The Bitter Pill II

Posted on Sat Dec 3rd, 2022 @ 7:52am by Princess Royal Giana Orsini & Emperor Antonius VI
Edited on on Thu Jul 13th, 2023 @ 7:15pm

Mission: Historiae Terrae Et Imperii
Location: Bella Gia Headquarters, NY
Timeline: Date 2371-07-11 at 2230
3696 words - 7.4 OF Standard Post Measure

ON

For just a moment, Giana went out of his eye line and he could hear her getting into her purse. When she returned, she was holding some sort of wipe in one hand while her other was closed around something smaller. She rubbed the small white square against itself to activate it and then placed her closed hand under Antonius’ chin to get him to look up at her. With devastatingly shocking tenderness, she began to wipe her father’s face focusing mostly on his cheeks and forehead. The wipe was slightly damp and his skin would tingle in a near unpleasant way before the sensation switched to a cool, soothing one. When she finished, she took the small bottle from her other hand.

“Hold still and look up for me, papa.” She instructed and when he acquiesced, she lightly used a finger on his cheek to open his eye a bit more and applied two drops of whatever was in the bottle. Again, there was that tingling followed by the cool soothing sensation. Once finished, she gave him his space and instead turned around to look at the mess on the floor.

Had it been anyone else, she would have let them leave with their blotchy, tear stained face, but it wasn’t right for the Emperor. Giana did have a heart floating around somewhere in her body; it was small and shriveled, but it was somewhere.

“You’re very kind.” He said, more a statement of royal habit than one offered with much thought. But, truthfully, it was perhaps the nicest thing she’d done for him in a decade. He stood then and looked at Giana squarely in the eyes. “It will be better for you if you side with Paolo before what happens next. If you wait until after, people will question your loyalty. I have documents which will interest you and…we can talk about how we can make this work.”

Giana’s frown deepened as her father jumped right back to her support for Paolo. The pain returned in her eyes and for the first time in a long while, she felt defeated. He couldn’t focus on her for more than ten minutes. Taking a breath, she steeled herself and looked to Antonius with her intense blue eyes; she was the only one of his children to inherit his eyes. “We can discuss my support for Paolo at your convenience, father. I assumed you would like to attend the meeting you just called and then perhaps afterward.”

"After my meeting, there will be no time." Antonius said, noting her disappointment and, though he understood, needing to proceed anyway. "This isn't a matter of me getting what I want, dear. This is about the family; this is about you and your safety. Games of power are very dangerous, and we need to make sure that things work out as planned."

Antonius turned and stepped toward the door, knocking on the door twice. As he returned to her, the door opened and a page walked in holding a folder with two guards to right Giana’s desk. The man sat the folder on the desk and backed, respectfully, out of the room. When it was just them again, Antonius opened the folder and pulled out the first piece of paper, formalized with Imperial letterhead and containing blocks of text. He looked at Giana, a sad sort of smile on his face.

"The first document is your statement. In it, you state that you recognize Paolo as the legitimate and lawful heir to the throne of the Terran Empire and pledge your undying support to his claim. It is legally binding, but all it means is that you won't be able to act against his claim, which is already politically obvious. With this, we can claim that you are and have been on-side and you will be insulated from any court witch-hunts that could happen...should I be incapable of rule sooner rather than later. It is for your safety."

He then unveiled the second one, hidden behind the first. This one was a Royal Decree which already bore the signature of the Empress, the Crown Prince, and Princess Elana, with an empty place with her name under it and an empty line for him at the bottom.

"This is a proclamation which designates a Regency Council, since Paolo is under age. It would rule in his name until he turned 18 and would have authority to make laws and decrees concerning everything except the title and succession of the Emperor. Obviously I hope it will never be necessary." He didn't smile. His death was not his favorite subject. "Your mother would be named Empress Regent and you and sister Princesses Regent. Each of you would have the authority to veto any decisions made by the other. It will not speed up the efficiency of government, but the Secretariat can function well on day to day matters without interference and it would require you to be unified in your decisions."

