Breaking and Entering [Closed]

Irina spent her days working odd jobs for people until she would be able to afford her own place. She rented rooms from inns for each night and sometimes had to sleep in the alley or ask another for a bed. People were quite generous at times, but not always. She couldn't use them forever. Most pitied her situation; her desperate search for her daughter was something people couldn't imagine so they helped her more easily. Each day, Irina sat outside the palace, hoping her name would be called or a she'd be approached with good news. Yesterday, she got some news on where he would be. She took this chance and made her way to the construction project, sneaking through the moment she could.

It was dumb for people to go on break at the same time. Irina noticed that about some working in the palace. She'll warn the Emperor if she ever gets to meet him! Irina snuck around until she caught a glimpse of the man she had been looking for. Her eyes widened as a bit of hope began to re-light within them. She was nervous though. How should she approach him? Well, if she wasn't so desperate she might have thought about that. Instead, Irina ran toward him as quickly as she could. "Excuse me! Emperor! Please! Emperor!" she called out. The guards all noticed her and would probably go to attack, but the moment she got close enough, Irina dropped to the ground and slid until she stopped in front of him. "Emperor. Please, I need to speak with you. My name is Irina Valkov. I've filled out request after request, but received no reply. I am in desperate need of your help. You're my last chance..."

For any moment that he was speaking, Irina shut her mouth. She kept her face low, her nose half an inch from the ground. "I'm sorry." she said quickly when he scolded her. Her eyes widened when he implied he had been trying to find her. So he did get her requests? Irina felt tears welling up, but tried holding them back. When he said to raise her head, she did exactly that. She kept her hands on the ground, but looked up to him. "Emperor, thank you." she said with a tear running down her cheek, "Seventeen years ago, my husband stole my daughter and vanished. I've been looking everywhere. I've been to each city and any town I can find in between. I have not been able to find a trace of him."

"I fear what he will do to her now that she's older. He is a violent and cruel man, one that I planned on leaving, but he found out and that is why he took her. After he beat me, he vanished. You're the only one I can think of that may be able to help me get my little girl back. She was only a baby when she was taken... I don't even know what she'll look like now." Irina lowered her head and was obviously holding back more tears, "Please, Emperor... I need help. I'm giving up hope... I can't do this alone and have no one else that can help me... I really don't know what to do. I'm so desperate..."

Irina was confused by his question. Does she have strength? His explanation made things a bit clearer. "I understand why you asked those questions, but I'm not that strong anymore. However, I'm not stupid or unable to think logically about a situation. I will not blame you or the Empire. I will not harm myself if things do not go like I want them to. I just need help. I've been alone in this for so long... I just need the help." Irina explained as clearly as she could. She didn't feel like she was mentally strong, but she wasn't one to point blame where it didn't belong. The Emperor went on and Irina listened intently.

Irina was completely surprised. She stared at him with wide eyes. Joy practically exploded within them. "That is more than I ever thought could be offered. I thought I would be searching through files and records on my own, but you're okay with hiring professionals for me? That's a blessing, Emperor. Thank you so much." Irina looked around and then back to him. "Do you mind if I stand up?" Once given the okay, Irina stood up and wiped off her skirt. "For the first time in a very long time, I feel like I can smile again..." Irina wiped a final tear from her eyes and then pointed back toward the wall, "Your guards take breaks at the same time. It's how I was able to get in. They shouldn't do that."

"I didn't mean to get anyone in trouble. Everyone needs a break and they probably want to take it with their friends... They should just break right near the opening, or they could have different friends break at different times. It depends on whet-..." Irina stopped when she realized she was rambling and bowed, "Sorry. I sometimes talk too much, especially when I'm nervous. And it's a little scary being near someone like you. N-Not that you're scary! I mean, you are, but not in a bad sense... It's more intimidating, which is good becau-..." She stopped again and smacked herself on the forehead, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, "I'm doing it again, sorry. I'll try and stop that, My mistake."

Irina followed as instructed, but wasn't sure where to stand. She stood behind him first, then moved to the side, and then moved to stand by him, but that felt off, so she backed up again. "Her name is Anastasia Valkov." Irina said with pride, making sure her little girl went on with her last name, not her Fathers, "She'll be eighteen now. I've missed every important part of her growing up." Irina wanted to explain why she cried. It was because of what might be happening to her daughter, but the Emperor was chatty! It was kind of cute, actually, but she didn't expect it! She couldn't help but smile at him. "Actually I don't have a home here. I've been traveling. I haven't had a home or job in years."

