Blood on the Sand
Volume 1: The Broken Crown
Chapter 6: The Disgraced Empress
"Baraggan Luisenbarn is dead."
Mahaut Luisenbarn raised her brilliant green eyes slightly to look at her host and took another sip of tea. Chancellor Angello Rureaux sighed as he placed the letter in front of her. She barely registered the white wax seal displaying the crescent of Las Noches.
Mahaut was tall and thin, her platinum blonde hair was made up into a bun. Moonlight twinkled on the diamonds that decorated the twin silver hairpins that were at the base of the bun. She was clad in a long black dress with ornate designs embroidered with silver and green thread around the neckline and down the right side. Her mask fragment resembled a choker with diamond-like bone protrusions
"Grandfather's dead?"
She turned her attention to her grandson, Edaan Luisenbarn. He was broad-chested, like his grandfather and father, but tall like his mother. His strawberry-blonde hair hung over his shoulders, held in place by his mask fragment that resembled a circlet with small spikes protruding at regular intervals, the mask fragment of the heir-designate of an imperial throne. She noticed that the muscle on his sturdy frame was starting to give way to fat at around his waist. Mahaut found it unfortunate that instead of an air of majesty he radiated an air of entitlement and petulance, qualities that could hinder his claim.
"Grandmother, does this mean that I can finally return to Las Noches and claim what is rightfully mine?"
"There are other things that need to be taken in consideration," Angello Rureaux said. He looked at Mahaut with his heavily hooded dark-honey eyes. Mahaut tried to read his thoughts, but Angello's long years made him an expert at concealing his true intentions. "Your grandfather lost the throne to a usurper and there are those who do not want another Luisenbarn to sit on the throne."
"Grandmother, it is my right to…"
Mahaut raised a bony finger and Edaan fell silent. Mahaut tapped the nightwood table to the beat of a song in her head. Edaan snarled a little and looked at Angello who only took another sip of his tea.
"I am the eldest male heir in direct descent of Baraggan Luisenbarn. It is my duty to avenge my father's murder and…"
"Your father was a damn fool," Mahaut said. "He thought he could replicate his uncle's uprising and escape unharmed. The only reason why Mordrath was able to succeed was because the Usurper was unprepared. When your father tried to retake the throne, the Usurper was prepared and had the loyalty of his Espada."
"I know that mother. But the time has come for me to…"
Mahaut raised her finger again and Edaan fell silent. She had taught him well to obey even the slightest glare from her.
"We need to bide our time, Edaan," she said. "We need to introduce you at the right time." She took up the letter and read it. She bit her lower lip, as was her wont when in thought.
"You'll need allies," Angello said. He picked up the white silk handkerchief next to his cup and wiped away a thin tendril of dark green spittle that began to drool out of a corner of his mouth. "Have you given further thought to my suggestion?"
"Will he agree to it?"
"Barrcae is impulsive, he'll agree. However, I want to know if she'll agree."
"She better," Edaan said. "It's her duty."
"She'll agree," Mahaut said, smiling. "She may still be young but she knows her purpose."
"Has she even bled yet?"
"Does it matter? She has a slit between her legs, not a pole," Mahaut said. "She's old enough to consummate the marriage."
Angello nodded and smiled. "Then I should welcome you to the family. But I would like to speak to Aellana on this matter first. I would feel easier if we're all on the same page."
"I don't see why you need her approval," Edaan said. "My sister's only purpose is to guarantee a necessary alliance through marriage."
Mahaut grimaced slightly.
He sounds too much like Baraggan, she thought.
"Very well, but only if you can guarantee her answer will be 'yes'," Mahaut said. "Lie about it if you have to. After all, her life is not her own. Her life is for the Empire's security."
Angello frowned slightly, but only inclined his head slightly in agreement.
Aellana Luisenbarn
Aellana Luisenbarn, granddaughter of the dead Emperor Baraggan Luisenbarn, sat on a stone bench carved with vipers winding up the bench legs. She appeared to be a girl of twelve years clad in a white gown richly embroidered with silver thread and decorated with pearls at the waist. Her tiara-like mask fragment glittered as though it held diamonds in the moonlight. Her honey-colored hair was tied back in a long braid with a silvery-blue silk ribbon intertwined with the hair. She stroked the small Hollow cat laying on her lap.
"You're such a pretty kitty, Blanca," she cooed. The cat's ears twitched slightly at the sound of her name and Aellana smiled.
