After reading, or trying to read those characters, the empress let me go to feed the emperor. She didn't want me near her husband but as Arashi had said to her, I was the only one who knew of his ways. 

Which I didn't...

I entered the emperor's chamber and as directed, one of Arashi's men gave me another wrapper.

I was feeding the emperor his medicine when I noticed his purple nails were fading. I hoped it was a good sign.

I tried to see his tongue but it still was blue. 

I sighed. 

"Please be well and come back alive," I prayed for him and heard the large doors opening. 

I tilted my head toward the door and saw the empress and Arashi's sister, Rei, were coming. I immediately sat straight. Why were they here?!

Of course, to see if the emperor was fine. But he wasn't. 

He hadn't moved at all and still was in his deep slumber. 

As they came near I bowed at them and the empress asked, her voice was strangely soft when asking about her husband, "Has he moved yet?"

I shook my head. "He hasn't, your Highness."

Her face struck with sadness as Rei placed her hands on the empress, soothing her. They came near the sleeping body of the emperor and sat beside him. 

In a moment, the maids came with liquid food for the emperor and I noticed, one of Arashi's men, Kairo, was among them, wearing their outfit.

Kairo was a young man with a good looking feature as I had seen him in his Kuro Soldier's attire but he looked really simple and anyone would easily mistaken him for a normal man.

I was amused. Arashi and I had arrived a day ago yet he had placed his men at every corner of the palace without anyone's notice. 

If I hadn't met his men or hadn't seen their faces, I wouldn't know it either.

As the food arrived, the previous women who we had met on the first day came as well: Akio and her mother. They came and bowed to the empress and Rei as they started to sniff. 

Arashi had told them and me that whenever I was feeding or giving the emperor medicines, I always had to make sure there was no one else around. Even if it is the empress. 

I bowed to them and asked, "While I feed the emperor, please kindly wait outside. I will inform you immediately once I am done with my task, your highnesses."

"No need. We will stay here." The empress said, discarding my request and Arashi's instructions. "You may start doing your task."

I stood up and went toward the emperor's bed. To feed him, I had to sit on the bed so I hopped on it and immediately the other woman, Akio's mother said, "How dare you sit on the emperor's bed with your status. This is disrespectful!"

And Akio said, "Even our maids don't do that. They maintain a distance. And we have heard you are only a farmer's daughter!"

They both glared at me as my eyes moved toward the empress. I was angry that at a time like this, when we should be thinking how to make the emperor well, they were talking nonsense about status and origins. 

My displeasure must have displayed on my face as Rei said, "Please, aunt Aikawa and Akio, right now is not the time for us to talk about these things."

They both looked at Arashi's little sister as she gave them a displeased look. "My brother has given Bianka full permission to use her knowledge any means necessary even if it is to touch the emperor or feed him."

The empress nodded and said to the woman, "Aikawa, I know you love the emperor since he had taken care of you but right now, we have to be focused on how to make him well and healthy."

The empress's eyes moved toward me as she said, "As much as I don't like anyone whom I haven't selected as worthy people to come near my husband and my grandson, I have to be patient."

My brows knitted on my forehead. So, she didn't see me as a worthy person to come near her grandson, was she? 

Could it be the reason she made the marriage as an excuse to make us apart?

I knew it was an excuse and somehow my heart sank lower because I wanted to have a proper marriage with Arashi but it seemed my status and my birth background won't let it happen. 

I sighed and heard the woman, Aikawa telling the empress with her ringing voice, "No, you are mistaken, mother empress. We love you as much as we love our father emperor."

Her voice sounded more like butter had been rubbing on the words she was speaking. No wonder, Arashi didn't like Akio and her mother, Aikawa. I was confused at how they were related to the emperor.

I sat on the emperor's bed as I took the bowl. 

I took a spoon full of the liquid diet and forced it in his throat as the empress's face twisted at it. And it wasn't only her, all the royal members looked at me with mortified faces. Because it looked like I was making the emperor choke on the food as I had to shove it till it reached deep down to his throat. 

