Author Note: Now, the following chapters will start with the events prior to the prologue!

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Chapter One: Unexpected Pregnancy

The light shined through the glass windows, a delicate warmth that eased the sensitive nerves of the Empress. On closer inspection, anyone could see the subtle wealth within the room. Selene practiced simplicity, but every object within the area held significant value. Since becoming Empress, she became highly aware of the funds used in and out, so she had reduced her spending by a great deal. If Selene was lucky, small luxuries were spent on comfort, anything to aid the process of her pregnancy. She relaxed against her padded chair, her hand gently resting against her swelling stomach. Selene was seven months pregnant and found herself loving the unborn child more and more. The extension of her affections growing since both Ignatius and Aylin hadn’t seen her for around four months. Sadly, the pair remained lost in their romance for one another.

Usually, from afar, Selene could watch from her room within the Moon Palace and saw the two delighting in their love. Each time, the weight of stress would be heavy on her shoulders. The happiness in Aylin’s face was never something she could give her. More so now, when she expressed her false dislike for her step-sister. Selene needed to leave soon once her duties as Empress came to an end, and soon Aylin would receive more welcoming praise for her gentle heart. The Empress decided not to dwell for too long on her future plans; instead, Selene glanced outside to see nothing amiss. Oddly enough, today, they weren’t frolicking in the garden in between her palace and Aylin’s. The sacred Starlight Palace belonged to Aylin, and traditionally the woman who received the Emperor’s affection received it as a gift. Typically, the Empress lived there, but Selene lived in her humble abode since the beginning of her reign, the one meant for the Queen. Perhaps Ignatius did it out of courtesy for her name.

Selene was named after the Goddess of Darkness and the Moon. But Aylin was named after the famous moon halo that appeared during the rainy nights when storm clouds formed. Selene wasn’t a fool; she knew at the end, the Emperor had every intention to give the palace to his true love. And Selene showed little bitterness over the fact, but the rumors were beginning to spread all among Edrya. The Emperor’s favor couldn’t remain a secret for too long, and Selene’s unhappiness became news for everyone to spread. Aylin’s popularity plummeted since Selene was the favored royal of Edyra among the nobles and commoners alike. But soon, that would change since Aylin began to do her duties as Queen. However, not many could notice like Selene.

KNOCK! KNOCK!

The sound of knuckles against her mahogany doors brought her out of her rumination, and Selene couldn’t help but reach towards the blanket defensively. Marceline, her trusted maid, swiftly covers her with the quilt to hide the bump of her stomach. A frail girl with a sweet appearance that is reminiscent of Aylin. At first glance, she was a diluted version of her. From her blue eyes to her light brown hair, she reminded Selene of her like a faded memory. Even their attributes were water, and Selene found that pitifully funny. Marceline Firestein, the third daughter of Count Firestein, a family known for their humble nature. They didn’t excel in any particular attribute, but their daughter was their only source of pride. Marceline was the one granted the position as her head maid, meaning their lives remained washed in splendor. Selene chose her for her weak status and appearance, and in a way, she did more good to her than harm. Added with the fact, she was one of the few people Selene could trust with the truth of her situation.

“Find out who is seeking me, Marceline,” Selene ordered her, ushering her out as she picked up the book beside her table. Historical text about the Edrya’s founding printed for her to read, but none of that mattered as she found herself apprehensive of the guest outside of her room.

“Yes, My Empress.” Marceline bowed her head, a brief act of courtesy before she rushed towards the doors. She cracked them open, speaking to an individual in hushed voices.

Selene couldn’t help but look around and realized how small she truly lived with only a single maid. Since, Aylin’s crowning, the funds handed towards Selene reduced to the point where she relied solely on a handful of people. A stark contrast compared to Aylin’s entourage that amasses over a dozen maids. And she could already hear the people speaking ill of her mistreatment, Selene couldn’t help but exhale a sigh as she needed to think of a solution to such a rumor. Thankfully, she didn’t have to remain in her thoughts for much longer. Marceline returned to her with her head bowed down and her shoulders trembling. Fear radiated from her along with sadness, and Selene narrowed her eyes as she waited. Her fingers tapped against the cover of the book as her patience thinned. Marceline knew better than to make her wait, so she hesitantly began to speak.