The sound of footsteps caught her attention and Aellana looked up. A tall, dark-skinned woman clad in a blood-red uniform with gold viper armlets twining up her forearms walked towards her. The woman's head was shaved except for a strip of crimson hair that travelled up the center of her head and a horse's tail held in place by a gold ring. Twin daggers hung at her sides while a whip was draped across her chest.
"There you are, little princess," she said, smiling, but her tone betrayed her distaste at the words.
"Annat," the girl said as she stood, hugging the cat to her chest. The cat began to struggle to get free and she began to stroke its fur. The cat calmed down and began to purr. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to fetch you. Why else would I bother being here?"
"I…I don't know," Aellana said, casting her eyes downward.
"Well, come on. Let's go."
"But…why?"
"Because my grandfather wants to see you for some reason. Now come on, little princess. Be a good girl and don't make me drag you."
Before Aellana could respond, Annat Rureaux grabbed her by the arm. Aellana let out a startled cry and Blanca struggled to get free of her grip. Annat looked at the cat and snarled.
"Get rid of that filthy thing before I get rid of it for you."
"But, Blanca's…"
"I don't want to hear your excuses, little princess. Chancellor Rureaux summoned you, not that filthy creature. Besides, I hate cats," she muttered.
"But, Blanca gets anxious when I'm not around."
Annat rolled her eyes and gritted her teeth. Aellana recoiled slightly out of instinct and Annat's grip tightened even further. Aellana could feel her arm going numb. She could tell that Annat was becoming angry and the smile that came on Annat's face only intensified her fear.
"Don't be such a pain in my ass, little princess.
"What's going on, Annat? Grandfather's getting impatient."
Annat released Aellana's arm. Aellana's face brightened when she saw the tall, dark-skinned woman with light blue hair coming towards them. The woman was clad in a lilac habesha dress with dark crimson trim embroidered with gold vipers. Her long nails were lacquered dark blue. A jeweled ceremonial dagger with a handle of two intertwining gold vipers hung at her waist from a gold chain.
"MAAT!" Aellana shouted, smiling.
"Oh, there you are, Aellana," Maat said, smiling. She looked at Annat. "Why are there tears in her eyes?"
"She was being a troublesome little brat," Annat said. "I came to get her and she wouldn't come."
"She didn't want me to take Blanca with me, and then she said that she would get rid of her."
"Annat," Maat sighed and shook her head. "Honestly, you have little tact."
"What did you want me to do, sister, let her take that beast with her and embarrass herself."
"Annat, it's just a cat." Maat returned her attention to Aellana and knelt before her. "Aellana, would you like me to take Blanca to your chambers? I can keep an eye on her for you until you get back from your meeting. Is that alright?"
Aellana thought for a moment and nodded. Maat smiled as she held out her hands to receive the cat. Aellana kissed it on the top of its white-furred head and handed it to Maat. The cat did not struggle and blinked slowly as it looked into Maat's eyes and began to purr. Maat returned the blink and held the cat close to her.
"Come along now," Annat said and grabbed Aellana's hand. Aellana winced at the harsh grip, but followed obediently. She knew that once Annat grabbed hold with her iron grip there was no escape. Annat could grab all of the devils and monsters in the worlds and never let them go no matter how hard they struggled or how sharp their fangs were.
They walked in silence for a time before Aellana spoke.
"What does Chancellor Rureaux want with me?"
"How in all of the hells am I supposed to know? He didn't tell me, but it must be important seeing as how he sent me to fetch you. At least, it better be important," Annat grumbled. "I could be out hunting right now."
"I'm sorry."
"You better be. You think that you're so special, little princess. Well, guess what, you're not. The only thing important about you is your maidenhead and once that's gone you're just another weak female."
"But…aren't you a female?"
Annat scowled at her and sighed. "I was born a female, true, but there are areas in Hueco Mundo where being a female only holds you back. Some places are more progressive than that, but the patriarchy still holds in others places. You'll learn that being a female is an invisible chain that some will use to hold you back. You must never let them grab hold of that chain. You must never permit yourself to become someone else's slave. It's better to kill yourself than to let that happen."
Annat stopped as if realizing what she said and let out a soft snort of laughter.
"Forget what I said. You don't have the luxury of determining your fate. Maybe that's why I loathe you."
"You…hate me?"
"Don't be foolish. I said that I loathe you, not hate you. There's a difference."
"I thought they both meant the same thing."
