The Princess of Wrath

Chapter 8 - Part I: Antares and Bellatrix

On the ninth day of the fifth month, twenty-three days after the journey to the Berelith Temple had concluded, the capital of the Empire and some regions of the annexed countries woke up celebrating the twentieth birthday of Princess Asura and, with much more enthusiasm, her surprise engagement with the well-known alchemist, Roland Casimir.

It was no exaggeration to say that no one throughout the vast length of the Empire had expected Asura to choose him as her husband, there being hundreds of respectable and powerful lords who would have fought to the death among themselves for the honor of accepting her hand.

Not even Roland could believe that what had been a recent joke among them actually came true, but his initial skepticism was understandable : he was someone whose family did not possess a title of nobility, and which he had obtained it very recently for his incalculable contributions to the scientific and technological development of the Empire.

That simple fact was enough to offend those who had been the main candidates to commit to Asura; they were not going to remain silent so easily, unlike the rest of the inhabitants of the Empire: the news of the future marriage had been positively received by the common folk.

They saw Roland as someone who had started at the very bottom and, with the sweat of his brow, managed to get so far up to the point of marrying the Princess of the Empire which they adored so much. The thought of knowing that the heir to the throne would be able to enjoy the blessing of the love of a life partner and the future sons and daughters they were destined to have filled them with collective joy.

Fortunately, the masses were never going to know that the engagement between Asura and Roland was completely devoid of romance: neither of them felt real sympathy or affection for the other, not even with the curse binding them together with a pact of cooperation, and after the journey they shared days ago.

Furthermore, Roland's first reaction had been one of rejection, arguing that not only was he not worthy of such honor, but that he did not see and never would see Asura as a woman with whom he wanted to share the rest of his days. That had hurt her pride, Asura had to admit, but she made sure to make it clear that the feeling was mutual and that the reason why she wanted to marry him was simply because the two of them were going to benefit from that kind of union.

That was precisely what Asura was discussing with her mother that very morning in the Throne Room, after the Imperial Guards, Wraiths and Councilors left the place to give them privacy before they made their way to the Cristal Ballroom.

"I don't question your decision, but I want you to keep my opinion in mind: you could have chosen someone with a more...solid position, shall we say," Elfriede let her know near the end, sitting on her throne with her arms crossed and staring judgmentally at her daughter. She was wearing a beautiful turquoise gown, neckline adorned with sheer silk layers and silver gem-studded bracelets circling her wrists. "Roland can only give you the most valuable brain in the entire continent; by default, you won't be able to place someone as methodical as him as High Lord of Malakai's Black Garden in the place of your father. There are thousands of men out there who could give you that, and much more."

Standing at the foot of the steps leading to the throne, Asura looked annoyed at her mother by the constant questions she had to endure from the day she announced her decision to that moment. Like her, she was wearing an uncomfortable dark gray formal dress, ideal for the celebration she was having shortly.

"Look, I just wanted to save Diana's life, and Roland just sees the countless benefits of being my husband. Once the ceremony is over and in the future I sit on that throne," Asura pointed with her index finger in the direction of her mother. "I'll think of another way to bring father here and make him my Councilor of War. Roland will be able to stay in his Tower investigating everything he wants, or I could even give him the position of Councilor of Energy and Industry if Lauren vas Breen decides to step aside the day I take over, if her age did not force her previously to do so. We will both win in the end."