"It's the emperor's order,"

SERENA stares at herself in the mirror (well, not technically) as Judy brushes the tangles off her hair. She is thinking of an excuse to get out of the house so that she can break the lock on her diary.

At the thought of her diary, she spares a glance at the side table near the bed. There it lies, undisturbed with hidden secrets inside it.

It is itching her to just open it and ravage it in one go but she has to be patient until tomorrow.

"Remember to wake up early. Super early," she reminds Judy who nods or rather to herself. She is a deep sleeper—can even sleep through an earthquake.

"I'm not a sleeper, empress," she tells her.

"Good,"

"But, how will we leave? We'll need to use the carriage," Judy inquires.

"We have Peter, don't we? Let's tell him to take us tomorrow," Serena says as if it was common sense.

"That's the thing. Peter...retired, empress,"

Serena's eyes widen and she turns to look up at Judy whose hands are still in the air with one hand holding a hair brush. "What do you mean, retired? He's not yet fifty. Surely, he's younger than that,"

"He is forty-five," Judy tells her. "And he said that he has to go back home to his family,"

Serena frowns. "Where is his home?"

Judy shakes her head. "I don't know but he used to stay in the castle because it would have been a hassle to go back and forth,"

Serena hums and resumes looking at the mirror and the same applies to Judy. She can feel the brush softly graze her scalp and sighs, feeling good. "Well, who will take us?"

Judy doesn't look up from Serena's hair. "I don't know. I'll have to go and find out, I'm done now,"

Serena smiles and gets up. "Thank you,"

Judy nods and returns the smile. "If you'll excuse me, I need to sleep early,"

"Yes. We have a long day ahead of us. Get some sleep," Serena agrees.

"Goodnight empress,"

"Goodnight,"

Judy then opens the door and Serena can faintly see a figure—a muscular, tall figure outside the door. It looks like Xavier ordered that soldiers should stand guard for her.

Serena tries not to smile and gets under the covers. She thinks back to Peter's retirement and it doesn't make sense. Piecing two and two together, Serena has a gut feeling that it has to do with her "disappearance" last week. However, it wasn't his fault. He was just following orders. She starts feeling terrible and makes up her mind to talk to Xavier about it because he is the sole reason why Peter left.

Her eyes go down to her diary and grab it. She traces the word with her fingers—not believing that it was in her hands. She knows that she has to work fast before Xavier comes back because she has a feeling that he'll receive the letter and lose his trust in her.

She has been feeling something for him and is quite sure that the feeling is mutual. Xavier doesn't hate her and she's going to ensure that he doesn't. Even if it meant, sacrificing her diary for him to read.

But, if he does hate her, maybe this will be an opportunity to leave this house and look for a way back home.

~

Serena shuffles her hands inside the black coat held by Judy. It is a little chilly and Serena doesn't want to risk getting sick. It is not the time.

Judy had done what Serena had requested and wrote a letter to her friend to open early. He then agreed and the two women were headed there.

"Let's hurry before everyone wakes up," Serena says, and they leave the room but they don't get far.

"May I ask where you're heading to, empress?"

Serena slowly turns to look at one of the soldiers standing in front of her room with a questionable look on his face. She musters the most blank look she can afford. "No. You may not,"

The two guards spared a look at each other and gulped without saying anything.

Serena then takes that cue to get on with it but her strides slow down a bit when she hears whispers.

"Should we tell her?" One of them whispers.

"She won't believe us," the other responds.

What is happening? What are they talking about? She is suspicious and is about to turn around to ask them questions but leaves it and walks down the stairs to the back door of the home in the kitchen.

The house is quiet and a little light is coming through the windows—perfect for the mission. She follows Judy closely until they get out through the door into the large kitchen that she has never been in. The size of it is almost the size of her house back home with two island countertops in the middle and cabinets on the side. There is another door and she adds that it might be the pantry.

"Benedict!" Judy calls in a loud whisper.

Serena then sees a middle-aged man—younger than Peter—quickly drop his cigarette and stomp on it to burn out the flame before rushing to them. He coughs and bows. "Empress,"

Serena nods and Judy takes over. "We need you to take us to town,"

Benedict's head shifts upwards at the order. "Now?"

Judy nods. "Yes. We mustn't keep the empress waiting,"

Benedict looks at Serena this time and his eyes cast downwards on her black coat. "Alright. Follow me,"

Judy and Serena share a glance before doing so and come upon a carriage that isn't in good condition as much. Serena doesn't mind but Judy thinks otherwise.

"This isn't what we agreed to," she snaps, shocking Serena at her tone.

