The Empress's Twin

Chapter 1: Long Live The Empress

In the middle of the forest, two women stood.

"Linhua, hurry and take Xuan to the river. The carriage will be waiting there. Remember, you ARE the Empress of the Great Xia and Mother of the Nation." The Empress commanded.

"Yes, your majesty." Linhua responded.

"I have entrusted you with my life and my son's future. If you can't protect yourself in a palace filled with snakes, you will be swallowed."

They both looked at the forest as screams fill the air.

A look of horror washes across Linhuas' face as she knows what is to come.

"The assassins are getting closer," the empress of Xia said as she kowtowed.

"Please accept this bow, Your Majesty. I wish you a safe journey." The Empress said.

Shocked, Linhua accepted the bow with hesitance and ran to the river as fast as she could.

"I have accepted your bow, and with that, your life. I promise to fulfill our agreement."

...

"We aren't leaving without Mother." A little voice said as he struggled against the nannies as they pulled him.

"So Xu Linhua finally gave birth after 9 years. But she too late Consort Shu also has a male child and he is far ahead of this bastard." The nanny said, pointing at the little boy.

"Don't talk about Mother like that!" The little boy screamed.

"I wonder which man she seduced to birth you. A fatherless nuisance." The nanny continued.

"It is disrespectful to talk to your superior, Mother will have you beaten." The little boy said.

"Your mother is a trash that was thrown away, who is only here to be a cattle that breeds. Don't think too highly of yourself."

"Really, I'm just a useless slut who is designed for breeding, while you are a slave who is like an ant... Easy to kill. Who holds more power?" Linhua appeared and questioned.

'Don't talk back. Please...'

"Yes. You are shameless..." Before the nanny could finish her sentence, she felt a hand land on her cheek. And then another.

"This is just the beginning. Talk any more, and you will see why I'm called a cold witch." Linhua said with a sparkle in her eyes.

This caused the nannies around to shiver in fright.

"Yes, your majesty. The carriage is ready." The nanny said as she straightened her figure and looked down obediently as she whispered.

In the carriage...

"Xuan, where is Jia?" Linhua questioned.

Xuan took a good look at his 'mother' and got hesitant.

"It's okay, I just want to know if she is okay and if she's with us?" She said as she looked at Xuan's face gently.

His small voice echoed in the carriage, "She's there." He pointed.

Linhua moved towards the position on the seat, removing the pillows.

"Mother, I'm sorry, I didn't want to be left alone in the hut." Jia said on the verge of tears.

Linhua raised her hand... and Jia flinched.

'Poor girl, her mother didn't love her at all.'

Linhua looked at Jia sadly but immediately schooled her face and emotions.

"I wasn't going to hit you." She said firmly as she gently raised her hand and touched Jia affectionately.

"I wanted to talk with you and your brother." She said, making sure to look both of them in the eye.

"We are being summoned to the Imperial Palace by the emperor, your father." Linhua stated.

Xuan and Jia looked at each other in shock.

"Our father is the emperor? Why were we never told." Jia said bewildered.

"It's been 9 years and your mother...*cough* I mean, I didn't think you needed to know. I didn't know when we would be called back."

"But we are?" Xuan said hesitantly.

"Yes, and these past years, I have educated you in the way a prince of Great Xia should be taught. And you are better and smarter." Linhua stated and assured with emotion.

And Linhua faced to Jia, "I have raised you with impeccable manners and intelligence that the princess of a nation should have. So..." Linhua paused and took a deep breath with her body shaking l.

"I will never let you down. The palace is filled with wolves and snakes in a rabbits skin. Never trust anyone."

"I have raised you to the best I can and I will continue to but I want to let you know that entering the palace, no matter what I have done to you, past or present...you have to put your full trust in me." Linhua said.

"But.." Jia was interrupted before she could compete her statement.

"I know, and I'm sorry. But if you want to survive and thrive, you have to trust me, or else your enemies will kill you." Linhua said as she looked the children dead in the eyes.