hayawrites

Throughout history, the Yuvan dynasty had one rule. The emperor had 20 years to produce a successor, the lineage wasn't important as long as he did. If the day the emperor hit his 20th year came, and he was yet to produce a son, the empire was up for grabs. This has been going on for the last 200 years. Actually, today was supposed to mark 200 years of family rule. Instead, today marked the end of the rule and the beginning of my hell.


A/N: The chapters are very very short in the beginning but will gradually get longer !! This story may contain some dark themes please be warned.

The Empire's Orchid

" Well let's begin the meeting then. What's first on the agenda?"


" Well, your majesty. I've been trying to find the spies in the castle. Unfortunately, I haven't found them yet."


" I'm afraid so. I haven't anything else to report."


" Alright, who's in charge of the dealing with dukes? What are the needs of each of the districts?"


A man at the end of the table stood up and began to speak to the emperor. 


" Well, according to the dukes everything is in order, and the needs are being met. Although, some of the dukes are asking for more funding."


I looked to the emperor and could see his eyebrow twitch.


" So you are telling me you ask for money without reason and expect me to give it to you? Tell me. Do I look like a charity to you?"


" Um-u-um no your majesty. I—I'm simply reporting what happened with the dukes."


" Well then tell the dukes to fund themselves or give me a justifiable reason to fund them otherwise they will be stripped and replaced just like the ones before them."


The rest of the meeting went about like that. Someone would say something that would make the emperor mad, he would threaten them. Then, they would agree to whatever he said, and throughout all of this, I remained quiet. I didn't see the point to my being there, but at the end of the meeting I was instructed to wait for the emperor in the garden. 


I took a stroll towards the garden and inhaled the beautiful scent of the flowers. I laid down in the grass. It was my favorite place in the palace whatever chance I got to enjoy it I would take. I closed my eyes and after a few minutes, I heard rustling. I immediately sat up, thinking it was probably the emperor. 


But then, a guard appeared. " Has the emperor changed his mind about seeing me?" I asked.


He scoffed as he continued approaching me. 


"And why would the emperor want to see a lowlife maid like you." 


I got up immediately. " Excuse me sir, that's no way to be talking to me."


He came so close to me that his face was a few inches away from mine. 


" Look girl." He spat. " Who gave you the right to talk to me like that?!"


I took a step back, my heartbeat increasing. I didn't know what to do. 


" Please leave me alone." I said now slightly scared. He took a strand of my hair into his hand. 


He then yanked my hair hard. I let out a pained yelp. 


" Let me go! " I screamed. He began to chuckle at me, and grabbed more of my hair. The pit in my stomach was getting bigger and bigger and tears started to fill my eyes.


He then painfully shoved me onto the ground and began kicking me. 


I started crying hysterically. My eyes closed. 


Then, I heard someone yell. " WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?"


The kicking stopped. I opened my eyes. The emperor had grabbed the man by the collar and now had pushed him against a tree. 


" I'm—-I'm sorry your majesty. I thought she was lying." 


"Since when have I been known to care about apologies and justifications."


He laughed more. Then I heard a click and saw the man's body fall to the floor. 


The last thing I remember was that his icy blue eyes were now a glowing red. That's when it all went black. 


Five