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Posted on Tue Apr 30th, 2024 @ 8:21am by Princess Royal Giana Orsini & CJ Zajak

Mission: Historiae Terrae Et Imperii
Location: RBN Headquarters
Timeline: Date 2371-09-14 at 1800
7554 words - 15.1 OF Standard Post Measure

ON

The headquarters where the main studio for the Royal Broadcasting Network, or RBN as it was colloquially known, were located in a beautiful classical building in downtown Rome, located not far away from the Imperial Palace, the Pyramid, and the government buildings which housed the departments of the Imperial Secretariat. RBN was news of the most royal kind, and got more royal interviews, advances, and features than any other network in the Empire’s media world. It was known for being extremely friendly to the royal family, and it helped that the royal family owned the network directly through a private holding company.

They had quite literally rolled out the red carpet for Princess Regent Giana, and had done everything in their power to make her comfortable. She had been placed in a dressing room and the producer for the evening's feature interview had only just left, leaving a silver tray of snacks behind.

Giana was sitting quietly in one of the large, comfortable chairs in the room. She had already had her hair and wardrobe done, and her dress was covered by a closed black silk robe that didn’t show even a glimpse of what was underneath. Next to her on the couch was a PADD, but she wasn’t looking at it. In fact, she wasn’t looking at anything at all. She was simply staring blankly at a spot on the wall; her thoughts were a jumble of white noise and nothingness which simply left her feeling blank. Realizing she would need to go onto the stage soon, she blinked several times and finally picked up the PADD.

The door opened and a woman with long brown hair smiled at her.

“Your Imperial Highness, I’m here to do your makeup.” she said, her voice high-pitched and almost little-girlish.

“Yes, good.” Giana replied without enthusiasm, her eyes lingering on the PADD in her hand as she read it over again. It wasn’t that she didn’t know the information, but it was something to focus on and kept her distracted from that lingering numbness she had been feeling since she had spoken with Richard several days before. Nothing had been right since, nothing really felt worthwhile anymore, yet here Gigi was of course, ready to put on her face and do the song and dance she had been taught for the glory of the Empire. Princess Giana had certainly been a short dream.

The woman entered and walked over to the mirror and desk under the powerful lights. She smiled back at the princess, thoroughly excited and honored to be where she was at that moment.

“If you come over here, ma’am, we can get started.”

Taking a deep breath, Giana let it out through her nose slowly as she stood and moved over to the chair and took a seat. The bright lights caused her to blink a few times and she lowered the PADD down onto the desk in front of her. “What’s your name?”

“Bella Albano, ma’am.” The woman said in an excited voice as she gathered her supplies.

“How nice.” Giana replied without inflection or enthusiasm. Usually she would be able to put on the mask for the help, but she knew she would need every bit her tired mind could muster for this interview. She couldn’t waste it on a nobody. “Let’s go to it then.”

“It was my grandmother’s name. Thank you.” Bella informed her with genuine enthusiasm. She then got to work on the princess’s makeup, applying a primer and then starting on her foundation.

Giana gave a small sound of acknowledgement but nothing more. She closed her eyes to allow the woman to work, knowing her guard was standing by to prevent any foul play. Or maybe they wouldn’t. She wasn’t sure if she cared.

After several minutes the door opened again and CJ entered in a dark blue blazer dress with gold bottoms that featured her tall, slender body in a professional way. She approached the mirror, her eyes finding Giana’s in the reflection.

“Your Highness.” She said, stopping by the chair.

Giana opened her eyes just briefly to look at CJ. Where once Giana would have greeted the other woman with a smile, she merely offered a polite nod and closed her eyes again. “CJ.”

CJ noticed the tension immediately, knowing that Giana typically loosened when she walked into the room. Whether this newfound buttoned-up attitude was a result of their last conversation together or because of something else going on in the princess’s rather hectic life. She was aware of the presence of the makeup artist, and would have to adjust accordingly.

“I spoke with the producer, and she had no idea whether you had any needs she could provide. These people get panicked without royal attention and affirmation.” CJ said, probing.

“I told the woman I just wanted to be alone until it was time to get dressed. I thought that would be clear enough.” Giana replied slowly. Usually, she would have had this whole place fawning over her and catering to her every whim like she was Empress in her own right.

