It was difficult to imagine why a place such as Newcastle would have such a magnificent palace.
Gabrielle Palace was first built in Church's Year 578. It was the built by His Majesty Emperor Luxim I for Empress Gabrielle.
Newcastle was located in the middle area of the western border of the Narcissus County and the Empire, belonging to territories of the Titania Family's imperial predecessors. There was no regional specialty in this small town for which it was famous. The scenery and the city's appearance were also above average. Gabrielle Palace was the only thing that made the people of Newcastle feel conceited and proud over. This palace, built from white marble, was a milestone in the history of medieval architecture regarded as a masterpiece. At the same time, it also symbolized a deeply moving and exceedingly sentimental love story.
The people would certainly first call to mind Emperor Morisette Luxim I and Emperor Gabrielle Andrew when they spoke of the Gabrielle Palace. In the era where the utterly gifted scholar and woman of unparalleled beauty came to meet and love each other since the Nedgabel Family eventually fell to the Andrews, the relationship between the Imperial Household of Morisette and the Narcissus Fierce Tigers was at its lowest period in history.
The Andrew family, which officially and completely controlled the eastern territories of the empire, aroused the fear of the entire Titan aristocracy, especially those of the capital. They were afraid of an outbreak of a civil war, and secretly, they suppressed the influence of the people of Narcissus frantically. Just when the Andrews' patience had reached their limits, Emperor Luxim I, who had just succeeded to the throne not long ago, got to know Andrew's Young Lady, Gabrielle, who had just gone through the coming of age ceremony.
The God of Light praised love! When the utterly gifted scholar and woman of unparalleled beauty met, what happened then or perhaps what could possibly take place was naturally not difficult to imagine. Emperor Luxim I and Duchess Gabrielle Andrew spent a summer that was similar to a dreamlike fantasy at Newcastle. Despite the Imperial Household making it difficult and the vigilance of the Andrews forced the young man and woman that were joined at the hip to return to their respective families after the holiday ended, they left an imprint on each other's heart and physical bodies, as clear as if they had experienced their whole lifetime together.
Luxim I returned to Dulin and the fearful capital nobles and the Imperial Family urged the Emperor to marry his fiancée at once while Young Lady Gabrielle returned to Andrew Haila and the enraged elder of the family rebuked her for abandoning her ancestors and morals. It was difficult to complain about it because the God of Light would usually arrange it this way. The love story of the gifted scholar and the belle was full of challenges, helplessness, suspicion, understanding and mutual support.
Notwithstanding all the odds, the overcoming of obstacles, the sweeping through the hurdles and braving the wind and the waves, Ruxim I, with superb political skills and great leadership awareness, disintegrated the opposition in the capital. Gabrielle, the Duchess of Andrew, with her firm belief and the beautiful soul blessed by the God of Light, moved the wavering elders of the family! Seizing the opportunity, Emperor Luxim I announced to the world his oath – to build a palace that symbolized pure love at the place he met his lover. The day the palace was completed was the day the Lady of Andrew was named Empress.
This day was what the lovers had been waiting for no less than eleven years! In the eleven years, Luxim I overcame numerous crises and further strengthened his centralized rule, consolidating his good relationship with the Andrew family. Lady Gabrielle, fortunately, came out alive in the countless assassination attempts. Despite the fact that the rumors from the capital and assassinations had caused pain that tormented her body and mind like the devil, she still always held fast to the belief that love was a great force that would allow her fateful marriage to be realized.
The fateful marriage that was destined by God finally came to be realized on the day the main palace body was completed! Morisette Dynasty's Emperor Luxim I held a simple wedding ceremony in a small church in the town of Newcastle with Lady Gabrielle of the Andrews. After the wedding, the Empress of the Titan monarch was crowned by His Grand Eminence the Pope that had rushed over from Rome.
Until today, the 'White Palace' was known to this world through this arduous love story, yet this was not the end of the story. A year after marriage, Empress Gabrielle gave birth to a prince. Nine days after delivery, she left the world. Emperor Luxim I then appointed his uncle as the Empire's regent three years after marriage and had since taken his hands off all the country's affairs. He then engrossed himself into architecture, continuously renovating and expanding the palace of love, known as, "Gabrielle".
In the fourth year after the Empress' death, Gabrielle Palace already had 318 rooms, symbolizing the 318 days that the Emperor and Empress spent there. On the day the 319th room was being decorated, His Majesty, the Great Emperor Luxim I of the generation, was discovered dead beside the tomb of the Empress…
Since then, no one had touched a single thing in Gabrielle Palace. There were 318 and a half room here.
The love story arrived at a perfect end. The gifted scholar and belle were buried together in the back garden of Gabrielle Palace.
The cemetery was not large, nor was the tombstones. The inscriptions were so little that they were pitiful. The later generations used only two sentences to summarize the life of the peerless lovers.