He stepped toward Giana, placing a hand tenderly on her shoulder.

"After you sign, I will give my blessing for a marriage between you and Sacha. After your marriage, I will also bestow upon him a prominent governorship and give him a seat on the Council of Lords. And then I will organize a celebrity run for your company and they will all wear your fashions. If you want to talk of deals, I can't think of a better one."

Giana looked at the documents with distaste on her desk. As he spoke to her, she listened, but she also moved her chair back so she could sit down and read the documents. She was actually quite quick to read which was something that had never much been recognized and why would it? He probably didn’t even know. After a few moments, she sat back and looked up to her father.

“Nowhere in here does this name me heir and Crown Princess after Paolo ascends.” She stood then, graceful and imperious. She was his daughter.

“That will need to change under your direction. I will not squabble with mother and Elana over it only to be passed over.” Giana looked at him then, her eyes steady. “For my support and assistance, I will remain Crown Princess until Paolo’s heir reaches the age of majority. A cycle of Child Emperors would destabilize the empire. With that, however, I would agree to not disrupt Secretariat appointments made by either you or Paolo in favor of my own. I will also agree to submit my children to the education Paolo would deem appropriate.” She paused and added a bit more slowly, “I would also agree to take part in more governmental matters - not to influence, but simply to learn as I should have always been taught. Once his heir does reach the age of majority, I should be given a Ladyship to ensure the future of my own descendants.”

“Paolo will also need to sign, and it will need to be made public. In return he will have my full very public support and, if you wish it, father, I will take him under my care and try to educate him into being more socially adept. If he could manage your intellect while also being popular socially, my little brother could be the most powerful emperor our world has seen. I would not turn on him, for our futures would be linked together as one.” It was a shrewd offer to be sure, likely unexpected of Giana. She had spoken with authority and poise, but her body language was still conversational as if there were room to talk on the matter.

Sometimes Antonius found himself wondering what Giana might have become if things went right. In this moment, he wondered it again. Beneath her problems, she was an astute political thinker, but truthfully, the thought of her as Empress still made his head spin. Years of bad blood would do that to almost anyone. He smiled, realizing she was playing hard ball, but he didn't demure. He was used to this.

"Paolo would become head of the family, there can be no regency for that, and the raising of your children would be subject to his authority. The matter of the succession would also be squarely in his hands as this document forbids the regents from touching matters pertaining to the Crown. Our boy is very popular with the Secretariat as he involves himself in their work voraciously, and I fear a succession decree that elevated you over his children would.....quite frankly, not be worth the paper it was written on once he became powerful enough. In fact, I worry it would put a rather unpleasant target on your back."

He laced his fingers then and looked at her.

"I will name you as his heir, behind his children, which has a good chance of remaining the case. Any age of Paolo's would certainly see the title of Crown Princess stripped from you as soon as he could, as it is an offense to his rule. You, your mother, and your sister will each be able to hire and fire in the government, subject to the approval of the others, and I encourage you to do so. Paolo, while being brilliant, is not a good judge of character. As for the lordship, I would gladly give it to you now, rather than to your husband, and will get you and your sister read in with government boxes. Public announcements are absolutely out of the question. This decree will be top secret, only to be revealed at the time of my demise. If it were known, people would begin to anticipate a political shift which will almost certainly not occur and I will have new heads to chop off unnecessarily."

"A regent's authority until Paolo comes of age, a lordship, a marriage, and several years as heir. This is a good compromise. If I give you too much, I look desperate...and I tempt you to try and take more. This would not be good for the family."

Giana listened attentively, patiently; so very unlike what he had written off years ago. When he finished, she considered for a moment, and simply looked at him, unconsciously mirroring him as she laced her own fingers. When she spoke, she did so calmly. “No one would ever accuse you of being desperate, father, and I would not try to take more. I have little interest in being an Empress, but I have an interest in a stable empire that regency after regency would not provide.” She paused and considered again.

