Our New Empress

Chapter 14

Ever since the birth of Princess Peony, the Union had been ecstatic. Everyone wanted to know everything about the princess. Cinder and Kai could hardly leave the palace because of the media personnel constantly staged outside. It was nice to know that people were happy about the child, but the couple didn't need the extra pressure. They had a daughter to care for.

A week after Peony was born, Cress and Thorne came to visit. It was especially hard for them to get there because of the mass of people gathering by the palace everyday. They did make it, though.

"Hello to the new mother and father, and may I be the first to say congratulations," Thorne said, his arm snaked around Cress's waist.

"Thank you, Thorne, but you're not the first," Kai said.

Thorne merely scoffed when Kai said this. Those emotions faded quickly, though.

"Can I hold the baby?" Cress asked.

"Sure, just be careful," Cinder said.

Cress held Peony in her fragile arms. She was looking at Peony very intently, almost curiously. "She looks just like you."

And she did. She had copper eyes almost identical to Kai's. The little bit of hair growing was a caramel brown color. She wasn't as tan as Cinder, but her skin was a few shades darker than Kai's. There was certainly a great resemblance between Peony and her parents, but there was also a correlation to her maternal grandmother. She had the hair and perhaps would even grow to have the figure that Channary had. Only time would tell.

The four talked a little while longer before Cinder had to attend to Peony and put her to bed. As difficult as life was for Cinder, she couldn't be happier. From being Queen to Kai's wife to Empress to a mother, everything she had done was not in vain. She just wanted Peony to have a better future than her namesake. It was up to Cinder to pave the way for that brighter future. At least she could live knowing she had made a difference in that future.

As she watched her child sleep, Cinder knew this first year would be a whirlwind. Only time would tell the person her child would grow up to be.

♛

Every day that went by, Peony began to grow into the woman she would become. She seemed to appear more like her mother, though her eyes—the gateways to her soul, the lens through which she viewed the world—those she got from her father.

Peony wasn't even a year old and yet she already felt the pressures of being a royal. Perhaps she did not understand why so many people took interest in her, but she certainly didn't mind all the attention. In fact, she quite enjoyed getting to be with other people.

Once Peony was old enough, Cinder began to take her on visits through the city. She made sure to stay close to the palace, but she still went far enough that you could find the authentic culture of New Beijing. Having lived most of her life—or rather, the part she remembered—in this city, Cinder felt drawn to it. It was important that Peony know how the people lived in this age. Cinder hoped her daughter would form her own opinions about the world someday and act upon them. That was something her father did well. Kai, having been thrown into leadership so young, had sacrificed everything for his people. He worked for the greater good of the Union, and that was how he avenged Levana. That was one gene Cinder hoped Peony would get from him.

During one visit, Peony had an encounter with an elderly woman. The woman had her gray hair tied up into a neat bun. Her clothes were nearly as wrinkled as her skin. She was sitting on a bench near some shops. Peony saw her and she lit up, saying the only word she knew: "mama."

As soon as Cinder heard this, she looked down Peony's chubby pointer finger and saw the elderly woman. For some profound reason, Peony wanted her mother to notice this woman. Even so, it seemed rude for a child to just point out strangers and exclaim things only their mother could understand.

"I apologize. Peony's never seen an elder before. I suppose she's having a big of a...strange reaction to you," Cinder said to the woman.

The woman smiled, the sides of her eyes wrinkling. Instead of being shocked that the Empress was in front of her as most people were in this situation, the woman had the courage to speak plainly to her. This was something Cinder enjoyed. She hadn't been able to talk to people normally ever since first discovering her true identity.

"Well, it's quite unfortunate the girl has no grandparents. I can't imagine how she'll feel discovering the only family she has are Your Majesty and the Emperor."

"I think it's sort of refreshing. I want Peony to grow up feeling like the citizens of the Commonwealth are her family. She doesn't need to feel like being royal makes her better," Cinder said.

Cinder ended up leaving the woman as soon as Peony began to cry. The princess was clearly exhausted from a long day in the city.

When Cinder arrived back at the castle, Kai was waiting for her. He took Peony from her arms and lay her down to rest. As soon as Peony started drifting off, Kai spoke to his wife.

"How was the visit?" he whispered.

"Great. I truly think Peony is going to make a great princess."

"So do I. After all, you are her mother. Maybe she'll start a revolution of her own."

Cinder laughed. "Maybe."