"This is my husband, this is my wife... we agreed in this life, to thereby wait for the coming of eternity."
"Eternity?" Countess Aeolia Siva Wimmester stroked the epitaph of the Emperor and Empress of the previous generation. Her finger lingered for a long time at the last part of the inscription.
"Aya... Aya..." A call came from the balcony of the palace.
Aya turned around and saw Madam Vijdeline beckoning toward here. Once again, there was no way to face the grave of a lover. Once again, she turned to face the tombstones of the lovers without saying anything. The countess sighed and, holding her huge belly, she ambled towards the white love palace.
Although Gabrielle Palace was called a 'palace', in actuality, it was the most commonly-seen luxurious castle in medieval Titan. The palace's building complex consisted of a castle main fort built of white marble, five elegant courtyards of unique shapes and around those, six gardens that possessed characteristics of different periods and styles of their own.
The interior of the main part of the palace was naturally the most exciting. It was acclaimed as a museum that represented the Titan's early court romanticism. The Gabrielle Palace did not abide by the principle of symmetry of classical architecture and used construction styles with free or even arbitrary partitioning. However, classicalism penetrated deeply into the free and flexible form through the structure and facade of the building as a whole.
The castle used decorative arts that integrated parapet walls of fine wood, gold relief sculptures, and plaster walls. The ceilings and boards of the parapet walls were made of solid walnut wood. The lights, wine glasses, ceremonial artifacts and daily necessities were all made of real gold and white silver. The furniture was the same color as the walnut wood wallboards, complementing elephant tusks, rhinoceros horns, and other materials. The cloth products, including curtains and beddings, were made of silk imported from the East and they were brightly colored, lined by gold and silver thread.
It exhibited the extravagant and luxurious air of the Titan Imperial Household to the greatest extent.
The God of Light praised love. The decorative theme of the castle palace was entirely based on love. Great Emperor Luxim I of that generation had hired the greatest sculptors, artists, and architects in the world to build the love nest where he and his wife waited for the eternity. From the Italia-styled staircases to the Faran-styled living room and greenhouse, from the twigs and flowers to the sculpture of Virgin Mary and the Son everywhere, from the legendary frescos that painted of love to the relief sculpture of angels on the hunt, every decoration gave the people a feminine and maternal impression. The feeling of walking through the hall of the fortress was as if countless young girls yearning for love were constantly laughing behind one's back, sometimes shy and timid, other times, bold and captivating...
Until today, the mainstream artists of the Titan court that had grown up breathing in the air of the court's art were referred to the people as the "Gabrielle Faction".
***************
Passing through the famous "Empress Gabrielle Promenade", the two opened classical, gold-painted palace doors blocked the path of one. The palace door that had a fresco of the Virgin Mary welcoming the Son led to the residential area at behind the palace. The palace door that had a picture of a hunting angel led to the garden connected by the mirrored hall.
Countess Aeolia indicated to the court attendant to open the door of the Virgin Mary welcoming the Son. With a dull rumble, the numerous giant doors that connected to the residential area of the palace opened one after another. A cool breeze rushed forwards and lifted Aya's maroon-colored hair. She peered through them. All the doors of the rooms were closed and only the sound of something being beaten up came from the depths of the corridor.
At the doorway of the bedrooms, Madam Vijdeline, who had hurried over from the capital city of Great Titania to care for the mistress of Andrew, embraced the Countess with a protruding belly. After she had released Aya, her face stiffened.
Vij pointed into the room and then at Aya. "A woman that has a miscarriage and a pregnant woman! This is enough for me! What else do you want?"
The Countess broke into an apologetic smile.
Vijdeline remained unmoved. "Remember Aya, it isn't the first time I said this to you. If you step out, you need to bring along maids or Imperial bodyguards, otherwise, there may really…
"I remember!" Aya interrupted Vij rather exasperatedly, "How's Sasha? Is there still no improvement?"
Madam Sukhoi blocked the Countess who was about to enter the door. "Aya, those maids and bodyguards have already undergone strict scrutiny. You can trust them!"
Aya did not say anything more. She merely hung her head and assessed the bulge on her body. To be honest, the scene of Sasha's miscarriage had really scared the wits out of Aya, who was similarly pregnant. Even if the far away elders did not issue the order to have the whole entourage bury Sinelli, Aya believed that she herself would have done so.
Vijdeline sized up the pregnant woman. In the end, she could only let out a sigh and move her body to open up the doorway.
"Go and have a look! She's still in a terrible state… I really don't know what to do!"
Aya nodded her head gently. After passing through the entrance hall of the bedroom and the tiny guest room, she caught sight of the family mistress, who was barely hanging on. The Countess only got a glimpse and averted her head abruptly. She cupped her hand over her mouth that was heaving continuously, trying her best to not let out any sobbing sounds. She actually did not want to cry, but the sympathy and sorrow that welled up from the bottom of her heart were difficult to hold back in.
