Palace life is absolutely wonderful!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was thrown an elegant ball and my wedding dress was so beautiful! And Emperor Leo is handsome as they say. He seems aloof but I see our love story brewing! Oh! and he gifted me a small fox that I named Paxton. Oh how lovely he looks.
He reminds me of you Sarai.
Give my love to mother and father.
Calla
I dotted the last letter of my sentence, scanning each line to make sure it sounded believable enough. It was still early in the morning but I decided to write a letter to my family to update them about palace life; I missed them so much. Despite all this, I couldn't let my family know of my real displeasure.
I hear Lizabeth chuckles as she peered over my shoulder.
"Lizabeth!" I scolded her.
"What! You know I am nosey empress" she frowned, snatching the letter from my grip. Her eyes scanned each word on the page, humming and nodding until she arrived at the end.
"Does it sound believable at least?" I frown, pouting once her displeasure showed on her face.
"At least" she smirked rolling the ends of my letter and passing it over to me. I let out a tired sigh, looking down at Paxton as he hopped into my lap. "Ouch Paxton!" I frowned, scolding him as he playfully bit the top of my fingers. I take a small bone from the ground and throw it to the other room so he could fetch it.
"Well...even if it doesn't sound believable, I ask that you ship it anyway" I shrugged, passing it back to her so she could give it to the guard to be delivered.
"Oh.... You don't know?" she asks me.
"Know what?" I grumbled, prepping myself for yet another ridiculous rule.
"All letters must be read by emperor Leo before they can leave the palace" Lizabeth says, pulling the bedsheets off to start her chores.
"Next you'll tell me he must inspect every inch of my bare bum for beauty marks?" I scoffed, standing to pull on my gloves.
Lizabeth flashed me a teasing smile before pulling the rest of the pillows off my bed.
"Where is Leo now?" I grumbled, pushing on my dainty heeled shoes that were still so uncomfortable.
"Probably with his court of men. Do you wish for me to escort you?" she asks.
"No. I am fine Lizabeth. Thank you" I smiled, grabbing the letter into my hand before starting my venture.
——
I see Leo in the hallway conversing with a group of his men. They laughed in mirth, conversing amongst each other as they leaned against the hallway walls.
"Emperor Leo" I say, coming behind him to grasp his attention. He turns to face me and pouts. "Wife" was all he said.
I hold up my letter and push it into his arms. "I wish to send this to my family" I bragged, not fearful of him reading it. I had said nothing bad against him anyways.
He opened it and scanned it throughly, leaning his head against the wall to rest. "Aloof?" he reads aloud, dragging his eyes to face me.
(???? 👀)
"Just a little but I am sure we will grow closer emperor" I smiled warmly. He rolled it back to its original form and nodded. "I'll have ...someone mail this." he said turning back to face his friends. He begins talking and laughing again, play fighting and wrestling one tall man I assumed to be his closest friend.
I knew he saw me standing there, watching curiously as he played on. He pulled away from his friend's grip before standing up to face me once more.
"Is there something you need wife?" he says, leading me away from his group of men.
"Well, I was just curious to know what my duties as empress entail? It seems as if there is nothing for me to do? Maybe I can spend the day with you and your friends?"
"No, no, there is always something the empress can do. You simply did not look hard enough" he said, pulling my arm and leading me away. He saw a petite woman in the distance and called for her. "Vanessa!" he shouted, signaling her to come over.
"Emperor Leo" she smiled, curtsying down to show her respect. She looked over at me and nodded her head in respect.
"Vanessa, take my wife to the women's quarters and do ....woman things." he grumbled, pushing me into her arms before quickly walking away to regroup with his friends.
"Come empress! I'll introduce you to the other ladies! Oh they'll love you!" she bragged, looping her arm though mine.
We walked in silence, smiling at each man that passed us. "Vanessa? Leo said your name was?"
"Yes empress" she nodded.
"What is it that I do exactly?"
"Well..." she pressed her lips together, taking a moment to think, "you entertain the ladies of the court of course. They are the wives to each man in Leonardo's court. If they are happy then their husband's are happy and if their husband's are happy..."
"Than Leo is happy! Oh brilliant!" I skipped, making sense of her words. "Oh this is just Splendid! Where are these lady of the court?" I ask her, eager to act on the new secret that would keep Leonardo's happiness.
"In the east wing, probably having tea."
"Then I will join them for tea!" I nodded, letting her take me to the room where the women were to mingle.
"The women are a bit cold to outsiders but just stick by my side empress! It is always good to have that one friend to enter by your side."
"I thank you for this Vanessa" I smile warmly, already dreaming of our future as close friends.
