The emperor had never known his real parents, it was a given that he wasn't ever able to see them. For the empire, it was something simple that the royals had to go through. He had no mother, no father to call his own. The world did not watch as he grew up, but rather the magistrates scoldings molded him into what the world saw now.
From boyhood, the old men would gather behind his back and talk in rough, harsh voices. They would tell him what to do, tell him to stand straight, tell him to keep his eyes open for there was no real place of safety even within the walls of his own house. When he failed to apply their virtues they would prod him and slap his hands or any body part in front of them as reply. His body grew, his skin turned rough from lashings his own people gave him. His eyes stared ahead, his lips remained closed tight, and his fists stayed at his sides.
He was fifteen when they set the coronation date. It was to happen over the course of a week.
Rumors spilled across the empire about their new ruler. Many were about how cold he was and how he was ruthless in killing his enemies. Others were about how he mistreated women in the palace because of his lack of maternal love. In fact, the rest of the rumors were a mix of the two. None of them, to his frustration and the magistrates' satisfaction, were true.
Soon enough the rumors had spread all across the empire. His own servants turned the other way when he passed them in the halls and the maids rushed out of the rooms he entered. The closest people to him turned away and fled. They left him alone. He could not breathe easily even alone, for the magistrates listened through the walls. He kept his head held high, and his hands at his sides. His lips remained closed and his eyes watched for danger, just as the magistrates had told him.
The coronation ceremony moved around him as if in slow motion. It couldn't have been over soon enough. All over the empire, from the wealthiest inner city officials, to the dirtiest street rats came to see the crowning of their new ruler. They knew not of whether the rumors were true, nor did they know where he came from. On that day though, they learned of him. A tall, strong boy with elegant long hair that stunned even the women of the capital. They learned him to be rich, intimidating, and powerful. All through his actions. He did not kneel to the priests, he bowed with respect. He did not speak, yet it felt as if he were telling them of what his rule would be like. They would trust in a man like this, for they had never seen one that showed them power in any other way so resolutely than this.
When he looked among the crowd of his people, he couldn't have felt more alone. No one watched him with pity. No one looked upon him with sympathy. Not even the children smiled at him. They simply respected him. All of them gazed at him with great awe, but just like that, he knew none would be upset at his death. None of those people in the streets would cry an outrage should he kill himself. Still, his eyes scanned the crowd for even a morsel of a flash of emotion. The magistrates behind him smiled despicably and he could not hide the hate that seared through his chest, hot as smelted iron. With a grand movement, his eyes tore away from the people and he walked back into the palace towards the throne room.
He failed to see the girl, aged just the same as him, holding her younger brother in her arms, watch him turn away with sadness in her eyes.
She was not weak, she was a fighter. Ever since birth she had come out ready to cause an uproar. A powerful girl no matter what. Her eyes were clear, her voice strong, her body gaining muscle day by day through hard labor.
Her mother and father were old, becoming sick, but they loved her and her brother dearly. She was a simple girl which history would not be able to record as to where she came from. Her brother was only but six, and she carried him about due to his weak legs. Of the family she was the most able bodied and strong, so she was the one who kept all else straightened. She fought when needed, kept quiet when forced.
She was simply human, simply strong, and simple minded.
Legends tell us of a tale about the dragon lovers, who came from different lives and times, but caused great disaster in the empire. Not even the jade emperor could separate them. Their power separately disrupted all of Asia, and together it tore apart the world. The jade emperor and the jade warlord were forced to intervene, for what else was there that they could do? The lovers fell apart, one cries for the other, creating the rivers and rain, and the other sleeps peacefully, making the mountains and earth.
This is the tale of the Dragon Emperor and his Empress.