"Maybe for most, but for me there's a difference. I kill what I hate, but I prefer to keep what I loathe around. You're still young, but when you've seen things then perhaps you'll understand."
They continued through the lush night garden, passing a large fountain with statues of naked Terrans, Quincies, Arrancars, and Reapers being tormented by horned vipers that bit into stony flesh. Annat paused to look at the statue and smiled.
"I hope that grandfather sends me out so that I can dig my fangs into something."
"Is that what Shiiva's doing? It's been a while since I've seen her."
"Shiiva's making sure that a few shrouds get used," Annat replied, smiling. "I wish that grandfather would send me out instead of having to babysit you. But, he's the Chancellor and I have to obey."
"When will she be back?"
"How in all of the twelve hells am I supposed to know that? I'm not a fortune teller. Now stop dawdling and come along."
Angello Rureaux
Angello Rureaux watched the migrating group of Menos Grande in the distance. He had seen many such groups as they searched for a place to become Arrancars and knew that most of the group, if not all, would fail. He ran a hand over his bald head, the last of his dark hair had long since fallen out. His mask fragment was a single bony eye in the center of his forehead, an eye that moved and saw much.
He was clad in a long dark double-breasted red coat with black vipers winding up the arms to face each other on either side of his throat. Golden lanyards were draped over his shoulders, making him look like the great general that he used to be in his youth.
How much longer must I go on? How much more death must I witness? How many more times must I commit atrocities for my House?
He was the longest serving Chancellor in Hueco Mundo and was the only one left who held power and survived the Dance of Daggers, a time when assassins and ambassadors had more power than even the Emperor in the affairs of Arrancars and the fate of entire nations. He killed his foes and friends alike in order to survive the shifts of power. He survived more assassination attempts and battles than any other Arrancar. The commoners came to believe that Death could not lay claim on him or that he was Death incarnate. As a result he was called "The Necromancer".
Even though his sons were relative disappointments and his grandson, Zommari, had decided to surrender his freedom in order to accept the chains of the Usurper, Angello Rureaux was widely respected and feared. He knew where he stood with the other Chancellors of the five southern-most provinces. Chancellor Lorros would side with him immediately. Chancellor Rosa would take some convincing, but if he could persuade her to join their fight then she could be able to get the Amazonian tribes of the grasslands and the river valleys to fight behind her. That would mean keeping his alliance with House Mauvant and the Assembly of Arrosian Nations secret so that he wouldn't have to lose the supply of wealth coming from the colonies on the northern coastlines of Aaros, the continent to the south.
A bought of coughing overtook the old Arrancar. His cough was wet and deep. He took out a dark green handkerchief from his coat pocket and wiped at his purplish lips. He looked at the green spittle and could see a little bit of blood mixed with the pus. Angello smiled as he folded the handkerchief to conceal the mess and returned it to his coat's pocket.
I suppose it's only right that I suffer for my sins in some way.
He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. He listened to the wind howling across the plains far below. His hand caressed the hilt of the Mameluke sword by his chair, its pommel was shaped like the head of a horned viper decorated with three eyes, two of rubies and the third of a single diamond.
He placed his right hand on a small wrapped object on the small table in front of him.
He kept his eyes closed as the sound of footsteps approached. He long since discovered that each footstep was like a fingerprint: unique to each individual. Even the footsteps of marching soldiers were never really in tangent. Each individual had their own rhythm and manner of weight distribution and no matter how hard you tried to get them to blend together, the careful listener could distinguish each individual.
His third eye opened and he could read the colors surrounding the two figures.
"Thank you for bringing her, Annat. And please, don't be so angry with her. She's merely a yearling."
He could see the colors around Annat's stiffening figure swirling together to form thin tendrils of black. The black then faded back to her usual shades of red and orange with spots of gold. The colors around Aellana's smaller figure became tinged with the dark pink of embarrassment in an otherwise ring of light blue and silver.
"Of course, Chancellor," Annat said. "Is there anything else you require of me?"
"Not at the moment," Angello said. "You may leave. I wish to speak with Lady Luisenbarn alone."
Annat only bowed and left the two. Angello gestured for Aellana to sit across from him. Aellana hesitated for a moment, but sat down. Angello pushed the small wrapped object towards her.
"I got you something."
Aellana looked at the gift. Her eyes widened slightly and she took it. Her hands trembled slightly and she looked at the old Arrancar. He could see the gratitude in them.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
She tore the wrapping paper and looked at the box. She was curious about the diamond logo on the front.
