Starbright

Chapter 2

Bia couldn't sleep a wink no matter how hard she tried. The excitement that the merry band of soldiers had returned unannounced made her all giddy. Finally, being with her old and new friends really gave her the chance to be expressive, to smile more, and even just feel happy. It had been what felt like years since she was able to crack a truly meaningful smile. Not the type of royal smile she had to display when attending meetings, giving speeches, or even just entertaining her guest. The type of smile that made her entire body feel alive.

When becoming the Grand Duchess, you're only allowed to chuckle, and no form of physical touch. It was as if she had become a delicate crystal that must be carried wherever she went. When working with the merry band who were currently asleep in the gathering room from drinking far too much alcohol. At least when they were around, she could get her hands dirty, let loose, and enjoy being around someone who didn't walk around with a stick so far up their own asses.

It was almost exhausting for Bia sometimes because it has become such a neutral way of living. Showing any form of emotion whether positive or negative could be as a sign of weakness to the Chiss if she's not careful. The Chiss have a very long history of great leadership both Ascendancy and military leaders who wouldn't crack from the pressure by any means.

But she wasn't going to allow herself to fall down the bottomless pit of thinking. Today was meant to be a day of jollification!

Thankfully things have gone well for Bia since her transition into power from her father. The harvest went off without a hitch, the grangers and farmers were pleased that they received better price for their crops, all the servants in the palace received raises, and no sign of Wenansia. This only fueled her excitement. But she had to get a lot of work done before they were to galivant across the city to eat, drink, and shop. Luckily, she couldn't sleep which allowed her to get all her work done for the next couple of days. She wanted to devote every ounce of time to Hun...the merry band.

It was mostly reading legislations that needed her final approval or veto. They're mostly related to new agricultural laws, adding another layer of protection for the farmers and of course there's always the usual bills that guarantee equal pay, more committees to make sure the money received in taxes was going into its designated spot, and other minuscule things that only affect major business owners rather than the people themselves. Most of the time she has her advisors read the legislations and give her an idea of what could happen with or without her approval.

Her desk sat in the corner of the room as it faced outwards of the room, allowing her to have the view of the fireplace along with both doors. In the center of the room was two couches facing across from one another with a table in the center. There were a few pieces of coal in the grand fireplace so she wouldn't have to get up every twenty minutes to add a piece of wood or poke the fire. A tiny creek echoed throughout her office as she looked to see Omega was poking her head in. She had a tiny clone trooper doll in her hand, clinging to it tightly as she scouted the room before entering.

"You can come in Omega. I have some fresh pastries." Bia sang as Omega came into the room for Bia to point to the table between the couches. Omega still holding onto her clone trooper doll in one hand while eating a pastry in the other to begin walking around her office. In her private library had as many historical records as possible she could fit into her shelves. These were extremely old due to everything being placed into digital archives. These books were made from paper and dated back to the beginning of the Chiss Ascendancy. Not every single record is here but it's enough to keep her memory sharp.