Her Empire

Preparations

"You look beautiful Your Majesty," the young maid bowed her head so Heather could examine her work.

Heather looked at her reflection before her, she truly did look..beautiful. She grinned. Her waist length ebony hair hung in a delicate braid. Eyes popped with the dark eye-shadow that highlighted them. Her lips were painted were a rich crimson to match with her dashing dress. She stepped closer, the dress moving around her in ripples like a waterfall. She was a sight to behold.

"It is satisfactory." her step-mother commented, eyes never leaving Heather. Heather wanted to sigh, but held it back her face portraying no emotion. It was her first lesson as a member of the Howard family. She had to learn that the hard way after her mother died. 

Heather admired her reflection more. She really did look like a true Empress, fit for the role. It had been four months since the soon-to-be-emperor, Carlos announced their engagement. Today, on her sixteenth birthday she would be admitted into society as the future Empress. She snuck a glance at her step-mother, Lady Margret. The woman's face showed nothing but her eyes contained a gleam. 

Heather glowered, that filthy woman couldn't wait to get rid of her. Selling her off the closest man who would accept her. Of course. This meant more inheritance for her from the Howard household. Heather had despised her since she was a little girl. Lady Margret had swooped in like some vulture the minute Heather's mother had died, scooping of her father. It made Heather's blood boil. How dare she sit where Heather's mother once did. How dare she wear the clothes she had been given as presents. How dare she take her name!

But could she say any of these things? Of course not. Her father would have been outraged at her unladylike manner and would have confined her to her room. Just like normal.

"If the lady wishes, the His Majesty sent a gift for her.." the maid trailed off, head bowed afraid to look Lady Margret in the eye. She had that affect on people, one glare and they would be put in their place.

"May I see it." It sounded more of a demand than a question to Heather. But of course it was, nobody would or could refuse her. Despite her born title she had married a Duke and was now the "mother" of the soon to be Empress.

The maid scurried looking for the present, once finding it she presented it to Lady Margret. Heather could see from her place the way her eyes shone with that all too familiar greedy glint. She had seen it the day her father had brought her home. The way she looked at the huge mansion, the servants and the luxury. Typical noble..

Finally, she tore her eyes from it almost saddened. Heather smirked, her step-mother just couldn't bear the fact of Heather having something she couldn't. It was why she had made Heather's life a living hell. Forcing her to study almost sixteen hours a day, confining her to room for the heck of it and taking everything her mother had given her. But now the tables had turned. She would become Empress.

"Help me put it on Mother." she feigned innocence. Delighted in the way Lady Margret looked ready to strangle her. But she couldn't, not with so many maids ready to lock her up forever for harming their Empress.

This was now Her Empire.