Her Black Beauty [Navier Remarried Empress x Fem! Reader]

{7}

The letter reached the Northern Kingdom within a day. Y/n quickly opened her office window when she saw the bird flying outside. As she opened the window the cold air hit her, it was snowing still as expected. She got the bird inside, getting a blanket and letting the bird lay down to rest. "You did a good job, Sapphire. Rest up." She said warmly, petting the bird before untying the note and reading it. She would wait to send the note, at least after Sapphire is rested. She would send it tomorrow.

"Your majesty, Lady Eleanor has asked for an audience with you," Sophia said as she entered the room, bowing.

Y/n had placed the note down on her desk. "Lady Eleanor? Is she here?" She asked, fixing her sleeve as they were a tad too tight on her.

"She is currently sitting in a drawing-room."

"I see. I will be with her shortly. Please, take Sapphire and have her rest in my chamber, with the fire on, and have one of the maids sit in with her to make sure nothing happens." Lady Eleanor. Now a Countess but before, she was the past king's mistress. Though it was taboo her father had one during the time that her mother was sick. He justified it as needing to seek comfort somewhere. Y/n felt bad for her mother after that, knowing how a marriage could turn like that in an instant. It was scary and she vowed she would never take another lover outside of marriage.

"Of course your majesty." Sophia had a maid take the bird and then escorted the queen to the drawing room.

"Countess. Why did you wish to see me today?" Y/n asked as she stood in front of the woman who was sitting down. The red hair and red eyes that she hated in her teen years. She was disgusted.

"Your majesty." The woman stood to bow first, smart. "I come regarding the incident at the ball, and the rumors afterward..."

"Rumors? About what?" Though the queen despised the Countess the woman had insights into the gossip, even from the Eastern Empire and Western Kingdom. She was well connected.

"Well, the woman of course. They say that she is a runaway slave, which his majesty, Emperor of the Eastern Empire already cleared up. However, if you do me a favor, I can do you a favor. Finding the truth, all of the woman's dirty little secrets." She offered.

"What will you want in exchange? I know it will not be something small. I need to see if it is an equal trade."

"The Count's son, he's from his past marriage. I want you to marry him off to the Zerni family. That way my little one has a shot at the title of Count. Since the Zerni's have no male heir it will go to their daughter and her husband."

"I see. However, I cannot order a marriage. Instead, I will say I bless the union of the couple and I will say that they will be an amazing couple. Is that alright, Countess?"

"Yes. Yes. That is quite fine your majesty. I will do my best to find you all of the woman's secrets. Though, why do you need them? There's talk that a royal servant went by order of the queen to the robbery/crime guild to look for dirt on Lady Rashta."

"Something about her doesn't sit right with me. Now, I am a busy woman so I must be off now. I expect weekly updates."

The next day Y/n woke up and immediately wrote back to Navier.

"I am afraid I cannot tell you that, once you find out I'm afraid you will want to stop being pen pals, and I could not bare that. I will tell you, we have met and I am powerful. Though, that is about half of the attendants from the New Year's Eve ball, correct?

- Your admirer ♡ "

Y/n had decided to be bold and drew a small heart, she sent it off in the morning before getting ready and going through all the boring meetings. She wrote a letter to both of the families, speaking of how the two would make a good couple, upholding her end of the deal.

"Oh, my your majesty! The bird is back! And there is a heart on the note?!" Said Laura, part of the note could be seen from how it was tied.

Immediately Navier had gotten out of her seat, walking toward the bird calmly and taking off the note, reading it and her cheeks flushing pink along with letting out a small laugh. "They're humorous.." She said softly.

Both Laura and Eliza were happy that Navier was starting to cheer up since Rashta had arrived. The letters brought her joy.