Dragon's Breath

"Miss the water may no longer be hot, Would you like me to replenish it once more?" Still, she stood quiet. With his empathy, greater to that of his willpower he broke.

"Miss" he stuttered, "May I suggest some fresh air? The temperature is quite nice tonight." She turned to look at Elias. Her face was deep in expression but hard to read. There was anger, confusion, sorrow, but a further underlying look of surprise that grew over all else. Her gaze on Elias became a stare that he felt in his soul. Should I have kept quiet? He questioned his actions. He had stood out of the lines of his job, but was it really that big of a deal? His mind screamed yes.

She began to walk up to him till she was inches away from his face, just as she had done earlier. Her breath fell on his nose and cheeks, breathing with more haste now. The sinking feeling in his stomach grew evermore as her stare dug in him. Tension grew with every moment that passed, only made worse by the emotion on her face. It almost became unbearable. Elias felt his knees beginning to buckle before she let out a deep exhale, seemingly relaxing a little.

She opened her mouth, "Keep up what you are doing, Elias" before brushing past him towards the terrace. He remained still, daring not to move a muscle. Despite the absence of her presence he still felt trapped. The pit in his stomach revealed itself as fear as he swallowed the thoughts rushing through his head one by one.

"Drain the bath and bring me some water" Her voice echoed throughout the chamber as a gust of warm summer air made its way to Elias. The sensory overload he felt was only calmed by the sensation of the breeze. With a deep breath and a far greater exhale that shook with nerve, he exited to the bath. It only took but a minute to do as she had asked. When he returned, the empress had leaned her arms on the terrace edge to rest, her silhouette framed by the open door, the white curtains fluttering.

Her figure was highlighted by the moonlight where her beautiful garments waved in the wind. Perhaps she was contemplating, maybe planning, Elias could not know for sure but her composure spoke endless words. Her head looked down but was held high. Her arms slumped but her shoulders held rigid. Her left leg hung back to a gentle dangle as its pair worked to hold her up in its lonesome.

"Here is your water Miss" Elias stood to her left holding forward a tin of water outreached with two arMiss She turned to grab it before looking back down. Elias, now on the balcony standing beside her, realized in that moment why she was looking down. It was not because of sorrow but because her gaze was upon her city below. Upon the towers, buildings, and stone tiled streets. Torchlight lit it far into the horizon before cutting off at the foot of grand mountains darkened by night, outlined by the wondrous night sky of milky star trails and two large moons.

"It is nice... Isn't it?" She whispered, her voice softer this time.

Elias looked at her staring out, "Yes... The city is beautiful from up here."

The empress's head came to a slight tilt to look at him, "It is, but I mean the temperature, it's quite nice indeed." She stood up taller, straightening her posture, lifting her arms off the stone rail. "You should go get some rest, we have to be up at sunrise." Elias found himself staring at her face which appeared to be in deep thought, only this time it was clear she knew full well of his gaze's presence. The empress made her way inside.

Elias lingered but began to make his way in, closing the door and blinds behind him before entering into his quarters exhausted. Exhausted from head to toe, but more noticeably from the depths of his soul to the ends of his consciousness. He fell back on to his bed, with his head hitting the pillow as he thought What just happened? How did I get here? Unbeknownst to him, his racing thoughts quickly became blurry and he fell into slumber.

# Chapter 2 : The Empress

Sunlight leaked through the blinds breaking the deep sleep Eleanor had found herself in. Morning had come. She felt relaxed, her sleep feeling sufficient, if not incredible. The recent strain combined with the long hours and little time to relax made sure most nights involved deep sleep. Some, of course, quickly became restless if she was not careful. Thoughts of war run rampant if not kept under check, no question about it. The smell of fresh baked bread and cooked sausages became present to her awareness.

