"Marriage?" Aria blurted out before Emperor Helios could continue.
"Aria!" Luciana hissed, shooting her younger sister a sharp look, urging her to maintain composure. Frustrated, Aria crossed her arms and turned away.
Luciana sighed, sensing the unease building. She calmly asked who among her sisters was to be betrothed and to whom. Her father's finger tapped rhythmically on the armrest of his throne, a sure sign of his own discomfort. Sensing something troubling, Luciana gently placed her hand over his.
"Father?" she prodded softly.
After a pause, Helios called for Melody and instructed an aide to summon the heir of the Caelus family.
"Octavius?" Luciana's cheeks flushed involuntarily at the thought, which didn't escape Aria's notice.
"Well, well! Someone's blushing!" Aria teased, causing Luciana to turn even redder.
Before Melody could inquire further, the grand doors opened. The heir of House Caelus entered, along with his younger brother, Lucerne de Caelus. Both greeted the Emperor with the utmost formality.
"You needn't be so stiff, my boy," Helios said warmly. "We're going to be family soon."
"How could we, humble subjects, dare to presume kinship with the noblest of the empire?" the young heir replied, his humility evident.
Helios laughed heartily, clearly pleased. "This is why you are the perfect match for my precious Lucia."
"I am honored to be chosen as the princess's betrothed, Your Majesty," Octavius replied, his striking silver eyes meeting Luciana's. She felt a pull every time she gazed into his enchanting eyes, and her heart fluttered despite the solemnity of the occasion.
"Now that's what I call love," Aria teased again, making Luciana blush even more.
"Aria, perhaps you could show some maturity as the elder sister for once," Luciana retorted, gently handing a restless Avlynn to Aria.
"I don't want to be with sister Aria," Avlynn wailed, squirming in her arms.
"I'll sing you your favorite song if you behave," Luciana coaxed, gently stroking the young child's cheek. Unable to resist, Avlynn reluctantly accepted and kissed Luciana's cheek before allowing herself to be led away.
"Good luck, young lord," Aria whispered to Lucerne, the thirteen-year-old younger brother, as she descended the steps with a soft smile.
Lucerne blushed faintly and nodded while stealing a glance at Melody who remained composed.
" Father you never discussed about it with me before. A sudden decision like this can catch anyone off guard." Luciana said in low voice.
"I'm afraid this is the best decision Luciana." Helios smiled. But Luciana knew all better. Her father only referrdd to her with her name instead of her nickname only when the matters were truly getting serious.
So she remained quiet and listened to his announcement infront of the assembly while she had thoughts of her own.
"Your imperial highness," Octavius called out to Luciana when they were finally but barely alone for a moment.
"My Lord," Luciana turned to look at him once she was done having a word to one of the advisors.
Octavius was hopeful to have word with her alone.
"Would you mind sharing the evening do sup with me?" He offered her hand.
She blushed," I would be delighted to-"
"Luciana, come, we have the next agenda to discuss." Helios interrupted her before she could entirely agree.
"Until next time my Lord." She nodded as Octavius took her hand and planted a kiss on the back of her hand making her heart race. Even the smallest gestures and contacts with Octavius made her blush.
But she was not so fortunate to share a romantic evening with her fiance.
Luciana was summoned by Helios again once the meeting was adjourned to join him with the next council session and in the end she felt dismayed why her father kept her busy. But she didn't complain.
As twilight descended and the sky turned shades of purple and pink, Luciana immersed herself in documents scattered across her desk. As Crown Princess, she assisted her father in managing the empire's affairs, overseeing everything from political decisions to domestic issues. Her role in stabilizing the empire after years of unrest earned her the respect of the ministers, who often referred to her as the "brains" of Amanécer.
As the moon cast its silver glow over the empire, Luciana sat in quiet reflection. She would later meet up with Octavius and thought that surely he would understand why her father kept smoning her too often. Avlynn had fallen asleep in her lap, lulled by the soft lullaby Luciana hummed. Gently, she lifted her youngest sister and laid her on the kline .
A knock sounded at the door. "Who is it?" she asked softly, not wanting to wake Avlynn.
Helios entered, his face weary.
"Father?" Luciana rose up from the kline.
"I see she's been sneaking into your bed again," he said with a faint chuckle, settling himself on the sofa by the fireplace.
"Yes she does that every now and then." Luciana giggled softly.
Helios' heart clenched painfully. She reminded him so much of his late wife. His beloved.
Luciana tucked Avlynn in and kissed her on the forehead. "Goodnight, my dear," she whispered. Turning to her father, she offered a drink, but he declined, clearly burdened by something more pressing.
"Father? Is something the matter?" Luciana asked gently, noticing the tension in his expression that had lingered since that morning.
