An Empress for the Emperor

The Elven princess, Rayden would soon be arriving in the city to try her hand at winning over the Emperor.

My creation had a name and my story was gaining power. Now I had to bide my time in order to solve the key problem of bringing the princess to the city.

I could feel my body healing and my spirit too was feeling lighter with the success of my story. I was not as sore as I had been but my abdomen had begun to ache around lunchtime. When Silvia appeared I asked for a bath and clean linen; my monthly flow had begun and Silvia and I were safe from her lie. I was just finishing getting dressed when Silvia came in.

"Quickly, child. The Emperor is waiting." She saw the terror seize my features. "Have no fear of him touching you now. He fears women's menstrual blood, believing it will poison him." She took a comb and quickly brushed my thick brown hair, pinning it up out of my face.

"If he doesn't call me for my body, why does he call?" Silvia looked at me surprised.

"It was not your body that first seduced my son, Fable. It was your stories. It appears the Emperor has heard the rumors regarding an Elven Princess." I took a sharp intake of breath; did he suspect I was their origin? "And since you are our resident storyteller he seems to want to hear about these mysterious people." So his interest too was peeked. I smiled to myself. I had counted on the young Emperor's vanity and possessiveness for my plan to work and so far, he was not disappointing.

I was taken to the throne room where the Emperor sat alone, apart from two silent guards in the corners. The empty hall was dark, all the curtains but one were drawn. Faces of rulers past gazed down at me from the walls. I did not want to evoke his temper and so I curtsied along with Silvia when we approached the throne.

"Leave us," he told his mother and she curtsied one more time and left the room, the large doors closing behind her. The Emperor sat with his crown in his lap, playing with it and one leg draped over the chair's arm. He caught my gaze and held it, I stared back as long as I dared and then dropped my eyes to the floor. "Tell me of the Elves. With so many stories in that pretty head of yours, there must be some mention of them."

I opened my mouth to create another story for the man, but no sound came out. Up until this point my plan had been going perfectly, but he had already taken so many of my stories, so much of me. I looked up at him to find that he was regarding me carefully and a small smile played across my lips. What was it Silvia had said? "It was not your body that first seduced my son, Fable. It was your stories" My stories had already gained power over the Emperor. They were my weapon; all I had to do was put fear aside and wield them like a double-edged sword. I cleared my throat.

"Elves have always been enchanters of humans, whether it was their intention or not. With their soft skin and delicate ways, who could resist their charms? This of course became the problem. Elven women in particular were found by human men as something wild and exotic. Their almond shaped eyes and perfectly sized hands made mouths water. Their hair was always worn long and it was believed that when in the safety of their woodland homes they could be found with only their hair to cover them. It came to a point in our history that when a group of Elves would enter a human town or city, there were those men who could not restrain their sexual urges to claim the Elven women as their own. Now it is important to mention that although they appear delicate and young, most Elven women were highly skilled at protecting themselves, so it was rare that any man succeeded and only those who could defend themselves were even allowed to leave their forest. Nevertheless, the attacks became more frequent and the Elves knew something had to be done. The elders gathered and decided that because only some humans were the problem, only they should be affected by their decision. In the largest working of magic they had done in a millennia they created the magical weaving we still hear of today. Only those with an honest heart and honorable intentions are able to see or hear the Elves.

"Of course this doesn't address why the Elves withdrew from the human world. Originally the spell weaving only took affect when the Elves left the safety of their woods. One day however, a man wandered into their woods and came across a young girl bathing in a stream within a glade. She was indeed young by Elf standards, barely fifty years old. To the man she looked no more than thirteen; but she was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen and he knew he had to have her. Her hair was silk ebony and flowed over her naked body, barely hiding the swell of small, perfect breasts. When she filled a jug with water and poured it over her head her hair parted revealing what had been hidden from him at first. As she bathed she sang. Her voice was like the water trickling down the rocks, landing lightly and crisply with each note. Sneaking around the clearing he silently came upon her, wrapping one arm around her body and the other he used to cover her mouth. Right in the clearing he raped her and when she tried to get away he beat her. Once his hunger was placated he left her lying there, half in the water, half on the soft grass. He left the woods and was never seen again. The next morning when the princess had not returned from her outing, guards were sent to find her. Instead of a joyful and energetic girl they only found her body; the princess was dead by a humans hands. In an outrage the King sealed their borders and no Elf has been seen since. That was one hundred and twelve years ago."