Benedict lifts an eyebrow. "You said that you wanted to be incognito,"

"Yes," Judy grits, disgust in her face."I did, but you can't expect the empress to ride in this,"

"It's fine. It's perfect,"

Judy is about to refuse but Serena walks ahead of her and Benedict respectfully opens the door and helps her in. Despite the exterior, the seats and floor are squeaky clean.

"If it makes you better, I did some cleaning inside the carriage," Benedict tries to reassure Judy.

"It's true," Serena raises her voice a bit so that Judy can hear her.

Judy narrows her eyes when she takes a look then at Benedict who has a grin on his face as if he finds the whole situation hilarious.

"No one's laughing with you," Judy sneers, and that wipes the smile off his face before she gets in.

Serena chuckles. "Relax, Judy. It's not like we'll die,"

"Didn't you see the wheels? It looks like they will dislodge any time!" Judy counteracts.

"As much as it looks unstable, it isn't," Benedict tells her.

"Yo-

"Okay. Let's just get going, please," Serena intervenes, and the two people keep quiet and Benedict starts the ride. She looks down at her diary and outside the window when they are stopped by the guards by the gate.

"Where are you heading to?" one of them asks, Benedict.

"The empress is inside," is all he says and the same guard goes over to the window. He slightly bends and he bows.

"Good morning, empress," he greets.

"Good morning," Serena replies. "Please, open the gate. I'm heading off somewhere,"

The guard shakes his head. "No can do, empress,"

Serena's eyebrows crease. "What do you mean? I am the empress—you are to follow my word,"

The guard anxiously looks over somewhere else and in a second, another guard joins him.

"Liam, it's the empress," he tells him, and Liam comes closer to the window. His eyes are naturally drawn to slits and his face is in a serious mood.

"Empress," he greets.

"Open the gate,"

"We cannot,"

"And why the hell not?"

"It's the emperor's order,"

Serena looks over to Judy whose eyes are wide like saucers then over to the guard. She grasps the diary in her hands and opens the door—making the soldiers scurry away from it.

Slamming it closed, she glares at the pair. "I don't care what Xavier said. I. am. the. empress and I order you to open the gate right this instant!"

Liam stands by his word with his impassive face on. "I'm afraid it's not possible, empress. Please, go back inside. It's cold,"

Serena angrily bites her lip at his ignorant tone.

"Please, empress," the other guard pleads. "For the sake of our jobs,"

"Empress," a soft voice calls out, and Serena looks inside the carriage to Judy. "Let's go back,"

Serena doesn't reply and turns back to Liam. "Did Xavier order you to not let me out?"

Liam nods. "Yes. Until he comes back,"

"But that's going to be a whole week!" Serena cries out. "I need to get out now,"

"The emperor's order is the last word," he says.

They stare down at each other until Serena huffs loudly, and turns around to walk back to the building.

"Empress! Please, get inside the carriage!" The other guard yells.

"Don't. Let her walk," Liam stops him, and Serena huffs again.

This is ridiculous. She remembers Xavier telling her that he would be watching but she never expected that he wouldn't even allow her to get out of the grounds. She is wasting time and if she doesn't get this padlock opened, her life will be hanging on a thread.

She hears quick footsteps as if someone is running and Judy is suddenly beside her.

"Empress, give me the diary. I will open it for you,"

Serena stops and turns to Judy. "How? You saw with your two eyes. We can't get out,"

"You can't get out," Judy disagrees.

Judy is right. Serena can't leave but she can. There is hope after all.

Serena smiles, her teeth bright. "Judy. You're a genius,"

-

• Mia •

Mia hadn't moved from her position behind the concrete wall as she watched the empress and Judy talking. She lets out a small quiet yawn and lazily rubs her groggy eyes but stops when she sees an exchange between the two.

It looks like a book but before she can get a better glimpse of it, Judy has already dished it inside her bag. Mia thinks that is enough and turns back to go inside. At least she has something to say to Lillian later on.

"Oh, Mia. You're up early,"

Mia smiles at one of the maids, Hilary. "Good morning to you too, Hilary,"

Hilary's cheeks warm up. "Sorry,"

Mia is about to reply but Hilary's eyes go wide and she bows. "Empress,"

Mia turns and sees the empress standing still at the doorway. They stare at each other until Hilary harshly whispers to her to bow and show some respect.

"Apologies, your highness," she says, bending her neck.

She can hear her walk closer until a pair of covered feet is within her sight but she doesn't dare lift her head.

"And you are?" the empress asks.

