Argider peered around the corner of the marble column, her heart thudding like a drumbeat of impending doom.
The palace halls were eerily quiet, the kind of quiet that scread "trap."
Esralda was out there sowhere, and Argider wasn't ready to face her, not after last day's disaster of a hearing. More wives, more cascade of responsibilities. She couldn't take it.
She had been avoiding the thirteen won too by suggesting that while they may rest here until she's able to co up with a solution.
"Where are you hiding, dearest?" Esralda's sing-song voice echoed from a distance, sending shivers down Argider's spine.
"Dearest." The word felt like a gentle noose tightening around her neck.
Argider clutched her skirts and darted into an adjacent hallway, her boots barely making a sound on the polished floor.
This was not how she envisioned her life as Emperor. Well, Empress, now.
It was one thing to have political marriages for alliances. It was quite another to be sward by a sea of wives, all vying for her attention.
Esralda, the most persistent of them all, seed determined to wring every ounce of affection from her. Argider just wanted to breathe.
"This is fine," she muttered to herself, sliding into a small alcove behind a curtain. "This is a tactical retreat, not cowardice. Definitely not cowardice."
The curtain suddenly twitched. Argider held her breath, praying to any divine being that might be listening. She heard Esralda's voice again, this ti closer.
"You can't hide forever, darling. I only want to talk!"
Talk, Argider thought grimly. That's what they always say before you're ambushed with affection and responsibility.
She waited until Esralda's footsteps faded before slipping out of her hiding spot and sprinting down the hallway. Freedom, however fleeting, was within her grasp.
Hours later, Argider found herself in the west wing of the palace, far from Esralda's usual haunts. She stumbled into the solarium, its wide glass walls flooding the space with golden sunlight. And there, reclining on a chaise lounge like a feral cat pretending to be ta, was Faeralys.
Argider froze. Of all the wives to run into, it had to be her third wife. The youngest and most tempestuous of the lot. Faeralys was a fiery presence, quick to anger and even quicker to retreat behind her icy walls. Argider had been careful to respect her space, partly because she valued boundaries and partly because she wasn't keen on getting a wine goblet hurled at her head.
"Well, well," Faeralys drawled, her crimson eyes narrowing. "Look who's graced with her presence. The elusive Empress."
Argider cleared her throat, trying to appear composed. "I wasn't… avoiding you, if that's what you're implying."
Faeralys arched a brow, her lips curling into a smirk. "Of course not. You've just been… busy. Collecting wives like a child hoards sweets."
"It's not like that," Argider protested weakly, feeling the weight of Faeralys's sharp gaze.
"Isn't it?" Faeralys stood, her long crimson hair catching the sunlight. She approached with deliberate slowness, like a predator stalking prey. Argider resisted the urge to back away. "Tell , Argider, have you even thought about lately? Or am I just another face in your ever-growing harem?"
"Of course I think about you," Argider said quickly, though she couldn't deny the flicker of guilt that accompanied the words. She had been avoiding Faeralys, not out of neglect, but out of respect. Not that Faeralys would see it that way.
Before Faeralys could respond, a chi echoed in Argider's mind. The system—that infernal, omnipresent thing that had turned her life into a never-ending series of tasks and quests—spoke up.
— [MINOR TASK ALERT]
— [Minor Task Description: Increase Sexual Intimacy With Faeralys]
— [Consequence If Not Done: Suicide]
— [Reward: 10 Affection Points, 10 Intimacy Points]
Argider nearly choked on air.
"Are you alright?" Faeralys asked, her sharp tone laced with concern.
"Fine!" Argider squeaked, waving a hand dismissively. Inside, she was reeling. What kind of task is that? Minor, my foot! She clenched her fists, ntally cursing the system.
Of all the monts to spring this on her, it had to be now?
Faeralys crossed her arms, her expression softening but only slightly. "You're acting strange. Stranger than usual, I an."
Argider scrambled for an explanation. "I was just… admiring how the sunlight suits you. You look radiant."
Faeralys blinked, caught off guard. Then she scoffed, though a faint blush dusted her cheeks. "Flattery won't get you anywhere, Argider."
"It's not flattery," Argider insisted, leaning into the mont. "You're stunning, Faeralys. Truly. I just… I've been trying to give you space. I didn't want to overstep."
The third wife's eyes widened slightly before narrowing again, suspicion warring with sothing softer. "Space is one thing. Ignoring is another."
Argider sighed, running a hand through her hair. "You're right. I've been… distracted. That doesn't an I don't care about you, Faeralys. I do."
The words hung in the air, and for a mont, Faeralys looked almost vulnerable. Then she shook her head, as if dismissing the notion. "It's not like I care about you or anything....."
Argider hesitated. She could feel the system's presence like a shadow looming over her, prodding her toward fulfilling the task. But this wasn't just about a task. It was about Faeralys, and the rift that had grown between them.
"Alright," Argider said finally, eting Faeralys's gaze. "Let make it up to you. Starting now. No more distractions, no more excuses."
Faeralys tilted her head, studying Argider. "Starting now? What exactly do you have in mind?"
Argider took a deep breath, her heart pounding. "A walk in the gardens. Just the two of us. No interruptions, no politics. Just… us."
Faeralys raised a brow. "That's your grand gesture? A walk?"
"It's a start," Argider said with a wry smile. "And I promise, it won't end there. Let show you that you're more than just another face in the harem. You're important to , Faeralys. More than you know."
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