Milan's Night
The La Scala Empire has two pillars. One is the Emperor's Palace, which assists the emperor. The other is the Empress's Palace, which assists the empress.
Until now, there had been no issues. Sophie Archduchess had effectively seized control of both pillars. Through her son Joseph and his aide Grüne, the Emperor's Palace carried out Sophie's will. And the Empress's Palace, through the ladies-in-waiting she had personally appointed, was meant to serve as Sophie's eyes.
But last night's events had begun to crack the structure. The pillar of the Empress's Palace had rebelled. Sisi continued to hold her emperor husband in her arms, and Esterházy had defected from the Archduchess's watchful eyes to become the empress's lady-in-waiting.
Sophie-Grüne's Emperor's Palace versus Sisi-Esterházy's Empress's Palace.
"Right now, the empire's clock has advanced thirty minutes without reason."
The emperor's awakening is the very order of the empire itself. For the Emperor's Palace, the emperor rising thirty minutes late meant the empire had fallen into thirty minutes of anarchy.
"The empire's clock does not tick until both Majesties awaken."
For the Empress's Palace, the empire's order stemmed not from the timetable, but from the well-being and unity of the imperial couple.
The two sides had begun running on parallel tracks, and in Vienna's Hofburg Palace, this incident was dubbed Milan's Night.
Didn't she say I had to rise at four in the morning?
I'd gotten into the habit of waking at five because of Sophie, but Joseph was still beside me.
I checked the clock, wondering if I'd woken up early for once, but it was already 5:30.
"Joseph."
I shook him.
"Joseph, wake up."
Even yesterday, he'd slept on the floor, and dragging him onto the bed had been no small feat.
How can a person just pillow their head and pass out like that?
"…Sisi."
His voice was still thick with sleep, like he wasn't fully awake.
"It's five-thirty now."
Joseph jolted awake, his eyes widening in disbelief. He shot up and checked the clock by the bed.
5:31.
The emperor's day should have begun an hour and a half ago.
"My God…."
He pressed a hand to his forehead and groaned.
"Why didn't the valet wake me?"
Well….
"Because this is my palace…?"
If we're splitting hairs, yeah.
How could a valet barge in without permission? Unless it was Esterházy or one of the ladies-in-waiting.
Speaking of which, Esterházy hadn't woken me at five either.
Rustling noises came from beyond the bedroom door.
"His Majesty has not yet risen!"
Count Grüne's voice, brimming with fury, rang out, countered firmly by Esterházy.
"If you're going to disturb Her Majesty's rest, leave this place at once."
"Where His Majesty is, there is the Emperor's Palace."
"Where Her Majesty is, there is the Empress's Palace."
Normally, during a conjugal visit, it would be in the couple's shared bedroom, and the empress's ladies would withdraw the moment the emperor arrived.
But since this was my private domain, not the couple's chamber, the clash had erupted.
Joseph seemed to grasp the entire situation from that brief exchange. He got out of bed, straightened his attire, and commanded the two outside.
"Master of the Household, Lord Chamberlain. Enter."
The door opened, and footsteps entered the room.
I peeked at them through the gap in the canopy.
Count Grüne's face was flushed red with anger, while Esterházy remained her usual impassive self.
Though it did look a bit like the expression she had when I was doing well as empress.
"Master of the Household. It is true that I am late. But debating the reason at the top of your lungs outside the empress's bedroom is no way to show respect to her."
"Your Majesty, however, the order of the empire—"
As Grüne tried to argue, Joseph raised a hand to silence him.
"The order of the empire is decided by me, the emperor—not by the volume of the Master of the Household's voice."
Grüne's face stiffened at Joseph's rebuke.
"And Lord Chamberlain."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"It is indeed your duty to protect the empress's well-being. But it is not within your authority to dictate the emperor's rising time."
"I shall remember that, Your Majesty."
Esterházy bowed her head to Joseph.
"Empress, let us meet again at the opera this evening."
I ducked back behind the canopy in surprise.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Once Joseph left and only Esterházy and I remained, …her expression looked pretty good?
"Your Majesty, stop peeking now and prepare yourself."
Busted.
Esterházy instructed the ladies outside to prepare the bath and approached me.
"Your Majesty, surely you didn't… consummate last night."