"It's from Terra."
"Terra," she whispered, relishing the word. She opened it and looked at the necklace inside. The gold shone in the moonlight and the laurel pendant gleamed icy white and dark green from the chips of emeralds and diamonds. "This must have cost you a lot."
Angello shrugged and brought out a small book he had in his jacket.
"I got you something else. Don't tell your grandmother."
Aellana put the necklace aside and reached for the book. Her hands trembled even more as she took it. She looked at the title: The Snow Queen and Other Tales. Her face beamed.
"Thank you," she whispered.
"You're welcome. I know that you have an unmasking day coming up and so I wanted to make sure to get you something you would like. Most unmasking day celebrations can be tedious and the guests never get you want you really want."
Aellana paused and bit her lower lip. She placed the book down.
"I know that you didn't summon me just to wish me a happy unmasking day. You've never asked to see me in private before."
Angello didn't respond immediately. The silence between them was as heavy as a mountain. Angello looked out towards the Menos Grande.
"Look at them. Tell me what you think about them."
"I…I don't know. They're big and they're savage."
"Yet they have the potential to evolve. Given enough time they can become Arrancars like us. And the result can either be adapted into a House, as what happened with the former Espada Grimmjow or they can found a noble house, as what happened with House Lindocruz. Either way, evolution determines success or failure."
"I'm afraid I don't understand."
"I suppose you don't. You're young, you've only just broken the mask you were born with. In that regard you are fortunate. You don't need to evolve in that way, but evolution is still required."
Aellana mulled over Angello's words in her mind. "You're talking about my duty to my family."
"And the Empire," Angello said. "Your brother is the rightful heir to Baraggan's throne, but he cannot secure it on his own. He requires assistance."
"You mean, me."
"I do. And there is a way. He needs to secure some of the provinces in order to secure a claim. I am in a position to make that happen. Do you know why?"
"It's because you're Chancellor."
"That's part of it. I may be Chancellor of one of the southern provinces, but Chancellor Lorros and Chancellor Rosa will follow my lead. The Amazonian tribes will hesitate, insisting on remaining neutral, at first. Chancellor Rosa has her connections with them and they in turn will fight beneath the Horned Viper if she gets them to agree. The south-western provinces have the bandits from the wastes to deal with and so they may not be helpful. Of course, I cannot give my full support without careful consideration or just cause. The support of the southern provinces do not come cheap."
He looked at Aellana and could tell that she was thinking. Her small upper teeth dug into her lower lip. She looked at him and he could see the wheels of her mind turning. He smiled a little bit at the knowledge that even though she was young she knew what he would suggest.
"You want me to marry into your family. I suppose that means marrying your son, Barrcae. Am I right?"
"That's right. You may be young, but you are clever when you want to be. Too bad you're not that way around Annat."
"Why? Why should I marry your son? You gave my brother and me sanctuary without reason, so why…?"
Angello reached out and grabbed Aellana's shoulder. Aellana flinched and saw the rage in Angello's eyes.
"Sanctuary is not the same as alliance," Angello said. "And your grandmother had to pay a heavy price in order to receive sanctuary here."
"What did she…?"
"That is not your concern," Angello said as he released her. He smiled at her and the rage in his eyes was gone. "Now, it is time for your first lesson with me."
"What?"
"You are to marry into a Major House, and doing so will demand certain responsibilities. So, your first lesson is that nothing comes free. Everything has a price. You must learn this if you want to thrive."
"Nothing comes free; everything has a price," she repeated.
"That includes life. Life demands sacrifice from all of us. We cannot go chasing our desires without consideration of the consequences. That will be especially true for you. All that you can do is to be patient and endure having to deny your desires. If you're patient then you can rise higher than any of the others who will try to take what belongs to you."
"What are you saying?"
Angello smiled. "This is your next lesson: patience rewards the tenacious. So, be patient and wait."
Aellana Luisenbarn
Aellana clutched her gifts close to her. She knew that she would be required to wear the necklace at the announcement celebration to take place, but she didn't care for it. A necklace was too much like a chain and an engagement token was too much like a lock without a key. She stood for a moment and looked at the crescent moon in the night sky and wondered what it would be like to escape into the endless night.
She wondered if she should just climb to the top of the walls and fling herself into the grasslands beyond.
