"You... don't think he killed her, do you?" Rowen said what was in everyone's mind out loud when they saw Lex return with Kaari nowhere to be seen.
"I highly doubt it." Nevra remarked, eyeing the drunken emperor from the far corner where the group had been keeping watch. "If he had, he would've shown up looking like a total mess. My guess is they just had another one of their usual arguments... again."
"Well, that would explain all the drinking." Rowen agreed with his significant lover as they observed the emperor like he was an exotic creature from a faraway land. "Only a lovers' quarrel could drive someone as sober as His Majesty into alcoholism so quickly."
"More importantly... what is she doing next to the emperor?" Nevra drew the group's attention to Scarlett, who stood beside Lex with her arms linked with his. "If I didn't know any better, I would think they were a couple... oh?"
Nevra's words dissolved into the lively hum of the ballroom, but it was clear that the whole group shared the same thought.
Finally, things were starting to make sense, but all they could do was shake their heads at the emperor's behavior.
"Well... that explains why they argued..." Rowen stated awkwardly. "As naive as the princess may seem, there's no way a sane human would allow such behavior... I heard it's normal for them to mate for life."
"I'm sure it's just a publicity stunt. You know Scarlett's been obsessed with Kaiden since we were kids, and I bet she has no clue of his condition." Nevra reasoned, struggling to believe that such contrasting personalities had suddenly come together unless they were driven by a common hidden agenda. "I bet the headmaster threatened Lex with something to make his precious goddaughter happy. Otherwise, there's no way he'd be putting up with her antics like this!"
Just as they wrapped up their gossip, Amrit, who had been silent throughout the conversation, caught sight of a massive shadow moving toward the exit, with a smaller figure trailing closely behind.
'What are they up to now?' Amrit wondered, spotting Nox and the human named Gabriel slipping out of the premises even though the night was still young. 'They'd been behaving just fine, and now they decide to stir up trouble?'
Just earlier that day, Amrit was forced to take over Arius' responsibilities when the minister suddenly had to leave Stygia for an unexplainable 'emergency,' leaving the fiery-tempered Roseabelle stuck keeping watch over a room full of foolish, and imprudent nobles he despised so much.
And as if that wasn't already irritating enough, Lex had ordered him to watch the young man closely and keep him well away from the princess.
Yet somehow, that order still stood even after he returned alone, Princess Kaari nowhere to be seen, before heading off with his new apparent interest.
"... Your Highness?" Amrit remembered how he cautiously acknowledged the emperor towering over him, stealing a quick glance at blissfully smitten Scarlett, whose attention remained fixed solely on the drunken, indifferent ruler.
His eyes were glassy and unfocused from all the liquor he'd consumed, yet by some miracle, he still managed to remain standing, though just barely.
"We just came to excuse ourselves, Sir Amrit. It seems His Majesty may have had a bit too much to drink." Scarlett answered in Lex's stead, much to everyone's annoyance. "Don't worry, I'll see that he gets there safely."
"I appreciate the sentiment, but I am afraid I can't let you do that, My Lady." Amrit maintained his polite tone despite his firm denial, though it was clear that Scarlett took deep offense to his audacity to deny her. "Private chambers belonging to the royal family are strictly off-limits, even to close acquaintances. Allow me to escort him back instead-"
"I'll be fine, Amrit." Lex finally spoke up, but it did very little to convince Amrit. "Just make sure the ball wraps up smoothly, and report to me if there is anything amiss."
"...Of course." Amrit sighed dejectedly before stepping back to let them pass. "Forgive me for my rudeness, My Lady."
'First it was Zeya, and now this bastard.' He thought once he finished his recollection of events.
He stared into the distance, taking a moment to ready himself before setting off to follow them. 'It's like I exist simply just to cater to the whims of the royal siblings.'
"Keep an eye out while I'm gone, will you?" He said flatly to the overly lovey-dovey couple, who quickly nodded in a panic when he glanced their way. "And for Seers' sake, get a room if you're going to be at each other's face all the damn time."
After his snide remark to the lovebirds, he wove through the crowd, offering eager noblewomen polite smiles as he passed, staying far enough to remain out of sight, yet close enough to keep an eye on them.
Little did he know, however, that what he was about to discover would pull him into an exhausting ordeal, one that would make him deeply regret pledging his loyalty to the nation of Stygia.
=================
The door to Lex's private chamber barely had time to shut before she made her move on the emperor, their lips meeting in a fierce kiss while she swung her arms around his broad shoulders.
