Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Empress Ranessa
When everything else fails, duty can be the thing that pushes you forward, one foot and then the next, day after day, until your last breath. That was a bit morose, wasn't it? You would hardly think to look at me that such dour thoughts live in my head. I do a very good impersonation of a jolly, rotund and unbothered empress. But I'm just a little too observant to be genuinely happy in times such as these.
Take my marriage for instance. In my youth, I fell madly in love with a handsome prince and more importantly, he also fell for me. So far, so good. But that prince was the child of his father's old age, the son the old emperor had almost lost hope of having after six daughters. The mere fact of his existence was treated as an accomplishment. So my husband never learned to strive.
As Valorus the Previous stayed vibrant well past 100, I held a foolish hope in my heart that he might live long enough to prevent my husband's reign altogether. Then I hoped that I was judging Val's abilities too harshly and he would rise to the challenge of leadership. Then I began to pray that someone, somewhere would be able to reverse the mess he was making before he got us all killed.
That prayer was answered, and it's the one I came to regret.
Graxoth stepped in like some sort of omnipotent techno-mage, setting everything right in a matter of days. The people celebrated, Valorus found a new hero to worship and I alone was left wondering what the inevitable price for all that good fortune would be.
I wholeheartedly appreciate one thing from him though. My daughter. I knew there were political reasons for Graxoth not simply helping us to conceive a child of our own blood but the moment I saw Valoria, she was mine just as if I'd given birth to her. Which brings me to the biggest reason for my sorrow. I see how he looks at her.
My daughter is a grown woman now but because I chose her as an infant, she will never be free to love as she wishes. And as much as I wish I could tell her to follow her heart, consequences be damned, the consequences can be far reaching and even fatal.
I still remember what it was like before Graxoth arrived. The servants would whisper cruel things that a trick of the castle acoustics often brought to our chamber at night.
Imperial swine!
Rid Terrasia of royal leeches!
The empress eats enough to feed a family of ten!
Words hurt, but what hurts the most is powerlessness. Watching the man I love hand the planet over to Graxoth without a second thought. Knowing my daughter is madly in love with a stable hand but destined to marry for duty. Being intelligent enough to see all the pieces falling into place but not quite crafty enough to rearrange them myself.
I do wish there were a way out of all of this, but I'm much more careful with my wishes of late.
🥳🍾 HAPPY NEW YEAR! 🥳🍾 I've almost finished introducing all of the central players in this plot. I'm not entirely sure how it will end yet myself but I'm having fun writing it.
The next installment will be on its way, definitely eventually (but probably not tomorrow).
☮️
🥳
🍾
Having fun writing is the most important thing
I have written for profit in the past (and would again) but it's nice to create something just because I enjoy it and be in control of which way it goes 😊