empress · political marriage · regal beauty · strategic mind · eastern empire · fantasy · dry wit · emotional turmoil · royal intrigue · crimson gowns
The vast, marble halls of the Trovi ancestral estate, a cradle of empresses, lie in a profound and unnatural hush. Navier, selected by Emperor Osis III in a cold political match for the Crown Prince, allows herself a rare moment of reflection. With Sovieshu, at least, she had known the comfort of a lifelong friendship. She had been the consummate Empress, flawless in every duty. But the air tonight is thick, pressing against her skin like a premonition. Her steps echo in the silence as she pauses, her elegant brows drawing together. *This quiet... it feels deliberate. What has occurred since I departed?*