The Tearless Concubine

Rochelle Roth

ROCHELLE'S POV

It's been ages since I last feel at ease. How long was it asleep for? Normally I would find it irritating to see the morning sun entering my room through the windows but somehow today it felt serene for no reason.

"Good morning." I heard a male voice inside my room. When I finally realised that I am not alone, I got up to a sitting position and turned to see the person who greeted me.

"Alfonso? What are you doing here?" I asked before looking at the empty side of my bed.

"Oh, it was my turn last night? I'm sorry. I was tired because of the overwhelming paperwork that your wife decided NOT to do. There were some urgent issues that needs my attention." Alfonso waved his hands off.

"I understand. You of all people should know that I will always come to Rochella when times gets dire in the main palace. I need some peace of mind after all. Also, thank you for taking care of Florence. Vesta-," I raised my hand when he was about to mentioned about the empress.

"Florence is your child after all. As a mother, how could I let a child be treated like a stranger by her own mother? So, what's wrong at the main palace? Did the empress force you to have a son again?" Alfonso sighed.

I take that as a yes.

"Let us not talk about that. How are you?" The emperor asked as he helped me by putting my robe on when I stood up from the bed. We both went outside of my room balcony to have our breakfast.

I noticed there is a new face among my servant. She must be the one who replaced my former maid who gave birth in front of me yesterday.

"What happened to your maid who gave birth yesterday? Is she well?" I nodded while enjoying my bread spread.

"I gave her three months worth of salary. But I told her that after she's well and rested, she can come back and continue her work here. It wasn't her mistake that one of YOUR knight falls in love with MY maid." Alfonso gave me one of his toothy smile.

I remained nonchalant throughout our breakfast together.

"Rochelle, is it that hard to smile for your husband?" Husband? We only ever slept once and that was on our wedding night. The only good thing that came from that night is the boys.

"Yes. It's that hard to smile knowing your legal wife is destroying this country. Say, Alfonso, what should I do if that wife of yours comes here again?" Alfonso sighed heavily as he finished his coffee.

"Do whatever you want. Just don't hurt her. She still the empress after all." Oh, trust me, it's the opposite of that. I'm sure of it. After Alfonso says his goodbye, I decided to enjoyed the morning scenery before preparing myself for today's meeting.

I watched as the new maid seems to know what she's doing and I'm happy to see how meticulously she prepared everything.

"You were a noble before coming to the palace, correct?" The new maid were surprised.

"Yes, your highness." Even the way she bow differs from the rest.

"You were sold here?"

"Yes, your highness." Too bad. Instead of coming into the palace as one of the concubines lady in waiting, she became the maid instead. This woman must've gone through hard times when she first enter this damn place.

"Did the head maid treat you well?" I asked while walking back into my bedroom and sat in front of my vanity.

"Yes, your highness. The head maid treats us all fairly." At least Rebecca did her job right.

"Good. Please call Elias. I need to speak with him." The new maid took a step back and bow before leaving my room. Minutes later, my butler, Elias enters the room.

"Where did Rebecca find her? Who sold her into the palace?" I asked before facing my butler.

"Answering her highness question, it was stated in Gloria's record that a member of the court sold her to the palace. It seems your investigation finally came to a fruitful discover because upon Gloria's arrival to the palace, a woman who was close to the maid was seen being dragged away from the palace. Rebecca manage to find out who that person is and currently finding more clues about the slave traders in the city." That was fast.

I tapped my nails on the table before standing up from my vanity.

"I have paperworks to deal with this morning and a meeting with the elders this afternoon. Prepare my lunch before the meeting. I would like to eat before facing the elders. Do I have any other agenda after that?" I asked as I walked towards the door.

"You are invited to attend the empress tea ceremony with the rest of the harem members at her palace. I apologise for saying this but it's compulsory for her highness to attend." I am not happy about this.

Empress Vesta, Alfonso legal wife is someone I really hate to deal with. That woman is the empress but she doesn't even know how to handle state affair like an empress should be doing. All the empress do is spouting rumours about me and spread it for the citizen to talk about over a cup of tea.

Hence, the stupid title of being the evil concubine occur. If only she could use her skill to manipulate others into hating me on taking care of the country, I would be happy but even Alfonso himself doesn't trust his legal wife! How is that even normal?!

When I arrived at my office, I noticed that my desk were clean and reports are place in alphabetical order.

"Who cleaned my desk?" I asked before facing the butler.

"It was the new maid, Gloria. She is literate and knows how to read several foreign languages. I was surprised myself when someone from a low baron ranking knows how to read an old language only the members of the royal family know." Interesting.

Not everyone can understand the old language. Even Alfonso was having a hard time when we learned the language from the royal scholar. I wonder who was her teacher.

"Alright. Prepare some tea. I'm sure I need it." The butler nodded and went out to prepare my tea. I sigh before taking a piece of paper from the bundle and started to read with my feather pen ready.

This is going to be a long day for me.

***

"Concubine Rochelle arrived." The herald announced my arrival when I entered the room. The elders stood up from their seat and bow as I walked across the hall and sat on Alfonso's seat.

"Good afternoon. I'm sorry for being late; I was busy dealing with the amount of paperwork that was on my desk this morning. Shall we start this meeting? I was invited by the empress to attend her tea ceremony after this meeting." My attention were gained by one of the elders who once worked for the former emperor.

"A tea ceremony? It is the empress job to lead this meeting, not you, your highness. Why do you have to slaving yourself for the sake of that woman?" I smiled at the elder.

