Reader POV (age 16 year x818)

It was a cold winter's morning in December when I heard rushing about in the palace.

"What's going on?" Dawn asked me, her twin following.

"I don't know." I stood up and put my book down, marking the page and leaving the courtyard where a hot spring's heat was keeping us warm in the bitter cold.

"I love the cold," Mei sighed as my sisters all followed me.

I saw people carrying someone on the royal stretcher.

Their hand fell out of the stretcher and a piece of paper dropped out of their hands.

I picked it up and it was an ambush warning from the Ishiran kingdom.

"Your Highness," the second head guard Zora Shang bowed to me, sadness in his sapphire eyes. "Come with me."

I nodded and told my sisters to stay put, Mei reassuring me she would make sure they did with a knowing glance.

Zora guided me into a different hall. "Your father and my father both were found this morning with other soldiers on the Kunlun Shan mountains this morning."

My eyes widened when I listened to what he said.

"It was the Ishiran kingdom. My father's surving scouts say that the red flags of the Ishiran kingdom were seen on the arrows that killed them." Zora looked down.

"I understand." I patted his shoulder and felt chills. "I shall tell my sister. Thank you, Zora."

"Princess-"

I stopped and turned my head. "Yes, Zora?"

"You are to become the empress of the Shigami empire," he said as he got onto his knee and bowed his head. "I've known you since we were children. I will serve you until the gods above so choose to take us back to the heavens with our ancestors. I will forever remain loyal to you."

"Thank you, Zora. And I believe you are now assuming your father's position as the head guard?"

"I am." He nodded and rose. "I will protect you with my life, Princess."

I nodded once and turned back inside, shivering at the cold.

He took off his cloak and draped it around my shoulders. "You're cold."

"It is the weather, noble guard."

"Allow me to give you my cloak. It will protect you from the cold."

I gave him a smile. "Thank you, Zora."

He escorted me back to my sisters who all looked at us with amusement twinkling in their (e/c) and brown eyes.

They knew of my close relationship with the head guard.

"Sisters, come with me. I've terrible news."

Their smiles disappeared and they followed me to the courtyard, Zora following since he told me he had some things he managed to snag from the battlefield before the Ishirans wiped the rest of the 1st infantry division.

"(y/n), what is it?" 11-year-old Hana asked me with worry.

I looked up at the snowy skies. "Father has passed away. At the western front."

"Where we told him not to go..." Mei looked down at her necklace Father gave her for her 16th birthday.

While Mei was still younger than me, we were born in the same year.

I was born on January 1st and she was born in September, on the 19th day.

I looked down at my sisters who were all crying loudly.

"Your father died an honorable man," Zora said as he bowed and presented me my father's war helmet as well as his medallion and sword.

My sisters sought comfort with each other while I accepted the medallion.

I clutched it and placed it over my neck for me to keep. "I understand. Zora, please leave us. Send the official death documents out to the kingdom. Let our people know what has happened and that I shall assume the throne as I am the firstborn."

"Certainly, Your Highness." He bowed and left, giving me one last look.

"Whatever shall we do now, Sister?" Dawn asked. "Surely you cannot assume his throne-"

"And why not?" I asked my sister. "I am the firstborn to our parents. It is my birthright to inherit their empire and protect Shigami from Ishiro."

My sisters exchanged glances and Mei gave them a glare to trust in me. "She is right, sisters. She is the eldest."

"But Mei is more known by the people!" Dawn's twin Dusk argued. "You aren't known by the people, sister (y/n)."

I turned my head to the side as I walked away from them, clutching my father's war helmet as well as his sword. "Do you question my birthright, little sister?"

"No-"

"Then silence yourself." I took a deep breath. "It is now my responsibility to take care of you five as well as our people. We just lost Father. Had he been alive to hear that comment, he would scold you so, Dusk."

The silver-haired girl with (e/c) eyes looked down with shame.

I left them in the room, crossing the field covered in snow to the other side of the palace, watching the towers raise the flag of the Shigami empire as well as the great wall in the far distance shooting off three blanks every fifteenth second.

The death of a ruler is never one to take lightly.

It could spring an empire into chaos if the people are not assured that the government was stable and able to protect them from invaders.

I had a meeting with the council and that lasted about two hours.

I left the building to go see the heads of the military to assure Zora Shang's place as the head of the Imperial Guard.

"Your Highness!"

I paused and saw my lady in waiting Sorano Li running towards me with a letter. "Yes?"

"This has arrived from the Ishiran royal palace! Emperor Kai has sent it personally."

I accepted the letter. "Thank you, Sorano."

I read the letter quickly and scoffed.

True I had met the Ishiran Emperor long ago, but he had changed.

I had seen firsthand how he could turn into a black dragon just as I could turn into a red dragon.

It was a trait that both our families had.

House Tang had the powers of the crimson and azul dragon (as my grandfather had as well as Father's older brother who died young).

House Shang of the Ishiran kingdom wasn't one to take lightly, considering they had the powers of the black and white dragons.

Although the last person to have the white dragon in the Shang family was none other Emperor Kirito two hundred years ago when there was nothing but peace between the two lands.

Before the great wall was built between the two kingdoms.

______

"We will meet as a state assembly from all provinces two days from now as well as inviting Emperor Shang Kai," I said as I reviewed the funeral plans for Father's death. "See to it that the royal storage of rice is distributed throughout the kingdom; especially the poorer areas."

Zora crossed his arms. "Is it wise to invite the emperor of Ishiro to the funeral of the late emperor? It was his army that killed our army as well as your father."

"I do not have solid enough evidence to do so," I said sternly to Zora. "I can promise you this: as soon as we get solid evidence they killed our army and your father on the order of Emperor Kai, we will show no mercy."

Zora seemed satisfied with my answer and called his men and women to follow him to go about their duties as well as sending the scouts to the provinces to deliver the official statement.

"And what about Her Royal Highness's coronation?" The wise monk of the court asked.

"Surely you intend to give the crown to Princess Mei as she is more known by the people?" A newer monk asked.

I glared at him. "Young fool. I do not intend to give the crown to her. I am the firstborn to Emperor Yin Yue and Empress Li-Na. I shall thank you to never speak of this again."

He bowed his head respectfully.

I gazed at everyone else. "Does anyone else agree that Princess Tang Mei is a more just ruler than I?"

No one dared to answer me.

"Very well. Mei may be known by the people more, but it is I who has the crimson dragon that will protect this kingdom."

And I will be the one to lay my life for my crown and empire as needed.

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Yes, ik I am on a hiatus BUT I don't care right now.