“I think so, yes.” CJ responded, stepping closer and leaning on the other side of the makeup desk, being sure to give the woman the space she needed to do her job. “But it isn’t your typical approach.”

“Well isn’t that the point of all of this?” She gestured slightly with her hand. “Doing something new?” This time, she sounded mildly annoyed which was definitely more Giana, but even that seemed off somehow.

CJ reached out and placed a hand on Bella’s arm. The woman startled, pausing in her work and looking over at the blonde, short haired woman.

“Give us some time, Bella. The Princess Regent and I need to talk.” CJ said gently, though her tone was as formal and designed as usual.

“Yes, Chancellor. But She is on in forty-five minutes, so try not to take too long.” Bella said. It was clear the two knew each other, which wasn’t too much of a surprise considering CJ managed the media and gave interviews often. Bella retreated from the room and, when the door closed behind her, CJ looked at Giana.

“You’re upset.” she said, cutting right through the games and going straight to the point. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

“Nothing is wrong.” Giana insisted unconvincingly. “I’m fine I’m just trying to get through this interview and get back to work, whatever that is going to mean now.”

“You’re not fine, ma’am. You’re trying to lie to yourself by lying to me.” CJ said insistently, without any signs of anger or frustration. Instead, she spoke calmly, leaning in and looking at Giana directly. “You are about to go out there and talk about one of the biggest moments in your life. That isn’t easy to fake. Is it someone who works here that bothers you? I’ll make them disappear. Is it the topics covered in the interview? We can change them.”

“I’m good at faking it, CJ. Now, you couldn’t ask anyone to confirm that, because they’d be very surprised I was.” Giana looked at herself in the mirror, the half done state of her makeup only serving as more of an annoyance. “It’s nothing here and it’s nobody you can handle. He’s out of your reach and honestly, I don’t even know what you could do. He wouldn’t take it back, he doesn’t lie, but honestly I’m pretty convinced he did it just to hurt me and nothing more. Typical man, ‘I’m just being honest’ but no, you’re actually just looking to hurt someone and be an asshole.”

CJ licked her lips and stood then. Lifting her tablet and giving no other sign of what was happening in her brain. She exhaled slowly through her nose as she logged in to the secured device and navigated to her notes for the interview.

“You have been briefed on the interview then?” She asked, changing the subject rapidly, the gentleness in her voice giving way to cold job-oriented clarity. “Do you have any questions?”

“What?” Giana asked, finally frowning a bit and shaking her head. “Sorry I… missed whatever it was you just said. I was thinking.”

“That’s what I’m talking about, ma’am.” CJ said, looking at Giana with sober concern. “You are bothered and distracted. You aren’t a party princess anymore, ma’am. You’re about to give an interview on very serious topics related to law, order, war, peace, the succession, and the deaths of traitors. Princess Gigi can’t do that.”

CJ stood up to her full height, lowering her tablet to her side.

“I’m very sorry you are having trouble, but if you won’t talk to me, there’s nothing I can do.” she said, and then she started for the door, confident, yet without attitude. She spoke as she walked away. “I’ll send Bella back in to finish your face.”

At first, Giana was angry that CJ was abandoning her too, but then it hit her that her only friend or… well, whatever CJ was to her… was about to leave too.

“Richard told me my father hates me.” She admitted quietly though loudly enough for CJ to hear before she got to the door.

CJ paused at that, turning around and facing Giana again from a distance. There was a moment of silence as she tossed the idea back and forth in her mind and then, strongly, decided it made no sense at all. She hadn’t had conversations with Antonius about his eldest daughter besides those related to her image and her business, but she seriously doubted he hated her.

“Is that a direct quote, ma’am?” she asked, not being able to actual picture Richard telling Giana in those words, even if it were so.

“Well no,” Giana admitted, “but it may as well have been. He told me that me just living my life has caused my father as much pain as anything Giuseppe has ever done and considering everything…” She gestured vaguely with a hand and then turned to look back into the mirror. “Maybe he’ll cut off my head when he wakes up.”

“Your father didn’t hate Giuseppe.” CJ said, still standing on the other side of the room, suspecting Giana might need that space in order to be open. “I watched him agonize over the kill order and was there when he rescinded it. I advised against it. And I imagine father found you…frustrating, at times. But I’m not aware of any time you gave him a reason to execute you.”

