Princes Nefeli de Rilibera, youngest child of Imperial family, current age fifteen, was always having tea with her mother in the afternoon.
One tea pot and one plate of sweets, they kept it simple since they would spend more time talking then actually eating or drinking anything. Today however, was awfully quiet.
"Mother?" Nefeli asked long after the strange woman left. "Was that Marquise von Favora's daughter?" The Empress sat down in her chair, she didn't pay much attention to the woman who disrespected her, not to her name nor to her looks. If she was someone important that lady certainly wouldn't march on the Empress's proprietary like that.
"I am not sure, but if you say so I belive it was." Calico cat purred in her lap, his name was Blueberry but they all called him Blue.
"I might be wrong mother." Nefeli lowered her head to look at the tea cup in her hands. Mother always did that to her, always insisting that she is right, it made her shy. For a young girl in her early teenage years like Nefeli, her mother opinion was the most important thing. Wather she approves her looks or praises her knowledge every little word mattered. Especially to Nefeli de Rilibera. The Princess was a spitting image of her mother, same golden hair, same rose heart shape lips, same porcelain skin, her nose, her ears, her hands, her waist - every thing is same. Until you see two of the together you would not be able to tell they are a different person. But they were really different from each other, their interests clashed so much that this tea time they heald every afternoon was the only activity they could do together.
Princess liked books, especially the ones about history but she wasn't weak in other subjects too, like geography, biology and politics. She also took a grate interes into affairs of the Imperial family, all their relatives and ancestors as well as their relationship with nobles and commoners.
Nefeli knew family members of every family even slightly involved with her own. It is only natural she recognises Marquise daughter only by name.
Her other interests includes archery, horse riding and chess.
Now, it is not that her mother dislikes those things, she was particularly good at all of them and she enjoys spending time with her daughter regardless of what they are doing. It is Nefeli who doesn't like doing those things with mother. A mother that knows everything and refuses to teach her anything. If she askes the Empress a question related to history she would close her eyes for a second and turn her head around saying she doesn't remember the answer or when they would play chess the Empress would purposely let her daughter win every single time. The Empress wasn't the skilled with a bow and arrow or enjoyed horseback riding, it didn't really matter since they never had enough time to do those things together.
In reality Nefeli didn't truly know what her mother liked or disliked. She often sees her studying the Holy books or spreading time at the temple. Sometimes she does embroidery or walks around the garden with her most trusted gardener while discussing changes they could make or what kind of soil a certain plants need in order to grow.
"No your not, it is the Marquise daughter. Looks like her brought her along with him."
Two days from now there will be a yearly court meeting held in the palace where all nobles and ministers gather together to discuss importing decisions that they made or want to process during the first half of the year.
"Will everything be alright? He must be very angry with you mother."
"He knows the rule, as for the reaction we shall wait and see."
"What if he attacks you? Or speak agents you in court?"
"Nefeli, my dear, no one can attack me or you out of nowhere. Even if they did, there wouldn't be a scratch on our bodies. As for the court, I expect more then one person to speak agents me."
In the yearly court summit both the Emperor and the Empress have a right to propose a decision that can be approved even if it goes against the law. Only one of them can get their proposal approved, so far the Empress never tried to propose anything to the court, she always lets her husband take the lead. His decision are also her's after all.
"Are you saying what I think you are? There will be two proposals this year?" This really made Nefeli excited, as she always wishes for her mother to be more tough.
Even Blue was surprised when the Empress nodded her head. "Please don't ask further my dear, as I can not answer your questions. But do know this, this year's court summit will be bloody."
"Bloody? As in bad? Is something terrible going to happen?" The Empress nodded again.
"It will be the start of seven bad year's."
Empress Thalia believe that everything happened in the cycle of sevens. It was a pattern, seven good years and seven bad years. She and the High priest seemed to be the only one's that believed in such things. People weren't very keen on that idea but because the two mortals closest to gods said it is true, they didn't have a courage to say anything against it.
Some probably believed, but many didn't, princess Nefeli find's herself in the middle.
Maybe because she was young when the seven bad years stopped and the good one's started she couldn't build a solid opinion even with historical records.
"Mother. How do you know when the change happens?" Nefeli asked choosing her words carefully.
There was a certain glow in her mother's eyes whenever she lies. The same glow they had today. "The God told me."
Blueberry jumped from her lap and runned away in to the garden.
Truly, the words of a Holy maiden were ominous.