Light slowly loomed into the large stained glass windows of the throne room, casting prismatic patterns across the marble floor. It crept its way up before resting upon Moon's fragile sleeping figure, crowns—both heavy with the weight of power and legacy—resting in her lap. If it weren't for the warmth of the sun heating up her cold skin, she wouldn't have woken up so soon. Regardless, her heavy eyes slowly opened, revealing irises as green as forest leaves.
The view before her was no longer a blood bath filled with fresh death and agony mixed with despair. Now it was all cleaned up and posh, as if Moon had never slaughtered her family along with a few other servants and guards. For a moment, she would've thought she had dreamt it all if it weren't for the fact that when she shifted to rub her eyes, both golden crowns rolled off her lap and clanked on the concrete marble floor. The sound echoed throughout the cavernous room, at least loud enough to grab the guards' attention. Even when they looked at her, though, they made no sudden movements—scared and hesitant, as if any unexpected gesture would trigger another slaughter fest. Never had anyone been so scared of a ten-year-old girl before, but then again, few ten-year-olds had done what she had.
It took a few moments for Moon to gather her thoughts, sitting there silently for what felt like forever. The throne, designed for an adult, dwarfed her small frame, making her appear even more childlike despite the blood that had stained her hands mere hours ago. Moon wanted her maid, her Lucian, her motherly figure, to comfort her. Yet, just as Moon was about to lift herself out of this large throne, the sound of heavy footsteps approached. She could even hear the quiet dragging of a fluffy tail against the polished floors, a soft swish-swish that announced the arrival of someone important.
A beastman—arctic fox shifter, to be exact—had entered the throne room, books in hand and dressed in an outfit designed to be warm in these freezing temperatures. It looked fancier though, not something a butler or maid would wear but something more important—fine silk embroidered with silver thread and a collar lined with soft fur that matched his own.
"Good morning, my lady. Have you slept well after last night's... lovely excursion?" His tone was calm, almost deliberately soothing, and he had a patient smile on his face, revealing just a hint of sharp canines.
This man looked no younger than twenty, but he looked oddly familiar. Ah yes, that's right—this man was Xiox Navarro. His snow-white hair was neatly combed back, contrasting with the deep blue of his formal attire. The fox ears atop his head twitched slightly, picking up every small sound in the room, including Moon's shallow breathing.
Xiox was Sirius's personal assistant, designated to perform important tasks for Sirius like putting together forms and paperwork for Sirius. He was made to make sure everything was in order for the leader of the empire—you know, that person who's just there to do everything to make sure it's all well and organized. If Moon didn't know any better, she'd figure her brother made Xiox do everything for him, more like a butler than an assistant. But now that her brother was dead, Xiox had swiftly went through the process of being transferred to Moon, now that she was the new empress of Rabukira.
But something about Xiox radiated confidence, a calm assurance that Moon knew she could trust, regardless of the awful things she'd done or how she'd been treated. His yellow eyes were warm, not judging, as if he'd seen far worse in his lifetime.
When Moon took too long to respond, Xiox took the initiative once again. His gaze glanced down at the crowns that had rolled onto the ground, the gold glinting in the morning light.
"It is an honor to be able to serve you, Lady Moon," he said, his voice soft but clear in the silent room.
He bent down gracefully, his fox ears curved back respectfully, gloved hand picking up both crowns as if they weighed nothing. But then again, Moon was only ten, so most things were probably heavier to her at this age. The larger crown—her father's—was adorned with rubies that gleamed like drops of blood, while the smaller one—her mother's—was set with sapphires as blue as the winter sky outside.
Standing up straight once more, his smile still gleaming on his face towards the young girl as if she were his own daughter. Something about that was comforting, even though she had all the right not to trust him yet.
"I'm positive you will make a radiant empress," he said, the words hanging in the air between them, heavy with implication.
Moon's prolonged silence should've been enough to make anyone nervous, but at most, they just stared at each other like this was a fight to see who would blink first. Moon's bright green gaze, piercing into Xiox's yellow gaze—a snow leopard glaring down into a fox, predator and prey. The tension was palpable, thick enough to cut with a knife, but neither was willing to be the first to break it.
Eventually, Moon carefully got down from the throne, her smaller frame more apparent as she stood in front of Xiox. Her tail, spotted like her dalmatian heritage, lashed side to side, betraying her unease.
