Fan Fiction ❯ For One To Trust ❯ Chapter Three: The Love of an Emperor ( Chapter 3 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

For One To Trust
By Kimberly Lucker
All characters and parts of this story are original so don't take them!

Chapter 3: The Love of an Emperor


The emperor held the scared woman close to his heart as her tears rolled down his silver robe, "I don't know how to explain it."

"Try." She was staring into the emperor's soft blue eyes ignoring his hideous appearance for just a moment.

"I love you, Crystal," Aolan mumbled.

Crystal patted his paw, "You don't know me."

"Don't you believe in love at first sight?"

"I wouldn't know."

"I shouldn't of been so forward. I'm sorry, Crystal." The emperor stood and turned his back to her, "We should return to the palace. It is getting late."

"Sire, I didn't mean to offend you in any way." Crystal scrambled to her feet and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Let's go." Aolan let out a slight whimper.

Crystal and Emperor Aolan walked in silence back to the palace. She continued to observe his lonely eyes clutching the sketchbook. She wasn't ready to love especially not a creature like him. At least that's what she told herself. They reached the palace. Kojo had been waiting for their return.

"My lord, are you alright?" Kojo asked upon the emperor's entrance.

"Yes," The emperor said unemotionally, "Make sure Lady Crystal gets to the room I arranged for her."

"Yes, sire. Crystal?" Kojo led Crystal to a room down the hall from his own. Crystal held the sketchpad close to her chest. Kojo opened the door for her.

The room was full of the most beautiful flowers. They were full of life and beauty. It was a rainbow of colors. There was the most delicate red rose lying on her pillow.

Kojo smiled at Crystal's expression of awe, "Is there anything else you need?"

Crystal shook her head, her mouth slightly open at the massive amount of flowers. Kojo left her and Crystal walked around the room smelling the aromatic flowers. She set the sketchbook down gently on the nightstand and picked up the solitary red rose lying on her bed. She took the rose to her bosom and sat on the lavender sheeted bed just holding the rose thinking about the beastly emperor and his announcement of love.

No one had been so kind and gentle to her. Crystal wanted desperately to love and trust once again but she was too terrified. She didn't want to fall in love and the emperor was a monster, a kind and gentle monster but still a monster.

She opened the sketchbook and looked through it. She paused at the drawing of the emperor. Crystal started to imagine herself running her hands through his silky fur. She shook the image from her mind and placed the rose in between the sketches of her and the emperor. Crystal went to Kojo's room.

"I need to see the emperor."

"Then I will escort you to him," Kojo led Crystal through the labyrinth of hallways to a fancier door.

"Good Luck," Kojo knocked three times and left.

"Come in, Kojo," The emperor opened the door. His furry chest was bare.

Crystal looked away, red overtaking her cheeks, "I just wanted to thank you."

"For what?" He asked grabbing his robe and putting it on.

"Making me feel comfortable in a strange environment." She answered still looking away from him.

"And that could not wait until tomorrow?"

"I'm sorry I shouldn't of bothered you, sire."

The emperor rolled his eyes, "It is no bother, Crystal. Be ready to leave tomorrow morning. It will be a long ride and you need your rest."

"I... like the flowers."

"Is there something else?" He asked gently.

"No," Crystal still was not able to trust. He was still a monster even if it was kind to her.

"Can you find your way back to your room or do you want me to escort you?"

"I can find it, thank you." Crystal said and left him.

"Good night," He said down the hallway.

In the morning, an outfit was laid out for Crystal, black pants and a white blouse. She put on the outfit and then noticed the sword laid out for her.

'Good thing I joined the fencing team,' Crystal thought as she put the belt with the sword on. She had only joined the fencing team to distract her from the pain of life.

The sword had a simple silver handle and was lightweight. She picked of the black pack. It had a red rose placed in the drawstring. She could only assume that the kind emperor had placed it in her room as she slept. She took the silver brush from the pack and ran it through her hair a few times. She returned it to the pack.

Kojo entered wearing a bright red silk shirt and white pants. He smiled as he noticed Crystal observing the rose.

"The emperor is waiting."

Crystal put the short cut rose behind her ear, "Must we hurry?"

"It will be a long journey," Kojo took her hand.

"Alright," Crystal followed Kojo outside the palace. There were two white stallions waiting. The emperor was waiting on all fours, ready to move. He wore a white shirt and had a sword on his side. Crystal backed into Kojo.

The emperor turned to Crystal, "Is there a problem?"

"I... I don't like horses." Crystal said her voice shaking.

"Then you can ride with Kojo or on my back."

Crystal looked up at the emperor, "I don't know."

"Don't worry. " Kojo said trying to coax Crystal holding his hand out while he mounted the white stallion.

Crystal took Kojo's hand and he pulled her up onto the horse so she was seated behind him.

"I am terrified of horses." Crystal said her voice almost shaking.

"I said I would protect you." Aolan said calmly, "If you fall I will catch you."

