The Reason for Marriage

“What did you say?” Daniel exclaimed, frowning as his blue eyes flashed with emotion.

“I- I was drugged unconscious by a man we weren’t able to identify, and the child just… disappeared,” The Princess explained, her eyes avoiding the King’s.

Iveca watched them, shock permeating her at the news she’d just heard. Ashe’s child, the cause of great unpleasure, had suddenly died?

“When?” Daniel demanded, moving towards his sister. Ashe smiled sadly but did not reply.

“Ashe, when did this happen? You need to tell me everything,” Daniel repeated, his voice dangerously low.

Ashe looked straight at him then, as she replied, “I have nothing further to say on this matter. It was unfortunate but it happened, and that is all.”

Iveca felt a stirring of pity for the dainty but tired-looking Princess. She watched her demeanor; the lonely voice and tired eyes.

“He was a heretic child, as you might already know,” She said and her brother didn’t reply, a firm look plastered on his face. “Whispers on the street suggest it might be the Emperor’s… or it could be heresy”

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Iveca stared at the pair blankly, as the Princess calmly spoke of the possibility that the child’s father had eliminated it, but she could see Daniel’s anger rising between them. Ashe seemed to be appeasing the King, smiling as she assured him it was okay.

“Ashe… your child-”

“I am happy here, don’t you worry,” She replied. Iveca knew then, Ashe was not an ordinary woman. Her child had disappeared, was presumed dead yet she claimed it was okay. Her eyes were bright and her smile perfect, but Iveca watched her as she constantly rubbed the ring on her finger.

Her ring had too rough of a design to belong to Amethane. The work was delicate but didn’t seem like any of the designs that were trending. It didn’t seem valuable or worthy enough. So why was Ashe, who claimed she used her soap sparingly, not selling the useless metal off to buy useful commodities?

Iveca’s attention shifted back to the royal siblings. Their conversation had drifted towards the domestic and foreign news, mainly revolving around the Bureau of Technology or Staram.

“Daniel, your name will go down in history,” Ashe was saying. Iveca looked at him then. While she had been in the empire, the King had created a new affiliated organization called the Bureau of Technology and had achieved major reforms and developments.

“You’ve successfully held Amethane at its helm in this changing and developing world. Your success with this bureau will hush the republicans. Who will bother with Confucius of the Republic when they see the work you have done?” Ashe spoke confidently, an air of pride surrounding her words.

“Ah, is that so?” Daniel replied, scratching his chin thoughtfully. “Many have been affected negatively by my reforms too, all those who conducted legitimate businesses now have their positions narrowed. Despite my best efforts to provide balance, it hasn’t stopped.”

Iveca was aware of the effects of the bureau. She knew about one of the upper ranks who had been driven to bankruptcy after the establishment of the bureau. The pen she had devised was also on the verge of bankruptcy. Times had changed and the pen which was a bestseller among others had no meaning.

Daniel pushed for the establishment of the Bureau of Technology despite being aware of its effects. He judged that it was time for reform, and it indeed was.

Iveca continued listening to the siblings converse. The King was promising his sister safe passage back to Amethane and the recovery of her citizenship if Egon died or lost his place. Their topics varied as they talked back and forth.

“When do you plan on getting married, brother?” Ashe asked suddenly and Iveca stiffened as she subconsciously tilted forward to hear what the man would reply with.

“Well… there is a woman who’s caught my eye these days,” He confessed, his manner hesitant. “She’s short, cute, and very determined,” The King continued shyly.

Iveca felt tears well up around her eyes. She was grateful for her hidden presence, she couldn’t bear anyone to see expression at the moment. More than that, she was surprised at Daniel’s stripped manner of expressing himself. He’d been outright when he’d told her his feelings earlier as if he’d been completing a chore. But now… he was almost too sweet.

“The best thing about her is how brave she is, despite everything that comes in her path. She has a will of iron and doesn’t give up no matter what,”

It was then that Iveca felt her whole world shatter around her, her breathing ceased as she remembered that the woman Daniel knew was Eve Jean, someone completely different than her now. She was the brave and clever girl, not her. Iveca felt like an imposter.