DYNASTY ── the remarried empress

𝟎𝟐𝟔. the festivities.

THE TWO MEN LOOKED AT HER EXPECTANTLY, astrid frowned before regaining her composure. she turned to the duke, "i must apologize, duke ergi, but i have promised my first dance to prince theodore of the northern kingdom." ergi's smirk faltered for a single second before he nodded and made his way back down the stairs, laughing to himself in amusement. theodore beamed like a golden retriever puppy as he led astrid down the stairs and the music began to play.  

he placed a hand on her waist she rested hers on his shoulder. they glided together to the melody of the music, theodore spun her around. "i was surprised you'd pick me."

astrid perked up, "what do you mean? why were you surprised?"

theodore smiled and shook his head fondly, "will we have a wedding as grand as this one?"

they moved to the melody of the music, as astrid let out a hollow laugh, "god no. spare the empire's treasury. i can tell from the treasurer's face that this must've cost a limb."

they laughed, and theodore spun her again, this time a little too hard, making her stagger into his chest, and by the look on his face, that was no accident. "my mistake."

"don't even bother trying to hide it," astrid smirked as the music stopped and so did they. theodore stepped away, dipping his head as he offered his hand. astrid only nodded and took his hand as he helped her back up the stairs and back down into her seat and for the rest of the evening, astrid drowned herself in wine. god knows she needs it. 

──it was time for the second day of the reception, astrid was dressed in the most fabulous sparkly purple gown and a matching purple eye mask. astrid sat at the top of the stairwell, watching on as she refused to dance that day. suddenly navier approached them. "your majesty, may i have the next dance?" she asked, extending her blue gloved hand toward rashta as rashta faltered before begrudgingly agreeing. 

astrid managed to get a couple of sips of her wine before duke ergi approached her again, bowing his head and offering his hand, "perhaps this time, the imperial princess of the first rank will grant me a dance." astrid smirked and placed her hand into his and together, they made their way to the dance floor. his touch alone sent shocks down her spine, sending her hairs to stand up. see that was the difference between ergi and theo──she and ergi's relationship had been fueled on lust and passion alone while with theodore, their relationship was puppy-ish, childish, sentimental and almost fairy-tale-like.

"you don't give up, do you?"

ergi smirked at her, that infamous fucking smirk, "i could never give you up."

the bane of my fucking existence, astrid thought irritably, "you're incorrigible." ergi said nothing, twirling her in a circle. as they danced, astrid tried to keep a straight face, but ergi kept on stepping on her feet. by the end of it, she was sure her toes were going to be bruised. "leaving footprints on my heart?" she asked, her tone teasing but her face was irritated. 

"no matter how many i try to give you, your prints on my heart seem to outnumber them."

"i've never stepped on your toes, not one time in the many dances we've done."

"the indifference you show me these past few days crush my heart," ergi admitted, "every hour of every fucking day, i wonder who you're with or if you'll come see me. so please, allow me to step on your feet for three minutes of our dancing."

before astrid could reply, rashta let out a shriek. everyone stopped, turning to see navier stand in confusion while rashta crumpled to the floor, clutching her stomach in pain. "oldest trick in the book," astrid muttered unpleasantly, she was so sick of rashta using her pregnancy as leverage against everyone. 

but it seemed she was clearly in pain, "someone help her," astrid ordered just for appearances.  but before anyone could jump in an help, sovieshu picked her up and brought her to an antechamber. astrid moved to follow but stopped at the western kingdom's couple, "i apologize," she said kindly, grinning broughtly, "you know how weak pregnant women are. now if you'll excuse me." she left the ballroom. 

when she entered the antechamber, it was dead silent. "so, what is wrong with lady rashta?" she asked, crossing her arms. 

sovieshu turned around and bowed his head, "nothing imperial sister, rashta was only facing some pressure."

astrid regarded rashta, "I'm surprised, i thought you were busy spending the empire's money on this shit excuse of a wedding." she turned to sovieshu, "there is something i wish to speak with you about."

sovieshu turned back to face rashta, "get some rest," he said, following astrid out of the room. "what was it you would like to discuss, sister?"

astrid hummed, "i was thinking perhaps it would be best if you sent your child into my care."

sovieshu stopped dead. "imperial sister... surely you don't mean..."

it was common in the eastern empire that nobles send their hildren to be raised by other people. especially to higher ranking nobles. there was a chance that the people raising the child would like the child so much as to make them heir. plus, a lot of the time, nobles would send their daughters to a powerful family to help the daughter debut into society. 

but for the imperial family, things were a little bit different. like perhaps the empress could send her children away to be raised by someone born into the family instead of marrying into. grand duke rylan had once sent his son to the palace for astrid's mother to raise. astrid requesting to raise the unborn child was not a strange one, but looking at sovieshu, one would think she asked to kill the child. 

"why is your face like that?' she demanded, "do you think i'll kill the child? i may be indifferent to it's mother but i am still the child's aunt. born into royalty, did you forget that it is not unusual for empress' to send their children into the care of princesses?"

sovieshu regained himself and bowed his head, "imperial sister, i did not mean-"

"looking at your stupid face i can tell what you're fucking thinking," astrid spat. "do you really want your only child to be raised by that vulgar woman?" she wanted to call rashta so much more. rashta was a social-climbing, selfish brat who always played the fucking victim. "think about it, sovieshu, think about it carefully," astrid murmured coldly, walking away from her brother who stood frozen in his place.