CJ paused, her mind searching for the right words. “Richard is very precise in his speech. He chooses his words very carefully. I think what he said, the words he actually chose, mean quite alot.”

“Yeah well that was pretty much a direct quote. Maybe my father didn’t hate Giuseppe, but he certainly took everything from him and led us into this mess because of that. Frankly if he’s going to do that I’d rather him just kill me or I guess I can just do it myself.” Giana reached up to rub her forehead but stopped before she smeared her makeup. “It’s fucking pointless, CJ. I can’t win, I never will. What is left?”

“Do you want me to be honest with you, ma’am?” CJ asked, crossing her arms in front of her. “Or do you want me to tiptoe like I’m talking to a princess?”

“I’ve always told you to be honest with me, CJ, but I’m not sure you’ve ever believed it. I don’t blame you, I guess.” She shrugged. “But if you’re about to tell me that it’s my responsibility for the good of the Empire, why else do you think I’m here right now?”

“That isn’t what I was going to say.” CJ said, taking one step closer to Giana, but stopping there. “I’m going to talk to you like I talk to young women with no titles who want to come up in the Empire, all of whom have to find away around their problems.”

She shifted her weight, and then stood firm. Perhaps being honest would ruin her career, and that would be a shame indeed.

“You are a drama queen, not because you love it, but because it protects the real you. You put on a mask to hide; you put on your status and power to hide; and you wear your victimhood like its armor, while the entire Empire envies you.” CJ said, her voice clear and strong, but not harsh or judgemental. “You are a princess whose father is the most important man alive, who would almost certainly give you anything you could want in the universe if it was in his power except…his attention. So…you found a way to get his attention, ma’am…and it works. My daughter is alot like you…because I spend my time here. That’s why she likes you so much, I think. She can sense it.”

Giana listened to CJ quietly and attentively, though wondered if CJ was simply taking this moment to unload her own series of disappointments regarding the Princess’ behavior. It certainly provided no answer to the question Giana had posed. “Well, I’m sorry she’s like that for you.”

“This isn’t about me, ma’am.” CJ said, shaking her head. “My daughter will be fine. She’ll go to a good school, she’ll meet a successful man, she’ll get a good job, and she’ll turn into me.”

CJ took another step forward and stopped again.

“But your life is more complicated. You’re too close to the throne to learn normal lessons. Who, after all, feels safe enough to teach you? Other royals who think like royals, act like royals, and live like royals?”

Giana did notice the slowness with which CJ was slowly coming back over, but she didn’t really understand what it was about. “Nobody, really.”

“Then you have no one to help sober you up, ma’am. Excuse my language, but everyone needs someone to tell them when they’re full of shit.” CJ said, turning her head and refusing the urge within her to hesitate and control her speech. Perhaps it was that similarity to Morgan, after all, that made her feel compelled to actually try to help this at-times pathetic princess. “You’re full of shit.”

Giana just looked at CJ for a moment, her pretty, half made up face running the gamut of emotions in just a few seconds, and then suddenly she just burst out laughing.

CJ smiled, but it was polite, and any laughter that resulted from it was mostly nervous. She wasn’t used to putting her own head on the block and she didn’t feel even remotely secure. Still, she tried her best to seem at ease and amused while the princess laughed.

“Ramsay tells your father when he’s full of shit, and he’s very protective of the Emperor.” CJ said, taking another step. “He believes in him and tries to remind him who he really is when he forgets. I think it's a bit like the way I believe in you, ma’am.”

Giana had tamed her laughter into small bursts of giggles before CJ had started talking again, so she didn’t miss what was said. She lowered her hand from her mouth after a moment, though she was still smiling. “You’re right, CJ. I don’t think anyone has ever told me that to my face. Sacha has come close, but even he has never been that… blunt about it.”

“Strong emotions can have that effect on men.” CJ said, resisting the urge to roll her eyes at the fact. At last, she took the last few strides up to Giana and smiled to herself, realizing that she really wasn’t bothered by what CJ had said. “You know your father doesn’t hate you. You just frustrate him, and you learned to frustrate him because it makes you feel..noticed. But, from my perspective, between Bella Gia, your engagement, and your appointment as a Regent, your father has spent my bn the last year investing in you while he tried to peacefully remove your brother from Court life. He’s not the monster under your bed.”

