her obedient servant. | remarried empress x f!reader

Thankfully, you had managed to save the servant, spending the rest of the night making sure she drew breath and assisted with nursing her back to health before you were called away by one of Sovieshu's aides. 

"Lebetti has arrived safely, and so has the servant you brought along. They are resting safely within the Palace and have agreed to testify against the Empress." He informs you, a relieved smile plastered on his face. You can tell he's exhausted, beyond that, actually. 

"Things will go smoothly. You must find the time to rest before the trial, Marquis."

He chuckles, nodding softly before leaving .

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It isn't long before there are protests and mockering hollered at Rashta from a crowd outside of the servant's infirmary is heard echoing around the capital. You can hear the splatters of vegetables and trash aimed at the criminal, fires being set ablaze to signify the rage that ignited amongst the people of the Empire.

It is finally the day of the Empress' trial. Everybody, including yourself is gathered on time within the courtroom, with the rulers of the Western Empire observing from an unseen distance. The crowd chatters amongst themselves, some placing bets on what the end of this trail may come to, some whispering about the crimes that are to be discussed. 

"All rise." 

Everyone in the room stands to their feet, a silence overtaken the air as the judge enters and sits at the highest table. 

In this room, everyone is bound by law—with the exception of you—and will be judged by the law. Every word matters, every action will dictate your fate, and every mistake will cost you more than you realise. You hope the wretched wench standing before the judge understands that. 

"The court is now in session with the honorable judge."

"You may all be seated."

The echos of shuffling and moving bounce along the walls of the building, "We will now begin the trail of the defendant, Rashta Iskua." 

After the formalities, the first to appear in the witness stand are the Count and Countess Iskua, the Empress' false parents. They testify against their 'daughter' whom they previously showered in love and affection, now telling the world of how they were paid and told to roleplay along with the Empress. 

You can see the look of betreyal in Rashta's face, that arrogant and careless attitude breaking down like shattered glass. Her resolve is crumbling and it is replaced with nothing but desperation and hatred. 

Hatred towards her husband, her fake parents—whom she loved more than she wished, and the world. Why is everything so against her? Why does everything keep trampling on her happiness that she so deserves? Was she born to be miserable, to be kept in a cage hidden from the world?

It's not fair. Nothing is fair. 

The claims just continue to pour in, like a lake, and it drowns her. She drowns in her faults, in her crimes, in her selfishness. Her debts haunt her, her stupidy mocks her, and the advice that she so confidently refused comes back and slaps her in the face.

A port transfer agreement made between her and a Duke.

The promissory note embezzlement she could have easily avoided.

Damage of private property leading to attempted murder.

Slander.

Attempted murder.

Rashta denies everything. She tells the judge that everyone is a liar. Perhaps he will believe him. Perhaps he will show a sliver of pity if she insisted enough, if she cried enough, or maybe if she begged enou—

"Your honor, I have a document I wish to reveal! It's the file of a criminal sentenced to slavery for fraud!" 

It's that journalist. The one you've been helping for months, the one you've guided. They call him the voice of justive, the conscience of the era. The crowd cheers as he unravels the envelope in his hands. 

"This criminal's name is Rashta and everything matches her Majesty, the Empress!"

Now the world knows that not only is she a criminal, but also a slave. 

The crowd grows with more anger, letting their disgust known. They scream curses at the Empress—once dressed in the finest of garments, now quivering in a dress made of socks, her hair  dishevelled, and her eyes brimming with tears. 

It's pleasant to see. 

More than a year's worth of hardwork leading up to this moment, just to see her shatter underneath the pressure of her own actions. It's wonderful seeing her mind break, its physically plastered all over her face. She has given up. She knows no one will help her. She knows nothing will come to save her. 

You take a step toward the witness stand. 

"The Empress openly slandered the Empress Navier during her stay in the Western Empire, claiming her to be infertile. Not only that, but she has spread false rumours about the exiled Duchess of our kingdom, Duchess Tuania, leading to the unfortunate divorce between her and the Duke of Tuania." You begin, opening documents containing proof and statements from the other noble ladies who were graced by the rumours. 

"To add to that, she has hired two mercenaries with the intent of kidnapping and murdering innocent people. Unfortunately, the life of an innocent man—may he rest in peace— was taken under her orders, and I had managed to personally stop the attempted kidnapping of Miss Lebetti, whom the Empress had a grudge against." The piles of papers on your stand continue to grow thicker, but you're not done yet.  

"After hiring two mercenaries, she decides it's not enough and decides to hire a third one."

She stares at you like a deer caught in headlights, her jaw trembling, pupils dilating in shock. 

"To expand on my claim, this journalist will speak for me—"

"The Emperor is impotent!" Rashta cuts you off.

You turn to look at her in shock, your jaw hanging open at the unpredictability of her words. 

"He made himself importent and falsely accused the previous Empress of being infertile, while I was made to bear a child with another man!" She exclaims, banging her chained hands against the table before her, "Empress Navier, who was divorced for being infertile, got pregnant right after her remarraige, isn't that proof that the Emperor has no seed!?"

You're resisting the very very strong urge to burst out laughing. Not expecting the silly girl to say such a thing about the very man she was so obsessed over. 

"Excuse me, your Majesty, please refrain from sharing your delusions as it is my time to speak." Joanson, the reporter speaks up, "Honorable Chief Justice, the man who claims to be the biological father of Empress Rashta and has a record of being sentenced to slavery, did you know he went missing after trying to meet with Empress Rashta?"

They bring out Rashta's biological father, someone you had completely forgotten about. You figured the current cases against her were solid enough for an execution or lifetime confinement. Gaze trailing towards the Emperor, he sends you a look that tells you it was he who took care of matters regarding the father. You thought the mercenary was hired for someone irrelevant, but the current situation still works in your favor regardless. 

The daughter and father duo look exactly alike. "The Empress told me she wanted to give a final gift because the situation was bad and asked me to come to the palace through a seculded path. On the way, I was dragged and killed by assailants, however thanks to passing guards, I was saved."

From then on, the trial proceeded smoothly, with absolutely nothing working in Rashta's favor. By the end of it, Rashta is screaming at everyone and everything, the arms restrained by guards. 

"The crimes committed are serious and inhumane," the judge begins, "They are enough for execution, however considering that the defendant was once an Empress, her sentence will be reduced to confinement."

By the end of the day, Sovieshu has also lifted the exile of Koshar and the Viscount Landre.

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not proofreaaaad