Mint

Daren slowly parted his lids and covered his eyes to protect them from the rays of the sun that penetrated through the window. Beside him was Candace, who was staring at him with an unusually sweet and peaceful smile.

She quickly raised a finger to her lips as if to tell him not to make noise, then she pointed to someone between them.

It was Dia.

The little girl must have crawled into their bed while they slept, probably looking for company.

"She really loves you..." Daren whispered.

"She likes you too," Candace replied, gently patting the little girl's head. “She said it to me.”

"Where did you find her?"

Candace's gaze became distant. "She lived in an alley in the poor suburb outside the city. She was a prisoner of some men who forced her to steal for them.”

"What?" Daren almost raised his voice. "And you went to such a dangerous place? What happened to these people?"

Candace smiled, without ceasing to caress the child's head.

"They are no longer in this world."

Despite the gravity of those words, Daren didn't feel any blame against her.

"Is that so…"

He got up slowly and straightened his shirt. "From today on, I would like us to eat together. Is that a problem for you?"

Candace looked surprised by those words. "I just told you I got rid of some people and you're asking me to eat with you?" She seemed amused by the situation.

"That's right. Did you think I would accuse or treat you coldly for such a thing? You saved Dia, and that to me is more than enough justification for your actions, whatever they were."

Candace laughed softly, then answered the emperor with an air of compliance. "It's not. But I'd like Dia to eat with us too. I can't let her out of my sight."

"That's fine with me…. Why do you always have to keep an eye on her? You seem worried that something might happen to her."

Candace smiled again, and Daren found himself hating that fake smile. Why didn't she want to be honest with him? Why she kept hiding important things?

"Daren, you promised to trust me, didn't you?"

"Yes, I promised."

"Then I ask you to support me from now on and comply with my requests."

Daren frowned for a moment. "And you can’t tell me in advance what are those requests, right?”

Candace didn't answer anything, and he didn't inquire further.

"I'm going to change, see you at breakfast," he said before leaving.

Daren went to his room and took a bath. Then he changed and got ready to head out. He asked Jared to accompany him to the florist from whom the latter had bought the first bouquet of roses he had given to Candace.

This time he bought them himself, red like the girl's eyes.

When he returned to the palace, he immediately made his way to the dining room, where Marcel and Erika were already seated at the table.

"Daren..." his cousin murmured, probably incredulous to see him holding that huge bouquet of flowers in his hand. "Who are those for?"

At that moment Candace entered the room. At first sight she had a different aura, calmer and more peaceful, but o Daren, she reminded him of a motionless snake, ready to spring to bite its enemies.

"Good morning, your majesty," she greeted Daren with a bow.

Daren immediately approached her, depositing the bouquet in her hands. Candace gave him a big smile. "These roses are definitely better," she said.

Seeing her with that bouquet in hand, Daren was convinced that red roses were unquestionably Candace's most suitable flower.

Dia, standing silently beside Candace, stared at the flowers with glittering eyes.

Daren handed her a small bouquet of daisies that he had gotten especially for her.

"This is for you, little Dia."

The child stared at him, amazed. Then she took the bouquet delicately, as if she were afraid to ruin it.

"To what do we owe this surprise?" Candace asked.

"I just feel like giving you two a present, can't I?"

Candace giggled, then she leaned over a bit to observe those behind Daren. "Oh! Lord Marcel, Lady Erika... you are there too, I hadn't seen you."

Erika walked over to Candace and smiled at her. "Good morning, Lady Candace. How are you today?"

"Much better, thanks. Did you hope otherwise?"

Erika was silent for a moment, she seemed unsure how to respond to those words. Daren, on the other hand, stared at Candace, not understanding why she kept provoking her.

"A-absolutely not. Lady Candace, I'm sorry if I gave you that impression, but know that I hope for your health and happiness. After all, you will be the precious empress of this kingdom..."

"Yes. I will be the empress." A glint of malice shone in her gaze. "By the way, how come you two haven't returned to Belsia yet?"

Marcel spoke up: "We wanted to return, but the discovery of the incarnation of the goddess held us back, it is my duty, as future ruler of Belsia, to joyfully participate in such an important celebration."

"Besides," Erika began. "Your wedding is in less than two weeks, isn't it? It would not be convenient for us to return to Belsia for a short time and then return to Intial again."

Candace looked confused at those words. "Oh, I didn't know you were invited to the wedding too. Daren, did you invite them?"

The emperor still didn't understand the reason behind Candace's behavior. It looked like she was teasing Marcel and Erika on purpose. "It’s tradition that the relatives of the bride and groom participate in the wedding," he explained.

"Oh, I see... Can't we make an exception to this rule?"