"Where is Lucian?" Moon said in her hoarse voice, raspy from just waking up. She hadn't even been yelling, and yet her throat felt dry and scratchy like she had been—dehydration, it seems. The taste of copper lingered on her tongue, a reminder of the night before.
Xiox raised an eyebrow but just bent down slowly to her level. He knew better than to touch her, though, at least right now. He had no plans to try and assassinate her; Xiox was a man of loyalty—loyal to the empire of Rabukira and its leaders, and Moon was now his leader, regardless of how she had come to power.
Keeping their gazes locked on each other—Moon's out of wariness and dominance, and Xiox's out of kindness towards this young girl—he replied with careful consideration.
"How about we get you something to eat, and Lucian shall join you for breakfast?" Xiox suggested, waiting for Moon's approval. Moon herself was honestly too exhausted to argue or get angry at him for treating her as the child she was. The crowns still in his hands seemed to weigh heavier now, symbolizing the burden she had taken upon herself.
Her mouth opened a few times, contemplating if she wanted to argue or not, but finally she let out a small sigh, her shoulders slumping slightly. "Yes... I'd like that," Moon said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.
And then off she went with Xiox to the dining hall to have breakfast. Xiox walked a few steps behind her, though, since all servants were trained to do that with their masters. It was just a matter of respect, though his watchful eyes never left her small form, as if assessing her every move.
Upon stepping into the dining hall, illuminated by the brightness outside from the daylight despite the snowfall outside, Moon took in the sight. Burgundy wood and golds shimmered on mostly everything—from the grand table that could seat twenty to the ornate chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. Breakfast had already been set out for Moon; it was still steaming, probably still fresh. Moon could imagine Xiox went through all the trouble before she had even awoken. He seemed eager enough to get on her good side, not that Moon cared much in the moment. Reality was still dawning on her, and corruption was eating away at her innocence, leaving her hollow inside.
When Moon sat down at the table, Xiox made his way to make his stance at the window in the back with the guards. The morning light cast long shadows across his face, highlighting the angular features and the careful neutrality of his expression. If Moon needed anything from him, she knew all she had to do was wave her hand, snap her finger, or simply just call out his name. The power dynamic was clear, yet somehow, it felt strange to her—being served rather than hidden away.
Moon stared down at her breakfast for a few minutes. Honestly, considering Moon had been hidden away most of her life so far, that meant she had never been allowed to join her family for meals. Up to this point, Moon had been simply eating whatever was given to her; she never had the chance to discover her favorite foods or even favorite treats or desserts, not even drinks. Every meal had been a simple affair, meant to sustain rather than to enjoy.
The breakfast spread she was given seemed simple enough—fried eggs to a golden medium, the yolks still slightly runny; shredded hash browns that were ever so slightly burnt around the edges, giving them a crispy texture. Moon could imagine if her mother were still alive, she'd kill the chef for that. Luckily, Moon could care less about such imperfections. There were also some small ham squares, seared to perfection with a sweet glaze that made them glisten in the light, and last of all, some crispy toast with cherry jam, the red spread as vibrant as fresh blood against the golden bread.
It all looked so beautifully put together, and that alone somehow made Moon feel a sense of fluttering within her core that she couldn't quite yet explore—a mix of gratitude and guilt, perhaps, that she was alive to enjoy such luxuries while her family was not.
"My lady, is there something wrong with the meal? Shall I have the chefs prepare something more to your liking?" Xiox chimed in to cut through the prolonged silence, his voice gentle but probing.
"No, it's..." she hesitated before continuing, her small fingers gripping the edge of the table, "it's perfect." The words came out as barely more than a whisper, but they echoed with a finality that settled over the room.
And just like that, Moon had started to take her first few bites into discovering a paradise of immaculate flavors she had never experienced before. With being a demon, her taste buds were quite stronger than a beastman or even a human. Foods she had eaten before were dull and lifeless in comparison to this. All table manners and etiquette were pushed out the window as the flavors exploded on her tongue—salt, sweetness, the richness of the egg yolk, the tang of the jam.
Soon enough, her small hands were grabbing at the food to devour every last bite, fingers sticky with jam and grease. If the guards or Xiox were staring, she didn't care enough to notice. This was the first true pleasure she had experienced in her short, tragic life, and she wasn't about to let propriety rob her of it.
