The Royal Palace of the Ethiro Empire is as big as half of my country.

I've been dragged through hallways and gardens, passing beautiful flowers and shady corridors, until finally reaching the destination.

After this long journey, I find myself standing in the throne hall, waiting for my sentence. As a fallen Queen, I can't expect anything but death.

Yet, the Ethirans are a bit too much.

Couldn't they have executed me immediately? Waiting is torture, and I just want to end this once and for all. Did they really need to bring me here from Polis, keeping me captive for a whole week of travel? They could have just killed me there and thrown my corpse in the sea. There wouldn't have been a better place for me to rest than the warm waters of the Central Sea.

The Emperor makes his entrance and, slowly and ceremonially, steps on the few stains in front of the throne. He turns with the same pace and sits down while passing his gaze on his subjects. I follow him with my eyes. I remember only now that he's young. A child of thirteen years of age is guiding the largest nation in the world.

Although, who am I to judge? I was crowned a few months after my birth and have been Queen ever since. I've never known anything different.

I can relate to this kid. Thrones are rather uncomfortable chairs.

«What do we have on the schedule?» he asks while passing his eyes on his subjects in his hall. All the vassals have their head bowed in sign of respect, and they pay attention not to let their eyes meet with the Emperor.

Fortunately, a prisoner has the right to be impolite. I lift my eyebrows when our gazes meet. I'm going to die anyway, I don't need to act cautiously just to meet a lighter death.

If my death saves my people, so be it. However, I will not bow my head to those that caused our ruin.

«Let's start with diplomacy,» he says to his adjutant. As soon as he pronounces the words, the chains get pulled until I'm forced to walk forward.

They've tied my wrists with heavy chains, even though I followed them on my volition. It was a condition for peace, so I surrendered myself to the enemy. There was no need to put me in a cage and bind me like this, but I guess it was more entertaining. One does not see a chained queen just every day.

I stop in front of the throne. I sigh and look around, in search of familiar faces. Unfortunately, I'm alone here.

Maybe it's better this way. I don't need to be seen like this by anyone that knew me. Chained, with dirty clothes and unkempt hair, alone in the centre of this giant hall.

«What is your name?» the Emperor asks, more curious than hostile.

«This Queen's name is Theodora,» I answer mechanically. I have never introduced myself before today. There has always been someone else to proclaim my names and titles.

This time I have to do it myself: I can't let a foreigner mispronounce my name.

I'm no one here, so they didn't even tell the Emperor about my name before. Ethiro conquered my city just to get rid of the problem and pass on another issue.

«You're not a queen anymore,» the Emperor points out, and I can't stop myself from looking at him with a challenging gaze.

«My abdication was signed a week ago, and it will be effective from tomorrow morning. For this last day, I am still Queen of Polis.»

«Is that how it works?»

«It was the shortest term this Queen could set without breaking Polis' rules.»

It is part of the agreement. Yet, I hope I will not survive long enough to lose my crown. If I die before the seven days expire, my throne will go to my successor.

If I see tomorrow's sun, then the line of succession will be interrupted. A queen that abdicates has no right to decide who will rule after her.

Not to mention the small detail that Ethiro is now controlling my city.

After centuries of independence, Polis has lost its freedom. Being the centre of trading routes and the largest harbour on the Central Sea increased our relevance and stirred the greed of lots.

Now that we've lost the harbour, the city is no longer able to sustain itself. My people will be impoverished and hungry. If it lasts too long, they will lose any strength to fight back.

I hope that my death will remind Polis who those people are and how they treat their captives.

«From tomorrow, then, you will be just Theodora,» the Emperor utters with a cunning look.

«This Queen doesn't have any plans for tomorrow,» I exclaim without moving my gaze from him. «This Queen doesn't think she has a tomorrow.»

In the end, it's better to execute a Queen rather than a commoner. Cutting my head while I still represent something, the Emperor will show to the world his power. To the world and to Polis.

«You planned to die as a Queen, didn't you?» he says.

I can't stop my head from moving up a few millimetres, letting the Emperor know that I'm not afraid of anything.

For sure, I am not scared of a boy five years younger than me.

«Too bad your plans will fail. Herewith, I announce that Theodora, the former Queen of the Kingdom of Polis will, from this very moment, become a citizen of the Empire. She will obey the rules all my subjects do, including bowing her head in my presence and kneeling when addressing the Emperor.»

What is this, now? Is it a legal technicality to have me executed? Or does he just want to have a queen kneeling in front of him?

He can find an empress if that is his desire.

«Greet the Emperor!» one of the guards exclaims and grabs my hair trying to push me down. I struggle until a gesture from the throne makes the man stop harassing me.

«It has to be voluntary,» the Emperor says. «Also, I have another announcement regarding our new co-citizen.»

Is he finally announcing how they are going to kill me? With my death, the people in Polis will never forget that the Empire attacked us. It may cost us a hundred years, but we will be free again. I bite my lips to stop a weird grin, and I wait impatiently to hear how my sentence will be carried out.

«Since my beloved cousin is at the age when one should find a wife, I also announce that Theodora will be married to the Archduke of Kyre. The ceremony will be held in the future, but the marriage will be valid from now. You can address her as Archduchess of Kyre,» he exclaims with a rather impressive voice, for a teenager.

Who is the Archduke of Kyre, by the way? It must be one of the elders sitting at the Emperor's right side.

I have no intention to obey their orders, so I just stay in place and wait for consequences.

«Your strategies won the war, dear cousin. It's only just for you to obtain a prize,» the youngster continues.

Their style is so pompous. I didn't have time for all these formalities while I was a ruler. The Emperor sure isn't in any hurry to finish. Are there officers doing his bidding?

What did he say about his cousin, by the way?

If the Archduke is the one who won the war, then he must be that stern old man whom I talked out the conditions of peace with. At least, he didn't look cruel. He won't torture me just for the sake of fun.

The voice that replies to the Emperor, though, is everything but old.

I turn my head slightly and glance at my side. He appeared all of a sudden, like a shadow in the night. I don't know how long he's been here since I didn't hear his steps.

«I humbly receive your praise and rewards, my Emperor,» he mutters. «May I free my bride from her chains, though?»

«You may,» the Emperor accepts, ready to pass to another matter.

I should complain about this decision, I should shout my indignation. But, I can't move my eyes away from my pledged husband. My throat is clenched in a lump, and I can't open my mouth nor utter any sound.

So, he is the Archduke of Kyre.

He has always been there, in the last two years of the war, a step behind the leading general. He's been present at every notable event in these months. I wouldn't have paid any attention to him if he didn't always look so calm, as if he knew what was going to happen.

I didn't give him any weight during the war, but now I'm starting to understand who he is. The Emperor himself said it in front of the whole court.

The Archduke is the one that saw through all my schemes and tactics, ruining our plans and taking away my city from me.