Chapter 70

The announcement sent shockwaves through the empire. It spread from the palace to the furthest corners of the kingdom, whispered in corridors, carried by messengers across vast lands, spoken in both reverence and fury. The emperor would take his queen.

For some, it was a cause for celebration. A union that would solidify the empire's strength, a testament to the legend of their rulers-Tharx, the conqueror, and Aeliana, the warrior queen. Together, they had ruled through fire and blood, and now they would stand as one, bound in a ceremony that would mark the next