“There is news…” Marceline bit her lip, unable to meet the hardening gaze of Selene. The way she trailed off meant the next words would plummet her mood. And yet the curiosity began to eat at the edge of her mind, begging for more.

“Speak, Marce.” Rarely did she use the affectionate nickname unless she needed her maid to listen to her orders. And she was quick to fold, readily offering the news despite her flushed face and downcast eyes.

“Queen Aylin is pregnant,” Marceline spoke with a slight tremble in her voice, she gripped her hands together but continued. She didn’t dare look up; the fear of seeing Selene’s sadness and anger made her unable to give her the comfort of her face. But she gulped down the lump in her throat, continuing so that Selene didn’t have to hear the rest from elsewhere. “The news will be celebrated privately; they’re expecting your arrival once they officially announce to the public.”

The impact of the pair’s union brought her more pain than she imagined. Selene was well aware of her inability to give Aylin children much less the love she desired. However, knowing the two had spent clandestine nights together in one another’s arms brought her tremendous grief. She placed her hands against her face to hide her warped expression as her lips twisted into a frown. The madness made a headache blossom, and she pressed fingers against her temple in irritation as she tried to understand the situation rationally despite her warring emotions. The two were married she expected as much, but then she glanced at her full belly, would the child find acceptance within the royal family? More so if both of their children were boys. Selene felt a small doubt beginning to sprout, but she glanced up.

“So, they have no intention of directly telling me? Oh, how cruel for both of them to forget my existence so easily.” She dropped her hands onto her lap, snorting in an unrefined manner. Her glinting red eyes now reflected curiosity as she set aside her emotions. Selene prided herself in her rationality, the only thing she had left beside her stubbornness. “Who told you?”

“Well, the Prime Minister’s aide came by and delivered this.” Marceline retrieved the letter from the front of her apron, a white envelope with the intricate seal belonging to Leon.

“Let me read it.” She snatched the envelope and brought out the letter, reading over the finely printed handwriting. Selene felt her resentment grow once more as he detailed the Royal Couple’s happiness and plans. And from what she learned, the two had been meeting each other nightly for the past few months. The timeline fit since Selene had begun to show and denied Ignatius any nightly visits. Not that he wanted to warm her bed, and neither did she crave for such companionship. “So that is why neither of them has visited me.”

However, her words sounded bitter, and Marceline found herself flustered. Worry reflected from her gaze as she inched near, unsure of how to comfort her, and she paled considerably.

“My Empress—”

Any comforting lines she wanted to utter to ease the pain Selene faced ceased into nothingness. The Empress had raised her hand, a signal for her to stop. Selene felt the child kick against her stomach, grabbing her attention as she soothingly rubbed her palm on her abdomen. And soon, the disruption came to an end but brought forth a conclusion. Selene wouldn’t bother with Ignatius or Aylin, regardless of her feelings. Her child, her only tether to Edrya, remained all-important.

“Worry not Marce, we have to take care of our young royal, don’t we?” Selene mumbled softly, her gaze warm, and the harsh lines near her eyes softened. A rare sight that the people of Edrya hadn’t seen in so long.

“Yes, everyone will be delighted once they find out.” Marceline clapped her hands together before she glanced towards the clock nearby. She noticed the time was near lunch, so she began to turn before she looked back and gave a bow of her head. “Now, let me get something for you and your child to eat!”

Like a whirlwind, she quickly rushed away with her dress swishing between her legs. The clicks of her shoes fading into the distance, and Selene found herself slumping against her chair. Any stress she felt began to ebb away as she hoped that this was the last of her problems.

“My dear child, I hope for both of our sakes, you are nothing like me.” A whisper meant for no one but the child in her stomach, the single hope for their bright future.

