The Tearless Concubine

Throne

GLORIA'S POV

How dare this dog demand the concubine as if milady is one of his equal! This mangy dog even dare to warned the mistress to find her own inner peace?! That is too much!

"Gloria- your eyes will soon shoot daggers if you keep glaring at the door like that." How could the concubine smiled after being threatened?!

"Your highness, how could keep thy smile of yours after hearing such retorts from a man like that?!" The concubine shakes her head.

"Gloria, you ought to practice self-restraint whenever you have to deal with this kind of people. Normally his words would earn him a trip to the royal court but it's not that simple since he is under the empress's protection. If only he knows that if Vesta knows that the young duke just taunted me, his protection will be revoke and his favour by the empress will not be of much help." I hid my smile from the concubine.

Perhaps I can do something about that. It's not that hard to influence a young maid to tattle tale to one of the empress's servants. It should be easy.

"I think it's time for us to be at court. I'm sure the emperor will be there." I wish that the concubine would just stop hoping for false hope.

"See, I was right." I bow upon seeing the emperor waiting at the court entrance.

"I'm sorry for not be able to attend the first session. Vesta wouldn't let me go since it's 'time'. I'm sure you'll understand," the concubine waved her hand when the emperor tried to give her a valid reason for his absence from court.

"Just remember that the only reason I'm even here was because you begged for MY help. Please do not repeat the same mistake." The guards opened the door for the emperor and his concubine to enter.

"I heard some of the officials and elders who present today thinks it's their call to be rude to my concubine." I stood at the side as the emperor holds the concubine's hand and lead her towards the emperor's throne.

"I am not happy knowing my concubine was treated poorly. It's best if those individuals comes forth and beg for mercy because my concubine aren't well known to be merciful." My mistress turns around and sat on the emperor's throne while the emperor stood beside his concubine.

"My God. Not even the empress has ever sat on the emperor's throne like the concubine just did. May lord have mercy on those who belittled her highness." I heard the main palace servant muttered beside me.

"Since none of you are willing to give yourself up, I will ask my concubine to point at the person who was rude to her. Rochelle, if you please-," the concubine smirk before pointing at a few officials and even an elder who had been working for the royal family for years.

"I am fairly disappointed with each of you. Didn't I made myself clear before? Or was it my words means nothing to you all?" The emperor reached out for his sword and pulled it from its scabbard.

"This court has never seen any bloodshed since I became the emperor but I can change that. Besides, you've anger my concubine. I will not heed any mercy from those who belittled my concubine!" The emperor was about to behead one of the official when the concubine raise her hand.

"Alfonso, put down your sword. I'm sure they learn their lesson. Well, at least I hope they did," concubine Rochelle smiled but it didn't reached her eyes. That only means one things- her highness is not happy.

"Humph! You're lucky that my concubine stop me from beheading you all." The emperor turned his back on the officials and elder just to stand beside his concubine.

"My dear Rochelle, please forgive this emperor for trusting his subordinates and believed they will treat you good. I was not aware that they think it's okay to look down on you. Forgive this emperor." The emperor kneel in front of the mistress.

But-

This will only make the concubine being hated by everyone! Just why did the emperor did all this?! I-

"What's wrong, Gloria? It seems you're angry about something. Look at your hands! You're clenching them too tightly and now it's bleeding." Huh? My hands are bleeding? I didn't even notice that.

The concubine suddenly turned to face me with her eyes glued on my bleeding hands.

"Let's get down to business, Alfonso. I don't have the leisure to be here all day." The emperor nodded and starts the meeting by announcing that the concubine will helped him with the assembly.

"What blasphemy is this, your majesty. How come you let a woman put on her shackles around your neck like that? This woman clearly doesn't know anything about state affairs. Even the empress doesn't dare to do such thing!" It's the same duke from before.

The moment the emperor saw the duke's necklace, he decided to keep his big mouth shut. So it's okay for the emperor to keep himself low for a useless empress?! What heretics!

"Watch your words, Duke Ranker. I too have my own patience for your tendency to spouting nonsense. Remember that you're in the presence of the emperor." Concubine Rochelle stood up from the throne and look at the young duke.

"Do not force me to use my power against you. This is your second warning. There is only so much the empress can do for you! Aren't you aware of the things happening in this court!" The concubine raise her voice for others to heed as well.

"Duke Ranker, it's best to shut that mouth if you wish to walk out from this court alive. For the concubine to freely called out the empress's name, she is not just a simple concubine." That is right! Listened to the elders, mangy dog!

"I'm sure the elders who stands in this court knows what kind of person I tend to be when someone dare to challenge the crown. When that time comes, even your empress can't save you- hell, not even the emperor has the power. Is that right, Alfonso?" The emperor stood behind the mistress.

"That is right. This emperor have bestowed you the influence and power the concubine always wanted. It's not this emperor call to question your ways of using it." The concubine smiled.

