Our New Empress

Chapter 1

Cinder walked through the hall with grace. It had been a long time since her coronation. She was now 17 and it was August of 127 T.E. already. Most of Artemisia had been rebuilt and Luna had changed tremendously. Communications with Earth were open. Letumosis was pretty much dead in the moon and the planet it orbited. The bioelectric security chips had been distributed all over Earth and many people had them. People on Luna could go to the blue planet as they pleased. Peace sat between the two.

Cinder was extremely happy about this. As queen, she had had a lot of responsibilities to carry out. Most of the work had been on her part, carried out by one of her thaumaturges or diplomats. It was a lot of work, but to see the alliance in such great shape was gratifying.

She had wanted a break from her royal duties so many times, and she knew that the break would come someday. She had to finish her work on Luna before somehow getting it to a republic. She would be a public figure, yes, but she would be free.

She sat in the throne room looking out over the capital of Luna. The glass showed no reflection and the lake was dark and murky with pristine white sand surrounding it. The rom was white and polished, a far stretch from how it had been on the day when she had become Queen, or when she had killed her aunt.

Her portscreen chimed. It was a message from one of the thaumaturges informing her that her meeting was to begin.

She had scheduled a meeting with her court to discuss their stance with Earth and the next steps. She also wanted to find out some other minor details.

Standing up from the polished white throne, she walked towards the meeting place. The room was lavishly decorated with regolith, quartz, and invisi-screens. Most everyone was already at the meeting. They knew that Selene did not like to be kept waiting.

The guards at the door clapped a fist onto their chests as she entered.

She sat at her respectful place at the head of the table, elevated from the rest. Kinney was to her left and Iko to her right. Farther down the table, she saw Jacin and Princess Winter, as well as third tier thaumaturges and researchers. Two guards were stationed at the entrance of the room.

"Meeting in session," Cinder said. Everyone who was not already sitting sat down, and so did she.

"I have gathered you all here today to discuss our alliance with Earth and our current position with them. How has the delivery of the letumosis vaccine gone this far?"

A researcher responded. "It has gone fairly well, My Queen. We have confirmed that 98% of the disease has been wiped out."

"Good. Iko, please run a background check for the current positions of any Lunar ships. Kinney, has the act on removing the soldiers been followed through?"

"Yes, My Queen," Kinney said. "We gathered the soldiers in the European Union and the Eastern Commonwealth last full moon. There may still be soldiers in the American Republic and parts of the United Kingdom, but the court is working on that problem."

"Excellent. Princess, how have the last trips to Earth gone?"

Winter smiled. "Well, dearest Selene. The Eartherns seem to finally be warming up to us. I believe that what you're doing is working."

Cinder had not been expecting that comment here, in front of the whole Lunar court. "Thank you."

After going on for many more minutes about the missions set out on Earth and their various stages of completion, Cinder dared to take the meeting a step forward.

"It seems that the alliance between Luna and Earth is becoming very strong. Might I ask, though...when is the next Ball?"

"I beg your pardon, My Queen?" one of the third tier thaumaturges said.

"What I meant was...I believe that the Annual Ball of the Eastern Commonwealth would be a great way to celebrate the peace made between our two nations. It would be a chance to fully gain their trust and show them that we understand their customs just as they shall understand ours. It's a silly idea, but I just thought..."

"May I share my thoughts, My Queen?" Kinney asked.

"Permission to speak granted, Kinney."

"I believe that that is a great idea. After the destruction to the Eastern Commonwealth and the rest of Earth, attending their ball will, respectfully, further mend the ties between us. I believe that the ball occurs in late August, near the end of the month. I, for one, believe that Luna should attend just as any other nation sending diplomats."

"I fully agree, Kinney. Therefore, I volunteer to go myself, along with my guards, thaumaturges, and the Princess and her guard."

"I think the idea is splendid, but may that be too much? Sending most of the court seems like much of a plea rather than respectful," a second-tier thaumaturge said.

"Let us vote. All in favor of sending the bulk of the Lunar court to the Annual Ball of the Eastern Commonwealth, please stand. Those not in favor stay seated."

The people she was closest to in her court rose first, followed by other thaumaturges and aristocrats. A few people stayed seated, but the vast majority had risen.

"Then it is settled. Luna will go to the ball."