"It's because I love this country and I wish to make it safe for our future generation. Anyway, is there any problem occur at your jurisdiction, sir?" I asked.

The elder begins to tell me about the sudden spike of foreign traders visiting his pier. He added that having this sudden spike of merchants is good but he never once see any increased in sales or purchase.

The elder is worried about an illegal business transaction that will be the reason for this country downfall in economic growth.

"I will take this concern into account." I turned to Elias the butler who nodded his head.

"Your highness, I'm not sure if I should ask such question but I am from the royal treasury department-," I turned to look at this young woman who suddenly stopped midway of her sentences.

"You may continue." I gave her permission. The elders look at each other before nodding their head at this young treasurer.

"At the beginning of this year, the empress had made a staggering withdrawal from the treasury; about one hundred thousand worth of gold." My eyes widen.

"That is more than what the empress should have! Did you bring the record of her expanses?" The young treasurer nodded and handed the ledger to my butler.

That woman bought a whole set of foreign jewels, host a lavish party for her supporter and even buys extravagant dresses without consulting the financial advisor beforehand.

"To add more to that amount, this month the empress made a withdrawal again but this time double the first amount." Oh my God. Is this reason that the disaster relief funds were cut off?

"Did the treasurer department head tried to tell the emperor about this?" I asked while looking through the ledger.

"Also, where is he? Why are you here instead of him?" I looked up to the young treasurer.

"That man is attending the empress tea ceremony. We told him about today's meeting but he sent his lackeys instead." I pinched the bridge of my nose. Seeing the numbers on this ledger is giving me a headache.

"May I borrow this ledger?" The young treasurer nodded.

"Is there anything others would like to add?" I asked after handing the ledger to my butler. I'm glad that the remaining complaints were all easy to deal with since it's within my power. But, about the treasury department; if the department head himself is on friendly terms with the empress, this is going to be hard to handle.

After the meeting is over, I watched as the elders leaves the room.

"Elias, summon the new maid for me. I will be going to the tea ceremony with her." The butler nodded and went away. It's not enough that I have to take care of the empress problem, now I have to attend this useless ceremony.

"Are you ready, your highness?" I looked up to see Gloria, my new maid standing by the door.

"Would you like to change into a different attire?" She asked.

"No. Let's go." I lead the way towards my carriage. On our way to the empress's palace, I can't help but inquired the answer of her decision to wear a long sleeve uniform under this scorching sun.

"It is not appropriate for a servant such as myself to show my horrible state in front of her highness. It wouldn't be pleasant for her highness to witness." It was easy for me to find out if her smile was genuine or something she muster up from fear.

That smile was fake.

When we arrived at the empress palace, no one- not even a single soul were there to greet me. Even the palace servant who works under the empress don't even bow at me when I walk passed by them. It reminds me of how illiterate everyone in this palace is; including the empress herself.

"Concubine Rochelle arrived." The herald announced my arrival before going inside the ballroom where everyone is. Just like I had thought, no one greets me. From the looks of things, the empress made another withdrawal from the treasury to host this ceremony.

"Mother! I'm glad to see you." I look down to Florence who drenched with wine.

"What happened to you?" I asked before kneeling down to wipe her face with my handkerchief.

"Empress mother said I was not invited. But emperor father said I should show myself since I am the princess, daughter of the empress. I was just following orders-," Florence was about to cry when I smiled at her.

"A princess should never cry for such petty things. Isn't that what I've been teaching you and your brothers? Never cry when we're innocent. Never show them that you're weak-," our conversation were interrupted when I head a familiar voice behind me.

"Look at what the cat dragged in. Ladies, it is no wonder than the princess even dare to be rude to her birth mother. It is because of this evil concubine that the princess acts the way she did!" Empress Vesta intentionally gathering everyone's attention to us.

"Mother-," I stoped Florence from talking back to empress Vesta. That will only make things worse at this point.

"I'm sorry if her majesty interpret my decision to take princess Florence into my palace as bad influence. As a mother who care for her children, I only wish for the princess to live like any other children who are raised inside the palace walls. But, of course someone who came from your background doesn't know what it likes. The empress were once a rogue who apposed the royal family after all." I know I shouldn't say this to the empress but I need to make her realised her position before spouting nonsense like this.

Everyone here knows that she abandoned the princess at birth just because the princess is a girl and not a prince.

"How dare a concubine like you speak to an empress like that!" I was ready to take another slap from the empress when my new maid stood in front of me and took the blow herself.

Everyone inside the ballroom were astonished by this.

"Her highness was appointed by the emperor himself to hold a position of a Queen regnant. I apologise for speaking out of turn but I am a servant who were chosen by the emperor to remind those who challenge his power. Concubine Rochelle is his majesty vassal and anyone who dare to lay a hand on her highness or her children shall face the emperor's wrath." What is this girl spouting?!

The empress take a step back before leaving us. The party continue but I wish to go back to my palace.

"Let's go home, Florence." The princess nodded and we went out from the empress palace. Once we're inside the carriage, I couldn't help but to glare at this new maid.

"Why did you say that?" I asked.

"I was only following orders, your highness." Orders?!

"Alfonso told you to say that?" I'm beginning to get curious.

"The emperor asked me to memorise some words to use if her highness ever in trouble with the harem." Alfonso you dumb, idiotic emperor.

"Am I in trouble, mother?" Florence inquired.

"No. You're not in trouble. It is your father who is in trouble." I smiled but deep down I wish I could assassinate the emperor with my own two hands.

But that's just impossible.