"Mia, empress," she answers without meeting her eyes.

"And what about you?" the empress asks, and for a second, Mia is confused about who she's talking to but Hilary's voice is heard.

"Hilary, empress,"

"Have the two of you been working here for long?" the empress asks.

"Yes," Hilary starts but quickly corrects herself. "I mean, I have been working here since I was five and ten, empress but Mia is new,"

"Oh really?" the empress drawls.

"Yes, empress," Mia agrees. "I came here with my lady, Lillian Jalon,"

The empress doesn't reply to that and the silence is nerve-wrenching. Mia can't help but wonder what she thinks at the moment after saying that she's Lillian's maid from back home. She knows that they aren't on good terms and wants to see for herself whether the empress is who people say she is.

"Look at me," the empress demands.

Mia obediently does so and she finally has a close look at the empress. The rumors weren't lying when they said that she is a beautiful, tall, long black hair that is held neatly behind her head with no strands framing her face. Her lips are full and red and Mia marvels whether they are in their natural form or she had applied some makeup although her face looked clean and-

"Nice to meet you both," the empress says, drawing Mia back to reality and walking past her outside the kitchen—her perfume that smells like candy, leaving a stench in the room with them.

"As many times I've met her, her beauty never ceases to amaze me," Hilary gushes out with a giggle but Mia doesn't offer a response, still thinking about the empress.

She doesn't understand why Lillian hates her when she doesn't look like a threat apart from being the emperor's wife and she figures that that irks Lillian so much.

A hand then grabs her forearm and her body is led to the pantry. "Come on. We need to start making breakfast before everybody wakes up,"

Hilary lets go of Mia's arm as she looks for the ingredients of today's menu while Mia absentmindedly rubs the area even though Hilary's hold was light, still thinking of the empress.

Lillian wants any dirt to use against her when the emperor comes back and oh how she has succeeded. Now that they have the empress's hidden letter, that is fathomable proof that she's sneaky and up to something.

Although Mia has no idea what Lillian is about to do next, deep down, she isn't proud of herself. She was brought up in a humble, poor household and she's sure that her parents will be disappointed in her if they know what she has done but she has no choice.

When she found the letter, she was shocked and almost caught by Judy but she was called just in time and that gave Mia seconds to leave the room, leaving it in a heap of mess that she wished that she hadn't brought upon herself since she failed to clean up her tracks.

She needs the money to pay for her mother's medical bills and pay her younger brother's school fees so that he can continue with his education. So, she has no ultimatum than to obey and follow orders, and she's not planning to stop anytime soon.

~

• Serena •

When Serena went downstairs to take her breakfast, she was startled to see April and Deborah on the dining table, awaiting their breakfast.

"Aunty Serena," Deborah cries in happiness, jumping from her seat to hug Serena's legs. Serena chuckles, bending down to bring her in her arms, and gives her a mooch on the porcelain soft skin. The little one giggles, trying to get away from the series of kisses forced on her face but Serena doesn't let her.

Serena finally stops and puts her down just in time for April to throw her arms around her.

"What time did you arrive?" Serena asks her.

"We came here last night," April answers. "It was very late,"

"Then I must have been asleep,"

April nods. "Yes. It was almost one o'clock in the morning,"

They both take their seats and Jade walks in bidding warm greetings before sitting down and listening in on the conversation between Serena and April.

"Xavier suggested that I stay here until he comes back," April tells them.

Serena's eyes slightly go wide before they relax. "Oh really?"

April nods. "It made sense since I'll be helping with the tea party arrangements,"

"Can I join?"

All three heads including the little one turn to a happy Lillian striding in the room and sitting down beside Jade.

"That's if you don't mind...empress," she finishes, focusing her sight on Serena who doesn't look pleased with her request. She doesn't trust Lillian with such an important quest because, from all the books she's read, the villain always has a way of ruining something good for the heroine. There's no way she'll let Lillian destroy something that Xavier has put trust in her to sort. So, with a smile, she says. "Thank you, Lady Jalon for the offer but, we're almost through with the preparations,"

Lillian doesn't buy the lie since her smile keeps on growing. "So soon? A tea party is no joke, empress,"

"As I said, there's no need," Serena grits out.

"But-

"Lillian," Jade intervenes. "When the empress says no, it means no,"

The room goes silent after Jade's statement--Lillian's face forms into a scowl while Serena is bewildered but a smile keeps threatening to spread across her lips. Staring at the two friends, she feels that something has shifted in between them and it doesn't please Lillian whatsoever.

