There comes a time in everyone's lives when they start following a morning routine, be it planned or manifested. For Wania Sapphire, it was simple: wake up, down a glass of whiskey or rum, listen to Helga complain about how it's unhealthy and unnatural to drink first thing in the morning, groom herself, train, and off to work she goes. But today, there was a clear interruption in said routine.

"What are you doing?" Said Wania, who just snapped awake to see Agnius fully dressed at the foot of her bed.

"Forgive me, I didn't mean to wake you"

"I asked what you were doing?" She was getting out of bed growing annoyed, she wakes up early, but not this early, look outside just to see how dark it was, the sun showed no signs of rising and all that creeps and crawls in the dark were still at it, only assassins and faithless men are up at this hour.

"Were you planning to escape? You found out the marriage wasn't valid yet and thought, Here's a chance, right?" She started pouring herself a drink.

"I've heard of men running away from their wives before the wedding. Is that what this is?" She poured him a glass, too.

"No, my lady. I always start my mornings around this time. I was heading out for a bath before I started the day," Agnius finally answered. He stood still in the darkness, his dark-coloured clothes blending right in. A normal person wouldn't be able to see him, but Wania had walked right up to him and handed him a glass before he finished speaking. "Thank you," he said.

"What is with this, 'my lady'"? You'll be a married man before the day properly starts. You can't be calling my lady in front of others; people would think I beat my husband and forced him to do so." She makes her way to the chairs in the room, not turning on the lights nor opening the curtains to let the moonlight in.

"And if you want to bathe, I could get some maids to join you. I'm sure your kind likes things like that. Not every day you get to be an archduke, so you should enjoy the luxury it brings while you have it." She was amusing herself, clearly annoyed with being woken up so early, so she wanted to taunt him.

"I will bathe myself; doing that would breathe problems into the job," Agnius replied coldly, like he was stating the weather. He had no reaction to Wania's taunts, not even a moment of hesitation to collect himself. Continuing taunts seemed dull, so she just lay on the chair to fall back asleep. Agnius left the room.

"The bathroom is over there, why is he going?" She had been woken up earlier than usual, had her morning drink, and Helga was to head to the empress before coming to see her; her routine was out of order with more spare time. "...."

Sneaking around her own home to follow Agnius and see where he's going, "What if he's planning to steal something, or worse, betray me?" She justified her actions to herself when she could have asked Agnius directly. She followed her outside, heading towards the lake from her home. "He wouldn't"

Agnius did the exact thing she thought he wouldn't, he jumped into the lake to bathe himself, surprised that he would but not surprised that he could. Wania was a general after all; there were times she too bathed in lakes before, but that was during the war, maybe Agnius didn’t know how to use a proper bathe and was too shy for the maid to see he couldn't, yes, that was it, mercenaries we egotistical they whole business runs on reputation, if it got out he couldn't prepare a proper bathe for himself who would trust he to carry out jobs properly.

Satisfied with her own conclusion, she left, heading back to the room to start her day.

On the other hand, Helga rises just before the sun. She slept like a baby since she didn't spend the time serving drinks to the general and went to bed early. She dresses sluggishly and is on her way to the empress, marriage registration in hand. She reaches the palace and waits an hour before they stay, accepting guests during her wait. She rubs the sleep out of her eyes and notices her clothes are not well put together.

"The empress would see you now, ma'am", a young maid came out to invite Helga in. Rosa was still in her nightdress, covered by a robe, and was already managing the imperial place.

"Good morning, our most beautiful empress, the" Rosa interrupted

"Skip the flattery, Helga. I have too much to do today, what does Wania want?"

Helga pouted while handing over the marriage registration, "She wanted you to approve this, the emperor’s seal is needed"

"Sure, let me grab it." She reached under her desk to a locked box and briefly glanced at the paperwork. The phrase marriage registration jumped out to her, and her eyes blew up.

"Helga, what is this?" She stood, "How is this?" She sat " With whom?" She stood again. Her shock and panic were clashing, only the sounds of stifling tears from Helga brought her back. "Helga, are you?"

