The corridors of the palace were long with no footsteps, the curtains in the room were unmoving, as if the wind didn't blow in the direction of the palace. The servants were also few moving about. Emily has just woken up from her sleep, sunlight lights up the room.
It was officially her first day in this new world. The atmosphere of the palace feels like something is not right with this palace she resides in. Palaces are not meant to be this silent, at least the ones she has read about. But this is different, the halls were silent, imperial palaces were supposed to be bubbling with activities.
The atmosphere feels abandoned. The door to the room opened, and maid servants came in, to tend to her. The maid servant from the previous day approached her, "Your ladyship you are awake, how do you feel today". "I slept well." Emily looked up to her.
"What is your name?"Lorelei asked the maid servant. "My name is Ursa, your ladyship". Ursa responded as she bowed before her, trembling a little. "What is your rank?"Lorelei continued "I'm the head maid of this palace, your ladyship".
"Where is this place?" Lorelei asked Ursa. Ursa answered her with her head still lowered, "Your ladyship resides in Moonveil Palace". The name didn't ring a bell to Lorelei's ears, then Ursa explained further, "But we are not in the central part of the palace, this is a secondary palace." Things started to make more sense to Lorelei.
Lorelei had this question in her mind, "Why am I residing in an abandoned palace if i am the emperor's lover and pregnant at that". Lorelei knew no one could answer that for her, she had to find out the truth herself. The maid servants moved in silence as they helped her bath and dressed her up.
"Would you like to go for a walk after your breakfast?"Ursa asked her after she was done dressing up. Lorelei agreed, she was also eager to see what the outside world looked like. After her breakfast Lorelei stepped out with Ursa and two other maid servants. Lorelei was impressed by what she saw outside her room.
The Moonveil palace was once a beauty to behold, it had an elegant garden that no palace in the imperial city could match. But now it is overgrown with weeds, due to neglect. A palace with marble halls that echoes when walked through, the rooms are far larger than the number of people that live there. Now it's in its former glory. The tapestries of the once magnificent palace are now faded.
Even in its faded glory, Lorelei was amazed at how big the palace was. As she and Ursa walked through the palace, they met servants on the way. They were all avoiding eye contact with her as they greeted her. She heard some of the servants whisper, "No consort is sent to this palace unless she is unfavoured."
Lorelei asked Ursa. "What kind of palace is Moonveil palace and why is it so deserted." Lorelei had a puzzled look on her face. "Moonveil Palace is where unwanted consorts are sent".
Unwanted!!! Those words rang in Lorelei's ears. She could not believe what she was hearing. So many emotions ran through her. Shock, disbelief ,that means she was an unwanted consort. But her family is the most powerful noble house in the empire, how did she become unwanted.
Another question was did she commit a crime to be sent here, and most importantly what type of crime was it, for the daughter of the most powerful noble family to be sent here. The shock made her regain some parts of her memories. Lorelei remembered the true power of the imperial family. The Emperor resides in the Aurethrone palace. A palace that holds the symbol of highest authority, the seat of imperial authority.
It is also the most guarded location in the entire empire. She saw golden towers visible across the palace grounds. It has gates so massive that she can't recall ever seeding such in her past life. She saw the throne room, and a blurry image of the emperor sitting on the throne. But she felt his aura. It was an aura that reeked of absolute power.
"Take me to a place where I can sit." Lorelei spoke to Ursa. Ursa led her to a bench along the palace corridors. From there she could see the dilapidated garden. "Tell me more about the palace Ursa." Lorelei said as soon as she sat. Ursa began speaking, "The emperor lives in the Aurethrone Palace. It is also the residence of empress.
Sunspire Pavilion is where favored consorts live and it consists of 10 mini palaces. And lastly the Moonveil palace is where Disgraced consorts and politically inconvenient consorts are sent".
Ursa looked at Lorelei as she said the last statement. She was expecting her to lash out as she normally does. Lorelei didn't respond to Ursa nor have an angry expression on her face. Lorelei started to understand things better.
She was having an internal dialogue, "The palace you live in shows how treasured you are by the emperor, and right now I am not favored, I have been discarded." "The question is now am I a politically inconvenient consort or am I a disgraced one."
Lorelei kept thinking to herself. As she sat, then she felt a little kick in her belly. "I almost forgot I am pregnant," Lorelei said out loud. She rubbed her big belly to smooth the restless baby. She had a smile on her face. Ursa and the other maid servants had a shocked expression on their faces. They have never seen Lorelei smile, since she was banished to Moonveil palace.
Her smile was everything and she looked so beautiful and radiant as the sun reflected against her skin. Lorelei looked at her environment, she wanted to study the layout of the palace well. She noticed few guards are assigned to the palace, the servants are on frequent rotation.
This palace feels like a beautiful prison. She can't leave even if she tries to. "Help me up," Lorelei said to Ursa. Ursa and the other two maid servants rushed to help her up. "I want to go into the garden". Lorelei said. "It is dangerous to go in my ladyship, the garden has not been tended to in a long time". Ursa continued, "We don't know if anything dangerous is hiding there.
"It will be fine Ursa, I want to go". Lorelei said with a little bit of authority. Ursa had no choice but to lead her into the garden. The garden, although it has not been tended to in a long time, still retains its beauty. As they moved closer a pavilion became visible, and they saw a lake beside it. The trees moved and swayed gently, and the birds chipping all made it so peaceful.
The two maid servants quickly cleaned up the wooden bench for her to sit on. Ursa guided her to her seat. Lorelei sat and took in the atmosphere of the garden. Then she realized something important. If she is locked here, those her family even know about it. And to make things a little complicated, a new Empress will soon be crowned.
Lorelei tried to focus on something else, then she noticed servants moving up and down, they were setting up lanterns for lighting, and they were decorating. "What is going on, why is everyone suddenly busy?" Lorelei turned to Ursa to ask. "There will be a rehearsal tonight for the coronation ceremony".
"Help me back to the room, I'm tired." Ursa helped Lorelei back to her room. Back at her room, Lorelei changed her dress. She wore a more comfortable outfit. "Your dinner will be ready soon." Ursa told her as she stepped out of the room. At a distance, Lorelei could see the Skyline of Aurethrone Palace. The lights were bright and she could hear the music echoes faintly". Lorelei felt she was indeed being cast out. This world feels very different from her own world.
Ursa came back with Lorelei's food. As she ate, fireworks burst above the Aurethrone Palace. The skies looked very colorful due to the fireworks. Everybody stopped and watched in admiration. "Wow this is magnificent" Lorelei said to herself.
Lorelei watched the fireworks with pure admiration. But she suddenly felt sad , forgotten and isolated. These feelings are surely some residual feelings of the original owner. Lorelei swore to find out who it was that really wanted her dead and also to find out the true reason the emperor abandoned her and her baby.
Lorelei felt the fireworks symbolize someone else's rise to power. And her own downfall. Lorelei felt a sharp pain in her belly, "AHH, she screamed . Ursa rushed to her, "my ladyship are you fine" the baby is moving violently. She tried to breath and rub her bump to relax the baby.
Lorelei realizes something terrifying, since she is nine months pregnant does that mean the baby is coming soon. As the sky burns with celebration for the empress, deep within the moonveil palace, the emperor's heir is about to be born.