No one says a word after that for a while until Jade excuses herself to go upstairs—Lillian hot on her heels, probably to ask why Jade acted so in front of everyone.

To think of it, Jade hasn't been the same since their first encounter when Serena came to this world. When she met Jade, she remembers as if it was yesterday, how snappy she was, throwing vulgar language towards her but right now, whenever Serena has a beef with Lillian, Jade would always come to her rescue, proving her best friend wrong. This makes Serena question whether Jade knows what Lillian is up to or if she knows everything.

"That was satisfying," April comments with a smirk on her face.

"What was satisfying, mama?"

April's smirk immediately crumbles when she realizes what she has said and grins at her daughter, shaking her head. "I was referring to the...food. Did you enjoy your breakfast?"

Her daughter nods enthusiastically, some of her missing teeth on display. "Yes. I did," she says while Serena chuckles at the believable coverup.

"Aunty Serena," Deborah calls out, and Serena hums, giving her undivided attention. "When is Uncle Xavi coming back?"

Serena smiles. "Do you already miss him?"

Deborah nods, brushing some of her escaped strands away from her forehead. "Yes. I miss him a lot. Do you miss him?"

"Deborah Michaels!" April starts to reprimand, but Serena stops her.

"It's okay, April," she says, then looks at Deborah, widening her arms. "I miss him, this much,"

Deborah giggles, hiding her face with her palms and this makes Serena's heart melt. She knows that she doesn't want children but Deborah is making her change her mind each day she sees her.

"Have you written a letter to him?" Deborah continues to prod.

"No. I haven't," Serena replies but an idea clicks in her head and she grins. "Would you want to write one with me?"

Deborah grins back, nodding multiple times. "Yes, yes, yes,"

Serena winks. "Okay then,"

"You'll help her tonight. Is that okay with you?" her mother asks, and Deborah agrees.

After breakfast, April aids Serena with the invites, signing them off with the emperor's seal and the name of the guest to be invited. They have already done ten of them and twenty more are remaining.

"I don't know how I would have done this alone," Serena says.

"Even if I wasn't here, I'm sure Jade would have helped you," April tells her but Serena shakes her head, dismissing the idea.

"I don't think so,"

"Why would you say that?"

And before she can stop herself, the words flow out with no stop. "Because I've always felt alone in this home. Always on edge. Afraid to make a mistake. Sometimes, I'm glad that I forgot everything that happened in my past years but things are different now. Especially with Xavier,"

April pays close attention to what Serena has to say but before she can continue, a couple of maids walk in, holding bouquets. Both girls have quizzical looks on their faces and Serena inquires why they are bringing flowers in the room when she didn't ask for them.

"Lady Jalon told us to bring them in so that you can choose which ones to pick for the tea party," one of them answers.

"This is getting out of hand," April grits out, and Serena agrees with her but to ensure that the maids won't question anything, she smiles and thanks them.

"What is she trying? We already chose white lilies for the party," April says.

Serena gets up and walks over to the various flowers placed on the table. There's a card on one of them and she picks it to read what is on it.

These are my favorites and I thought you might choose one for the party. Take your pick!

~ L

Serena rolls her eyes and picks out a pink one that resembles a rose, brings it up to her nose, and as soon as she gets a whiff of them, a series of sneezes escape her nostrils, and balancing tears rim her waterline. She moves away, covering her face but the torture doesn't stop and April jumps up from her seat when she sees that it is getting too serious.

"What's the matter?" she asks, and Serena waves her off, trying to explain but some words are swallowed.

"...don't...understand...something...s...wrong,"

April looks back and forth from the flower still grasped in Serena's hand--a Peony, and when the realization sets in, it's already too late. Serena is in a coughing fit and is starting to hyperventilate.

"Serena! Oh my gosh! HELP! SOMEONE, HELP US!" April screams, grabbing Serena's shoulders and tossing the flower away from them.

Someone barges in and April turns to the butler, standing there with eyes wide. "Get a doctor! Hurry!"

The butler nods and dashes off to get the doctor and as much as Serena is trying to hold on to the hope of the doctor coming to save her, she can feel her heart starting to slow and her sight becoming blurry. April's comforting words are starting to sound as if she is in a deep hollow place—like water and all that Serena can think at that moment is-

Damn you, Lillian.

______

Hey guys! It's been so long since I've updated and I apologize.

I have lost the motivation to continue this book but, I am not a quitter so, I hope that you enjoyed this chapter.

I wanted to come over here and inform you that I have published another book called, 'LETICIA'. You can go and check it out. Thank you for reading this and please, don't give up on this book :)