Arkaim.
Palace of Spring.
The moment Sophia entered her bedroom, she kicked off her high heels with all her strength, then threw herself onto the bed.
Tired. So tired.
For the first time, she discovered that being Empress involved so much tedious work.
Today, she had reviewed the palace guard, standing stiffly on the platform for over two hours as she watched them perform all manner of strange formations and displays. Then she attended the opening ceremony of a Quidditch match, and finally awarded medals to twenty shamans who had just graduated from the Ancestral Mausoleum...
She actually began to miss her uncle, Grand Duke Ivan. Her uncle had always been more than willing to take on these tasks that won over the people.
If this was the price of power, the throne suddenly did not seem so appealing.
Just endure it a little longer. One more month. Once she had settled all the duties and spheres of influence that had once belonged to Ivan, she could relax a little...
As she comforted herself, she somehow drifted off to sleep on the bed...
"Your Majesty, Madame Yaga wishes to see you." Suddenly, the maid's voice outside the door startled her awake.
Sophia jerked her head up from the pillow. After a moment of confusion, she barely managed to suppress the urge to fall asleep again. She struggled to her feet, straightened her appearance, and said, "Let her in."
"Madame Yaga, what brings you here?"
The hunched old woman slowly entered. "An official told me that you nearly fell asleep during the opening ceremony of the match?"
"Who was it?" Sophia asked angrily. "Igor?"
"Spare that poor child. He was only fulfilling his duty." Madame Yaga shook her head. "You should be grateful that no one captured that moment, and grateful