The Empress's Revenge

Chapter 6

Things at the palace were moving too slow for my liking.

Each day I woke up, wondering what scandal would happen today.

But it never did.

Either the emperor forgot I existed or simply refused to do anything about the recent events. I saw him from afar. He always walked with a purpose, head held high and his suit neat and clean. The scars from Jade had faded slightly, leaving permanent flesh coloured scratches across his face.

When Fedyor had returned from is errands, I told him all about my encounter.

"That weasel!" He had roared in fury.

I calmed him down as we paced in my office. He was quiet for the longest time then he shot me a blinding grin.

"I have an idea, M'lady."

As we conversed, we came up with a brilliant plan to expose Tasheyo, and yes, Fedyor knew about what I'd witnessed behind the tree as well. He had come to be one of my closet friends.

Our plan was to set up a ball. I would dance a few times with Tasheyo, and seem uninterested, then I would dance with Fedyor and seem the opposite.

We would invite all nobles and some society members from the Western, Southern and, yes, the Northern kingdom's. They would witness the scene, then start to doubt Tasheyo's ruling.

I sat down in my chair and watched as Jade slunk out the door.

Fedyor was leaning over my desk, writing quickly on a piece of parchment. I watched him as his white hair hung over his forehead. He scowled at what he had written with his brilliant blue eyes.

"We need to be prepared for all options."

Fedyor ran a hand through his hair as he said this. I simply nodded, dumbfounded, lost in my thoughts.

The door swayed a little as Jade pushed his way back into the room. He strode across the floor and leapt into my lap. 

I stroked his velvet fur, when my fingers got caught on a string around his neck.

I snapped out of my paralyzed state, and eagerly untied the slip of paper. Fedyor had paused his writing and watched me in curiosity.

"What is that?" He asked.

But I was too busy reading the neat letters that danced across the white page.

I would like to dance with you.

I showed the writing to Fedyor as he peered over my shoulder. As I explained the exchanging of letters to him, his eyes brightened, if that was even possible.

"M'Lady, do you know what this means?" He said, excitedly.

I shook my head, simply bewildered.

Fedyor threw his head back and gave a hearty laugh.

"We can throw a masquerade party," He explained to me. "And this unknown person can come dance with you. No one will know who he is, and then after, he can dissapear again. The nobles will all whisper about how delighted the empress looked with this man, and they will start to doubt your relationship with the emperor, building doubts until the emperors secret comes out and he's caused to step down."

He panted ever so slightly, as he finished. I stared at him in awe as he recovered and straightened up.

He was very good at all of this, but he was very enthusiastic about the emperor's downfall. 

Did that scare me?

I reached for a pen to write back my affirmative answer then Jade sped away, through the doors.