Under the pale moonlight, two shadows, one woman and one man, stood on the balcony discreetly. If anyone had been able to see them, they would notice that the balcony they stood on belonged to the newly married Empress Evelyn.
The woman stared curiously at the defenseless, sleeping newlywed on the bed. "Are you positive about this, Master? She doesn't look like anything special."
The man didn't speak.
Taking the silence as a sign, the woman propped her chin in the palm of her hand and spoke even more boldly, "I wasn't aware that your taste was so eccentric. A useless princess from a worthless kingdom that isn't even loved in her own marriage. Not only that but I'm sure I could snap her in half with just a lift of my pinky-"
PA!
Suddenly, the woman was sent flying down off the balcony and landed harshly on the ground below. She stood with much difficulty, clutching her ribs. A line of blood seeped out the side of her mouth.
"Master?"
Had she read her Master's silence wrong? Was she really just punished like this for a weak and unloved woman?
"50 canes." His words were blunt and fell on her like a mountain.
She was well aware that there was no room for negotiation and that she was already lucky enough that his first attack wasn't lethal.
The strength that he attacked her with was enough to kill an average adult man but thanks to her abnormal constitution, it just caused her to have several broken ribs and the fall from that height twisted her ankle.
The woman bowed deeply, ignoring the sharp shooting pain from her side. "Ana thanks Master for his benevolence." She turned and immediately limped away, quickly flashing and disappearing as if she had never been there.
The man showed no emotion towards his subordinate and returned his eyes to the sleeping woman on the bed. She might have seemed defenseless but he knew that if this barrier weren't concealing his presence she would have noticed him immediately. He knew better than anyone else how sharp her senses were due to her years of training.
If he had it his way he would've kept her far, far away from this dreaded palace and especially away from that disdainful snake-like man she married. But now that she was here, he would do everything in his power to keep her safe.
With one last glance, he turned and vanished as if he had never been there in the first place. The invincible barrier was instantly dispersed.
One of the patrolling guards looked up after feeling a difference in the air. He scratched his head in confusion noticing nothing different and continued on his way.
The next morning.
Before Evelyn left the kingdom of Glanndor, she was allotted one life-or-death maid to travel with her.
Life-or-death maids are a popular concept in noble or royal families. They usually consisted of people desperate to pay off their debts or support their families and they could also be the children or relatives of criminals or fallen nobles. They were called life-or-death maids because of the imprint placed on their hearts that would instantly kill them if they ever betrayed their employer. The effect could also be triggered in the instance that their employer dies hence the name "life-or-death".
In short, they were glorified slaves.
Evelyn's life-or-death servant was a young girl named Jinx with freckled, pale white skin and dirty blonde hair. She was formerly the daughter of a criminal - a man who murdered his noble lover and her husband in a proclaimed action of love. Left orphaned and scorned by all around her, she applied as a life-or-death maid and eventually left the palace with the worthless princess.
There was even discrimination among the maids. As a life-or-death servant and especially the daughter of a criminal, she was treated as trash in the kingdom of Glanndor as well as Tor. She hadn't even been allowed to step foot inside the part of the palace where the bridal chamber was held, for concern of dirtying the Emperor's eyes.
It would be weird if there wasn't any hatred in her heart. She wasn't a criminal at all, just a sixteen-year-old girl who had nothing to do with her father's actions. But because of his actions, her life would never truly be her own.
She even hated this woman in front of her. This useless princess, this worthless Empress.
'She probably thinks the sun rises and sets based on her mood' Jinx thought with a mocking smile on her lips. She was currently brushing Evelyn's hair with a soft bristled brush. The task was simple and yet she despised it. She may not be able to betray her master without it spelling her demise but that didn't mean she had to enjoy serving this privileged miss.
"Jinx," suddenly, Evelyn called her name, snapping her out of her daze.
"Yes, Your Majesty," Jinx answered robotically.
"Do you wish to die?"