"Lady Candace, why do you talk like that? It’s not our intention to disturb you on such a happy day, but only to wish you happiness."

Candace smiled at Erika. "Oh, what a kind thought. I didn't know you had such noble intentions, Lady Erika."

Daren cleared his throat and intervened: "Why don't we sit down at the table? Breakfast will get cold..."

Candace placed the roses on a nearby piece of furniture, and Dia did the same thing. Then she sat down at the table with a graceful gesture and began to eat with the others. Daren watched her in amazement. At one point he'd even believed Candace didn't join meals because she didn't have good manners, but she was displaying perfect etiquette.

Dia watched her and tried to imitate her meticulously, occasionally eliciting a slight smile from Daren.

"Your Majesty, with your permission I have a proposal for you..." Candace said when they had finished eating.

“What is it about?”

"To best celebrate Dia's arrival at the castle, I'd like to organize a tea party with the most important families of Initial. What do you think?"

Daren frowned. "A tea party?" he repeated.

The last time the castle had hosted such an event was when he was still little and his mother very young. His father didn’t like such frivolous events, and these had gradually fallen into disuse.

Candace blinked a couple of times and stared at Daren for a while. She seemed to be trying to read his expression. "Don't you like tea parties, your majesty?"

Dia raised a hand and enthusiastically and exclaimed: "I love tea! It's delicious!"

Darren smiled. "If you two like the idea, then we'll organize the party."

Marcel was visibly surprised. "Daren… are you sure?"

Daren couldn't stand parties at all, even during the winter party he had felt completely out of place. He loved quiet and solitude, not chaotic gatherings.

Yet he had a promise to keep. If Candace wanted to organize this event, there had to be a reason.

And he had promised to trust her.

"I'm sure," he stated, looking at Candace and catching the satisfaction that sparkled in her gaze.

She had achieved her purpose. She had the trust of the emperor.

And Daren had at his side a real future wife, and not a doll to isolate and move at his will.

For the first time in his life, the Daren felt that he had someone beside him who respected and understood him, and who put him before anything else.

“You're the only one I would never hurt.”

He looked back at Candace.

She had been repeating those words to him since they had known each other, but he still hadn't understood what she had done to deserve such devotion.

Why did she want to protect his happiness at any cost?

When breakfast was over, Candace started to leave the room first and said she would take a walk in the garden with Dia. Erika offered to accompany them, but Dia objected, saying she wanted to be alone with Candace.

Daren watched them go as Marcel moved closer to him.

"Daren, you've changed..." Marcel began to say. "And I'm not sure you did it for the better."

The emperor smiled. "You don't like Candace," he observed.

"I can't find her a suitable bride for you. Did you see how she treated Erika? Such behavior is unacceptable!"

"She was just defensive. You are exaggerating as always."

"Last time she accused her of handling poison! Doesn't that seem strange to you? What if she did it just so Erka would be suspected when she was poisoned? What if she poisoned herself…"

Daren planted a fist on the table, interrupting the other.

His eyes slowly rose until they met Marcel's and glared at them.

"Shut up."

"What?"

"I told you to shut up. If you insult my future wife again, I will have you returned to Belsa instantly."

“Daren, you don't know what you're saying… I'm the only one who really cares about you! You're putting yourself in the hands of an unknown woman you've fallen in love with! She clearly doesn't love you and just wants the position of empress!"

Daren got up and started to leave. He didn't want to hear anything like that anymore.

He had finally made his feelings clear. He had finally decided to trust Candace. He didn't want anyone to instill doubt in him.

His mother's words suddenly came into his mind: "No one will ever accept you for who you are, Daren. You will be the emperor. And everyone will just look at your status and take advantage of you. This is how the world works."

"Daren! Wait! You know I say these things for your own good!"

Daren hurried out of the room. He felt suffocated.

He climbed the stairs quickly, and when he was at the top, he turned to look downstairs to calm himself.

It's still me above everyone, I won't let anyone judge my behavior... I’m still the one who rules over everyone, and no one rules over me!

"Your majesty!"

A voice roused him from his thoughts: it was Eldan's.

"Are you alright? You seem agitated..."

"Yes, I'm fine..." Daren bit his lip.

He wasn't fine at all.

Marcel's words were nothing new to him. He himself had doubted Candace, and no matter how attached he was to her, he always feared in his heart that she might stab him in the back at any moment.

Eldan put a hand on his shoulder.

"You are not fine," decreed his adviser. "Come on, come with me!”

Eldan led him to his study.

When Daren entered, he was surprised to see Jared sitting on one of the couches, reading a book.

"You took your time, El! What were you doing..."

The chief of the guards looked up from the book and stopped abruptly upon seeing Daren. He immediately stood up: "Y-y-y-your majesty! I didn't think that... that… I didn't expect that..."