Sasha lay on a massive, Titan-styled canopy bed. The soup from lunch was flowing out from the corner of her mouth, leaving a tawny stain on her white cotton pajamas. The rest of the meal was on the ground, together with the fragments of tableware.
The eyes of the mistress of Andrew were listless. She affixed her gaze upon a corner outside the window, squinting at it fiercely as if something had stopped there. Aya followed the mistress' gaze and looked over. The sky was blue, the forest had yet to produce green branches, other than that there did not seem to be anything else. She then sent the maid who was crouched on the ground tidying things up, out of the room. After that, she held her tummy and sat at the bedside. She then held Sasha's hand up to her face and carefully stroked it.
"What are you thinking about?"
Sasha E.'s line of sight had no focus. Moving along a straight line, she slowly shifted her gaze over. She saw Aya's tummy and the corners of her mouth curled up into a rare smile.
"Sinelli…" The mistress of Andrew raved. Her expression instantly brightened up. "Perhaps even Romania… this can't be good!" Aya looked helplessly at Vijdeline. Vij could only spread her hands. "Give it a rest, Aya, this is already considered pretty good!" Madam Sukhoi shrugged as if she was fortunate. "At least she didn't say to you… be gone, prostitute!"
Aya could not help but place her fingers on her forehead. Just what is this?
"Sasha…." The Countess clasped the family mistress' hand. "What must be said have all been said! What needs to be done have all been done! What do you intend to do? Drag us together to be buried along with Sinelli or Romania?"
Sasha E. was indifferent and turned her head away, merely squirming her lips. This way, no one could make out what she was mumbling about.
Aya heaved a sigh. She gestured to the maid to bring over a new bowl of wheat soup. "Come on Sasha, buckle up. Don't let everyone suffer from this living hell any longer!"
The Countess said this while using a soup spoon to scoop up a spoonful of wheat soup, carefully bringing it to the mistress' mouth.
Once the wheat soup had entered her mouth, Sasha did not know how to swallow. The golden wheat juice again spilled out from the corner of her mouth. Aya could only keep wiping with the napkin and fed her a second time. After a brief period of bustling, she was fed a third time… When it was the seventh time, the front of Sasha's cotton pajamas was already soaked through with soup stains. Aya suddenly glared. She sprang up from her seat on the bed abruptly and flung the soup bowl in her hand far away.
The tableware shattered, seeming to have even knocked down one of the furnishings in the bedroom. The maids pulled their heads back in horror. Even the usually composed Madam Vijdeline was so startled by the Countess' sudden surge of rage and the sound of tableware shattering that she was left shivering from head to foot.
Aya watched Sasha E. who had remained indifferent all the while. Her hand was trembling, but a moment later, she used her trembling hands to lift the mistress' hair. The powerful force took Sasha's whole body away from the bed, which was later thrown heavily onto the backboard of the bed.
"Aya! What are you doing?" Vijdeline came forwards in alarm, but Aya's glare made her subconsciously stop in her tracks.
"What am I doing?" the Countess shot back. "I want everyone to see just how awful the great mistress of the Andrew Family, the great mistress of the God-chosen Warriors have become!"
Sasha E. did not seem to have any idea what the woman with a big belly before her was going on about. She continued to gasp, enduring the sudden affliction to her head and back silently. However, such a level of pain was simply insignificant compared to the pain of miscarriage. Sasha just groaned and rolled to the side.
Aya held the family mistress' chin. The previous Narcisuss Corolla had already become a pitiful creature through and through. The education that the countess received did not allow her to take pity on the weak. Her previous love and sympathy for Sasha was already the bottom limit of what Aeolia could offer. Since the family mistress did not even care about the dignity and decency of her body, who cared whether what she was going through was really that miserable?
"Everyone, come and see!" Aya said while tearing Sasha's cotton pajamas to shreds. The maids hid away one after another. They could not face the mistress' devastating white flesh and chest that was so skinny that her ribs were showing.
"This… this is the mistress of Andrew!" a series of actions and her heavy belly made the countess gasp for breath, but she did not intend to just let off the pitiful creature lying limply on the bed.
Aya personally fetched a new bowl of wheat soup and cursed away while grabbing the chin of the mistress of Andrew. Then after, without room for explanations, she poured the wheat soup in. The boiling hot soup finally scalded so bad that she thrashed vigorously, but Aya was unwilling to give up! Her fingers left ghastly, bloody scars by the mistress' lips. She ignored Sasha's shout, ignored the soup that was spurting out from the mistress' nose. She slapped Sasha in the face like a madwoman, and then when Sasha E. had no strength left to resist, she followed by pouring the bowl of hot soup down her throat.