If the child had a sliver of their father’s appearance and abilities, then they wouldn’t need to work as hard as Selene or give up as much as she did. Darkness brings forth obsession and loneliness; the multiple suppression bracelets on her wrist were proof. They were nothing more than weak confinements for her abilities, but she needed them so her child wouldn’t become consumed by her powers. Selene remembered how her mother told her she wore so many of them so she could be born. And instead of receiving the beloved water attribute, the ducal house of Belmont was known for having, they conceived Selene. The looming memories made Selene shut her eyes, and then she began to pray to the Goddess of the Moon that her baby would be like their father.

Full of life and fire, untouchable to all.

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The afternoon had passed without much incident, and for a moment, Selene found peace in her loneliness. Any friends before her pregnancy were either a spy planted by Ignatius or too far from her. The distance and lack of privacy meant she couldn’t convey the weight of her thoughts. Thankfully, she found herself amused by the smallest of things, such as reading or napping. The sound of tea poured made her glance to the side; the medicinal scent of the herbal drink caused the corners of her mouth to quirk up. Marceline had always taken it upon herself to make sure Selene remained healthy and now wasn’t any different. But then they heard a ruckus outside, causing them both to look at one another. Marceline placed the ceramic pot down and rushed towards the entrance. For a while, Selene wondered if one of the nobles were bothering her.

As she brought the cup to her mouth, the taste made her sigh in contentment. The warmth bloomed on her tongue, but then the doors to her chambers slammed open, a man with dark brown hair appeared dressed in regal attire with his medals pinned carefully to his chest. Prime Minister Leon. A man with striking honey-colored eyes, an eligible bachelor that made women swoon. But Selene saw him as an intrusive childhood friend who demanded her cooperation for his personal gains repeatedly. Not that she minded, she always found ambitious people interesting since their downfall made for a great show. He approached her with a frown etched onto his face as he fumed.

“You can’t keep avoiding meetings as the Empress of our glorious nation,” Leon told her rudely, their friendship allowed him free reign of his language in private as he sat down on the seat across from her. He tried to calm himself as he noticed the swell on her stomach, one of the people aware of her pregnancy. Leon cleared his throat and waved towards her without glancing since he didn’t want to make her uncomfortable. “Regardless of your situation.”

Selene blinked in surprise and then came to a realization: ‘Right, the meeting concerning the drought... My, my, but he looks so amusing this way.’

“Greetings to you too, Prime Minister,” Selene spoke in a respectful tone, not bothering to get up to curtsy. Instead, she continued to sip the herbal tea. Her red eyes flashed with a warning despite their past; she didn’t enjoy the tone he used on her, but she decided to remind him of the efforts she gave him. “Truly, Leon, your policies are being employed, what is the issue?”

Leon fumed, and before he could utter a retort against her, the door slammed open to reveal Marceline. Immediately, Leon found himself simmering down since the maid had an uncanny resemblance to Queen Aylin, and he was able to breathe calmly without resorting to rude remarks.

“Pardon, Empress.” Marceline bowed her head as she had rushed back to the room. She had a few beads of sweat on her face from chasing him, and the fidgeting began. There was a tremble in her hand as she reached out to serve him tea while explaining herself to Selene since she felt the tension within their conversation. “He entered without warning—”

“Marceline, go take a break.” Selene gave her a command but noticed the hesitation in her eyes. And she sat straighter, and the tone in her voice changed, the authority she was known for echoed. “Leave us be, do not worry about the tea.”

Leon had been shooting glances at Selene, and she knew better than to let Marceline listen. Not because she couldn’t trust her, but there were various things, and she was better off ignorant. But Selene knew that having a male audience without a maid would prove to be a predicament if someone found out. So, Marceline, without needing an order, quickly drew the curtains over the windows, obstructing the view as she lit up some lamps before leaving. And once the door shut behind them, Leon got up from his seat to approach her. He stood by her side as he relayed the news that had him on his nerves with irritation.

“Queen Aylin insists on using the emergency funds for feeding the citizens in the slums.” The strain in his voice indicated the complicated feelings he felt, considering the money was going somewhere right, but one small deed hardly helped the situation.

