Duke Holloway pushed Maude’s face into the red carpet. “We humbly greet the light of the empire,” Duke Holloway said. He was pressing Maude’s face into the floor so hard that her nose was beginning to hurt.

“You may rise,” the emperor said in an extraordinarily deep voice. Her father removed his hand from her head.

“Whatever you do, do not look the emperor in the eyes,” her father hissed at her.

Maude’s father and Maude both stood up slowly, together, and he was making sure to yank on her arm every time he needed her to change heights. The traditional ceremonial bow was quite elaborate and difficult to memorize. Maude had never been taught it, just as she’d never been taught the etiquette necessary to be a duke’s daughter. She did her best to watch her father’s movements out of the corner of her eye, and did her best to copy them, albeit, a step behind. She hoped it was good enough that she would get to keep her head.

Finally, the ceremonial bow was over. Maude saw the emperor smile, and then she turned her attention to his shoes.

“Welcome, Matthias and Maude Holloway!” the emperor shouted. Maude nearly jumped out of her skin. In spite of how large the throne room was, she hadn’t expected there to be a faint echo of the emperor’s words. “It’s a pleasure to have you here today.”

“We are honored to have been invited,” Duke Holloway said

“Of course, of course,” the emperor said. Maude watched his feet as he turned around and strode back to sit on his throne. “I am excited to be working with you both to defend our empire from these hubristic invaders.”

Maude’s head snapped up, and she caught herself before she accidentally looked into the emperor’s eyes. He was sneering.

“Of course,” the duke said. “We look forward to serving you at all costs.”

Shit, Maude thought. Father wasn’t able to convince him.

“I am most looking forward to seeing the empire’s sword saint in action,” the emperor said. “You’ve been refining your skills over the last eight years, have you not?”

The room fell silent. Maude’s father elbowed her in the ribs, and cleared his throat.

Maude winced, clutching her side. That was probably going to bruise.

“My apologies,” Maude said, bowing her head further in hopes of showing that she was trying to be sincere. “Yes, your majesty. I’ve been spending nearly all of my days sharpening my skills.”

“Nearly all of your days?” the emperor laughed. “Good heavens, Matthias. You’re ruthless.”

That’s an understatement, Maude thought.

“I just want her to be the best she can be, your eminence,” her father said.

“Are you looking forward to demonstrating your skills, Lady Maude?” the emperor asked.

Maude looked up towards the emperor’s face again. She wasn’t sure how to interpret the look on his face. It made her feel threatened, and she felt her stomach tighten. She tried to swallow the sour flavor that was coming into her mouth, but it felt as though the liquid got caught on the way down.

“With all due respect, your eminence,” Maude said, while studying his ear, “I do not believe that I am fit to lead an army or go to war.”

Her father elbowed her in the rib cage again. She grimaced.

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“Oh?” the emperor said. “And pray tell why you think so little of your skills?”

“I have only studied sword fighting, your eminence,” Maude said. “I have not learned anything about strategy or leading a war.”

The emperor laughed again, and this time he seemed truly amused. “What an excellent point you bring up,” he said. “It is truly a shame that your father neglected to educate you in any strategy or war theory.” Maude felt her father bristle beside her. She would probably pay for that comment later, but if it meant she would no longer have to go to war, she didn’t care.

“Forgive me, your eminence,” Duke Holloway started to say, but the emperor raised his hand to stop the duke from continuing on.

“There is no use arguing or apologizing for it now,” the emperor said. “It is just a matter of fact.”

“My apologies, your eminence,” Maude’s father said.

The emperor shook his head. “Lady Maude,” he said, turning his attention back to the girl. “You are not the only person I asked to lead without the experience or knowledge to do that.” He paused. “Do you doubt me so much to think that I wouldn’t have considered the fact that you have no knowledge of strategy?”

“Ah, you’re right, your eminence,” Maude said, bowing her head away from his eyes again. “My apologies, I wasn’t sure what to think, as I had never met you.”

The emperor laughed again. “Another excellent point! I’m sure you will catch onto war strategy in no time!”

Maude did her best to hold back a grimace. To most people, that would probably be a compliment. But Maude did not want to use her mind’s capabilities for war strategy.

“Thank you, your eminence,” Maude murmured.

“You needn’t worry about strategizing too much, Lady Maude,” the emperor said. “On the night before we leave, I am planning on having a strategy meeting. During this meeting all of the leaders of all of our different troop units will be there. We will be telling everyone exactly what to do to ensure the success of each battalion’s campaign. All you will have to do is do what I say.”

The emperor paused again, as if he was waiting for Maude to say something. “Does that sound amicable to you, Lady Maude?” he finally asked.

Maude felt her stomach doing flip flops. The tea that she had drank with Sara was now threatening to reemerge. It was starting to sound like Sara had been correct–it had never been a request from the emperor in the first place.

She shut her eyes tightly and clenched her fists. There was one last thing she could do, she could try, at least, to see if she could get out of it. She’d most certainly pay the price with her father later, but if it meant not killing people, she was more than happy to try.

“Not particularly, your majesty,” Maude finally answered. “Harming others goes against my morals.” Duke Holloway jabbed Maude in the ribs once more. The blow was almost enough to send the tea flying from her stomach, but Maude somehow was able to control it.

“Duke Holloway,” the emperor said in a different tone of voice. “You need to get your daughter under control. Your disciplining of her has clearly been ineffective.” The emperor sniffed haughtily.

Her father pushed Maude back down onto the floor, and her face back into the carpet. “Forgive me, your eminence,” her father said. “I will make sure she is properly punished from here on out.”

“Wonderful,” the emperor said. “Lady Maude,” he continued. She felt his steps nearing where her father was holding her face to the ground. “If you receive requests from me in the future, they are never true requests. They are orders.”

Fuck, Maude thought. Fucking Sara was right. There is no way I can get out of this.

“My apologies, your eminence,” she said. She could taste the dust of the carpet. “I was unaware.”

“Duke Holloway,” the emperor said, addressing her father. “Ensure that your daughter is properly educated for future endeavors. She is the only sword saint of the empire. She will always be our most elite troop.”

Most elite troop? No, no, no! This is the opposite of what I want!

“Lady Maude. If you disappear on your troops, it will not only be you who suffers when you are found, but your family, too. You are too important to the empire,” the emperor said. “From now on, heed my words appropriately.”

“Yes, your eminence,” Maude answered.

She didn’t particularly care if her family was tortured. But she did care if she was murdered for not going to war.

I’ll find a way through this, Maude thought to herself.

“Excellent,” the emperor said. “We will leave in five days. On the fourth night we will have an encampment just outside of the capital. Be there or your family suffers.”

“Yes, your eminence,” Maude said.

“Over the course of the next few days, I’d highly recommend saying any goodbyes. I will do anything I can in my power to ensure your success. But this is still war, there is no guarantee of anything.”

Her stomach flipped again. The tea was starting to feel like it was being boiled once more in her stomach. She was going to be expected to kill others and would be at risk of being killed herself. This is extremely bad, she thought.

“Yes, your eminence,” Maude said.

“Now, both of you, out of my sight,” the emperor said.

Well, there’s no getting out of this now.