In the midst of this, Lucian came crashing into the dining room, panicked expression lined her features when she saw her master. "My lady!" she cried out, her voice echoing off the high ceilings.
Lucian immediately rushed to Moon, which seemed like the only thing to pull Moon out of her flavor trance and meet Lucian's gaze. Lucian's light brown hair was disheveled, as if she had been running through the palace looking for Moon, and her usually pristine uniform was wrinkled and hastily put on.
It was like family members who had lost each other for decades finally finding each other again—a personal maid coming to the aid of their master who had just slaughtered half of the estate workers and her family. The irony was not lost on Moon, but the comfort of Lucian's presence was too overwhelming to dwell on such thoughts.
Moon could see the look of worry and anxiety in Lucian's gaze instead of fear and hesitance while she rushed across the entire dining hall just to get to Moon. There was no judgment in those eyes, only concern and an unconditional love that Moon had never found in her own family.
Moon barely had time to react herself, not even able to wipe the food off her face and hands before Lucian was pulling Moon into a tight hug and caressing Moon's hair like a mother worried sick that their child was about to die. "My lady! You had me so worried about you!" Lucian's voice cracked with emotion, her arms trembling around Moon's small frame.
Moon could physically feel Lucian shaking. Hell, for a few seconds, she didn't even register the fact Lucian seemed to be sobbing. Feeling Lucian's sobs made an aching feeling swell up inside of her, making Moon feel like she wanted to cry herself in guilt for how Lucian probably must've felt while everything was going down—the things Lucian must've seen and how horrified she must've been.
And yet she was still worried for Moon, and all Moon could do was tightly cling to Lucian and silently listen to her sobs, her own eyes burning with unshed tears. This was the closest thing to maternal love Moon had ever experienced, and it made her heart ache with a bittersweet pain.
Before she knew it, Lucian was wiping the food off of Moon's face and hands from her sloppy eating earlier, yet her eyes were still puffy from crying. Her touch was gentle, motherly, as she cleaned Moon up.
"My lady, you know how to eat better than this. We will get you washed up soon and out of this dirty nightgown." Lucian's voice was stern but loving, like a mother scolding a child not out of anger but out of care.
Lucian glared over at Xiox, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. "You, you must order her a new wardrobe. Our lady cannot look presentable like this." Her tone was commanding, brooking no argument despite her lower status.
Xiox was really not expecting a maid of all people to be so commanding, but then again, he understood Lucian was like Moon's mother and her closest companion. He respected that bond, even if it meant being ordered around by someone who was technically beneath him in rank.
He ended up letting out a soft chuckle at her commands, his eyes twinkling with amusement rather than offense. "I assure you, hun, Lady Moon will look as presentable as a blooming rose for upcoming seasons." His tone was playful but sincere, a silent acknowledgment of Lucian's importance in Moon's life.
Moon simply ignored the banter between the two. She could only hope these two would not be an issue to each other in the future, but then again, she could imagine beastmen had a thing about territory, the same as normal animals. The thought almost made her smile—almost.
After breakfast, Lucian had taken Moon to get cleaned up and dressed. Moon had been taken to what was now her work office, which, well, used to be her father's before she killed him. Everything was rearranged; family photos were removed, awards and mostly everything that had to do with her family had been taken away. Now it was like sitting in a fresh start, though the lingering scent of her father's cologne still hung in the air, a ghostly reminder of what she had done.
She sat down in a chair that was a little too tall for her, but there was a pillow placed in the seat to give her some height leverage to be able to properly sit at the desk. The dark wood gleamed in the light streaming through the window, polished to a mirror shine, as if trying to erase all traces of its previous owner.
While she settled in, Xiox stood at the other side of the desk, a clipboard in hand stacked with presumably important documents and such that needed to be addressed as the new empress. These documents were probably meant for her brother, the one she had killed, the one who was supposed to become emperor. She wondered briefly if he would have been a good ruler, then dismissed the thought. It didn't matter now.
Each document Xiox explained carefully before setting it in front of Moon for her to either sign or annotate. Moon was luckily smart and educated enough to get right to work, unlike her brother who would've probably struggled because he'd never picked up a book a day in his life unless he was forced to by his teachers.