Eldan slapped his forehead. "What the hell are you doing here, Jared?"

"Well, I was waiting for you, didn't I? You told me that..."

Eldan motioned for him to be silent. "So," he said, clearing his throat. "Your majesty, take a seat, I’ll prepare you an infusion."

Daren, still confused by the scene he'd just witnessed, nodded and sat down on one of the sofas, facing Jared.

"Is everything all right, your majesty?"

"I thought so," Daren replied. "But now I'm not so sure anymore."

"Is this about Lady Candace?" Eldan asked, handing him a decorated cup with a clear liquid inside.

"What does it matter? I don't understand why you brought me here. Are we going to imitate a gathering of girls talking about their problems?"

Eldan sat down on the couch, next to Jared. "Your majesty, I understand that you are an independent man and that you have always faced any kind of problem head-on. But I am your advisor, and my job is, precisely, to advise you," said Eldan. "So, if you need help, let me give it to you."

"Help?" Daren chuckled. "I never need help."

"We all need help. Me, the formidable chief of the guards that sits next to me, Lady Candace, and also you. We are all human beings and, as such, we need help from others."

"What a beautiful speech!" Jared exclaimed. He seemed moved.

Daren let out a long sigh. He had never paid particular attention to the people around him. Jared was only the head of the guards, Eldan only the adviser… He had never looked beyond those roles. He had never tried to really trust them.

Since when had he put a barrier between himself and the others? Since when did the insane fear of betrayal arise in his heart?

"Candace...” he began to say in a low voice. “She's a strange woman, but I've slowly gotten used to her presence. She's clearly up to something, she told me herself, but she swore she would never endanger me. I had decided to trust her, but a few words said by my cousin were enough to make my trust waver..." he confessed, without looking the other two in the eyes.

It was humiliating to talk like that, to admit your weaknesses to someone.

Eldan sipped the infusion that he had also prepared for himself. "Distrust is normal, especially towards a mysterious person. I myself have many doubts about Lady Candace, but I never thought she wanted to put you in danger. Not even before speaking to her."

"And why?"

"Her gaze," Eldan replied, leaving Daren confused.

"Oh!" Jared exclaimed. "I see what you mean! Lady Candace always has a cold and detached gaze, but every time she looks at the emperor, her gaze becomes gentle and affectionate!"

Daren had never noticed a change like this. Candace's gaze had always seemed cold and cruel to him.

Eldan nodded. "She often gave me the impression of looking at you as if she’d known you for a lifetime, as if you two hadn't met at the party for the first time."

"That's nonsense, I've never seen her before the party."

"I know, it was just my impression. I didn’t want to say that you have to give complete trust to Lady Candace, but she will be your future bride, you chose her. If something is wrong between you two, you have to talk to her. Dialogue is the most important thing between people."

Jared smiled at those words, while Daren furrowed an eyebrow.

"It's strange to hear you say something like that, Eldan... I always thought you were the less diplomatic type."

The adviser looked mysterious for a moment. "Let's say someone opened my eyes to this topic..." He raised his index finger solemnly. "So, your majesty, if you really care about Lady Candace, you must talk to her! There are so many things she has to clear up, right?”

"For example, how did she find the incarnation of the goddess, or why did she fall in love with you!" Jared intervened.

"I don't... I don't think she's in love with me,” Daren admitted. “We don't love each other, are we just useful to each other."

Eldan seemed to think about those words for a while. "So... did you accept her as a wife just so you wouldn't have more pressure about this topic?"

Daren nodded.

"And why did she accept you as a husband? She doesn't seem like a woman in search of power..." Jared said.

"Perhaps to escape from her family? From what I saw, the Roliands didn't treat her well..."

Jared sighed. "See, your majesty? You don't know anything about her! You're just speculating things about Lady Candace. You have to talk to her, otherwise you won't be able to lead the kingdom together."

"I agree," Eldan said. "If mere words have made your confidence waver so easily, then your marriage will end up disastrous."

Daren immediately thought of his father and mother, of how their relationship had changed over time, of the looks of hostility, of hatred, of the coldness they reserved for each other.

He had sworn to himself that it would never end this way.

"I'll talk to her," he decreed. It was no longer a question of being tied to her by blackmail, nor of wanting to extort information from her.

Now he simply wanted to understand Candace.

He finally drank some of his infusion and instantly wrinkled his nose.

"Mint?" he asked.

Eldan nodded. "It has a lot of beneficial properties! The taste may seem strong at first, but it leaves a pleasant sensation once you get used to it."

"Just like the man who loves it so much," Jared joked, while Eldan looked away.

Daren looked back at his infusion.

I wonder if Candace is just like mint... he thought, as he took another sip.