The Remarried Empress — Chapter 3

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OH! H-HEY!

I AM THE EMPRESS.

BUT SHE DARES TO SAY "HEY"?

WE SHOULD JUST LEAVE.

YOU MUSTN'T, LADY RASHTA.

HI. I'M RASHTA.

WHAT DOES SHE WANT FROM ME?

HELLO, RASHTA.

DID SHE WANT ME TO SAY HER NAME?

I'M SURE I WON'T RUN INTO HER AGAIN.

WAIT!

OOPS!

OH NO.

YOUR MAJESTY!

HOW INSOLENT!

OH, I-I...

I'M SORRY... I WANTED TO CALL OUT TO YOU, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO CALL YOU.

HER MAJESTY IS THE EMPRESS OF THE EASTERN EMPIRE! WATCH YOUR BEHAVIOR!

PARDON?

I-I MEAN, I KNOW SHE'S THE EMPRESS.

WHAT?

SHE KNOWS I'M THE EMPRESS?

I'M RASHTA!

YOU KNOW WHO I AM?

I'M INDEBTED TO HIS MAJESTY FOR LETTING ME STAY IN THE EASTERN PALACE.

SHE'S A GIRL INDEBTED TO SOVIESHU, STAYING IN THE EASTERN PALACE, AND HAS AN INJURED LEG...

WELL! HIS MAJESTY BROUGHT SOME FILTHY GIRL BACK WITH HIM FROM HIS HUNTING TRIP.

HIS MAJESTY SAID THE GIRL WAS ACCIDENTALLY CAUGHT IN ONE OF HIS TRAPS.

THERE MUST BE MANY OTHER TOPICS WE CAN DISCUSS. IS THAT SO IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW?

AH, YES.

THE SLAVE?

I-I...

YOUR MAJESTY! PLEASE EXCUSE HER INSOLENCE.

BUT LADY RASHTA IS NOT A SLAVE.

SHE'S NOT A SLAVE? BUT MY LADIES-IN-WAITING WERE SURE SHE WAS A RUNAWAY... NEVER MIND.

SHE SAYS SHE'S NOT, SO THERE'S NO NEED TO QUIBBLE OVER IT.

I SEE.

BUT I'M SO GLAD TO HAVE MET YOU! I'VE BEEN MEANING TO GO SAY HELLO BUT WASN'T SURE WHEN I SHOULD.

SAY HELLO?

WELL, WE'LL BE SEEING MORE OF EACH OTHER, SO IT'S ONLY RIGHT THAT I INTRODUCE MYSELF.

WE'LL BE SEEING MORE OF EACH OTHER? SHE WANTS TO SEE ME? WHY?

SO, WHAT SHOULD I CALL YOU, YOUR MAJESTY?

WHAT SHOULD YOU CALL ME...?

CALL ME HER MAJESTY THE EMPRESS.

...PARDON?

THAT SHOULD DO IT.

OH... WAIT--

YOU INSOLENT BRAT!

HOW DARE YOU ACT SO FAMILIAR?

YOU FILTHY WENCH!

WHO ARE YOU CALLING...

...A "FILTHY WENCH"?

Y-YOUR MAJESTY....!

RASHTA!

OH DEAR... DON'T CRY...

DIDN'T I JUST TELL YOU TO STOP CRYING?

I REALLY CAN'T TAKE MY EYES OFF YOU FOR A MOMENT.

WHAT IS THIS FEELING?!

NO, IT'S JUST AS COUNTESS ELIZA SAID. IT'S ONLY NATURAL I FEEL THIS WAY.

BUT AT THE VERY LEAST...

...I HAVE THE FREEDOM TO LOOK AWAY FROM SUCH AN UNCOMFORTABLE SIGHT TO BEHOLD.

WE SHALL TAKE OUR LEAVE AS MY FEET ARE ACHING.

WAIT.

STOP, EMPRESS.

WHAT IS IT, YOUR MAJESTY?

THAT LADY-IN-WAITING.

LAURA?

HE COULDN'T POSSIBLY WANT TO SCOLD HER BECAUSE OF WHAT SHE SAID TO RASHTA?

LEAVE HER HERE WITH ME, EMPRESS.

IF YOU TELL ME WHAT FOR, FIRST.

I AM THE EMPRESS AND LAURA IS MY LADY-IN-WAITING AND THE ESTEEMED DAUGHTER OF A HIGH-RANKING FAMILY.

TO PUNISH LAURA BECAUSE OF SOMEONE WHO ISN'T EVEN HIS MISTRESS YET... HE WOULD BE PUBLICLY SHAMING HER.

AND ME AS WELL.

Y-YOUR MAJESTY...

NO.

SHE IS MY LADY-IN-WAITING.