“I come bearing news of a great opportunity Princess, perhaps the only opportunity left for you to see your homeland again.”

Senator Evrim began his speech with a mouthful of roasted duck, strings of the rich meat fell into the silk cloth wrapped around his neck. “Basilius II ascends to the Golden Throne, he has swept aside his uncle and his traitorous legions to secure Centioch and the Empire as a whole, soon Theodrus will be executed in the sights of gods and men and all citizens will know that their Emperor holds supreme control. Despite this the emperor’s position is fragile. He is young and with the death of his mother has little connection to the courtiers and noblemen who manage his domain, with the end of the civil war the Empire needs direction, it requires focus for the recalcitrant senators and the uninspired common man. I knew his father, loved his father; for the man shone as brightly as the sun itself, and for this love his son rewards me with trust and faith. If I were to make suggestions the emperor would listen. This is not a weakness Princess but good sense for a ruler as no man, save perhaps the Everchosen, can have deep knowledge of all things. The emperor has a good mind for battle, and for strategies of war, but politics and diplomacy are not among his strengths.”

Evrim took a break to fork another mouthful of bread and cheese into his mouth and chew quickly. As quickly as he arrived Evrim had Sera and Cyprian whisked off to one of the grand marble rooms of his demesne, to both their surprise a vast feast had been laid out, enough food for a dozen people, yet only three seats graced the long table, one for Evrim at the head and another at each of his sides for the princess and her knight. Ser Cyprian tucked into the rich food with relish, tearing into honey-roasted lamb and baked locust. His distinct lack of manners was known to both Sera and the senator, and they both did their best to ignore the sounds coming from his direction.

“So much so dear princess, that he has not seen it wise to organise a specific marriage match to secure the future of his realm. Too much time around soldiers I suppose, they have a very backward view of women and children. Things to be avoided at best or used at worst. I have been persuading him to see it differently you see. I come to him with a solution to both problems, a bride who will bear him strong children, and a cause for his empire to dedicate itself to.” Evrim smiled and his gold tooth gleamed in the candlelight.

Sera fought the urge to roll her eyes at the mans long winded explanation of a simple request. She marries the newly crowned emperor and he presses her claim to the Sacred Seat and takes it for her, then they will rule a newly formed Imperium for a thousand years and history will remember Senator Evrim as the mastermind who was responsible for it all. Dull. It was a dull story that Sera had heard a hundred times before. From the first teachings of her wet-nurse to the lectures from the Officers of the Holy Legion, she had heard some form of this fantasy. Only Ser Cyprian had given it to her straight all those years ago when they first met.

“The whole thing is a farce, Princess, the Empire has not managed to take even Estermarch in five hundred years of invasions, and nothing has changed since then. Beset from the east by followers of the God-King, torn apart from within by ambitious nobles. Only one of your forbears, one of the Witch-Kings with their fell powers could force them to work together for some greater purpose.”

Sera smiled and nodded, hoping her face beamed with excitement at the prospect. She was at this fat man's every whim, as easily as he took her into his care he could expel her into a cruel world with little use for a powerless princess.

“Of course, such things would take time. It has been many years with a pretender on the throne and many of the lords who would name you queen have been executed or banished in the twenty years since your grandsire’s usurpation. But my spies tell me much warm feeling still exists for your princess, the common folk cry out for an Astraen to ascend to the Sacred Seat, they see a weak man, incapable of sitting on the true throne and building ostentatious replacements for their heritage. In the meantime, a glorious wedding ceremony at the steps of the Senate, a procession through Centioch then a tour of your new dominion, oh how the subjects will fawn over you princess, your beauty will be beyond compare. With an heir, the emperor will be firmly placed to deliver you what is rightfully yours, and then the world will be whole again. What says you, Princess Seraphina Astraeus, what message will I deliver to the emperor?”

Sera held a fork in one hand and rolled a roasted hazelnut around her plate, eyes turned away from the senator. She ran her other hand through her silver hair, scratching delicately at her scalp. “It is a most interesting proposal Senator, but there are… considerations.”

“Of course, princess, arrangements regarding the bride price, the proposal, worry not the emperor stands ready to extend the hand of matrimony and has sent with me an appropriately large bounty for such a bountiful beauty. In lieu of a living male relative, I had hoped for one of your household knights to perform the necessary ceremonies…”

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Evrim looked over at Ser Cyprian with slight disdain. The uncouth knight looked up from his food and wiped his stained mouth with the back of his sleeve. “Aye, as Her Majesty’s sworn sword I would be honoured to perform such a function.” He stifled a belch and bent back to his feast.

“Yes…”

Sera decided to stand, hearing such a heavy proposal in such a soft chair was bad for the soul. She walked past the Senator and ran a hand gently along his shoulders. With long steps she arrived at the window and pulled back the velvet curtains. She looked out at the dusky skyline, eyes flitting over the dark stone houses and the curtain walls which kept them safe.