Helios flinched, then sighed deeply, his weariness unmistakable. "Lucia..." His voice faltered, and after a long pause, he whispered, "Forgive me..."
A chill ran through Luciana's veins. She had never seen her father, the most powerful man in the realm, look so broken—except when they had lost her mother.
"Father please tell me what bothers you so much," Luciana straightened and placed her hand over her father's.
Helios couldn't bring himself to look into his daughter's eyes. He slowly took her smaller and soft and creamy white hand into his strong hands.
"Luciana. My dearest. Jewel of my eyes..." Helios said and stopped midway.
Luciana placed her other hand on her father's cheek and made him look up at her.
"Is it really so much a pressing matter that you can't disclose with me dear father? Maybe we could find a better solution for it." She smiled.
"Together," she added.
But Helios breathed shakily and shook his head.
" Not this time my daughter." He lowered his gaze.
"But why? Please tell me about it father."
Luciana pressed a little and Helios finally mustered up the strength to speak.
"Your engagement with house Caelus has been called off." He finally said.
A long silence between them.
"T-this isn't some kind of a joke right? Father?" Luciana forced a smile that also held a question why her father who had decided to fix her marriage come spring would say something like that out of nowhere.
" I wish it were a cruel joke. But this..." He breathed.
"This is for the sake of our realm daughter," he finally said.
" And house Caelus? Uncle? Surely uncle is not complying with this decision." Luciana rose from the divan.
"I have already discussed this with Rudolf. He was the one who agreed with annulment of the engagement and accepted Melody and Lucerne's engagement instead."
"No," Luciana whispered, dreading the words that were about to follow.
"I cannot marry Aria off to that realm," Helios confessed, gripping her hands tightly. "Forgive me, Luci. I have no other choice but to send you in her place."
The truth struck like a blow. "To marry into the demonic realm?" she stammered, her voice trembling. Tears welled in her eyes as the horrifying reality sank in.
"I... I've tried to find other ways.... they wanted Aria...but I can't hand her over to them," Helios continued, each word falling like a stone into the chasm of despair opening beneath her.
" It must be you,"
Luciana collapsed to the floor, unable to process the betrayal. Her world shattered in an instant. "So... the wedding dress... the chariot... It's all for that?" she asked, her voice barely audible.
Helios nodded solemnly. "The dress will arrive tomorrow. The chariot is prepared to take you at dawn."
With a heavy heart, Helios embraced his daughter, knowing this might be the last time he would hold her. When he left the room, Luciana stared down at the diamond ring Octavius had given her. It gleamed like his eyes, a painful reminder of the future she had lost overnight.
As dawn broke, Luciana sat sleepless, her eyes swollen from the endless tears that had streamed through the night. Her dream of happiness was now nothing but ash.
Aria burst into her room. "Sister! Tell me it's not true!" she cried, her voice full of desperation.
Luciana remained silent, instructing her maids to leave the room. She gazed at herself in the mirror. Despite the stunning silks and immaculate makeup, she couldn't hide the grief that consumed her.
"Luci?" Aria tried again, searching her sister's face for any sign of hope.
"I always dreamed of shining brightest on my wedding day," Luciana whispered, choking on her words. "But not like this... Never like this."
She broke into sobs, finally allowing herself to feel the full weight of her loss. Melody and Avlynn rushed to her side, embracing her as they, too, wept. Helios entered to find his daughters huddled together, sharing their sorrow.
"It's time," he said quietly, extending his hand to escort Luciana to the waiting chariot.
Luciana hesitated for a moment, then removed the diamond ring from her finger, placing it gently in Aria's palm. "Take care of this for me," she whispered.
" I will," Aria nodded and hugged her sister for the last time.
Outside, the grand chariot awaited, adorned with white flowers. The farewell was simple—there would be no grand ceremony. A few servants and ladies-in-waiting offered quiet words of consolation.
Luciana's uncle, Rudolph, along with other members of Caelus family, paid their respects. Octavius' mother, Duchess Aurora, wept openly. "I had hoped to welcome you as my daughter-in-law," she sobbed, her eyes filled with pain.
"Where is Lord Octavius?" Luciana asked her aunt.
Aurora looked at Rudolf and then he said to her that Octavius is equally struggling with the devastating news and secluded himself in her chambers since last evening.
Luciana felt bitter. She had atleast hoped that Octavius would still take her hand and give her hope that they could together convince everyone to find a better solution to their problem.
But she felt even worse that Octavius had simply accepted it rather than relent against the idea of everything she was facing .
Helios, sensing the need to move forward, gently guided Luciana into the chariot. As the door closed behind her, she asked softly, "This won't be goodbye forever... will it?"
Helios looked at her, his eyes red from his own silent tears. "No... And this, I promise: I will send help when you need it most."