The rate of poverty was rising due to the recent battles against other countries meant a war wasn’t far from Edrya’s reach. And although Selene found Aylin’s actions commendable, that didn’t help their situation. The money merely fed them for a day, and then they were forgotten in the dark abyss of the slums. Selene couldn’t believe the Emperor sanctioned the order, but she figured love could change people’s rationality in a matter of seconds. After all, she was a prime example of such a notion.

“How sweet of her.” The comment sounded condescending from Selene, but she didn’t bother correcting herself. Instead, she sipped her tea while the heat had calmed by a fraction, and she savored the taste. However, Leon still had more to say to her.

“There is an issue that you’re choosing to ignore.” Selene kept quiet, waiting for Leon to finish as he knelt beside her. Rarely did they speak like friends, but she found her lips twitching out of irritation at his overly familiar tone. “Do I have to spell it out for you?”

The question he asked didn’t need an answer because Selene knew why they had the emergency fund. Aylin taking it from her was an act of war on her part, but more so rudeness to the southern territory. However, she didn’t want to say anything demeaning about her. Not when Leon didn’t know the extent of her emotions for the Queen.

“Leon, that patronizing attitude would get you lashings if it wasn’t me you were speaking to.” Selene placed her cup down, the porcelain clattering against the table as she gazed at him dispassionately. She wouldn’t allow him to hold sway over her emotions even if it made her question which path to take: duty or love?

“Her solution is a short fix for the city. Plus, we will not have funds for the drought estimated to happen this summer at the southern territory of Drigmar.” Leon reminded her of the situation. Edrya was composed of several regions, and the Southern territory, specifically Drigmar, often faced the worst of summers with little water or food. Leon spoke facts, and that made him suited as the Prime Minister. But his downfall was that the Emperor refused to meet with him much less listen to reason since Aylin’s arrival. He denied many of Leon’s plans on the basis of emotional sentiment. And thus, his requests to the Empress began, and today was no different. “Selene, you need to fix her mistakes.”

She glanced to her side and narrowed her gaze at him. There he was pleading with his eyes, hoping she would give in as she always did. But Selene wondered if she kept butting into Aylin’s problems would she grow to resent her? Would the people see Selene in a better light because of Aylin’s ignorance? The question began to grow in her mind, and she hesitated for a split second, almost willing to take the duties that weren’t hers. But then she remembered that if she did, the strain would be detrimental to her child’s health. And as much as she loved Aylin, she couldn’t risk the baby who kept Selene sane the past few months.

“Queens are supposed to fix the Empress’ mistakes. Isn’t that Edrya law?” Selene reminded him since he wasn’t aware of the weakness she held for Aylin beyond sisterly affection. The judgment against her wasn’t something she desired, so she would instead be painted as the evil sister for the time being.

“You know she will make the situation worse.” Leon sighed in exasperation as he stood from his position, and flashed papers towards her face. “The farmers in the southern territories are already complaining of having fewer crops aside from the lack of water.”

“Hand me the documents.” She extended her hand to him, and he placed them onto her palm without a second thought. “I’ll need to review them and send word to Aylin.”

Leon scoffed at her, finding her resolution useless as speaking to the Emperor. Aylin was kind by many degrees, but she would never respond or agree with the harsh criticism of the court. And Selene was the one with the sharpest of the tongues. Thus, when meetings with Selene were present, Aylin refused to attend as she was always close to tears. On those days, Leon found work easier to handle, and more solutions came out, but now wasn’t the case.

“Would she listen to you?” Leon didn’t care for the answer, but he wanted to drag out a reaction from her. Both of them well aware of how little Aylin currently cared for Selene’s judgment.

“No.” The truth was hard for her to swallow, but she admitted to the shortcoming. Selene lifted her chin, not allowing herself to lower into a state of weakness with Leon present. “But a word of advice is always a sound argument, hm?”

The expectations Selene always held was that she would still be able to move Aylin to act accordingly. And each time disappointment was met on her end, and she chose to forget the incidents. But Leon decided to remind her as he was not willing to deal with a bigger mess than he started with initially. He crossed his arms over his chest as he spoke with a hint of resentment in his voice since he never found favor with the Queen, who ruled with ignorance. Selene couldn’t find fault with him since although he did his job with greed at the end, it was for the citizens of Edrya.

