The cognate Empress

Chapter 13. A weak mate

'Aleph, what do we do now? What do we do? That woman, why was she born now? Why? We were a year away from getting married. We were a short time away from absolute bliss. Why, just why? There were many decades still left until her calling was supposed to take place, my grandfather told me so. Moreover, everyone... they all knew of our relationship, but no one prohibited it, it was clear that she wasn't supposed to come for a long time still. Even your parents supported our engagement, but they called her back now, what is the meaning of this?

You weren't supposed to be hers. You are only mine!' Primrose's desperate words... questions...statements resounded inside the room, as she tightened her hands around Aleph. She was so immersed in her own sorrow that she was not aware that the man had turned stiff under her touch, or better said forceful embrace. 

Why was Aleph's mother so ruthless? Had she only wanted to deceive her all this time? Primrose surmised. All these years, the empress had promised her she would be the one to take her place. The empress had smiled to her and pretended to act towards her like Primrose was her daughter, but in the end she called that woman back. 

Just some months ago, Aleph's mother held her hand lovingly and assured her the wedding would take place as scheduled. And now a new true empress was waiting to be enthroned. With that woman's cognate blood running through her veins, her position as empress was firmly bolted in place. There was no longer any chance for her to occupy the most coveted position for any woman in the Metrican Empire, to become the highest ranking female of all. Why was the regent empress so deceiving and cruel? 

What Primrose failed to remember was that five months ago, glad that the regent empress had finally set their wedding date, she had once more overstepped the limit between her and Aleph even more so than in the past, and lovingly kissed the man's lips. The small expression of love from her had caught Aleph off guard, and he hadn't been able to refuse their first kiss. 

The result was three days of unconsciousness, followed by another week of constant sensation of weakness for Aleph. The hopelessness that shrouded the regent empress at that time, the feeling that could be said to be the trigger for her fear for the worst... this was the cause that first sprouted inside the older woman's mind the belief that the only one left for Aleph was the cognate empress. Otherwise, his condition could worsen to such a degree in the future, that even a brush against a female in passing might cause irremediable damage to her son, or even death.

 As Aleph had lied to his mother saying that he had only accidently caught Primrose's hand when the latter was about to fall, and even then he hadn't touched her directly, he thought that the matter would settled down peacefully. Who knew that the explanation only served to change their future forever.

The reassurance was meant to assure his mother it was only something unexpected, an unfortunate accident, and at the same time prevent the regent empress from blaming Primrose. He did not anticipate that because he had tried to minimize Primrose's deed, it actually alarmed for the first time his mother of his worsening state. 

And as Primrose did not stop after this particular episode, becoming bolder because of Aleph's protection and tacit agreement, the periods of time when Aleph would feel faint and sick, increased in number tremendously. It caused his mother to think that he would one day be unable to be around women even without touching them. A final thought that solidified the idea of the premature calling.

'I am sorry.' These were the only words Aleph could muster under her touch. But even if he could say something more, he had no other explanations he could give. He could not reassure Primrose of a future together, he could not tell her everything would be alright. And other words to excuse himself would be just cheap justifications.