🚨WARNING!! This story will go in details regarding themes such as noncon, murder, gaslighting, gore, and vomit. I am not sexualizing any of this (just so we are perfectly clear). If you go beyond this point, you agree to be exposed to these darker themes. Thank you and good luck reading.🚨
~ Ruvia, Astye, 13 Years Before Present Day~
(y/n) stared curiously at her mother who was reading official documents from the provinces.
"That damn Hosodaki," Mother grumbled as she put the scroll down with frustration. "Hosodaki Erina has made her father upset yet again. When will that child ever learn not to provoke Gojo Katsuma."
(y/n) picked up the scroll but her mother took it out of her tiny hands quickly.
"I'm sorry, (y/n), but you can't read this."
"Why not?" The eldest daughter of House Shi asked.
"Because you won't be taking over the empire. You need not concern yourself with political matters," Mother said. "Your brother will take care of it."
(y/n) looked down at her mother's large stomach, scowling.
Had it not been for her mother getting remarried and getting pregnant again, (y/n) would've been the sole heir to the throne.
Especially since her mother was pregnant with a boy and by royal law, sons take over the kingdom unless the empress cannot give birth to a son.
If such a case happens, then a girl would be the heir to the throne.
"Besides," Empress Ophelia patted her daughter's head, frowning. "You're going to be busy when you're older with duties to your husband."
Right. Every girl is expected to marry a man regardless of who they are.
(y/n) sighed and walked away, ignoring her mother's calls.
The young princess walked around the castle, searching for her best friend and cousin Inumaki Toge.
"Looking for someone?"
(y/n) jumped with fright when she saw her nemesis Gojo Satoru.
He was hanging upside down one of the ledges, a pair of shades on his face. A smirk was also present.
"Go away!" y/n) snapped.
Satoru frowned but followed the princess regardless. "You know, you should be nicer to me! Especially since we'll get married!"
(y/n) knew her mother arranged for her to wed the heir to House Gojo when she turned 18, but she didn't want to marry the stuck-up Satoru!
He was so cocky about inheriting his family's cursed techniques, the first to wield all in 100 years.
The guards didn't help either as they fed into his appetite for praise as did the adults and other children.
"Gojo, have you seen Toge anywhere?"
"Nah. I heard he went home early this morning. Something to do with a fight between your mom, his dad, and their sister."
"Uncle Toshi and Aunt Seline got into a fight with my mother?" (y/n) tipped her head in confusion.
The fifteen-year-old shrugged. "Yeah. Everyone was talking about it during breakfast. Something about you being sold off to some hybrid."
(y/n) flinched at the way Satoru spat out the word 'hybrid'. "She did?"
"I dunno. Who cares! You're still the same irritating kid." Satoru yawned. "I'll be in charge of getting you to your classes this afternoon."
"What?!"
"Yeah. My dad told me I'd be taking Toge's responsibility in that since he left. How annoying."
"Rude," (y/n) mumbled.
The young pair crossed the courtyard, not knowing their parents were watching.
Gojo Katsuma shook his head with amusement as Empress Ophelia had a frown.
"Satoru really likes bothering (y/n)," Katsuma snickered. "I suppose he learns that from me."
"Yes..."
"Now. Ophelia, I hear you and your siblings got into a fight."
Ophelia looked away. "They found out about the pact I made with Choso."
"The elder of the cursed womb paintings?"
"Yes. They said it was a betrayal to my deceased husbands-especially the father of my son. Choso did kill him, after all."
Katsuma offered his arm for the expecting empress to hold on for support. "I can understand. But your second husband died because he was attacking Choso. The latter killed your husband out of self-defense."
"I know. But my siblings are still hurt from the hybrids and cursed spirits hurting our family and empire over and over again," Ophelia stressed.
At the empresses' worry, Katsuma placed her into a gentle hug.
"Oh my empress. I will ensure you that we will protect you and your family at all costs. You need not worry."
"It's not me I'm worried about," she sighed. "It's my daughter. The cursed spirits and some hybrids pledged to hurt anyone with the blood of the late emperor. Anyone with the blood of House Shi."
"And (y/n) is the last to survive, given that you and your son don't share his blood."
"Exactly. (y/n) must live."
"But the pact you made-"
"I have full trust your son and the others will be able to protect her," Ophelia said with a sharp tone. "Your son is strong, Katsuma. You should be very proud of him."
"I am. He holds a heavy weight upon his shoulders."
"Indeed. And my dear son..." Ophelia guided Katsuma's hands to her belly. "He'll need a father to look after him when I'm gone."
"Ophelia, what are you saying?"
The empresses' (e/c) eyes raged with fire. "I've been cursed to die as soon as my son takes his first breath."
"What?! Why-"
"Katsuma. I grieve that I will never see my children grow into fine sorcerers and protect their own families from this body. But I promise you this: I will be keeping a close eye on them. It is my duty as a mother and the empress to ensure their safety."
Katsuma closed his eyes. "Then I will be honored to raise your son. He will grow into a fine warrior."
"Thank you."
On March 20th, the empress gave birth to a son.
"He has his father's pink hair," a midwife muttered.
But Gojo Katsuma didn't say anything.
He was holding the hand of the dead empress, wishing that he had been able to save her.
"The boy," Katsuma said. "Is he healthy?"
"Indeed."
He closed the empresses' eyes and placed a kiss on her forehead, walking over to where the midwives were cleaning the newborn prince of the Astye Empire.
"Pink hair and light brown eyes..." Katsuma muttered. "He is indeed his father's son."
"What shall we call him?"
"Itadori. Itadori Yuji."
"You're giving the young prince the surname of his father?"
"Indeed." Katsuma picked up the boy, grief in his soul for the loss of Yuji's mother.
He had no idea how to explain to (y/n) that she would never see her mother again and that her mother died by a curse.
Just as her father and other ancestors did.
Indeed, it was a tragedy that brought a new hope for the empire that was slowly beginning to crumble.