The Puppet Emperor Regresses

Bella sighed as she collapsed onto her small bed in the servants' quarters, her muscles aching from another long day of work.

Ever since the attempt on Prince Mikhail's life a few months ago, His Highness's villa had been a whirlwind of activity, and sometimes she felt as if she could barely keep up. 

But she couldn't help but feel pride in what she'd made of her life. After all, how many girls from the Lower City could say they worked in a prince's household?

As she lay there, staring at the ceiling, Bella's mind wandered back to her childhood in Tiberium's Lower City.

She could still remember the constant rumble of the mana trains passing overhead, their gleaming carriages seeming to defy gravity as they zipped between the towering spires of the Imperial capital. 

Her father, a humble cobbler with a small shop in the artisan's quarter, had scrimped and saved to ensure she received a proper education. "Knowledge is the key to a better life," he always said, and Bella had taken those words to heart.

She'd thrown herself into her studies, learning her letters and numbers with a fervour that surprised even her teachers. And when an opportunity arose to apply for Imperial Servant's Training, Bella had leapt at the chance. 

The day she'd been accepted was still the proudest moment of her young life.

Now, at sixteen, she found herself in the household of Prince Mikhail himself. It was more than she could have ever dreamed of, even if the reality was... somewhat different from what she'd imagined.

Bella's brow furrowed as she thought about the young prince. He was an enigma. Only six years old, yet he didn't behave like a normal child, and it was often frightening. 

She'd seen him reduce tutors to tears, scream at all the mage instructors the Spire sent to continue his magical education, and throw tantrums that would put the most spoiled noble child to shame.

Bella worried about the prince's education, if he didn't start paying attention to his lessons, how would he ever learn to read and write properly? And what about his magical studies? 

Prince Aether was already such an accomplished mage at his young age. At this rate, Prince Mikhail would never catch up to his older brother. The thought made Bella's heart ache with concern for the young royal.

Just last week, there had been that incident with Magister Elara, a respected instructor from the Radiant Citadel, the Empress's personal academy. Bella giggled to herself as she recalled the scene.

The Magister had arrived, all pomp and circumstance in her flowing robes, ready to impart her vast knowledge to the young prince. 

After all, she had tutored both royal princesses and even the Crown Princess in their early youth. But from the moment she'd begun her lesson, Prince Mikhail had been impossible.

Poor Magister Elara had sputtered and stammered, clearly unprepared for such a petulant child. And when she'd failed to control her temper, the prince had declared her an "incompetent buffoon" and demanded she be removed from the villa.

"Hmm...", Bella pondered for a moment, "It seems His Highness has a vendetta against grown-ups named 'Elara'. First the old Head Maid, and now the Magister. It's lucky that I have such a sweet-sounding name." 

Bella's thoughts drifted to the Empress, and she felt a pang of sympathy for the woman. How difficult it must be, to love and care for a child that wasn't of her own blood.

Bella remembered the beautiful garments the Empress had sent for the prince's important imperial test a few months ago, meticulously crafted and imbued with protective magic. 

It was such a shame that they had to be returned afterwards. Still, it showed how much the Empress cared for the young prince, didn't it?

That thought reminded Bella of her promise to report any concerns about the prince's well-being. She'd been diligent in her observations, always eager to share news of the prince during afternoon gossip sessions with her new friends who worked in the palace. 

Their eyes would light up with interest at every tidbit she shared, no matter how small. Bella's heart swelled with pride at being such a valuable friend to such important servants. 

The Empress was clearly worried about her dear stepson's progress. It was Bella's duty to ensure that the kind and gracious Empress was kept well-informed about the prince's well-being.

As she pondered these things, Bella reflected on the sheer power wielded by those who could use magic or manipulate aura. Why would Prince Mikhail waste such a valuable chance to learn from Mage masters of the Spire? 

She'd seen demonstrations during festivals, mages conjuring fantastical illusions or warriors splitting boulders with a single strike. To be surrounded by such power every day was both terrifying and awe-inspiring. 

She sent a silent prayer of thanks to whatever god might be listening for her good fortune.

Bella's mind wandered to her family, still living in their modest home in the Lower City. She missed them terribly, especially her father. She could almost hear his voice now, telling her stories of the vast Tiberian Empire. 

"It would take years to walk across it all, my dear," he'd say, his eyes twinkling. "That's why we have the mana trains. Can you imagine trying to govern such a massive realm without them?"

At the time, Bella had nodded seriously, trying to comprehend the sheer scale of the empire. Even now, having lived in the Imperial Palace for months, she still couldn't quite wrap her head around it. 

The idea that there were places within the empire that she might never see in her lifetime was both exciting and a little frightening.

A yawn escaped her lips, and Bella realised how late it had grown. But sleep eluded her as her mind continued to churn with thoughts of events from the past few months and the strange dynamics of the prince's household.

The arrival of Lady Lydia Thornbrook as the new Head Maid had brought significant changes. At first, Bella had been wary of the newcomer, especially given the unconventional way she'd been appointed. 

But she had to admit, the house did seem to run more smoothly now. There was an air of efficiency and purpose that hadn't been there before.

Still, the increased workload was taking its toll. Bella found herself sinking into bed each night, completely exhausted, muscles aching from the day's labours. And yet, she couldn't bring herself to complain. 

Bella's thoughts drifted to that strange day when Lady Thornbrook had tried to have her dismissed. She still didn't know the reason behind it, only that the prince himself had intervened on her behalf. 

It was one of those moments that made Bella question everything she thought she knew about the young royal. One moment he could be a terror, reducing grown adults to tears, and the next, he was her unexpected saviour.

The influx of new faces in the household had been overwhelming at times. Bella prided herself on her ability to remember names and faces, but even she was struggling to keep up. 

It seemed like every day brought new staff, each with their own quirks and responsibilities. She wondered idly if this was the prince's doing as well, this gradual replacement of the old guard with new blood.

Then there were the mysteries. For months now, the prince had been spending hours upon hours in his rooms, emerging only for meals. 

Each time he ventured out of what Bella now thought of as his 'training hall', he seemed exhausted, as though he'd spent all day on some strenuous exercise that had drained not just his body, but his very soul. 

Lady Thornbrook seemed to know what was going on, but Bella remained in the dark, her curiosity burning with each passing day.

The basement had been cleared out and cleaned, and the storerooms were being filled with supplies that seemed to vanish into thin air. 

Bella had checked the storerooms herself after one such occasion, curious about where all those crates and barrels had gone, but found no trace of them.

And now, this latest development – the prince's absence from meals. It had been a week since anyone had seen him outside his bedchamber. 

Lady Thornbrook insisted he was simply feeling unwell, but Bella couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss. It was as if the prince had vanished entirely. 

What concerned Bella most was that despite Lady Thornbrook's assurances that the prince was merely under the weather, no healer had been called to attend to him. It all seemed rather odd.

She should ask her friends in the main palace about it tomorrow, she thought. Surely they would know something, working as they did for the Empress herself. 

A twinge of envy shot through her. As grateful as she was for her position, she couldn't help but imagine what it would be like to work in the heart of the Imperial Palace, to catch glimpses of the Emperor and Empress going about their daily lives.

But no, she chided herself. She was fortunate to be where she was. How many others could say they worked in a prince's household? Even if that prince was... unusual.

As sleep finally began to claim her, Bella's last thoughts were of the prince. She hoped that he would recover from whatever ailed him soon.