“You say this decree needs to remain top secret; why? You have ousted Giuseppe and made a mockery of him and now perhaps you will do more. How does that not already signal a political shift that you need to deal with? There is already unrest; Giuseppe did have reach and powerful friends. Would a public decree of the plans of the future not provide stability and assurance in such a tumultuous time?” When she finished her questions she just looked at him, curious. She was not challenging him, she seemed genuinely curious of how he would answer her. Like she wanted to learn.

"Because, enemies abound. The ones who were smart enough not to let me know their names." Antonius said. "And, if we announce, they will imagine my death and start to try and maneuver to take advantage of a change in status quo. If an Emperor looks too ready to die, people will think he's going to die soon. Unacceptable. No, I will make it known to those who need to know. An inner circle, and will secure the documents for release upon something happening to me."

Giana listened and then nodded, seeming to accept his reasoning on the matter. She took a deep breath then and leaned in slightly. "Paolo is popular with the Secretariat, yes, no one would deny that, but he has no status among the people outside of now being thought of as a usurper to Giuseppe. That is an image that will take time to fix even with all of Zajak's skill. The Empire is not the support of the Secretariat alone, the people must also be supportive and joyful. Unless you want Paolo to reign over an empire of ashes. At the same time," she looked into his eyes steadily, "you can surely understand why I am hesitant to put so much of my future in the hands of a mercurial child - and he will still be a child when he reaches the age of majority. It isn't like a switch that he suddenly becomes a man and you know that."

"Crown Princess when Paolo ascends and while he is childless, then until his heir reaches the age of nine with your vehement support citing want for stability of the Empire should the unthinkable happen. I am aware that Paolo will find this an affront, but as Crown Prince and Emperor he should put his personal feelings aside and do what is best for the Empire, should he not? By the time his heir reaches nine years old, he would be at the very least twenty-seven and hopefully a better judge of character - as you have said, he is not. What would happen if he, at eighteen, were to die and we were left with a baby and all the regency picks that an eighteen year old boy would have chosen? Do you want Contessa Pennington running your Empire?" She quirked a brow.

Antonius chuckled and shook his head.

"On the contrary, control of the Secretariat, and the military, and the security apparatus is the key to command of the Empire. Contessa Pennington knows that well. And I trust that Paolo will find a girl he really likes, once he stops being moonstruck over glossy lips. There is no such thing as a full proof plan. Paolo would be the first non-adult Emperor ever. In the past, such candidates were murdered, generally by their family members. You don't love your brother; you don't know what love is. You just told me so. I might agree to Crown Princess while I'm alive, but I can only do that with the same authority that will pass to him in the same breath. And he might very well refuse to ratify it, and the decision would be his. Perhaps, if you're very sweet to him, he might acquiesce."

Unfortunately, her words had come back to bite her in this. She had shown herself to be quite heartless with Paolo for years, even as the boy came to her aid and forgave her. He was a good boy and, he hoped, would become a good man. He planned to be around to make sure of it.

"Let's wait on the Crown Princess details. In the meantime, you can sign and I can fulfill all other parts of this agreement. And you can take your brother under your wing; teach him how to schmooze. He might even help you get through your box. You will find it more grueling than you think. The business of state can be mind-bendingly tedious for those who have no particular love for it."

"You're right, I don't. How could I when love to me has looked like a father who simply let his son abuse his daughter? Like a father and mother who gave up on their girl because she started being mean like all teenage girls?" She asked, the words were sharp, but they were true. She scoffed and shook her head, not wanting to get off track. "Did you not just tell me that there would be no time for 'later' after you leave? Fine. If you are adamant about not influencing the potential succession after Paolo, then I would have you name me Lady of the Northern Dominion, not simply a nation, and this is something that I would in turn need both you and Paolo to support very publicly and enthusiastically. If I am to be subject to the whims of a child I will at least make sure it is harder for that child to revoke what I have been given out of turn without questions being raised."

She sighed then and shook her head. "And I'm afraid it isn't Contessa's glossy lips that have my brother spellbound, father. You'll be quite hard pressed to find the... assets she uses to pull his strings on an age appropriate girl, I'm afraid. You shouldn't be so quick to trust her intentions; I've seen the way she looks at him."

