The Emperor's Unfavored Empress

Chapter 7: Mournful Wedding

"Oh no, where has the Princess gone?" Cameron exclaimed anxiously. "This will not bode well with His Highness. She needs to be prepared for tomorrow. I'm getting more and more worried about her."

"I'm sure she's just in her chambers, Cameron," the head maid reassured him. "The Princess has been looking a little anxious lately and never comes out of her chamber." Mrs. Bennet added. "She's always so calm and collected," Cameron smiled and nodded in agreement.

"Sadly, the Prince has been ignoring her," Cameron said as a soft sigh of dismay escaped from his slightly opened mouth.

"My lord, the Princess is nowhere to be found in her chamber!" reported one of the maids in an anxious tone. Alarmed by this news, Cameron quickly rushed to the Princess's chamber.

"Where is the Princess?" Cameron asked Hera.

"She went to the capital with Lin," Hera said.

"And who is Lin?"

"The Princess's best friend and her person."

"And you didn't even stop them?" Cameron asked, annoyed. Hera did not answer. Cameron knew the woman in front of him had no power to stop the princess, so he did not say anything anymore. He was forced to return to the fourth prince's manor accompanied only by the servants.

"Where is she?" Magnus shouted as Cameron returned with the servants. Cameron didn't answer, causing Magnus' jaw to clench in annoyance. He then stood up and murmured, "That woman..."

"Where are you going, your highness?" Cameron asked.

"To find my wandering bride," said the prince, then put on the mask. Cameron secretly smiled at the prince's gesture.

"Get my horse!" Magnus exclaimed frantically. One of the guardians rushed to obey his orders and soon presented Magnus with his trusty steed. He quickly slung his sword onto his back and then mounted the horse, spurring it into a frenzied gallop as he dashed away.

Magnus arrived at the grand palace where Cassiopeia resides, and to his surprise, he was greeted by Hera, who appeared taken aback by his unexpected arrival. "Your highness!" the woman said in an astonished tone, hastily bowing her head to conceal her fear.

He searched the entire room, yet he still could not find Cassiopeia. "Where is Princess Cassiopeia?" he asked.

"They went out." Hera hesitated.

"Where?" Magnus asked.

"To the capital, your highness."

The prince did not waste time. He left the palace to go get her. He stopped when he saw the Duke of Sinclair's carriage. The Duke came out of the store just in time. "Your Highness, Prince Magnus," he said respectfully. "Allow me to congratulate you on your wedding," the Duke said.

"No need, Duke of Sinclair," Magnus said coldly, turning his back to the Duke. He was passing a liquor store briskly when he suddenly heard the loud, shrill laughter of the Princess coming from inside. He stopped in his tracks almost immediately and hesitated for a moment, trying to decide whether or not to go in and investigate.

He quickly dismounted his horse and entered the winery, where he saw a woman trying to keep Cassiopeia upright as she was too drunk to stand alone.

"You'll have to explain it to me later," Magnus said to Lin.

When they reached the palace, he took Cassiopeia to his manor and laid her in bed in the room next to his room. "What's your name?" Magnus asked Lin, who was now kneeling in front of the bed where Cassiopeia lay.

"Lin, your highness," Lin answered in a nervous tone.

"You know very well that tomorrow is the wedding day, and yet you took her to that place - why?" he asked naturally.

"I took her to the shop that sells hot chocolate, your highness, not the winery," Lin hastily clarified, anxiously worrying if she had made a mistake. "The Princess has been locking herself up in her room since the day she arrived, so I thought some of the shop's delicious hot cocoa might help her relax," Lin explained.

"Hot chocolate, and yet I found you two inside the winery? Are you trying to make a fool out of me?" Magnus's voice reverberated through the room. Lin secretly swallowed, knowing that this situation was not going in her favor.

"I am telling the truth, your highness," Lin defended, "the princess ran off after she saw the Duke," added Lin.

Magnus was stunned by what he heard. It sounded different to him. "You may leave now," he said. Lin immediately stood up and left the room. Magnus's eyes narrowed as he looked at Cassiopeia. He lightly reached out and cupped her chin in his hand, gently moving her cheek side to side as if he were examining her face with a cold expression.

In the morning, Cassiopeia was awakened from her deep sleep when she noticed she was in a different room. She immediately looked around to look for Lin. "Lin?!" she said. A woman came out carrying a tray of food, "Where am I?" she asked.

"You are in the fourth prince's residence, your highness," the woman replied. She quickly glanced at her dress to ensure everything was in place, with a panicked look in her eyes.

"It's me, Your Highness, who changed your clothes," said the woman as she opened the food lids. "Please eat. You will have a long day, Your Highness."

Cassiopeia breathed a sigh of relief. After eating, they helped her take a bath. While she was drying her hair, the door suddenly opened. She was stunned when a few other women suddenly entered the room.

"I am Daxia, Princess, the empire's exclusive dressmaker," the newcomer said with a smile. "I am the one who made your wedding gown, Your Highness. Allow me to present it to you," the woman said while extending her hand to the open door. Her companions entered, carrying a beautiful wedding gown. "I hope you like it, Your Highness," the woman smiled.

Cassiopeia was utterly mesmerized as she nodded in admiration and said, "Yes, it's absolutely gorgeous. It's breathtakingly beautiful."

As the afternoon sun slowly set on the horizon, the wedding ceremony finally ended, and all of the guests were busy enjoying themselves at the feast that had been prepared. As the extravagant occasion started, people were reveling in the beautiful, calming air of the Aurelian sunset. Everyone was delightful except for Cassiopeia, whose heart shattered after her husband left her in front of the altar and people after exchanging vows and announcements of their marriage. She felt an overwhelming sense of sadness after being ignored.

"Princess, are you okay?" Lin asked.

Without a word, Cassiopeia embraced Lin tightly, her body trembling with exhaustion as she requested in a quiet voice, "Bring me to my room, Lin. I need to rest."