DYNASTY ── the remarried empress

𝟎𝟏𝟖. fatal consquences

              ASTRID DECIDED NOT TO GO TO THE BANQUET FOR THE BABY. and instead, she held a secret meeting. as everyone gathered, astrid could see everyone look nervous, "why are all of you so on the edge today?" she wondered, "oh, is it because of that baby?" she asked

the grand duke rylan spoke up, "your imperial highness knows us too well,"

"i don't know why you're all so worried when it won't even have rights to the succession," astrid shrugged, leaning back when the door suddenly opened. everyone was surprised to see duke ergi standing there, looking very amused. 

"oh? what do we have here?" he asked, looking around at all the influential figures. he was more surprised to see a government official back from his kingdom

"go away, duke," astrid said, standing up, "i am in a private meeting," 

the duke nodded and bowed, a smirk on his face as he left, "things were finally going to be interesting," he said to himself. 

── the next morning, she accompanied the trovi siblings on a walk around the castle. "did you have a nice time at home? it's nice to be back after all that time, isn't it?" navier asked

"yeah, it's nice and relaxing," kosair nodded

"astrid and i will come over to visit when i can," navier smiled

"what do you mean "visit"? it's your home too," kosair said 

taken aback, navier quickly changed topics, "how have you been, marquess falhan? how is everything?"

"i'm afrain i've had to tell him off more than lately. this is all because of your majesty's brother," the marquess sighed as kosair glared at him while astrid and navier snickered

"it's good to see how close you two still are," astrid remarked

"kosair is lacking in many things, but the one thing he has going for him is that he's blessed by the people around him. for example, i'm a great friend and your majesty is a great sister and your imperial highness is a great──," he cut himself off

navier stiffened and stopped walking, kosiar turned to her in confusion, "navier?"

astrid scowled as rashta made her way over to them. she curtsied, "your majesty, your imperial highness," she said, she looked up, "i heard that the sword you gave me has a really awful meaning behind it," rashta flinched at kosair's silent rage. 

"i don't think the meaning is bad as long as you aren't greedy," navier shrugged

"no, it's awful regardless of whether i am greedy or not," rashta argued, "plus you mocked me in front of everyone ─ but i decided to turn the other cheek. i'm going to keep taking the high road no matter how much you belittle me or look down on me,"

"i didn't look down on you. i just told you the truth. it seems you hold yourself in a very high regard," navier said

"i'm the woman his majesty loves. so if i don't hold myself in high regard, then that's an insult to his majesty,"

"are you saying that you only have value while you're loved by the emperor?" navier asked.

"i'm going to ignore your insults no matter what you say," rashta said, "i don't want to fight with you for the sake of my future children,"

"what do you mean by that?" navier asked

"his majesty told me that it's very likely you are infertile... so you will be an adoptive mother to the children i give birth to,"

kosair began to step forward, "what the hell did you just say?"

 rashta fearfully retreated, "her majesty insulted me first!" she exclaimed. 

astrid sighed and pulled kosair back, he instantly called down at her touch and retreated. astrid moved forward and slapped rashta on the cheek as the girl stumbled to the ground. "you are so bold," she sneered, "you dare slander the empress?"

rashta looked up fearfully, "h-her majesty insulted me first!"

astrid scoffed, "the empress asked you a question. it was you who interpreted it as an insult," she stated, "you slandering the empress is a crime worthy of death. it wouldn't matter that you have his majesty's child in your body. did you know that? if i bring this matter to court... i wonder how you'll be sentenced to death? beheaded? poisoned?  publicly hung?" astrid wondered as rashta looked at her in horror. 

astrid then bent down to her level, "what did i say to you when you were first appointed you a mistress? i said not to cross me or my sister. because if you do, not even the emperor could save you from my wrath," astrid got up and led kosair away. she ignored the rashta cried out in pain. 

── sovieshu sat with rashta. "your majesty, her imperial highness slapped me!" rashta exclaimed, "you must punish her! she could've hurt our child!"

the emperor sighed, "i told you rashta, don't anger my sister. if you anger her too much, the consequences would be fatal. no only for you, but for me,"