8

At the carriage, Emperor Blake looks mad while sitting on the other side.

Looking at the letters he brought here, he is not talking or interacting with me. I know that he is disappointed, he expected Hannah will be his fiance, not me, a plain and cursed princess.

I hope Kier is with us, but he is in the other carriage.

"I still can't believe that your father didn't fulfill his promises, after I gave half of the treasure of Gribe, he still makes me look like a fool at my engagement." Emperor Blake looked at me after he said those hurtful words, without hesitation. Setting aside the letters he is reading lately.

"You're cursed, he disposes of you." I hold tight to my fancy dress and took a deep breath. I'm used to hearing it, he can't hurt my feelings anymore.

"I am sorry for what my father did." I bowed my head and he hissed at what I said.

"Is there anything else you can say, instead of you're sorry because if you do feel sorry about it, you can decline and insist that Hannah is supposed to be in your place?" He harshly said and lean toward me.

"Are you feel sorry, or you also like to be engaged by me?" I shook my head and he answered it with a mocking laugh.

"This fucking eye cover makes me disgusted, remove it." I look at him and try to find some decent words to decline his request.

"As you can see, your majesty. I am cursed, and I cannot remove this silk and make eye contact with you." I bite my lips after saying it, wishing that he won't get mad at me, but I failed.

"See, you're disobeying me now, how can I know that you're telling the truth if I didn't prove it?" he asked and I look away. I can't bear to look at his face, his anger is consuming all of my energy now.

"I can't risk your life, your majesty. Your safety is the priority of me and your people." he still doesn't convinced about what I am saying, and the way he looked at me, he thinks that I am lying right in his face.

In my entire life, I didn't lie to anybody, but instead, I remain silent, I choose to keep silent at all times because that is what I am supposed to do.

"You're the same as your father, a liar who can't keep his word!"

I have no choice, even if I don't want to be here, I can't decline and decide for my own life. He has the power to decline and complain about what my father did to him, but why he is mad at me, I am just also a victim here.

"Believe me, I am just following his orders, and even if I don't want to, I have no choice." Emperor Blake brushes his hair and closes his eyes.

"Your father mocked me last night, he said that he will proudly offer his daughter to the sun of Gribe, but look at you, a half-blooded royal, a cursed and abandoned princess, he looking down at me huh." I saw how his hand clenched and release a harsh breath.

Emperor Blake and prince Kier are different, Prince Kier is caring, and nice and didn't even insult me, but the emperor is selfish and always shows his disapproval of me.

"Just remove the fucking eye cover and we are done here." He pointed the eye silk and now I started to feel afraid.

"But, your majesty."

"I am not asking you, I am ordering you as an emperor of Gribe." His calm tune is not a good sign, plus the anger on his face now. I don't know what I need to do.

I know that Prince Kier is not affected by the curse, but what if Emperor Blake is not the same as Sir William and Prince Kier?

If he saw it, my eyes, he might end up cursed, like me. "Are you testing my patience, is there anything you can do aside from being the disgrace of the royal family of Drivike?" And he continuously attacked me with those hurtful words. I am aware of that, a disgrace of my father's legacy.

"But, your majesty, I can't handle it when people gonna hate me, once you been cursed—" Emperor Blake caught me off guard, removed the silk by force, and at the moment he saw my eyes, his actions become different.

Kneeling in front of me and holding his chest, I can see how he is having a hard time to breath now.

From that moment, I feel that anytime, my life will end, when the knights discover it, and Kier might hate me too, he is the only person who acts nice to me.

"Oh God, please calm down and breath, your majesty," I whispered and hold his hand, and to my surprise, he stood up and look at me, his eyes seem he is lifeless.

He is breathing properly now but didn't move. "Are you alright?" I asked and still, no response from him.

The carriage stopped and a knock makes me feel nervous instantly.

"Your majesty, may I ask for your presence?" And Emperor Blake didn't move, at the moment I heard the door is about to open I hold his hand and guide him to sit down. I covered my eyes with the silk before other people see me, and I might end up like emperor Blake.

"Princess Delaney and your majesty, the small town of Frinete are near, maybe you want us to take a rest and continue our journey tomorrow, it's almost dawn." The knight is kneeling and waiting for the response of emperor Blake, but he is not looking or responding to the knight.

Prince Kier is there, went closer to the carriage, and saw his brother. "Blake, are you alright?" He asked his brother and I answer on behalf of Blake.

"He is fine."

"I am fine." Blake and I said it at the same time, Kier ask the knight to leave us in the meantime and sit beside me.

"Are you okay, Princess, is anything bothering you?" I keep my posture and convince myself to act accordingly, damn it.

"Y-yes, Emperor Blake and I just have a misunderstanding, can you leave us for a while?" I said and Prince Kier looks worried and hesitated to leave the carriage.

"Okay, if that's what you want," Prince Kier said and went closer to me. "But be careful, my brother has no patience and if he is acting like—" he whispered to me, but I cut off what he is about to say.

"I'm sorry, but he didn't show any action that he will hurt me, maybe he didn't want to talk for now because he wants Hannah, not me." Prince Kier hold my hand and kissed it gently, but I saw the eyes of the emperor, following the movements of the prince until he left the carriage.

I automatically went closer to emperor Blake and check his body, even I pinch him, he is not responding and I can't leave the carriage without finding a solution here.

"Can you tell me your age?" I asked him, and he answered it naturally, but why is he looked under control now, that someone is controlling him?

I hope he can act like a normal person, not like a zombie.

"What I'm gonna do with you, they will get suspicious if you didn't respond about staying at the nearest town." I almost pull my hair and Emperor Blake opened the door and talk to Kier and the knight.

That is good, he must act like a normal emperor, but still. I am horrified by what happened to him, it seems that he only follows what I am saying like I can control his body and mind, he didn't even resist.

Is there a possibility to undo the curse?

"Stop the curse," I whispered and watch the emperor while talking to Kier, but nothing happened.

"Smile to Prince Kier." I covered my mouth and I am horrified when he smile at his brother and all people that saw how the emperor smiled is surprised.

I am cursed, but why Sir William and Prince Kier is not affected when they saw my eyes?