This Is What It's Like To Be Lovers [ON HOLD]

2: When All That's Left Is Hurt

• Queen of Peace by Florence + The Machine •

Laz II, the only of three children named after his father, never wanted to be a peaceful governor like his predecessor had been. Like Azu, his elder sibling strived to be. The seaside realm of Primorska alone was never enough to satisfy him. He wanted to expand the land under his control until there were no boundaries beyond. He wanted to be a ruler. The Great Emperor.

It started with one murder that occurred days before his anointing ceremony. And by the time he had the whole earthside under his thumb, he knew there would be books written about his conquest. Most of them would criticize him, Laz knew that. But it didn't matter to him.

The books that came out in the years following his enthroning described the fight against the previous governor of Eira as, "the most ruthless act by our Emperor, driven by greed and won with the help of one particularly notorious Arcana". Laz agreed with them.

He regarded the snowy valleys and the not-so-distant ice-capped mountains of the snowside realm as a rightfully earned land and chose to set camp there.  He brought his seaside family to the snowy mountains, quickening the transfer of his elderly parents to the icy grasps of Death.

The daughter that had not seen him since infancy, was now four winters old, taller than the other children of her age, with too many friends she didn't want to leave and a terrible love for the sea. But when her mother, the now Empress Vivian, had cried to her, expressing how her obedience was the only way to keep the family from breaking apart, she was quick to agree.

Larimar could never bear to see her mother's tears. And the Empress knew that.

So she became the High Princess, the only princess allowed to exist in all of earthside.

Laz II eventually appointed wardens in each realm, but the power of this position was limited. They didn't rule, they relayed one-way messages from the Emperor to the people indigenous to their realms. They levied taxes demanded by their employer, made sure supplies were fed to the royal warehouse, and gazed away when Laz paid visits to their entertainment districts.

As the High Princess, Larimar had to be the most obedient, an example of a daughter to the rest of the earthside. And she was. Books that critiqued her father also spoke well of her and her mother. But she never read them; they weren't allowed in the royal library of Paláti tis Metensárkosis.

Larimar grew up home tutored by a renowned maester, Professor Carnel. He quickly became her counselor, her confidante, and her best and only friend. He taught her history, literature, astrology, mathematics, biology, music, and tarot. Lari also learned several languages, practiced archery in the crisp grass of the palace's backyard, and learned royal etiquette and conduct from a governess.

She rarely saw her father and every time her mother sat with her, she found the Empress desolate and at the brink of a breakdown. Lari thought her mother was fragile and consciously chose to never ask her about her grief in fear of breaking her.

One day, after she had seen sixteen winters, her father came to visit her in her quarters, deep inside the castle, and told her, almost jokingly, "I tried, dushka, but your mother just won't carry another child for me. If only you had a brother, all my worries would have been gone. But I'm afraid you'll have to carry on ruling after I'm dead."

"Don't talk about dying, Father." She was polite, kind, often regarded as meek.

"It's only natural I'd pass one day." His words dripped with arrogance. "Let's not be too sentimental about it. I only want you - no, need you to harden up a little. Come to the court with me, see the world. Meet the ministers and wardens you'll have to deal with. You'll learn that there's no place for kindness once you're sitting on a throne. Tell me, which Arcana are you speaking to right now?"