The streets of Verona were alight with the raucous cheers of townsfolk as they celebrated the tenth anniversary of their young Empress' inauguration, the woman in question standing atop the balcony of her grand palace, waving to those gathered in the square as they responded back in delight

As she walked back into her bedchambers, swinging the grand balcony doors closed the once peaceful and benevolent smile that had grazed her lips made way to a deep scowl, a servant presenting her with a bucket of soaped water for her to wash the hand she had waved to the people a minute prior "Vile bottom feeders" Her venomous voice cracking like a whip "And you, bring the whore to me" the footman nodding and scampering away like a rabbit

As she waited, sitting atop her decorated matress she kept scrubbing now dried hands, thinking of her subjects as nothing more than an number to leverage over other nobles "The prisoner, ma'am" And with a thump said prisoner was thrown into the bedchambers, her knees hitting the wooden floor with a painful crack

"Dirty animal, you do not deserve to even breathe upon my carpets" Seraphina looked over the thief, her dirtied face looking back up at her "A cur like you dares to attempt to steal from me? Pathetic" a hand cracking against the side of the pauper's muddied cheek "to think you could not at least do me the curtesy of being a half competent crook if you must be one"

The Empress' hand coming to a bruising grip upon the woman's chin, forcing her head upwards to look at her upturned chin "Tell me, what is your name?"