HIS EMPRESS✔️

Before it all started:Her side

It is dusk and I am still sitting on a century old rock at my favorite place while staring at the setting sun. I fell for it at first sight. I always thought that sunset is one of the most beautiful things in the universe. Cyan, my home, is one of the best places to watch the sky turn blood red with streaks of orange and yellow. Although I felt very caged in this place, I have never hated how it looked, its awesomeness is second to none.

My mind drifts off from the serene phenomenon to the packed palace that I live in.

Loyal people at home would probably be worried by now because I haven't been back since I went out for a run at dawn.

I enjoy the fresh air and silence in the woods. The smell of trees, on the other hand, comforts me and I adore it.

Many people thought that I couldn't thrive alone in the wilderness because I had a golden spoon stuck in my mouth since infancy; they never knew that I survive better in the woods than in the palace. I lived here ever since I don't know when. It's more of a home than just a void place now. Anyone in the palace can try to have me killed, people for me are worse than the beasts that I fight with inside these towering trees. 

My mind drifts to my father's way of training me. He tied a 6-year old child in the deepest parts of the most dangerous forests and left me there to be eaten by starving wolves. I barely survived the first time he did it, it was too hard for me and the memories are still here as if they happened minutes ago. The fear of being abandoned was already gone, which is now replaced with bravery and strength. 

The first night was horrendous, my arms were tied together, and my body was parallel to the tree. I was calling my father for help but I only saw his back moving further saying I had to be brave.

I haven't had a drop of water for hours, and I felt dehydrated as my body was already drenched in sweat and tears. Then I felt movements around; I struggled to break free from the ropes. I knew they're already near and ready to tear me limb by limb. I don't know if it was a miracle, but there was a scent that has calmed my senses, as if the smell was calming me down, defeating the fear that I felt. That was the first time I felt the beast inside me, vigorous and undaunted. It felt omnipotent. I grew 10 tails, white as snow, and my nails elongated. I felt an enormous force inside me, and I began to break free in just one move. during the first night, I was a 10 tailed fox. Father was very shocked to see me flying as a phoenix a year later. It's very rare, that a child inherits two of their parents clan genes. Maybe that is why they are afraid to show my face in front of the public.

I was thinking maybe, I could have not survived, but I did. I guess the blood running through my veins are not the kind to experience losing in a simple battle.
I smiled at myself, thinking about it, a cute little girl fighting a bunch of full-grown wolves. It was the worst night of my life, but I know that there's something worse to come. It made me stronger mentally and physically. 
And I love my father for it; it made me stronger. I never understood why he had to do it, let alone cover my face since I was a baby that nobody could recognize me anymore.

Then after 10 years of training and doing the most dangerous things that anyone could ever imagine, father and mother left without a word. Never explaining why I have to cover my face with either a veil or a mask, I am pretty sure I am far from being ugly. Simultaneously, leaving a furious and distraught 17-year-old girl to rule as an empress of an empire that covers almost half of the earth. It's a burden that I had to carry at an early age.

I never knew where they went, and I lived my life in wonder where they could be. I lived my life surrounded by people who I never knew I could trust, and I lived my life in fear that my food was poisoned and lived my life so cautious of everything. A point of darkness has come to me, where I needed to make a choice, wars came after my parents left, smaller kingdoms challenged me, they planted spies on my fortress, trying to break the empire that my parents tried hard to retain. They might have thought it was easy to end me since I was young, but they were wrong. They forgot that I was Emperor Alexander's daughter and empress Haiah Cyan, two of the most powerful immortal leaders of all time, leading phoenixes and foxes. Those loyal to my parents stood up with me until we claimed victory against the enemies. The empire has never fallen for the last ten years that I have ruled. And as of now, I oversee all over the immortal realm at least, I tried my best to become someone that my parents would be proud of. And now, my only wish is for them to come back and rule the empire again.

It has never bothered me that my sacrifices weren't enough for people. They still called me ugly because I was hiding behind a mask, and rumors spread that I was hiding a monster inside and outside me. I guess it was true. For the time being, I was affected by whispers and gossips, but I learned to deal with them. Strength isn't only physical; emotional stability conquers all kinds of forces. It makes people live.

I finally snapped out from my thoughts as the place has gotten dark. With a sad smile on my lips, I walked my way back home, wishing the day wouldn't have ended.

But the Starlights appeared, and it warmed my heart.

For the last time, I remembered my father and mother's sweet chuckles while watching me dancing with my sword. As they told me, I was named after the starlight, where they are powerfully seen during nighttime and invisible during the day but are still up there, shining along with the sun.

The forest is already dark, but my eyes could see as clear as the daylight. Instead of teleporting back to the palace, I just decided to enjoy the fresh air before sitting on the lonely throne that's waiting for my return.

"Your majesty?" The silence was cut off by one of the guards patrolling around the palace borders. He bowed his head in respect while holding on to his spear as he will lose it, he was wearing the while armor of the Cyan army, and it made him look like a real warrior just standing there.

It was my first time seeing a guard with a build of a general. He's a foot taller than me. Maybe he could've been a powerful ruler of the army if he wants.

"How did you know that it's me who is here?"

He wasn't indeed nervous but was only looking at the ground before answering, "Everyone knows that you're the only one who wears a mask, hanfu or the golden armor, the golden dragon bracelet of Strauss, anyone can tell that it's you, your majesty,"

"Oh really?" I laughed. In a blink of an eye, I grabbed him on the neck and slammed him on the ground. "Have you ever imagined that I would have been a fake?"

He looked me straight in the eyes, and I smirk at his shocked expression, but obviously on guard at the moment. His face was fearful, but his eyes were still as brave as I saw it minutes ago. I find him interesting.
Then I heard footsteps coming, which I suppose are his companions.

I let out another laugh and let him go, whereas he replaced my hand with his on his probably burning neck.

"But your majesty, that crest is one of a kind; no one can imitate it because the emperor of the Straussian empire crafted it himself. There's only one in the entire world."

My eyes darted to the guard. "Is that true? I didn't know that,"

"Yes, your majesty, forgive my boldness, but I know a lot about the royalties of this world," he smiled now, and I could see that he is attractive.

"You are such an interesting man," as far as I'm concerned, I never knew a thing about the bracelet and the tattoo that is beneath it. Almost look like they were made for my wrist only. "Forgive me, warrior," I apologized.

"I wish to hear more of what you know about the phoenixes ,foxes, and dragons,"

"I do not deserve such kindness," he said and bowed.

"Stand guard and never lose your focus. You are the pillars of this place, so I am counting on you" my command was loud enough for those who have just arrived and him to hear.

"Yes, your majesty" they all bowed except the one who was slumped on the ground, to whom I offered a hand.

I turned my back to everybody, whom I can smell fear and awe at the same time. Maybe looking at an empress who obliterated a kingdom on her own is a fearful thing. But I only did it for their own sake, and I will do it again if their lives are threatened or are endangered.

It was a dreadful moment. When two kingdoms started to attacked the borders at the same time. The army was divided into two, and we never thought that there would be another attack from another border, where they killed a bunch of my people. Being young and having no experience of war, it was almost a defeat. However, I am glad to have been blessed with strong generals and enough power to fight for my people.

Now no one could pose a threat to the empire unless the most powerful empire on the planet plans to. I am never sure if maybe the Straussian empire might actually have thoughts of doing so.

I then let out a distressed sigh at the thought and faced the palace and decided to teleport for faster travel, never minding the chattering that I left behind while staring at the vast palace grounds, where stress awaits in its full glory. I was there in the blink of an eye.