Dragon's Breath

## Writer's Note

This is my attempt at a deep third person perspective. I swap the deep perspective between both main characters every chapter to give insight to each of their contemplations and desires. Additionally, it starts fairly slow. I enjoy a focus of setting and character development before any fun aspects come to fruition. These three chapters are mainly sensual, perhaps a little romantic with explicit content not overtly sexual... yet. I'm hoping to explore the story further in a more heated way soon. Let me know what you think.

## Story Description

An Empress named Eleanor, strained by a war waged on her empire by a kingdom of mages, gets assigned a new servant named Elias. She finds this new boy to have peculiar qualities and a curious demeanor that gets him in unforeseen scenarios. In holding a place of power above all else, the Empress grows weary not being able to have meaningful connections in her highly formal position. With the war escalating, the stress she undergoes makes her become easily distracted by this new servant who is uncertain of his new position under her. Through the gradual understanding they gain, they begin to navigate the complexities of where they stand within the power dynamic between them. With an Empress that desires more from their servant, and Elias who does not know how to traverse it, they make their best efforts to engage with each other in secrecy, trying to keep everything from falling apart, and most importantly, to maintain the charade for empire's inner circle witch would surely put an end to it.

# Chapter 1 : The Boy

It was late at night. The air was quiet but there was a noticeable tension. The war had reached a new level of escalation that insisted in filling the subconscious minds of anyone who ran from the thought. This escalation meant countless things. For many it meant a curfew, for some it meant saying goodbye to loved ones who had been called to serve. But here, none of these things had any bearing. Here it meant that the Empress's night was sure to run far later. It was not uncharacteristic for this to happen but it was a factor nonetheless. Her room was absent of her for this reason alone.

The room however, was not empty. A boy stood at the base of the tiled stone bathtub. He stared at his reflection within the pouring water, steam occluding much of his sight. The boy had already filled it one hour prior, but alas he carried out the task a second time so that it may still be warm when she gets here. The stone carved tiles glimmered, lit by candle and torch. The dark of the night faded within the flickering light.

The boy was young by many standards. He appeared in his mid twenties but his composure hinted of a more mature man within. He never knew his age for sure. After all, servants were not so important as to have that information kept for them. He was only in training, although that fact was in need of a revaluation after these past couple of days. 'New' was not nearly enough to express his qualifications for this was his first noble assignment. Of all people, he had been positioned to serve the Empress herself.

It was a stark contrast to his study under a school of butlery and arcane defense. His mind spoke of endless worry and anxiety followed his every move as if a demon was stalking him. Elias was his name. Although he had begun working under the Empress over a week ago, she was far too busy for any formal greeting until last night. He had continued to cook for her, clean, and complete other household tasks. She however was never conscious while within her chambers. Whatever work she was distracted with made sure to exhaust her.

In finally truly meeting her however, a lifetime of hearing her name and watching her rule from afar made no preparation for what had been put before him. She was bold yet carried out an elegance that only further imposed her presence. In merely greeting her, Elias's mind ran races of fear with an unknowing for the future. Regardless, she had given him a personally requested task. It was a simple task. She simply asked for a bath to be prepared with steaming heat for her arrival this night.

Why me? He pondered. He was always considered the top of his class but his inexperience threw much into question. He had never so much as greeted a proper royal let alone the ruler herself, until this week of course. Regardless of his position here however, he stood under the moonlight on this extravagant terrace. Perhaps I am thinking too much, he thought further. It may have been his first official day on the job but he was far from incompetent. He was efficient in his chores, attentive with detail, and his arcane talent rivaled even his former teachers. His wears were exquisite. They had been provided to him but that fact shouldn't distract from the textiles he had picked. Furthermore he wore the silks and leathers with an utmost charismatic vigor.