Aya lashed out and scolded loudly. She reprimanded Sasha's weakness and timidity. She said that Sasha was a stupid woman that could not even protect her own child. She even said that everyone's compassion and love for Sasha should have all been fed to the worthless dogs!
"Enough…"
Aya shook off Vijdeline who had come to grab her from behind. This rare chance allowed the mistress of Andrew to break free of the madwoman's control. Aya spat under her breath. Her eyes had an ominous glint. With a thrust of her hand, she caught hold of Sasha E. again. The mistress shrieked and bit Aya's wrist, but the countess stubbornly frowned and stood her ground. Aya gave a forceful swipe of the back of her hand, with a distinct slap; the female beast that had bitten her was immediately flung down the bed.
"Get back here…" Aya did not seem to want to give up yet. She caught hold of Sasha's ankle and pulled with all her might. The mistress of Andrew, whose courage had shattered after having been beaten, had no choice but to cry out in a loud voice, kicking her limbs continuously!
"Oscar… save me… Oscar…" Sasha's screams and shouts finally made Madam Vijdeline, who was coldly watching everything unfold at the side, lose her temper. She embraced the mad Aeolia from behind. The maids that were stunned for a long while also came rushing up one after another. They attempted to separate the two women who were tearing at and grappling with each other.
"Huuu…" the infuriated Countess suddenly let out an anguished groan. The thrashing Sasha, of all places, landed a kick on her huge belly. Aya quickly slumped onto the ground. Large beads of cold sweat dripped from her forehead and she panted violently while crying out in pain loudly.
"Oh God of Light! Just what is this?" detecting something really bad unfolding, Madam Sukhoi's face paled. "Percy!" Percy!" Come quick!"
Poison Doctor Percy, who had followed Oscar for many years, could already switch profession and open up a gynecology hospital. The great master of poison whose head was getting progressively more white hair rushed into the chaotic bedroom within half a minute. He did not have time to understand what was going on and merely ripped open Aeolia's skirts without any explanations. He then stuffed a length of wooden cork into the mouth of the countess who was tortured close to hysteria by the pain.
Percy's palm palpated Aya's huge belly for a brief while. The condition did not appear to be that serious. The fetal position was normal and there were no signs of massive hemorrhage. He really could not fathom just what Oscar's women were doing.
The poison doctor examined while eyeing the great mistress with an astonished look, but Aya caught hold of him by the collar.
"Don't mind her! She is insane! Quickly check and see just how my child is doing"
The poison doctor rolled his eyes. He had no choice but to provide his undivided attention into examining the Countess' lower body. The wooden opening device seemed to have caused Aeolia pain. The Countess let out wails after wails. Percy started to tense up. There was no problem with the fetus, was there? The response of the Head of the Andrew's Military Investigation Bureau was a little too intense, was it not?
"Oscar... save me... Oscar..." Sasha cowered at the corner of the bed, but the Countess' howls of pain broke her train of thought.
The people in the room were constantly moving and the room was filled with all kinds of shouting. Sasha's brain was in a state of confusion. She saw countless concerned eyes, heard heart-wrenching cries so devastating that it could give one nightmares! She had a splitting headache and she did not know where she was. She could only try her best to keep her teeth from biting her tongue that was shivering and numb and had a continuously bitter taste on it. What was wrong with her? What were all the people doing?
The countless shadows that flitted pass suddenly formed into a scene. Sasha saw blood, a massive amount of blood, gushing out from below! In an instant, it had stained the white bed sheets red. The brilliant, despairing red filled her entire field of vision in a flash!
That was right, there was still Percy! What was Percy doing? He had an inexplicable instrument in his hand and on it was blood. Blood was everywhere! Gushing out, continuously gushing!
"Argh--" a tragic cry scared the wits out of Sasha so badly that she bit the back of her hand fiercely. Poison Doctor Percy spread his hands innocently. He stared dumbstruck at the Countess who was continuously struggling and screaming loudly. It seemed… it seemed as if no one had even touched her.
A pair of withered, pale hands suddenly entered the people's field of vision. Aya glanced over and suddenly stopped shouting. She gazed at the pair of hands that was drawing ever closer, expectantly.
Sasha and the Countess' fingers clasped together. The mistress of the Andrew Family had tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Aya… are you alright? Aya…"
Aeolia slowly opened his mouth, but her tears instantly drowned out her words. Sasha's eyes were bright and clear and were filled with apprehension.
"I… I'm okay… mistress!" the Countess stroked Sasha's red and swollen face that she had slapped. She choked up for a long time before spitting the words out with difficulty.
Sasha turned towards the Percy who was welled up with a swirling mix of emotions. "You must save the child… save Oscar's child…"
The poison doctor wiped his eyes. "Rest assured… the child has been saved… he's saved!"
