Reborn Wife: I'll Chase Happiness Instead of My Husband

SOPHIA

We followed Eunuch Ye to the throne room where Emperor Fallenstar held Court nearly every day. The men and women of the Court were there, too. I was nervous, even with Nathan holding my hand, so my impression of the room was huge, red and gold and black, and filled with the scent of sandalwood. Probably from the gargantuan incense burner near the Emperor’s throne / desk. (Wait, was it a desk? A table?)

My heart started to race as I got more and more anxious. It was like I had done anything wrong, it was just that this moment was filled with so much officialdom and solemn regard.

It was quiet. So much so that it felt like the silence was crawling under my skin.

"Breathe," said Nathan as we reached front of the room. A set of five golden stairs led to the dias where the Emperor sat on his dragon throne. The table (desk?) before him was huge (like everything else in this room), wood with dark, shiny patina, dragons slithering across its front.

And behind that was Emperor Fallenstar. I got a brief flash of a big man with wearing a red robe with gold dragons, and then my gaze was glued to the floor. I had never been to the palace before, much less gotten within three feet of the Emperor.

"Butterfly," said Nathan, squeezing my hand. "You really need to take a breath. You’re turning blue."

I didn’t actually realize I had been holding my breath. I exhaled and then inhaled a deep breath. I felt weak in the knees, so I held on to Nathan’s arm.

Eunuch Ye announced us to the Emperor and the Court.

"Sophia Marie Rosebright," said the Emperor in a deep voice. "Come up here, child. Let me get a look at you."

I almost died. I felt my heart stop and then stutter and then it was pounding like a drum against my ribs. I looked up at Nathan, and he smiled even though I knew my expression showed my full-blown panic.

"May I also approach, Your Imperial Majesty?" asked Nathan.

"Like I could stop you, Duke Stonehart." The Emperor waved us forward.

Nathan held my hand tightly, or maybe I was the one squeezing so hard, as we went up the steps. Nathan took me around the desk and then I was standing in front of the Emperor of the Northern Realm, looking at the him of his robes.

"Come now, Sophia. Lift your head."

I only had the courage to do so because Nathan stood steady and confident beside me. As I met the Emperor’s eyes, I saw tears gleam in his gaze.

"You look just like her," he said softly. "Well, you’ve got your father’s eyes. His were blue, but the dimples when you smile ... those are hers."

"Thank you, Your Imperial Majesty."

"Call me Uncle Benton," he said. "We don’t have much family left, my dear. I have two sons, your cousins, and there are distant relatives, of course, but my parents are dead. My first wife, the mother of my only children, passed away years ago. The other two wives ... well, I’m not sure where they are."

"What about the three-thousand beauties in your harem?" asked Nathan.

"I have no idea what they’re up to. I don’t visit the Emerald Palace. But I suppose the two wives are in there somewhere." The Emperor ... well, Uncle Benton, took me by the shoulders. "You sit next to me." He glared at Nathan. "Don’t you even think about planting your butt in my dragon chair. Go stand on the other side next to your bride."

"Yes, Your Imperial Majesty."

Uncle Benton sat next to me.

I wasn’t sure how to feel about suddenly have an uncle, much less an uncle who ruled the entire Northern Realm. My not-family, the Pagemoores were kneeling at the foot of the stairs right next to the Willowmarches, who were doing the same. It was strange to see these people bending the knee. They hadn’t been kind to me in my first or second lives.

"Well, I’ve had a long chat with my advisors. It seems the Pagemoores and the Willowmarches are guilty of much more than kidnapping and thievery."

"Oh?" Nathan’s smile was too full of teeth. "Do tell, Your Imperial Majesty."

"Willowmarches are rather cozy with the Southern Realm, which isn’t known for its love our realm. Nasty bunch over there. Seems like the Willowmarches have relatives, on the wife’s side. Isn’t that right, Mrs. Willowmarch?"

"It’s not illegal to be related to people in the Southern Realm," said Mrs. Willowmarch. Her tone wasn’t exactly respectful, but she also wasn’t as vicious-tongued as usual.

"No, it’s not. It’s illegal to transport to national treasures from our country to theirs, however." Uncle Benton’s gaze moved to the Pagemoores. "And it seems you handed over a few maps. The desert we share with the Western Realm. The Jade Mountains. And the palace."

"We would never give hand over information like that to another country," protested Dad ... no, Mr. Pagemoore. "We are loyal citizens, your majesty. Our whole family serves in your Court."

"Not well, I’m afraid. I haven’t heard a good idea out either one of those sons of yours. And your wife’s literacy charity has an unusual collection of ancient books. Which contain some of those maps I just mentioned. Where did you procure these manuscripts, Mrs. Pagemoore?"

"Bookshops in the Capital," said Mrs. Pagemoore. "I buy older books to add to the library at the literacy center. It’s for teaching purposes." She twisted her hands, a sure sign of nervousness, or guilt.

"What did you do, Mo--, Mrs. Pagemoore?"

"Stole from the Rosebrights," said Uncle Benton. "There’s a reason the Pagemoore and Willowmarch ancestral homes burned to the ground. You couldn’t risk anyone finding the books and treasures the Willowmarches gave you along with Sophia."

"Those belonged to us," protested Mr. Pagemoore. "The Rosebrights stole them first!"

I looked at the two people who raised me, and felt my heart fill with hurt. They might not have been among the ones who tried to take the lamp and made my family disappear, but they looted Thornbowry?

How dare they.