Episode 4

The other concubines were frightened by the situation. Zaria trained, was strong, and very agile.

Zaria grabbed Camelia by the hair and emptied a bowl of spicy seasoning into her mouth, causing her to choke and her mouth to burn with pain. Her throat closed due to the irritating product.

"The next time you speak to me like that, I'm going to burn that viper tongue of yours. To me, you're just one of my husband's whores, a useful whore. Only thanks to you will that bastard not want to touch me, so just fulfill your functions, spread your legs for him, and don't bother me," she said, releasing her abruptly, looking at the rest threateningly.

"This goes for all of you, don't mess with me because I have no patience. Just dedicate yourselves to sucking the emperor's dick and forget I exist," she said, smoothing her dress elegantly as she left.

Lara's eyes widened while, in the distance, eyes like the sun watched the situation with laughter. There was joy in her gaze.

* * *

Later, in Priano's study, the man was reviewing his documents, terribly confused. Zaria was supposed to be obedient and not cause him problems. He should be able to govern peacefully while she just hid in a corner, but it seemed she had no problem bothering everyone. Camelia had the mission of keeping her under control, but it seemed that wouldn't be possible. He feared that if he did something bad to her, she would complain to her father, and he couldn't lose his support, not at this moment when he was just establishing himself as the new emperor.

Just a moment ago, Camelia had arrived almost suffocated by what Zaria had done to her, so his mood was definitely ruined.

While he was meditating, a man almost his age entered the room, a mocking smile on his face. He had seen the beautiful empress, and she was definitely a wildcat.

"Wow, emperor, I just saw your wife, and she's a force of nature," he said, laughing as Priano narrowed his eyes at him.

"Shut up, that girl is a headache. She should be crying in the corners and leaving me alone, but it seems she doesn't care about anything. It's as if everything they say about her is about someone else. She's not the sweet and tender girl they say she is," he said, annoyed, while Mitran, his cousin and Marquis of Crosha, looked at him smiling.

"Well, I don't know what you're going to do. I just saw her leave in a carriage to her father's house. You know he has a training camp nearby. She left alone, without guards and without a maid. It seems Lara doesn't please her, she doesn't let her enter her room, much less help her with anything," said the brunette while the black-haired man looked at him surprised. If she left the palace and didn't return, it meant that she rejected him as a husband, an explicit way of saying that the husband had treated her badly.

"Is this little girl trying to drive me crazy?" he shouted furiously, grabbing his cloak and putting it on. He was going to pick up his wife before everyone knew she had abandoned him.

* * *

Meanwhile, Zaria was received by her father, who was surprised by the visit. They lived in a countryside estate. That house was only enabled to be a training camp in the city. They would stay there for a few days while his daughter settled in, but they never thought they would see her the day after her wedding.

"Honey, what are you doing here? I hope you don't have problems with the emperor. I didn't know he had concubines, I would have broken the engagement if that were the case," said the Duke, hugging her, and she smiled at him.

A 12-year-old boy jumped into her arms as if he were a little child. Although he was almost Zaria's size, he still behaved like a spoiled child with her.

Zaria's younger brother had died a few days after Zaria got married. Her parents had returned to their estate, and a venomous snake had bitten the boy, poisoning him before his parents could get him to the city doctor in time to give him the antidote. That was how Zaria had found out a week after her younger brother's death. She hadn't even had the comfort of going to his wake and burial, all because she was trying to be someone for the emperor who ignored her completely.

"My little brother is going to break my back one day," said Zaria, smiling.

"Sister, you said you would carry me for the rest of your life," said Gamaliel with a funny pout while Zaria raised her eyebrows incredulously.

"Yes, I said that, but it wasn't literally. Eventually, you'll grow bigger and heavier, your sister won't be able to carry you like that," she said, kissing him on his cheek, making him laugh. They adored each other. If she had come, it was to retain her father and put antivenom against the snakes so her little brother wouldn't die, for one reason or another.