The Lovely Empress ~ Wmmap

19

Dhavanthri had been washed up, all the gooey chocolate that had once smeared his face had disappeared, his dirty clothes replaced by a white nightgown, so he could take his daily nap, tea had been brought out alongside a few biscuits, for the the two woman, "This is the Emperors palace correct?" questioned Jannette, Calliope hummed in confirmation "Yes, It does not seem so because of all the missing maids, but my husband enjoys his privacy" she remarked staring out the open window at the blooming roses "I've noticed that many of the gardens and palaces are full of roses" Jannette thought back to Athanasia's rose garden, and the random rose bushed placed around "Many of them were planted years ago, only Athanasia's garden has new roses, but to be honest I'm not the biggest fan" admitted Calliope and Jannette smiled "Neither do I, personally there are ever so many more beautiful flowers, it makes roses uninteresting" Calliope laughed "and what is your favorite flower?" she asked "Pink camellias, uncle Roger grows them in our green house" Calliope smiled wondering if the girls love for the flower had anything to do with its meaning "you want to know a secret?" Jannette nodded her eyes wide in anticipation "Rose's used to be my favorite flower, but now I'm quite fond of Daylilies and Hydrangea" Jannette wondered what made her change her mind about roses, it was probably just some childish love for it, roses are usually the first flower most people are drawn to "flowers are beautiful, but they don't truly have much more of use other than to be admired" Jannette's mouth moved on its own, for once she had not spent a good minute on thinking of a response it simply flowed out, she didn't know if either to be ashamed of herself or proud.

"I like the way you think Jannette, I'd much rather be given food over flowers"

the young teenager beamed proudly, her cheeks were as red as poppy flowers, and her eyes twinkled in such a way, that i almost looked like she had stars painted in them "Perhaps you might come again sometime to visit Athy and Vanthri" Calliope smiled at Jannette softly, as she placed her tea cup down awaiting a response "I- r..really, you'd like me back! oh your majesty I am ever so greatful!..but what of the other girls?" she questioned "Vanthri refuses to have any playmates his age...I fear I didn't do enough to encourage Athanasia to find friends, so I believe I should find him one non-relative or worker to befriend, as long as that is okay with you, of course, I believe he does like you Jannette" Non-relative...Non-relative... she could just feel her heart rip inside of her, how she wished to cry out that she was a relative, that she too was her daughter, how she wished to be loved like Athanasia and Dahavanthri, to be wrapped in her arms, and to feel what the love of a mother was, but alas she could not, would her majesty believe? perhaps if it were uncle Roger who was speaking...but not her, who would ever believe her...

"I'd like so very much your majesty...I've always wanted...a younger brother"

Jannette smiled, and what a beautiful smile it was, so full of love and hope and sadness... they say that the prettiest smiles hide the saddest pains, and perhaps Jannette and Athanasia had some of the prettiest, Jannette would settle, she always did, she walked to the door side by side with Calliope, before she entered the hall...alone, she turned left and began to walk, her eyes burned, and her stomached churned "Who are you?" she turned to greet the sharp voice, his majesty, Emporer Claude, her father, had he already forgotten her? had she not been memorable was she truly that plain... "you must be one of the girls from the princess' tea party" the teenager nodded "Yes, do you not remember? we met at the debutante I returned the princess' ribbon" what was she doing! why couldn't she shut her mouth?! her stupid big mouth, but then again...she was angry Calliope had remembered her, Vanthri and Athy had remembered her! why couldn't he, sometimes she wondered if she even wanted such a cold man as a father, and then she would see how sweet he treated the people he loved and she'd think maybe that could be me...and then it wouldn't be so bad "Don't return to the Emporers palace again, go back to the tea party" the Emporer then walked away angrily, he didn't trust her, but why what could she have possibly done, why did he look at her with such cold and cruel eyes.

Jannette began to quickly walk back to the rose garden, the only problem was she had gotten lost while trying to reach the rose garden she had asked for directions, but they had pointed her in the wrong way, she was looking for the rose garden, not the rose palace, the palace was old and rundown, covered in vines and thorns, plenty of dead rose bushes covered the property, and she could swear it was calling out to her.

"Jannette"

"Jannette"

"Jannette" 

the closer she walked into the palace, the quieter the voice got, it was very dark and dusty, and the only light she could see was from open rooms and one large window in the middle of the ballroom, the place looked as if it had been abandoned in a rush, suddenly she heard laughs they were coming from one specific room and she couldn't help but enter, it was beautiful, dusty but beautiful, a nursery decorated in some of the fanciest jewels and golds, toys made of the finest materials, a cradle made of gold silver and diamonds, this was a nursery fit for a future Emporer "and who says it is to be a boy" giggled a soft voice "I do and as the Emporer, the baby shall have to listen" laughed a masculine "I'm sorry to tell you this your highness but it shall be a girl, a girl who won't listen to you" her eyes landed on a large plush rocking chair and matching ottoman chair, the light from the large window created this sort of dusty image, she felt like she could see the couple laughing, the woman sat on the rocking chair and the man sat on the ottoman, the loud sound of a door slamming somewhere in the palace caused her to jump, who else was in here? the voices had gone quiet and she examined the room one more time, that's when she noticed a painting on the wall at the very top of the babyproofed fireplace, it was Calliope, had this been her nursery? those voices were it her parents, Claude's voice sounded nothing like the man from her hallucination, had they abandoned it because they believed she died, did Claude glare at her so harshly because she reminded him of who he thought to be dead, she picked up one of the many dolls lying on the shelf and walked out of the nursery and into the ballroom, her footsteps echoed throughout the palace and she worried that perhaps another person was also walking around somewhere with her "Stop stepping on my feet" chirped the feminine voice "stepping on your feet me! never" he teased spinning the woman around and into his arms, she loudly laughed and pressed a kiss to his jawline "Perhaps his highness is simply a bad dancer" 

"and that is exactly why you must continue to grace me with your beautiful presence, to ensure you're favorite prince doesn't make a fool of himself" Jannette watched as the ghost of a woman twirled away and began to dance on her own.

"Favorite prince huh? don't get too cocky"

"come here!" the man laughed loudly as he ran after the woman, her loud shrieks echoed throughout the ballroom as she ran between pillars to avoid him, when he finally caught her he lifted her up into a bone-crushing hug, and their laughter was so sweet to Jannette's ears, "What is going on in there?" shouted a voice from afar, the man accidentally dropped her and the woman brought him down with her, both ending up on the floor rolling around whilst laughing even louder.

"What are you doing here"

Jannette spun around to face the familiar face that was Claude "Your highness?" she questioned, "but I just saw you in the Emporer palace, did you use your magic?" the Emporer stood silent for a moment his eyes boring into her own, but they seemed different, she had stared at his eyes so many times before that she could recall every detail, these eyes were darker and yet less harsh, they were tired, sad, lonely, they looked to be the eyes of a broken and lost man "You do no look well your majesty...you seem different" he scoffed "Bold...just like her" he mumbled his eyes darting around the room as if trying to relive a memory "I am quite alright Lady margarita, but you do no belong here, please leave." this couldn't be right, just moments ago he had not remembered her, she had doubts that he'd care enough to recall her name or speak somewhat kindly to her, he never did to anyone else, she went to go place the doll on one of the many tables only to be stopped "you can take the doll Lady margarita, be with the princess as much as you like but...Just please leave this palace" Jannette awkwardly nodded, before she curtsied and left, she felt weird, like a dark looming cloud surrounded her, she left the rose palace with more questions than she had entered with, but one thing she did know was, that something was very off about not just the Emporer but the entire situation.