——
I entered into the room, timid and eager to greet each lady. They all stood to their feet as I came in, shocked at my unexpected arrival. "Empress Calla!
Empress Calla"
I walk with a little more pep in my step, nodding at each woman as I walked past them. One lady in an elegant red gown took a chair and pushed it into the middle so I could sit.
"Oh thank you!" I smiled, thanking the woman who had just passed me a cup of tea.
"Women of Genovia. I am excited to greet and meet each and every one of you. Do not look to me as Empress but as Calla, a friend and confidant. Cheers!" I lift up my glass.
"Cheers" the ladies smiled lifting their cups and drinking their tea. I sit taller and wait for one of them to steer the conversation but it was silent.
Each women continued staring at me, waiting patiently for me to steer the conversation. "Oh, I see it is my duty to lead" I giggle politely. I look around the room and see a pile of books in the corner. At its base was a classic from Athello. I had read it twice.
"Oh! I absolutely adore this book!" I stand, walking over to show it to them. The ladies smile politely but say nothing.
"Have any of you read it?"
"Calla" Vanessa sighs, gently pulling the book away from my hands. "We are not sure how it works in your land, but in Genovia, the women are not allowed to read or write"
"You jest!" I gasped, looking at each woman in the room. They remained silent, some dropping their heads in embarrassment.
"I do not" Vanessa said looking at each women for reassurance. They each nodded in agreement and looked at me again.
"But why?"
"Well...the women of the court are very taken care of. We please our husbands which in turn pleases Leo. We get to live in the palace, attend elegant banquets and feasts. Even with all this, there is no time to learn to read or write." Vanessa explains.
"So... you all just sit here and drink tea?"
"And gossip!" One woman interjected and they all chuckled.
"Oh... I see." I pouted, looking into my dark cup of brew.
"Oh, don't look to sad empress, it is truly a blessed life filled with fun and leisure. We wouldn't want it any other way." one woman chimed, lifting the cup from my palms.
"Oh of course it is." I nodded politely trying to mask my emotions but I could not fathom a life of dull boring gossip.
Where was their interest to learn and read? To converse about the arts and literature?
I sat politely in my chair as they started their fiery session of gossip. "Apparently Gina had been sleeping with her husband's brother but his daughter saw—-".
I felt drained by the time our tea was done. Just before another lady contributed to the session, I stood to depart. "Well ladies, I think I must head on for the day. Leo did say he had something to talk to me about" I lie standing to exit.
"Bye empress!" each woman waved, smiling warmly before I departed. Their gazes were glued onto mine trying so hard to please me just before I left the room.
——-
Two days later
"Lizabeth, be honest with me?" I command my friend as she came back in with fresh clean sheets and pillows. Paxton ran in circles around the room, chasing something I could not see.
"I am always honest with you Empress"
"Is the emperor.... sane?" I ask carefully.
"Well... what is your definition of sane empress?" she smirked, gently leaning against the end of the bed. Paxton leapt into my lap, biting the end of my corset strings. "Paxton!" I hissed, pulling his mouth away. How naughty he was!
"I mean, is it normal for him not to like books? Or not care to know anything about me?" I fumed, staring out the window to observe the grounds. "To be so ... obsessed with fucking?"
Lizabeth chokes on her air, hearing my vulgarity before letting out her laughter. I couldn't help but giggle as she laughed at my bluntness.
We both attempted to catch our breaths before I continued my conversation. "He had a woman in his lap at our wedding feast and then he promised to take me in every room. Remember the breakfast you warned me not to intrude?"
"Very clearly empress" she said knowingly.
"Well he bent me over the table to mount me like a horse but before he could, a guard burst in and.... he killed him Lizabeth. In cold bold! Right in front of me" I whispered, still shaken from the scene.
"Emperor Leo is a peculiar man... but nothing more time spent together can achieve." she says optimistically.
"I want to spend more time together but it seems as when I try to, he always pushes me away"
"I think the emperor is not used to a wife as adamant as you empress" Lizabeth says trying to pick her words carefully.
"You are right! I think he was just acting that way to maybe scare me off! He is not used to this affection of love and care" I snapped, eager to start my plan. "I must speak his love language"
"His love language? And what language would that be empress" Lizabeth chuckled, pulling the last of the sheets onto the bed.
I stand from my chair and turn to face her. "Fucking" I shrugged, walking to the bathroom to prepare myself for the night.
——
Author Note:
What name do you like better
Donatello or Theo?
Think I'm gonna start updating at 50 reads cause I'm so excited to get to a certain chapter 👀👀