CORONATION DAY. As Her Highness, Araminta Isabelle De Ambrose stood in front of the mirror, watching as all of her ladies-in-waiting bustling around her.
Yesterday Araminta had to go to bed early, because it is said that after a good night's sleep, the skin looks healthier and makeup looks better.
As soon as she woke up in the morning, she had to take three types of baths and get massages.
Since then, Araminta's ladies-in-waiting spent hours doing her makeup and hours doing her hair. Just as Araminta began to tingle in every muscle in my body, Duchess Davina exclaimed and clapped her hands, "We're finished!"
It was a relief. If Araminta had to wait any longer, she really would have needed to take a walk. "Look in the mirror, Your Highness. You are very beautiful!" Odelia exclaimed excitedly.
Araminta came to her senses and looked in the mirror. She didn't want to make a fool of herself. But she loved how she looked.
It was surprisingly glamorous. Even though she had tried it on before, it was even more amazing now that she was wearing it with her hair and makeup done.
The dress featured an off-the-shoulder neckline with long illusion sleeves that blended into her porcelain skin flawlessly, the only sign that there were sleeves there in the first place was the beautiful seed pearls and delicate pieces of lace sewn into the sleeves of the dress.
From the bodice to the full skirt of overlapping lace and silk panels, that unfurled like the petals of a peony as she moved, jewels had been intricately sewn in, and the cherry on top was the fifteen-foot red cape, embroidered with ten thousand seed pearls and silver thread, took a team of twelve seamstresses nine months to sew
Before the ceremony began...
All the distinguished and noble guests were already gathered in the hall, while Araminta waited in a small adjacent room prepared in advance for her. As Araminta paced around the room without sitting down for fear that her dress would wrinkle, the official in charge of the state event finally indicated that Araminta could enter. "Your Majesty the Empress, you may enter now."
Araminta nodded, then went out and walked slowly down the path, with her ladies-in-waiting carefully carrying her train. Down the end of the hall, Latil had already arrived, wearing the state crown, holding the orb and scepter.
When Araminta arrived at the end of the hall, Latil carefully took the consort crown ── a slightly smaller and less luxurious crown for the official partner for the emperor ── and placed it carefully on the crown on Araminta's head, then Latil handed Araminta a scepter and orb.
Araminta then took her place next to Latil. Everyone kneeled, the men went on one knee while the women rested on their knees. "ALL HAIL EMPEROR LATRASIL! ALL HAIL EMPRESS ARAMINTA!" they cheered. Araminta was the empress now. After all these years of hard work.
It is customary for the emperor and empress to hold their first audience on the day of their coronation. It's at that time the rulers proclaim the overall direction of their government and gives an overview of the policies they wish to enact.
It is also when the new emperor will replace certain members of the court with those most loyal to them. However, other than replacing those that were executed for treason, there would be no changes to the court.
The Nobles that supported the late emperor now stand behind Duke Atraxil. And most of them are young and capable. Both the emperor and empress saw no reason to be rid of them. Plus, they had more than enough time to change things to their liking.
"Your imperial majesty. When will you appoint a royal consort?"
"What is the rush? She was only crowned today. There will be time for that later!"
"The Empire must be secured with an heir bunt unlike previous emperors who would have numerous concubines and consorts, her imperial majesty can only have one royal consort. The sooner our empire has a royal consort, the sooner the empire will be stabilized. We must also put her imperial majesty's health first, and have her focus on giving birth to an heir. Your Imperial Majesty, You must appoint a royal consort right away──"
Araminta turned to look at Latil who began to smirk, "I agree with you all," Latil smirked, "The Stability of the Royal Family comes from its heirs. So I will be taking in a few consorts,"
Araminta had to hold back a gasp as the court began to whisper.
"That can't be... It's unheard of!"
"I agree!"
"Let's start with... Five, shall we?"
"Your Imperial Majesty, That's absurd! Past female rulers of Tarium have only ever had one royal consort!"
"Duke Atraxil, are you not the one who suggested his late Majesty take consorts to keep to promote diplomacy and to keep the now empress dowager in check?" Araminta chimed in coldly, "Perhaps these new consorts could keep me in check," Araminta remarked dryly as a few people laughed at her witty remark.
"There have been female rulers with multiple unofficial concubines, but── No Female ruler has ever officially taken multiple consorts,"
"Emperor Tracichou had a harem of five consorts and concubines. Emperor Aintra had six. On Average, most emperors of Tarium had a Harem of fifteen," Latil recalled, perfectly, "And of course, the more flirtatious emperors have had over twenty,"
"But..."
"So, tell me, Duke Atraxil. Why is it that Her Majesty the Emperor cannot take any? Such an out-of-date thought process is not welcome in our court," Araminta smiled coldly
"The Empress is right, I will have at least five ── Don't be so glum. Is this not a perfect opportunity for some of you to have me, the emperor, as a daughter-in-law?"
Everyone began to agree, "That's true... duke Atraxil's eldest son was sure to become the royal consort... But with this, our children might have a chance!"
YOU ARE READING
PORCELAIN ── men of the harem
Fanfiction❛ ── she was what an aristocrat should be, porcelain and silk, unreachable, gracious, untainted by the dust of all this common death. ❪ fem!oc 𝔁 men of the harem ❫
