My Liege And I

My Liege

Chapter 83

Queen Elora
Furiah

Sleeping becomes mundane when reality becomes better than the dream. Sometimes it is too good to be true because too good is not honest enough. What was happening was more than "too good".

Elora woke up to the whispering of Yuwen Hong. He adoringly spoke to their son with the tenderness of love and care.

"What a good son you are, you decided to urinate on yourself when your mother is not there to change you."

He raised Yun Xiang's little legs and shifted his underwear, giving an exaggerated gasp. "It smells. What a naughty boy."

Yun Xiang cooed and bubbled incoherently.

"You better speak for me before your mother that I am being a good father, yes?" Yuwen Hong chuckled to himself, "So she can like me more."

Elora grinned, why did this feel all too familiar? Her mind went back to Cai Wenjin and Yuwen Hong partnering against her to forgive him whenever she was angry.

"Yun Xiang!" Yuwen Hong howled as the rain of Yun Xiang's urine went for his chest. He almost wanted to scream but controlled his voice so he would not wake Elora. "This kid!"

At that, Elora burst out laughing. "Put a cloth on him!" She crawled on the bed and put a cotton cloth on Yun Xiang's waist.

"He urinated on me? This kid!" Yuwen Hong was still every bit shocked.

Elora laughed.

"No one would dare."

"Yes, yes," Elora said mid-laugh mocking him, "Who would disrespect the emperor? We know it all."

"Are you looking down on me?" Yuwen Hong challenged her, every beat teasing.

"Never," Elora bit her lips and smirked.

They went on to change Yun Xiang's clothes together and swaddled him so he could rest. Laying in his father's hands, the atmosphere became somber. The reality of the situation was at hand.

"It is my fault. I broke apart my family, and for this reason, I never saw his birth or was there to support you through the hard times."

He was more than solemn knowing everything that took place in the time they were apart. "I should not have let Furia pressure me into giving you up. I just thought I was doing right by the empire and..." His breath caught. "Actually, I was very wrong. I placed importance in the matters of the empire and chose it first before you. My family should always come first, and in this aspect, I failed." He shook his head regretfully. "Your mother could have chosen her nation before family and did not cure my heart. Yet, she did. And I did not even deserve her kindness."

Elora felt like she would break down at that moment. Oh, she missed her mother so much. She was a woman with many faults but there were so many things she did right where she did not have to.

"Yun Xiang," Yuwen Hong muttered to himself. "You will be the greatest emperor the world has ever seen." He rubbed his sleeping child's head who lay peacefully in his arms. "I will make sure you will soar beyond the skies and commit to excellence and greatness."

Yuwen Hong smiled down on him. "The heir to my throne. My son, the royal crown prince."

The next day, Elora would watch Yuwen Hong call for his officials and start to make orders for the best child governess, child physician, and dietician to be selected in Nevoria. They had to be knowledgeable about both Nevorian and Furian children.

He asked that they empty the Moon palace, the known place where every crown prince grew up. Instructions for renovation were ushered. Clothes, play things, safety, and security; Yuwen Hong covered every aspect that would ensure the wellbeing of Yun Xiang.

"My son" and "My heir" were the words on his lips the most whenever he spoke of Yun Xiang. You could tell how proud he was of him, and he took every opportunity to show off whenever he could.

With all the above came Yuwen Hong's relentless and insistence for Elora to go back to Nevoria. He kept emphasising that for Yun Xiang to be recognised as the crown prince easily, she had to become the empress. Thus, if he was to die, no one would dare rebel on the worthiness of his son due to him belonging to an unofficial wife.

However, Elora stood her ground. Things between them did not have to change just because he was the father to her son. She was still to forgive him, and that would not come easy.

Nevoria behaved when it came to starting war with Huticah and Furia. Yuwen Hong never brought up the subject of Furia joining Nevoria. Elora thought he was faking it as maybe his plan was to force that when Yun Xiang was now the emperor, but Yuwen Hong even started placing policies that ensured the independence of Nevoria and protected Furiah from Nevoria. The policies could only be revoked at the stamp of both the emperor and the queen of Furia.

Since Yuwen Hong was making great strides, Elora was touched and decided to allow her coronation as empress. Her title became the longest on the land, Elora the Queen of Furiah and Empress of Nevoria. Of course, that came with more responsibilities, but in Yuwen Hong's eyes, only she could handle it. He would have it no other way.

With time, their relationship became undefined, yet intimate. They were very close friends, who ran the country, raised a child, and sometimes shared the bed. The goal was known to both that once Yun Xiang was old enough, Yuwen Hong would abdicate, and Elora would also abdicate the throne seat to her niece (Eleanor's child). They would then do what they always wished for, travel to their heart's content, and see every corner of the land.

Eleanor had another child with her new Furian husband, who was now crowned as the Crown Princess. Once in a while, Eleanor hinted at Elora to move on and forgive Yuwen Hong. The death of General Feng was in the past. What happened in war could be left behind on the battlefield. Yuwen Hong was afterall the father of Yun Xiang, the nephew Eleanor loved so much. However, Elora knew that though Eleanor said such words, deep down,  Eleanor missed her deceased husband,  and nothing would heal her loss despite such words.

Elora allowed it that at least once in a year, Yun Xiang could visit Nevoria for three months, as long as his health was in good condition. He grew up being taught in the hands of Nevorian tutors the ways of emperors, his empire, the Nevorian people,  and culture. Yuwen Hong allowed these designated tutors and teachers to follow Yun Xiang back to Furia whenever he returned.

Who knew that a small girl dressed like a boy would end up marrying the wounded man who rescued her in the forest. The one she said these first words to, "Marry me." She would go on to call him the Emperor, His Majesty, and My Liege transient to their relationship.

Hello, readers

You can consider this to be the ending. I will post 3 more epilogue chapters during the year but it is just me entertaining myself or tying loose ends.

Epilogue: After My Liege 1

Epilogue: After My Liege 2

Epilogue: After My Liege 3

A very big thank you to you all for your love for this book. I will write the goodbye note on the last chapter release but those who would like to part now, thank you for having me. May all be well on your future endeavours, and may life treat you well.

PS: If you want something addressed that was not addressed, let me know so I consider it in these epilogue chapters. Leave your comment on this line.

S.V