Renouncing the Emperor's Heart

Empress Helene

*TW: The following episode contains sensitive issues dealing with grief, depression, and suicide.*

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When Jovine was a young girl, she would often hide in a closet to cry after being berated by her mother for falling short of her expectations or when she felt the constant ache of isolation as she sunk under the shadow of her three brothers.

In that small, dark space, she cried until her tears ran dry and the sadness subsided to a numbing throb. Then, she would open the door, wipe her dried tears off, and smile.

No matter how much she wanted to rage, she grew familiar with the suffocation of sealing it all in a little box inside, where she tucked it away safely to be opened when she was in her 'closet.'

So, in the mess of the Palace Halls, with the castle staff and her ladies staring in bewilderment at the changed Prince, Jovine dusted herself off and stood.

"You heard His Majesty. Tend to the wounded, treat those who need to be looked after, and let us clear away the mess," she announced.

When silence answered her, she exhaled a breath in resignation, and started picking up the debris of shattered glass around her feet. At her movements, the Palace came to life with people crying out in protest at her careless handling of the jagged shards of glass but at her wave of dismissal, they reluctantly rushed back to their posts to return the Palace to a state of order.

"Are you alright, Your Highness?" Lady Margaret asked hesitantly among the growing bustle.

Jovine hastily threw the wreckage in a spare sack someone had handed her. "I'm fine," she muttered distractedly.

But, she was far from fine. She wanted nothing more than to hide herself away from the eyes of those who had just watched her husband rebuke her. Except, now was no time for her to break. She had her duties, and she would adhere to them.

Richard is mourning, she kept reminding herself. He's hurt and lashing out.

Despite her own attempts to convince herself, however, she couldn't stop the onslaught of anxiety consuming her mind. What had happened in Mallory to change the Prince so drastically? What was the truth behind the death of the Emperor? Why did a sudden trembling come to visit Theolos, and how could Richard fail to acknowledge it?

With endless thoughts racing through her head, she pushed herself through the pounding ache in her body and dealt with the Palace affairs.

After checking on the wounded and confirming the well-being of the citizens outside the Palace, the maid she had sent to check on the condition of Empress Helene came rushing back to her with news.

"Your Highness," the maid said breathlessly. "Her Majesty wishes to see you immediately."

Jovine set down the reports she had received on the state of the city past the Palace walls. "Is Her Majesty still very unwell?"

"The Royal Physician has assured us that she will be fine," the maid replied. "But, Her Majesty has requested your presence."

Jovine nodded, and after exchanging a few more words with Lord Maximus, the Royal Secretary overlooking the damages from the quake, she made her way to the Empress's Palace.

When she arrived, she found it to be unusually quiet and scarce. Without a single Court Lady there to announce her, she raised a hand to knock on the door.

"Come in," a distant voice called from within.

Jovine entered the drawing room, the creak of the door echoing through the dark night. All the lights were extinguished and a cold draft brought chills to shiver down her spine. The large expanse of the suite was too quiet as her footsteps sounded loudly in the silence.