His shirt was light and soft, a dark leather vest worn over it. His pants were quite loose and baggy, being made of a deep gray fabric foreign to him. His smoky black hair was normally long and wavy but was put up into a bun. His face was fairly sharp, especially his nose. His body was fairly slim but his lack of fat defined his muscles under his lively and saturated youthful skin. His eyes were a light purple that although weren't very saturated with color, were bold. Perhaps the most immediate eye-catching feature was what rested on his face. He wore slender, large circular wireframe glasses. Not many servants had such a luxury after all. This nice pair was a gift. A gift from the empress herself the night before.

Water in the tub reached the uppermost edge, nearly spilling over onto the floor it sat flesh with. The sound of trickling water pulled Elias's consciousness from his inner mind to become attentive of the water approaching the limits of its bounds. The water clashed with the not so cold summer air sending plumes of steam billowing from it. Perfect, Elias reassured himself. It was surely the steaming heat she had requested, no matter the fact Elias had to refresh it. In completing his only given task, Elias made his way inside to her grand room itself.

A large deep wooden dresser sat adjacent to a bed far larger than Elias knew had even existed. Despite looking like it could rest a dozen heads, it did not crowd the room for the room itself was grand. Of course it was, Elias imagined nothing less of a royal room. The bed acted as a bit of a centerpiece. Four deeply carved wooden pillars erected from each corner that were sculpted with depictions of silky smooth dragons breathing out constellations. From these pillars, dark purple ribbons draped over the bed. The room floor was lined with rich mahogany wood planks adorned with lush and intricate carpets. A center carpet peeked out from under the bed, colored with vibrant dyes sewn with patterns of a night sky.

The walls were a uniform deep gray stone that towered up 20 feet before they met the ceiling. They were smooth with no cracks or meeting edges, as if it was cut from a singular stone. Large wooden beam rafters strung midnight black banners over the layout of the space, displaying the empire's insignia in white.

There were three doors, each on separate sides of the room from the bed. The terrace's double doors Elias had just entered from were made of a crystal glass. With their pure and clear qualities they let in outside torch light, flickering adjacent from the bed giving way to a view of the darkened eastern mountains in the horizon. Silky, white curtains hung from its frame obstructing parts of the large terrace. Another one of these doors was wooden with a barred window. This was the servants quarters where Elias could carry out tasks. Furthermore it was where he would live.

The third door was in stark contrast to the others. It stood much taller and appeared to be crafted from thick wooden beans heavily bolted by iron bars. This was the entrance door. Four separate locks were fastened beside a grand handle that spanned its entire height.

Elias stared at the stars and the constellations outside as he worked, briefly being interrupted by a bold sound of a knock. Creeeeek, The sound of the heavy door opening echoed through the room. Elias briskly stood up, taking a deep breath. He had no need to look, he knew who it was for her presence alone was enough to cause his spine to shiver and his hairs to stand. 'You got this' he chanted in his mind. With a single motion Elias turned to greet her, keeping his head high and his shoulders composed.

"Hello my majesty," Elias exclaimed, his voice almost being overpowered by a loud slam, the door shutting under its full weight. "You were out quite late so I reheated the washtub for you."

The Empress looked over to Elias who stood upright with a perfect posture and an attentive pose. Her face was a deep purple that in the candlelight revealed minor blemishes. She appeared as if her every detail was sculpted intentionally, masterfully even. Her jaw pronounced itself and her brow framed her midnight purple eyes that were far more vibrant than the color Elias's brandished. Her nose was soft and her lips bold, contrasting with a deep midnight color.

She peered to the stone tiled tub on the terrace. Her expression was one of being pleased, perhaps even a little surprised. Elias could read at least that much from her grin. "I like you more than my last... What is your name again?" she asked. Four clicks broke the brief silence as she locked the door. Her every step was a powerful one, an echo reverberating from every click of her metal grieves on the stone tile. Her voice roared with the power of a river but was smooth and silky. The sizable space of the room further magnified her every word off the solid stone walls.

The room suddenly felt far larger than the moment before. Perhaps in part due to the echo, but also because Elias stood looking at the Empress, now with the walls towering over. Her approach was brisk but her attention made every second feel thrice as long. As her stride made its way closer and closer to Elias, it became evermore clear that she stood eye level to him at 6". Perhaps she would even be slightly shorter if it were not for the large metal boots.

