In the Shadow of the Crown

Year 723 of the Imperial Calendar, Summer.

It had been a season of relentless change, one that began after the Emperor’s grand birthday celebration and showed no signs of slowing.

The Empire of Luvein was evolving.

Education, unity, and now…medicine.

But today, Raen had only one order:

To immortalize the beauty of the Goddess of Arts.

The greatest artists and sculptors of the Empire had been summoned.

Today, they would begin their most important work - capturing the radiance of the Empress in forms that would outlive even time itself.

***

The palace gates opened at dawn.

Carriages of different designs and sizes entered one after another, each bearing the emblem of a renowned master.

The best painters, sculptors, and architects had been called upon, and they all arrived in reverence.

For them, it was not simply an invitation.

It was a divine command.

How could they refuse?

To stand before the Goddess of Arts, to witness her beauty firsthand to capture it in eternal form, it was the ultimate honor.

By the time the sun had fully risen, the palace courtyard was filled with talent.

They were led through the halls with silent precision, their eyes darting over the grandeur surrounding them, but none spoke.

Because what awaited them…

Was beyond their imagination.

***

The doors to the royal hall opened.

And then…they saw her.

Seated upon an elevated dais, bathed in the morning light, was Eliza.

She was unearthly.

Her gown was made of soft moonlit silk, woven with delicate silver patterns that shimmered with every movement. It was designed not to overshadow, but to enhance the radiance of her very being.

And her hair...

No longer golden, but the color of the living moon.

It was soft, flowing like liquid silver, shifting subtly under the light, catching and reflecting every glimmer.

Her eyes…

They held the depths of the ocean and the endless sky at once, shifting in their hues depending on the angle of light.

To gaze upon her was to witness art itself.

The masters, seasoned and revered in their fields, forgot how to breathe.

Some unconsciously dropped to their knees.

They had painted beauty before. They had sculpted kings and queens.

But this…this was divinity incarnate.

Raen, seated beside her, watched their reactions with quiet satisfaction.

"Yes… bow before my goddess."

And then, he spoke:

"Immortalize her."

The command was simple, but its weight was immense.

And so, they obeyed.

***

Each artist approached the task in their own way.

The painters sketched furiously, each stroke made with both awe and desperation, as if afraid that capturing her beauty was impossible.

The sculptors measured every delicate feature, their hands trembling as they envisioned marble and gold forming her image.

The architects designed new halls, theaters, and shrines dedicated solely to her presence.

And those gifted with magic wove enchantments into their work, ensuring that each piece would not only depict her beauty but radiate it.

They worked in complete silence, for no words were needed.

They were not simply creating art.

They were crafting eternity.

After several hours, Raen finally asked:

"How long?"

The masters hesitated before responding.

A renowned sculptor bowed deeply.

"Your Majesty…If we work without pause, aided by the finest magic and materials, the paintings will be completed within two months. The sculptures, however… at least six."

A painter added:

"If we wish to create something truly eternal, the magic imbued into each piece will need time to settle. The most powerful enchantments could take a full year to reach perfection."

Raen considered this.

"Then do it. No matter how long it takes, I want nothing less than perfection."

And so, they continued.

***

Yet, not all eyes were on Eliza.

Seated in a separate part of the hall was Celestina, the Emperor’s second wife.

Unlike Eliza, she was not an artist’s muse. She was a princess of royal blood, a perfect example of aristocratic refinement.

Though she did not shine like the Goddess, she was still respected.

But unlike the others, she did not envy Eliza.

She wanted the best for her.

She had seen how Eliza lived. How she obeyed. How she never resisted.

And Celestina…did not accept it.

That was why, each time, she changed her approach.

Every plan she made was with one goal in mind to awaken Eliza. To make her independent.

But it was not easy.

Not when Raen controlled her so completely.

Still, Celestina did not give up.

She would not.

She could not.

Because Eliza deserved more.

***

As the sun began to set, Raen called for a council meeting.

The ministers, nobles, and scholars gathered in the grand chamber, expecting yet another imperial decree.

And they were not wrong.

But what he proposed next stunned them all.

"Our Empire will not only be the greatest in art, knowledge, and unity."

A pause.

Then, his voice deepened with command.

"It will have the finest medical advancements in the world."

The room fell into silence.

Medicine?

It was an unexpected ambition for a ruler.

But Raen’s gaze was firm.

"Our doctors will receive the best knowledge available. I will summon healers from across the continent if I must."

One minister hesitated.

"Your Majesty…this would require immense resources. Not only funding but also…trust. Do we truly wish to grant such power to healers?"

Raen’s expression did not waver.

"Life is power. And I will not allow death to take what belongs to me."

The council understood.

This was not just a political move.

It was personal.

And his gaze, even for a fleeting moment, flickered toward Eliza.

Toward her delicate frame.

Her three-month pregnancy.

Raen would not risk her.

Not now.

Not ever.

***

When night finally fell, the palace grew quiet.

The artists had long since departed, their minds and souls forever altered by what they had witnessed.

In the Emperor’s study, Raen sat with Eliza.

She knelt beside him, her silver hair cascading over his lap, her breathing slow and even.

She was exhausted.

Yet, she did not complain.

She never did.

Raen ran a hand through her soft, moonlit strands, watching the way they caught the candlelight.

"You shone beautifully today."

A pause.

Then...

"You always do."

She did not answer.

She simply closed her eyes.

And Raen smiled.

"The world will remember you, my goddess."

"And with you, they will remember me."