Martina knew perfectly well where her mother and sister were; it was in a small village on the western border. It took her some time to get there, but she finally did, just as she remembered. Her mother regretted seeing her alive, while her husband and son were dead. She felt guilty for not saving them and that now she and her daughters must live as mere commoners, cultivating the little that grows in that village.
That same night, she hears her mother talking about the two former princesses.
"Mother, we must take advantage. If you marry Martina off to a noble, we can have a good life."
"It's true, Mother, let her return at least serve for something."
"But no noble in Ceoli will want to take her as a wife, the kingdom has turned its back on us."
"What if you offer her in another kingdom? There must be some noble interested in buying a wife or concubine."
"That's it, I know how we can get a fortune," the former queen mentions.
Martina hears them; there it is, their great idea to marry her off as a concubine of the emperor of Nulem. While she can avoid that, her goal is to accept that marriage. Once married as a concubine, she only has to watch out for the other harpies while she gathers enough money to go to another place and thus be able to establish a business, because everything she had as a princess of Ceoli has remained in Klen's hands, and even then, what was hers was little.
The next day, her mother informed her what they would do, that she should marry as a concubine of the emperor of Nulem, so the former queen sent a letter to her relatives in that empire to help her get Martina into the emperor's harem.
A week later, the answer arrived; Martina must go to Nulem to marry as a concubine. The emperor seemed to like that she was a mage, in addition to her reputation as an intelligent and daring woman.
Martina's sisters are a bit annoyed when reading the letter of acceptance. They couldn't stand that Martina was praised by others and hope she has a very bad time in that empire.
"Whatever, very mage or daring, but she can only live as a simple concubine," the eldest mocks.
"Obviously, that's all she can amount to."
She hears the laughter, but it doesn't affect her at all. The former queen and her daughters get into the most elegant carriage they have, and Martina goes alone in an old one. Although she would have preferred to go alone on horseback, the journey was long. Where they stayed, they heard about Klen's victory and how the shadow mage razed Ceoli's army. It was obvious that her second brother would have no chance.
After a long journey, they had arrived in Nulem. Upon arriving in its capital, the former queen's relatives received them at their mansion. They say that their daughter was also a concubine in the palace and that it is rumored that she was the emperor's favorite, so it was likely that she would become empress.
"I hope you obey your cousin, so when she is empress you can be her maid," her aunt mentions with total arrogance.
"I gave my father absolute obedience and look how we ended up, one never knows what can really happen," she replies with a mocking smile.
Her uncles looked red with rage, so they just had the servants take them to their room. Once there, her mother slapped her for the disrespect she showed.
"Watch your mouth, you are here thanks to them."
"It's true, I'll thank them properly, I'll be my cousin's faithful servant."
Having said this, she retires to sleep. Her cousin Ariel Monique had forgotten her, the emperor's favorite concubine, with whom he did spend his nights, although before going back in time, the poor woman never became empress, she was just one more of the bunch, if her uncles knew.
The next day, a messenger arrived with a carriage, saying that it would take them to the palace. The former queen and Martina are the only ones who will go to the palace, because her sisters are shopping, of course, they will spend what little they have left, knowing that they will soon have enough money to live like the nobles they are again. In the palace, Martina and her mother are guided to a room, where the queen mother is the one who awaits them. Just as she remembers, she accepts Martina and sets the date for her to marry the emperor. The former queen thanks her and they leave, being guided by the queen mother's maid, as she will go with them in search of a dress for Martina. Obviously, the wedding will be simple in a private ceremony, they will give their vows and that's it.
From the palace window, in an office, a man with albino hair and blue eyes watches Martina walk towards the carriage, then looks at the papers on his desk, which have a portrait of Martina and her information, a skilled mage, who stands out for her strong spells and also a daring woman, she excelled in her studies, but the king did not give her that opportunity to show her intelligence, the youngest of all and the least appreciated. The door opens and the older woman, the queen mother, enters.
"She is beautiful and everything I asked, she answered correctly and politely, but her mother, that is a harpy," the old woman expresses.
"Do you think she is the best option?" the albino asks.
"Maybe, we'll see how she performs when she enters the palace," the woman replies.
The albino returned to his desk to continue with his activities, while the woman left there.
Caleb Richardson, emperor of Nulem, who took the throne at the age of 18 when his father died of an illness, and during the six years he has ruled, he has done so fairly and boldly, he is respected by all, but he has had to marry different women, three princesses and 3 daughters of nobles of his country, this to maintain the peace treaty and political support, but all so far, have only been concubines, none have managed to climb to empress and although it is said that he has a favorite, the truth is that he has no interest in her, it is just a facade to make them believe that he will soon have an empress, so that they stop pressuring him with it, but when he saw Martina's information, he seemed an interesting woman, although he did not imagine that her kingdom would fall for the king's ambition.
"Martina Bennett, let's see if you have the capacity of an empress."
The albino runs his fingers over the woman's portrait, she certainly possesses beauty, he saw her from afar and that portrait does not do her justice.
With everything ready for the wedding, the ceremony has already been prepared in a hall of the palace. Being private, only the relatives of the future concubine and the emperor's relatives could be there, being this only the queen mother. The former queen approached to greet her, seeking to be close to the old woman, but she only limits herself to saying a few words and asks for silence when the arrival of the emperor is announced. The priest was already at the altar, so when the albino enters, the guard announces his name and everyone bows.
Caleb approaches the girl and offers her his hand to walk to the altar.
Martina's sisters are annoyed and complain to their mother.
"Mother, the emperor is young and handsome, it should have been me, we would live better because I would manage to be empress."
"No, I am the one who would be empress."
The former queen scolds them to stop murmuring. The ceremony begins, the priest gives his speech about marriage and asks the correct questions, the bride and groom say yes and must seal everything with a kiss. Martina has no problem with that and accepts the kiss, before the envious gaze of her sisters.
After that, both retire from the room, while the former queen and her daughters must leave the palace, although they expected to stay, the queen mother let them know that the money from the marriage dowry will arrive in a couple of days.
For her part, Martina was guided to the area of the palace where the concubines remain, there she will have her own mansion, a space to be comfortable, the maids have prepared the bath and appropriate clothes to await the emperor's visit.
"Your help is not necessary, I can bathe alone."
The maids look at each other and happily retire, apparently, they were not in a hurry to finish their work. After they leave, Martina takes off her dress and gets into the bathtub, upon finishing she puts on the clothes that the maids had left, being underwear and a transparent nightgown, exactly the ones she remembers, she puts it on, but this time instead of waiting sitting on the edge of the bed, she opens the windows that overlook the balcony and when there is a cold breeze, she puts on a robe that was there, the place was just as she remembers.
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