Chapter thirteen

Princess Cassiopeia stood above her father. He was pleading for mercy, asking for forgiveness and bargaining for his life.

She had heard it all, all his sins, all his guilts.

She was ready to stab him, so she plunged down without hesitation, straight to his heart.

Anyhow, before she could end his misery, his body dissolved under her in a black mist.

She turned around to inspect her surroundings, but he was nowhere to be seen.

She stabbed the floor before her, as if he could feel the pain regardless.

As if made of paper, the pavement began to tear, swallowing her whole.

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧☆⋆｡𖦹°‧

Empresa Cassiopeia woke up in a bath of sweat.

Panting, she wiped her forehead with the back of a hand and took in the coffered ceiling of what was once her father's room.

She sat on the bed, staring at her dimly light hands. The Sun would soon rise.

How ironic that she had a nightmare about him the first night she spent in his room.

She caressed the sheets. You died on this very bed, didn't you? I wonder what face you made, when you realised that your sins came back to bite you.

How long had it been again? A month, perhaps.

The now Empress got out of bed, and decided to head to the training grounds to let off some steam.

She changed into her uniform, and called a maid to tie her hair up in a ponytail.

Once she arrived at the knight's headquarters, she began warming up.

Miss Morrigan was already there, before everyone as always.

"Good day, miss Morrigan."

The woman's body became rigid, and she changed her stance to the knight's salute. "Saluting the glistening flower of this Empire, Empress Cassiopeia Dorothea Saol I."

The red head chuckled, "what are you doing?"

"Saluting you, Your Highness."

"Since when do you salute me in such a way?"

"Since I am now your direct subordinate, Your Highness." It was true. The guards responded to no one other than the Emperor, not even the princes.

"Is there a need to treat me so when we are alone?"

"It is my duty."

The Empress chuckled lightly, "if you insist."

"May I inquire about why you are gracing us with your presence?"

"It's dawn. I train at dawn." She said, as if it was the most obvious of things.

"Even on your own wedding day?"

"Why do you think the corsets fit me, if not because I train?"

"Then may I suggest cutting on the sweets and lessening the training?"

"You are free to do so, no, actually, you're not. You're forced to train." She pondered for a moment, "no, you may not suggest that".

The woman chuckled. "Your Highness, is there something that weighs on your mind?"

"I had a nightmare."

The knight hummed.

"Let's spar for a bit."

"As you wish, Your Highness."

.

.

.

Laying flat on her back, Empress Cassiopeia lost every ounce of dignity she had.

"You know, humiliating your Empress could cause your head to fall off your neck."

"I will take the chance", winked at her the woman.

Crouching down, she passed a water flask to the red head on the ground.

"Will you really not attend my wedding today?" She asked gloomily after avidly drinking a few sips.

"I'm a commoner Your Highness."

"So what? I'm the Empress, why can't I choose to invite you?"

"Now now", she patted her head, "I think the nobles have enough to gossip about, let us not add fuel to the fire."

"But-"

"No buts. It is time you stop acting as you wish, and start acting as a proper noble. You're no forgotten child anymore, and the Empire relies on you now. You cannot address the knights like friends anymore, especially not commoners like me. The concubinus from the Darafen tribe will give you enough headaches among the nobility."

"Tell me about it." She huffed, "I couldn't refute the proposal."

"Perhaps that's why they did it."

"Mh?"

"To see how willing you are to maintain peace. It will deal a serious blow in your status, after all."

"Yeah, I'll be compared to the noble that was found sleeping with goats!"

Miss Morrigan snorted, "you remember that? You were only twelve! Me and the knights still laugh about it from time to time."

"Yeah, I remember that, because I'll face the same social condemn."

"Still, You did the right thing."

"I'm rethinking my choices."

"No matter what anyone says, I saw the horrors of the war with their tribe first hand. Anyone who was there for the last battle and can tell the story won't go against you proposing a peace treaty. The knights praised you for your bravery, although many saw it as us selling you for our well being."

"What do you think?"

"Knight Morrigan thinks that it's your choice, not as a person, but as an Empress. If what you chose will benefit the Empire, I'll be by your side, although I would have preferred it happened via different means."

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me. It's my duty."

"What about Miss Morrigan? What does she think?"

The woman chuckled, "Miss Morrigan thinks that if you feel like escaping, she would snatch you away and start a new life far in the south. Maybe get a good cottage, a few chickens."

The Empress laughed. "Have you ever seen me near a farm?"

"No, but I would surely find the experience amusing."

Before she could retort, a few maids hurriedly ran towards her.

"I believe it is time for you to prepare for your marriage, Your Highness."

The maids helped her up, nagging her for being there and being covered in dirt. She let them talk.

"Knight Morrigan."

"At your service, Your Highness."

"I won't feel safe later. Would you like to escort me from my rooms to the marriage hall?"

The knight smiled, "yes, ma'am."

Writer's notice <33< p>

Desperately looking for artists to do the cover (I hate using ai, but I can't draw and I didn't want to steal someone's work).

I'm broke so I can't pay, but I can vote and comment on your stories^^