

"I will bless the child on your womb. It will be the most special blessing I can give to an unborn child. However, there will be side effects for this immense blessing. Firstly, two children will be born. Secondly, the first child that will be born is not a real child, it's a clone made out of my divine powers. Lastly, the second child will absorb the first child at the right time. The divine powers belong to the second child that will be born from you. And that is your child."

It was a little confusing and scary for Avery, but she had already completed her trap. She has chosen this herself as well, all she can do now is follow the goddess' words. The empress prepared everything, from the physician who will assist her during her labor to the servants that will be present in her chambers. Even the person who will perform the test of legitimacy was a person of her choice. A test of legitimacy is a practice that was always conducted right after the empress of this empire gives birth. This is to ensure that the child is none other than the emperor.

Like what the goddess said, she gave birth to a pair of children, a twin.

Soon, the news about the empress' twins circulated inside the main palace. Everyone were surprised and scared at the same time because twins are a sign of bad luck in the empire. Even the emperor wasn't happy about this. They soon performed a test to confirm if both the child were fathered by him, and he was utterly engulfed with rage when he found out that the second child wasn't his.

"I will only acknowledge this child as my daughter and heir," he said as he gritted his teeth.

The empress remained silent, her eyes focused outside the window. When the emperor left with heavy steps, the empress quickly held the child discarded on her bed. She showered her with her warmth as she silently blessed her a name. "You will be Amethyst. Once you've rejoined with your other half, your name shall be Henrietta Amethyst."

The empress' physician actually gave false information regarding the twins. Even the test were made by the grand sorcerer Solaris whom she had made a deal with as well. The real result of the second child's father was none other than the second prince himself, while the first one has no results since she was not entirely human but only a clone made up of divine energy that will soon be absorbed back to the second child.

That was the entire plan that the goddess and the empress devised. To conceive a child from her beloved's blood and flesh and to deceive everyone, including the emperor. The fulfillment of her plan is when the first child gets the rightful place for the throne. Which will happens after the death of the clone child transpires.

All these grand schemes to get back to everyone who had hurt her, especially to the emperor who dirtied her whole being and hinder her relationship with her real love. Her will was too strong that she wasn't afraid of dying without being forgiven. She, the powerless lady from before, was already prepared to bear the pain and resentment thrown to her by her dearest love.

Even so, she still wanted for him to know her truest feelings that before she finally breathed her last breath, she wrote her final letter only addressed to the grand duke, her beloved prince. She confessed everything she did, even the crime of hiding the truth about her child's identity.

After that, the grand duke never spent a peaceful night, for all he experienced were nightmares from losing his beloved woman. That is until that child forced her way into his life.

From then on, his dark days became warmer.