With a deep stretch she felt her whole body's skin against the soft silks of her bed. She was sore, but nonetheless the feeling of wholeness was comfortable. In opening her eyes she saw through the white curtains that gently obscured the sun and distant mountains that blurred to a rough silhouette through the silks. A meal sat, still steaming to her right on a small bed stand with a tin of water accompanying it. Her recollection of last night jolted to the front of her mind, the new boy, Elias.

For as long as she was Empress she remembered having food ready in the morning, that alone was not unique. The clear and very present steam rising from the meal was unusual for it looked like it was placed there just 30 seconds ago. Perhaps it's just convenient timing, Eleanor thought to herself. That might have been a possibility if every meal Elias had prepared thus far hadn't been just as fresh. Perhaps it's more, she entertained the thought. Elias did in fact intrigue her in how he composed himself. He seemed to have a peculiar attention to detail thus far. That, and he was nothing short of eye candy.

His well kept appearance and slender facial features were subtle but enough to make him stand out from the rest. Her last servant was a veteran in the field, having worked his way up in serving greater and greater nobles before ultimately serving her. He however proved to be problematic. He was stoic and barely spoke. His mere presence chilled a room if it got too quiet. She was going to replace him regardless, even absent of his royal screw up. That was just the nail in the coffin.

The truth was most servants she had, never really engaged with her to any extent past the basic formalities. They were trained that way after all. That is why she had requested a novice this time. 'Perhaps a blank slate will leave me to leave my own imprint' she had pondered. Their training was not the only issue these field experts had after all. So many had been traumatized serving under previous employers that had instilled a miraculous amount of conformity and hesitance.

Noblemen and women were never known for being the kind type. Royals, although more extravagant, were not much better. She knew this more than most, as she worked with them every day. Their hearts were cold and their minds filled with greed. Her journey to become Empress was a story best not told to children, but her compassion helped her hold strong to her convictions. Elias was a nice change of pace, even in their limited interaction it was clear he had not been so exposed to the harsh conditions some of these servants find themselves in. How he acted, was less rigid for better or worse.

Those tasked with finding a servant under her qualifications had spoken briefly of his past. He was a prodigy of sorts, skilled and quick learning with his arcane talent unmatched. Even with all these facts it was disclosed to her, he had not finished their course. This meant a few things. Although all the basic skills and tasks were known by him, he had yet to be taught in a practical sense. No field training, no solo experience, he had not even talked to a graduated peer. But she requested him nonetheless.

Elias swung the door open from his quarters, "Good Morning Miss I hope you slept well", he began to walk over to the dresser adjacent from the bed.

He was wearing much fancier clothes today. He wore a midnight purple vest over a black shirt that hugged his skin revealing definition in his slim stature. The vest was sewn with deeply contrasting white detailing on the edges. His pants were a lighter black but were more formal than his previous outfit. His shirt tucked into them, held by the tight hugging nature of them. His hair was put up nicely just as it was the day before, holding a well kept appearance despite the curl's naturally unruly style.

With her stomach beginning to ache of hunger, she averted her attention momentarily to grab the tray of food at her side. It was still steaming as the warmth heated the air around her. In her morning feast she lay staring at the boy who was facing away as he reached into various doors within her dresser. The food was wonderfully cooked, the bread was rich and crusty with a soft core and the sausage was juicy and savory, smelling of smoky apples. Eleanor was blissfully amused. Elias, folded clothes in his arms, made his way over to the bedside above her.

"The council has notified me that there are a few important summons to be seen, I've picked something for the occasion and will be getting ready in my quarters if you wish for something less extravagant." He informed her.

Eleanor swept her legs off the bed out of the warm layered covers, "Thank you, I will need you in just a moment to aid in preparing my hair." The room was noticeably chilly and her feet curled under the cold floor. The stone walls made sure of a consistent shivering temperature in the absence of torch flame.

Her nightgown did not help of course, it was thin with mere strings as straps. It barely reached down to her knees letting way for goosebumps to form on her exposed skin. She usually preferred to sleep naked for after a long day of armor nothing was more freeing. Recently however, Elias's fresh presence had her mind changed. The feeling that compelled her to change her routine confused her slightly. It was not like her in many ways. She never let others influence her, certainly not something this inconsequential. Something about his humanity made it different. All who had served under her previously felt more like machines so she gave no second thought to change.

