A Task for the Wolf

How it all began : 1 year 3 months ago

Sienna Vael'Tyrr stood on the grand balcony of the Imperial Palace, overlooking the vast capital of the El-Shihara Empire.

She swirled the deep crimson wine in her glass, her golden eyes keenly scanning the skyline.

The empire thrived on the surface, hidding the undercurrents beneath.

The court, restless as ever, watched and waited for the right moment to shift the balance.

A shift was coming.

"Your Highness."

A firm, disciplined voice interrupted her thoughts. Sienna turned to see a woman standing at the threshold of the balcony—tall, poised, every inch the disciplined warrior she had trained to be. Marina Velkas.

Sienna's lips curved into a knowing smile.

"Marina." She motioned toward the garden pathway below. "Walk with me."

Marina stepped forward, falling into stride beside the Crown Princess. There was no urgency in Sienna's movements, only measured grace. She dictated the pace, allowing the world to revolve around her.

"How did the relief efforts go in Etram?" Sienna asked.

"As expected," Marina reported. "The flooding destroyed most of the farmland, but aid distribution has stabilized the region. We relocated families to safer areas. Recovery will take time, but it is possible."

Sienna nodded approvingly. "Good. The court enjoys the illusion of benevolence, but true progress happens only when capable hands are at work."

But the satisfaction didn't reflect on her face.

Marina hesitated. "You seem troubled, Your Highness."

Sienna exhaled lightly, her gaze flicking toward the distant gardens. "The court always troubles me. That is nothing new."

Marina knew better than to press on. They walked in silence until Sienna suddenly stopped. Marina followed her gaze and immediately spotted the reason.

Across the garden, a young woman in a lavender gown leaned close to a tall, broad-shouldered man. Her laughter was soft, practiced, and the way she placed her hand on his arm was deliberate. Marina recognized him instantly—Jeremiah Beinberg, heir to one of the empire's most powerful ducal families. And the woman?

The Second Empress's eldest daughter—Sienna's half-sister.

Sienna's fingers curled around the stem of her glass. "She moves quickly."

Marina frowned slightly. "Is she gathering support for her mother's faction?"

"She is."

Marina's brow furrowed. "But does it matter? You are the Crown Princess now. Even if she gains supporters, your position is secured."

Sienna let out a quiet, humorless chuckle. "My younger brother was once the Crown Prince. Then my younger half-brother took the position. Now it is mine." She turned back to Marina, her smirk sharp. "Nothing in court is ever secure. Power must be fought for every day."

Marina considered this before nodding. In the empire, power was never freely given—it was seized, held onto with both hands, and protected at all costs.

Sienna exhaled and swirled the wine in her glass again. "I need your help."

Marina straightened. "Anything, Your Highness."

Sienna's expression turned unreadable. "I need you to leave the capital."

Marina blinked but remained composed. "Where to?"

Sienna motioned to a nearby maid, who stepped forward with a sealed imperial edict. She took it and handed it to Marina.

"To Aeger."

Marina's hazel eyes widened as she carefully broke the seal. Her gaze scanned the words swiftly, but inside, she was reeling.

"Aeger?" she repeated. "You want me to govern it?"

Sienna nodded. "It has become lawless. My younger brothers have turned it into their personal playground of indulgence, and the vast and wealthy vassal kingdom festers with corruption."

Marina hesitated. "The court will accuse you of misusing your power, placing an Imperial Guard in charge of a vassal kingdom."

Sienna smirked. "Let them talk. You are not just any knight, Marina. You my disciplined, brilliant, and incorruptible mentee."

Marina's grip tightened on the edict. "I am only twenty-seven. I'm too young to be a governor."

"You are the only one who can fix it."

Marina looked back at the official decree. It was not a request—it was a command. She had no choice.

Sienna studied Marina carefully, then cast another glance toward the garden where her half-sister continued flirting with Beinberg. Contemplation flickered in her gaze.

Marina's hazel eyes were focused on the edict, her curly dark framed the elegant features of her face, she was built like a soldier, but with prominent feminine features.

Her brothers had not seen Marina in ten years. The last time, she had been a disciplined, stoic teenager. Now, she was a striking woman—sharp-witted, physically formidable, and possessing a beauty that could not be ignored.

Unknown to Marina, Sienna had her own plans beyond just reforming Aeger.

She had shielded her younger brothers for years after their downfall and banishment, allowing them to wallow in their debauchery. Now, it was time they became useful to her reign.

She swirled her wine in slow contemplation.

Ruyi, her brother had once looked at Marina differently. Sienna had noticed it years ago—subtle, fleeting, but present.

Marina had been utterly unaware, her mind too occupied with discipline and duty to recognize a young prince's intrigue.

Would that fascination resurface now that she was no longer a girl, but a woman in full control of herself?

Marina was a little older than Sienna's half-sister, who now stood below, playing the court's oldest game. And yet, the contrast between them could not be greater—where her half-sister relied on feigned helplessness and beauty, Marina wielded discipline and strength.

The court adored an ingenue, but men like her brothers? They would be drawn to something they could not tame.

Sienna's golden eyes narrowed as she took another sip of wine. Would they crush Marina as they had others, grinding her beneath the weight of their corruption?

Would she break under the pressure, as so many before her had? Or would she become something else entirely—something Sienna could wield to reshape Aeger to her advantage?

The couple below were now making their way toward them. Lord Beinberg, ever the gentleman, escorted Sienna's half-sister with practiced ease, but the moment his eyes met Sienna's, his expression shifted.

A slow, flirty smile spread across his lips as he greeted her with the charm only a seasoned noble could muster.

Marina finished reading the edict and straightened. From the corner of her eye, she caught the exaggerated way Sienna's half-sister swooned upon realizing that Lord Beinberg's attention had shifted.

It was a minor commotion, but an intentional one—designed to draw attention, to reaffirm that she was the one worth watching.

Marina's grip on the edict tightened. She understood now. Sienna needed her.

Not just for Aeger, but for the court, for the stability of the empire itself. Her mentor had fought too long, too hard, to let power slip away now.

If Marina's role in this could help secure Sienna's reign, then she would do it.

She turned to Sienna and saluted, her stance firm, her resolve unshaken. Without another word, she turned on her heel and strode purposefully out of the hallway.

Sienna watched her go, a slow, knowing smile forming. She swirled her wine, her gaze shifting back to the retreating figure of her half-sister below.

"How will you react, my dear brothers?" she murmured.

"For an old wound to heal, sometimes it must first be reopened."