Chapter 26: Chapter 26

Emperor Icarus trained militia on every seventh of the month thus the day started with first rays of dawn as the male had kissed his queen's forehead who was in a deep sleep and soon left. It would have just been a monotonous but safe atmosphere if it wasn't for the thick smoke that the soldiers saw rising from inside the palace as their emperor was out.

"Your majesty! The empress is trapped in fire." Soldiers rushed to put out the flames but were majorly unsuccessful.

The empress was trapped in the emperor's study which was engulfed in such raged flames that it was impossible to quench their thirst and extinguish them down. Icarus felt his ears ringing when he saw the fire crawling like a monster on the white marble turning it ash black with its dark soot.

His Layla was inside it.

Unknown to the entire world and even trying to hide his secret from the god himself, Icarus had taken such painstaking efforts to preserve Zeyphyr for this was the place where Ilaria was buried in the past.

When Icarus regained his memories from past, he dug the ground of the imperial palace and found her divine tomb in the place where the current Emperor's study was located and thus he had never allowed anyone else to step inside it, for it only belonged to his wife.

Layla was his wife.

Names might change, body might alter and even when the world changes his soul would always seek hers. If it was Zyram then his soulmate was Ilaria and when it altered to Icarus then it must always be Layla.

How did he rushed even he did not had any idea but before anyone could fathom the emperor had already entered the palace wing that was already crumbling down as humongous chunks of rocks fell from the roof. Many soldiers were already inside trying to find their empress in the hallways as they were unable to move forward with debris and fire blazing down, thus they called out her name but when Icarus entered he did not even tried to preserve himself.

The huge door to the personal study was broken and the male's irises flickered dangerously to vermilion and then to golden.

"LAYLA!" There she was lying on the ground after losing consciousness. The male did not even glanced at the painting that he had made with so much love, did not even care for the tomb at this moment as his trembling fingers only wrapped the lying female closer to his frame.

Karl who came to watch the gardens of the Imperial palace was soon notified by the soldiers that his sister was trapped but even before he could rush to the place he saw Icarus coming out of the catastrophic fire with a fragile woman in his embrace.

"My sister-" The wrath in those golden orbs was so profound that Karl who did not even fear death had to take a step back.

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Layla who was sleeping soundly was soon woke up amidst of the medicinal aroma, the bed beside her was warm with humane warmth like a person had just left her side, the concerned faces of the physicians before her must have worried her before but at this moment there was no such emotions visible on the enchanting face.

She saw Marianna sitting on a chair beside her bed and was surprised by her presence.

"Sister?" the female with dark cobalt irises smiled and nodded to the servants and doctors that bowed before leaving the two alone.

"Please help me sit up." There were several burn marks littering her body but Layla was surprisingly too calm and quiet thus even Marianna did not persisted to trouble her and followed her words to help her.

"Your husband was wounded badly and just left to treat himself after the physicians told him that his wounds if left untreated for so long would get infected and that in turn might infect you too."

Layla sighed and looked at the darkness of night that prevailed outside her windows.

"For how many days was I unconscious?"

"Three days" peach irises listened to it but did not look distressed at all, it was only when Marianna opened her mouth did Layla looked up at her.

"It wasn't an accidental fire, was it?" There was a silence that prevailed after that question, before a melodious voice pierced the fabric of eerie calmness as the exquisite face blossomed into a smile.

"No"

"It was you who burned the study Layla....why?" Marianna asked gently to which Layla looked at her without denying thus confirming her suspicions.

"I have seen all kinds of males, Damien, Karl, Leon and Jeremiah- all selfish people who could discard even their blood to gain honor and riches but I had never thought to see another kind of lunacy.

Marianna there are lunatics who acquire an empire for a single female, fight for her their entire life and then discard the same glory for that one woman.

They even throw away their life and their honor for love. It displeases me a lot to think that one single woman could become a downfall for them, it is maybe because they are blind to not realize that maybe that woman sacrificed for their happiness and not to see them suffer.

They forget that maybe that woman would not be happy to see such crazed loyalty.

Marianna there was many kinds of crazed beasts in the world and to become an obsession of one was out of my imagination. All my life I had thought that I was not valued but it was only yesterday I realized that maybe I have been too selfish and ignorant.

That study had the remnants that reminded me of my selfishness, of my foolishness to sacrifice myself not knowing how much pain it would bring and I despised it.

I have lost a lot Marianna so this time I am unwilling to lose anymore. That study was a nuisance thus it must perish."

Marianna understood a little but most of the things were like a riddle to her but at this moment she did not pressed further and simply asked what she had come for.

"Are you happy here Layla, is it difficult to be an empress?" With that one question the compassion in those abyss like eyes returned and Layla smiled.

