The New Star: Interlude 19

“Granddaughter, I give you my greetings from the Scarlet Throne. I have prepared this personal message for you so that you can fully appreciate the seriousness with which I am treating you.
Your father, my son, has caused the Empire a great deal of trouble with his rebellion. For his crime of treason, he must die.
Your husband has meddled with forces beyond his wit and strength and has paid the ultimate price. This saves me the bother of having him executed for his blasphemies against the natural order.
But you… you are different. In you I see not a traitor or a heretic, but an opportunistic Dragon-Blooded making good capital from her circumstances. You have acted much as I imagine I would have done in your situation. By profiting from the crimes of others you are, of course, a criminal yourself, but I am prepared to overlook and, yes, forgive this if you will accept my offer. Only if you are foolish enough to reject me will you suffer the full punishment that you are due.
Here, then, is my offer to you, Anna: bring the rebellious satrapies of the Federation back into the Empire and I will restore you to the House of Mnemon; the Imperial Family. You and your line shall be the lords of the East for as long as your House shall last.
The Federation must die. Its territories must be reabsorbed into the Empire. The anathema threaten us from all sides in this dark time; only in unity will we have the strength to save the world from their evil. I am the Scarlet Empress now. I will tolerate no opposition to my will; no rival to challenge my authority.
The Empire, long divided, must unite.”

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