"Strip Duke Ranker's title to a baron. About his dukedome, I'm sure the emperor knows what to do with it." The concubine words were obsolete and the emperor didn't even retort nor say anything as the concubine leaves the court.

As the maid, I followed my master closely from behind.

"That was fun. I might have gone too far though. Vesta will do whatever it takes to make my life miserable than it already has." The concubine sighed.

***

"How did you hurt yourself? Hmm-," what- what is going on? Why is the concubine wrapping my hands with her handkerchief?

"Did you clenched your fist too hard? Were you angry at Alfonso for practically letting me sat on his throne? Just so you know, it was my idea." The concubine smiled when I seems surprised by her words.

"You're full of wonders, you know that right?" The concubine finally let go of my hand and stare out the window of the carriage.

"Well, have you ever stop and think of how the country flourished right after Alfonso sits on the throne?" The concubine suddenly asked.

"Have you ever wonder how did the palace knows how to handle any sort of natural disaster that might hit the country- for example, the recent flood in some rural villages?" Come to think of it, the palace seems to know what to do in any kind of situation.

Unlike what the history books stated about the last rulers, the current monarch seems-

"When Alfonso and I were children, we received the same education and the same lesson because the former emperor and empress knows that their eldest son wouldn't be good enough to be the emperor. There was even a time when Alfonso wanted his younger brother to succeed but the second prince decided to marry a commoner and becomes a common folk." The concubine chuckled as the lady remisnicing the past.

"The empress dowager was confident that I would be the next empress and rule beside her son but Alfonso had different plan for his future. And now here I am, ruling beside him as the 'evil' concubine everyone afraid off." The mistress turned to face me.

"Thank you for showing your concern for my own action." The concubine genuinely smiled at me but-

"Your highness, know this- this servant will never betray you. Even if I have to choose between my own life or betraying you, I would never betray you." The concubine chuckled.

"We're inside the carriage. Please sit properly and don't kneel. What if the carriage suddenly stop and you fell face down? How are you suppose to serve me then?" I hither the lady's command and sat properly.

Once we arrived at the Rochella Palace, we were greeted by a group of ladies from the harem who wish to expressed their gratefulness for helping them about the recent issues.

"Since you're all here, why not we have a tea party at the garden? Gloria, please see through it. I will join you all once I had a talk with Elias." I bow as the concubine.

"Ladies, please follow me to the lounge. I will prepare everything and for the time being, please wait at the lounging area." I lead the ladies of the harem to the lounge and went to the kitchen.

Since the tea party wasn't on the agenda today, every staff gets in done in a hurry but with extra attention to its detail since they all know the concubine hates tardiness.

"Gloria, is it true that our mistress were led to the throne by the emperor himself? It was a hot topic and I heard that the empress was not happy. Several maids were hurt by the empress upon knowing about this matter." And how did this senior maid knows about this matter?

It happened not long ago.

"And I heard our lady strips Duke Ranker's rank to a baron. She even told the emperor to take care of his dukedome. To think that our lady has the guts to do something like that to the empress's people- isn't that inviting unwanted attention to our lady?" The words spoken by this apprentice butler makes me worried for our lady's life even more.

"Your words aren't helping at all." I sighed while the apprentice butler apologised to me.

"Don't worry. I've been here the longest among all the servants. Our lady will surely knows how to protect herself and her family. If not, the lady wouldn't dare to offend the empress. Trust our lady and we will preveil the worse situation. As servants, we have the obligation to protect our masters." The cook is right.

I smiled at him before carrying a tray of fresh brewed coffee and tea to the garden.

The preparation is almost done and I think it's time to called for the ladies who patiently waiting at the lounging area. I beckoned for a maid to lead the ladies to the garden while I waved my hands at Elias who stands by the window of the concubine's study. Elias nodded at me.

I bow as the ladies from the harem came to the garden and took their seats.

"Coffee or tea?" I smiled as I asked the ladies. My decision to brewed both coffee and tea was a good call since most of the ladies preferred coffee.

"Hmmmm. This taste reminded me of my hometown. How did you know we mostly preferred coffee than tea? This country really loves its tea but for me, coffee is what makes you human." The ladies chuckled.

"I noticed that the way milady carries herself is different than people from this country. But your accent is what gives me an idea to where milady came from. Recently we made an alliance with the country from the Southern and the way milady dressed is mostly what the Southern would wear." I smiled as I served them the coffee.

"As expected from concubine Rochelle's personal maid. Thank you for welcoming us with your warmth. The emperor was kind to us but not everyone as kind as the emperor and the concubine. We're really grateful for her highness help this time." I bow when the concubine arrived at the garden together with Elias.

"Are you ladies enjoying yourself?" They all smiled when the concubine took her seat.

"I would like to try the coffee." I nodded and pour my mistress a cup of coffee. After milady tried a sip, she nods and placed the cup down on the table.

"Do get your hands treated properly. I wouldn't want my maid to get sick." I bow with a small smile on my face.