It was difficult to imagine why a place such as Newcastle would have such a magnificent palace.
Gabrielle Palace was first built in Church's Year 578. It was the built by His Majesty Emperor Luxim I for Empress Gabrielle.
Newcastle was located in the middle area of the western border of the Narcissus County and the Empire, belonging to territories of the Titania Family's imperial predecessors. There was no regional specialty in this small town for which it was famous. The scenery and the city's appearance were also above average. Gabrielle Palace was the only thing that made the people of Newcastle feel conceited and proud over. This palace, built from white marble, was a milestone in the history of medieval architecture regarded as a masterpiece. At the same time, it also symbolized a deeply moving and exceedingly sentimental love story.
The people would certainly first call to mind Emperor Morisette Luxim I and Emperor Gabrielle Andrew when they spoke of the Gabrielle Palace. In the era where the utterly gifted scholar and woman of unparalleled beauty came to meet and love each other since the Nedgabel Family eventually fell to the Andrews, the relationship between the Imperial Household of Morisette and the Narcissus Fierce Tigers was at its lowest period in history.
The Andrew family, which officially and completely controlled the eastern territories of the empire, aroused the fear of the entire Titan aristocracy, especially those of the capital. They were afraid of an outbreak of a civil war, and secretly, they suppressed the influence of the people of Narcissus frantically. Just when the Andrews' patience had reached their limits, Emperor Luxim I, who had just succeeded to the throne not long ago, got to know Andrew's Young Lady, Gabrielle, who had just gone through the coming of age ceremony.
The God of Light praised love! When the utterly gifted scholar and woman of unparalleled beauty met, what happened then or perhaps what could possibly take place was naturally not difficult to imagine. Emperor Luxim I and Duchess Gabrielle Andrew spent a summer that was similar to a dreamlike fantasy at Newcastle. Despite the Imperial Household making it difficult and the vigilance of the Andrews forced the young man and woman that were joined at the hip to return to their respective families after the holiday ended, they left an imprint on each other's heart and physical bodies, as clear as if they had experienced their whole lifetime together.
Luxim I returned to Dulin and the fearful capital nobles and the Imperial Family urged the Emperor to marry his fiancée at once while Young Lady Gabrielle returned to Andrew Haila and the enraged elder of the family rebuked her for abandoning her ancestors and morals. It was difficult to complain about it because the God of Light would usually arrange it this way. The love story of the gifted scholar and the belle was full of challenges, helplessness, suspicion, understanding and mutual support.
Notwithstanding all the odds, the overcoming of obstacles, the sweeping through the hurdles and braving the wind and the waves, Ruxim I, with superb political skills and great leadership awareness, disintegrated the opposition in the capital. Gabrielle, the Duchess of Andrew, with her firm belief and the beautiful soul blessed by the God of Light, moved the wavering elders of the family! Seizing the opportunity, Emperor Luxim I announced to the world his oath – to build a palace that symbolized pure love at the place he met his lover. The day the palace was completed was the day the Lady of Andrew was named Empress.
This day was what the lovers had been waiting for no less than eleven years! In the eleven years, Luxim I overcame numerous crises and further strengthened his centralized rule, consolidating his good relationship with the Andrew family. Lady Gabrielle, fortunately, came out alive in the countless assassination attempts. Despite the fact that the rumors from the capital and assassinations had caused pain that tormented her body and mind like the devil, she still always held fast to the belief that love was a great force that would allow her fateful marriage to be realized.
The fateful marriage that was destined by God finally came to be realized on the day the main palace body was completed! Morisette Dynasty's Emperor Luxim I held a simple wedding ceremony in a small church in the town of Newcastle with Lady Gabrielle of the Andrews. After the wedding, the Empress of the Titan monarch was crowned by His Grand Eminence the Pope that had rushed over from Rome.
Until today, the 'White Palace' was known to this world through this arduous love story, yet this was not the end of the story. A year after marriage, Empress Gabrielle gave birth to a prince. Nine days after delivery, she left the world. Emperor Luxim I then appointed his uncle as the Empire's regent three years after marriage and had since taken his hands off all the country's affairs. He then engrossed himself into architecture, continuously renovating and expanding the palace of love, known as, "Gabrielle".
In the fourth year after the Empress' death, Gabrielle Palace already had 318 rooms, symbolizing the 318 days that the Emperor and Empress spent there. On the day the 319th room was being decorated, His Majesty, the Great Emperor Luxim I of the generation, was discovered dead beside the tomb of the Empress…
Since then, no one had touched a single thing in Gabrielle Palace. There were 318 and a half room here.
The love story arrived at a perfect end. The gifted scholar and belle were buried together in the back garden of Gabrielle Palace.
The cemetery was not large, nor was the tombstones. The inscriptions were so little that they were pitiful. The later generations used only two sentences to summarize the life of the peerless lovers.
