The Tribulations of Love and War

An Empress in the 24th century realizes how hard it is to balance ruling the biggest Empire in the world and loving someone who is opposed to her in almost every way.

The year was 2430. The earth was not as it was in the early 21 century.   Four major empires ruled the world.  The British Empire ruled most of Europe, Greenland and the Middle East.  China was returned to its ancient glory, ruling all of Asia, except for the Middle East, and Malaysia.  The United States of America ruled their homeland, Canada, and Japan.  The largest Empire was the Doven Empire.  This empire originated from a very small island off the coast of South America.  By 2200 they controlled all of South America, the Caribbean, Australia, Africa, Antarctica, and many small islands all over the world.

    This Empire was ruled by hereditary leaders from the time it was formed.  Unlike many of the Empires of it's time the first born was always first in line for the throne regardless of their gender.  In the year 2428 Her Imperial Highness, Empress Katherine Dentar, Archduchess of Dove, Queen of all Territories of the Empire, took power.  She was only 14 when her father passed away leaving an entire Empire to her.  She was my best friend and Queen.  She was my lover and my hater.  I was a young noble in the vast Empire, just getting used to how the politics worked. I represented the Caribbean in Congress.  I was 18 at the time. She was 16.  I had admired her for some time.  Her way of ruling the country was amazing.

                   ***

    I first met the Empress on my very first day in Congress.  She had called an emergency session to discuss the aggression Mexico was pointing towards us.  Mexico was one of the few independent countries left.

    I walked into the huge chamber; I could see the Empress talking with her more trusted nobles.  She was dressed in a gray Kimono; she had a Sharia Headdress with pearls and beads hanging down. Her face was decorated with a blue symbol between her eyebrows that spiraled out into beatufuil desgins around her eyes.  Her top lip was blue and her bottom was spilt by a  thin vertical line.  I kept my eyes on her as I took my seat in the front of the room.

"Your Empress Katherine Dentar has called an emergency session to discuss the growing threat of Mexico."

"Thank you Speaker." the Empress had a very diplomatic accent. She spoke with authority. No one ever questioned her, until I did.

    "As all of my Lords are aware I recently received a letter from the Mexican President warning us that if another one of our citizens sets foot in their country that they will go to war with us." she said

"I think we should simply bomb them and get them out of the way. They have caused us too many problems in the past!" Lord Murphy said.  He was the war hawk of Congress.  He represented what was Northern Africa.

“That would make us the aggressors Lord Murphy!" Lord Guilford said.

"Aye! It would show those overgrown Mexicans who’s the power in this world!" Lord Murphy said raising his voice.

“We should not exhaust our resources on a meaningless war!" Lord Henry interjected “these are our men we are sending to death!"

"Let them go!" Lord Murphy yelled

"You would send your own-"

"Enough!" The Empress said standing up quickly "I will not condone a course of action that will lead us to war! You Lord Murphy should be ashamed speaking like that in MY chambers!"

"I am deeply sorry Your Highness. I was speaking out of turn." He said sitting down ashamed.

"You are sorry!" the Empress said still standing tall. "Never again tell me that I would be better off putting my people in harm’s way! I promised the people I would NOT get them into a war like my father. I will respect that promise!"

   I was processing this whole show down in my head.  I didn't quite agree with Lord Murphy but I didn't agree with the Empress either.  What happened next is something I will never regret or forget.

    "With all due respect Your Grace, I believe that going to war with Mexico is a fool’s errand. But Milord’s first notion of bombing them is logical." I didn't even realize that I spoke those words until the Empress turned to me very slowly and stared at me.

“And who might you be? I don't believe I have ever seen you here before Milord." she said in a mocking tone.

"I am Lord Daniel I am 18 and I represent the Caribbean."

“Ah! a new comer. A rookie, you will learn how to respect these Chambers. Or face the consequences of your actions." The Empress said strongly.

"My apologies Your Grace, but bombing them would not be exhausting our war materials. We would only be dropping 2 bombs on them." I said

The Empress was furious by this point.  I could see her face getting red under her makeup.  No one has ever directly defied her.  Many have argued in her presence but no to her.

"Are you aware of the amount of innocent lives that would be lost if we were to follow this course!" She yelled

"Yes but those innocent lives are our enemies. We would do well to take them out of the equation." I said calmly

"You are done here! Leave my presence at once! Never again will you practice law in my Empire!" The Empress said standing up and staring me down.

"But Your Grace, I-" I stuttered. I was in shock. My arrogant attitude had gotten me thrown out on my 1st day.

"Leave me!"

I turned, with one last glimpse of my shocked colleagues; I walked out the doors of the Congress building. I walked for what seemed to be hours.  I was still horrified by what had happened to me.  I was shaming my family's name.  I wanted so badly to prosper in my father's memory that I forgot my studies. All I wanted to do was crawl in a hole.  I heard frantic footsteps behind me but I ignored them.  Someone tapped my back but I ignored that also.

"Milord please stop!" A voice said "The Empress wants to have a word with you."

I turned quickly.  A word with me?   She had just thrown me out of her presence.  What could she possibly want with me?   I sighed and walked with the man back to the palace.

