THAT night, the emperor spent a very long time talking to his concubine, Diana. She repeatedly told him again and again that she had received no ill treatment. The smile on her face never wavered either.
But the next day, the emperor’s chamberlain summoned each of Diana’s attendants one by one for questioning.
“Tell me about anything unreasonable she has experienced. I won’t reveal your identities, so you can speak honestly.”
And one by one, the women told him everything about all the spite and harassment Diana had been subjected to by the empress’s ladies-in-waiting. The chamberlain took meticulous notes on who did what, then delivered the information to the emperor.
Christhardt scowled furiously while reading the sordid details. Once he finished, he ordered the guilty women serving the empress to be reassigned. He was bitterly disappointed with himself for not taking concrete action sooner because he had allowed himself to be duped by Diana’s smile and words until now.
All of the women were either daughters or wives of nobility, so no official reason was given for their reshuffling. They were told it was a normal restructuring of personnel. But those who saw the list of women and their new assignments understood right away the real reason for the changes.
✦ ✦ ✦
THE night the women were given their new marching orders, the emperor visited the empress, Ekaterina, in her private chambers.
“Ekaterina.”
“Yes, Your Majesty?”
“I intend to appoint Felix as my successor.”
“Oh, my lord, thank you so much!”
“But remember this—your actions reflect on Felix, so I suggest you conduct yourself accordingly. Surely you understand why your ladies-in-waiting were reassigned?”
“Yes…but—”
“It makes no difference if you never explicitly ordered them to do what they did. If you’re mocked as a foolish empress who can’t even keep her own servants in line, then Felix too will suffer the same ridicule.”
“Please forgive me, Your Majesty. I should have taken more care in my role.”
Ekaterina bowed her head. And who do you think is at fault for all this?! She wanted to spit the words at him, but she pushed them deep down.
She could endure anything with a smile as long as her own child became the next emperor. For in this country, the emperor was the light, the answer, and the law. Since she had only been able to bear a lone male child for the emperor, she could not complain if her husband forsook her for a younger concubine. After all, hadn’t the people around them wanted him to take one? He did, and the blasted woman secured her place by birthing a boy herself.
If I have no choice but to accept this path, is it my duty to accept everything with a calm expression? Ekaterina closed her eyes and sealed all of the emotions whirling within her heart.
The next day, her new attendants received instructions from the empress.
“I would like you all to serve me for a long time, so please take care in your words and conduct.”
Of course, the women all knew the real reason for their reassignments. So they behaved impeccably to avoid repeating their predecessors’ mistakes. If they showed any disrespect to the emperor’s concubine, then they too would be removed from their prestigious positions serving the empress and summarily demoted.
Though still only twelve years old, Claudio’s wish to leave the Empire, one on which he had staked his life, thus helped protect his mother, Diana. It also represented the bud that would sprout into San Luenne’s new king.
So marked the beginning of the Luennian royal family’s end.