Chapter 14: Chapter 14

"Mistress" Reginia acknowledged, bowing down her head in front of Lilith. It felt immensely humiliating for the woman to show submission to someone much lower than her station and when the one dominating was Lilith, it was almost impossible to resume the proud standing position without getting her command in return.

The General's wife had already indicated to every single member of the household that if they weren't paying heed to her control, they had no right to exist inside the mansion.

"Vrak" The maids in the room including Vios were astonished when the lady used the ancient symbolic language of Ambrose to signify everyone should leave except the woman who was bowing infront of her. The people were in trance but as soon as Lilith raised her palm gracefully they recognized the order.

[Vrak= leave us alone]

"Reginia, this one has heard about you quite much, you lineage and connection thus concluded that it might be in your fair knowledge of how the Ambrose ceremonies work. One supposed that your guidance in the banquet would be of use." The lady-in-waiting shuddered completely understanding that it cannot be denied and her mistress was not simply asking.

She almost clenched her fists.

'I will see how powerful you are after I am done with you' despite the devious conspiracy brewing into her mind she kept a calm façade, smiling and announcing her reply obediently.

"This slave does not dares." she went on her knees to express her false gratitude.

The commander of Hecodoctus sighed, feigning innocence.

"One is aware of your immeasurable pains Reginia. When this wife was a still a maiden there were thousands of commoners flocking Ions, your homeland in hopes to get a simple glance at your esteemed father Lord Forves and once, I too had the privileges.

Since I had known your father as a righteous man, I will not let the worries plague your mind anymore. The banquet is in the honor of Goddess Riera, this General's wife would select a good candidate for your marriage and bestow upon you." lightning flashed at the beautiful face of the woman, ink heart which was smiling and anticipating the downfall of her mistress was currently drowning as a thunderbolt of realization flickered across her face that had long gone green.

NO! this cannot happen.

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Court of King Alexander had heard tales of the woman, officers and garrisons had seen the devastating beauty but it was the first time that their wives and blue blooded daughters would have a look of the general's wife rivaling them.

Men were coarse thus it was pulled off as a long sided humor that a commoner and an orphan to that with an upbringing as coarse as a mountain slave was compared to the young maidens that mastered scholarly arts and had so much effect as to make the animals sway with their songs and flowers blow like circulating oceanic currents with their virtues.

King Alexander and Queen Seycea were seated on the golden high throne decorated with red fire lilies as the aristocrats went and pay their respects to the almighty majesties.

Royal couples were never tainted with affairs and the questing of their chaste demeanor, while the emperor was allowed to have innumerable beauties in his inner palace, his concubines were only allowed to serve him but this couple was a little different, while Alexander was contemplating and being merry as the officials praised endlessly, Seycea had dressed more magnanimously than before making the nobles take a glance and speak in hushed whispers that she was indeed unparalleled and no slave was worthy of even a comparison.

She wished for Azarios to see her in new light.

"General Azarios and General Lady Lilith!" the announcements were made by the guards endlessly as soon as a bureaucrat reached at palace grounds but it was this first time that the people were talking in hushed tones were now stumped quiet and even the monarchs held their breath for their own different reasons.

As dark as an abyss of infinite ink, the general's clothes were made to be envied, if one looked closely enough it was embellished with threads of silver, the signature iron clad boots had glimmering silver blades of poison at the sides on bottom, it was arrogance and temptation entwined, this general was a man of his own mind.

Not even the king had in himself to eradicate him from the solid position but the most astonishing part was his indifference and cold attitude towards the royal family and the throne. Even the people were aware of his power and position and yet the man never did once tried to snatch away the golden position of a monarch.

As if it was worth dust to him.

If that wasn't enough to turn a person green from envy then the woman walking beside him definitely was. The ladies in the ceremony that were glaring at the General's beloved wife that he stole from heavens were ignored as the said general lady walked beside her husband in harmony expressing a calm and placid face as if she had done this a thousand times.

The teal gown adorning her delicate curves exposed her slender pale neck, while her hair tumbled to her hips in shining curls. Nobody dared breathed a little heavily infront of the woman who strolled the royal ceremony as if going through one's backyard.

She would bring their empire to ruins if any other nation's king or prince had his eye on her.

A slight gasp was muffled and yet it cannot be ignored when the palace was so silent as the people saw the chiefly diamond pin with three pearls dangling it was binding the ebony curls. 'falcon of west' indeed, the dangling pearls were called the falcon of west as it was made from the beak of the gigantic falcons that circulated at the shore of the unconquerable western sea.

The last pearl that was seen belonged to the great great grandfather of King Alexander and that too was lost as the compensation of war with other kingdoms five hundred years ago.

And commander Azarios had three! And moreover even the emperor would not allow his empress to touch the pearls but this General, he spend such treasures on his wife. This was a new level of adoring, yes the master invested thousands on ladies but this kind of lavish treatment.

She had stolen a lion among men!

The women had their eyes turned red from jealousy, they will make sure that the pride with which the woman stepped inside would be crushed after they were done with her!

The banquet setup is gigantic and the chapters will stretch because of it. As I said this story will last longer than other and everything will be described slowly slowly.

