Saving The Abandoned Empress

204 “Blood Oath”

The imperial palace~

The whole imperial palace was decorated with imperial red flag with a golden roaring lion engraved on it beautifully.

Unlike the other years, more and more people joined because it would be their first time seeing a girl pledging her loyalty.

Not to mention that girl being the fiancee of the emperor.

Many people was congratulating her, including Lady Arlo and Diana Richardo; who specially prepared a bouquet of red roses for Eleanora.

The ceremony began with Cedrick pledging his loyalty as the next duke of Raven.

Many people sneered at him for what his father did.

Calling him pitiful and mock at him, but Cedrick didn’t mind them at all.

He knew that he can make their family shine like before again, as he doesn’t want to make Eleanora embarrassed.

.....

She bought him out from his comfort zone and taught him the meaning of life.

Despite knowing about his father’s schemes, she didn’t pushed him away and befriended him.

He doesn’t want to let her down by giving up on his responsibilities. He want to show everyone the glory of Raven Duchy once again.

After Cedrick, Jennifer was given the title of ‘Pioneer’ for coming up with an antidote for the affected knights during the war; the highest rank after the empress.

Because of her invention, thousand lives was saved.

To Jennifer, she didn’t deserved this title. This same people had died because of her in the past.

But Dominic stood beside her while holding her hands tightly, reassuring her into thinking that the current her deserves this.

Duke Richardo’s proposal to share their medical technology in exchange of the werwolves safety and seeing them as normal like others also got approved.

From now on, they wouldn’t have to shut them off in their own territory in fear of being discovered and feel unwanted by others.

Now they can also move freely like others, apply for official ranks and pursue higher education.

People was shocked at this and some even debated, but Dion believed it will be solved soon.

It’s not to late yet to change.

And then, finally it was Eleanora’s turn to take her knighting oath.

The emperor stood infront of her with a gloomy face as he was still saddened by the fact that she wanted to annul their engagement.

As his father had advised him, he didn’t chased after her that day or tried to meet her.

He was afraid that the moment he will meet her, she will bring up the annulment topic.

Cathain watched Eleanora walking towards him with a firm determination, her blue eyes was shining brightly then ever.

He clenched the sword on his hands, which was going to rest above her shoulder as soon as she would kneel down on the podium; before him as a loyal knight.

He wants to see her standing beside him, not to stand behind and swear on her life to protect him.

Even the audience could see the pain in his red eyes, but her cold blue eyes just pretended not to see it as she kneeled down.

“I, Eleanora La Ariande Dalton, Daughter of Alexander De Xavier Dalton; pledge my loyalty to the throne and swear to keep this vow untill my last breathe.”

[A/N: She is mentioning throne because they pledge their loyalty to the imperial family, which is not bound with one single person. The knights will keep their vows and protect the next person who becomes the emperor too.]

The sword on his hands trembled a little as she started to swore her oath.

Cathain felt his heart twitching but he remind himself to calm down. Even if she swore knight oath, she can still be the empress according to the rule he changed back then.

Woman’s are allowed to be high ranking officials now, so an empress succeed her family too.

But that wasn’t enough for his heart to calm down the madness in his heart, which was afraid of losing her like his past self.

He is not strong like his past self. They have a lot of good memories together and his feelings for her is even greater then his past self.

From the moment he found himself not hating her anymore because of his unreasonable jealousy, he had fallen for her harder.

And kept falling more deeper with no way to escape this feeling.

“The goddess gave me this life and my powers, and i offer my everything to the owner of the throne. So, you may employ it as you wish.”

Cathain took a deep breathe but his heart felt heavy, he spoke in a low and hoarse voice as he accepted her knight oath.

“...May the goddess bless and honour you to keep this vow till your last breathe. Glory to the empire,”

Everyone cheered up, but Alexander’s face became stiff as a sudden realisation hit him.

‘Why isn’t she getting up- Don’t tell me...!’

Alexander’s fear came true as he watched Eleanora hold out her sword infront of the emperor with her head up with determination once again.

“Your Majesty...”

Eleanora spoke and Cathain’s red eyes widened with horror.

“...No,”

Cathain murmured but Eleanora was firm with her decision.

She had enough of this fear and mixed feelings.

The fear of an unknown past, where her fate might get repeated in other ways; the mixed feelings for him which she doesn’t want to admit.

All of this things which kept tormenting her till now, she wants to cut them off totally.

After thinking a lot during the past month, she finally found the ultimate solution to end everything.

The blood oath of Dalton Duchy.

With this oath, she won’t be able to betray the throne and thus her powers as saintess or the problem of her being able to succeed the throne will be cut off.

She has already proved her worth to be the next duchess of the Dalton, she can lead the duchy and the army.

Eleanora didn’t wanted to know, realize the same feelings again, which was the downfall for her past self.

She didn’t wanted to admit that she felt the same as him, that her heart was once again beating for that same man; who was once her nightmare and also the person who chased away those bad memories by filling them with new ones.

She didn’t wanted to dwell on her feelings anymore and focus on living happily in this new future.

Cathain flinched as Eleanora opened her mouth to speak and he completely froze.

“I, Eleanora La Ariande Dalton, the future 34th head of the Dalton Duchy, Hereby wish to carry out the long promised oath with the royal family as my duty.”

“The blood that flows in my veins, and the heart that beats inside this body... I offer my heart and my life to you forever... Please listen to my wish,”

“Heh-”

A sneer came out from Cathain’s mouth as he looked at Eleanora bitterly. His red eyes had turned dark as his face became stiff.

“Tell me, what is it that you desire so much; which made you to came up with such a cruel trick?”

Cathain spoke mockingly, but that mockery was towards himself.

As everyone said, he became gentle with her, gave her time and space to think clearly.

He hold back his feelings and was always considered of her.

He suffered for sins which he didn’t even remembered clearly, but still she kept pushing him away.

And his crazy heart still beats for such a cruel girl.

Everytime he took a step back to make her feel comfortable, she would take ten steps back by taking advantage of the situation to ran away from him.

Eleanora felt everyone’s curious gaze on her and she took a deep breath before she started to speak again.

“My wish is to be written down in history as the 34th Head of Dalton Duchy, and only as the head of Dalton Duchy.”

“!!!”

Everyone gasped as soon as they heard her words and the whole hall fall into uproar discussion.

Even the knights couldn’t make the audience quite as their conversations started to get louder and louder.

But Cathain kept looking at the kneeling girl infront of him with his dark face, a smirk appeared on his face before he started to speak.

Which automatically silent down everyone.

“If i give up on you, i can earn the absolute loyalty of Dalton Duchy for the next two generations- A very profitable trade in exchange of my engagement.”

“As an wish emperor... I would be a fool to not accept this, right?”

Eleanora become a little confused as Cathain suddenly asked her a question and she shuttered a little as she answered.

“Y-Yes, Your Majesty...”

.....

But to everyone’s surprise, The emperor suddenly kneeled down infront of her as he took his face closer to her and whispered in her ears with a devilish smile on his face.

“Seems like you don’t like me being patient and let you live in peace... So, i won’t accept your request either; My empress!”

.

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[A/N: As this story is going to end, i was thinking to write another trashy story to satisfy my masochistic nature, where the male lead remembers the past by torturing him mentally. Any tips or opinion?]