--DISCONTINUED--
As the former heiress of the Yashiro Commission, Rin's past in Inazuma is . . . complex, to say the least. She was the true Shirasagi Himegimi, before her sister, Ayaka, took over that role in her stead. But when she left the nation...
I blinked and I saw myself standing in the hallway of our estate, a portrait of my mother and father's wedding hanging in the center of the alcove. My mother was the most beautiful woman in the world, with her fair hair and kind eyes framed by a pair of thick eyelashes. She had already mastered the art of Tachi Jutsu, but no one would dare to guess so from the way she carried herself: always prim and proper and effortlessly charismatic.
I blinked again, and all things were smothered in sheets of cotton-white. I stumbled into the courtyard, my entire body shivering, my trembling hands reaching for something to clutch. The basket of persimmons I'd so carefully picked clattered to the ground, the green ceramic shattering, the water collected at the bottom spilling and solidifying into snow. Breathless, I scampered across the garden, desperate to reach my mother, running as quickly as I could, my bare feet freezing and burning and turning purple.
I bolted through the pain, pushing myself as far as I could. I had no time. I had to make it. There was no room for error, no room for complaints. Mother never complained. Even when Grandmother passed away, she still held herself ever composed, always calm, always the epitome of perfection. I knew she was sad, but for my sake, she held on. Mother held on for me, so I had to hold on for her.
I was standing in the doorway of my mother's room, my trembling eyes darting across the room until they rested on the canopy bed, embroidered silk fabrics piled high on her. My mother lied pale, cold, and beyond recognition, her cheeks sunken in, her eyes exhausted, her hair fading into murky, dirty grey. That wasn't my mother. Just an impostor, just a fake.
My mother was beautiful, healthy, wise, incredible. She promised me she would stay by my side forever. She would never leave me.
"Hold on, Mother! I'll get a doctor! Please, just stay with me, Mother!"
"Knowing when you're done is a part of life, sweetheart. Be stronger than me, and live a healthy life, so you don't have to make your children suffer without their mother, just like I have done."
"NO! You have to live, for my sake! And for Father and Ayato and Ayaka's sake! We need you . . . Inazuma needs you too!"
"But they do not need me as much as they need you, Rin. When I am gone, you can become the princess of the Kamisato clan. I remember, you always wanted to be a princess when you were younger. It's not as easy as you may think, and it took me a long time to accept my responsibilities. But I trust that you can uphold our family."
"I DON'T WANT TO BE ALONE!"
"I'm sorry. But this is the end of my story. Whatever I have left . . . I entrust to you, my daughter."
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Fumbling for my consciousness, I burst awake, finally realizing everything was just a dream. The carriage hit a bump in the snow, and I squealed, lifting my veil to peer outside.
An enormous city of ice and snow sprawled out before me, glistening with white crystals and shimmering residue of a melted blizzard. Large houses with gardens and gates were tipped with smoking chimneys, filling the air with the warm smell of bread. It had been so long since I ate a well-proportioned meal like the ones I enjoyed in Inazuma. As a Fatui soldier, the most I could consume for a meal was a hunk of cold meat, beet stew, and a glass of stale wine. And when winter famine arrived, we had to survive for days on frozen hardtack and peas.
I knew where I was.
The capital city of Snezhnaya, the most bustling, lively place one could've possible thought of in a nation of such bitter weather. This was considering that every other part of Snezhnaya was what the cultured called "serene, humble abodes" and the bourgeoisie called "ghost towns".
The capital also held Zapolyarny Palace, the residence of the Cryo Archon. I knew nothing of the place, except that Lady Signora traveled there at times to meet with the Tsaritsa. I tried to imagine what her conferences were like, but nothing came to mind. Lady Signora had a volatile temper, but considering that it wasn't uncommon for Harbingers to kill their subordinates, a practice Signora didn't enforce, I reckoned there were others even more ruthless than her.
That's right, I remembered. I was summoned by the Tsaritsa.What was the state of her relationship with the Almighty Narukami Ogosho? The Shogun would never break her promise to me. I had nothing to fear. If anything should intercept my plans, she would come to my aid.
As I watched the city grow larger and brighter by the second, the carriage sped down smoother roads, keeping to the main streets. A chill ran up my spine, and it wasn't from the cold. I had to remember that my treatment of Her Majesty, The Tsaritsa, was to be a perfect copy of my respect for the Raiden Shogun, to avoid any suspicion.
Slowly, Zapolyarny Palace came into view above me, and I gasped. It doubled Tenshukaku in size, security, and starkness. The entire castle was constructed of crafted ice, pearl, and glass. There was something uniquely remarkable about it that I could hardly put into words. It was elegant, on full display, and architecturally incredible, but at the same time, cold, sharp, and intimidating. The expansive wings and wide windows suggested the home of a benevolent princess, but the acute corners and hoarfrost-covered walls were a stagnant reminder of the Cryo Archon's ruthlessness.
Finally, the coach halted to a stop at the gate, and I heard the neigh of two hackneys. I gulped. Yet again, I wondered if I was prepared. How could I know what the expectations of the Tsaritsa were for her subjects, when I had lived my entire life only being informed of one thing: that she was a wicked queen?
The chauffeur descended from his seat and walked up to one of the Fatui sentinels, speaking with grand hand gestures and showing them the invitation from the Tsaritsa. After the guard inspected the letter, he pulled a handheld transceiver from his pocket and ordered his subordinates to check the carriage for illegal goods, and another to escort me into the palace.
The carriage door opened, and a masked Fatui appeared, his jaw dropped in shock.
I glared back, baffled. "Is something wrong, sir?"
"N-no, not at all, Your Grace. It is an honor to be of service to you. Please allow me to escort you, Your Grace."
Still perplexed, I took his hand and stepped onto the ground, my shoes crushing the ice crystals. The Fatui unbolted the inner doors, sealing it shut behind me.
Scowling, I rested my quill on the inkblot. If only my lackeys hadn't been summoned for escort duty. Who was visiting the palace anyhow? Nothing was on my schedule.
A knock on the door brought me back to my senses.
"What the hell do you idiots want with me?"
Slowly, a young page entered. "Um, Her Majesty, the Tsaritsa, has summoned you for a conference, my lord. The lords and ladies of Harbinger rank have also been called."