“She’ll take them as a threat and cry to the Sun of the Empire!” Leon spat out with disgust, and he wanted to understand why the Royal Couples became deluded in their love, but he couldn’t. He could only chalk it up to the fact; the Emperor found himself weak to the cooling aspects of Aylin. Their different attributes, along with contrasting personalities, made them a pair that balanced one another out. However, he preferred Selene and Ignatius; both of them ruled with their power with the intention of a Golden Era for the future.“Edrya may seem powerful now, but that is due to the efforts you and the Emperor have done. The Queen… will be the downfall.”

The faith he had was little in Aylin, and he would remain honest regardless of the feelings he would hurt. Selene had sat quietly, allowing him to vent, but she needed to remind him of the fact Aylin was young. Selene found herself similar to Ignatius. In that sense, Selene would always turn a blind eye to her misdeeds. Aylin soothed the madness inside of her even from afar, and the Empress couldn’t help but find herself weak for the feeble Queen to the point of defending her.

“Leon, she is nineteen, she wouldn’t.”

“Your continuous view of her in a holy light is as biased as the nobles seeing you as the demon, Selene.” The perfect counter and Leon was now delving into the realm of pettiness.

Selene had a fatal flaw, and that was her attribute: darkness. Although many people chose to ignore the magic, she wielded. However, in the lore and beginning of humanity, darkness never received favor. Instead, the ability was the harbinger of chaos and death. And for a long time, Selene had to prove herself to be anything but the demon that seeks Edrya’s downfall.

“Watch your tongue.” Selene clenched the arms of her chair with her hands, the bracelets suppressing her magic began to crackle, and the stones embedded sparked. Leon decided to cease the words, knowing he made a point before he decided to fold and listen to her side.

“Then tell me the solution.”

A pause enveloped both of them as she sat there, thinking of the possibilities of how to solve the poverty rate and the funds needed to help the southern territories. Selene didn’t understand why people refused to hire those within the slums, but then she realized the people of Drigmar required more hands to till the land. An idea came up, but she needed supplies and provisions for the plan to work.

“Wouldn’t the better option, for both situations, is to send the citizens to the farms in the South? Will it work?” She knew the possibilities were low, but if Leon worked on the bill, then they would find a solution without the funds going to waste.

“Maybe.” He nodded in thought, pressing his hand to his mouth as he began to mumble to himself. “I’ll draft a plan. However, we’ll need to make sure we have alternate actions, so think of more ideas.”

Leon left the room without a word of goodbye as he was never one for formalities unless watched by others. With his swift departure, Selene began to read the documents in her hand and knew she would have to draft a letter for later. There were too many problems Aylin caused, but once she realized her mistake, then she wouldn’t be condemned. However, Selene knew better than to put it under her name, considering their tense relationship. Instead, she would send it to a spy from within who had gained Aylin’s trust. With everything resolved, she placed them to her side, no longer looking at the sheets.

“Marceline.” She called out for the woman who entered the room quietly earlier as she stood by the door. Selene didn’t bother to look at her; instead, she trembled as she pointed towards the fireplace. The palace was known for its continuous cooling system. Air and water attribute users were often improving on the system for the Emperor’s benefit due to the heat inside of him. However, Selene found the temperature too cold for her comfort. “Can you make the fire warmer?”

“Yes, My Empress….” The hushed voice heard, but she wasn’t seen as Selene allowed her eyes to flutter shut. The warmth of the room made all the tension leave her body for a brief moment.

She heard the noise of the flame crackling along with wood charring, bringing her comfort. And then for a moment, Selene allowed her exhaustion to blanket over her. Although not evident, she remained swept up by her memories of the past. Sleep brought her towards the darkness she longed to avoid, and the sound of paper rustling echoed in the back. Marceline moved the documents to the side, so Selene wouldn’t crinkle them before another quilt was brought over. She gently covered Selene with a sad expression before leaving the room, not wanting to disturb her peace any longer.