Back in her chambers, Silver lays flat in her bed. Holding the quill and parchment Natasha prepared for her, she was looking at it lost in her own thoughts.
"Is everything alright, Your Majesty? You seem… agitated." her expression a mixture of confusion and curiosity. Silver turned to face her.
"Agitated?" she repeated, tapping the writing supplies.
"I'm not agitated. I'm… strategizing. Yes, that's it. Strategizing."
Natasha raised a skeptical eyebrow, but thankfully didn't press the issue.
"Very well, Your Majesty. If you need anything, just tell me."
Silver propped herself up against the pillows and stared at the blank parchment.
Okay, Silver, think. What would MacGyver do? Probably build a bomb out of lint and hairpins. But that seemed a bit… extreme. Plus she doesn't have that kind of talent.
She's an office worker, not a bomb technician. It's outside her area of expertise.
No, She needed a more subtle approach. Something that would appeal to the Emperor's… what? Pride? Duty? Weakness for baked goods? Does he have that?
Silver's has never been that lost all her life, oftentimes she always finds a way through her situations but this time she can't think of anything. If only she has Hiraya's wit, she'll probably have it easy.
More importantly, their lack of bond isn't giving her a lot of leverage.
"Natasha," she said suddenly, "Do we have any skilled spies in the Imperial Guard?"
Natasha blinked. "Spies, Your Majesty? I'm not sure I understand."
"You know, people who are good at gathering information, eavesdropping?" I elaborated. Emperor was too careful and only ever trusted Ren to attend his needs. If she could find any weakness then it would be easier for her.
Natasha's eyes widened. "I… I wouldn't know anything about that, Your Majesty."
Silver sighed. "Right, of course not. Well, scratch that idea. What about… a love potion?"
Natasha gasped. "Your Majesty! That's… unseemly!"
"Just kidding!" she retorted quickly, flashing a fake and awkward laugh which she followed, although a tiny part of her was actually considering it. If the Duke is in love with her, what's stopping their marriage, right?
The Empire has four very important territories aside from the capital:
The North that houses the Empire's most skilled warriors.
The South has the most fertile land; they cultivate and serve as the capital for agriculture.
The East where mostly faith-believers are found; they have the biggest churches there and a strong influence over the people.
The West is near the sea that houses the empire's major trade industry.
Every territory has a duke that leads them. They all had equal chances to fight for the throne if, for some unforeseen—maybe more foreseeable for her—circumstances that an heir for the crown is unable to inherit it. But that would mean a bloody war for the crown, the common people will be more likely to suffer.
"Alright, I want to be alone. I'll just call you when I needed something." she dismissed Natasha.
She flopped onto her bed once again and began scribbling ideas onto the parchment.
"Operation Duke Dashiell Felice: Phase Two" was scrawled at the top, underlined three times for emphasis. Her survival depends on it.
Below that, a chaotic list of potential strategies she probably racked her brain into is listed:
• Bribe the Emperor: (Too obvious, plus he was one of the richest man alive.)
• Fake a Kidnapping: (Risky, might actually get kidnapped)
• Challenge the Duke to a Duel: (I'd be dead in five seconds, ten if I was very lucky)
• Write a Heartfelt Poem: (My poetry skills peaked in seventh grade)
• Bake Him Cookies: (Everyone loves cookies, right?)
• Handmade Gift: (Shows effort and… craftiness?)
She stared at the last two sentences in the list. It being the only plausible choice. She smirked feeling a surge of inspiration.
"Cookies! That was it! Who could resist a warm, gooey cookie? I'll start with that!" she happily hopped out of her bed and ran through the door.
She could even sprinkle in something… just something to make him more agreeable. Like… extra sugar!
The next day, She returned to the Emperor's chambers holding a bag of cookies in her hand. Feeling proud of herself.
She even made the chef bake it with specific instructions. Chocolate chip cookies! Her favorite, second only to cheesecake!
In front of the towering double door she wandered her eyes looking for Ren to no avail. So she decided to go ahead and enter.