Her step came to a halt, but not before her face neared an inch from Elias's, staring deep into his eyes. It was a task in and of itself to contain his composure but regardless, Elias began breaking a sweat. He felt her grasp from under his vision as she grabbed his chin firmly within her fingers which curled up around his cheeks. He dared not move, if her hold would even allow him.

His stare met her eyes, tracking their every movement as they wandered across his face. Her vision was like a pact of chains, all he could do was wait frozen. Her glance met his glasses, his nose, then his lips. With the gentle suggestion of her guiding force, Elias pivoted his head to the left, then the right, as if she was observing every minute detail like a hawk.

Slow your breathing Elias, he thought to himself despite knowing it was a lost cause. With her this close she could probably hear his heart pounding out of his chest let alone his erratic breathing. Her midnight purple eyes dilated under the dim light of the environment opening up to a massive black expanse that Elias quickly became lost in.

"Come help me doff my armor boy," she spoke with no restraint on her volume, her warm breath grazing Elias's face just before she began to turn away, his jaw still in her grip, albeit gentle. Her arm reached out further extending as she slowly created distance between them, coming to a hang just before releasing her grasp on him.

Elias followed her outside to the alcove tiled in stone where he immediately began to lift her helmet off. He had removed countless sets of armor as part of his training, but none were as intricate and beautifully crafted as this. The helmet itself was not so much a helmet as it was more elegant like a crown. Regardless, It looked protective despite its intricate build of silver. It looked elegant in the fact that it encased her entire head but looked light and avoided obstructing any of her face. As it slid off her head, her hair revealed itself, flowing out free as Elias pulled out the pins holding it up.

Her hair was pearly white with a silver sheen glimmering as it draped down nearly to her hips cascading over her armor and midnight robes. Elias began to unbuckle the leather straps on her armor's chest piece. As he pulled it apart, the chest half was taken by the hands of gravity, falling to the stone floor in a loud clatter against the tiles.

"Careful with the armor!" she spoke with a somewhat deeper yet still elegant voice, a tinge of anger making itself known.

This armor looks so expensive, he thought, lashing out at himself for letting it fall. "I apologize, my liege..." Elias replied before being cut off.

The Empress moved her head to the side slightly, her back still facing Elias "Quit it with the formality, this is my personal abode. I don't want that to follow me here." The slight anger in her voice faded into an annoyance. "Miss is fine."

"I understand... Miss" Elias replied as he continued to unstrap her armor. It was an easy task but the pounding of his heart felt so strong he worried it was nearly audible. Having already angered the Empress in his first week, the intrusive thoughts flared. Rumors of "disposed" servants who had worked under the Empress were not uncommon and ran parades in his head.

The Empress began lifting off draped layers of cloth, until just a white silk blouse was left. He kneeled down to continue taking off the remaining armor on her legs, his finger beginning to fumble as sweat began to form on his hands. In a brief pause, Elias with a glance upward found her lifting off her blouse revealing her naked back above him. His gaze moved upwards slightly, his innermost feelings scrambled and confusing. Her now bare arms reached back to straighten her hair, sweeping it all behind.

Her body was just as purple as her face, only the skin was more silky and clear with the exception of a large scar that spanned diagonally over the entire lower back. She had strongly defined muscular edges all across her back and down her arms that caught the fire light with the moonlight further elaborating upon the strong forum of her torso. Elias began to get enthralled with the glimmer in her hair as it caressed her skin, reflecting the moonlight as it shimmered.

"We need to work on your speed for this. Have you gotten my grieves undone yet?" She asked. Silence filled the air for a moment before Elias looked back to his task at hand.

With the last leather strap being undone, he had finished, "There we go, sorry Miss My hands are a bit unsteady today," Elias removed the final plate of armor off from her leg. Underneath all the armor was many beautiful black silks and midnight purple cloth. Although her back stood facing him, with her free from the binds of her armor and being exposed above the waist, the gradient of her became more clear.

