Episode 14 — What I’ll Protect
What would Lucy’s face look like if Yvonne told her straight out, “I saved Ricardo so I could destroy Emperor Frederick and this country he loves”?
Lucy was like Yvonne’s right hand — they understood each other without words. Would Lucy ever get why Yvonne kept being reborn and repeating her life? Yvonne didn’t know for sure. She stared out of the carriage, thinking about it.
“Your Highness, we’ll need to inspect the carriage for a moment.”
A polite voice knocked and called from outside.
“Come in.”
Yvonne answered like it was nothing. Inspections were standard whenever the Emperor traveled. She’d hidden a stranger under the carriage floor, but she wasn’t worried — it was all ritual anyway.
True to her guess, the guards quickly glanced inside and shut the door. They were done.
“I was so scared,” Lucy whispered, lowering her voice. “I thought they might lift the floor.”
Yvonne snorted and waved a hand.
“If even a finger brushed the hem of the Crown Princess’s dress while searching, that would be sacrilege. They’ll be careful and quiet.”
Lucy looked impressed. Yvonne pulled out a book of poems she’d brought to read and nodded.
‘And I’m obedient all the way to being stupidly obedient,’ she thought with a tiny, private smile. It was true — she’d been the perfect, dutiful Crown Princess, doing whatever the Emperor asked and never standing up for herself. Because of that, she’d even lost the chance to be Empress to his mistress once. Thinking about the old Yvonne made her feel mixed — pity for her past self, and anger at how helpless she’d been.
“Lucy, haven’t I been so frustrating?” she asked the maid who was knitting beside her.
Lucy’s needles paused. Her eyes widened, and she shook her head hard. “No! Never! Our brilliant and noble Your Highness, are you frustrated? That’s impossible.” She protested with her whole body.
Yvonne chuckled. “I just feel like I used to be so useless. About the throne, the coronation, the Emperor… it was all so hard.”
Lucy squeezed Yvonne’s hand. “I totally get it. You’re allowed to feel pressured. I’ll always be on your side. If you told me to die, I’d—well, I’m dramatic, but I’d stand by you.”
“You know I’d never make you die,” Yvonne said softly.
“Well, that’s what I meant. I might just faint from fear instead.” Lucy giggled, then grabbed the knitting again and started working. “I plan to finish this cardigan by the end of the year. I mixed in a pink that really matches your eye color. Please wear it at least once?” She smiled like she meant it.
December — the month Yvonne had died in a previous life. Lucy had been executed before Yvonne died, accused of being an accomplice to a cruel woman. That memory was sharp. Yvonne tightened her jaw and made a vow inside: that would never happen again. She had lost people before because of her own weakness. Never again. She would protect Lucy, even if it cost her life.
“Lucy, even if everyone abandons you, I’ll stand by you.”
Lucy laughed and showed Yvonne the half-made cardigan against her own chest, delighted.
“Really? Promise me,” she said. “I’m not the most cautious person — I might mess up someday.”
Yvonne looked down at the floor, quiet.
Somewhere in the carriage, a large shape was pressed into a cramped corner — and he was oddly quiet. Ricardo, who usually grumbled and commented in that low voice, was silent, as if asleep.
“Ricardo — if you’re listening, knock twice with your fist on the floor,” Yvonne said, tapping the carriage floor once with her heel. She kept her eyes on Lucy as she spoke.
Silence. Then, after a while: a heavy knock — knock, knock. Yvonne guessed he was pretending to be asleep, but Lucy laughed and teased him anyway.
“With a bumpy road like this, who can sleep comfortably? At least don’t get motion sick.” Lucy’s teasing made Yvonne smile; it was oddly comforting to hear.
Ricardo, hearing both of them jab, finally thumped his fist on the floor in response — twice and loud. The sound echoed in the small carriage.
Outside, the plan was moving exactly as Yvonne had arranged. The Emperor would postpone the Empress’s coronation and travel to the summer palace, which had been deliberately set up to cause public talk and criticism. People had started murmuring — how could the loyal Crown Princess be treated like that? The public outcry was precisely what Yvonne wanted. For the first time, the Emperor was being criticized openly instead of hiding behind Yvonne’s patience. She’d worked the angles behind the scenes; the trip would go ahead at noon no matter what. Canceling it now would make Frederick look indecisive and weak — the last thing he wanted.
So Yvonne finished her simple breakfast calmly and checked the luggage herself. “I haven’t ridden in a carriage in ages; I should inspect it myself.” She climbed in and tapped the floor with her heel again. Ricardo muttered about the humiliation of the whole thing.
“Just wait. We’ll leave soon,” she told him.
He grumbled but said nothing more. Yvonne slipped out of the carriage once, then later, under the cover of darkness, she and Lucy called the bribed coachman near the Empress’s palace and moved Ricardo there. The coachman had been loyal — he believed Yvonne’s story about moving a ‘surprise gift’ for the Emperor.
Ricardo, still weak, curled up on the floor and complained quietly. Lucy chattered to the driver about how valuable the gift was to distract him. Yvonne had even prepared cufflinks for Frederick, just in case they were needed as part of her cover. Everything was ready.
“Good thing the summer palace isn’t far — you won’t get motion sick,” Lucy whispered, giving a tiny, knowing smile. Ricardo was still sulky, but he’d agreed to trust Yvonne this once. She watched them both, feeling a bitter, determined warmth — she would keep this promise. She would protect Lucy, whatever it took.