Giana considered what CJ had said and since she was - for her - in a somewhat approaching stable state (though far from her normal stable), she could see the sense in the words for the most part. “No… I had to deal with that monster myself.”

“And you did.” CJ said, lifting her chin slightly. “He had every confidence in you, and you did what you had to do. There is nothing wrong with settling your scores and doing what you have to do. And now, you need to tell the Empire how you did it.”

This time, Giana looked away and her expression faltered a bit. “Do you think he’s going to be angry with me when he wakes up?”

“I think he’ll be ashamed that he made you do it.” CJ answered, lacing her fingers in front of her. “The Emperor understands that it was his job to take care of Giuseppe Angelo…and to protect you. He should feel guilty.”

She realized, after saying it, that it hadn't been a wise thing to say at all.

“That is, His Imperial Majesty has a strong character, and will likely think differently on the topic once he sees that you've settled all questions.”

It was very strange, but the fact that finally someone else had said those words out loud made Giana feel more vindicated than even the slaying of her brother had. She felt seen. She heard CJ try to roll it back a bit, but it hardly mattered to her. She sat up a bit straighter in her chair. “I hope so.”

CJ looked at her watch and clearly fretted. They would have to hurry to get Giana ready for this interview, if they were even doing it at this point.

“We don’t have much time, ma’am. John is expecting us on set in fifteen minutes. Bella will have to work quickly.” she said in a slightly elevated voice. “Are you ready? Will this interview still work?”

“Bella is good at her job.” Giana noted, showing she had in fact taken notice and remembered the girl despite her coolness before. “It will work.”

Several minutes later, the princess was shown into a large room which was well decorated, stylish, and traditional, where camera crews made adjustments and lights were being tweaked. In the center of the room we’re two comfortable chairs, and a thin, lanky man with salt and pepper gray hair sat reading. As soon as she entered, he stood, as if on cue, and turned to her with a smile.

“Your Highness, it’s a pleasure.” He said, taking a step inn her direction.

Giana looked radiant in the dark red silk chiffon dress. It was a modest a-line gown with a gently pleated floor length skirt paired with a v-neck bodice that didn’t come down low enough to expose even a hint of anything; the only piece of interest was a circular cut out on the back that showed her shoulder blades. A solid gold metal waist belt with delicate laurel engravings wrapped around her tiny waist, a necklace of gold, ruby and diamond adorned her neck with a set of matching earrings in her ears and of course gold heels that matched the other golds. Her hair was in a tasteful and elegant updo and nestled in her golden locks was her crown.

“Mr. Sauerbraun.” She greeted with a gracious smile as she approached. She extended her hand to him for him to kiss, a show of royal favor.

“John, please.” The man said with a hazel glance into the princess’s eyes. He then bent down and gently kissed just above her knuckles before standing up straight again and releasing her hand. “Welcome to the set, Your Highness. I’ve interviewed several members of the royal family, but you have eluded me until now.”

The hint of a smile spread across his aging, thin face.

“I knew you couldn’t dodge me for long. I’m not sure if you have seen my show, but my style is normally much more dry and serious than the reports you normally work with.” He continued, his tone respectful and moderate, “I know CJ doesn’t make mistakes about these sorts of things; Sauerbraun means serious. I won’t be asking about your dress unless you really want me to.”

While he wasn’t wrong that he wasn’t the usual type she sat down across from, she was a little surprised that he would think she wouldn’t have watched his interviews before. She gave a gracious smile, though it was just slightly thinned. “I know, but as you said CJ doesn’t make mistakes and you have garnered a lot of respect over the years for your fair, informative pieces.”

“If a journalist can’t be fair and informative, what good is he?” He asked, rhetorically with a wider smile. His face was common and naturally unattractive, but wealth and good style had made up for it a great deal. “Any special requests before we begin, ma’am?”

“Not any that I can think of that CJ wouldn’t have touched on already.” Giana shook her head and looked at him easily. He had a very unintimidating, unnotable face which likely aided in his success as an interviewer, but she wondered if it really did him any good elsewhere in life.

“Very good, then I think we’re ready to sit down and begin.” He said and indicated her chair with a gracious wave of his slender hand.