As Moon worked through the documents, her small hand gripping the pen with determination, she couldn't help but feel a sense of purpose. Perhaps this was her destiny all along—not to be hidden away, but to rule. The thought was both terrifying and exhilarating, much like the taste of power she had first experienced the night before.
Outside, the snow continued to fall, covering the world in a blanket of white, as if trying to purify the bloodstains of the past. But for Moon, the new Empress of Rabukira, there was no going back—only forward, into a future she would shape with her own hands, for better or worse.
As the days passed within these haunting estate walls, things slowly started to calm. Obviously, this little girl was probably still seen as a murderer, but at least she was a respected killer.
Moon did her duties, spending time in the office filing paperwork that was long overdue. It seems her father had not been the best at keeping up with his administrative responsibilities when he was still alive. From Moon's experience with dealing with her family members, she knew her father was probably engaging in affairs with his secretaries and assistants. Hell, Moon would've figured he must've been intimate with some of the maids as well. Luckily, Moon was sure she killed off most of them during the slaughter fest. If not, then she'd just have to remember to hire a new staff team when she'd get the chance.
Besides doing unfinished paperwork passed down from her lamentable father, Moon had also been fitted and received a whole new wardrobe: dresses, shoes, and accessories in golds, reds, and blacks that suited her perfectly, definitely making her appear as the empress she was destined to be. Every ounce of familiarity that had to do with her family was removed, though, except for one daunting thing—the family portrait that hung above a fireplace. Moon was not included in this painting, so it was just her mother, father, and brother's faces glaring at her as a reminder of how she had become empress. But that haunting reminder only served to give Moon the confidence and victory to carry on and keep fighting.
In the time she wasn't spending in her office, she was outside staring at the rose garden that was covered in snow. Xiox and Lucian always accompanied her, always standing four feet behind her, probably worried for her deteriorating sanity, though they had to admit Moon never appeared calmer and, dare they even say... happier.
Standing outside in her brand new outfit—a black dress, lace-up boots, and a red shawl that had the fur of a snow leopard—her orange-brown curled hair drifted in the wind softly as snow delicately landed on each strand. Moon didn't really need the shawl; she was a northern demon, so she could handle the cold perfectly fine. She was acclimated to it, after all.
Standing in this winter wonderland garden with flowers that thrived in these cold temperatures, beautiful as always, Moon remembered a history book she read about how the southern and eastern empires were always like spring and how beautiful and warm their magically sparkling pink oceans were, how the warm climate felt calming on the skin in contrast to the burning hot temperatures in the western empire. Moon dearly wished to visit there someday, perhaps when she was older.
Turning on her heel to face Lucian and Xiox, she had a sort of ease to her features. "I'd like a greenhouse to be built here... in the center of the garden," Moon said calmly.
Xiox, being her personal assistant, nodded solemnly to her little command. "Yes, my lady. I will have the servants get started on that immediately." He didn't dare question why, but obviously, he had to wonder why a northern demon, of all beings, wanted a warm climate greenhouse.
On a new day, Moon somehow found herself back in that office, sitting in that burgundy chair that was just a little too big for her small frame, doing more paperwork that her father had neglected. She just reminded herself that the faster she got it done, the more time she'd have to properly address and take care of things as the new ruler.
Xiox was stationed at the stained glass window behind Moon while she worked. He stayed quiet, writing down things on his clipboard he held in his hands, probably doing his own work, making lists and organizing. But even with his consideration of being mindful of Moon's quiet and peace, Moon could still hear everything—every small sound and movement—which was beginning to grow irritating to her.
Every tail swoosh of his fox tail against the marble floor, every flicker of his fox ears, every breath he took, and every mark he wrote down on his clipboard echoed painfully in her sensitive ears. The scratching of his pen against paper felt like needles in her skull, and the soft shuffle of his feet made her fingers tighten around her own pen. Moon felt she'd snap at any moment. She was still so young, so obviously she had not learned how to control these demonic hypersensitivities. Moon set down her ink pen and was about to snap at Xiox, who had literally done nothing wrong, before there was a knock at the door that caught Moon's attention.
"Come in," Moon said in her usual monotone voice, grateful for the interruption that saved Xiox from her misplaced wrath.
