The cognate Empress

Chapter 9. The color of the cognate empress

Just as Aleph had lived his entire life thinking he would marry Primrose and become the regent emperor, taking the reins from his father... the older man, the current regent Alec, had also been trained and groomed to be the emperor, with his reign lasting for the period of his entire adult life.

He had never bowed in front of another since he sat on the throne, as he had been the highest authority that existed in the Metrican Empire. He was one above billions of people, but above him there were none, at least there had not been one until this moment...

Calmly descending the platform of the largest and fastest ship in all the Empire, the one who he would have to bow down to, slowly approached the dozens of people who had come to receive her.

Dressed in a light gold gown, with its corset tightly wrapped around her abdomen, from under which glittering tulles of fabric spread out falling in waves until the lower hem of the dress brushed against the ground, Nova moved her feet to step for the first time on the land that would become her home.

Only a small crown littered with black crystals rested on top of her head, the only ornament that barely kept in place the loose strands of the knee length hair, as the light breeze threatened to move the locks, shifting them in her front to cover the small round face. Her alien form was currently hidden beneath the human one, but it did not diminish the power she exuded, nor did it overshadow her real identity, dampening her royalty.

The cognate empress's superiority and aura seemed to envelop the silent grave atmosphere, bringing even more solemnity to the moment.

She took each step normally, neither too fast nor too slow, walking until she reached a few feet away from the crowd, before she let go of Aleph's hand. It had been a custom she was obliged to follow, but neither had felt comfortable doing it.

Nova did not want an unwilling partner. An earlier calling was it? Then it was only natural for the young prince to feel his life went out of its normal tracks. His mother had most likely done the calling without his knowledge, otherwise he wouldn't have come unprepared. What was she in their eyes? What role did they expect her to have?

In the instructions, there were only mostly knowledge of how to rule and what authority she had in the empire, there was no knowledge of a cognate empress being called upon to be a mate at the desire of the regent emperors and empresses, to fulfill their selfish wishes.

As for Aleph... well he was too worried because he had not managed to speak to Nova again after she left to get ready. He had not exchanged another word with her, for the cognate empress to quell her anger towards his mother. Moreover, how could he keep holding Nova's hand, when the one he had promised to share a life with, Primrose... she was looking towards him aggrieved, and pale. She was like a frail flower, who was about to fall from her unsteady posture at the slightest of breezes.

All this time, he had been terrified of the moment he would see her again. Of the first words they would exchange, after his harsh betrayal. He could no longer keep his promise towards the petite woman, he could no longer cherish her how he used to. He hadn't even alleviated her pain when she found out the reason for his trip, he wasn't able to be there for her. What kind of sadness, what kind of sorrow had she felt when she found out?

The regent emperor and empress, took two steps closer to the cognate empress, then with stern cold faces bowed down to the mother of their race. A second later, the crowd made up of different important officials, heirs of the clans, all of them followed suit, bowing their heads in submission.

Because of the shock of seeing her lover holding another's hand it seemed, Primrose was last to react, as she also struggled to bend her body. An action that stabbed Aleph's heart, causing him to take a step forward in her direction, seeing the slightly swaying figure that could barely maintain the bow.