Who made me Penelope Judith?

4. The Empress

I stared at the newly arrived letter in my hands. I'm new in Obelia but I was smart enough to guess who sent it. The seal was by far the most elaborate one I've seen so far with a crown on it. If that wasn't a big hint I don't know what it was.

In my time here, I have realized that the language of Obelia was actually English. Some here who aren't originated from Obelia speak languages like French or Spanish. The nobles speak with this intolerable British accent that Penelope also has while the commoners go anywhere from the old men of Ohio to the Australian accent.

After connecting a few dots, I believe Siodonna corresponds to France, well it's either France or Italy. My birth language was French, but after being confined in my house because of my sickness, I mastered English and I eventually learned how to speak Korean and Spanish after having decided it was annoying listening to BTS or Enrique Iglesias without understanding what in the world they were singing about with so much enthusiasm. I suppose I also attempted to learn Japanese but my motivation wore out a little bit too soon and with a declining health, mastering a 5th language wasn't on my bucket list.

My dear Penelope,

I understand you are to visit Claude this week-end. Before you come to him, please come see me first. I will grant you an audience with great pleasure. There are things we must talk about.

Cordially,

Morgana de Alger Obelia.

At first I had a panic attack because I didn't know the character that just corresponded with me, but after having taken 30 seconds to stare at the name, I figured it was the empress of Obelia, Anastacius's mother.

Morgana her name is...She is also the legal step-mother of Claude. She had never been an important character with a giant WIKI page. I always thought she was an underrated minor villain since she was the one who pressured Anastacius on the throne, thus driving him further away from Claude. Her story was too vague. She wasn't important enough for me to remember any of her quotes, not that she had many. I however recall how she looked like and a few other things about her.

Without another thought, I opened Penelope's latest diary.

It still felt very awkward to write in another person's diary. I felt as if I was overstepping a few boundaries, like I was crossing a line I shouldn't have crossed. Regardless, I am now Penelope Judith and all she has belongs to me. I was in my right to write in this diary.

I wrote down all I knew about the empress. I didn't note down what kinds of clothes she usually wore, but I'm convinced they must be befitting of an empress. I wrote down more important things. What matters in a person are not what they wear or how they look, it's their personality, or rather their whole character trait.

I know that Morgana felt threatened by the arrival of Claude into the palace. That she thus pressured Anastacius to inherit the throne. I also remember something else. I think she put so much pressure on her son to inherit the title of emperor because it would secure her own position. I also understand that if Anastacius didn't become emperor, she would've been somewhat humiliated.

I don't understand noble society, but I suppose she would indeed be humiliated had the legitimate son she had with with the emperor be overshadowed by the illegitimate one he had with one of his mistresses. That would've indeed looked insultingly bad on her. People might've started a rumor about her being unable to raise her child well, resulting on Anastacius's inheritance being taken over by Claude. Every bad talk about Anastacius will also concern her anyway.

"Hey Jane." I said.

"Yes?" Asked my maid who was busy dusting off some shelves.

"Is Empress Morgana a good Empress?" I asked.