A Rising Zodiac

Introduction

"Please, don't even speak of such things," said the former empress as she set down her tea cup with practiced silence; the small boy sitting next to her flushed in embarrassment from her words. "We Leos take pride in being pure breeds, one of the few nations who haven't strayed from the ancient rules."

The little boy, her grandson, tried to listen but couldn't stop his mind from wandering. It looped through the clouds and became hooked on a memory from the last New Year's Ball, where he'd seen a girl who'd captivated his attention like a moth to a flame. She'd disappeared as quickly as she'd come but hadn't disappeared from his mind.

"Fairfax, are you listening?"

Fairfax raised his head, forcing himself to attention, and was met with his grandmother's piercing yellow stare which bore straight through his soul. He swallowed his nerves and replied, "Y-yes grandmother. I'm sorry, I won't ask about it again."

She smiled and patted him on the head like one would a cute dog, "You are my beautiful boy aren't you?" Fairfax forced a smile onto his face, but his grandmother continued her rant anyways. "I wish your generation wouldn't stray away from tradition so much."

He interpreted the emotion on her face for sadness and decided it was his responsibility to cheer her up. "Don't worry grandmother, I would never be as rebellious as an Aries or Sagittarius."

His grandmother smiled at him so gently that he mistook it for sincerity; had he known how many classes on etiquette she'd taken or how many times she'd stared at herself in a mirror and forced that smile until it became a habit, perhaps he would've realized it was not.

"You will be a fine boy," she said, "and a much better emperor than your father."

Fairfax sipped his tea, forcing the flavor down his throat in an effort to ignore her stinging words.

"I see you're learning how to hold your tongue," the grandmother said with a smirk as she drank her own tea.

"Yes. Just for you, dearest grandmother."

They both smiled and laughed.

"I must admit, you are growing up far too fast."

The boy, misunderstanding her, stood up and put a proud fist to his chest. "Yes, I've grown a whole two inches since you last saw me."

With a smile, she gestured for him to sit back down but was interrupted by a lady in waiting swinging the door open. The former empress swung around in her chair, fury on her face and a stare as hot as the sun aimed at the servant.

"Mrs. Coltion! What business do you have here?"

The lady fought to catch her breath as she said, "Another royal half-breed has been born!"

Fairfax's grandmother rubbed her temples with a violence born from years of built up frustrations, "This is nothing new Mrs. Coltion! Why would you think to interrupt my precious time with my grandson?"

"So sorry ma'am, but the half-breed is going to be a crown prince. I only thought to immediately inform you as it is a matter which you care deeply about."

The former empress shot up from her seat in a fury, "What? Escort me to the High Commission immediately. They cannot allow something as disrespectful as this, there is no way this could happen!"

She started towards the door, but her grandson called for her. He was still too young to understand, so she just kissed him on the forehead.

"It's okay," the grandmother reassured. "We can have tea another time."

With that, Fairfax was left alone in the royal greenhouse with a half empty cup of tea and too many questions for someone as small as him to possibly have enough answers to.