The question the Emperor asked still lingered in the air. The tension in the room is still at an all time high. Everyone was holding their breaths. The servants in the room couldn't even afford to make any sudden move.
Everyone praying Lorelei answers the question in a way that will not anger the Emperor. Lorelei knew she couldn't just answer the question anyhow. She had to answer him in a way that whatever may have transpired between him and the original owner the answer had to be one where he won't doubt her.
"What did the original owner really do, to make the emperor ask this question. Just great, if she cheated on him then what is the point of fighting, but first I have to give him a response." Lorelei thinks within herself.
Lorelei clears her throat to answer the emperor's question who is still looking directly into her eye. She keeps her voice very steady. "Of course he is your son, your majesty…I have known no man except you, so why doubt our son's paternity now."
Her voice was steady, almost like she was shocked he doubted the paternity of the child. Lorelei knew she could not afford to look weak at this particular moment. She has to appear strong and resolute to the emperor.
The Emperor tilted his head a little bit, his eyes roaming her body, he was expecting her to explain further. He expected Lorelei to be emotional towards him. Especially with the type of question he just asked her.
He didn't like the tone in her response. It unsettled him greatly. He was used to the obsessed Lorelei. The Lorelei that will throw caution aside just to please him. He expected more reaction especially now that he has her imprisoned and made another woman Empress.
The Emperor's gaze sharpens. His posture stiffens lightly. There is a long pause in the air. He looked into her eyes again, wanting to see the desperation that used to be there, but he is seeing nothing but stillness, composure and the one thing that unsettles him, she looks detached from him.
The silence in the air was still there, that even the faint sound of the baby breathing could be heard. Kaelion thinks to himself, "Is this the same Lorelei I know, What brought about this much change in her." Kaelion asks her a question to confirm his suspension.
"You are very different from before… what has changed Lorelei". He asked this question as if aching an observation. Not in any way accusing her. Lorelei looked shocked at fact that he was asking her that question.
But she doesn't feel like she owes him any explanation about her change in behavior.
"Is he really asking me what changed…. You got married to another woman who happens to be your pregnant lover's friend, and you imprisoned the said lover who is heavily pregnant in an abandoned palace…."
Lorelei thinks to herself as she boils with anger, she tries to compose herself before she could reply to his question. Lorelei lowered her gaze so he could not see the anger in her eyes and replied to him neutrally, " I have been unwell, your majesty… and I also delivered our baby yesterday."
"Uhmmm I see…." The Emperor replied to her. He shifted his attention back to the baby. After studying the child he came to a decision, he spoke not as a father, but he was about to speak as an emperor.
"Recognizing the child will determine his legitimacy and his inheritance right." Lorelei stiffens at that statement. The emperor further continues, " Without my recognition, he holds no claim whatsoever."
Lorelei feels heartbroken for her child, growing up alone, a part of her always wanted a family. Now she is seeing her child suffer almost the same fate as her. "So this is how it works in this world, uhn, blood relation means nothing without status… that's why the original owner's family disowned her when she lost power."
The emperor looked at her again to see if there would be any reaction from her, but her gaze was sharper than more, there was firmness in her eyes. He expected her to beg him, or argue with him, just like she used to. Her next statement shocked the Emperor.
"I understand your stance, your majesty…. Recognizing him may threaten the empress. And for the peace of the Empire I know you won't want that. Lorelei knew from her memories, the Empire is far more important to him than anyone is.
He even abandoned his childhood lover just to satisfy the empire. Kaelion didn't like her response at all. He feels he is losing control over her. Or he might have lost control over her. He expects her to fight him, to question why he chose to abandon her and their child.
But all he is getting from her is coldness and detachment. The tension between the both of them deepens.
Kaelion's jaw thighed at her answer, his gaze on her lingers more than necessary. There was a pause before he spoke again.
Kaelion hated the fact that she was no longer emotionally dependent on him. "She is emotionally withdrawing from me… I don't like that I'm feeling unsettled about this."
The baby in the cot stirs again, the small movement and sound draws both their attention to the bay in the cot. For a brief moment they are both connected by their child. They both looked at their child, breathing quietly. The unspoken tension between them is still there.
Kaelion steps closer to her, his movement slow, but deliberate. Lorelei notices his movement towards her. " What is he doing, why is he moving closer to me… step back, step back…." Lorelei thinks to herself, as her body tenses slightly. Kaelion, ignoring her body reaction to him, still moved closer.
"He is too close…oh God help me…" Kaelion now standing directly in front of her, due to him being taller than her, he looks down at her. Lorelei could hear his breathing. "Oh my God he smells like rain and sand… focus Lorelei… you can't afford to be carried away now…."
Kaelion can see the emotions in Lorelei's eyes flicking. He looks at her with his hazel blue eyes , his eyes observing her, out of curiosity, Lorelei looked breath taking after delivering the baby. Her eyes were as if they were made of glass. Her skin slowly glowed and lips, they looked like a ripped strawberry. He wanted to bite them, but most importantly she smelled like flowers.
He missed her smell, but her smell was now different, like she had finally bloomed. Kaelion knew he had to restrain himself.
Lorelei is still standing still, not knowing how to react to him. "Why did he move closer to me?... What does he want with me.?" Lorelei looks straight into his eyes. But she doesn't speak.
To the servant in the room, this was the longest hours in their lives, they remained frozen in the background, not daring to look up. They feel the tension between both of them at that moment.
Kaelion tries his best to look only at Lorelei's eyes, he knows she has a great effect on him, no matter how much he tries to create distance. Even though he made another woman empress, he can't stop thinking of her. Not when he knew she had his child.
"The Empire has to come first, yes the Empire…." Kaelion, tries to settle his rising emotions. He knows can't falter now, there was no going back now. He has sacrificed his love for her. He has to make her hate him, that's the only way he can have some sort of peace.