Chapter 74

The war had been won. The empire had been secured. The rebellions crushed, the courts subdued, and the last remnants of resistance had long since been buried in the dust. But an empire that stood still would rot.

Aeliana understood this better than most.

The empire did not need more war. It needed stability, alliances, expansion beyond brute force. Strength did not come solely from conquest-it came from control, from influence, from ensuring that no one would ever have reason to challenge them again.

Which was why she and Tharx now found themselves riding toward the borders of their lands, rather than sending armies.

It was a different kind of battle.

One that Tharx had no patience for.

The journey to the neighboring kingdom of Draevan was long, the terrain shifting from the familiar stone fortresses of their empire to vast plains and scattered cities.

They rode at the head of a small, elite escort-only trusted warriors and diplomats, no legions, no siege weapons. It was meant to be a message of diplomacy, a show of power without direct threat.

Tharx hated every second of it.

Aeliana saw it in the way he gripped the reins of his warhorse too tightly, the way his jaw clenched each time they passed a border post that was not theirs. His instincts had been honed for war, for the rush of battle, for the simplicity of an enemy that could be crushed under his boot.

Diplomacy was a different game.

One that required patience.

One that required restraint.

He was not built for it.

And he was losing his mind.

By the time they reached King Mavros' court, Aeliana could feel the tension rolling off Tharx in waves.

The Draevanians were different from their people-a proud but practical kingdom, more focused on commerce than war. Their cities were filled with wealth and trade, their armies small but highly disciplined.

They had not defied the empire.

But they had not bowed either.

That would change today.

As they entered the palace, King Mavros greeted them with open arms and a guarded smile.

"My friends," Mavros said, spreading his arms. "It is not every day that the mighty empire graces my halls with a visit."

Tharx did not return the smile.

Aeliana did.

"We thought it time to discuss the future," she said smoothly, stepping forward before Tharx could speak. "Our lands are neighbors. We should prosper together."

Mavros chuckled, stroking his beard. "Ah, yes. Neighbors. It is an interesting way to put it when one side holds an army that could burn my cities to the ground."

Tharx's smirk was sharp. "Then it is fortunate we did not bring that army."

Aeliana placed a hand on his arm, a subtle warning, a silent reminder.

Tharx exhaled sharply through his nose but said nothing.

The discussions began.

Aeliana took the lead, negotiating with a careful blend of firmness and diplomacy. Trade agreements, border security, shared resources-it was not submission she wanted from Draevan. It was dependence.

If they could tie this kingdom's wealth and success directly to the empire, then they would never need to send an army.

The empire's rule would be woven into their very existence.

She was playing the long game.

Tharx, meanwhile, sat through it all with barely contained boredom.

She saw it in the way he tapped his fingers against his knee, in the way his eyes drifted to the guards stationed around the room, sizing them up.

At one point, Mavros turned to him directly.

"You have been very quiet, Emperor. Is diplomacy not to your taste?"

Tharx's golden eyes snapped to him like a blade unsheathed.

"I prefer simpler solutions," he said smoothly.

Mavros raised a brow. "And what solution would that be?"

Tharx smiled then.

A slow, dark thing.

Aeliana stepped in before he could answer.

"My husband enjoys victory," she said with a practiced ease. "And I enjoy ensuring it lasts."

Tharx glanced at her, something unreadable flickering in his gaze.

Mavros chuckled. "A formidable pair, indeed."

Aeliana did not smile.

"Do we have an agreement, Mavros?" she asked.

A pause.

Then, the king sighed.

He was no fool.

He saw the truth of the situation-there was no real choice.

"Yes," he said finally. "We do."

Aeliana inclined her head. "Then let us drink to it."

Tharx did not move.

Mavros poured wine for them himself.

And as Aeliana lifted her goblet in a symbol of alliance, she felt Tharx's gaze burning into her, assessing.

Not with anger.

Not with frustration.

But with something deeper.

That night, back in their chambers, the storm Tharx had been holding in finally broke.

As soon as the door closed, he turned on her.

"That was a waste of time," he growled. "A kingdom like Draevan should be taken, not coddled."

Aeliana unfastened the clasp at her throat, letting her cloak fall away, unbothered by his frustration.

"If we had taken Draevan by force," she said, "we would have had to keep it by force. For generations."

Tharx's fists clenched at his sides. "That is how empires are built."

She met his gaze, unflinching.

"That is how they fall."

A tense silence stretched between them.

Tharx exhaled sharply, pacing like a caged predator.

"This is not how I was taught to rule," he muttered.

Aeliana stepped toward him, reaching up to press her hand against his chest. His heartbeat was fast, thundering.

"I know," she said softly. "But this is how we will rule."

He looked down at her, his golden eyes burning with something fierce, something uncertain.

For all his power, for all his control, this was new to him.

This was a battle he could not fight with steel.

And he hated it.

She smiled, just a little. "You're adapting, Tharx."

He scoffed. "I am enduring."

She smirked. "And yet, we walked away with everything we wanted."

His fingers curled around her wrist, pulling her flush against him.

"I still think I should have burned that city to the ground," he murmured.

Aeliana tilted her head. "And what would that have achieved?"

Tharx exhaled, his hands tightening around her waist.

Aeliana watched the war in his eyes.

The conqueror in him fought against the ruler he was learning to be.

But she knew who would win in the end.

She kissed him, slow and deep, a victory of its own kind.

When she pulled away, she whispered, "Let me teach you how to conquer without war."

Tharx studied her, his fingers trailing down her spine.

Then, with a quiet, almost reluctant smirk, he murmured, "Fine. Teach me."