1
“The Coronation of the new Empress begins today!”
“I heard she’s beautiful. I wonder what she looks like.”
“She’ll bring good change for our empire!”
“All Hail her majesty, the Empress!”
A group of hooded men standing in the street listening to the people around them, dip off into a side alleyway. “That bitch killed the previous Emperor and they’re celebrating her!?” One of them scoff loudly.
“That wench will bring nothing but destruction to our nation. She’s insane!”
“If you’d told me 10 years ago, that the brat the emperor bought years ago as a plaything would become Empress, I’d have told you you were crazy.”
“It’s even harder to believe that no one outside of his majesty’s most trusted advisers knew of her before 6 months ago.”
“His majesty trusted us with his deepest secrets,” One of them smirked, “no matter how depraved they were.”
The group of men laughed together heartily as they continued their pace to the palace.
“Your majesty!” A young maid burst through a large white door decorated in gold. “It’s almost time!”
“Must you always enter a room like this?” The woman standing in the center of the room sighed. “Mielle, I understand you’ve been with me since I was brought here, but you are now the only handmaiden of the Empress. You represent me, and you should begin acting as such.”
Mielle pouted as she crossed her arms over her chest. “Oh, please do forgive me, your majesty.”
“I’ll forgive you.” She chuckled in reply as she turned to face Mielle, her oldest friend. “Help me with the finishing touches. No one is better than my Mielle at getting me ready.”
Mielle quickly picked up a brush and began working on the head of long golden hair. “Are you nervous, your majesty?”
“Please don’t call me that in private, I hate it.” They made eye contact through the mirror. “No, I’m not nervous. I’m ready to start my revenge.”
“Her majesty, Empress Adrianne de Balmut!”
Adrianne entered the Grand Hall, holding the scepter of the empire in one hand, and the dagger of the Sun in the other. Her presence filled the room immediately, silencing any whispers there were. She walked slowly, purposefully, down the stairs.
Her long skirt flowed behind her, dragging along with the cape around her shoulders. Her visage an image of an angel, wrapped fully in white and gold.
As she made her way to the throne, she stared straight ahead, as unwavering as the stares of those watching her. She held her head high as she climbed the few steps to finally sit on the throne. A servant stepped forward swiftly to take the scepter from her as she sat.
A sharply dressed man with dark hair and eyes brought forward the crown. “Empress Adrianne de Balmut, as Grand Duke of the empire I shall bestow the crown upon your head.” He begins stepping towards her slowly, lifting the crown as he walked. “The honor of our Empire is yours to rule, the legacy that you leave is up to you to decide, may you rule justly and take reign of this ground upon which we all stand. To our Sun, may the heavens bless thee.”
The weight of the crown being placed on her head, was nothing compared to the stares of the nobility in the room. The Empress stood as cheers filled the room. Today, there was a new ruler.
And that monarch, was Adrianne de Balmut, a woman none had heard of until 6 months prior, save for a few men the previous emperor had brought in.
The cheers died down as she raised her hand, signaling the beginning of her first imperial speech. She sat straight up, taking in the sight of her people before her, before her eyes landed on a man she recognized instantly.
They shared eye contact as she began her speech, “As your Empress, I promise to root out the evil that is destroying our lands and bring justice to those whose lives have been ruined.” Looks of confusion filled the room as the people began looking to one another, murmurs building slowly. “I am speaking of slavery, and the selling off of our young, of those who seek profit from tearing apart families, those who prey on the weak.”
A few faces she could see drained of color, the man she knew being one of them. She stood from the throne as she began her next sentence, “I, Empress Adrianne de Balmut, take the throne on this day. From this day forth, by executive decision as leader of the empire, I herby announce that the selling and slavery of our people shall be stopped immediately, and is outlawed forevermore. Those of you who own slaves, and have participated in the selling or purchasing of human beings, I am aware of who you are.”
Many alarmed whispers filled the air as her eyes grew cold. “I have seen your faces, I have heard your voices. I have watched as you treat those of the lower class as less than human. I have seen with my own eyes the horrors forced upon those you purchase as playthings. Some of you go as far as selling your own children to settle debts.”
“This is preposterous your Majesty!” A voice in the crowd yelled, followed by many voices of agreement. Her eyes flew to the familiar man once more as he paled considerably, avoiding her gaze as he stayed silent. She forced her eyes away and searched the room.
“Silence.” she commanded and immediately the room fell into silence, the crowd seemingly waiting on bated breath. “I do not lie to you. You are my own people. Every single individual in this land is one of my people. Your Empress has decreed, and none have the right to disobey nor argue.
“Those of you who have slaves in your homes, my Royal Guard know your names. At this very moment the Imperial Army are searching your homes by royal decree and finding those who you have entrapped.”
“You have no right to do so, your Majesty!” the familiar man spoke firmly, leading to several cheers and arguments of agreement. “As you have said, we are your people your Majesty! How shall we trust you after this?”
“How shall you trust me?” Her voice felt like ice in the air, once again silencing the masses. “How shall you trust me again?” She repeated as she stepped forward, slowly walking down the steps with her eyes trained singly on the man. “I am the one who should ask such, Duke Clyde. I would advise you to hold your tongue on this matter lest I have my knights cut it out.”
“You threaten me so openly in front of those gathered today, your Majesty?” He flinched back nervously. She stepped closer to him, her lips nearly pulled into a snarl.
“I am no saint, Duke Clyde. As everyone here knows well, as gossip spreads quickly between those with loose lips, I led a rebellion and beheaded the former Emperor myself, after all. I shall never claim to be a saint, but I shall rule this land far better than my predecessor, and I shall improve the lives of every individual in this land for the good of Empire.”
She held the dagger in one hand, the fingertips of her other lightly touching the tip of the blade, as she suddenly looked down at the man with a sinister smirk. “You should have made sure someone killed me, after selling me off to the former Emperor when I was but 11 years old, Duke Clyde.”
The people in the Grand Hall let out audible gasps, murmurs building up slowly as the true identity of the woman was realized. “W-What are you talking about, your majesty?” The Duke laughed dumbly, scrambling to pull himself together at the sight of his eldest daughter in front of him, looking at him with so much hostility.
He never thought he would see her again after that day. He was sure the former Emperor would have done away with her quickly. He had heard no news of her since that day, until six months ago when rumors and gossip had spread that a woman had led a rebellion inside the palace with a group of his Majesty’s slaves, commoner staff, and Duke Dante’s help. He hadn’t known the woman was her. How could he? He believed her to be dead.
“You don’t look relieved to see your eldest daughter alive and well, Father.” Adrianne sneered as she listened to the gasps and horrified sounds of the nobles behind her. Her father’s face had lost all color as he glanced around them, then at the woman before him. She scoffed at him lowly as she turned and returned to the platform. “Those who attempt to refuse my officers and soldiers entry into their homes, shall be held in contempt of the crown.”
There were no murmurs or whispers, her words were met with complete silence as the Nobility had realized the severity of their situations now that it had been revealed that the Empress had been a Clyde. Adrianne traded the dagger for the scepter as she stood in front of the throne once more, the servant retreating from view quickly. She took a deep breath as she set her eyes upon her people. “The first Grand Assembly shall be held in three days. I look forward to seeing you all again, enjoy the festivities outside and within the palace walls.” She held her head high once more as she left the Grand Hall as gracefully as she had entered, despite the dark and dreary atmosphere of the room.