    ***

Chapter 2

  The palace was made up of domes and towers that reached to the sky.  It was built into a cliff with a water fall flowing through it.  The colors were earthly and calm.  Directly in the courtyard stood the legendary Arch of Pelsae.  The King Pelsae was the first Empire of the Doven territories.  I could see the newest tower being built on the south side of the palace.  It's a tradition for every monarch to add a new tower or dome to the palace.  I walked up the huge front steps.   The entire palace was made of the finest marble.  The architecture was late 2100's, very beautiful craving and intricate statues of public figures. I kept walking through the palace when I was stopped by one of the Empress' many Chamber Maidens. She was dressed in a dark green hooded dress with white accents.   She looked at me for a minute and said,

"Please follow me Milord."

"Happy to oblige." I said

I stalked behind the Chamber Maiden. She took me towards the east end of the palace. From my reading I knew that this was the monarch's private chambers and office.  We finally arrived at a hire door with the Symbol of Dove on it.  The girl knocked and two guards opened the doors.  I was looking at a huge room with five doors off of the main area.  One, I assumed had to be the Empress' room.  The room was dining lighted with marble floors and ceilings.  Gold was worked in where ever it could be. Black accented the gold. This room even smelled expensive.

"Wait here please." the girl said.  She walked over to one of the doors and knocked.  I heard a faint 'Enter' come from the other side of the door.  The girl opened the door and gestured for me to go inside. I slowly shroud over to the door and stood awkwardly.  The Empress' make up was off; she only had her lip makeup on.  Her elaborate gray dress she wore in Congress had been swapped for a flowing maroon dress.   Her hair was done in two swirls on the sides of her head with a braid type thing running down her back; she had a head band of the same color as her dress on her head. It was clear that this was one of her more toned down dresses. Her hair was a dirty blonde color and her eyes were green.  I had never seen the true color of her eyes before she always wore contacts during public engaments.

"Come" she said without looking up from her work.  I sat down at the plush red chair at the head of her large desk.   She was still looking at her work.   Writing quickly and reading attentively.   She finally looked up and looked at me.  But only for a brief moment, then she just looked back down to her work.

"Can you tell me what your reasoning was behind your outburst in my chamber?" she said strongly

"Your Grace please let me say I'm very sorry.  I had no reason to disrespect you in the presence of your colleagues.   But you could at least look at me when you talk.” I told her

                She looked up abruptly.  You could see the fire in her eyes as she looked me over as if to assess the multiple ways to kill me.   As an heiress she would have been trained in the most elite schools for self-defense and protection.  She’s not as helpless as the media portrays her to be.  Slowly she got up and walked over to her window that over looked the waterfall.   Her dress flowed behind her like the waterfall she was so fond of.  Her dirty blond hair was braided down her back. 

“I have been taught for 16 years that I am better than everyone because of my status.  I do not believe this idea but it has been imbedded into my mind.  I do not like making eye contact with people who are supposed to be under me.  I also hate the idea that people can be under people.  Please work with me.  I am sorry that I cannot make eye contact with you.” She said. I did not know what to think of her monologue.   I would have never thought that my monarch would ever speak to me so informally.  I looked at her form.  She was built as an athlete; large hips and beautiful curves in her torso.  

“I’m sorry my liege.”  I said to her in the most formal manner I could.

                She turned around a faced me.  “Do you know my name?” 

                The question caught me off guard.  Of course I knew her name; it had been imbedded into my mind in college.  She was a very popular monarch because of her youth.  All the teenagers loved having someone to idolize.  Everyone loved the Empress. 

                “Of course I know your name, Her Imperial Highness, Empress Katherine Dentar, Archduchess of Dove, Queen of all Territories of the Empire.”

                “Yes everyone knows that name.  But do you know my real name?” She said sadly

                “I’m not sure what you mean Your Grace.”

                “The name that I would rather be called by.”

                “No I’m sorry I don’t.” I said to her

                “Katherine is my Christian name, my middle name, the name I chose to rule under.  My real name is Kylie.  I’ve never told anyone that before.  I haven’t been called that since I was 13 and my mother was alive.” She said looking directly at me. “I want us to be friends you seem like a very nice man.”

                I was shocked.  The Empress wanted to be friends with me?

                “Wh- Why me? I am a Lord a Senator.”

                “Yes but you are still a handsome man and I want to know you.”

                This was getting weird.  She wanted to get to know me.  I didn’t know how I felt about this, she was my ruler my superior.  Also I was 18 and she was only 16, not that it really mattered. 

                “Do you have time tomorrow to have dinner?  I have some things for parliament that I want to go over with you.” She said while sitting back down and turning her attention back to her work. 

                “Yes ma’am I have some time tomorrow.”

                “Good, I will have one of my messengers send for you when I need you.  You are dismissed.”

     I bowed respectfully and back out of her lavish office.   I walked past three of her chamber maidens on my way out.  They all bowed as I passed.  I made my way out into the courtyard outside of the palace, it was so beautiful at night the lights of the city were towering over my head. 

      I loved the island of Dove it was tropical and lovely.  The capital city of Harappa was the only city on the island because of how big it was.  The entire city was eco-friendly thanks to a legislation that Kylie’s Grandfather passed.  I continued on foot to the resident district of the city.  I was half way up the block that I lived on when I saw him.  Lord Murphy lying on the street dead.