Why would she think that?
Nothing happened yesterday.
"Your Majesty, you must never do so while pregnant."
I stammered in confusion.
"We didn't."
"Then surely you haven't forgotten etiquette?"
"Etiquette?"
I'm following it just fine.
"You must keep your back straight."
…Oh. Right, my back hurt from dragging Joseph up.
I just wanted to soak in the bath and relax.
"Last night was exhausting."
I couldn't exactly say the emperor slept on the floor.
Esterházy let out a deep sigh and eyed the maid taking the bedsheets.
No, really, nothing happened!
After the bath, grooming began under Esterházy's direction.
"Your Majesty will attend the opera at La Scala today. The purpose is to display the empire's dignity and improve relations with the local nobility."
Milanese nobles? Hmm….
"It's true they insulted Your Majesty, but once they learn of your improved relations with His Majesty the Emperor, it won't happen again."
"We'll see."
I replied curtly.
Not holding my breath.
But contrary to Esterházy's hopes, the valet's message was anything but reassuring.
"Your Majesty, His Majesty the Emperor has urgent state affairs and has departed ahead. He asks that you follow as quickly as possible."
I didn't miss the way Esterházy's face visibly hardened.
…Off to a bad start.
Esterházy struggled to maintain her composure.
"Your Majesty, His Majesty must have had unavoidable circumstances. Please don't worry and go ahead. We will serve you perfectly."
Grüne's influence is stronger than I thought.
In the end, I boarded the imperial carriage alone.
No sounds came from outside the window.
How could I free Joseph from Sophie Archduchess's influence?
As empress, no matter how hard I tried, I could only adjust the staff in the Empress's Palace. Nothing more.
It meant waiting for Joseph to seize control of the Emperor's Palace himself….
The trigger for Joseph's awakening would be defeat in the Bohemian War and the Austro-Hungarian Compromise.
But by then, Italy would be lost, and Austria's influence in Germany gone too. That was the problem.
Only after losing everything would he break free from his mother's grasp.
"Your Majesty, we've arrived."
…This place should be fun too.
The theater entrance was thronged as usual, but people's faces held a strange bewilderment.
Every step inside was filled with murmurs and blatant curiosity.
I kept my chin high and walked as practiced.
The auditorium was packed too.
Finally reaching the imperial box, I relaxed.
As I lifted my opera glasses to scan the nobles, something made me freeze.
"…Chief Lady-in-Waiting."
"Yes, Your Majesty…."
"When His Majesty arrives, guide him directly to me."
"Understood, Your Majesty."
The general seating below was full.
But the prime seats—facing the imperial box or right beside it, belonging to Milan's top noble houses—stood eerily empty, as if by prior agreement.
Risorgimento wasn't far off.
I set down the opera glasses with trembling hands.
I could feel the gazes of nameless nobles and foreign envoys in the lower seats flicking between me in the imperial box and those empty seats.
Pity, mockery, curiosity, contempt… all emotions tangled together.
"Your Majesty, where are you—"
I ignored Esterházy and stepped into the corridor.
Laughter from the Italians watching me storm out echoed behind.
The theater lights dimmed, the overture swelled, the curtain rose, and the opera began—but the murmurs only grew louder.
Milanese nobles, I've got a gift for you too.
"Empress?"
Joseph approached, his voice laced with apology and anxiety.
Joseph, you lucky guy.
"Follow me, Your Majesty."
Instead of leading him to the imperial box, I pulled him toward the stairs descending to the lower level.
"Empress, where are we going? We must go up."
I gripped his arm tighter and led him down the corridor of the packed first-floor seating, where countless eyes converged.
The startled staff flung open the doors; Milanese subjects stared in shock.
I said loudly, as if performing.
"I had no idea Your Majesty wished to see the Milanese subjects so up close."
Risorgimento has to fight republican forces too, right?
I whispered so only Joseph could hear.
"Empress…."
"Your Majesty, reconciliation with the Milanese nobles is impossible now. Better to position the court as favoring the commoners—and strip their privileges."
"…Like Versailles?"
I nodded cautiously.
"Revolutionaries fear reformers more than reactionaries. Divide and rule."
We ignored the ruined opera singer on stage and waved to the audience, one by one.