Chapter 113 - Your Happiness

"I want you to be happy... all I want is your happiness, Cedric would have wanted you to be happy too"

My eyes trembled, does he want me to be happy too? Does he want me to marry Emperor Lawrence? Was that my fate? To lose the man I love and be married to another I have no feelings for? Was this really the fate of a Silver-haired to outlive a life decided by others, to be whisked away to marriage whenever they saw fit?

Why did goddess Yelena create such a fate for Silver-Haired, why did she want us to be subjected to decisions that weren't ours to make, to put duties before feelings, laws before love, and partners before soulmate.

All this, my lips pressed thin. It didn't seem like she wanted any of this. I looked at myself in the mirror, staring at my sad features. Who are you to say that Sylvia... it's not like I knew goddess Yelena... then how? How did I know that this was never what she wanted?

Boring in my looks for a prolonged time, for a split second there, I wasn't looking at myself, but a woman who resembled me, her silver hair straight falling to her waist, some packed in a golden pin, golden armlet on both her arms, shaped in a butterfly. The same with her ankle chains too, her light pink dress barely covered her smooth milky skin, like a silk line fabric against her body, swirling around her with other layers. The center of her forehead had a small crescent moon tattoo, gold color.

I gasped, closing my eyes, and then opened them... it was just my reflection now, what did I just see? Was that Yelena? And why on earth does she look exactly like me? There was no difference at all. Could I be... my eyes trembled, could I be her?

"Sylvia... we are done you can come down now"

Mother's voice snapped me out of my delusion. "Y-Yes Mother," I said with a shaky voice descending the platform, for a minute my eyes moved to the mirror once again, it was still my reflection. Was I seeing things now?

☆☆☆

"Mistress you still haven't told me what's bothering you," Mint said.

"I'm fine," I said, powdering my face. I was dressed and ready for the Ball, my empire waist gown was black because of my status now but it still had the most wonderful design, I rose to my feet, whirling to Mint.

"Just a dream... all of it is in my head"

"You're sounding like you're trying to convince yourself"

"Am I?" I said with a forced smile. Mint sighed, I'm sure he picked up that I was keeping something and he was right, I wasn't about to share something I didn't understand myself to him. I have leaned too much on him these past six months and I didn't like it. We all had our problems to bear, constantly dragging him into mine wasn't working, especially when all that was happening to me was a mystery.

"If you do not want to talk about it then it's fine Mistress... But I have one thing to ask you"

"What is it?"

His orbs bored into mine. "Are you really going to marry the Emperor?"

I gulped, hard, looking away.

"You clearly do not wish to move on as it is... You-"

"I'm ready to move on," I said in a strong voice.

He frowned. "I do not believe that"

"What makes you so sure Mint... this is for my happiness, Cedric sacrificed his soul for me right? I'm sure he would have wanted me to be happy" I said sternly. "It is after all... what everyone wants from me", on the verge of tears I whirled about walking away.

"What do you want, Mistress?"

At his question, I came to halt, what do I want? My grip tightened on my gown, What I wanted could not possibly be given.

"It doesn't matter now", I walked away.

☆☆☆

The carriage came to a halt, Mother took my hand, a smile on her lips.

"Are you ready, my child?"

I just gave a nod. "Know this Sylvia everything I do for you is for the best, no one should be alone at your age, this marriage will be a big step and change for you, I promise"

We walked into the grand palace, into the great hall filled with other attendants, it was just like the first time I came here, greeted with all the elegance and the glimpse of royalty around, I felt nostalgic... as I reminisced a faint memory of Cedric and I stepping inside, how engrossed I was with all the fancy display and his eyes on me the entire time, my arms locked with his in a tight grip as we greeted other officials.

My gaze moved to the platform where we danced for the first time, our first dance ever, how I was lost in his green eyes like we were the only ones in the world present.

"Emperor Lawrence Smith The First" at the announcement, everyone seized action, as they all turned to the stairs as Lawrence descended them. Seeing him right now after months I noticed how royalty has changed him, he has always looked so dashing but right now he looked like a king, especially in his royal attire.

His gaze fell on me and he didn't look away, neither did I. He sauntered to where I stood, others bowed and I did too.

"Emperor Lawrence," I said.

"Sylvia," he said with a smile against his lips. "I never thought you would come because..."

"This is your first Ball, it is mandatory for everyone to be here"

"I know that, but you're an exception, I would have understood," he said, I could see the sincerity in his crystal blue orbs.

I looked away. "I know," I said in a whisper.

"About what the officials decided..."

"Marriage to a Silver-Haired is what's best for the Empire, your heirs should be pure blood warlocks, that is what The past Emperor would have wanted" I answered before he could go on.

He frowned. "I know for a fact that arranged marriage are made by the higher-ups, no other have a say in the matter"

"Yes which is why the marriage will happen"

"No" he cut me off, his serious gaze on me. "I expected you not to agree to this"