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The banquet began and ended quietly.

Kel sat next to the Emperor at the head of the table, smiling pleasantly and nodding at the chatter of the high-ranking nobles who were seated nearby.

Fortunately, Kel's usual posse of guards had been dismissed at the doors, and she was allowed to enjoy the evening with just two soldiers stationed behind her.

And even more fortunately, those two soldiers were Lucy and Thane.

She was curious as to why Calix had suddenly reinstated them but grateful nonetheless.

"When it comes to governing an Empire, I truly think small colonies are best."

"No, large colonies closely aligning with the original kingdoms' boundaries would be the easiest to maintain."

"But wouldn't that lead to the development of unsavory factions and possible rebellion?"

Kel stifled a yawn while stuffy nobles debated the best way to run an empire, each hoping to catch the Emperor's eye and, hopefully, a high position in the new government.

Sigh.

Still, the presence of her two friends couldn't save her from the political games going on at the table.

What a waste of breath, Kel thought to herself.

She knew Calix well enough to know these types of slimy men were the ones he hated the most. No doubt, he'd do everything he could (which was a lot, considering he was the Emperor) to ensure they didn't even have a seat at the next banquet, much less at the head of the table.

Oblivious to the daggers pointed at them behind Kel's smiling eyes, the nobles continued their dull discussion until she was nearly asleep.

Finally, without a single remarkable moment, the banquet came to a close.

Thane and Lucy trailed behind the Emperor and his consort,  the first to leave the hall. As soon as the doors closed behind them, however, concealing them from the room of eyes, Kel's original four guards took over escorting her once again.

Slowly, she drifted farther from Calix, Thane, and Lucy, as the three headed to Calix's room and the guards led her to hers.

She didn't realize until the trio had disappeared down a different hallway, that she hadn't said a word to any of them the entire evening.

Later on, she found out that she wasn't the only one bothered by that realization.

She was just sinking gratefully into her bed, somehow exhausted from the short banquet, when a loud voice outside the door startled her.

"His Majesty wishes to enter."

Kel sat back up.

"Eh?"

The two guards posted inside the room looked at each other and nodded before hurriedly opening the door.

Ha. As if a grunt of confusion actually counted as an answer.

A positive one at that.

Whatever, Kel snorted to herself as Calix stepped inside the room.

He would have come in no matter what she said.

A single look from the Dragon Emperor was enough to send the two guards scuttling through the door before it closed behind him.

"... I'm tired," Kel remarked, noting Calix's exposed chest and sloppily tied robe.

Calix paused, his gaze focused dangerously on her.

"Tomorrow is the last day," he replied. "Then we will leave this place."

His response hardly gave her any solace, but she nodded quietly.

Would she ever be less exhausted so long as she was at the Emperor's side? Would she have to endure more nights like the last?

She'd given herself to him many times before, but last night felt different.

A wave of uneasiness gripped her stomach each time she thought about it.

He didn't hurt her, but he had been so angry. The eyes that usually gazed tenderly at her bare skin had been full of fury.

Scary.

Kel flinched as the word suddenly popped into her head.

Surely, it wasn't that Calix was scary.

She wasn't scared of him.

…right?

"Don't be afraid of me."

A strained whisper shook her from her thoughts as Calix wrapped his arms around her.

When had he reached the bed?

"I won't hurt you," he squeezed Kel tighter as she attempted to shrug him off. "Last night was…"

He trailed off, unable to bring himself to say 'mistake'.

"I can never control my emotions when it comes to you," he murmured, more so to himself than Kel.

"I don't like that," Kel gritted her teeth, finally managing to pull away.

Calix frowned, but obediently lowered his arms.

"I don't like when you get angry all on your own and do crazy things," Kel continued, her voice growing louder. "Like halting our engagement ceremony in the middle and dragging me away just to tear off my clothes!"

She folded her arms across her chest, narrowing her eyes as she spoke.

The Emperor opened his mouth to respond but then closed it again.

"And punishing Lucy and Thane like that!" Kel went on. "I hate it. I hate it so much."

After her rant, Kel and Calix both sat in silence.

She felt better after releasing her pent up emotions, but Calix's expression had only worsened.

After a few minutes, he let out a sigh.

"No matter how hard I try to have you," he said softly, "it seems you will only belong to yourself."

"Of course I only belong to myself," Kel snorted. "You can own all the land and riches on this continent, but you can't own a person. It doesn't work like that."

"What should I do then?" Calix leaned forward, placing his hands on either side of Kel's legs. "When I want to own you?"

His voice was deep and sultry, but Kel could see the tiny tremors shaking his arms.

Desperate longing filled his eyes as he gazed at her. Suddenly, he seemed less like a tyrant and more like a child--a child who had never properly loved nor been loved before.

"You once said you didn't care who I loved," Kel broached, "and that you'd do anything to tie me to your side."

The man's scarlet eyes flickered as she spoke.

"But I think you do care who I love, and you want it to be you."

Calix's gaze dropped, his hands curling into fists.

"And you don't want to tie me to your side, you want me to choose to be there," Kel added.

Pushing himself onto his knees, the Emperor backed away.

Kel moved forward with him, however, maintaining their closeness.

"You want me to love you," she finished, "but you don't know how to make me."

".. Do I?" Calix raised his eyebrows thoughtfully for a single moment. "I-"

He stopped, his lips dipping into a frown as he considered Kel's words.

"I want you to love me," he whispered, finally conceding.