"This man..." Irina was speechless. When he turned to her, she stopped in her tracks and stared at him with a look of awe on her face. Irina answered his final question with a slow nod. "You're amazing." Irina stated in the most sincere and upfront way one could. It was like it just slipped out and had an air of surprise. She obviously didn't expect this much. "All in one day, you've offered help in finding my child, giving me a home to start out with, and a job. I can't explain how I feel right now. I'm delighted, nervous, hopeful, excited, thankful, and scared to death, but..." Irina sighed and giggled, "I'm really just a house wife, but before that I was a secretary for a large lumber company in Aurizon."

"That was nineteen years ago though, before I got pregnant. Oh, how exciting!" Irina ran her fingers through her hair and shuffled her feet excitedly, holding  back a lot of sqee. She looked around the gardens for no reason. She looked up to the palace for no reason. She hopped around, spinning, and swinging her arms out of glee. "Oh my goodness, I swear, I'd hug you if I didn't think I'd get shot!" she said with another excited foot shuffle and then realized once again how she was acting. "Oh my." she stopped and looked to him with a huge blush on her face, "So sorry. I think I may have gone a bit over board there. I just haven't felt so much joy in so long. I really should contr-. Not rambling again. Aye."

Irina was happy. There was nothing else to describe it. She was just happy. She followed the Emperor through the palace and was surprised about how busy it was. She looked around with a dropped jaw. She hopped out of peoples way, not used to the flow of the palace. "There are a lot more people in here than I thought." Irina did her best to take in the scenery, but this was rather fast paced. She kept feeling like she was going to bump into someone. It wasn't even like this at the company she worked for. "Well that's a relief..." she replied happily about the intern comment. "I certainly have. Can't imagine living anywhere else. I've been just about everywhere too. I'm actually rather well traveled."

As they reached the staircase to the second floor, Irina thought about his question. His demeanor changed. "You're really worried about what's happening out there, aren't you?" she tilted her head and asked sweetly, but then realized the implications, "Well, being the Emperor, obviously you are worried about the state of your country and the people... It's just nice to hear it from the Emperor himself. Being out there, you don't really know what's going on in this big place. Everyone has their problems, big and small, but..." Irina looked out toward the busy floor, "...it's nice to know that the man we all look to for guidance is as the man we all think. It'd be disappointing to find out you didn't care."

Irina was rambling again. She mentally hit herself and then squinted her eyes. "Problems... problems..." Irina looked annoyed for a moment and then crossed her arms, "I'm not sure I can answer that question actually. The people of Zakat live a very different life than I have. I travel from city to city or town to town. I haven't had a job in years because of it. I don't deal with the every day issues that need to be fixed. I can tell you where would be a good place to settle a new town because of a nice river or good mine nearby. I can tell you where roads need to be kept up because they're used more than the Empire thinks. I could tell you where some bandits hide, but not any every day things."

Irina stiffened, blushed, and mentally giggled like a school girl meeting her favorite celebrity. She could not believe that the Emperor just pat her head. She curled in on herself and smiled widely. That was something she could get used to, especially since the last man that touched her beat her. "You've worked your way up. That's wonderful. It's good to have someone who knows both sides of the spectrum. Someone who was born rich won't understand the troubles of someone who wasn't. The same goes for the reverse." Irina put her hands behind her back, fiddling with her fingers as she received the rest of the tour. She did her best to hold a short, but sweet conversation with the treasurer out of respect for both of them. She didn't want to waste the Emperor's time, but ignoring Mr. Lybochek felt wrong. She gave a friendly wave when Mr. Lybochek left and turned to the Emperor.

"Laplace is quite beautiful, though I am still surprised it's so busy... It seems to be run more like a business. I'm not sure if people in Zakat know that... I think most think of it more like a Castle, at least those in the south do." Irina explained. She had never been this far north and things were a bit different. She had seen quite a lot of Zakat in her travels and this city was the grandest. Of course, she may be a little bias since this was the only place that gave her a bit of hope. Well, the Emperor did at least. "It's definitely a lot bigger than it looks, though it looks pretty big from the outside too... I do have a question. Since it feels so... industrious, where do you get to slee- Wait, don't answer that! Aye..." Irina hit her forehead again, face-palming herself. "That sounded horrible! I'm sorry. Too nosy, so rude. I was just curious because everything seems to busy and... Oh, Irina you're dumb."

"Yeah, just a few... When do you get to have fun? Do you have friends? If everyone needs security clearance, who can you even trust not to... well, do anything bad? I mean... Mm... Maybe that's a conversation for another day." Irina took a deep breath and sighed, smiling again at the Emperor, "Thank you for everything you've done for me, and are going to do. If you ever need anything, and I really do mean anything, do not hesitate to call on me. If I have the ability, I'll aid you in any way you ask. Thank you, again... for everything. And you said I can start up in a new apartment?"