As Giana sat down, John moved to do the same, settling into the chair in his usual stance with his one leg perched on the other. Behind him appeared CJ suddenly, a tablet in her hands and her eyes fixed on the pair.

The producer from earlier stepped forward and smiled in a bright, friendly plastered expression.

“Alright, it looks like we’re ready, John. We’re rolling, and will play your introduction on the cue.”

“Thank you, Pamela.” John said, shifting the tablet on his leg and paying particular attention to his questions.

After a few brief moments, there was a countdown, and then the monitors in the room shifted to a previously-made recording of John standing before a backdrop of the city of Rome. He shifted his body confidently and began to speak.

“What you are about to see is an exclusive interview with the Princess Royal. No doubt you’ve seen many interviews with Princess Giana, but I can assure you that this one will be quite different in its style and its range of discussion. You are about to see the ever-elegant and stylish Princess Giana from a different perspective related to her role as Princess Regent. She has gone from the runway, to concluding a war that resulted in the death of her brother, the traitor Giuseppe Angelo. The impact of these actions in the wake of the attempt on her father’s life have shaped the history of the Empire, and leave an untold story about her experience and that of the Crown Prince.”

The light on the cameras turned red then, and John lifted his eyes to look at Giana. His face was neutral and he was perfectly at ease, much more sober than her typical interviewers.

“Your Imperial Highness, thank you for joining me here tonight. You have many recent accomplishments and tragedies that I know the citizens of the Empire are eager to hear about, but I believe the chief among them is the condition of your father, the Emperor. In your words, could you tell us what happened to His Imperial Majesty, what his current state is, and what effect it’s having on you, your family, and his government?”

Giana was sitting with grace and poise, one ankle tucked behind the other and her legs at an elegant slant from where her feet were. There was no doubting her position or her breeding - she had always carried herself the best out of any of her siblings. Her hands were held relaxed in her lap, one placed daintily over the other. She seemed perfectly at ease, not revealing her own nervousness.

“An assassin sent by Giuseppe Angelo made an attempt on my father’s life - he was unsuccessful, and my father is resting and recovering comfortably. The Regent Council has been working closely with the other apparatuses of the government to uphold the will of the Emperor.” Giana provided with a calm, small smile. “We are all praying for a quick recovery.”

“As are we all.” he said, making quick eye contact with someone behind Giana outside the camera range. He looked down at his notes and seemed to be quickly moving on. “To say that people were surprised to see Princess Gigi running the Imperial Armed Forces would be an understatement. How do you explain such a quick shift to such a significant government role?”

Giana nodded just slightly. “Yes, I know that was a surprising development for many people. It was a mutual decision made by the regents with encouragement from the Crown Prince. I know many people likely underestimate my grasp of affairs outside of the current fashion, but the simple truth is I am much more than simply that.”

“I assume that means you’ve followed politics very closely then?” he asked, masking any surprise he might have been feeling with a practiced and professional poker face. “With all respect, ma’am, I do think most people across the Empire might not have expected that. Clearly, you have business acumen as well, considering your company has performed very well in its first quarter. Do you find that you're underestimated often? Did military officials underestimate you when you were still in command there?”

“I am the daughter of the Emperor, it is expected of me that I follow politics.” She pointed out with a generous smile. “But I am first to admit they have not been my public focus, so I do not fault those who underestimate me. I hope now that with recent events, people will understand that there is more to me than Princess Gigi.”

“Did some of that underestimation manifest in your military commanders?” he said, repeating the question. He noticed she was skilled at answering the parts she most wanted to answer. He was a friendly journalist, but he still had some self respect. He would press just a bit and see where they would get. The people knew a soft-ball interview when they saw one, and he knew no one, including him, had any interest in that.

Giana took note of his repeating the question. He certainly wasn’t like the other interviewers she sat down with, though CJ had prepared her for that fact. It had to be done this way, and she trusted that Sauerbraun had enough self interest to not get himself into trouble.

“At first, yes.” She confirmed though didn’t seem distressed by that fact. “Who wouldn’t, though, considering, hm?” She flashed a charming but restrained smile.

He gave her an expression which was, at most, coy, and turned his head to the side. A small smile started on his lips, but it was cautious and fragile. He wondered if she was joking to signal to him to take it easy on her, and he mulled over whether or not that was a good idea.

