His Favored Empress

Setting the Stage

 Shaugn put the Right Minister's memorial on the left side of the desk and picked up the next from the mnster of the left. In the memorial he was complaining how some ministers had private guards at their homes reducing the number available to guard the capital from lowly, violent refugees.

There wasn't a law in place saying ministers couldn't have guards. However, they were not allowed to use guards that protect the city or the guards in the army or palace. The minister being snitched on was committing a crime that needed to be dealt with. But his attitude towards the refugees.

Shaugn sucked his teeth. "Kazim, have Akechi bring me a jug of water, half a cup of juice, and some light snacks."

"Yes, your majesty."

Shaugn put that memorial in the middle of the desk and picked up the next. It was from the minister of education concerned about the refugees not attending school.

"What a conscientious minister to worry about the education of those refugee children," Shawn muttered to himself. Then he read the next line in the memorial and cursed. "What bullshit. 'Worried the refuges would have a negative impact on students of the capital' my ass." He raised his hand to throw the offending sheet of paper into the fireplace but stopped himself. Taking a deep breath, he put it in the pile with the right minister's and several others. So far only three ministers had been concerns about the people. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he closed his eyes and sighed.

The ministers weren't worth the tassels and hats they wore on their heads. Only a handful cared for the people and had any real interest in serving the court and not just themselves.

Kazim stepped forward with concern. "Your majesty?"

"I'm fine."

"Perhaps you should rest and look at the rest of the memorials tomorrow?"

As a professor Shaugn spent many nights looking at student papers long into the morning. These simple memorials were nothing more than a complaint filed by the minister with or without a solution that needed approval by the emperor or empress. Shaugn took a sip of his drink and wiped his lips. "No. I'd rather get this over with. I'm not losing sleep over this useless trash."

Kazim suppressed the smile at the corner of his mouth and stepped back. Shaugn stretched his back and groaned softly as everything popped back into place. He took out a sheet of paper and began to write which of the ministers he could rely on and which ones he would just have to reprimand or dismiss based off the memorials submitted.

By the time he was finished with the memorials and his list, it was near one in the morning. He yawned and gave his stomach a light rub. This child was well behaved. His cravings were not strange or excessive ones and his pregnancy symptoms were also mild. For the mental battle ahead, he prayed it stayed that way for a while.

He got up early the next morning and gave instructions for breakfast. Then he went about getting ready for the day. He chose a golden robe with red embroidery. His hair was piled on top in a bun and Akechi placed a simple golden headdress with a ruby in the center and pearls dangling on the sides on his head. Gold stud earrings with ruby teardrops adorned his ears. The entire person gave off a clean and noble air. Powerful, holy, and untouchable.

One of the guards arrived with Toshi and Nirik just as the maids brought in breakfast. Shaugn called them to sit and eat with him before going to the court. He waited until they were mostly finished before speaking to them. Whether he wanted it or not, they would be potential targets for his enemies and needed to be prepared.

"Things are going to be...chaotic in a while."

Toshi smacked his lips. "Why?"

Nirik had grown up in the palace and was not oblivious to palace drama. "What is the empress up to?"