She knew that she was young, but she knew what being a Luisenbarn required her to be. Her grandmother and mother made sure that she knew her role, a mere pawn to be traded in favor of wealth and status and power. While most daughters of the nobility eagerly awaited their marriage arrangements to wealthy and handsome lords, she dreaded it.
A pawn can become a queen. That had been her mother's favorite saying, one that she would tell her over and over again before she decided to go with her father on his failed mission to reclaim Las Noches from the Usurper. Her mother died in the conflict and her father had been hunted down and killed.
Nnoitora Gilga and Nelliel Tu Odelschwank are the guilty ones, her grandmother told her and her brother. When we reclaim what is ours they will pay for their crime. They will be executed for killing their rightful Emperor.
There were other names as well on her grandmother's list of traitors. She and her brother were made to write their names in order to have them engraved in their minds. Their "Execution List", as their grandmother referred to it, included the names of families both high and low. But with the Usurper's failed war over she didn't know how many of those Arrancars remained to be executed for their treason.
"So, how did it go?"
Aellana looked up and saw Maat sitting on a stone bench reading.
"Chancellor Rureaux gave me a couple of gifts."
Maat looked up and closed the book she was reading. Aellana saw that it was a copy of The Legacy of Queen Arteriia by the Arrancar historian Vaadria Kufang.
"I see. Did he talk to you about what they were for?"
"Yes."
"Did he give you good advice?"
"He told me to be patient and everything has a price."
"Sound advice. I would heed it."
"Maat."
"What is it, child?"
"What's Barrcae like?"
Maat closed her book and looked at Aellana. Aellana hoped that her body and eyes did not betray the fear she felt. She had only met the heir to House Rureaux twice, and even then only briefly. She vaguely remembered a male Arrancar, dark-skinned like the rest of the Rureaux family, with amber eyes like those of a basilisk. She was certain that he was tall and powerfully-built, as if made of iron instead of flesh and blood.
"Why are you asking about him?" Maat asked.
"I…"
Maat raised a hand and smiled. There was nothing warm about her smile. "I think I know why you're asking."
"It's my duty," Aellana whispered.
"It's the duty of all women born to nobility. I was pledged myself, until my betrothed met with an unfortunate…accident."
Aellana felt uneasy about the pause and the way Maat's eyes sparkled. Maat laughed a little bit, a musical laugh that held a hint of malice beneath the melody. She patted the seat next to her and Aellana sat down.
"It's not easy being a noblewoman. I'm sure that the Chancellor told you that."
Aellana nodded. Maat pulled the young Arrancar close to her and began to stroke the top of her head.
"Things will be alright. Barrcae spends most of his time away, fighting our enemies."
"That doesn't tell me much."
"No, I suppose it doesn't. I don't know how much I should share with you, except that he's strong and brave and he'll take care of you. He's proud and doesn't dishonor his family's name. He does his duty. Basically the same things that every young Arrancar girl is told about their betrothed."
"Would that be a lie?"
"It's all that you need to know. At least that's the common understanding. I will tell you this much about Barrcae: he's brutal when he needs to be. Many who dared to cross House Rureaux and their allies have suffered his brutality. Don't do anything to warrant his brutality."
Aellana thought of Maat's words as she made her way to her chamber. She longed for the simpler time of when she was still masked. She and Vallae Lorros, Chancellor Lorros's young daughter, would get together and play and share each other's secrets as they lay in bed. Then came the Unmasking and everything changed. Vallae, who had been unmasked with her, looked at her differently, as though a great gulf had sprung up between them. Gone was the time of play and secrets and laughter. Now came the time of responsibilities and the sacrifices they demanded.
The knowledge that she would marry Barrcae Rureaux in order to help secure her brother's claim weighed heavily on her. It was not the first time that she felt the weight, but it was the first time that the realization that it was a burden that she alone could carry came upon her. She felt a tear well in her eye and she began to sing:
The princess stood alone atop a high tower
Staring o'er field and plain from her gilded cage
Waiting for her prince to come
When she saw his banners riding on the wind
She flew to her freedom on the stones below.
When she got to her chambers Blanca was curled on her bed, purring. Aellana put her gifts on the small dresser and looked at the collection of necklaces and tiaras and perfumes. The sight of the jewelry made her feel only more alone and vulnerable. She hated them.
She grabbed the book that Angello gave her and got on the bed. Blanca stirred slightly and opened an eye. The cat gave a look that seemed to say "Oh, it's just you" before the eye closed and the cat went back to sleep.