"Of course I don't trust her. She's a power-grubbing little witch who spreads bribes, and charms, and outthinks, and then spreads her legs to seal the deal." he said, shaking his head. "She is good at her job and has done nothing wrong to my knowledge, besides wear low cut dresses and tutor the Crown Prince in the intricacies of policy at the Royal Treasury, lessons he has been taking remarkable interest in for obvious reasons. He'll be a master by the time he's old enough to sleep with her."

He didn't seem to like what he was saying, but he was taking a rather non-judgmental approach. Boys would be boys, in his mind. And, were he to die, he wouldn't be able to stop anyone from doing anything at all.

"No, I don't trust her. I trust myself. I trust you, and your mother, and Elana. I trust her boss, Dr. Ramsay, and he notices what she's doing. Have you any idea how utterly replaceable she is? With a phone call, I could have her fired and dismissed from the court. With another one, I could have her disappear forever. She won't be digging her claws in with us around, dear. As for the Northern Dominion, fine. Sure. It is vacant. Of course, this would mean no title for that moron you're dating though. It's you or him, I'm afraid."

Giana's brows went up in surprise at his declaration of trust in her, but then immediately soured when he spoke about Sacha. "Stop speaking about him like that." She demanded suddenly and with the imperious authority only a daughter of his could command. "Sacha is a good man. He is crass and flippant, but he is good and he loves me. You refuse to see him as anything but the teenage boy sneaking out of my window. He's grown up a bit, and I wish you would at least give him a chance instead of seeing us both as half naked seventeen year olds when we are together. You want me to be happy, you insulting and belittling him doesn't make me happy. I just want you to try."

She looked away briefly, and then back to him. "Sacha likely won't care about the title, but I will have to talk to him about all of this. In the end, this may all end up too much for him. Love or not, even I will expect a certain level of decorum and performance."

“Sacha is the son of a Lady. A member of my Council. His flippancy is quite intentional.” Antonius said, chuckling and standing up. “And if you think I owe him even the smallest shred of respect, then you don’t understand what dishonor he brought you and the Crown. But we are far past that. The boy lives, and he’s ready to marry you. So sign, and I can go deal with your brother.”

"You don't owe him anything, papa. I'm just asking you to try and give him a chance." Giana said, her voice gentling considerably. She looked down to the documents again, then back to Antonius. "I can sign the regency document, but not the support document. It is now defunct with the new agreement and I don't think you want me to sign one without the other." She wasn't accusing him, though she did wonder if he was trying to pull one over on her.

"Why don't I return with you to the palace and on the way the new agreement can be written up, and I will sign once we arrive."

"I can have appointment documents drafted and we can sign simultaneously." he said, wanting to argue at first and then knowing that his daughter was wise not to trust him. "But the Regency is for you, not me. I could just as easily put someone else there. It's the support I'm after, so that can wait too."

"I figured it would be untoward of me to sign one and not the other." Giana replied and moved from him to open her purse and wipe down her face with one of the wipes she had used on him. "Do you... want me to attend the meeting with you?"

"It's nothing you'd want to see, dear." Antonius said, gathering the papers into the folder as he spoke. "No one likes to see how the sausage is made."

"Maybe not usually... but this is rather... personal." She sighed and rubbed her arm slightly. "Besides, if I am to potentially serve as crown princess in the future, would it not be best to learn?"

"Very well. Just, be sure to stand in the background and don't interfere." Antonius said, his gaze skeptical but his tone measured. He stepped toward the door, and then turned back to her. "When you're ready, dear.."

“Of course, Papa.” Giana replied. She finished fixing her face and slid on her heels. Grabbing her bag, she walked to the door to join Antonius while she fixed her hair with her free hand.

This had been probably the most productive conversation they had in over a decade now. She should have had some modicum of happiness, but all she felt was concern; waiting for the other shoe to drop or him to pull the rug out from under her.

END