Fallen Empires

Prologue - Mama {Following Aubrey Feng}

Aubrey of the Empire of Darkness, the concubine of Emperor Haedon of the Empire of Darkness, wakes up in her bed. She lies in the center, surrounded by blankets and pillows, comforting her as she continues to heal from a traumatic birth. Aubrey sits up, seeing Ajax, her dead friend's son, asleep on the couch next to a bassinet where, Prince Asher of the Empire of Darkness, sleeps. She sits up then slowly stands up, walking to the bassinet.

"Good morning, my baby..." Aubrey chuckles softly, caressing Asher's cheek. She gently picks him up, scooping him up in her arms and holding him to her chest. "How can you already be one month old, hm?" she asks, jokingly. Asher squirms and stirs awake to the voice of his mother. Aubrey smiles as Asher, his tiny grabby arms reaching for the orange pearls on her necklace, tries to look up at her, caressing his little head. She places a soft kiss on his cheek, his scrunched up body snug in her arms.

Aubrey walks to the couch, sitting next to it, gently moving the blanket from Ajax's shoulder, shaking him awake a bit. Ajax just snuggles more into a pillow. Aubrey chuckles, gently tucking Asher next to Ajax. Asher realizes that he's in Ajax's arms, snuggling into his embrace. Ajax wakes up a bit more, sitting up, hugging Asher more, mumbling, "Morning, Aunty Aubrey..."

Aubrey chuckles that Ajax's sleepy mumbling, ruffling his hair just a bit, "Morning Ajax."

Asher just coos softly, squirming a bit. Aubrey chuckles, Ajax just hugs him just a bit tighter. Asher stretches, moving his arms and legs. Ajax pats his head, then leans on Aubrey, who hugs him gently. He's been this clingy since his mother was killed five months ago...

"Why did you kill her?! You left Ajax without his mother!" I yell, anger and grief the only thing giving me enough confidence to yell at Haedon. Despite me knowing he could easily kill me, even if I'm pregnant with his heir. He could just get another concubine and get her pregnant.
He slaps me across the face, "Shut it," Haedon growls before walking out of the room.

Aubrey has been...thinking about something... since Ajax's mother died. Ajax is only seven. Asher is only a month old, but it still worried her.

Aubrey looks at Ajax, a concerned look on her face, "Ajax...may I ask you something?"

Ajax looks up, Asher currently just on his lap, "Yeah, what is it, Aunty?"

Aubrey gently runs her fingers through Ajax's hair, "...how do you see Asher? In like...family terms?"

Ajax thinks for a second, "Like a baby brother!" he says, his eyes light up just a flicker. Asher looks up, then goes back to just snuggling.

Aubrey chuckles, smiling softly, "That's nice...hey, can you promise me something?"

Ajax is curious, "Promise you what?" tilting his head to the right.

Aubrey scoots a bit closer to Ajax, wrapping an arm around him and Asher, "Can you promise me to protect Asher? To protect yourself and Asher, no matter what happens?"

"Yes!" he yells out, covering Asher's little ears to not startle him, Ajax holds him closer and sits up more. "I'll always protect Asher and you! That's what my mama wanted to do, so I'll do the exact same!" he declares, like a young man despite only being seven years old...

Aubrey chuckles a bit, a somber undertone with it, feeling touched that Ajax would do that for her. "But Ajax, who will protect you...?" she asks.

"Hmmm..." he thinks for a moment, "Me! I'll protect you, Asher and myself!"

Aubrey chuckles softly again, quickly wiping some tears in her eyes, and hugging Ajax and Asher. "I love you two so much...and I will always protect you two first."

Ajax smiles, hugging Aubrey. Asher coos and squirms. Aubrey chuckles, kissing Asher's cheek and then Ajax's forehead, smiling to him, "Your mama would be so proud of you, Ajax."