To Her Imperial Dread, Nak-Su, Empress of the Romina Imperium

I do not come with flattery, nor trembling hands. I have crossed the Bleeding Vale and walked beneath the ruined arches of fallen kingdoms, not to kneel, but to speak. You do not know me, but I know who does.

There is a bond between us, forged in a time before that cursed crown. You may pretend to forget.You may strike me down upon arrival, or you may grant me a single audience. I ask for no mercy, only that you look into my eyes before deciding what I deserve. I bring neither blade nor banner. Only the truth. And something else you tossed aside: Someone who still remembers who Suzanna was.

• Signed,
  Micheal
  Witness of a Promise Once Made.

Suzanna

A name once spoken with warmth, She was the golden jewel of Romina. Born with laughter in her voice and stars in her eyes. Beloved for her humor, adored for her beauty, revered for her kindness. Suzanna was not a distant noble but a daughter of the people. She would perform theatrical tales for children in the market square and walk among her soldiers without escort. She was joy incarnate, duty-bound, and radiant.

Alone she could not hold a crumbling kingdom. The Romina Kingdom began to rot from within. Corruption ate away at its heart with nobles scheming for power, generals selling secrets, priests whispering heresy. With the inevitable weakening, foreign powers circled like vultures to drag the land into war. Soon its council was fractured and Suzanna’s father, King Micheal XII, lay still.

Suzanna stood on the edge of her people's ruin. Her only salvation was hidden deep beneath the palace in the forbidden safes of her ancestors: Sarovik’s Crown. An artifact sealed away by wiser bloodlines, said to grant its bearer dominion over magic and will itself but at the cost of yours. Suzanna knew the risks. The love for her kingdom and her duty outweighed her fears. She placed the crown upon her head and the world changed.

The wars ended, the traitors burned, the nobles swore fealty. Peace returned, but not without loss. Each victory twisted something within her. The crown demanded control, and she gave it. Her laughter dimmed. Her voice lost warmth. In time, even the name Suzanna felt foreign on her tongue. She shed it like a snake shedding skin. From the ashes she forged a new empire. The Romina Imperium. And from its Obsidian Throne, she ruled as Nak-Su, sole ruler forevermore. Her court became a place of silence, dread, and yes men. Her eyes, now saw through falsehood. Her magic corrupted the laws of nature. And yet, there are moments, alone in the great halls or among the ruins of her palace gardens, was a woman grieving.

She is the Fallen Princess, who traded light for survival. Whose power isolates her as much as it empowers. The Tyrant ruling a kingdom. They can call her a monster, a goddess, she doesn’t care. For only she remembers the truth that was Suzanna. A woman who wanted to save a home that broke her and gave rise to an empress who remembers love but rules with dread.