The bedroom went silent. Jinx's hands shook. She stared at the woman before her in the mirror. Evelyn's chin rested leisurely on the palm of her hand and she grinned up at the young girl, sending a sharp chill down her spine.
"Your Majesty?"
"I believe my question was very simple and straightforward. Do you wish to die, yes or no?"
Jinx had no idea what she did wrong. She may hoard deep resentment in her heart but she never dared to show it. After all, her life was completely and utterly in her mistress's hands. She could do nothing but serve her without betrayal and her death was as easy as lifting a finger for Evelyn.
Her fingers tightened on the handle of the brush, "I don't quite understand what you mean, Your Majesty."
Evelyn stared at her in the mirror for a few seconds before her smile slipped and was replaced by a sneer. "Do you think I'm stupid? You hate me, don't you? You would rather die than serve someone as useless as me, is that what you're thinking right now?"
The young maid immediately fell to the floor, banging her head against it as hard as she could. Her head rang, "Please forgive me, Your Majesty! This servant has sinned and deserves death!"
"Don't bother with these theatrics." Evelyn scoffed and walked past the trembling maid on the floor. She sat on the bed in the middle of the room and crossed her legs, staring straight down at the young girl.
She felt her heart tremble when she saw blood drip onto the floor from the open wound on her forehead but she immediately shoved those feelings down. She couldn't go soft now. She had no one in her corner, not even her own life-or-death maid. Even a simpleton could decide how dangerous palace life would be without the Emperor's favor. What better person to groom than somebody whose life quite literally belonged to her?
"You've been dealt a pathetic hand in life. Your mother died when you were young and your father was a good-for-nothing romantic who neglected you. Not only that but you were forced to carry the debt of his actions while he got the peace of death. So I'll ask you again, do you wish to die?"
Jinx's hands balled into fists unconsciously. This woman managed to touch all her sore spots and there was absolutely nothing she could say in return. She may hate Evelyn but there was nothing she cherished more on this Earth than her life.
"I wish to live, Your Majesty!" Her nails drew blood from how tightly she clenched them and her eyes were red and bloodshot with determination. With the blood running down her face she looked something like a demon. She wanted nothing more in this life than to live! If she can continue living she can prove that she wasn't just like her criminal father.
Evelyn was slightly moved by the determination in this little girl's body.
"I'm an Empress who's unfavored. There is no one on my side here. A small kingdom's palace was dangerous enough and here you could be killed at any turn for any minuscule reason just for being my maidservant. My own life isn't even guaranteed. I don't need a useless person who only does things half-heartedly, even if it's my own life-or-death servant. I need a person who will become my eyes, my ears, and my sword. If you can do that for me then I promise I'll free you of the life-or-death contract imprinted on your heart. If that person isn't you, though, then don't waste my time. I won't keep you by my side to freeload."
The maid's eyes went wide with shock. There wasn't a single noble that would break a life-or-death contract. The secrets those servants held were too precious, too dangerous. They could only ever part in death.
Without even thinking long, Jinx knew exactly what that meant. She was a life-or-death servant. If she dared to slack off anymore her life would end right now, right here. But if she pledged her loyalty, she would be free. Her life would finally be hers again.
Her decision was made.
"If Your Majesty orders me to go left I wouldn't even dream of going right!"
Evelyn let out a sigh of relief she didn't know she was holding before moving to help the poor maid up. "You made the right choice," she praised. "I'll make sure we live as long as possible. I promise you that they'll come a day when we no longer have to look over our shoulders or bare our teeth like wild animals."
Jinx grinned for the first time in years. "Of course, Your Majesty. I'll serve you wholeheartedly."
"Mhm. Since that's understood then clean up this mess and tend to your wound. We have somewhere to be."
Jinx nodded and went out to carry her orders as quickly as possible. As soon as she was alone, Evelyn's eyes sharped and her hands clenched at her side.
If she wanted to survive in this palace there was only one person she could shamelessly cling onto who held more power than the Emperor himself.
The Grand Empress.
The battle would begin now.