"This is my husband, this is my wife... we agreed in this life, to thereby wait for the coming of eternity."
"Eternity?" Countess Aeolia Siva Wimmester stroked the epitaph of the Emperor and Empress of the previous generation. Her finger lingered for a long time at the last part of the inscription.
"Aya... Aya..." A call came from the balcony of the palace.
Aya turned around and saw Madam Vijdeline beckoning toward here. Once again, there was no way to face the grave of a lover. Once again, she turned to face the tombstones of the lovers without saying anything. The countess sighed and, holding her huge belly, she ambled towards the white love palace.
Although Gabrielle Palace was called a 'palace', in actuality, it was the most commonly-seen luxurious castle in medieval Titan. The palace's building complex consisted of a castle main fort built of white marble, five elegant courtyards of unique shapes and around those, six gardens that possessed characteristics of different periods and styles of their own.
The interior of the main part of the palace was naturally the most exciting. It was acclaimed as a museum that represented the Titan's early court romanticism. The Gabrielle Palace did not abide by the principle of symmetry of classical architecture and used construction styles with free or even arbitrary partitioning. However, classicalism penetrated deeply into the free and flexible form through the structure and facade of the building as a whole.
The castle used decorative arts that integrated parapet walls of fine wood, gold relief sculptures, and plaster walls. The ceilings and boards of the parapet walls were made of solid walnut wood. The lights, wine glasses, ceremonial artifacts and daily necessities were all made of real gold and white silver. The furniture was the same color as the walnut wood wallboards, complementing elephant tusks, rhinoceros horns, and other materials. The cloth products, including curtains and beddings, were made of silk imported from the East and they were brightly colored, lined by gold and silver thread.
It exhibited the extravagant and luxurious air of the Titan Imperial Household to the greatest extent.
The God of Light praised love. The decorative theme of the castle palace was entirely based on love. Great Emperor Luxim I of that generation had hired the greatest sculptors, artists, and architects in the world to build the love nest where he and his wife waited for the eternity. From the Italia-styled staircases to the Faran-styled living room and greenhouse, from the twigs and flowers to the sculpture of Virgin Mary and the Son everywhere, from the legendary frescos that painted of love to the relief sculpture of angels on the hunt, every decoration gave the people a feminine and maternal impression. The feeling of walking through the hall of the fortress was as if countless young girls yearning for love were constantly laughing behind one's back, sometimes shy and timid, other times, bold and captivating...
Until today, the mainstream artists of the Titan court that had grown up breathing in the air of the court's art were referred to the people as the "Gabrielle Faction".
***************
Passing through the famous "Empress Gabrielle Promenade", the two opened classical, gold-painted palace doors blocked the path of one. The palace door that had a fresco of the Virgin Mary welcoming the Son led to the residential area at behind the palace. The palace door that had a picture of a hunting angel led to the garden connected by the mirrored hall.
Countess Aeolia indicated to the court attendant to open the door of the Virgin Mary welcoming the Son. With a dull rumble, the numerous giant doors that connected to the residential area of the palace opened one after another. A cool breeze rushed forwards and lifted Aya's maroon-colored hair. She peered through them. All the doors of the rooms were closed and only the sound of something being beaten up came from the depths of the corridor.
At the doorway of the bedrooms, Madam Vijdeline, who had hurried over from the capital city of Great Titania to care for the mistress of Andrew, embraced the Countess with a protruding belly. After she had released Aya, her face stiffened.
Vij pointed into the room and then at Aya. "A woman that has a miscarriage and a pregnant woman! This is enough for me! What else do you want?"
The Countess broke into an apologetic smile.
Vijdeline remained unmoved. "Remember Aya, it isn't the first time I said this to you. If you step out, you need to bring along maids or Imperial bodyguards, otherwise, there may really…
"I remember!" Aya interrupted Vij rather exasperatedly, "How's Sasha? Is there still no improvement?"
Madam Sukhoi blocked the Countess who was about to enter the door. "Aya, those maids and bodyguards have already undergone strict scrutiny. You can trust them!"
Aya did not say anything more. She merely hung her head and assessed the bulge on her body. To be honest, the scene of Sasha's miscarriage had really scared the wits out of Aya, who was similarly pregnant. Even if the far away elders did not issue the order to have the whole entourage bury Sinelli, Aya believed that she herself would have done so.
Vijdeline sized up the pregnant woman. In the end, she could only let out a sigh and move her body to open up the doorway.
"Go and have a look! She's still in a terrible state… I really don't know what to do!"
Aya nodded her head gently. After passing through the entrance hall of the bedroom and the tiny guest room, she caught sight of the family mistress, who was barely hanging on. The Countess only got a glimpse and averted her head abruptly. She cupped her hand over her mouth that was heaving continuously, trying her best to not let out any sobbing sounds. She actually did not want to cry, but the sympathy and sorrow that welled up from the bottom of her heart were difficult to hold back in.