With another glance over to Elias as he left for his quarters, Eleanor found him looking at her through his circular wireframe glasses as he disappeared behind his door. Eleanor found herself falling into thought as she changed to ready for the day. Of course she had seen his curiosity the night before, however it was an easy assumption to make that the imposing scar was responsible for drawing his attention.

If it were not for her situation, his willing gaze might have been intrusive, but it did not feel as such. Every servant she had ever had always averted their eyes to the floor at even the slightest sight of skin. Either that or their eyes were sunken and blank, feeling as if there were no perception to be had upon her. In fact people rarely ever talked to her without intermittent glances away. Perhaps it was because of her status as the Empress or maybe because of the imposing standards she held herself and others to.

She stood in the highest position of power so it was not hard to come up with dozens of reasons. Regardless, Eleanor couldn't help but let the boy slide for the mere presence of his eyes had given way to a new and unique feeling. A feeling that was unclear, but a good feeling nonetheless. Besides, all the attention she ever got was incredibly formal, who better to provide a different flavor than the person whose single job it is to be attentive to her.

Having dressed up with her undergarments, her silks, and her various purple ribbons draped from her shoulders, she walked to her armor. There were many sets but this one was her favorite, the same one she had worn the day prior. Elias's door swung open as he pushed his way out. Taming her hair was quite a task given its length, but with help it could be managed briskly.

"I don't know the ends of your understanding in your role today. Regardless, I want to briefly cover it." She paused to clear her throat as Elias pulled her hair up, "You don't need to do anything past standing behind me. If I need you to do something I will grab your attention. Other than the occasional water it should be uneventful however. Do you understand?"

"I do." He responded as he slid a pin in her hair, anchoring it upon her head. Eleanor could not help but hear his breathing as he worked from an inch behind her. It was clearly far less erratic than last night. This was not surprising however as she had not imposed her standard of authority today. Perhaps she would not need to with this one. Elias had proven to be proactive, other servants had always required constant persuasion to her particular standard after all. Elias began equipping her with armor, this time with greater haste.

"You are a fast learner I see." She exclaimed, giving a bit of a smile before chilling her expression. If she had ever learned anything, it's that appearances must be kept. Besides, It was only his first week. As much as she sees potential in him, He shows signs of disobedience, she thought, remembering how the last servant had blundered. He nodded in acknowledgement, looking at her through the mirror.

Eleanor wore this set of armor nearly every day. It was made elegant and was not as intrusive as the rest. The very metal it was made with made her nearly impenetrable under its protection. A structure of waves flowed through the pieces, appearing much softer with its flow coming to tips all throughout. Silver plates of various cosmological designs were affixed to key areas with gold embellishments where it was most intricate.

Eleanor looked at herself in the mirror. She looked like a dragon and could not help but feel the role as empress within the armor. Her appearance was remnant of the depictions carved in her bedframe's pillars. Drapes of purple cloth slithered out from gaps that gave way to a less rigid appearance. It was an elegant look but an intimidating one above all else. She loved it for that reason exactly.

"Let's head out," Eleanor exclaimed.

"After you, Miss" Elias responded. And in that, they exited beginning to walk through the halls

of the bastion. The walls were similarly smooth with a uniform stone texture. Pillars and torches lined the walls that guided a maze of halls. If her mere presence was not already enough, with each step the empress took, the loud clank of her armor echoed. Elias however barely made a sound as he followed. He of course was wearing lighter footwear being made of leather and wool.

The halls were relatively busy, more so the further from her chambers they reached. Each and every person that passed Eleanor briefly stopped to nod, greeting her as she passed. With this of course, not a single person made eye contact with her. There was always the exception of a few quick fluttering eyes upon a brief connection of her gaze but her presence seemed entitled to a reaction. She never demanded this behavior of course, for she had merely and painstakingly crafted an image for herself. Not once did she regret it, regardless of the hesitance it spawned around her.

