Sayonee

Chp - 05

"We have a solution My emperor" Empress barged into the court room.

James bowed before the empress.

"I apologies for interfering your work my emperor but I have a suggestion which might help the situation" Empress bowed before her husband.

"Go ahead" Empress ordered.

"If we want to strengthen the power of our army, we have to maintain healthy realtion with the most powerful king of the times" Empress stated.

"And exactly which King you are referring ?" Emperor asked.

"Sultan of Pakistan, King in the South" Empress said.

"Why do you think King in the South will accept our allegiance ?" Emperor asked.

"My empress, your highness is right, we have already sent letters and offerings to sultan in the past, even the exquisite women of our kingdom couldn't please him. He never showed interest in our proposals" James said.

"Sometimes we have to keep our political affairs aside and think about personal relations" Empress said looking at James.

James was intrigued by empress's words.

"My suggestion is, we can send proposal of harriet's marriage with sultan of Pakistan"

"If sultan agrees to marry her, the most powerful Allies of Pakistan will side to us, No one would ever dare to rebel against the father-in-law of sultan"

"Sultan is the most powerful ruler of the time, not only Pakistan but we can also maintain realtion with the neighbouring kingdoms of Pakistan including Iraq, Oman and afganistan. It will strengthen our empire" Empress put forward her suggestions.

There was moment of silence in the court room.

"Nooo, My queen, I know whatever you are suggesting is for the sake of our empire but how can we send proposal of princess marriage ?" James don't want harriet to get hurt by cruel sultan. She's already been through alot.

"Why not ? She degraded our name, this is the least she can do repent her sins" Emperor was pleased with the suggestion.

"My liege, Sultan of Pakistan is a ruthless and cruel ruler, he spreads his rule by fear, conquers people by the sword. He is a heartless and fearsome ruler, whom the people dislike and his harem is full of mistresses, every time he wins a battle, royal women of the palace are send to his harem. How can we marry princess to someone like that ?"

James has heard many stories about the sultan. Once he chopped someone's head who didn't bowed to him.

No, Harriet's life will turn into living hell If she marries him.

"I don't care, if it makes our empire powerful then I will gladly let Harriet marry him" Emperor said.

"We can ask help from emperors of westcost, they still don't know about this, I'm sure they will help us"

"And princess harriet never went outside Velour, how she will adapt their cultures ?"

James pleaded.

"Rumours spread fast then the wild fire, General James" Empress turned towards him.

"Empress is right, we have to deal with this before the neighbour kingdoms Rebel against us ,send a scroll to Pakistan about our proposal and if sultan don't want to accept harriet as a wife then send her Pakistan to be his mistress"

Saying that Emperor left the court room.

"My queen, I still don't think this marriage is right" James said.

"Then what is right general ?, running away with a servant" Empress asked.

"That was a inadvertent mistake my queen" James lowered his head.

"It is not that, there are no consequences for the mistake we made inadvertently" Empress sat on the chair, picked a quill to write a scroll.

"But how will she survive in cruel world of South, she is innocent"

"This is the only chance of her survival general, you found her in a brothel it doesn't matter she lost her honour or not, no one wants such girl as a wife or queen. People will always put price on her"

"Either she has to marry sultan or get ready to die, I'm sure your emperor will not think twice to behead her" Empress said writing the proposal.

"But it's unfair" James sighed.

"I know, she a women, our choices are not easy" Empress said.

James knew if harriet's mother was alive she wouldn't have to go through this, she would have fought for her daughter.

But this women is front of him is a dutiful wife and an empress, she never fulfilled the place of harriet's mother. She always accompanies Emperor to royal meetings and supports every cruel decision of emperor.

Which mother thinks of Empire before her child ?

But again, she didn't give birth to harriet, she is her step-mother.

Harriet is an innocent and kind soul just like her mother, late Empress Anna Cassandra princess of Arendelle. Her marriage with Emperor was out of political alliance but she loved Emperor from whole heart and fulfilled emperor's every wish.

An year after marriage Harriet was born, empress was bleeding on her birthing bed but the amount of blood was nothing in camparison to the tears she shedded when emperor didn't visit her chamber to see their first born.

Emperor desired for a male child, an heir to the kingdom. This desire led to the birth of their another child. when empress was bearing their fifth child healers already predicted, She became too weak because of past three miscarriages, her body couldn't bear another child birth and she will not be able to make it but empress still chose to keep the child.

Six months of pain and suffering, empress bled to death on her birthing bed giving birth to a boy. The baby was premature, healers couldn't save him either. Emperor lost his wife and hier of kingdom.

Empress Anna left this world leaving five year old Harriet behind alone, under the care of a cruel father.