303. Andrew Solarius’s Decision
Ravenna watched them, her bickering lovers, the stoic knight and his wife, the protective childhood friend, and the nervous Saintess. The sounds of laughter and the shared warmth of the table filled the dining hall, drowning out the cold whispers of the coming wars and conflicts.
“Yes,” Ravenna thought, her heart feeling fuller than she ever would have admitted aloud. “This is my new family. There is no way I could have ever made the decision to leave them.”
The meal continued long into the evening, the Raven’s nest finally feeling complete.
“Rexford, you will accompany me tonight. I have matters to discuss with you,” Ravenna announced, pushing her chair back as the maids began clearing the table of the final dessert plates.
“What?!” Laila yelped, nearly knocking over her wine glass as she tried to intervene. “Your Highness, that’s completely unfair! You’re only choosing him tonight because you want to talk shop!”
Rexford didn't miss the opportunity. He flashed Laila a mocking grin, pulling down his lower eyelid in a childish taunt before standing up to follow Ravenna.
“You can stay and have a chat with Marie, Laila,” Ravenna added, her smirk widening as she caught the look of betrayal on the blonde’s face. “After all, you did say you liked the girl, didn't you?”
Rexford let out a boisterous, mocking laugh that echoed through the hall as he trailed behind the Duchess.
“I didn't mean I liked her that way, Your Highness!” Laila cried out, dramatically dropping to her knees on the plush carpet as if her world had ended.
“I know!” Ravenna’s voice drifted back from the distance, followed by a hearty, genuine laugh that signaled she was thoroughly enjoying the drama.
Aurora chuckled softly, wiping a bit of sauce from Ken’s mouth. “You really dug your own grave on that one, Laila,” she remarked, shaking her head.
Marie, seeing Laila’s slumped shoulders, stepped forward with an earnest expression. “If you wish... we could try on some new outfits to cheer you up, Lady Laila? The island’s boutiques sent over a fresh collection this morning.”
In a flash, Laila’s gloom vanished. She bolted upright, seizing Marie’s hands and hoisting them into the air like a victorious wrestler claiming a championship belt. “That’s it! That is exactly what we shall do!”
“Yes! Yes!” Marie matched her energy, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “You can pick from the top-of-the-line attires our local experts designed specifically to impress Master!”
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Marie began a rapid-fire narration of the various silks and cuts available, while Laila, matching her bubbly energy beat for beat, started mumbling about which designs would be best suited for seducing Ravenna later in the week.
The two women, both possessing a similarly high-frequency, chaotic personality, were now totally let loose in the hall. Aurora let out a long, weary sigh as the air filled with the constant, high-pitched noise of their planning. Ignoring the two buffoons, she gathered Ken into her arms and stood up.
“Come on, little one,” she whispered to her son, heading toward the exit. “Let’s leave them to their fashion show.”
Hour later Ravenna’s Bedroom, Lord’s Castle, Kim City, Kim island, Kim Dukedom, Ancorna Empire
“What do you mean, Your Highness?” Rexford asked, breathless. He lay naked beneath Ravenna, his chest heaving as she collapsed against him, her skin slick with sweat.
Ravenna took a ragged breath, her voice barely a whisper against his skin. “In twelve days, on the anniversary of Mother’s death... Father will be declared dead.”
“T-that makes no sense, Your Highness,” Rexford stammered, his confusion cutting through the post-coital haze. He gripped Ravenna’s shoulders, gently pushing her up so he could search her face. “His Majesty is in perfect health. I know you just said he’s been drowning in sorrow as the date approaches but that doesn't explain why he would die.”
Ravenna leaned down, silencing him with a lingering kiss before pulling back just enough to speak. “He is going to try something drastic. And for his plan to succeed, the man known as the Emperor needs to ‘die.’ I’ve had it confirmed through Duke Morgen; Father is dead-set on this path.”
“So you sent Duke Morgen to... nudge His Majesty’s plans in your favor?” Rexford asked, his tone stabilizing as he began to grasp the political weight of her words.
“In the original timeline, his initial plan would have failed miserably, I sent the Duke to provide the necessary backbone so that this time...” Ravenna noted in her mind.
Seeing that expression of thinking Rexford didn't wait for her to finish. He surged upward, kissing her deeply as he rolled her over, pinning her to the silk sheets. “What do you need me to do?”
Ravenna offered a somber, predatory smile, wrapping her arms around his neck. “For now? Let’s go for another round.”
As they lost themselves in each other once more, Ravenna’s mind continued to race. “In the original novel, Emperor Andrew tries to unilaterally change the succession laws on the one-year anniversary of Empress Dahlia’s death. He literally assassinates himself to execute the decree using a technicality in the laws, but the Solious Church was too powerful then. With the Imperial Court’s blind loyalty to the Faith, the movement went nowhere.”
“Gasp... ha... ha...” Ravenna caught her breath, holding Rexford in place as she shifted to sit atop him. “Is that all you’ve got? Have you gone dull in just a year, Rexford?”
She tightened her hold, her internal monologue unfurling like a battle map. “In the novel, Prince William eventually revives the movement with Eugene’s help after the Great Dungeon Spawning begins and the Witch reveals herself. But the sequence of events has shifted in this life but Duke Morgen’s letter confirmed the Emperor is still moving toward that same fateful day.”
“What did you say, Your Highness?” Rexford asked, taking the challenge as he pulled her back down for a kiss.
Ravenna’s thoughts didn't break. ”I’ve had Duke Kevin Morgen set the stage perfectly. This time, the Emperor’s gamble won't just pay off, it will pay off in my favor. The Law of the Golden Silkworm ends with him.”
Outside the window, the moon hung heavy over the ocean, its silver light dancing across the waves as the nightly activities in the bedroom continued long into the dark.