Above All

-Eighty-Nine-

Flames flicker perfect

Winter snow is always true

Forest grows around

Amani:

Nothing really beat the smell of fresh snow, the kind that came right after a big storm the night prior. Or the feeling of the cold whisking air as it hit your cheeks, freezing them in place like ice. Though I had to say what still entranced me the most about Sako was how... quiet everything was.

A beautiful and serene silence that left you ears ringing and begging for more; the kind that I had to learn for a few days that it was okay to hear and be at peace with. I had to admit, I struggled when I first arrived here; the need to always be or doing something plaguing my mind like a never-ending cycle. I wasn't completely out of it, that I would admit but slowly, I was beginning to feel myself unwind; the anxiety of being Empress—the obligation of producing an heir, to be the epitome of perfection even though I knew it could never be achieved would have been my downfall if I continued to remain in Clico and carried on as if...

Nothing was wrong with me, when I knew that was further from the truth.

At first, I thought being alone with be dreadful; not having family or even our adorable kids with us as we relaxed in the countryside seemed almost like a prison sentence. The last time Layton and I had been along like this was our honeymoon on private islands and we spent most of that time... you know....

Acquainting ourselves as husband and wife.

Though we weren't necessarily entirely "alone", we still had Ormshire staff here to wait on us hand and foot if need be, but surprisingly enough, Layton and I were finding enjoyment in doing things for ourselves, treating this castle as if it were a private home that a simple couple were enjoying residing in together.

It definitely made sense why grandma and grandpa made this their private retreat; what was not to love about this entire place? Not to mention the multitude of activities one could participate in to clear the mind! Just the other day, Lay and I indulged in some morning hunting together, rode our horses that we had transported up from Maelony to take on a few trails, and in the evening spent our time curled up by the fireplace enjoying each other's warm and comfortable embrace.

We still hadn't spoken much about the whole baby thing and I was happy about it; I just needed a bit of time where we didn't have that looming over our heads. I liked just being around him and doing things that were fun and took my mind off responsibility.

I couldn't help but wonder to myself if this is what married life would be between us if we weren't necessarily Empress and Emperor. I thought about maybe if I had grown up here in Idizia instead of Canada—if Odette hadn't been taken away from us, I still would've been Princess Amani; just a girl looking for her own way in the world... for love, success, and friendships. Still a part of the Imperial Family nonetheless, but the added pressures of society pushed leeway for the freedom allotted to me by place within the line of succession.

I pondered to myself if Odette thought about being away from all of it; being an only child herself, from birth shew knew the next step for her in life was always planned. She didn't get the opportunity—at least to the furthest of my knowledge, to pick where she would go to get her higher education, the career she would get to have, hell... even her dating pool was shortened to a few eligible bachelors that would fit the criteria of a suitable Emperor.