Performing a familiar play (1)

''Your majesty, the empress! Please, I only beg for your assistance!'' The tearful voice of the queen threatened to break out of the four walls of the empress's bed chambers.

''Your majesty…''

Rose looked down at the sobbing pink-haired lady kneeling on the bare grounds with her entourage of maids right behind her trembling figure.

The whole scene was as though Rose had done something terrible to an innocent person like the queen.

''You…!'' Before Leanna could burst out in anger, Rose lifted her hand, a gesture for the infuriated maid to keep quiet as she observed the only person kneeling in her front.

'Seriously…' The same hand went ahead to touch the temple of her head with her eyes scrunching together in annoyance. To think the queen would be this impatient and act this fast just to deal with her.

Rose had expected something like this, but she didn't expect it to happen a day after the tea party from the Archduchess!

*****

*few minutes ago*

It has been a day since the tea party from the Archduchess and Rose was currently relaxing in the empress's bed chambers with a book in her hand and some other books on the bed right by her side.

The empress was being her idle self, not knowing of the uproar that she had caused at the Archduchess's tea party inching to different corners of the nobility.

Her body was adorned in a simple purple dress lined with black intricate designs around the collar and the end of the short sleeves. Her scarlet long hair was let loose with a black hair accessory.

In the quiet bed chamber, the flipping of pages sounded from time to time. Amethyst eyes slowly scanned each page filled with illustrations and words with a vivid concentration. The memories in Rose's head spoke length about how the empress read books from the imperial library to pass away the time. Most of which were military books probably because of her family background.

Out of curiosity, Rose wanted to see what the empress loved so much about the military books. A gentle person like the empress and military didn't seem to be a fitting match.

However, reading the books captured her interest as well. To think stories concerning military and war was this interesting, much different from the dramas she had acted as empress of the entertainment industry. Perhaps the empress's feelings might have influenced hers, but Rose cared none of it as she had found something to pass away the time.

*murmur*

''….Her majesty….''

*murmur*

Ears pricked at the noise coming from the other side of the doors leading to the empress's bed chambers. Rose lifted her gaze in that direction. Her eyes gave the doors a fleeting glance, hoping that none of the noise outside this room concerned her.

However, she was greatly mistaken.

Before Rose could return her gaze back to the book in her hand, the doors of the empress bed chambers suddenly bursted open, each door slamming heavily on the walls.

''Your highness, this is her majesty's palace!'' The loud voice of Leanna sounded as an entourage of maids poured into her room like buzzing bees under the lead of a pink-haired lady.

The queen and female lead of the novel.

''Your majesty, do forgive me but this concerns the matter of the imperial family.'' The queen ignored the Leanna who quickly went to stand by her mistress's side with a vigilant gaze on the pink-haired lady and her entourage.

''Concerns?'' With a blank look not seeming surprised about the sudden outburst, Rose lowered her arms and placed the opened book upside down on the bed. Her legs turned over the edge of the bed frame until her feet touched the slippers below.

''If that is so, queen, his majesty the emperor could provide insights on the matter.'' Saying this, Rose remained on the bed with hands overlapped on her lap. Her back was straight and her eyes were fixed on the people in her sight.

Even if these set of people were looking down at her, Rose's posture and countenance didn't make it seem that way.

''This doesn't concern his majesty, your majesty. His majesty shouldn't be bothered with a matter that can be easily solved between us women.'' At the moment, the queen seemed like a wife deeply worried about creating disturbances for her husband. Her words made it seem like Rose was the opposite and a stranger, which ticked the nerves of the red-haired lady.

''What is it then?''

''The matter is about the management of the imperial palace. It has been a few years since your majesty married into the imperial family. Your majesty had never gotten a chance to be involved in the management of the imperial palace.''

'….Ha,' For a moment, Rose blanked out before letting out an inaudible yet short laughter dripping with scorn in her heart. Her ears took in the caring narration from the queen who uttered such words with a nervous yet remorseful face.

Such words that held daggers waiting to stab her from the back.

''The management of the imperial palace has been in my control and that makes me feel guilty up till this moment, your majesty.''