Inside, the Emperor was standing near his desk holding a pile of documents. He was wearing glasses—something he never wore yesterday.
Pretty people really do look good in everything.
"Father! I bought you cookies!" she excitedly smiled, holding the cookies forward like a kid waiting to be complimented.
The Emperor shifted his gaze at Silver and the bag of cookie in her hand. She even decorated it with ribbons to make it more presentable.
"Is that a bribe?" her father asked, mouthing at the bag in her hand.
"Of course not! I just wanted to bake you a coo—" but before she could finish her sentence, the Emperor looked at her as if he already knew exactly why she came to see him.
"Yes, it's a bribe." she admitted defeat.
"No." He dismissed before he shifted his attention back to the document he was holding, unwilling to hear what she was about to say.
She wanted to internally cursed but stopped herself.
She placed the cookie on his table before leaving his chamber. The Emperor's gaze secretly checking her out as she leave the room slightly stomping her feet.
"Natasha! Fetch me a cloth and a needle! Make sure it's of unmatched quality!" she ordered as soon as she left her father's room.
The next morning, she approached the Emperor's chambers again, a small, exquisitely embroidered handkerchief clutched in her hand.
It was a delicate piece of work, featuring intricate floral patterns and a tiny, almost imperceptible "H" stitched in one corner. She may not be good with poems, but the servants can definitely embroider with her very detailed instructions and moral support.
She took a deep breath and entered. The Emperor was at his desk, poring over documents. He looked up as Silver approached, his expression almost dismissive.
"Father," Silver said softly, holding out the handkerchief. "I made this for you. It's… a small token of my affection."
The Emperor hesitated, his gaze flicking between the handkerchief and his daughter's face. There is a flicker of something in his eyes—perhaps a hint of surprise, or even… emotion? No matter what it is, Silver couldn't make it out. Is her plan working?
But unfortunately, it was never more than that. It was gone in a flash, replaced by his usual stoic expression.
He reached out and took the handkerchief. For a moment, Silver thought she had him. But then, he sighed and placed the handkerchief on his desk, beside the pile of untouched cookies.
"Thank you, daughter," he said, his voice gentle but firm.
"It's a beautiful gift. But my answer remains the same."
Silver's heart sank. "But Father…"
"No, daughter," he interrupted, his voice hardening.
"I will not discuss this matter further. Please, leave me to my work."
She bit back a retort and turned to leave, her shoulders slumping.
As she reached the door, she couldn't resist one last glance back. The Emperor was staring at the handkerchief, his brow furrowed. For a fleeting moment, Silver thought she saw a hint of sadness in his eyes.
But then, he turned away, dismissing her once again.
Days turned into weeks, and her attempts to win over the Emperor became increasingly desperate—and increasingly absurd. She even serenaded him once that she started being the talk of everyone in the palace.
The princess who never showed interest in men is now hopelessly in love that she was doing everything to get her father's approval.
It was a pretty good gossip actually. Even Silver her own would listen to that. If she wasn't the topic, that is.
She flopped into her bed, staring straight into an intricately detailed canopy. She's running out of ideas. If this continues, She will never meet her savior—let alone live a carefree life in the next two years. Heck! She wasn't even sure if the kingdom will still exist. The only way to secure her future was to make sure that the two strongest man in the world is within her grasp.
She needed a foolproof plan. Being a Crown Princess is better than any employee benefits the world could offer.
"I got it!"
She sat up in excitement, startling Mila so much that she nearly dropped the cheesecake she was preparing for her in the table. She and Natasha exchanged glances.
But before Silver could even explain, the room was already lurching sideways. Her chest clenched tight, as if invisible hands were crushing her ribs. Each breath scraping her throat raw, every heave is painful. Silver gripped her chest trying to ease the pain but to no avail.
"No… not now. Not today. I don't have time for this…"
Spots swam in her vision, the edges of the world starting to dim. She fell in her matress, her body curling down in pain. Her fingers clawed at the sheets. The last thing she saw was the maid's face, wide with panic, rushing toward her as everything went black.