The emperor came too close to the stallion and it bucked. Crystal clutched the Kojo's waist and smothered her face into his back. The emperor put his paw on her back to prevent her from falling.

"It's alright, Crystal."

"I don't like this. I don't like this at all!" Crystal continued to clutch the Kojo for dear life.

"I'm going to go ahead so I don't frighten the horse anymore." Aolan ran ahead on all fours.

They rode through the city and onto the dirt path leading away from the city. Crystal finally stopped clutching Kojo and he breathed a heavy sigh of relief. Not even minutes after her hand had left his waist, the horse bucked and knocked Crystal to the ground. Aolan ran up and covered Crystal and tried to wake her. She woke quickly staring up at the wolf-like creature.

"We're being attacked."

Four armed men came over the hill. Kojo joined Aolan and both pulled their swords from their sheaths. Crystal stood stumbling to her feet.

"Stay back, Crystal," Emperor Aolan pushed her behind him gently to protect her.

"Can't I help?" Crystal pulled her sword weakly from the sheath.

"Just stay back, m'lady," Kojo glared back with his amber eyes almost glowing.

"Please let us handle it," The emperor said sensitively.

Crystal backed up to let the two fight off the bad guys. Kojo was fighting two effortlessly while the emperor took two swings to kill the other two men. Finally the four enemies were slain.

Aolan turned and grasped Crystal's shoulder. He looked into her dazed eyes, "Are you okay?"

While he questioned her, an arrow flew from the horizon.

Kojo yelled out, "Aolan!"

Aolan whipped around but it was too late. The arrow was embedded into his right shoulder. Kojo ran after the fifth man and slew him.

Crystal grabbed the emperor, "We need to get somewhere to hide."

"The forest," Emperor Aolan's shoulder was bleeding heavily. Kojo took the emperor and had the emperor lean against him.

Crystal had forgotten about the pain in the back of her head. She hadn't realized she was bleeding almost as heavily if not more so than Aolan.

"I feel-" Crystal fainted from being lightheaded.

"Crystal!" Aolan rushed to her. He supported her neck and felt the blood on his hands. He lifted her into his arms.

"Sire, you're hurt. Let me carry her."

"You need to be able to protect us with that sword of yours." Emperor Aolan held Crystal close to his chest, trying to bare the pain.

They made their way to the forest, it was already getting dark. Crystal woke in Aolan's arms.

"You've lost some blood. We were about to stop and set up camp." Aolan whispered gently.

"You carried me even with your injury?" Crystal questioned Aolan.

Aolan set Crystal down in the clearing, "Kojo, she needs your gift more than I do."

Kojo knelt down beside Crystal and that same glowing light healed her, "That's all that I have."

Crystal sat up freshly healed, "But your shoulder, sire!"

"It's fine." He snapped off the end of the arrow.

"No it's not." Crystal sat demurely in front of Aolan, "Look at me."

He nodded understanding what she was about to do. She took the arrow into her hand.

"Just look at my eyes," Crystal whispered gently as she began to yank the arrow out. The emperor gritted his teeth from the pain and he emitted a low growling sound from the back of his throat. Luckily the arrow had hit nothing important. Finally the bloody shaft was pulled out.

Crystal ripped the sleeve off her blouse and then looked to Aolan, "You'll have to take off your shirt if you expect me to dress your wound properly."

The emperor unbuttoned and removed his bloody shirt to reveal his bloody chest. His fur was matted with blood. Crystal tied the white cloth around his shoulder and tightened it.

He watched her as she cared for his shoulder.

"You received this injury because of me, sire." Crystal whispered.

Aolan smirked rubbing his shoulder, "I've had worse."

"But Kojo would heal you, right?"

Aolan nodded looking to Kojo who was munching on the fruit from the tree. Kojo handed some of the purple fruit to Aolan and Crystal. Kojo's eyes were no longer glowing. When Crystal and Kojo first met and he fought those five men in the bar, she could of sworn she saw his eyes glow.

Crystal ate the fruit and then pulled the blanket from her pack.

"Crystal?" The emperor questioned.

"Yes, sire?" Crystal turned back to him.

"You haven't been this close in awhile, have you?"

"If you think we're close you are mistaken. I am only repaying you for your protection." Crystal whipped back around and laid down wrapping the blanket around herself.

"You cannot keep denying your heart, Crystal," Aolan curled up in the lush grass.

"Why, when it keeps denying me?" She mumbled under her breath.

Kojo glared at the two and cleaned his blade of blood.

That night Crystal dreamt a dream she had always had since she was little. She was in a white wedding gown that was fit for a princess. There were flowers all around and tons of people standing looking at her, none of which she recognized. Crystal walked down the aisle to the end of the aisle were waiting for her was the most gorgeous man she had ever seen. He had silver hair that flowed about his shoulders like wild strands of silk. His eyes were blue and his smile was angelic.

Crystal dreamed of the ceremony but she couldn't make out any voices. Then the beautiful man lifted the veil and kissed her. That was always how it ended.