Ensi nods, a smile falling over her face as she pats him on the back.
"You will have your battles to fight yet, cousin. And you are more brother to me than my half brother ever will be."

"Let us hope the Dowager Empress never learns of that."
Ensi scoffs, ignoring him as she continues walking up the stairs, up to the second floor of the palace, only to continue higher and higher. The palace is huge, with a countless amount of floors and thousands of rooms, hundreds of corridors. "Oh she knows, I am sure. Had I loved him, I would've made him heir." Ensi doesn't look out of breath for a single second, not even after talking through her rage. "Set up a court meeting for this evening, I shall like to see their faces and watch as the traitorous thoughts dance around in their eyes."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Alexander follows her swiftly, their conversation falling quiet. He glances at her from time to time, as if trying to see what's going on inside her head. Ensi is his cousin, the sister of her father married into the great Etos family, but in truth they are close like brother and sister. At the same time, Ensi Ophion is Empress of the Ophion Empire, while Alexander Etos is the future Duke of House Etos. In this empire, the difference in rank between a duke and a peasant is not larger than the difference in rank between a duke and an empress.
Sometimes he wonders whether or not he would dare to treat her in the way he already has, numerous times. Like a close sibling, rather than like a thankful heir who should fall to his knees in gratitude in her presence. Ensi is a brilliant Empress, and their choices often align. But sometimes she does things he doesn't understand. A particular girl he brought into the palace a few days ago is one of those... choices.
This time, her choice was too odd for him to be able to hold his tongue.
"Have you given any thought to your new concubine?"
Ensi snaps her head around, stopping right as they are about to exit the last flight of stairs. Her eyes light up with something of a revelation. Alexander is mildly horrified at how the whole situation apparently has completely slipped her mind for the moment. As if the entire palace hasn't been talking about it non stop for days. As if bringing the girl here from the temple won't be the first thing the Court will discuss as soon as they step through into the meeting room.
"That girl from the temple?" Ensi frowns. "Was she not on the courtyard to greet me?"
"No, it would not be proper for a concubine to be-"
"-In the eyes of the public? Because she belongs to me?" Ensi rolls her eyes. She continues walking, a frustrated expression on her face. "The poor girl probably thinks of me as a tyrant now that you have forced these rules on her so strictly. Have her visit my chambers this evening."
Alexander sighs, rushing to catch up with her fast-paced rush.
"And, about the fact that she is from the temple...-"
Ensi stops, suddenly, snapping her head around to face him.
"There will be no discussion about that. I am Empress and I decide. Set up that meeting, Alexander. And send for that girl, too. I will handle the rest."










Zinnia watches from the balcony as the palace servants water the trees of the large garden below. It has not rained for the whole time she's been locked up in her chambers. She has thanked the clear skies. Watching the watering of the only trees and plants she is able to gaze at for entertainment, is her only source of comfort in such a strange time.
Her handmaiden, Mora, is a sweet girl. She tells her stories of all the previous emperors and empresses that have lived in this castle. Her hand is swift but careful as it holds the hairbrush, smoothly brushing through every string of hair on Zinnia's head. Zinnia sits back and watches the palace servants water the trees, her hair brushed as she listens to the story of how Ensi's great grandfather built the palace, how his son bravely fought against the Zainerian Empire, and how his son in turn began a war against the West.
Eventually, after three days of non-stop stories, Zinnia was forced to hear about the Empress. About her victories on the battlefield. About how scared people are of her, how she wields her sword and how she is said to kill her enemies. She listened for a whole hour, but it scared her enough to have to request silence. Now they've been silent for yet another hour, waiting for her next meal or bath or anything, literally anything else. Since nothing is really happening. Ever.
Her other handmaiden steps outside after hearing a knock on the door. She stays out for less than a minute, before returning inside after carefully closing the door back behind her. She walks up to Mora and Zinnia, sitting outside on the balcony, with her hands clasped in front of her, a gentle smile on her face and her eyes averted to the floor. "Her Majesty has arrived, My Lady. She has requested your presence this evening."
"Her Majesty wants to see me?"
Zinnia's blood runs cold. Three days of waiting anxiously in fear, with nothing to do but to entertain herself with her own fears, and now they are coming true. Mora stops brushing her hair when Zinnia turns her head around, trying to catch the gaze of her handmaiden. "What do you think she wants me to do?"
"I cannot say for certain, My Lady."
Mora sighs, gently taking a hold of her head and turning her back around to face the gardens down below. She continues brushing her hair as if to calm her down. "You will not have to deal with this fear for much longer, My Lady. It is said that Her Majesty is to be wed. Her new wife will arrive from the Kingdom of Zeleon in a matter of days."
Zinnia frowns, watching as the servants down below are told something by a guard, and they rush away. Another kind of fear creeps up into her chest.
"Her Majesty will marry?"