The Emperor sat with his chin resting in his hand, fingers drumming along his jaw, thinking. There was silence for several minutes and I stood there uncomfortably.

"Why would you think the Elf King wishes to make this connection with our world now, giving up another daughter to a human?"

"Perhaps, your majesty, he sees an opportunity to put an Elven Princess on the throne of a human realm. Maybe he believes with a marriage to a powerful ruler, such as yourself, you will sympathize with their plight and offer more protection."

"I did announce that I searched for the most beautiful woman to become my Empress," he added, as if not really hearing what I had said. "And if what you say is true about the beauty of Elven women, perhaps my Empress will soon arrive. You may go," he said, waving me away. As I curtsied and turned to leave he added one last comment. "Fable, my Priest, Bartholomew will be looking after you from now on, my mother has overextended her usefulness. When he deems you are ready to return to my bed, I will be expecting you." I forced myself to nod and keep walking.

He must have suspected his mother was helping me in some way. I prayed no harm would come to her and wondered if I would ever see her again. To be put under the scrutiny of his priest made my plans much more dangerous.

I was escorted back to the girls' common room by a guard and when I entered I found the girls in tight circles whispering urgently. As I stepped into the room everyone fell silent. The guard seemed to take no notice of the girls' strange behavior. As soon as he closed the door Kara and Trisha, the Emperor's choice for the previous nights came rushing up to me and the rest of the girls continued their conversations. Trisha's eyes were red from crying and I could still see the path the tears traced down her face.

"They've taken Silvia! A guard came in not long after she returned and announced to everyone that she had been conspiring against the Emperor and was to be thrown into the dungeon!" Trisha just managed to speak before breaking down into tears once again. Kara looked up at me imploringly; she understood that the person to take Silvia's place would most likely not be as understanding of our plight. I had not informed the girls of my plan and I was glad I hadn't, it would have gotten their hopes up prematurely and I was unsure now if it would work. I glared back at the door in defiance to the Emperor and wrapped my arms around Kara and Trisha.

"Have I ever told you about my life before I came here? No? Well...Once upon a time..."

Weeks went by with little change in our situation except for the Emperor's Priest. Since Bartholomew was now overseeing all of the women, I had no way to hide. The Emperor called me into his chambers for a week straight after Bartholomew deemed me 'clean'. I did gain some reprieve when I emerged bruised, beaten, and bloody; Bartholomew surprised both the Emperor and me when he refused the Emperor my presence, telling him he would not be held responsible if anything more serious happened to me. For a few nights new girls were sent to him and they joined Kara, Trisha and myself in our silent sisterhood. After I recovered, Bartholomew wouldn't let him call on me night after night. He would send other girls instead and so it happened I only had to face the Emperor every few nights. When I entered his chambers he demanded stories. When he first made this demand I thought I might be able to appease him with a story alone, but it only seemed to fuel his fire. After that, I refused to speak. I was beaten and raped each time. I hated that man.

When I had been there for over two months I knew something was wrong because my menstrual flow had not come since that first week. I kept this to myself for another few weeks but I began to feel sick and I knew I was pregnant with the Emperor's child. I now feared and welcomed his beatings with a new intensity. I was terrified of what was growing inside of me, the seed of such a cruel man. Part of me wished the Emperor would beat me enough that the child died before he even knew that I carried it. Then there was the part of me that still called out to Bryant and very much wanted a child. I feared that same beating if my secret was discovered.

