Dear Immortal Tyrant

Kade and the army shortly returned to the palace with Atlan as a prisoner. The war was called off, for there was no point in it. The prize either side wanted was dead.

The journey back to the palace was long and harsh. It took ten men to physically pry the Commander off of Lina. They placed her in a make-shift carriage, despite the Commander's demands.

Kade couldn't part from her. He refused to. He physically couldn't do so. He sat upon his horse, all alone, when he should've had Lina in his arms. He rode back to Ritan agasted and haggard.

There was no light in his eyes. No joy on his face. He had won the war, but at what cost?

Kade had lost everything.

- - - - -

"What? Summon the Imperial Doctor for the Princess?" Sebastian requested, his brows shot upwards in shock.

Sebastian wondered if he heard it incorrectly. He tried to hold back the astonishment, but failed. But whatever. He was willing to do anything to get the Commander to see the Imperial Doctor.

The army nurses had tried their best to heal the Commander's wounds, but the man was stubborn; he kept on insisting on needing to see Lina. The problem had worsened so much that the Commander had barely drank or eaten anything for the past few days.

"A-alright then…" Sebastian finally relented.

Sebastian knew he could get the Imperial Doctor to check up on the Commander afterwards. He hoped the Imperial Doctor's confirmation of Lina's death would bring solitude to them all. Maybe then, the Commander would stop pretending his wife was in a deep sleep.

Sebastian left to fetch the Imperial Doctor. It was the middle of the afternoon and they had just returned to the palace. Ritan was celebrating the war as a victory. Everyone in the Imperial Family was ecstatic by the army's return. And no casualties?

It was a miracle!

Regardless, Sebastian ran off to fetch the doctor. He was still wearing his robes and armor, but rushed to the man anyway. Taking off his clothes could wait. Once the doctor was summoned, together, they swiftly made it to the Seventh Prince's estate

People knew better than to make the most important person in the palace wait.

When the doctor arrived, he was disturbed by the stench. His nose crinkled. Was it the Commander? Or was it the dead woman in his bed?

"Your Highness…" The Imperial Doctor greeted, cupping his hands and lowering his head.

"My wife doesn't have a pulse. Fix it."

The Imperial Doctor slowly blinked. He raised his head and glanced at Sebastian, wondering if they both heard the same thing.

Sebastian quickly nodded his head, gesturing for the Imperial Doctor to do as instructed. They both knew the Commander was in denial, but neither of them could do anything about it.

The Imperial Doctor could only confirm her death.

"As you wish, Your Highness," the Imperial Doctor stated.

The Imperial Doctor swiftly knelt by the bedside. He placed a hand to her neck and then her wrists. Then, horror dawned on him. Without warning, he placed a hand on her stomach. Afterwards, he shakily glanced down at her robes that were stained all over with blood.

One spot stood out to him in particular. Below her waist. She was slit in the throat, but it shouldn't have traveled that far.

"Your Highness," the Imperial Doctor said, his voice barely above an ominous whisper.

"What is it?" Kade demanded. "Will she live?"

The Imperial Doctor gulped. He knew he was going to be sealing his fate right then and here. A furious royal member was never a good thing. Delivering bad news to them was even worse.

"The Princess…"

The Imperial Doctor could barely manage to say it. Suddenly, he dropped to his knees and hand. He squeezed his eyes shut, his frail shoulders shaking like a twig against the wind. He couldn't utter such words, for it was going to get him killed.

"Speak," Kade insisted.

"The Princess had a miscarriage the second she died."

Kade staggered backward, like he was mortally wounded. He felt a knife through his chest, being twisted and turned like a spoon stirring a pot. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't hear.

Ringing in his ears began again. His world grew dizzy. He was slapped in the face by the news, kicked in the stomach by the realization, and choked with the fact. He couldn't bring himself to believe it.

"N-no…" Kade could barely speak.

The sound was like a droplet of rain in the ocean before it poured, enough to raise the water levels.

Kade believed the rug was yanked from his feet. He sank to the floor, deep on his knees. Yet again, another scream was choked from his lungs. He rose to his feet and violently destroyed everything in his path.

"NOOOO!" Kade roared, unable to hold back his fury and pain.

Kade shouted and swept the furniture to the ground.

Sebastian was shocked. He had never seen the Commander like this. Even so, he brought the frail and old Imperial Doctor to his feet. Then, they rushed out of the room. They were fearful to be in the path of destruction.

Kade destroyed everything in his room. Every porcelain item was shattered. Every painting was slashed. Every curtain was cut. Not even a tornado could ruin his room as much as his hands did.

"Lina, my Lina…" Kade wept, dropping to the ground beside the bed. The bed was the only thing left untouched by his fury.

In a room of shattered and sliced mess, the bed was as perfect as it could be. Kade made sure to not touch it. He made sure to keep the ruination away from Lina.

"Dove, my beloved dove," Kade whispered. His voice cracked. He was unlike himself.

Kade grabbed her cold hands. He brought it to his forehead, sobbing before his wife. He had never cried before. He let out a painful scream, his shoulders shaking uncontrollably.

"I'll change. I'll do anything. I beg of you…" Kade muttered, unable to hold himself back.

Kade kissed her cold fingers. The only thing warm about her was the tears that slipped onto her hand.

Why didn't he realize it sooner? Why didn't he see the warning signs earlier? She was his focal point. The light of his life. The love of his heart. She meant everything to him. And he even waved the idea of a pregnancy as a threat.

"Come back to me, dove… Come back to me please…"

Kade had never felt so small. His shoulders were caved in. To keep his everything, he had lost everything. Images of their future flashed before him.

Lina. Lina was holding his child. She was all alone in a meadow of flowers. When she turned her head, a smile lit up her face. She was carrying their baby and happily greeted him.

Now, all of that was gone. Their precious future was never going to come true. His dream was crushed right then and there.

"Please…" Kade whimpered. "Please return to me, I'm so sorry…"

It was no use.

His begging fell on deaf ears, just like her pleas that night.