It was the way of the Eternal Throne.
The heir to the Eternal Throne would become the true monarch once they were completely bonded with the ancient seat. Granting them strength and other powers.
This was done by the previous heir to the throne, the current occupant, passing on their bond to the next heir.
By doing so, the current occupant would also relinquish part of their life force away with the bond.
This was why the Emperor was in a poor state of health.
His Majesty had partially relinquished his bond to make Her Highness Samesta the crown princess.
Ever since, His Majesty had to be attended by a healer at all times.
If His Majesty were to relinquish the rest of his bond to the throne, then he would not have much longer to live.
Some former heirs lived up to ten years after completely passing the bond. While some did not even make it through the month.
It really depended on the person.
But they all gradually deteriorated in health and died.
"Your Great Highness, I can't promise you how long I can make His Majesty survive after he completely passes the bond. But I will do my best to--"
"His Majesty will die, Lady Andal. He has made his choice. There's nothing we can do about that."
The concubine said with a hard accepting face. She knew this fate was coming.
The woman then nodded to me and went on.
"But I'm actually trying to do something for your sake."
I could not help but frown again upon the concubine's words.
"Pardon me, Your Great Highness?"
The woman turned and looked to me straight in the eyes.
"You can still have him."
My eyes widened hearing what the concubine just said.
"Your Great Highness!"
"I've been observing you, Lady Andal. I recognized those looks you've been giving His Majesty. They were the same as the ones I used to give him too. Still does, actually."
The woman then reached her hands to mine and smiled warmly.
"And from the way he's been looking at you back, I'm certain the feeling is mutual."
I did not know what to say to respond to the concubine.
A woman whom had shared a bed and a child with the Emperor, His Majesty!
Lady Amyril chuckled at my reaction.
"You don't have to worry of the Empress and the other concubines taking claim of the Emperor."
She said.
The concubine went on with a tone that hinted feelings of understanding and acceptance.
"His Majesty is not a man nor a husband to be monopolized. He is the Eternal Throne. And the Eternal Throne is meant for all."
To have the Eternal Throne…
For me…
How could I possibly…
Why should I….
Why should His Majesty…
Lady Amyril grasped my hands once more.
"I became His Majesty's concubine because he did it out of pure love and passion. The previous women he was engaged with were just politics to him. So that was the reason we came to be… That was the reason our Radjah came to be."
The former chambermaid said.
She went on while staring at the symbol on my dress of a serpent coiling a burning torch.
"The empire and the whole world seems to be heading for a time of great crisis. His Majesty is shouldering the greatest burden he'll ever take in his reign as emperor."
The concubine rested her hand on my shoulder gently.
"Somehow, you managed to lighten his burden. Somehow he managed to maintain his spirit far better ever since you arrived."
"Your Great Highness…"
I whispered in surprise.
I did not realize I had been causing such effect to His Majesty.
Surely I could not possibly have…
"Lady Andal, His Majesty will need someone to help him get through this hard times."
The concubine continued.
"Just as I have served the Eternal Throne by showing him love, just as how the Empress have served the Eternal Throne by providing him a great heir, I suggest you perform your part as well."
Lady Amyril left me alone in the garden with those words.
They resonated through both my mind and my heart.
Serving the Eternal Throne…
Ever since I came to the imperial palace, I believed I had finally learned the true definition of that term.
A pillar of the empire.
The foundation on which all of Dunia rested upon.
If the Eternal Throne faltered, then the world was doomed to be over.
My master taught me to do my best treating my patient till their last breath.
Surrender was not an option.
Giving up meant death.
It was a healer's duty to fight for their patient's life.
To think of others instead of their own self.
This was not about me.
This was about the Eternal Throne.
This was about everyone.
This was about the whole world.
This was about Dunia.
If His Majesty needed my help to face what lied ahead, then I must be there for him.
And so I recalled that moment in the garden with strong reminiscing feelings.
It had been a while since I had that conversation with Lady Amyril at the garden.
A lot had happened since then.
Both good and bad.
While standing at the balcony of His Majesty's bedchamber, I gazed at the Great Katcha Lake glimmered beautifully beyond Tsuaka's southern shores.
I wondered how long will this sight persisted.
Will this beautiful grand lake remain when our baby daughter finally grew up?
I tightened my soft embrace on my infant. Worried of the future.
The monsters had become more persistent than ever.
The situation throughout the empire had turned even more chaotic that we did not have time to announce about me being appointed concubine. Nor we had time to celebrate the birth of our daughter.
With so many chaos spreading throughout the world, nobody would care to celebrate anything.
Even I, a healer, still felt guilty of staying in the imperial palace while there was an ocean of people out there needing to be healed.
Whispers of the end of the world approaching began to emerge on the streets of the capital.
I believed those rumors caused more damage than the monsters did to the empire.
Surely they were just nonsense.
The Eternal Throne would stand forever!
"Enjoying the view, Your Great Highness?"
A woman in simple dress walked up to me in the balcony.
The only accessory she wore was a necklace of a coiling serpent over her neck.
But even without that, her flowing hair dark as midnight, streaked with silver line like a halo on the top of her head, was enough to make an impression.
The woman's golden eyes glimmered beautifully while draped with such distinct hair.
"Crown Princess!"
I uttered with great reverence.
Even after all my time in the palace, I still could not get used to being in Her Highness's presence.
Who could in the face of someone whom would claim the Eternal Throne in the near future?
"I was looking for you in your residence, but your maid said you're up here instead."
The Crown Princess said with a smile.
"We're waiting for His Majesty to return. We plan to spend time together this afternoon."
I told the great royalty.
Her Highness's face turned somber upon my words.
"I am truly sorry that your daughter would likely grow up without her father."
The Crown Princess said while brushing her finger on my baby's cheek.
I smiled in response.
"His Majesty and I have talked about it. This is a necessary sacrifice so that our Havva will, instead, have a beautiful world to grow up in."
Her Highness also smiled upon hearing my reply.
"A promise of a better world… Yes, that is wise. That is good."
The Crown Princess turned to me and placed her right palm over her left chest.
"Your Ladyship Tania, in the name of the Eternal Serpent I solemnly swear to uphold His Majesty's promise to provide a prosperous world for your daughter."
I curtseyed deeply upon the Crown Princess's oath.
"The Heir to the Eternal Throne greatly honors my daughter and I. We shall remember your grace for eternity."
For the Eternal Throne was not the seat. It was the person.
Through the Descendant of Manusha the Eternal Throne gained its power and prestige.
With Samesta on the seat, the Eternal Throne shined with its brightest radiance.
As long as the Eternal Throne refused to surrender in the great battle of destiny, then it shall stand forever.