I do not know how he knew, but Bartholomew was the first to confront me about the child. He had called to me one morning after breakfast and asked for a word. He led me up the stairs to a wide door. A guard stood near and handed me an elegant green cloak. He took me outside for the first time since my captivity began. I breathed in the cold crisp air, relishing its brisk feeling. Winter would soon be over and the roads would clear for travel. If I were to bring my rumor to life I would have to act soon.

"Fable, I know you carry his child, and I believe you do right to hide the fact." I was startled by Bartholomew's sudden announcement, but with his approval of my secret, I was relieved that someone else knew. "When the Emperor finds out, for this is not something you can hide forever, I can almost guarantee he will order the child killed once it is born." I nodded, accepting Bartholomew's close knowledge of the Emperor to know the truth. "I see you are unsurprised, which does not surprise me, you are a bright one." He smiled and patted me on the shoulder. "Now all we have to do is figure out a way to get you and the unborn child to safety, far out of the Emperor's grasp." I looked at him in shock, was he offering his aid? "Oh don't look so surprised, young one. I only accepted this position because I knew no one else would be able to fool the Emperor as easily as I can. You already know his own mother was unsuccessful."

"How can you be so sure he is fooled?" I asked, for if I was to trust this man I had to know whether we had a chance.

"I am glad you are weary, Fable. The Emperor has come to me since he was a boy, telling of his troubles. Despite the fact that I have tried advising him to make more...how should I say it...humane decisions? He has continued down a darker path. Nevertheless, no matter how far down that path he goes he has always counted on my council, whether he follows it or not. He cannot question my loyalty, or he questions his own humanity. Does that make sense?"

"I think so. Would you really help me and my child escape?" He nodded.

"I will do all I can to help. I overheard you speaking about your husband, do you think he knows where you are by now?"

"There isn't a doubt in my mind, he is in the city, searching for a way to free me."

"Then we will start there, I will have paper and a pen sent to your room, write a letter explaining to your husband that you are here and safe for the moment. I would not mention the child in the letter just in case it is intercepted. I will see that your husband is found and the letter delivered. Can you do that?" I smiled and nodded.

"Thank you Bartholomew, it sounds like a start. But I do have something to tell you." My plan had not gone further than rumor and I would need help for it to succeed. Bartholomew seemed my only choice and so I took a chance. "I have a plan of my own."

Bartholomew and I sat outside in the cold while I told him of my plan. He sat quietly and listened, never betraying his feelings of what I suggested. It was not until the end of my little tale that a broad smile spread across his face and he began to laugh. It was a few minutes before he was able to calm himself enough to speak. Wiping tears from his eyes he spoke.

"This is a plan I like! A perfect way to teach the Emperor a lesson! We will have to make sure that everything is in place and that everyone who the Emperor could lay his rage upon is safely spirited away. Do you think your husband can help with this plan?" I nodded enthusiastically; he would play his part perfectly. "Good, then along with our letter I will send him funds to put your plan into action, I will deliver both myself and relay your plan to him. By the time the snow melts, the Emperor will be on his way to a marvelous humiliation."

The next few weeks went by very fast. Bartholomew kept me away from the Emperor as much as he could but there were still a few nights I had to suffer his company. The majority of the other women had made their visits with the Emperor and no longer did they remain silent about his abuses. Now when a new name was called the girl would cry and plead that she be spared. Any admiration for the Emperor was lost. There was only one girl left who refused to believe the stories the other girls told of where their bruises came from, and that was Bernadette. She had yet to face the Emperor, telling the other girls that Bartholomew was saving the best for last. At night when we went to bed she would talk endlessly about how awful the other girls were to lie about the Emperor like they did. She would go on and on about how they were all just common whores and if what they said about him were true, they must have led him on. I would always roll over and pretend to be asleep. Only once did I say something to her and that was the day her name was called, not even a week before the Princess Rayden was scheduled to arrive at the palace. I offered her warnings that the other girls spoke the truth about the Emperor; I showed her the scars and welts he left on me. Her only response was that I was jealous. She was sure the Emperor would choose her to be his Empress.