"I am happy and maybe I was always born to become an empress."

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"Your majesty, your brother Young Duke Karl wishes to seek an audience with you." Layla who was sitting with Marianna by her bedside nodded to the servant and soon the doors opened with a dangerous male entering with clear cerulean irises that were deep and unmoved as if unfazed by anything in the world.

"Greetings to your majesty, Empress of Ardos." Karl bowed with keeping all eloquence and etiquettes and it looked polite yet in reality this was clearly telling Layla -' Since you choose Ardos above your family and decided to do as your wish by marrying Icarus, you have displeased me.'

Layla drank a dark green medical concoction and did not look up at all, gently blowing the leaves in the hot bowl, she then sipped it with great elegance before handing it to a maid nearby.

Everything was done without any hurry thus she did not asked Karl to rise.

"Why is the emperor so late today?"

"Sister, it must be that he is still investigating the fire." Marianna replied while simply flipping the pages of a book making the exquisite fairy frown before finally sparing a glance at the man whose fists were clenched with fury as he was still in the similar position with the people treating his presence as air.

"Young duke Karl is angry with me yet still does not knows his mistake." Carmine irises glimmered as Karl looked at her with astonishment.

"In Ardos, we don't tolerate the heir of a dukedom just bowing before the Empress.

Kneel." The words had such profound impact that Karl for the first time really saw his little sister who had always followed him adorably with simple yet profound love change to this person who had no warmth in her eyes for him.

Layla too looked at him and reminisced.

Earlier Layla had some misgivings with her father and was hated by her younger brother but this eldest son of Duke Everdale always maintained a calm façade, even in her previous life Layla could only look at him from afar longing for his affection as he was the one person that did not showed any contempt yet only now she understood.

Contempt can only be displayed to a person considered worth looking at, she was so insignificant in the eyes of this man that he never considered her his family but now it wasn't far fetched to say that he felt guilty.

"Layla!"

"Impudent! How dare you take the name of our Empress." The maid who had earlier escorted Karl inside saw her master's behavior towards this brother of hers, thus she was no longer respectful or tolerant of this outsider.

"Its alright, kindly leave us alone." The servants departed and the chambers were locked.

"Layla, what transpired was not what any of us wanted, if you are angry with me or Leon we will apologize and repent. Father is worried so much so that he has fallen ill and the duchy is barely functioning without you...you must return with me, I know I am wrong so I will kneel if that makes you happy."

Layla was certainly surprised when Karl who was proud to his bones did kneeled but there was not much sympathy that she could feel.

"Return with you and let the commoners become the target of Icarus's wrath? Didn't you and father told me to think of the empire first so this time I as the mother of Ardos and Princess of Avesta shall think of my people before anything."

"You are my sister before that! You are Everdale's princess goddammit!" The outburst was full of grief and rage yet Layla could only shake her head softly.

"What does Duke Everdale has to do with me? I am the daughter of the emperor of Avesta. You and your entire lineage has nothing to do with me elder brother." Karl had never felt so much agitated in his life, this was the first time he was experiencing emotions akin to regret, hate, love and also sorrow thus at last he tiredly said.

"Today that fire must have been a conspiracy of that emperor who tried to kill you..Jeremiah was wrong for you yes but that does not makes Emperor Icarus become the lesser monster. He is a beast with fangs Layla...he will engulf your entire existence...I am your elder brother Layla and I care for your wellbeing...."

After that no words were said anymore as Karl turned around and exited knowing that his words were worthless now, silence prevailed for a long time as the people sitting in the room did not speak at all and just contemplated before Layla sighed.

"Marianna do you also think that I am selfish to leave the duchy behind?"

She would never leave Icarus no matter what.

Euphonious laugh echoed throughout and it was as if something that was beyond humorous was uttered, Marianna laughed beautifully such that it was hard to decipher her meaning.

"Only you deserve to be selfish...only you. You have suffered enough so don't worry and live a happy life from now onwards." The female got up gently smiling.

"Your husband must be coming...I must leave now." But before the female could go a fragile hand clasped her arm and Layla with strange irises looked at Marianna.

"Answer one question of mine please."

"Yes?"

"Supposedly I had married Jeremiah as father wanted, stayed with him for several years in pain and anguish before being discarded by him and at last had died of a disease at just twenty five...then what you would have done?" The smiling face was soon morphed into a bizarre twisted look which appeared somewhat scary like a ghoul.

Marianna bent down a little and this time the smile was so horrendous that it even made Layla feel ulike she knew her sister very little.

"There is only one person whom I have loved all my life Layla, if that person perishes then they all must be buried with her. I would have killed them all."