Her stature was a strong one with the muscles further exacerbating her elegant and bold curves. The feeling of nervousness built up in Elias. This was not only because she was the Empress, or because it was only his first day, but because he did not know how to process his position kneeling behind her in such a state. His training as a royal servant was never so specific.

"Unsteady hands? Is that right?" She replied, stepping out of her armored boots. "Are you nervous?" She said smugly, exhaling a giggle of amusement.

"You are my first assignment, Miss" He replied, looking back up to her white hair, her scar, her bare back, and her curves. The empress gave off a curious scoff.

"I wonder as to why they sought you for the role so soon." She said with a quiet tone that made it easy to understand that she was not eluding to a pondering nature. "I suppose your care for the warm water gives me some idea," She paused. "Regardless, you have nothing to worry about, my priorities have already been met by you so far, it will just take some time for you to become accustomed to how I like things."

Elias, still looking up from her heels, replied "I will do my best."

The Empress's head began to turn over her bare shoulder. Her eyes searched for him only to find his already present gaze, "I desire things to be very... specific." Her smirky smile was a sharp and cold one but softened to a warm stare creating an awkward standstill.

Knock! Knock! Pounds on the door broke the silence. With her head jolting to find the source of the noise, she left Elias's gaze hanging. Her face went from annoyed, to mad, to stern.

"Start stowing away my armor, boy" she commanded before leaning for her clothes that sat at her feet. Her waist pivoted as she reached for her blouse, her naked chest neared the view of Elias. His heart pounded harder as he shot his vision away. How could he know the proper way to handle a situation such as this? Elias's mind raced faster.

Was he to disregard the presence of her nude skin? Or perhaps pretend as if it was not such a way? She was the Empress after all, she surely deserved his respect. He could not work for hours on end with an averted gaze. Could he? Nevertheless Elias began to gather the armor within his arms, doing his best to keep his eyes to the ground in unknowing what he was supposed to do under his highly formal role here.

The Empress, now clothed, briskly walked past him with purple cloth drapes fluttering behind. With four clicks of locks being switched, the door creaked open revealing a man in similar, less elegant armor.

"I am in need of rest, can Björn not handle this?" The empress spoke with a much more powerful, commanding voice.

"I'm afraid Björn himself requested that you be included in the decision..." The man replied, "It's a very important matter." The Empress turned leaving the doorway open, raising her hand to massage her forehead. "There was an attack on the red leaf garrison this evening." A moment of silence passed before the Empress turned to look at the man, visible stress on her face.

"How did it unfold?" She asked with a hung tone. Elias continued wracking up her armor to the left of the dresser on the stand. He dared not look back but watched their reflection in its shine.

The man cleared his throat, visibly pushing down some fear, "They rushed out of the mountains from the east, using the height to obliterate our army. I'm afraid-" He choked on his words, "I'm upset to say, there were no survivors." The queen remained motionless where she stood for what felt like an eternity.

She sighed, "Send more manpower to nearby towns and three scouts to identify the origin of attack within the mountains." She began walking towards the door, showing the man out, "I will be up at the crack of dawn to further discuss this issue." SLAM! The heavy door shut once again and sounds of clicking locks reentered the room. Elias found himself so engaged listening, he had not noticed the last piece of armor was still in his hands. Wracking it, he noticed once again in the reflection, the Empress. She was standing at the door, quietly.

Elias, dared not speak. Perhaps he was uneducated in how to act under the prior interaction but this was a place with no gray area. The tension in the air was unbearable and Elias felt a pit in his stomach that only grew with the silence.

Elias knew, as a royal servant he was to not break conformity, nor to engage with such matters, and he was especially not supposed to let how he felt influence his work under any circumstance. Regardless, it felt wrong to him. 'She is the Empress after all, surely I will just make it worse. Elias thought to himself. But he felt his mind going rogue, as if his subconscious was making decisions without him.