"That girl!", the Empress shrieked, her voice hoarse. "That insolent girl! She has no place here, no right!"
Her faithful nanny, Jessica moved slowly through the wreckage the Empress had caused.
"My child," she said, her voice a gentle balm. "This will not do. Your anger is poison, and it is a poison you are turning on yourself."
The Empress turned on her, her eyes blazing. "How can I not be angry? I am the Empress, and I have been humiliated continuously by a frail girl! She has taken everything from me! The Emperor's eye, the court's praises..."
"Shhh," the nanny soothed, stepping closer. "Control yourself. The walls have ears, and an empress does not let her enemies see her unravel." She reached out to place a hand on the Empress's arm, her touch a calming presence. "Let us sit. Let us talk about what to do next."
The Empress flinched, her body still with rage. She pushed Jessica's hand away and sank into a cushioned chair, her fists clenched in her lap.
