“Please reconsider, your majesty”, one of the many nobles presented in the imperial meeting hall pleaded. 

“If we pass the bill for exporting our land’s minerals then the value of it will go down immensely, your highness", the advisor of Duke Averyl interfered. 

“Our reputation has already plummeted because of you being a woma-” 

The woman who was quite the whole time looked up, made eye contact with the voice which came from her left, finally saying “Oh, really?”. 

There was an eerie silence in the hall, no one dared to look up and even utter a single word. 

“Do you know Count Jasper how pretty that face looks without a tongue, should I fulfill my desire right now?”, the count’s face turned blue at the cold voice which was laced with threat. 

He lowered his head and sit back, still trembling with the last warning thrown at him. 

The vice-advisor of the woman who sat gracefully without any flaw and emotion in her posture explained the situation “If you’ll allow me to speak, as the minerals of our country are used only by the high aristocrats and most of it is kept just as heirlooms and showpiece, her highness has made a contract with the ruler of the country Lykois. They have offered to make weapons using the minerals provided by us which would come handy in war times and to protect our kingdom’s borders. And to make matters better we have formed an allegiance with the Lykois country which is known for its physical and strategical strength, also called the wolves” 

“But what if this alliance backfires at us at some point? Then this could harm our economy drastically, especially the commoners.” Duke Averyl stated his point. 

“The taxes of the exportation of the minerals will be raised and will be added to the economy’s assets in the later times.” the advisor answered. 

“Enough. I don’t want to hear the chirping anymore of you flocks, get ou-” 

Suddenly, a maid barged in painting heavily. 

The whole crowed looked at her and one of them enraged, “How disrespectful! who are you to enter in an important meeting like this?” 

The maid ignored the complains and finally whispered timidly, “Your-your majesty, the princess-” 

The Empress got up hurriedly, a crease forming on her head “What about her? What happened to her?” 

“she-she is not able to breathe, her heart rate has increased numerously, she's constantly calling for your majesty in her sleep” 

The Ruler of the Chester country who was like a porcelain doll, left the room and ran towards the princess's, no, her daughter’s room like there’s no tomorrow. 

The whole room fell into a chaos of mutters and talks but no one was surprised to see that expression on their ruler’s face because if there was anything, she protected in this world then it’s her daughter, the empires one and only princess who was hidden from the societies’ eyes. 

Valentina Cirillo de Chester, who became the Ruler of Country Chester after her husband, King Atlas Lamar de Chester, died in a war.  

Usually, a country is conquered by the king or emperor who wins the war but empress Valentina was different. She neither cried nor mourned for her husband’s death but she took revenge. 

The very next day of the king’s death, she came riding on a horse with a sword covered in blood, the blood of her precarious breakfast and leading her soldiers. 

The whole country watched the scene with wide eyes, their empress had the head of King Italus, the reason of their king’s death. 

Valentina slowly walked towards her husband's coffin which was placed at the center of the holy church, covered in white lilies, his favorite.  

She placed the head at the foot of the coffin, staining the white blossoms and kissed him last good bye before saying “my lover, you asked for your hatred to end and follow you in hell. Here's my wedding gift I never gave”