Blanca smiled and began to read. Before long she was crying, the book forgotten on the floor.
Mahaut Luisenbarn
Mahaut sat alone listening to a music box melody at the vanity in her private chamber. The reflection in the gold-etched mirror in front of her showed a woman beginning to show signs of age around her eyes. She clutched at a handkerchief displaying a golden skull crowned by a laurel of silver roses and daggers. It had been a marriage gift from her father when she married Baraggan. She thought that he loved her, but in the end it had been a marriage of convenience. She had given him a son and heir, but his thanks had been to humiliate her and chase after Tia Harribel, a Vasto Lorde who had not even been properly Arrancarized.
Now they're gone, she thought, smiling. Baraggan, you were a fool. You ignored your own family and the other provinces for the sake of the illusion that you created for yourself. You grew so complacent and impotent that you did not see that your crown was in jeopardy long before Aizen came along.
Now the crown was in contention and if it wasn't resolved soon then the power vacuum beginning to form would solidify and tear the Empire asunder. If that happened then the noble Houses would find their positions to mean nothing. She knew that most of the noble Houses would try to hold on to any semblance of security and power at any cost, even if it meant cow-towing to the Guilds, the only ones who were certain to profit from the coming chaos.
She figured that House Leonisra, through House Marceaux, would stake a claim as they had the most to lose and gain. The opportunity would be too good for them to pass up and she was prepared to trigger the machinations she put in place to trap them. She wondered which other houses would rise to lay claim to the imperial crown.
House Starrk has a legitimate claim, but I doubt Lupos would invoke it. He's too attached to his province to want to run an empire. House Andjo could take advantage of the situation and have some of the Eastern provinces secede. If he does then perhaps I can use my agents in the Faith to undermine his authority.
She bit her lower lip hard enough to draw blood. Her mind raced through all of the possibilities and the machinations that she had long put into place. She could see any number of lords and chancellors as possible rivals, but it would boil down to who really wanted it.
Mordrath, she thought and bit her lip harder. Fresh blood welled up around her teeth and trickled down her lower lip. He should have received word of his brother's death by now. So why hasn't he acted? Why hasn't he done me the favor of just dying already? Is he also biding his time or is he just doing this out of spite?
She hated not knowing and she had never been able to truly read Mordrath. He came across as impulsive and envious, acting purely out of envy and spite. Yet, she knew better. She knew that "Mordrath the Envious" was merely a façade that Mordrath used to his advantage. His rebellion against the Usurper was proof of that. He could have gained the throne and give himself plenty of time to strengthen his hold before Aizen could react. Yet he only took Aizen's precious trinket and retreated into exile.
The Hogyoku's existence was the worst-kept secret in Hueco Mundo. Aizen would have been surprised to find out that most Arrancars outside of Las Noches merely viewed it as little more than a toy with little to no actual value. Even the Arrancars inside Las Noches saw it as a curiosity, but very few of those who served directly under Aizen saw any potential value to it and Mordrath was one of them. But Mordrath made sure that Aizen only saw him eyeing the throne and never the Hogyoku. Aizen proved to be like Baraggan, arrogant and so certain of his own judgment, and only saw the role that Mordrath was playing.
Aizen thought that those directly under his eyes were merely his tools. I must respect Mordrath for this at least: he proved that he was nobody's tool.
The mechanisms of her mind turned as she thought of the possibilities that the gathering of the houses could bring and also the pitfalls. She had to tread carefully among some of the houses. Her time as Empress earned her several enemies and when Baraggan shunned her she made even more. Yet she endured while most of her enemies fell by the way-side falling victim to "accidents" and "illness". She knew that, like Mordrath, she was a ruthless survivor and was willing to toss aside anyone who got in her way or proved to be a hindrance to her own life. A lesson that her son learned the hard way. While her son had foolishly charged into Las Noches, expecting to be welcomed back with open arms she had the intelligence and foresight to keep herself and her grand-children away from the fray. When he begged for her to help him, she refused.
How many of my enemies remain? Skullak Tuma remains, and perhaps that Gilga spawn that killed my son. Does that Tu Odelschwank bitch remain? Oh, how I would love to cut off her tits and rip out her uterus in place of that Harribel slut. Yes, and those houses that did not come to my aid even though they swore oaths of loyalty to me shall feel my wrath in full. The Guilds will not interfere with me so long as I can offer them something of tangible value for their cooperation.
