Just Promise me

“Well? what are you still doing here?”

Daphne had asked herself that question a million times within the space of their silence. She’d just come into the Grand Empress Chikara’s office to deliver the awful news and go back to the military room to see what else could be done. However, when Daphne had stormed in, face and voice filled with panic and fear, her feelings were immediately sedated by the look on the Empress’s face as she leaned on her desk.

“The Wall has fallen. The Esterians have broken in.” Daphne said dumbly, relaying her earlier message again with her earlier panic now absent and in its place was confusion. She half expected the Empress to shout at her for her stupidity, but the always serious Chikara's face remained devoid of emotion. Not cold but rather just blank, staring at Daphne.

Chikara's eyes moved upwards, above Daphne’s head and unto a glass brief case that hung on the wall which contained a long wooden gun. “Remember when I got that thing?” The Empress addressed Daphne, still looking at the glass box. “We were out on the porch, waiting for my brother to come home from the Segant war. The house was decorated with enough lanterns to burn the place down. You were in that beautiful silk kimono of mine that looked so much better on you than it ever had on me. We’d just set out the dumplings when the officers knocked,” Chikara’s eyes turned hazy as she continued to stare at the gun. Daphne could hardly stop the memory from playing in her mind as well. “They went on and on with their shitty condolences and gave me his belongings; The pictures he kept in his cabin, his clothes, his fucking gun.” Chikara’s lips quirked, the slightest uplift at the side of the mouth that was the closest thing to her smiling in years, it made Daphne’s stomach flip. “I’ve missed that bastard so much; I can’t wait to see him.”

Daphne’s stomach flipped again, but this time not with the butterflies from earlier, but rather, cold, heavy panic. She grabbed Chikara’s hand-something she hadn’t dared to do since she ascended the throne-and shook her. “You can’t say things like that Chikara!” Daphne found herself chocking on her words as she gripped Chikara’s hand tighter. “The War isn’t over! We can still form a peace treaty with Esteria. You are the Empress goddammit you can’t leave your nations, you can’t leave-" Daphne stopped herself before she said something foolish. “Promise you’ll stay, okay? Your Empire needs you. If you go now, who will rule us?”

This time, Chikara looked down at Daphne. Chikara released her hand slowly from Daphne’s hold and stroked Daphne’s black hair to the side and onto her ear with so much affection it had Daphne weak in the knees. It was only when Chikara wiped Daphne’s cheeks with the back of her palm that Daphne realized she was crying. “Nene there’s no need to cry. You’re being absolutely ridiculous and jumping to conclusions.”

The pet name only made Daphne sob harder. With newfound intimacy she proclaimed. “If you won’t stay for your Empire, your subjects, your money, then stay for me. Promise you’ll stay!”

Chikara paused from stroking Daphne’s cheek, before giving her a truly wondrous smile that had Daphne shocked with amazement and such terrifying longing that she could barely stand it. “Why would I ever deny you when you asked so nicely?” Chikara teased.

Daphne didn’t know whether to be angry that Chikara was making light of the situation or happy that she agreed to stay. Daphne used her hand to squeeze the one Chikara still left on her cheek, content to leave them in this serene moment.

They stayed like this for a duration that could’ve only been counted as Eternity, for that was just how it felt. An eternity of no worries, or fear for the war and panic raging outside. Eventually, Daphne removed Chikara’s palm from her cheek and stepped back slowly. “I’ll assemble the war council here to see what can be done.”

Chikara nodded, that endearing smile still there on her face.

Daphne was filled with the desire to kiss Chikara right then, just as she had once done on a night so long ago but often tried to forget. In the coming years that followed, she’d wish she kissed Chikara that day in her office. Hugged her to her chest so lovingly and never let go, but she hadn’t. Instead, she walked out of the office doors only to came face to face with a small army of men outside the office doors. Esterians.

“We are here to arrest Empress Chikara for her crimes against the Esterian government.” One of the men at the front, a stout man with a bushy beard proclaimed.

“I do not know what you’re talking about,” Daphne replied, which was a foolish answer of course seeing as they were currently at war for Chikara’s ‘crimes against the Esterian government’.

With newfound impatience, the man continued. “Stand aside Madam or you will be seen as an enemy of Esteria.”

Daphne had another–hopefully sensible–retort ready for them, but another sound beat her to it, a bang so loud and menacing, that it shook Daphne’s already wobbling knees.

No no, God no

Daphne shoved back into the office in a hurry of skirts and anxiety, the Esterian men following hurriedly behind her, as the scene enveloped before them.

Chikara lay slack on the ground. A bullet hole in her head, contents staining the porcelain floor and a gun–her brother’s gun–was in her palm.

The Great Empress Chikara of The Coastlines and Ruler of the Seven Southern Regions Conqueror of the seas, the most stubborn person the world had ever known, and Daphne had always cherished was dead.

She couldn’t stay for Daphne after all.