Chapter Two:
Empress Maa’Ca-Genke sat on her throne, the weight of her position weighing heavy on her soul, the weight of the child on her body. Small oil lamps filled the room with the scent of burnt oil. No matter how much perfumed incense burned, it could never cover the stink of animal fat.
The dark wood paneling and screens soaked up what little light there was. The red carpet covering the floor reminded her of a pool of blood, the flickering light created ripples on the surface. The darkness made it hard for the woman to stay awake. It had been a long day, made longer by the challenge presented to her authority by that fool of a girl, Morgan.
Too early to retire for the evening, Maa needed to present a strong appearance to the court. The only thing that held her position in this d