'You are doing this again…' Rose found these words familiar to her ears…or rather to the ears of the empress. The speed of her heart also accelerated and pounded heavily against her chest. The thumping sound only visible to her ears as each familiar fell out from the queen's lips.

Memories suddenly resurfaced in her mind. Each one bearing the queen meeting the empress with the same purpose.

'Your majesty, allow me to meet with the emperor for this matter. It would be better if your majesty takes over the management of the imperial palace.'

'Your majesty, we should manage the imperial palace together. His majesty should hear about this.'

'Your majesty, it isn't right that a queen is in charge of the imperial palace. What if the nobles criticize his majesty for that? I should speak with his majesty about this.'

'Your majesty….'

''Your majesty should take over the management of the imperial palace. This is the only way to lessen my guilt. His majesty would surely understand my feelings.''

Different times, different words yet each held the same purpose. The queen meeting with the empress targeting the management of the imperial palace.

''Your majesty?''

''...'' Without a word, Rose merely stared at the queen, who met her calm gaze in a questioning manner, probably wondering the reason for the momentary silence.

'You should be calm…' Taking her gaze away, Rose calmed the raging feelings of the empress within her. Her hands reached out for the lighted smoking pipe on the nightstand and slip the tip into her mouth, inhaling the herbal mixture.

The familiar herbal scent made her think calmly amid the raging emotions with her.

''First things first, queen….'' Rose raised her gaze back to the queen's figure. ''you are in dire need of an etiquette tutor.'' The smoke from her lips faded into thin air

Trailing after these words was a pin dropping silence with all except Leanna staring at Rose as though she had grown two heads.

The queen was someone praised to be among the best noblewomen in the protocols of etiquettes, yet those words suddenly crushed the proclamation into pieces.

''…Y-Your majesty…'' The queen tried to speak, obviously not expecting her etiquettes to be brought up again. However, she wasn't given any chance to say her thoughts.

 ''It was the same at the Archduchess's tea party. As the queen, you are to reach out for permission before coming to the empress's palace. Perhaps the reason for your insolent behavior is that you see yourself more than this empress.''

''Y-Your majesty….''

 ''No...you do see your yourself more than this empress.'' Rose did not give the queen any chance to defend herself. ''Or else you wouldn't have brought this many maids to this empress's bed chambers. A place where only his majesty and specific maids can only enter. Queen, these maids could be executed for this action of theirs, don't you know that?'' She questioned with an amused yet knowing smile, holding the smoking pipe inches away from her lips.

At the mention of the execution, the proud and gloating faces of the maids changed into that of terrified one in an instant. Indeed, their heads could be gone for merely entering the empress's bed chambers without permission.

''Also, queen, the management of the imperial palace all falls under the control of his majesty. Whether this empress or you hold the power is solely under his majesty's decision. Neither of us is in the power to decide the management of the imperial palace, queen. It would be best if you don't speak of the past that had already been decided by his majesty.'' And with that, Rose dealt with the queen and her accomplices, the entourage of maids.

Staring at the dumbfounded yet pale face of the queen, she chuckled to herself, lowering the smoking pipe to her lap. The queen must have probably not expected her…or rather the empress to react this way.

If it were the empress right now, the woman wouldn't have spoken when she knew the outcome of the queen's scheme.

'It seems you're satisfied…' Rose remarked on the calmness within her. The raging emotions that she felt moments ago suddenly seemed like an illusion.

''If that is all queen….'' Rose was about to chase the troublemaker out of the empress bed chambers. She did not have time to be wasting on a low-level schemer.

''Your majesty, the empress! Please I only beg for your assistance!'' However, she couldn't chase the queen out as she pleased. The latter suddenly dropped on her knees with a tearful face before her. Her slim shoulders trembled as though she was in fear.

''Your majesty….''

Rose tried to guess what the pink-haired lady was trying to do at the moment, but she didn't need to speculate that much as the appearance of certain someone made the puzzles in her head to click in understanding.

''What is going on here?''

Beyond the kneeling queen and the entourage of maids, the emperor stood still in all his glory, with the head maid right behind him.

>Enjoy!<