A smaller maid crept open the door, hesitance and anxiety riddled her face, probably because she was just nervous to be in Moon's presence. Her shoulders hunched inward as if trying to make herself smaller, invisible even.
"M-... my lady, there is a young boy here to see you, from Piffedal, he says..." the maid said hesitantly, her ears airplaned back and her tail between her legs. She couldn't even meet Moon's gaze, her eyes fixed firmly on the polished marble floor.
Hearing Piffedal, Moon's expression immediately seemed to grow sour, knowing exactly who it was—Soltero, her once betrothed. Clearly not anymore after she had killed her family; the arranged marriage was called off because of that fact, and yet, for some reason, he still came to see her. Something about that made a strange feeling form inside of her, unsure of what that could possibly be, so the feeling went ignored.
"Let him in," she said through a sigh, the words carrying a weight of reluctance and something else, something she refused to acknowledge.
The maid nodded and rushed off, nearly tripping over herself in her haste to escape Moon's presence. Soon after, Soltero stepped into the room, his heat filtering in through the coldness of the chamber. The warmth he carried with him seemed to push against the perpetual chill Moon maintained in her quarters, an unwelcome invasion that somehow made her skin prickle with awareness.
And there he stood in front of Moon's desk, sly smile as always, golden eyes gleaming with mischief and something deeper Moon didn't want to name.
"Good evening, Moon. Have you missed me?" Those stupid cocky words fell from his lips with practiced ease, as if he knew exactly how they would affect her.
Moon's eyes narrowed at him. She stared at him silently for what seemed like forever. No, she didn't miss him. Why did she have any reason to? Just because he showed her true kindness after everything she went through? Because he helped her realize what she had desperately wanted to do for years?
His words made her blood start to boil, and yet that strange feeling fluttered inside of her like trapped butterflies seeking escape. Dear gods, she did miss him, but she'd never fucking admit that. The realization made her grip tighten on the arms of her chair, knuckles whitening with the effort of maintaining control.
"What are you here for, Soltero? Our engagement was called off. You have no reason to visit me anymore," she said, her voice crisp and cold as the winter air outside, betraying none of the turmoil within.
"Oh, but I wanted to," he replied, his smile widening just enough to show the tips of fangs, pearly white against the bronze of his skin.
His words and attitude made Moon want to claw out his throat, to silence that smug confidence that seemed to see right through her carefully constructed walls.
"Don't play coy..." Moon said in a more bitter yet softer tone, as if embarrassment was starting to swell up within her despite how much she shoved it down deeper. She'd never let herself show such emotions to someone like him. The weakness in her voice made her hate herself just a little more.
He made a few steps closer to the desk, his movements fluid and graceful as a predator's, tension getting heavier in the room like a physical presence. But the look in his eyes was sincere, lacking the usual mockery she had come to expect.
"We made a promise, though it seems we will have to extend that. I promised I'd make you smile, and I will stand by that," he said, his voice dropping to a gentle murmur that seemed to wrap around her like a warm blanket.
"How can you still carry on with such childish promises like that?" Moon scoffed, the irony of such words coming from a ten-year-old not lost on her. She was an empress now, a killer, not some child to be placated with empty words.
Soltero, without hesitation, took Moon's hands into his, which made her flinch—not because of the warmth invading her skin but because she hated being touched. She wanted to pull away and couldn't find herself able to do so. His hands were warm, almost scorching against her perpetually cold skin, the contrast shocking and somehow pleasant in a way she refused to acknowledge.
"Moon... listen to me," he said in a softer command, his eyes holding hers captive with an intensity that belied his years.
"I truly wish to be by your side, even not as a forced lover to put our parents' minds at bay for some stupid treaty, but as a friend. I promise, for however long you wish to wager, I will make you smile. I will make you bloom. You shall kill me and display my horns for your whole empire if I cannot fulfill that promise. But by our gods, will you please allow me to stay by your side?"
His words echoed in the air between them. Moon had never felt so unsure of herself; she had never felt so hesitant. And yet, the way they looked at each other—his newfound devotion and Moon's anger and wariness—a promise sparked between them without words exchanged. Something ancient and powerful, something that transcended their young ages and the bloody history between their families, something that might, just might, be the beginning of Moon's salvation or her final downfall.