After a small journey throughout the maze of the bastion, they reached a room that opened up rapidly into a large rounded ceiling. Without so much as lifting a finger the clicking of chains echoed loudly in the cavern, a grand door that stood 30 feet tall opened to her presence. Within the door stood an even larger room where the walls seemed to vanish into darkness making the end of the tiled floor unseen. A long purple carpet lined the floor from the entrance leading far down the chamber where it climbed up stairs to five large seats which stood behind a long semi circle table.

All seats were full with the exception of the center throne which stood much taller than the rest. This of course was the throne room, it however also doubled as a place of legislation. Much of the Empress's work got done here for it was the most protected room in the entire megastructure aside from her quarters. With a step far more formal and brisk she made her way to her throne. With a subtle motion, she made clear to Elias where he was to stand off to the side behind her.

A long pause ensued, before Eleanor's deep bold voice let out a formal shout, "Let us begin! First things first, is there any update on the evening's attack?"

A man Eleanor knew as Björn stood, "Your commands have been met, I have no additional details." The day went on with incredibly tedious and passionate debate. With each word Eleanor spoke the room became silent to make room for her voice. Hours of this would be mind-numbing to most but the empress herself was accustomed. Nonetheless it tired her.

After six long hours, the summon adjourned. Elanor rose to her feet, briskly walking from her seat to leave. Elias almost struggled to keep up as he followed with every step. Her headache and her stomach longed for a meal. The stress was uncomfortable but Eleanor's vigor was resistant. SLAM! the door to her quarters shut behind them.

"Please lock it as well," she looked to Elias who did as he was told before making his way to prepare a meal. In seeing his intention, her mind could not help but be reminded of the desire she had conjured over the day, to confront him about his nervously attentive nature. She had never done such a thing with a servant. This was definitely in part due to the incredibly subservient avoidance of all that came before him. A formal ground must be set if we are to both live comfortably, she justified to herself, but the truth was, although she cared for the basic comfort of her servants, she had built up an understanding for the attention Elias had given her.

She was pleased with the new kinds of interaction that had transpired, even if it was subtle in its difference for it was something that no one ever did in her presence for as long as she had been Empress. It was however clear that nerve revealed itself in his actions. That must be dealt with, she convinced herself despite knowing her truth was far more complicated.

"Once you complete the meal, serve yourself some too. Then meet me on the terrace," Elanor said, watching as his walk slowed to a stop, "I want to discuss some of the details of your position here."

"Ok," Elias spoke, the nerve in his voice present once again, "Have I done something not up to your standards?"

"No threat, just some formalities to get through while we have time." Eleanor responded, met with a nod. Eleanor made her way to the garden within the terrace. It was not a massive garden, but it was tall and created walls of vines and shrubbery that when entered completely concealed itself from all else.

Within it were many long benches carved in stone that curved like ocean waves. They were set with cushions that in their curvature made them exceptionally comfortable. Before the war, she had often laid upon them to relax where she found time. It was a place of relaxation, of zen peace, and a place of utmost leisurely pleasure. The curves of the unique benches were crafted in a way that gently held the body in a relaxing flow. They coddled the body as if it was upon a cloud despite the hard rock that sat beneath.

She laid down on one of these benches deep in the garden where vibrant flowers grew, giving off a wonderful scent of honey and earthy cloves. Two curves arched lengthwise across the bench, a slight curve caressed under her knees, another arching gently supporting her back. Each arc worked to cradle her in between.

With a lasting sigh Eleanor let go of the day's stresses that had accumulated. She could not help but get lost in the sensations the garden served her. It was a beautiful day once again, a hot day but the wind this far up kept it cool. Vines had grown themselves across arches over the garden paths shading it. Each worked in tandem to create the perfect combination of a perfectly comfortable temperature.