I waited up that night nervously. I could not imagine Bernadette's return and so when the city clock struck three in the morning, I sent the other girls who had waited up with me to bed. No one else but myself had ever returned later than midnight. Perhaps he had chosen Bernadette. I must have dosed off because I was startled awake when the common room door opened. I sat up and looked over to see Bartholomew solemnly coming towards me. It was not until he got closer that I realized his eyes were red from crying. He came over and sat next to me.

"Your plan must work, Fable. We must end him," He dropped his head in his hands.

"Where is Bernadette?" I asked but he simply shook his head. "Where is she!? What did he do?" I was on the verge of screaming. I was not very fond of the girl but Bartholomew entering the common room without her sent waves of concern up my spine. I had endured horrible things at his hand but I had always returned, as had the other girls.

"Before I brought her to the Emperor I sat with him during dinner. There was nothing on his mind but Princess Rayden, he was getting all worked up over how beautiful she would be and how he would make her his. When I brought Bernadette into his chambers, his eyes were ablaze with lust and he quickly ordered me out. It wasn't long before I heard her shouts of protests and screams. It was barely ten minutes after I left when silence fell. I waited as long as I dared and reentered. The Emperor lay spent on the bed with Bernadette beside him. Her skin was tinged blue and her eyes were open wide in horror, I could see red marks in the shape of his hands around her neck. The Emperor saw me looking at her naked and lifeless body and explained that she had fought him, so he taught her a lesson." Bartholomew broke down again and cried while I sat stunned. He had killed her. Bernadette, the doubter only had precious seconds to learn that she had not been lied to. It could have been me, or any other girl that visited him that night, but I have a feeling it would not have mattered, someone would have ended up like Bernadette.

I did not cry as you might expect, instead I seethed. I let my rage wash over me fully. There was no doubt in my mind that this man had to learn a valuable lesson and Fable would be the one to teach him.

The morning was somber. When the news about Bernadette spread, there was great sadness, along with an almost overwhelming fear from all of the girls. However, Bartholomew joined us soon after breakfast and explained that no other girl would be visiting the Emperor until after Princess Rayden arrived at the palace. If the Emperor did not choose the Princess as his wife, more visits would be planned.

On the eve of her arrival I made a decision to tell the other girls of my plan. It had been announced that we would all be in attendance in the Throne room when the Princess greeted the Emperor the next day and I hoped the other girls would help. Bartholomew even called a few trustworthy guards into the meeting. I explained to them that there was no Princess, but they must act as if they saw the most beautiful woman they had ever laid their eyes upon. The Emperor in his vanity and the rest of the court would see all of our reactions and so as not to show that they were unworthy of seeing and hearing the Elven Princess, would play along.

The next morning found the palace in motion. Servants were busy cleaning and decorating, courtiers were coming in and out, looking for the most recent bit of news, and the girls spent the morning as if they were getting ready to attend a grand gala. We were all nervous and giddy with hope that my plan would work and that we would soon be able to escape from the Emperor's grasp. I was surprised when servants I had never met continued to visit the common room, seeking me out. They explained to me they had been told in confidence about my plan. Many would hug me or even place a hand upon my stomach and smile. All wished me well and said that if this plan worked, they too would abandon the Emperor. I knew Bartholomew was behind this and although I was first terrified that if this many people knew the Emperor must as well. I soon began to realize that since Bernadette's death, there were few people in the Palace left that had any respect for him. They would all play along.

News arrived soon after midday that a grand carriage had been spotted about an hour's ride from the palace. Everyone began to gather in the throne room, talking excitedly. The Emperor entered and sat on his throne, dressed in a blue silk shirt and pants, a darker blue cloak falling over his left shoulder. He appeared the handsome and composed ruler. Everyone fell to a knee as he entered and with a bright smile he motioned for everyone to rise.