Esther returned to the Royal Palace of Megaris early the next morning. Upon receiving the news, Sir Galien hurried to the King’s chamber to inform his liege.

“Your Majesty, Queen Esther has returned to the palace!”

King Theron, whose clothes were being attended to by his personal servants, looked at his grinning image reflected on the large mirror in front of him. ‘I knew you would return to me.’

“Your Majesty, do you want me to inform the Queen that you will be coming to see her?” Sir Galien asked. “Should I inform the royal kitchen that you will be having your morning meal together?”

“No need,” he replied. Though the young king wished to see his wife desperately, he wanted to let her settle her feelings first. He wished her to take her time and come to him on her own. Knowing Esther, he was sure the wait wouldn’t be long.

Sir Galien obeyed his orders. After half an hour, King Theron headed towards the Grand Palace to attend to his duties at the royal court.

——-

Meanwhile, in the Queen’s chamber.

“Your Majesty, welcome back,” Lady Tyra said as she curtsied before the Queen along with Esther’s ladies-in-waiting who remained behind in the palace.

“We are so glad to have you back, Your Majesty.”

“We missed you terribly, Your Majesty!”

Esther accepted their greetings with a small smile. “Everyone did well. It’s been hard for you to work in my absence.” She then asked Lady Tyra, “The things that I had asked you to prepare, is it ready?”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Lady Tyra replied.

“We will leave sometime,” Esther said as she looked around her bedchamber that she hadn’t seen for a while now.

Lady Tyra nodded and turned towards the servants. “Make sure to have everything prepared before we leave.” She looked at the ladies-in-waiting. “Go attend to your tasks now. I will have a word with Her Majesty first in private.”

After excusing themselves, the ladies-in-waiting and servants left the two alone inside the bedchamber. Lady Tyra quietly studied the young queen.

“Your Majesty,” she started after a while, “do you need me to have the servants prepare your morning meal?”

Esther shook her head. “I have already had breakfast in my manor.”

The older woman continued to stare at her queen sitting on the armchair who looked quite pale and thin compared to when she left the palace. Her caramel-colored eyes seemed  soulless, unlike all other times when they shone with warmth and life.

“Your Majesty, may I ask something?” Lady Tyra asked.

“Hmm?”

“If it’s that painful for you, why did you ask His Majesty to have a concubine?,” Lady Tyra said.  “No one could force you or the King to make such a decision. Even if the nobles are impatient, you have no obligation to take those people’s words to heart.”

Esther sighed. “Those insignificant humans and their opinions don’t matter to me, Tyra. I know, no one can force me and no one would have dared say a word if Theron is to never have a child.”

Lady Tyra kept quiet, lending her ear to  the Queen who looked like she wished to share her thoughts.

“I told you before. I am doing this for him.” Esther stared at the palms of her smooth hands, idly opening and closing it as if she’s trying to grasp a fleeting emotion. “It’s my destiny that doesn’t allow me to have a child with him, and I will make sure that it won’t rob him of things that should be his in the first place. I will never deprive him of experiencing the happiness of having a child. Though this all seems painful now, the day when he holds his own child in his arms, I am sure this pain will be worth it.”

“I understand, Your Majesty,” Lady Tyra said.

After a while, Lady Tyra had the servants return to help the Queen prepare for the morning. As Esther had just returned to the palace, there were many things she needed to oversee, but her supposed schedule was adjusted to make way for her personal visit to the royal harem.

The Queen’s carriage soon rode towards the Vermilion Palace. The knights escorting the Queen stayed outside the gate, while the female guards in charge of the royal harem took their place.

As soon as Esther alighted from her carriage, one of the female guards announced the Queen’s arrival. A small gathering of royal ladies welcomed her at the entrance of the palace, composed of her husband’s young half sisters and unmarried female cousins, all of whom Esther were long used to visiting.

Except for one.

A young woman with dark hair flowing down in soft curls and eyes as blue as the summer sky. As the only concubine of the King, she’s standing in the middle of the welcoming crowd, just behind those carrying the Ivanov bloodline yet in front of the row of royal servants.

Among the members of royalty, she’s the one with the lowest status, but that status would rise once she carries and gives birth to the next heir of the kingdom.

‘Clarisa Walter, no, she’s Clarisa Ivanov now,’ Esther thought wryly.

On her first day of return to the palace, Esther was to visit the new concubine and to welcome her with gifts. It was part of the traditional role of the Queen, as she was in charge of the harem as the main wife. Starting from the day she married into the Ivanov Family, she’s expected to take care of her husband’s future concubines and lovers as if they were her sisters.

Everyone was tense. These people were all aware of the rumours that the Queen left the palace after having a fight with the King. They were quite worried that she would be hostile to the First Concubine. However, contrary to expectations, Esther didn’t act unusual and she remained sweet and kind to everyone. The atmosphere with the ladies was quite warm as Esther smiled at them, casually asking about their day while Lady Tyra led their way towards the main building of Vermillion Palace.

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