Sasha lay on a massive, Titan-styled canopy bed. The soup from lunch was flowing out from the corner of her mouth, leaving a tawny stain on her white cotton pajamas. The rest of the meal was on the ground, together with the fragments of tableware.
The eyes of the mistress of Andrew were listless. She affixed her gaze upon a corner outside the window, squinting at it fiercely as if something had stopped there. Aya followed the mistress' gaze and looked over. The sky was blue, the forest had yet to produce green branches, other than that there did not seem to be anything else. She then sent the maid who was crouched on the ground tidying things up, out of the room. After that, she held her tummy and sat at the bedside. She then held Sasha's hand up to her face and carefully stroked it.
"What are you thinking about?"
Sasha E.'s line of sight had no focus. Moving along a straight line, she slowly shifted her gaze over. She saw Aya's tummy and the corners of her mouth curled up into a rare smile.
"Sinelli…" The mistress of Andrew raved. Her expression instantly brightened up. "Perhaps even Romania… this can't be good!" Aya looked helplessly at Vijdeline. Vij could only spread her hands. "Give it a rest, Aya, this is already considered pretty good!" Madam Sukhoi shrugged as if she was fortunate. "At least she didn't say to you… be gone, prostitute!"
Aya could not help but place her fingers on her forehead. Just what is this?
"Sasha…." The Countess clasped the family mistress' hand. "What must be said have all been said! What needs to be done have all been done! What do you intend to do? Drag us together to be buried along with Sinelli or Romania?"
Sasha E. was indifferent and turned her head away, merely squirming her lips. This way, no one could make out what she was mumbling about.
Aya heaved a sigh. She gestured to the maid to bring over a new bowl of wheat soup. "Come on Sasha, buckle up. Don't let everyone suffer from this living hell any longer!"
The Countess said this while using a soup spoon to scoop up a spoonful of wheat soup, carefully bringing it to the mistress' mouth.
Once the wheat soup had entered her mouth, Sasha did not know how to swallow. The golden wheat juice again spilled out from the corner of her mouth. Aya could only keep wiping with the napkin and fed her a second time. After a brief period of bustling, she was fed a third time… When it was the seventh time, the front of Sasha's cotton pajamas was already soaked through with soup stains. Aya suddenly glared. She sprang up from her seat on the bed abruptly and flung the soup bowl in her hand far away.
The tableware shattered, seeming to have even knocked down one of the furnishings in the bedroom. The maids pulled their heads back in horror. Even the usually composed Madam Vijdeline was so startled by the Countess' sudden surge of rage and the sound of tableware shattering that she was left shivering from head to foot.
Aya watched Sasha E. who had remained indifferent all the while. Her hand was trembling, but a moment later, she used her trembling hands to lift the mistress' hair. The powerful force took Sasha's whole body away from the bed, which was later thrown heavily onto the backboard of the bed.
"Aya! What are you doing?" Vijdeline came forwards in alarm, but Aya's glare made her subconsciously stop in her tracks.
"What am I doing?" the Countess shot back. "I want everyone to see just how awful the great mistress of the Andrew Family, the great mistress of the God-chosen Warriors have become!"
Sasha E. did not seem to have any idea what the woman with a big belly before her was going on about. She continued to gasp, enduring the sudden affliction to her head and back silently. However, such a level of pain was simply insignificant compared to the pain of miscarriage. Sasha just groaned and rolled to the side.
Aya held the family mistress' chin. The previous Narcisuss Corolla had already become a pitiful creature through and through. The education that the countess received did not allow her to take pity on the weak. Her previous love and sympathy for Sasha was already the bottom limit of what Aeolia could offer. Since the family mistress did not even care about the dignity and decency of her body, who cared whether what she was going through was really that miserable?
"Everyone, come and see!" Aya said while tearing Sasha's cotton pajamas to shreds. The maids hid away one after another. They could not face the mistress' devastating white flesh and chest that was so skinny that her ribs were showing.
"This… this is the mistress of Andrew!" a series of actions and her heavy belly made the countess gasp for breath, but she did not intend to just let off the pitiful creature lying limply on the bed.
Aya personally fetched a new bowl of wheat soup and cursed away while grabbing the chin of the mistress of Andrew. Then after, without room for explanations, she poured the wheat soup in. The boiling hot soup finally scalded so bad that she thrashed vigorously, but Aya was unwilling to give up! Her fingers left ghastly, bloody scars by the mistress' lips. She ignored Sasha's shout, ignored the soup that was spurting out from the mistress' nose. She slapped Sasha in the face like a madwoman, and then when Sasha E. had no strength left to resist, she followed by pouring the bowl of hot soup down her throat.