Safe. Something I haven’t felt in a long time. Centioch might feel safe. An Emperor might be able to keep me safe.

Sera stifled a sigh. Ilros was pleasant and she could see herself staying there, dining with the witches, attending the balls held by Archons and wealthy merchants, she could frit her life away here doing nothing of import and dying as a curiosity from a bygone age. But that was not her destiny. As long as she had the blood of Arcanen there would be those who sought for her to rule. Men and women who would remember the stories of her ancestors and the powers they would wield. Men like Evrim, like the emperor, might speak of her claim to this throne or those lands but it was her womb that held the greatest interest for them, that she might bear a son who could wield the legacy of Valorian the Great.

“In my homeland, a woman is betrothed for some time before being brought to marriage. For some women, they would wait years for their husband's hand.”

Senator Evrim pushed out of the chair and came to her side, he faced her and his wide body blocked much of the view. “You need not worry about that princess; the emperor is most eager for this match to be made. He will waste no time ensuring you are wed.”

“You misunderstand Senator. I am not worried about the marriage but about the speed. There is much I do not know; much I have not seen. From my birth to now I have only known the fortresses of the Holy Legion and now the manor of Senator Evrim. When Valorian the Great conquered Evros and hewed the Sacred Seat, he had been a well-travelled man. He travelled from Vorosten to Yanni and claimed to be the first man to see every realm in the world. You and the emperor wish for me to claim his legacy, yet I have seen a fraction of what he saw.”

“Yes, princess but-”

“Valorian the Great knew the secrets of Old Arcanen, he claimed to have seen its silver shores and met with the heroes of legend who advised him on his conquests. It is said he met with the Everchosen and discovered himself to be his heir. This is the legacy of House Astraeus. This is my legacy. And if I am to reclaim it, I cannot be a pretender to it. The people of Evros will not easily accept my return to the throne Senator, the damage my grandsire did runs deep, to be accepted I must first become one worthy of acceptance.”

Evrim raised his arms in an exaggerated shrug. “Yours is already the blood of the Everchosen princess, the martial prowess of the emperor will see all within your realm kneel to your claim.”

Sera lifted her eyebrow. “Perhaps Senator, but I do not wish to take such a chance. I will accept this proposal, and I will marry your emperor, but not yet. I will be betrothed for one year, and during that year I will wander the world and seek out what my ancestor sought, and once found it will light my way.”

A silence descended upon the room. Evrim’s heavy breathing stopped, and Cyprian had stopped tearing away at a leg of goat, his chair screeched on the marble as he turned to face them.

“This is highly unusual princess; the emperor may take offence to such a suggestion.”

“I am sure you will see that he does not Senator, all you have said is true, a marriage of Astraeus and Kronos would be the most powerful force in the world. Give it some time senator, think over my proposal, and organise your thoughts, decide if this is what you and your emperor are willing to do in order to secure your new Imperium. Come, Cyprian, there is much to discuss.”

Sera led them to the solar in their tower and slumped into a padded chair with a deep sigh.

“The senator was not expecting that, had the same face my father did when his horse threw him into a pile of dung.”

“Do you think he will accept?”

Cyprian leaned on a chair opposite her and fell into deep thought. “In all honesty princess, I have no idea. When he returned, I thought he would finally ask you to be his wife, I didn’t expect a proposal from the emperor. You might marry him princess, and he may pledge his armies to your cause but that does not mean they will deliver you the throne.”

Sera slapped the table in frustration. “I know all this Ser, I have heard it from you a hundred times, tell me if you think the Senator will allow me to take the bride price and travel away from here without his supervision.” Sera glared at her scruffy sworn sword.

“He will Your Majesty. A man like that will have invested his whole reputation on brokering a deal like this. You will have your gold, and be allowed to travel, but do not imagine that you will not be watched and shepherded by his agents from the Maw to the Shattered Sea.”

Sera bent forward and rested her head on the cool oac table. Could she really do this? Could she really get away with this?

I will marry no emperor, I will rule no lands. Why must I do these things? Why must I, who had no idea of who she is, be subjected to the suffocating confines of duty? Sera’s mind raced. She had been a captive for her whole life, subjected to the whims of one lord or another. No longer. She would find a life for herself, she would wash off the name Astraeus like one might wipe dirt from their hands and Seraphina would find out who she was, or who she could be.

“Will you help me, Ser Cyprian, evade those spies and saboteurs? To aid me in my journey.”

Cyprian stood up straighter and wiped some crumbs from his chest. “As I swore to you on the day we met princess, I am your sword and your shield, your arm and your leg, your mouth and your mind. If you order it, it is done.”

“Then we wait, for the senator, and the Everchosen guide us if he agrees.”