"I slept for both of us, I think."
Caoimhe smile.The two of them were opposites when it came to sleep.Eleanor slept a lot.Caoimhe didn't sleep much.When they were younger, Caoimhe would sleep with Eleanor to take care of her, as she always said at night.Their mother had always said Caoimhe would baby and care for her sister.
And all her life, that's what Caoimhe has done.She's protected and cared for her sister so that nothing terrible happened to her.
Regardless of the circumstances.The Emperor did not appreciate it, but there was little he could do.The Empress permitted it, and when the Empress died, the Emperor gave the girls whatever they wanted to pacify them.More of an attempt to keep them quiet, Caoimhe had always suspected.
Good little princesses remain quiet.
Good little princesses are perfect.
Good little princesses do not speak about their mother's death.
And for all their lives, that's how the two princesses were.As much as they could be, of course.It had been harder on Eleanor over the years because she was younger.The poor girl had even had some trauma memory wiping done.Now, Eleanor pushed medical professionals to remove the procedure, except in extreme circumstances.
While her father didn't like Eleanor's charity, he didn't stop her from doing it.Probably because he wanted her to be available to marry if he managed to secure another treaty.
Caoimhe, however, he saw differently.
Being the oldest, she was the one who would inherit the title of Empress and lead the Terran Empire.So he'd been preparing her for that for the last few years.She'd been working in the Royal Senate, learning government procedures and how everything tied together.
It also gave her a way to make friends with many system senators and learn who was in her father's pocket and who was more open to different ideas.
Like ending the war.
Something she'd been wanting to facilitate for several years now, but finding the backing and the proper channels to make it happen had been difficult.It seemed her father would cut her off every time she got close to finding some kind of hole to get her ideas heard.
"Good morning, Imperial Princess," the Emperor said as he came into the dining hall.
He looked his usual tall, slender self.Today, he wore a red and white woven cloak that broadened his shoulders and made him look intimidating, even without his crown.
"Good morning, Emperor," Caoimhe replied.
Her sister, Eleanor, replied with the same greeting, and the two of them sounded like songbirds mimicking each other.At least, that's what Caoimhe always thought.
He didn't bother looking at Eleanor.
"And what is a part of your plans for today," he asked as he seated himself at the head of the meal table, his gaze landing on Caoimhe.
For once, why don't you ask your other daughter?She wondered.But she didn't dare say that.It seemed the Emperor had little to no use for his other daughter, except as a backup plan for his negotiations.
"Research, it seems," she replied.
"What are you researching today?"
"Terran historical documents."
"For?"
"Proof that the Terran Empire did not take prisoners during wartime activities."
"And why is that important?"
"Idle curiosity," Caoimhe said.
"We have a wager," Eleanor added."I thought I had read that the Empire had taken war prisoners before, and Caoimhe was certain we never had."
The Emperor's gaze cut to Eleanor, then back to Caoimhe."You are right as usual, Caoimhe.We have never taken prisoners of war.The Terran Empire does not believe in attempting to rehabilitate prisoners.This year's prisoners are next year's rebellion.They are a waste of time."