"Oh, it's awful, your grace. Just yesterday, my lady brought back some ruffian from the streets and handed me the marriage registration saying she was going to marry him." She wiped her tears, then in a whisper, "The event shared the bed last night"

Those words turned the bright empress pale, her whole form came undone.

"Mia! Call the others, and I must meet my sister at once, ready my carriage. Helga, you help too. You've always gotten me ready the fastest"

The empress's wing was in commotion, and the noise reached the guards. The emperor was on his way to have breakfast with his son, an unmissable part of his morning routine, when I spotted maids running and stumbling towards the empress's wing. He called out to them and asked what was going on.

"We greet the rising sun. The empress is in a rush to leave for her sister’s home. She is screaming and cursing at the head maid of the general."

"How many headaches can one woman give? She probably told Rosa about the dismissal. I'm in for now, but no matter," he rubbed his forehead, imagining the nagging he would receive.

"She said something about the general getting married." The shock from those words electrified the air. Everyone lost their composure, and one guard dropped his spear. The maids looked worried about what to do, but Helga came out calling to them.

"You three get over here"

"But the emperor?!"

Rosa, from her room, shouted, "Tell him it's an emergency, and I need you." The maids swung their heads between the two, and finally, the emperor dismissed them and unconsciously walked towards the dining room to meet his son.

"Helga, how could you let this happen? Wania has no sense for men. I thought you would help her." She was almost ready to go.

"I did, but she didn’t listen to me. I spent the whole night restless in bed. I couldn't even dress myself properly today. Look at me." Rosa scanned Helga from head to toe and concluded the woman was beside herself with worry.

"Don’t worry, Helga. I'll handle everything. I can't believe Wania would treat you like that, after all the years of loyal service you've given her." Helga smiled innocently. I won't hire you, but you should leave her. I'll write a letter of recommendation for you. You'll be hired so fast it'll make her head spin." Helga raised a brow and glared at her eyes while keeping her smile.

The two rushed off towards the general's estate. Wania was waiting in her office for Helga to return and get some work done, as she did, the silent and peaceful nature of the office was interrupted by the loud bustle of her office doors opening.

"Helga, you're too loud"

But it wasn't Helga at the door; it was Rosa, and she charged straight to Wania’s table.

"Wania, how could you do this?"-throws the documents on her table and slams the registration in front of her-"What made you think I would approve this?"

Helga finally entered innocently and stood to the side, watching the drama unfold.

"Look, I understand it may be shocking, but it's my best plan. I wouldn't hav-"

"This isn’t how you protect me, and with a common mercenary. Wania, what are you thinking?!" Rosa was getting louder by the sentence, already interrupting Wania, not giving her time to answer. Wania had enough. Rosa may be her sister, but the insults are going too far. She stood from her seat and slammed her fists into the table.

"Rosa!-" she said, taking a deep breath and letting it out. "-I am trying to protect both of us. Don't shout at me, I am still your older sister, everything I do I do for your benefit and protection"

The room became tense, and before the silence could settle, Rosa said, "Like you protected Emily."

Helga gasped. "Lady Rosa, how could you-" before Helga could finish her words, Wania threw her office table through the wall

"Get out." She said that before walking out of the room, Helga looked between the two sisters and followed Wania.

Rosa was left alone in the room. A fresh morning breeze blew through the hole in the wall and blew the registration at her feet.

Wania was heading straight towards the training ground. When she reached the training ground, the trainee knights were already going through their morning training. Without a word, she headed straight for them. Helga, who followed behind, told the knights to arm themselves and prepare for an attack. Hurrying, they grabbed the wooden weapons and leather armour, formed, and started shaking their boots. Wania went at them unarmed.

Agnius, watching from the sidelines, saw her charging in and jumped in to protect them. He took a stance and blocked her punches. Without notice, she tackled him to the ground and let out a barrage of punches at him. She continued for about two minutes before she looked into his eyes and stopped herself.

"Men, the man underneath me is my husband, Agnius Sapphire. Be grateful to him because he just saved your lives"

She stood up, helped Agnius to his feet, and went to her room to cool off. By noon, Helga had brought her iced drinks and the stamped marriage registration that approved the marriage between Wania and Agnius.