All Hail The Queen

Chapter 1 - Succeeding the Throne

 In the Winter of 457, snow and ice had frozen over the Westlands as the sea danced to the music of the harsh, howling winds. Within the palace walls of the Nakamoto household, Himeka was strictly ordered by the Empress to search for and bring Suzuka to her at once.

"Suzuka?! Suzuka! Suzuka, mother would like to have a word with you!"

"Nee-san, I don't want to go. I hate being in that environment! All those cowardly, decrepit court eunuchs feigning allegiance to our family makes me sick. Mother has been ill for the past four years now and I suspect that she's secretly being poisoned by the family doctor and chef."

"Huh? What makes you say that, Su-chan? You shouldn't accuse people of heinous acts without evidence to back up your claim. And besides, we're not going to the Congregation Hall, we're going to her private quarters."

"Hey, Himeka? Do you really think that we will be protected forever?"

 Her older sister did not answer and ignored the question as though it were a whisper in the wind. When they had finally made their way to their mother's living spaces, both were hesitant to enter without following the code of conduct their mother implemented for entering her home.

"Y-y-you go first Suzuka. I'll be behind you." Himeka whispered to young Suzuka.

 She responded, "What?! No! You're the older one, I'll follow behind you! That's how mother wants things to be done!"

"Quit playing Suzuka! Besides, mother wanted to see you anyways; I was only told to bring you to her. She never gave me permission nor any other commands other than what I was told to do." She quickly turned around leaving Suzuka at the front of their mother's door.

 She cried out to her older sister in a loud whisper, "Nee-san! Nee-san! Himeka, come back!" But it was too late. Himeka had sped her way well beyond whispering distance. Suzuka slowly turned around to face the entrance again and gulped. Before she could call out to her mother to allow her to come in, the Empress had already yelled out to her for confirmation. "Come in, Suzuka! Leave your sister on her way, she already served her purpose."

 Her knees trembled with every step she took as she approached closer and closer to her mother's room. There was a designated cushion on the floor adjacent to her sleeping quarters. The beaded curtains obscured the empress's face, only her silhouette was visible. Suzuka knelt on the cushion and bowed. "The Empress has summoned me for a private discussion?" The beads were parted by a pale-white hand embellished with rings and bracelets made from the finest of gems across the land. As royal etiquette dictates, one must not and never dare to make eye contact with her Majesty so before Suzuka would dare to look at her mother she looked down at the floor with her mother's face blurred in her peripheral.

"Suzuka?" her mother asked in a soft and tender voice. "Suzuka? What's wrong? Do you dare not to look upon the face of the person who brought you into this world?"

"It is under the course of common law to never look upon the Majesty's face and to only observe their presence from a distant view." Her mother laughed at her daughter's response.

"My dear child. Yes, you are right in that sense. However, you have forgotten one thing."

"My apologies, your Majesty. I was foolish to have made a mistake in reciting standard code of conduct. Please pardon you're servant's unlawful behavior." She deeply bowed to show great sincerity in her apology.

"Very well. You are pardoned." Suzuka slowly rose her head. "Your benevolence is unrivaled throughout the world, your Majesty. I am forever thankful for your kindnes--"

The Empress slapped her daughter across the face before she could finish completing her thought. Little Suzuka's face stung from getting struck by her mother; tears formed and trickled down her face.