Chapter 5

• “What’s the matter?” Eve realises his attention is elsewhere.
• “I think someone is watching” he sounds concerned.
• “And do we care?”. 
• He looks back at her and take some steps back. “Yes, we do. It’s good to have my future wife on board”. 
• She rolls her eyes. “What, this little princess? She is just a pawn that is drooling just looking at you. She has the looks but nothing more”. 
• Keiran starts laughing at her mean comment.
• Eve’s words echo in Arianna’s mind. She is back again in her room. She clenches her fists. She feels angry, like something is boiling inside her. This isn’t the first time she heard things like that, but for some reason, this time, they made her furious. 
• She starts smashing things, ripping her dress to pieces and looking like a maniac. 
• ‘Fuck that bitch, fuck him’. 
• A knock on the door made come back to reality. 
• “Miss Arianna, is everything alright?” the maid asks. She understands it’s Zoe and sounds concerned.
• ‘Damned, she heard me’. 
• “Yes Zoe, all is good” she puts on her fake face of ‘all is alright’. 
• “Ugh, alright! Um, Lord Keiran is about to make an announcement” she informs her.
• Arianna rolls her eyes as she is being annoyed. 
• “Why are you even telling me. It’s not like I can be there since you are keeping me captive”. 
• ‘Damn, this came out wrong, what is wrong with me and my manners?’. 
• “Mr. Arianna, this isn’t true.. please, let me come in”. 
• “No! I’m fine, really. I just want to relax. Go” her voice is breaking. Zoe is leaning on the door but she knows she shouldn’t disrespect her wishes. 
• “As you wish. But you should know, I’m here”. 
• ‘I don’t need anyone’. 
• Back at the palace Keiran is standing in front of the crowd. They all want to take a peek, to see the great Devil. 
• Some soldiers are placed in key points in case something goes wrong.
• Keiran gets on an elevated platform wearing his fury cape. 
• “I’m Keiran and I’m the new Emperor of this Kingdom” whispers can be heard. He is bold. 
• “Most of you came here for a better life, a new beginning. But we all know that, whatever goal you had, wasn’t something you could achieve. You left your masters only to become slaves once more and serve the new ones. They took your freedom, Emperor Lon and his predecessors did that. They humiliated you and used you to serve their own purposes. All these royals and nobles took something from you”. 
• The people started feeling the speech and agreeing. 
• “I’m not here you give it back to you, no. You are going to do that, you are gonna fight for your rights. I’m just here to remind you, you have rights”. 
• The whole crowd started praising him, screaming his name and shouting. 
• “HAIL EMPEROR KEIRAN!” they say all as one. 
• Arianna could hear them from her room. She actually listened to the whole thing. She didn’t realise she had front view of this till she decided to get some fresh air and saw him. 
• She got amazed by his words that brought hope to these people. She always had a soft spot for them and always tried to help them. Having an Emperor that care is enough and that made her more confident on being his wife. 
• The crowd dispersed and Keiran is in the palace. He sees Zoe and notices that she still dresses up like a maid. 
• “Zoe, you did your part. You are free now. You don’t have to act as a maid”. Keiran was the one that freed Zoe from slavery and she promised she will follow him and do whatever he asks. Her task was to blend in and make it easier for him to kill Emperor Lon.
• “I’m fine actually. I like taking care of miss Arianna. I believe she needs a friend and I’m fond of her” Eve listened to that and starts laughing hysterically. 
• Zoe doesn’t like her reaction though. “Is there something you wanna say Eve?”. 
• “Well what do you like about her? She is just a stupid girl, a pawn!”. 
• “Weren’t you the same before Keiran freed you? You were used by men and you did nothing to save yourself. So don’t go around and make fun of your future Empress!” Zoe is furious. 
• Eve’s eyes are about to pop out. “What did you just say?! I’m not gonna show respect to a child!”. 
• “You sound jealous. Are you afraid this child is gonna take your Keiran away?”. 
• Eve prepares her fists but Keiran stops her. “That’s enough! Both of you!”. 
• Eve scoffs and leaves the palace. 
• “What was that?” Keiran asks Zoe. 
• “You all treat Arianna like she is nothing but you forget that she is like all of us; a tool for someone else’s desires. We all started this way. You talk about freedom but where is hers? Today I found her upset and it felt she was going through the same thing like when she was about to marry the Emperor Lon. I remember her face when she had no saying on the marriage. So, don’t become like him; using her for some goal you have, that is all”. 
• Zoe is one of the people that would never lie to him or sugarcoat the truth. Her words have Keiran thinking. 
• “Ugh, alright. New task; take care of Aria. Be that person that she needs. Inform me of what I might have to do to.. please her. I’m not that monster Lon” Zoe hit a button by comparing them. 
• She agrees and runs to Arianna’s room. 
• She knocks at her door and urges her to open. Arianna does so. The room looks fine and she is wearing a sleeping robe so Zoe won’t see the ripped clothes. 
• Zoe is looking around and can’t see any outpoints. 
• “Miss Arianna, I’m here to get you ready for your family’s arrival. They’ll be here soon”. 
• Arianna sits on a stool and Zoe started making her hair. 
• “You know you don’t have to do this” Arianna comments. 
• “Do what?”. 
• “Taking care of me”. Zoe smiles as it reminds her the conversation she had with Keiran.
• “I do it because I want to. I really like you miss Arianna. You are nice with all the people around you. I’ve noticed how good you treated your maids and also, I know that the past months, before your marriage to Emperor Lon, you’ve been sneaking out to give food to the people”. 
• Arianna’s cheeks are red. No one has ever mentioned that her kindness for people is a perk. She just follows on her mother’s footsteps. 
• “You can call me Arianna. Lose the miss”.