“And yet, Your Highness, you pulled off a military victory which eluded the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces until your arrival on the scene.” he said, using the pivot to direct his questions at her from a more developed angle. “My sources tell me you departed Terra aboard Imperator to take command of the war more directly around Axanar. Tell me about that decision.”

“It was a choice born from a suggestion by the Crown Prince. He approached me soon after the decision was made and we spoke for a time to decide the best course of action. The actions of Giuseppe Angelo against the Emperor could no longer be ignored and a more direct, decisive hand needed to be exercised against him.” Giana offered calmly.

“But you didn’t take the Prince along, isn’t that right?” He asked, leaning in a bit.

“No.” She shook her head just slightly and continued, “It would have been deeply irresponsible of me to bring the Crown Prince into an active warzone - he is the future of our Empire after all - so I made the decision to leave him behind and continue to Axanar myself to confront Giuseppe with the fleet.”

“How very brave. Most people might not have the courage to go against their own brother so directly.” He commented, looking at her with curious eyes. “Were you and Giuseppe Angelo close growing up, ma’am?”

For just a beat, Giana didn’t answer; she had to stop her gaze from moving over toward CJ. In the preparation for this interview, they had spoken extensively regarding how detailed to be regarding her past with Giuseppe. Elite families did not like their dirty laundry aired out to the public, but this was different; people didn’t understand the decision to disinherit Giuseppe in the first place (not that the majority outright questioned it out of fear) and Giana was aware enough of the undercurrent of public opinion to know that this lack of understanding had undermined support for her father. Then there was of course the chance that by her speaking up about what happened, it might encourage other women and girls to come forward as well if they suffered the same from men in their lives. So many simply did not. She hadn’t decided what to do when she and CJ had spoken last, but she knew now.

She wanted CJ - and mothers like her - to be proud of the fact their daughters looked up to her.

She blinked once and exhaled slowly.

“No, we were not.” It was definitive and firm, then she continued in the same tone. “Giuseppe Angelo was a disturbed, violent, wicked child who grew into a disturbed, violent, wicked man… if one would call someone like him a man.”

“That’s a very serious statement, ma’am.” he responded with cautiously curious eyes. “Would you care to…elaborate about what made Giuseppe Angelo so wicked? People don’t know the man, only the prince he was.”

Giana took a breath and as she did so, she shifted the position of her hands so the left was resting over the right. It was a subtle, rehearsed signal to him that while he did not have to stop, he surely needed to tread lightly. “It started off from some of my youngest memories with insults and yelling, he would call me names, tell me I wasn’t loved because I wasn’t a boy like him. Then as we grew a little older, the words were joined by action. It started off small at first; he would pinch me, pull my hair, push me. I’m sure many on the outside would dismiss the behavior as typical little boy behavior, but many forget that Giuseppe was eight years older than I was.”

John nodded, his eyes locked on hers as he considered his words. He had a feeling he knew what the missing piece was, but he was smart enough to know that he shouldn’t push. The situation was stressful, and it was pretty obvious to him that none of what the Princess was now saying was planned and scripted. If it had been, they would have had a woman do the interview instead of him.

“That’s quite an age gap. “Hitting his sister and pushing her is unpleasant behavior.” he commented, using the word ‘unpleasant’ as a tempting understatement which might prompt Giana to say more.

Giana knew when she was being baited, but at least in this setting she knew it wasn’t in the name of hostility. Sauerbraun liked his job way too much to risk it… probably. She took a breath but didn’t look away from him. “Not exactly the word I would use, but most certainly the word I have come to expect to be used by others trying to minimize the behavior.”

She continued on, not giving him a chance to speak. Her comment hadn’t necessarily been targeted at him, but instead it had been targeted to the viewers who would have actually had those sentiments - far too many, she wagered. “As we grew older, it only got worse. Pinching was replaced by punching, the hair pulling by slaps, the pushes replaced by shoves into the walls or down the stairs. My sister didn’t escape it all, but I bore the brunt of it and always did.” A slight, bitter smile crossed her lips, “He even went after one of my cousins once when she tried to defend me.”

