Calla

Lizabeth came the next morning to open my curtains, making sure to let in the sun.

"Lizabeththhh" I huffed.

"Good morning empress! We have much to do today! We have a meeting with the ladies of the court, then you have to meet a few dignitaries and have lunch then the soldiers." she recited.

"Why can't Leo do it?" I grumbled still embarrassed by the event that occurred two days ago. I refused to even walk past Donatello's room, too embarrassed to face him.

"Come on! Up, up!" she pulled off the blankets exposing me to the cold air.

"Fine I'm up! I'm up!" I cursed walking over to the bathroom so she could start turning over the sheets.

——

I read another book by Athello as she washed my back.

"You know" I said, breaking my concentration from the book in my hand, "I was thinking. Everyone is scared of Leo because they fear he could kil him. They fear him but they do not respect him and that can be used for our advantage." I stated, pushing the book to the floor.

Lizabeth helps me from the waters, wrapping a towel around my waist. "You cannot just kill him though. Even though he is hated, there will be backlash. You must let the people think as you. Win them over with a promise of a new Genovia then—-" Mariel lifted her finger across her neck, making the motion to slice her head off.

I chuckled as she dressed me for the day, powdering the bruise on my cheek. It was almost gone but traces where Leo had slapped me still lingered.

"Strength in numbers is Leo's advantage. He has too many blind sheep and people willing to follow him? His best friend lets his wife fuck him for holy sake? How will you get the people on your side?" Lizabeth asks.

"Hmmm" I hummed, "that is still something I have yet to figure out." I admitted, "But until then at least we have a plan and I have an ally."

"Besides me?" Lizabeth gasped.

"Yes...Oslo" I admitted. She looked into my eyes as if I were deranged and started laughing. "Oslo? Emperor Leo's personal human pet?"

"Do not underestimate him Lizabeth. He is very wise"

"AND he has served in the emperor's court for 15 years. There is a reason he has lasted so long. He shows his loyalty to the emperor"

"But he can help us Lizabeth! I saw the look in his eyes when we met in the library. His eyes were dead... as if there was a light dimmed by hopelessness"

"No Empress. You must not tell anyone! Not even Oslo"

"But..."

"No one!!" Lizabeth fumed, tying the last button of my corset.

"Fine" I pouted, turning to observe my dress in the mirror. "Where is Donatello by the way... Is he still in his room?" I asked casually, trying not to show Lizabeth my interest.

"I am not sure" she lied.

"Stop lying" I teased her already knowing she took a peek through his door.

"He wasn't in there. I fancy he took a stroll through the grounds or a swim by lake?" she smirked unmistakably.

"Lizabeth you are the worst!" I frowned, closing my dress buckle and looking out the window to the sky.

I couldn't stop thinking of Donatello. Something about him was different? He was not as brash as Leo and certainly more polite on first impressions.

Lizabeth recognized my silence and cleared her throat. "Someone has been on your mind" she insisted.

"Oh would you stop!" I huffed moving from the window and sitting at the edge of my bed. I did not care all that much about him. Besides, after he stayed here for a week or so, I would tell Leo I was content with him and he would leave black to his hometown.

"You know empress, you do not have to avoid him just because he caught you spying"

"I wasn't spying" I retorted, betrayed by Lizabeth's lack of faith in my story.

"Or because he caught you hiding behind the rock" Lizabeth smiled.

"I was crouching, not hiding!"

"Still, it was nice he returned your shoes after you forgot them by the bank"

"I suppose it was nice of him." I shrugged, trying to hide my emotions. I figured that was the reason he called me but I was so ashamed by the whole predicament I ran away instead.

As I sat at the edge of my bed, I turn my head and see the black shoes that I had forgetton at the lake.
I move to put them on but feel a paper within the sole.

It was a note?

Empress,

You forgot these when you were spying. Don't be so careful next time -Donatello

I smiled and folded the note, pushing it against my cheek in affection.

No! I must not!

It wasn't worth getting caught up in my emotions. I refused to be fixated on someone who would take leave so soon.

—-

Leo

-BOOM-

"Missed again Leo" Levy chuckled, happy he was winning our bet. Vanessa clung onto his arm as they both waited for my turn to be over.

"I am off my game" I cursed, throwing the gun into the servant's palm.

"You are always off your game" Levy teases but this time, I did not laugh. And for what reason you may ask?

Well, Calla was the reason.

"I've been thinking long and hard about this but I've decided and my mind is made up."

"About?" Levy asks blowing air through the end of his gun.

"I need to kill her." I bragged indifferently, taking another gun from the servant's reach.

"But emperor! You have been married for mere months. 3 to be exact"

"3 months too long if you ask me. If I kill her quietly, no one will miss her. It will be easier that way" I shrugged. Levy shook his head and looked at Vanessa.

"Leo... that will be the 10th girl! They will be suspicious" Levy tries to reason but my anger was impatiently rising.

"They? And what do you think I care what they think?" I asked him, pushing my gun to his chest.

"What they care is insignificant to you emperor" he sighs, quickly remembering his place. "But you said you needed an heir? Wasn't that the whole purpose of letting Ystev bring her here?"

"Shit!" I grumbled remembering his truth.

"Has she fallen pregnant?" Vanessa asks.

"No.. and it is strange because I fuck her every other morning."

"So, get the child from her, then kill her emperor. She will grow pregnant soon. Once she gives birth dispose of her and live on with your life" Vanessa smiles, pressing her palm into mine.

I take her into my arms and kiss her lips with passion. ""What a brilliant plan Vanessa." I smiled, grabbing her tiny waist with love.