Scarlett had expected Lex to push her away like he had always done, but this time he let her continue, though it was obvious to her it was more out of obligation than desire.
Nevertheless, she savored his lips that tasted heavily of fresh human blood and red wine, her mind growing hazy with excitement with each passing second.
It was obvious that something had happened between Lex and Kaari while they were away as the emperor spent the whole night drinking, leaving him just vulnerable enough to agree to have her escort him to his private chambers.
Clearly, the princess had already done most of the work for her, leaving Lex despondent enough to let her in instead of Kaari, and for a moment, Scarlett almost regretted her decision to have her killed.
'And soon, it won't matter at all.' She thought as she smiled into his pressed lips. 'She'll probably be dead by the time we're done here.'
It was easier to persuade the clearly intoxicated Roseabelle than when he was sober, and Scarlett didn't hesitate when she saw her opportunity, quickly leading him to the plush, comfortable bed where her hands moving swiftly to remove Lex's clothes.
His eyes were barely open as he let Scarlett pin him down, her playful grin only growing wider.
Deciding it was far too much effort to push her away, he lay still, his head pounding as if it were splitting in two from all the alcohol he had recklessly consumed.
'Let's just get this over with.' He thought, his hands sliding to her waist and pulling her closer to his member, the friction sparking hot waves of temporary pleasure through his entire body. 'Then I can forget everything that's happened tonight.'
"Someone's acting a little strange today." She purred, resting her hands over his before gently guiding it lower along her body. "Has your opinion of me changed after spending some time together?"
Lex stayed quiet at her taunt, and Scarlett simply laughed at his silence while she took off her dress, as though she had already grown accustomed to receiving that kind of reaction from him.
Finally, she was fully undressed in front of him, and yet Lex felt nothing but disgust for the figure in front of him.
Lex was never one to search for sexual release even as a young immortal, but it would be a lie to say that he was unexperienced.
He only enjoyed himself in this way occasionally, especially when his royal responsibilities left him overwhelmed and in need of a way to relax.
When he did finally decide to give in to his urges, he never spent time with the same companion twice, especially if they began getting too eager to remain by his side. In such cases, it wasn't unusual for them to vanish without a trace, never to be seen again.
However, at some point in his reign, Lex had simply stopped sleeping with anyone, finding himself lose interest in almost everyone. Emphasis on almost.
'Fuck...' He cursed internally as his mind wandered to the one person he was desperately trying to forget.
No matter how hard he tried to stop himself, Kaari's pained expression never left his mind, haunting him like a newfound curse.
'The woman you walked in with...' Her voice echoed in his head as he frowned at the way her voice trembled with anxiety. 'Who is she to you?'
'I should've gone after her.' His frown deepened with each wave of regret. 'I should've just told her truth... that it was all just an obligation.'
"Come on, love, at least try to look a little excited." Scarlett's irritated tone pulled him out of his regrets. "Didn't I say I wanted your best? Or are you set on letting your beloved find out about your horrid secret?"
Just as Scarlett leaned in for another kiss, a loud, persistent knock at the door stopped her, making her irritation obvious.
"Ignore it." Scarlett demanded, pushing him down when he tried to sit up. "This is more important than whatever your minions have to say."
She tried again, determined to ignore it, but was interrupted once more by an even louder, more impatient banging from outside.
"Your Majesty?" Lex recognized Amrit's voice as he called out, refusing to give up. "There is an important matter I need to discuss with you, now."
"This is about the princess, Lexian." He began, clearly trying to phrase it without sounding too grim. "I... I believe something bad has happened to her."
Scarlett felt Lex's entire body tense beneath her, and before she could say a word, he had already pushed her aside and stood to answer the door.
As the door burst open, Amrit barely had time to process the provocative sight in front of him, and before he could even bring it up, Lex demanded an explanation.
"Speak." His expression stayed unreadable, but Amrit could've sworn he saw something ominous brewing in his crimson red eyes.
"She's gone, Lexian. We've searched the entire palace, but there's no sign of her anywhere. The only clue we have is a trail of blood leading outside, and Nox... they confirmed it belonged to the princess-"
Before Amrit could get another word out, Lex had already dashed off into the dimly lit corridors, leaving him with an obviously furious and completely nude Scarlett.
In the midst of the awkward silence, Amrit managed to close the door, giving Scarlett some privacy before running after the emperor, spewing ancient curses underneath his breath for the disaster that was slowly unfolding before his very eyes.