The Duke's Passion

Meanwhile, inside the third prince's chambers, stood Beatrice from the end of the bed, Heliot on the side, Samael on the other end, across from Heliot with Rufus. On the bed lay Lilou with her hands on her stomach and her eyes closed, sleeping peacefully.

The atmosphere inside wasn't any less suffocating than outside, as none of them talked. Beatrice pursed her lips, darting her eyes from Heliot to Samael, who was staring down at his wife.

Samael reached for Lilou's hand and squeezed it lightly. "I will wait for you." 

Silence once again dawned in the room after his remarks. They wanted to respect Samael's time before forcing Lilou into a slumber. 

When Samael took a deep breath and withdrew his hand away from her, he looked up at Heliot. He nodded, signaling for him to start.

"Are you sure you want to be here?" Heliot inquired as his brows rose.

"That is an idiotic question, Prince."

Heliot shrugged, as he simply wanted to make sure. He then gazed at Beatrice and then at Rufus, taking a deep breath.

"She will be in pain temporarily." He paused while extending his arm and planting his palm on Lilou's stomach. His eyes glinted as he sucked air through his gritted teeth. Heliot gazed at her face and a subtle smile appeared on his lips before he raised a finger from his free hand. 

His fingertip sharpened until it looked like a claw. Heliot slowly pressed it on Lilou's forehead. Blood soon appeared on her forehead as he drew a circle on her skin with his nail. 

Lilou's eyes suddenly popped open while gasping for air, followed by a deafening scream. However, she couldn't move her body and could only scream in pain with his palm on her.

"May you find your peace in your brief rest..." Heliot murmured without stopping his chanting. 

While he do so, Beatrice raised her arm. With a small knife in her other hand, she sliced through her palm. She then clasped it and let the blood drip to her curling toes.

"May the blood of Von Stein lead you back to us, Lil."

Samael gazed at Rufus as the latter would seal Lilou with his blood instead of him. Using his blood will put her in an eternal slumber, after all. Rufus gazed back at him and nodded reassuringly. Just like Beatrice, Rufus sliced his palm and let his blood drip down to her arm.

"May the blood of Barrett wake you up, Your Grace."

The sealing of Lilou took a minute before her screams faded as she closed her eyes once again. Samael's jaw tightened while his fist trembled, nails digging into his palm.

Heliot slowly withdrew his hand from her, panting for air as he had placed his energy on her to keep her alive even without solid food intake. 

"You still have to feed her your blood for the child, Your Grace," Heliot informed when he stabilized his breathing. "She will wake up every thirtieth day. Be sure to keep her in a dungeon to avoid her from causing havoc."

Samael didn't reply as he kept silent. He just stared at her for a very long time without moving a muscle. 

"We will move away from her," he muttered after his long silence, making Heliot frown. "Once I was sure she would wake up, we will leave the capital."

"Are you trying to break our deal, Your Grace?" asked Heliot in a cold yet calm tone, watching Samael raise his gaze at him.

"No. I will still take the throne, but I don't want my wife and my child to be restricted and be exposed to the palace rules." Samael uttered adamantly. His tone already told them he wouldn't change his mind.

"A palace without an emperor?" 

"Is the king in the royal palace of Karo a king, Prince?" Samael tilted his head without taking his sharp eyes away from Heliot. "I am aware that our circumstances are different, but I can be the emperor even though I am not in this damn place."

"That is only possible if --"

"It's possible if I say it's possible, Prince Heliot." Samael's tone lowered and the temperature dropped as well. "I will stay in this place for another month or two and leave right after succeeding the throne."

Heliot stared into his eyes before he shrugged indifferently. "Suit yourself. You will come back anyway if it didn't work for you."

"Rufus." Samael nodded before shifting his eyes to Rufus, the first person he had told about his plan on being the emperor.

"Yes, Your Majesty?"

"Gather everyone in the meeting hall. Bring Dominique and Jayden as well." Samael's orders made their brows furrow, but Rufus still bowed and accepted the order. After that, Samael darted his eyes from Beatrice to Heliot once again. Before he could speak, Beatrice already waved.

"I'll follow Sir Knight," she said and glanced at Heliot. "Take a rest first, my prince. You are a little pale."

With that being said, Heliot and Beatrice left first. Rufus accompanied Samael for a while, placing his hand on the latter's shoulder before leaving. When the room fell into silence once again, Samael stayed in his spot without moving. 

"I missed you already, wife," he whispered as he slowly perched on the edge of the mattress. "Mildred will come and change your clothes later. I will be a little busy once I walk out this door, but I will try to visit you as much as I can."

Samael took a deep breath and sported a forced smile, reaching to her forehead as the drawing Heliot did slowly faded. He stroked it with his thumb as if to soothe the pain of the seal. 

"I love you, Lilou. Without you, my life means nothing." He muttered with a heavy heart, letting out a sharp exhale. "I will wait for you, I promise."

He bent over, leaning forward, and planted a soft peck on her chapped lips. Samael then rested his forehead against hers, inhaling her faint breaths as if to fuel his drive on what he was fighting for.

"Rest well, my love." After whispering those words, Samael pushed himself away from her and stood on the side of the bed. He stared at her for another minute before pivoting on his heel. 

As he walked towards the door, the bitterness and angst in his eyes faded, replaced by murderous intent befitting for a... tyrant. No one but Samael knew that the person who walked out that door was someone who was bound to put fear and peace into one place.

By means or foul, nothing had stopped Samael from then on, putting terror that would haunt those who opposed him even during their sleep.