Aya lashed out and scolded loudly. She reprimanded Sasha's weakness and timidity. She said that Sasha was a stupid woman that could not even protect her own child. She even said that everyone's compassion and love for Sasha should have all been fed to the worthless dogs!
"Enough…"
Aya shook off Vijdeline who had come to grab her from behind. This rare chance allowed the mistress of Andrew to break free of the madwoman's control. Aya spat under her breath. Her eyes had an ominous glint. With a thrust of her hand, she caught hold of Sasha E. again. The mistress shrieked and bit Aya's wrist, but the countess stubbornly frowned and stood her ground. Aya gave a forceful swipe of the back of her hand, with a distinct slap; the female beast that had bitten her was immediately flung down the bed.
"Get back here…" Aya did not seem to want to give up yet. She caught hold of Sasha's ankle and pulled with all her might. The mistress of Andrew, whose courage had shattered after having been beaten, had no choice but to cry out in a loud voice, kicking her limbs continuously!
"Oscar… save me… Oscar…" Sasha's screams and shouts finally made Madam Vijdeline, who was coldly watching everything unfold at the side, lose her temper. She embraced the mad Aeolia from behind. The maids that were stunned for a long while also came rushing up one after another. They attempted to separate the two women who were tearing at and grappling with each other.
"Huuu…" the infuriated Countess suddenly let out an anguished groan. The thrashing Sasha, of all places, landed a kick on her huge belly. Aya quickly slumped onto the ground. Large beads of cold sweat dripped from her forehead and she panted violently while crying out in pain loudly.
"Oh God of Light! Just what is this?" detecting something really bad unfolding, Madam Sukhoi's face paled. "Percy!" Percy!" Come quick!"
Poison Doctor Percy, who had followed Oscar for many years, could already switch profession and open up a gynecology hospital. The great master of poison whose head was getting progressively more white hair rushed into the chaotic bedroom within half a minute. He did not have time to understand what was going on and merely ripped open Aeolia's skirts without any explanations. He then stuffed a length of wooden cork into the mouth of the countess who was tortured close to hysteria by the pain.
Percy's palm palpated Aya's huge belly for a brief while. The condition did not appear to be that serious. The fetal position was normal and there were no signs of massive hemorrhage. He really could not fathom just what Oscar's women were doing.
The poison doctor examined while eyeing the great mistress with an astonished look, but Aya caught hold of him by the collar.
"Don't mind her! She is insane! Quickly check and see just how my child is doing"
The poison doctor rolled his eyes. He had no choice but to provide his undivided attention into examining the Countess' lower body. The wooden opening device seemed to have caused Aeolia pain. The Countess let out wails after wails. Percy started to tense up. There was no problem with the fetus, was there? The response of the Head of the Andrew's Military Investigation Bureau was a little too intense, was it not?
"Oscar... save me... Oscar..." Sasha cowered at the corner of the bed, but the Countess' howls of pain broke her train of thought.
The people in the room were constantly moving and the room was filled with all kinds of shouting. Sasha's brain was in a state of confusion. She saw countless concerned eyes, heard heart-wrenching cries so devastating that it could give one nightmares! She had a splitting headache and she did not know where she was. She could only try her best to keep her teeth from biting her tongue that was shivering and numb and had a continuously bitter taste on it. What was wrong with her? What were all the people doing?
The countless shadows that flitted pass suddenly formed into a scene. Sasha saw blood, a massive amount of blood, gushing out from below! In an instant, it had stained the white bed sheets red. The brilliant, despairing red filled her entire field of vision in a flash!
That was right, there was still Percy! What was Percy doing? He had an inexplicable instrument in his hand and on it was blood. Blood was everywhere! Gushing out, continuously gushing!
"Argh--" a tragic cry scared the wits out of Sasha so badly that she bit the back of her hand fiercely. Poison Doctor Percy spread his hands innocently. He stared dumbstruck at the Countess who was continuously struggling and screaming loudly. It seemed… it seemed as if no one had even touched her.
A pair of withered, pale hands suddenly entered the people's field of vision. Aya glanced over and suddenly stopped shouting. She gazed at the pair of hands that was drawing ever closer, expectantly.
Sasha and the Countess' fingers clasped together. The mistress of the Andrew Family had tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Aya… are you alright? Aya…"
Aeolia slowly opened his mouth, but her tears instantly drowned out her words. Sasha's eyes were bright and clear and were filled with apprehension.
"I… I'm okay… mistress!" the Countess stroked Sasha's red and swollen face that she had slapped. She choked up for a long time before spitting the words out with difficulty.
Sasha turned towards the Percy who was welled up with a swirling mix of emotions. "You must save the child… save Oscar's child…"
The poison doctor wiped his eyes. "Rest assured… the child has been saved… he's saved!"