Yes, the practical can save themselves from my fury. But, if I'm to succeed then Mordrath must die. The very fact that he's not dead yet and has been thriving in exile is troublesome. If he can gain a foothold in the Empire then I will have no choice but to kill him. Not just for my sake, but for my grand-children's sake.
Mahaut tapped a bony finger against her temple. She looked down and watched as a drop of blood hit the marble-covered vanity. A smile crept across her lips.
First will come the smiles then the blood.
She looked at her reflection in the mirror and saw a blood-stained wraith staring back.
In the end, I will remain.
End of Chapter 6
Encyclopedia Imperium:
House Rureaux: The oldest and most powerful house in the southern provinces of the Hueco Mundo Empire is House Rureaux. Their name goes back to long before the Kings of Day with the earliest reference found in the epic poem "King of Midnight" with the Necromancer-Bruja Llauka Reveau. The first historical reference to House Rureaux is found when Reydan Rureaux, who is called "The Viper King", conquered the city-state of Tibr and forced Queen Aelana Harribel to marry him in order for her family to be spared. The history of the Viper King is surrounded by myth, especially with the birth of his son, Oedus, "The Viper of Sorcery". According to legend, Reydan came across a bruja, a witch and soothsayer, as she bathed in the Moon River. Overcome with lust Reydan raped the bruja who in turn prophesized that "The Son of your lust shall be your bane and shall take your throne and wife." Before he could react the bruja vanished in a cloud of mist. Years later an army led by an Arrancar in a helmet resembling the head of a horned viper came to conquer Reydan's kingdom and fulfilling the bruja's prophecy when Oedus killed Reydan in single combat and raped Reydan's wife during the initial pillaging. House Rureaux ruled over much of the southern nations on the continent as the Viper Kings, but the coming of Artur the Conqueror changed things. The Viper King of the time, Shadaan Rureaux, faced the Conqueror in a forest of giant moon-wood trees. The battle was terrible and the forest was set ablaze by Artur the Conqueror's wyrms. Shadaan Rureaux was burnt alive in what became called, "The Battle of the Burning Moon." His son, Zohaar Rureaux, knew how things stood and so surrendered to the Conqueror. As a reward, House Rureaux was permitted to marry into the royal family and were permitted to retain much of their holdings and granted the title of "Chancellor of the South". Over time, House Rureaux became interested in gaining more economic, rather than political, power. Setting their eyes to the southern continent of Arros, House Rureaux was among the first to send explorers to map the continent's interior. This exploration gave rise to the Assembly of Arrosian Nations, a parliament formed originally of tribal chiefs and station agents, but as Imperial law and customs began to permeate Arrosian culture, the Assembly became solely composed of representatives of the various business interests, especially in regard to Imperial economics with House Rureaux pulling the strings from across the sea.
Sigil: a black horned viper on a blood-red field
Words: Beware Our Bite
Alliances: House Lorros, House Rosa (through blood-ties), House Luisenbarn (through marriage), House Mauvant (through trade arrangements), the Assembly of Arrosian Nations (through trade arrangements)
A.N. Throughout much of history marriages were used as political and economic maneuverings with no real thought to such things as compatibility or desire. This was especially the case involving the daughters of nobility and royalty. The notion of princesses being a romantic position in which security is assured does not reflect the reality that princesses faced. The daughters of nobility and royalty were often used as pawns in games of political and economic chess whose sole purpose was to secure a family's fortune. However, some of these "pawns" became masters in their own right as can be seen with Elizabeth I of England and Catherine the Great. Sometimes, these "pawns" threw entire nations into political disarray as was the case with Margaret of Anjou and Cleopatra.
Mahaut Luisenbarn has a number of historical influences. Her appearance is partially modeled after a combination of Alexandra of Denmark and Catherine the Great. Her personality is modeled after Mahaut d'Artois in Maurice Druon's The Accursed Kings and Joseph Stalin and Margaret of York.
Chapter Character Songs:
Mahaut Luisenbarn: "Castle" and "Control" by Halsey
Edaan Luisenbarn: "King Nothing" by Metallica
Aellana Luisenbarn: "Sis Puella Magica!" by Yuki Kajiura and "Re:Samishi" by Hiroyuki Sawano
Angello Rureaux: "This Old Death" by Ben Nichols
Annat Rureaux: "JINGO JUNGLE" by MYTH & ROID
Maat Rureaux: "Wild Leaves" by Patti Smith