“Why do you think he targeted you, ma’am?” he asked, eyeing CJ for an instant behind the camera line and Giana. The woman’s face was intense, but quite neutral. “You say that Princess Elana didn’t suffer the same intense attacks as you. Did the Crown Prince?”

Giana was barely successful at stifling her laugh at such a ridiculous notion, but the slight tug at the corners of her lips still signaled her thoughts however vaguely. “Of course not. He knew he couldn’t have possibly gotten away with that.”

A slight shake from CJ’s head told him not to press the obvious question: if Paolo was safe, why weren’t his sisters. Like a professional, John knew just how to change the subject.

“I see. So he preyed on the girls.” he said, this time selecting much more aggressive language and hoping it drew attention away from the more obvious questions. In his considerable experience, most people were quite easy to befuddle; he just hated being the one to do it. Every journalist likes to dig for the truth.

“As many weak men do.” Giana nodded slightly then smiled just a little as she offered a new line to John. “He stopped when I finally found my first real boyfriend.”

The comment about weak men seemed to pass over John’s head. It was insulting, but he supposed it wasn’t about him. More than anything, it was a surprising thing for him to hear Princess Gigi say. He raised an eyebrow.

“And who was that, ma’am?”

Giana smiled then, warm and genuine. “Sacha Lavigne.”

She didn’t offer more, instead allowing John the opportunity to bounce from the statement to wherever he wanted to.

John smiled at that, much more easily than before. He allowed the moment to rest between them and then he took the bait to change the subject. She could only be expected to reveal so much.

“It’s pretty clear on social media that Sacha’s popularity has skyrocketed since the Battle of Axanar. It seems he had a part in saving you multiple times then. Is he thinking of capitalizing on his newfound personal fame in any way? The Imperial Senate is a great place for heroes, for one.”

Giana masked a mild irritation behind a soft, personable laugh that hid any true feelings at the comment about being saved. “Well, that I think would need to come from his mouth in a different interview, but whatever he decides to do now I am looking forward to supporting him wholeheartedly whether that be in his new career or a different path if he chooses now.”

“Of course, of course.” John said with a nod, taking the cue again and moving on. “My sources say the Regency Council has rotated responsibilities and that you will be handling the legislative process now. I’m curious what the reason is for the change. You were, after all, very successful at the Battle of Axanar.”

“Mm, yes, and while I am sure I would have continued success in the position with the support and guidance of the admiralty, matters closer to home press me more urgently. With the would-be murderer and usurper dead, the most immediate threat to the Empire and my family has been extinguished. I turn toward my family now. The Empress has of course been upset by the attack on the Emperor, with my sister Elana choosing to remain on Mars and the Crown Prince busy with his studies, I have chosen to remain here to support my mother while also focusing on my duties as Lady of the Northern Dominion.” Giana’s voice was easy and steady; she gave no indication whatsoever that her words were not the whole truth.

“There has been a lot of speculation by some of the more…low brow media sources about your sister being away, with many saying she’s been exiled to Mars.” He said, tapping a finger on his leg. He couldn’t expect her to say anything revolutionary, but he could try to learn by what she didn’t say. “Are you in charge of managing the situation with Princess Elana and the Crown Prince, or is your mother maintaining that role?”

Giana’s brows raised just slightly. “Elana certainly hasn’t been exiled. As most people are well aware, my younger sister has never taken to court duties and prefers her own interests to that of court life. On hearing of Giuseppe’s escape from prison, she made the decision to withdraw completely and take up residence on Mars. We continue to love and support her even through this decision. As for the Crown Prince, he continues his studies as usual, my mother and I assist where needed.”

“I see.” John said with a nod.

For the next thirty minutes the pair continued the interview touching on her position as Dominion Lady, her work at Bella Gia, positions on policies (which she had been appropriately vague on) and - much to her surprise - even touching on plans for her wedding of which there really wasn’t much. Of course she had made graceful excuses, but the reality was planning the wedding hadn’t been at the forefront of her mind. It seemed like the interview was going well.

John looked down at his notepad before quickly returning his gaze to her. “We have time for one more question before we need to conclude the interview, ma’am, and it’s about politics at large. Following the culling of the most prominent Blues earlier this year and the restoration of the Imperial Senate, political actors have asserted that the Empire has grown weak since it was sundered by Spock. They note the differences in the way Terran’s handle their differences and confront problems with each other. Some say we are more civilized than ever before. What is your opinion on the issue? What does it mean to be Terran?”

