Arch-Duke Jean-Baptise Dervau sunk into the sofa, and for the first time in what felt like years, he allowed himself to relax. The small chamber he was in was sparsely furnished, lit only by a lone candle on a low table. The only sign of luxury in the room was the sofa that he was currently resting on, the cushions worn with age, but Jean-Baptiste knew every inch of it. He still remembered the first time that his father had shown him the panel in the wall, the catch barely noticeable unless you were looking for it, and the way the narrow doorway had swung open. His father had told him then that the weight of rule was a heavy one, and that this small chamber, hidden deep within the heart of the Imperial Palace, would be the only place where that weight could be lifted. Over the years since his father's death, Jean-Baptiste had found just how true that was. Only three people alive, including himself, knew about this chamber, and the Arch-Duke knew that one day he would show it to his son, just as his father had shown him, and his father before him. Jean-Baptiste allowed himself a smile as he thought of the long line of his family that had found sanctuary in this room. His father had always told him that when his ancestor had ordered the construction of the Imperial Palace, he had left special instructions for this room to be built, and it had proven it's worth a hundred times over. 

Jean-Baptiste heard the door behind him swing open, but he didn't bother turning around. He knew who it was by the footfalls as they moved across the room, by the weight that settled down on the sofa beside him, and by the slight sigh that followed. The voice of his mother, Isabelle, filled the small chamber, and Jean-Baptiste couldn't help but smile again at the tone of her voice. 

[b]"There was a man looking for you, Léo. I didn't like him much."[/b]

Léo had always been his mother's pet name for him, and she had often told him that it was the name she had wanted to give him when he was born, only for his father to decide that it wasn't fitting for a future Arch-Duke. His mother may have accepted the change officially, but she had still always called him Léo behind closed doors, and his father had wisely conceded.  

[b]"I don't think you like anyone very much, mama."[/b]

[b]"Perhaps. But I particularly didn't like this one. Something about his eyes."[/b]

For the first time, Jean-Baptiste looked across at his mother, and saw that she was already watching him, a bemused look across her face. The Arch-Duke offered a weak smile, and for a moment, the weight of rule came rushing back all at once. But only for a moment. This room had served as a sanctuary for years, and within this room, he could forget the world. And his mother had also been a sanctuary, even longer than this chamber. The court barely paid any attention to the dowager duchess anymore, and Jean-Baptiste knew that she enjoyed the peace of it, but he had never forgotten that she had been a queen. He still heeded to her wisdom, whenever she offered it, and she had never steered him wrong. There were very few people that understood the intricacies of the empire, and for that experience alone, she was vital to him. 

[b]"That will be Monsieur Pierre. I should get back."[/b]

Jean-Baptiste rose to his feet, wincing slightly at the ache from his joints. He moved towards the doorway, but his mother's voice stopped him. 

[b]"Léo..."[/b]

He turned back, and saw that his mother had already closed the distance. He was still surprised by how quickly she could move, and how quietly, despite her age. Reaching up, she cupped his head in her hands, and held his gaze for a moment. 

[b]"You father would have been proud of the ruler you have become. And I will always be proud of the man you have become"[/b]

The two embraced, and for an instant, Jean-Baptiste was a boy, held in his mother's arms. But when he straightened up, he was an Arch-Duke again. This chamber was a sanctuary, but he could not remain here forever. The world did not stop, and if he waited for too long, he would want to get back on. Turning away, Jean-Baptiste pushed open the panel, and stepped back into reality.