Every character that is being stated will have a role, no character is for nothing.

The moon banquet was one of the most extraordinary events of the Ambrose empire, the greatest of the warriors were called back from their frontiers, princes and princesses of the palace that were married outside the great Kingdom were invited back to their homeland and the people living inside the Gigantic doors of the royal family too were required to attend the gala without any questions.

The importance of the ceremony was highlighted when the Empress mother of King Alexander could not refuse the occasion too, sitting on a position at the very side but at the same level as the rulers themselves. Her face which might have been once considered as exquisite now appeared wrinkled but the shrewd eyes did not hide the sharp and clutching dominative aura she emitted.

Despite wearing plain gray gown her enchantment and arrogance was unparalleled, elegant yet not tacky.

Prince Baez and his sister Princess Quare were the young blooded siblings of Emperor Alexander and thus were acquiring the position below the emperor and empress on their respective golden stations.

Four Duke's of second rank that were the nephew of the Empress mother were at sitting by the side of the Prince Baez while Countess Jillian and her sister Countess Cinthia were the nieces of Empress mother and accompanied Princess Quare.

"Long live your majesty." The General and his wife were watched with hawk eyes by the imperial family when they curtsied in a prefectural manner. Empress Seycea had a magnanimous smile yet the heart was already not well watching the woman infront of her, her nails digging into her palm left crescent moons on the creamy skin as she tried to control the hatred that was soon engulfing her whole being.

Even though Seycea was unhappy but the features on her face did not positioned with her heart but the others were not such good with their schemes and displayed their pleasures and dislikes respectively.

"You!" Jillian had some doubts, she felt as if the fairy walking was quite recognizable, as if she had seen her somewhere and as soon as Lilith rose her head her doubts were confirmed.

"You are the one that insulted this countess, you dare come infront of me after sprouting such nonsensical words." While Lilith had yet not met Azarios three months ago and just entered the his camp after being captured, she indeed met the two Countess sitting infront of her with haughty expressions.

She remembered them talking about her husband and bickering each other that which one was a better fit for him.

She was

Azarios was hers

"This General's wife indeed had the fortune to meet the Countess in the camp of one's husband near the borders of the Ambrose and Gaerin empire. This one is immensely ashamed to not recognize the virtuous ladyship and thus had the arrogance of treating coldly."

On the borders of Ambrose and Gaerin empire? The sharp gaze of Emperor Alexander and Princess Quare pierced the countess. While the King was extremely displeased by the uncouth behavior of his cousin the princess was enraged because she understood the reasoning behind their actions.

Empress mother had prohibited the Princess to have any contact with the General residence despite Princess Quare wishing to see Commander Seros, her childhood friend yet these two went to the camp....and in what hopes?

To see Seros? because Commander General Azarios was even beyond the imagination, even she as a princess had a liking to the Beast of Ambrose....who wouldn't but after knowing it was impossible because of the invisible swords between the imperial and general residence left her thought but they-

Such impudence!

The princess was glaring daggers at her cousin that competed with her in everything, seems like she has forgotten her place and she was going to remind her soon.

The court was quite astonished by the reply and the maidens smiling at the unfortune of Lilith to fight with the over imposing countess had now a sour face. The beloved niece of the empress mother turned red in face. This countess Jillian was the eldest daughter of the Duke of Miram, Lord Asmus, garrison of the city in far east which was the center of silk trade and traced its lineage back to the forefathers connected to the Emperor Alexander.

Thus both his daughters were cherished and looked after very well in the palace. Whatever their choices and demands were, they were not only fulfilled but also their status was in high regards infront of the Court too and yet this general lady did not bowed down and apologized. Even if she was wrong Countess Jillian was never refuted by anyone.

"Shameless! You dare sprout lies!"

The Emperor himself is unable to show his fangs to the Beast of Ambrose what was the petty Countess counted as in the heart of Azarios, her words of insult to Lilith made the Commander breathe fire, his eyes that were watching the drama unfolding quietly were set ablaze.

"Countess is aware of this General's wife?" The gladiator asked lazily as if the matter was as insignificant as a grain of salt. The crime to disrespect a royal was implication of the entire clan yet the man was nonchalant and simply raised his frosty black irises to the woman.

"Yes, she is the one who threatened me and my sister." Jillian had originally thought to bring Lilith down and thus refused to accept defeat.

"Then where did the ladyship encountered this General's wife?"

The emperor raised his hand and soon silence followed. His eyes could see that the matter was getting heated, his cousin might be a fool but her ignorance can cost him his image.

"This King had heard enough and believes that Countess of Miram is confusing the General lady's behavior and thus does not wants to further continue this discussion. This Emperor is delighted on your arrival." King Alexander did not looked too well himself after onlooking the grandiose of the General mansion and had no patience to deal with others but one look at the gorgeous beauty and his mood which earlier was refreshed plummeted even more.

Such sharp wits along with devastating beauty. To change to views of court in seconds, the one who had long entered into officialdom could clearly see what was done and how were the words twisted.

You have snatched a pearl General. The entire court of men had their expressions changed after hearing the banter, even the Prince Baez who was known for his cold exterior had a glint in his eye.

"Let the feast begin."