~Granted~

"Freeing her will be no easy task," Oris said, once Hermes turned his gaze on her.

"And," it took only a moment for her to decide how to convey her concerns, "there was an assassin in the dungeons."

"The assassin is dead. Nian Fey's condition is still unknown," Hermes replied, understanding her immediately. "There is no way to inspect the cells without drawing attention to what is happening. I do not want the court involved in this."

"And my assistance is somehow of value to you?"

How, was the next question.

She could think of a handful of ways that she could help, but thinking wasn't her job here, it was his. Volunteering herself for this... mission was the last thing she was going to do.

He had to have more investment in it than she did. The more committed he was to freeing his mother, the safer she would be if it all fell apart in the end.

"You can oppose my mother openly. I cannot," was his answer.

It was an inadequate one.

"You wish for me to throw my life away?" Oris stared at him, her expression blank. "The secrets of the imperial family are not those that can be known by the common people. . .and you cannot favor me openly, sire."

Once it was confirmed that she knew more than she should about the inner workings of the harem, she would become a target for whoever had been involved in that year's scheme.

Going into that sort of situation without a way to protect herself, was a death wish.

"Still. Favor you, I shall."

"Because I am problematic?"

Because I am dispensable? Because your mother wants me dead? Because I am nothing but a pawn in the grand scheme of palace politics? Because you are Emperor?

"Because," he took a step in her direction then motioned to the space between them, "of this."

"This? Again?" Oris allowed a laugh to slip past her lips. A tired laugh because she was weary. Weary of what this man was up to now. "Another riddle?"

"The same one," Hermes said, and let his head fall back.

Just as she had done the moment she had first woken up, he stared at the beauty that was the ceiling.

She stared at him.

The tight curls of his dark hair fell much past his waist now, and his oiled skin almost glistened in the candlelight.

When he didn't speak, he was almost perfect in that way. The undefeated champion of Sūn.

If only his ambitions had steered clear of Orse, maybe then they would have been on equal footing and had something more than a fickle decree connecting them.

Then again, she supposed that the Hermes in front of her now wouldn't be the same one to stand before her as Queen.

Here, in this room, we both wear less masks than we are accustomed to, she thought, not able to take her eyes off him.

After all, this was only a deal, a risky one that needed a level of sincerity to succeed.

Being the emperor in the room, Hermes didn't need to take his masks off, but he tried. So she tried too, just to make things fair.

"Your Majesty?"

"You are right. I could use any woman here. They are so..." he looked down, a wry smile on his lips, "eager to please."

"And I am not?" Oris tried to feel offended but it was hard to. Honesty was refreshing that way.

"Only you know the answer to that," he answered. Wisely, in her opinion. "I need someone who is unafraid of authority, of my mother."

"Of you?"

"Perhaps."

"That can backfire."

"It might," his eyes darkened, "but what is reward without risk?"

"It will be chaos. . .what you are suggesting, sire."

"One hundred and twenty four women are here for reasons I am aware off," Hermes explained. "Some resent me but still want to live a life of luxury. Some are here to win my favor so that I favor their homeland in turn. Some see that the color of their skin matches mine and feel entitled to preferential treatment. Some think that they love me...

"Most want to be Empress."

"Some might wish to kill you," Oris added lightly. "And some may not want to be here at all."

At her words, Hermes took on a thoughtful visage. He regarded her as though he had just seen her for the first time. "If you were a man, you would make a good minister."

"What does sire mean by that?" Oris narrowed her eyes slightly and forgot her role for a moment. "Women are as capable as men in court."

Hermes' lips twitched up into something too sly to be a smile. "Women are dangerous enough as they are, without political power."

It was unexpected, the flutter of warmth in the pit of her gut.

She turned around immediately, her words failing her. Or maybe, she never had them in the first place.

Hermes' comment was much closer to a threat than it was to a compliment so she did not understand why it had such an effect on her.

She held onto left arm, her fingers digging into the sleeve of her dress as she wondered why she hadn't felt fear instead.

Mentioning killing obviously cast some suspicion on her, but an Emperor was suspicious of everyone. He had to have known that some of the women he was meant to marry wanted him dead.

The fact that he thought she was dangerous was not unexpected either, he seemed to hold that opinion of all women and since she arrived all she had done was destabilized his already shaky court.

Oris almost laughed at the helplessness she felt when she thought about how much havoc she would cause by freeing Nian Fey.

I suppose this is my way of blending in. . . Her gaze had been on the tea set but a glimmer of metal attracted it to the floor.

It was only then that she remembered that Hermes had been wearing rings.

She hadn't noticed him taking them off. Maybe she had been too focused on his eyes to do so.

Discarded on the floor around the burning brazier, they sparkled in its orange light.

"What do you want from me, sire?" Oris kept her eyes on the rings, fixated by the runes that seemed to fade in and out of their metal bands as the coals burned brighter.

"The next test, do well in it."

"That is all?"

"For now, it is. Act as though you have my backing."

"Do I not?"

"Do you?"

She turned to face him but her gaze landed what remained of the incense: half.

"An hour has passed, Your Majesty."

He glanced at it too. "It has."

"Do you wish to ignore it?" she asked then bit her tongue, not for what she said but for how she said it.

Too coy, Oris. Too coy.

"Is that an invitation?"

Fueled by his teasing tone, her reply was almost automatic. "Who can deny an Emperor?"

Hermes laughed. A loud laugh that was unlike the others that had left his lips beforehand.

He closed the gap between them until Oris could feel her veil tremble from the strength of his breath.

She could barely hear it, but it was clearly strained, laboured from the exhaustion of the short walk.

He really does hide pain well.

"What is it you wish?" he asked the moment their eyes met.

She stared at him, confused, not by his words but by what he truly meant by them. She didn't dare hold any hopes. "I have already made a wish, sire."

"Yes, your reward for saving me and being imprisoned unfairly, but that is not what I speak of," he said, no longer playing with his words. "What reward would you like for freeing Nian Fey?"

"Freedom." There wasn't even a need to make a decision.

Always on her mind were Bren and Orse. No matter how lavish the palace was, her State and her childhood home were both more familiar and important.

Hermes' palace held an opportunity for a peaceful life and revenge, but her castle—her subjects—were her future.

He smiled at her. "Is that all?"

"Leaving this palace and regaining my freedom as an unwed woman in the eyes of the world and history," she continued, holding his gaze unabashedly, "if ever I ask for it, shall this be granted?"

"If that is your wish, then it shall be granted."

"It is my wish," Oris said firmly, "Your Majesty."

"Then it shall be granted," he repeated with just as much certainty.

~

*takes a deep breath* THE CONVERSATION IS STILL NOT OVER.

*releases breath* Yesterday, I read all 220 chapters of Jun Jiuling (a historical Chinese novel) the chapters are available on Wattpad for offline purposes but it's basically on Webnovel.

Anyway, I read it after writing this chapter so I've got some motivation.

Anyway (x2), it made me realize that Queensmen is still a lot different than a Chinese novel/drama, and that made me happy, lol.

Hurray for originality.

BACK TO HERMES.

Does he understand what he has just done? *insert laughing/crying emoji*