That was how Arashi had instructed me to do it. Otherwise the food won't go down to his belly. So, even if they had horrified faces, I wasn't going to stop it.

"Y—you! H—how are you feeding the emperor!" The empress hissed and now I knew why Arashi never allowed anyone when he was treating his patients. 

Because they would become weak and would think it would harm them but in reality, it was the only way to make them survive. 

I looked at her and with a lazy gaze I asked, "Then how am I supposed to feed him?"

In normal circumstances, I would have been a little respectful but now was the time to make him eat so his body could survive. After he lives, I could give my respect to him. 

"F—feed him with some respect and do it gently!" She growled and the others looked at me as if I was trying to kill the emperor. 

"The food won't go down since he is unconscious." I said but they all glared at me and I knew they weren't going to let me do my work. 

I looked at Kairo as he gave me a curt nod and within a moment, he went away without anyone's notice. 

As Akio, Aikawa and the empress started to give their displeasure words at me, I saw Rei was just looking at me with a gaze that said she was observing me. She didn't say anything and soon our attention was caught by the footsteps which entered the room.

We all looked at the source and saw it was Arashi. His face was grim and with a dominating aura he reached us. The banter which was going on until now subsided immediately as his eyes fell on my bowl and he asked, "Why haven't you fed grandfather emperor yet?"

I felt my heart thumping at his voice. It was cold and harsh and something that was never directed toward me. And which was why I looked up at him with wide eyes and my voice wouldn't come out as I saw his eyes had turned dark. He was angry. 

I gulped and sat frozen. Arashi had never looked at me like that ever and I felt my lips quivering. 

But Rei answered on my behalf, "Brother Rian, it wasn't her fault. We wanted to stay with grandfather emperor even if she asked us to leave."

Arashi's displeased face moved toward them and now the woman, Aikawa and her daughter stood behind the empress as if she was their shield of protection from Arashi's wrath.

The empress said, "But she was shoving the food like she wanted to kill him!?"

Arashi sighed and asked, "How are you going to make an unconscious person eat then if you don't shove deep inside?"

"But—but what if he chokes and dies?" There was horror written on the empress's wrinkled face as she looked at her grandson. 

Arashi said, "That is why the food is liquid so he wouldn't choke."

She looked at him with quizzical brows then it took her a second to believe her grandson. 

Arashi said to them, "When Bianka is feeding him food or giving him medicine, please don't interrupt her. If she doesn't do her job in time, I wouldn't be able to save him."

They all nodded and soon they left as I still stayed like a frozen statue. 

After everyone left, I moved toward the emperor and started to feed him quietly. But I felt his gaze boring on my head. 

I finished my task and Arashi said, "Good job. Next time be sure to make them leave."

I nodded looking down and was putting the plates on the table when I felt his presence behind me. 

"What happened?" He asked and I shook my head. 

Then he caught my hands as he spun me toward him. "Are you angry because I scolded you?"

I looked away as he placed his finger under my chin and tilted up my head so I would look at him. "I am not angry..." I said.

"Then why are you quiet?" He asked. 

"Because it hurts when you look at me like that..." I said as a sniffle escaped from me and my tears started to come out. It certainly hurt to face his displeased look and his anger. I was scared.

He wrapped me in his embrace and without any warning, he licked my tears, making me freeze instantly. My eyes turned wide and my cheeks must have turned like tomatoes as I gasped.

"Wha—what are you—?" I looked everywhere and said, "We are in your grandfather's room!" 

My heart raced wildly as I felt flustered and embarrassed and it was the first time Arashi did something like this. 

He smirked as he said, "Don't worry, he can't listen."

My face heated as I looked at him with wide eyes and said, "But still..."

"And I have already made the antidote," he said and my head snapped to him.

"Really?" I asked, smiling. 

He nodded, giving me a grin and added, "It will take me two days to prepare it but I have collected all the necessary ingredients."

He looked at a distance and said as his voice became dangerously low, "Once he opens his eyes, it will be the time to capture the culprit."

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A/n:

Enjoy! ❤️
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24th July, 22
1810