"If only Calla were like you. I thought our love could blossom into a story that would rival even Macbeth's"

"Its..Romeo and Juliet" Levy coughs to clarify.

"Come on" I whisper, pulling her away to fuck her in the bushes. I couldn't wait until we got back to the palace.

—-

Calla

I was stuck at another boring banquet but see Donatello pass by the doors. He didn't notice me inside but I still decided to follow him. I wondered where he was wondering off to?

"Leo I must go." I announce, twisting my lips into a smile.

"No you must not. You leave when I allow you" he grumbled. I rolled my eyes and decided to simply lie. There was no winning with his brainless intellect. "Then I need to use the bathroom. It's that week" I hint, titling my head to clue him in.

"Yuck! We'll be quick then" he said through a frown before snapping for more wine.

I gathered my dress and stroll through the palace, peaking around each corner to see if Donatello had come down one of the paths. Just before I was about to give up, I see Donetello turning a corner and venturing into the gardens.

The sun has barley set as he plucked a few fruits from the tree. There were peaches and pears and a small bundle of red apples. He took a bite from each one then discarded them to the floor.

I hid behind a distant tree, watching him from afar. He was a strange and peculiar man but I was so intrigued. My foot slipped and I stepped on a branch quickly revealing my hiding place. He turned around to look at the noise and smirked.

There was no way he would ignore the sound so I couldn't help but peel from the tree revealing myself.

"Empress" he smirked and nodded to show his respect. "How did I know it would be you behind that tree?"

"Donatello." I nodded, stepping up to approach him.

"Do you spy on everyone or is it just me?" he asked but I could tell he did not truly mind my curiousity. His eyes sort of lit up.

"I spy on whomever I please Donatello. Today I decided that it would be you. Is that an issue?"

"Not at all empress, I would say it is a sort of honor" he teased, trying to mask his chuckle. I tried to hide my smile and looked to the tree behind him.He continued his actions and bent to observe more fruit on the floor. "Lizabeth said it was you who took my clothes and hid them the first night I came? And that you peeked through the door as I showered"

I tried to hide my anger as I heard his lies. Lizabeth would be punished for her deformations.

"Did she now?" I say through gritted teeth.

"She did" he smirked, showing off his handsome smile, "I just pray you were not too dissatisfied in what you saw that night. As you seemed to need more confirmation at the lake the next morning?"

He still picked another fruit from the tree and bit into it once again, tossing the rest to the floor.

"I didn't.... even...... I mean..."

He beamed at my flustered manner and stared back at the fruit on the grass.

I was desperate to steer the conversation into a more..lighter one that didn't crumble at my expense. "That's a different way to eat fruit?" I said. He nodded and looked into my eyes. "I suppose it is?" he said, staring at me through a smirk.

"What purpose does it serve? Eating it this way?"

"Well." he picked up a pear and walked over to me, making the distance between us nonexistent before pressing it into my palm. "Take a bite and see, but after you take the bite, tilt your head back."

I looked at him like a loon but nodded and took a bite chewing it carefully. He pulled my chin into his palm  and gently tilted my head back and soon, a burst of flavor shot through my senses. It was sweet and savory with a hint of saltiness.

I brought my head down and stared up at him.

"What was that?" I gasped.

"Umami" he bragged smiling as he saw my suprise. "It takes the flavor and extracts the savory aspect."

"Interesting" I nodded, bending to take another fruit. "You know, they say that flavor is the best part of the fruit? It is not the core but the first bite"

"I see" I nodded, smiling and giggling as the juices drip down my chin. He smirked and walked over to me, wiping my mouth clean with his handkerchief. His vibrant brown eyes stared into mine, each orb scanning over my face. It was if...he was reading the inner machinations of my mind.

I heated but of course he could not see...he must never see.

"I use umami as a base for the tonic I make" he says, breaking our silence while tucking his handkerchief into his jacket pocket.

"You are a wine connoisseur as well? Is there anything else I must know about you Donatello?"

"Not that I know of" he teased taking the pear from my palm, "but you are free to ask me anything you like? Of course, I am sure you have better things to concern yourself than worrying about a boring man like me."

"And humble too?" I smiled, he laughed but nodded. "What reason did Leo call you for?" I ask carefully , making sure he was no spy. He had shown no marks of being one, but his arrival at Genovia was far too convenient for my taste.

"Well...he said I was to make you happy."

"That is all?" I ask again.

"Oh, and he also said if you were to show any animations while we were doing it, he would give me 1000 danais, bronze my manhood and hang it onto a museum so all could stare" I rolled my eyes as I heard the declaration.

It was so on cue that Leo would say something like that.

"And what did you say to that Donatella?"

"Well, I told him it would just be nice if Genovia had a museum or school of thought"

I nodded,his words instantly filling me with joy. So he was an intellectual?

"Why did he choose you? Surely you are friends?"

"I have met him only twice through my father" he revealed.

"The famous lover of Spainia"

"He undersells him. He was so much more than that. He dabbled in music, art, the stars. It seems as if him being a womanizer was the only thing that stuck"

"And...are you experienced in this ...lover...loving aspect?"

"I had my fair share of encounters...all meaningless of course" he sighs, his gaze still cemented onto mine. We stare at each other awkwardly before I remembered the banquet I was supposed to be present at.

"I will leave you to it then Donatello. Good night"

"To you as well Empress."

____

Author Note:

Donatella is making our good sis feel things....hmmmm

Let's get this chapter to ....90 reads for a new update! I cannot wait for the next chap!!