"We trusted you!"

"I knew you shouldn't have been elected King!"

"Your Majesty, what has gotten into you? You're not under a spell- I can tell! This is your true intention?"

A swarm of women and soldiers bombarded him with questions he did not expect. Only one day had passed. An alliance with the Divine Empire was what he thought should be on everyone's mind by now, ever since he defeated Gaius. Yet, why were they so surprised?

The ground was where he laid his gaze. Hesitant. Exhausted. Aghast. Sick of these ungrateful men, he shouted with the angriest voice they've heard. "I have told you all before! We will make an announcement tomorrow so I need you to refrain from these questions. This creature has been lurking in the Dean Forest! I'm sure all of you know where that Forest is! Well? Anyone!" He finally looked up and darted his eyes on each and every one of the heated people. After a long pause, a young soldier raised his hand. Calming himself down to not scare him, Arthur nodded.

"The Dean Forest, Your Majesty!" He said, bowing his head low at the King with fearful respect. "That forest borders the Divine Empire territory and the Albion Kingdom territory! That means that this creature you speak, sir, should be affecting both of our citizens?" Arthur stood up.

"There you have it, folks!" He yelled to everyone. "Affecting our people too! Why have we not noticed this? Because they're bloody missing!"

"Everyone, give him some space!" Their heads turned. Shocked, they saw the blond Emperor walking towards Arthur with his hands folded behind him.

Morgan stormed out of the scene, momentarily noticing Octavia who was resting on a bench not too far from the small riot. She stopped in her tracks before remembering their little fight in the bath. They have not talked since.

Three quarters of the group left with a respectful nod at the emperor. The other quarter were still there sharing snarls at the tall blond man. "Why should we listen to you?"

Nero spoke loudly as if to announce to the surrounding people. "I intend to combine our forces. We need not bicker nor do we need to shed blood. I- no, We, King Arthur and I, wish to have an era of peace. Isn't that what everyone wants?"

"You think it's so easy to just trust you?" one man said.

"We are still in the midst of reconstructing buildings you blasted! This land is sacred!" another man shouted. Arthur reared in front of Nero to scold them off but the Emperor refused.

"It won't be sacred for long unless we think of something better to protect it!" he bellowed back.

Although Nero was heated, his voice was too graceful and calm to hint it. It made the people furious of how professional he was.

"Not for long, that creature would spread across this sacred land of yours," he continued. "And when that time comes, don't come begging for help from us when we will consider canceling this simple alliance. You think we don't have to face consequences you made too? You think initiating this union doesn't impose a risk on our empire too?"

When the people had nothing left to say, Nero went off as he grabbed along Arthur with him, thumping his shoulder hard against the bashful man in the process. They went to Morgan's direction.

"Hey," the tomboy started. She brought herself closer to the blonde but something held her back.

That night, when Arthur had beckoned for Octavia, it must've been for the meeting they had with the Empire. Morgan waited for a response but all Octavia did was to sit up. She averted her face, trying to hide dark circles under her eyes but Morgan had noticed it all too soon. Before she got to ask whether she was okay, Octavia had started.

"What?" she said, voice cracking.

"Look, about the other day…" Morgan flinched when Octavia scowled furiously at her boots.

That was the last thing on Octavia's mind. The stupid quarrel they had in the bath? The war against Gaius? The duel with Lidia? They were all in the past- her past. Why bring it up? What was so important?

The only thing that should matter was the future.

Rushed footsteps perked Morgan's attention. A flawless man with kempt black hair hastily made his way to Octavia. It was Mark Antony, her new assistant. Octavia agitatedly gripped onto her book. Not only did they put her in the hardest position, they assigned her previous lover to be her latest helper. She didn't know which was worse.

All in all, it felt as though they did everything to spite her.

"Milady, I've gathered the scrolls that-"

Boiling with silent wrath, something that Octavia rarely experienced, she got to her feet and threw her book at Mark who winced and pathetically dropped a bunch of scrolls. She paused for a while, blue eyes meeting his before all bitter memories returned to her. Her mouth opened. Mark waited, focusing on parted pink lips. Her heart skipped a beat.

"Forgive me," she said in a rush, nodded at him and Morgan, sighed in little shock when she saw Arthur and Nero witnessing the act. Then, she briskly walked… swearing in Latin under her breath.

"I've forgave you long ago, milady," he whispered as he gathered the scrolls on the ground.