The Emperor Is Searching

"I don't want to go home." Nena said when the Emperor suggested it for the fourth time since they came back from their picnic.

"It's getting late and I want to take you home safely and then formally introduce myself to your parents." The Emperor explained.

"But you've met them." Nena w.h.i.n.es, and in truth the Emperor had. Before they went on the picnic, Nena had told the Emperor about her friends and also about the lie which is no longer lies now. 

The two didn't meet Nana's friends like Nena and her friends agreed, it skipped their minds, but they'd gone to Nana's parents. Nena had grabbed her mother's hand and whispered in her ears. "Mama, she's the one I love and I want to be with her." She said excitedly.

The meeting wasn't really awkward, but it wasn't fun also, it was getting to know each other. But to Nana's surprise, her Parents had already known about the Emperor. 

It happened that the Emperor had come to them last month asking for permission in order to court their daughter. 

Nena was so surprised and elated when her father told her this. To her it means the Emperor has loved her two weeks earlier.

"Nena." The Emperor called. Nena turned to her. "You don't have to worry. My Mama and Papa knows I'm with you, besides it's raining heavily outside, they'd understand if I don't come home ..please let me stay with you tonight, tomorrow we can tell them about our engagement."

The Emperor thought about it for a while before he agreed. He moved to one of his  cabinets and opened it, then brought out a parchment, quill and ink. "I'm letting them know you're with me, save. And I'm bringing you home tomorrow morning." He said and at the same time writing it down.

Nena moved to where the Emperor is now seated, which is on a couch. "And how are you going to do that?." She asked curiously before sitting beside him.

Immediately she sits beside the Emperor, the Emperor got up and went to stand in front of his closed window, looking at nothing in particular, he replied. "My bird." And then he opened the window and whistled for the bird, he then placed the now tied parchment on the bird foot and sent it on it's way.

"Nena." He called surprised, because he didn't hear her walk to him, instead he found her near him, looking out through the window as if she's searching for something out there, whereas Nena was mimicking him, not knowing that although the Emperor's attention seems to be outside his compound, it's actually where Nena was formally seated. 

The Emperor moved away, leaving some space between them, but Nena closed them. She then turned to the Emperor and looked at him in the eyes, before moving her gaze to his lips. "Do you know that you have very beautiful lips?"