A few days earlier 

A pebble tore through the air from the crowd. I clenched my teeth as it struck my cheek; my heart raced, but I stood unmoved and unfazed, with my eyes fixed on the commoners, scanning for the culprit. Their eyes lit with fear the moment my guards raised his sword against them. 

Before anyone’s eyes, I cleaned my face with my white handkerchief, putting pressure on the wound. The blood smeared the white material. My heart started pounding, and I found myself almost shouting at the poor woman who hit me. 

A wave of guilt embraced me before word even left my mouth. Taking a few deep breaths, I didn’t feel the blood rushing my veins anymore. 

‘Lower your sword.’ I ordered K. 

K, my devoted soldier, with whom I’ve spent most of my life, looked back at me. He didn’t dare second-guess my order, but the look on his eyes showed his disbelief upon hearing my words, yet he obeyed them. 

The three women stared at me in silence, not even their breath could be heard. As if only now she had realized, the one who threw that pebble at me fell to the ground, kneeling in front of my eyes. 

‘I am terribly sorry for my action, Your Imperial Highness! Please spare my life, for I have committed an unforgivable sin!’ 

If I were to reign this Empire like my ancestors, her action would have led to the end of her life, but I would not tolerate this kind of punishment. 

Both of us are trying to protect what we love. In front of my eyes, this woman had to take such an action because she didn’t know how else she could save her hard-work. 

The visit I paid to her, a commoner, was to establish an agreement between the two of us. The western side of the Capital was my only project in the prevention of the disasters.

Before I ascended to the throne. This Empire lacked in many parts when it came to the protection of the land, and since my birth, this problem only grew bigger. 

Assigned with the task of improving the protection of the land, this meant that, in some cases, there would be people not pleased with my decision. The woman in front of me dared to show such an act of desperation because we informed her that almost half of her land would enter our possession while implementing our Flood Prevention Plan. 

‘Raise your head.’ My voice echoed, ‘I didn’t come to steal your hard-earned land. In return for the 30% of your land and crops, we will compensate you with crops that will last you until the next year, and we will also give you the equal amount of the land you’re losing now in another part of the Capital.’ 

‘I can’t believe I am honored with your kindness, as I do not deserve it!’ the woman kept bowing in front of my eyes, but I turned my back to leave 

There wasn’t much for us to do here, so we took our leave. It did not take long for me to question his attitude. 

‘What happened, K? Is my solution not pleasing you?’ 

He shook his head: ‘I’m afraid you gave them something bigger than what they deserved. To show such a disgraceful act and still not be punished? I fear that they will take you for granted.’ 

‘They don’t know any better. As a commoner, I don’t expect them to show me the same elegance as a noble. I think my action showed them that my reign wouldn’t be one where people fear my powers.’ 

‘I trust your words and motive, but I don’t trust them. Anyone else.’ 

A smile rose on my face: ‘This is enough. Trust me with all your heart, and I’ll show you that those people, all of them, are worth trusting. They are my people, who I know won’t ever betray me.’ 

Our conversation came to a stop once we reached the main entrance of the Palace. 

The Palace halls were bigger than me, colder than the freezing cold and somehow hollower than my heart, yet I found happiness being inside those walls.

My steps echoed in the hallway and all the servants bowed their heads when I passed them, yet I didn’t react to them. I should never bow my head to someone in a position lower than mine — this is all I’ve heard my entire life. 

I should be thankful that my father raised me as who I am. As a future Empress, and the first one to be crowned this way, I should be better than all the previous Empresses. 

My arrival was announced to my father, and soon I stepped foot inside my father’s office and bowed my head as a sign of respect. He didn’t even raise his head from his documents to look at me. Yet, I was used to his attitude. 

‘Your Majesty’ I broke the silence, ‘I had come to ask for guidance on a problem we encountered’ 

Once I brought up the discussion that intrigued him, he raised his head. With a quick movement of his hand, his attendants left us alone. Once the doors closed, I felt the atmosphere changing. He frowned his brows the moment he noticed my wound. 

‘A problem? Should the wound on your face concern me more than the way people look at you? Tell me, have you been running around the Capital with that disgraceful wound?’ 

I lowered my head, my cheeks burning from embarrassment. I was used to feeling like this — coming from my father, whose expectations I was never able to achieve. Furthermore, I stood my ground as I had to explain to him the situation. 

‘This wound isn’t a sign of concern, so pay no mind to it. Yet, I need a document to compensate the citizens from the Western side of the Capital. While implementing the Flood Prevention Plan, we’ve encountered several citizens that didn’t want to give up 30% of the crop fields.’ — I stopped rumbling, and I looked into my father’s eyes, by his distant look, he got bored of me explaining his situation, so I stopped — ‘I need your approval for these documents, and then I will head back to resolve the disagreement.’ 

I quickly handed the documents to him. He glanced over them for a quick moment, then he proceeded to sign them. I did not know what to think of this act of his. Was it that he trusted me enough not to look in detail over the documents, or was it that he found this matter not worthy of his attention.

‘Get this problem sorted out quickly. I put my trust onto you. You should continue to be as competent as you showed to be. Only then would I feel my heart easy, letting you rise to the throne.’ 

I nodded: ‘I would never let you down, Your Majesty.’ 

He handed me the documents and, before I took my leave, he stopped me on my way out. As I turned to look at him, his expression made my heart drop. 

Was that pity on his face? 

‘Celine. Could you check on your brother, too? He appears to be bothered by something, but I can’t figure out what.’ He pleaded.