“We are more civilized than ever before thanks to the efforts of subsequent empresses and emperors after him. The Orsini line has seen the lives of all Terrans significantly improved in most respects and we would see them improve still.” Giana smiled. “What does it mean to be Terran… we are resilient, resourceful, and our unwavering determination is the stuff of legends. We as a people have a rich history of overcoming adversity and thriving in the face of challenges. We innovate, we adapt. Our unity is our greatest strength, we work toward the common goal of bringing glory to our Empire and woe to those who would stand in the way of that ambition.”

Terrans standing together, being unified. This was something which used to only happen as a result of the fierce power wielded by those who rose to the top of their society. Life, for most Terrans, used to be a constant war. Some would argue they had grown weak, but some, like the Princess and her family, celebrated the changes her family had brought. John nodded. It could be no secret that he agreed with her assessment.

“Thank you, Your Highness, for your leadership, and for allowing me to interview you.” He said, finally offering a slightly sloth-like smile. “It’s been a pleasure.”

Giana offered what seemed to be a warm smile and gracious nod. She wouldn’t thank him of course, that wouldn’t be proper. She felt things had at least gone reasonably well; if they hadn’t been certainly CJ would have found some way to stop the interview. The older woman did seem truly invested in seeing Giana succeed and while Giana knew it certainly wasn’t a selfless, altruistic act, she was grateful for someone being willing to stand with her.

With the click of an indicator, they were off air. John stood immediately and turned to his producer. The two of them had a quick conversation as CJ stepped up next to Giana’s seat.

“A Princess for girls transforms into a Princess for women..” she said with a smile that commanded the bottom of her face, delivering her words as if she were sharing some secret. “I like it.”

The princess had taken notice of how John had immediately turned from her when the cameras were off, but before she could truly take offense to it, CJ had appeared. She turned to face her, seeing her smile and giving a more modest one in return. “Do you think it went well then?”

CJ gave a slight nod and allowed her smile to persist. The tablet on her arm was off and looked like nothing more than an opaque glass pane.

“I think so, ma’am. And you’re guaranteed good press no matter what, so it’s all excellent material.”

John left his producer rather quickly and stepped up to Giana and CJ. He gave a sober nod of greeting to them as if they were meeting for the first time that day. It was awkward in its own little way, but he didn’t seem self-conscious about it.

“Your Highness; Madam Chancellor.” he said, looking at both of them. “Thanks again for this opportunity. I’ll do everything I can to promote the content as expected. I can assure you that any speculation on some of the more sensitive details you shared won’t be explored on my show.”

“Hopefully everyone will remain professional.” CJ responded, her smile settling into a neutral expression again. “RZI and the tabloids might speculate further, but that’s their job. We wouldn’t expect them to leave a stone like that unturned. I’m prepared to make sure they tow the line.”

The Chancellor looked at Giana then.

“Is there anything else you’d like to go over here, ma’am, or shall we conclude?”

“I knew the risk when I brought it up.” Giana said a bit solemnly, shaking her head. “I can’t think of anything else.” She looked over at John then and offered a smile. “This was a pleasure. Perhaps we will do another interview again sometime.”

“That would be welcome, ma’am.” he said with a much warmer grin. By protocol, the length of conversation was determined by the highest ranked person, socially, so he backed away, keeping his face to her for a few steps and giving her time to interrupt him before finally turning back to his own people.

Giana had done him the courtesy of maintaining eye contact for just a moment before looking back to CJ and freeing him.

“So what happens now?”

“Now, we get back to work. There’s an Empire to rule, after all.” CJ said, gesturing toward the exit and waiting for Giana to take the lead. “My government box is a bit heavier than it was before my promotion. And your rogue lords on the Council won’t whip themselves into shape.”

“No, I suppose they won’t.” Giana nodded slightly and turned to head toward the exit. As they walked, she glanced back to CJ. “Thank you, CJ. For everything.”

“No thanks is necessary, ma’am.” she said, but her tone was slightly warmed from her typical pattern. Her words weren’t remotely dismissive, but instead seemed appreciative in their own way.

Giana just gave a smile but didn’t reply, instead looked ahead again. They would keep moving forward as they always did.

END