Chapter 102 - ONE HUNDRED TWO: His Plan All Along

"... So, earlier, why did you tell me not to touch the crystals?" Kel questioned, gazing at the brilliant stones surrounding them.

"I was jealous," the emperor shrugged absently.

"You.. were jealous? What does that even mean?" Kel sighed, shaking her head.

Would it kill the man to give her an answer that made sense for once?

"It was distracting you from thinking of me. I didn't like it," he explained, as if in response to her wish.

"Right…" Kel trailed off, the embarrassment from earlier finding its way back into her cheeks and setting them on fire.

Of course he'd heard everything. Of course he saw her cursing herself for not being able to stop thinking about him. But isn't the polite thing to pretend he didn't?!

Her internal self destruction lasted much longer this time. Either the Dragon Emperor wasn't aware of what was happening just next to him or, more likely, he was perfectly aware and enjoying it immensely.

Just when Kel thought her face would actually erupt into flames from the burning shame, she heard a ruckus just outside the door.

Oh no. Had Soren finally returned with the 'friend' he was talking about earlier?

In a flash, she was on her feet. She had to hide the emperor befo-

"Ack!" Kel grunted as the emperor's strong arm suddenly yanked her back down.

"What are you doing? You have to hide!" she hissed.

"It hasn't been seven minutes and thirty-eight seconds yet," the emperor responded apathetically. 

Kel stared in disbelief. She already knew the answer to her next question but couldn't stop herself from blurting it anyway.

"Are you stupid?!" she exclaimed, rising to her feet again.

With a chuckle, the emperor started counting down in a whisper.

"Ten… nine… eight…"

No! This isn't the time for this, Kel thought. 

Was the emperor planning on facing Soren right here and now? Is that what he had been waiting for all along?

"..One."

Directly on time with the emperor's count, the door flew open. Kel immediately froze, squinting at the figure standing in the doorway, surrounded by an orange glow.

It wasn't Soren. In fact, it didn't appear to be a man at all.

"Finally," the emperor remarked, rising to his feet.

"What do you mean, 'finally'? I'm exactly on time," the woman responded, stepping into the room.

"L-Lucy?" Kel questioned as the woman came closer.

She was wearing different attire than the maid uniform Kel was used to, and her hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail. 

But it was definitely her.

"I'm glad you're safe, Princess!" Lucy grinned, opening her arms just in time for Kel to dive into them.

"Lucy! I'm so glad to see you!" Kel gushed. 

The last person she thought she'd run into down in Subterra was her beloved maid.

Wait.

Why was her beloved maid here? Rescuing them, no less?

Turning to the emperor, Kel demanded, "Your plan was to wait for a maid to come save us?!"

The emperor smirked in response as he slowly made his way toward the two hugging girls.

"Not that Lucy isn't an extremely capable person," Kel continued, "but why would y-"

"PRINCESSSSS!!!" An all too familiar call cut her off.

Like a bolt of lightning, Kel suddenly found herself whisked from Lucy's arms and into Thane's. 

Stroking her hair with one hand as he crushed her body with the other, he whined, "Princess! I was so worried about you!"

"I.. I can see that," Kel whispered hoarsely as the overly affectionate knight squoze the air out of her lungs.

Ah, so the emperor hadn't hinged their entire escape on a maid after all. But still, why had Lucy come on such a dangerous mission?

"Just who are you hugging right now?" The maid's angry tone boomed as both she and the emperor worked to peel Thane off of Kel.

"Aw but you got to hug her!" Thane whimpered to Lucy.

"And Your Majesty, too!" he added, pouting at the emperor. "I bet you've been sitting in here hugging the princess the whole time, so why can't-UGH!"

Lucy's fist against his gut brought Thane's wailing to an abrupt stop.

"Honestly, you're such a baby," the woman scoffed. "Stop whining, and let's get out of here!"

"Hmph, fine," Thane conceded, rubbing his stomach exaggeratedly. 

As they clambered out into the hallway past various unconscious guards, the emperor fell into step next to Thane, leaving Lucy and Kel to bring up the rear.

"Status report," he commanded while they marched back toward the main tunnel.

"General Everard is leading the main charge while Lieutenant Aldo is bringing forces around the back, Sire," Thane detailed obediently. "Roland and his unit are waiting by the entrance to infiltrate on your command."

"And the resistance?" The emperor inquired.

"Minimal, Sire," the knight answered. "But we expect it to grow exponentially very soon."

"Not much time then.." the emperor murmured, then in a loud voice announced, "Let's pick up the pace."

Kel's head spun as she speed-walked alongside Lucy. 

Did she hear correctly? The emperor had brought multiple groups of soldiers to this place? And they were fighting?

So this was his plan all along. No wonder he'd been so calm the whole time. He hadn't just brought a maid and a knight or two to take Kel back, he'd brought his army to take down the Yellow Marguerite.

The more she thought about it, however, the more something about the situation bothered her.

The oath Lila mentioned the emperor had taken. 

The promise to leave Subterra and its people untouched. 

It wasn't something he could break this easily, was it? Otherwise, he definitely would have put an end to Soren and his antics long ago.

So why was he doing this now?

Kel didn't have long to ponder before the hallway began rumbling. Two openings on either side of them slid open and Yellow Marguerite soldiers began pouring out. 

There were secret passages after all, Kel wondered briefly as she and Lucy were forced away from the emperor and Thane. 

Despite their attempts to stay together, it seemed the soldiers' sole purpose was to separate them. As Thane's calls grew farther away, Kel glanced nervously at Lucy and then at the warriors rapidly surrounding them.

There was no other choice, right? 

She'd have to reveal herself here and now.