Defender

The Defender is responsible for the protection of the Empress. They are to follow her throughout her day and are expected to do whatever necessary to keep her safe, even at the cost of their own life. They hold no political power, seeing as they are just a bodyguard for the Empress.

Overview
The Defender's one and only job is to defend; if their title doesn't give that away. They are the one who is solely responsible for making sure no harm befalls the Empress. While there have been no recorded attempts against the life of any Empress, they continue to keep this rank filled just in case. Many believe the fact they do have this rank is the reason why no one has yet tried anything, as there is always an armed guard following closely within her wake.

They are expected to be the very best of the best. After all, they are held to na incredibly high standard and often continue to go through rigorous training long after they have been selected, simply for the fact that any slack on their part would make it easy for someone to get to the Empress. If there is any weakness to be found on their part, it is considered a deadly flaw, and things are done to correct it.

There isn't a moment where one can't find the Defender lurking within the shadow of the Empress, keeping as close to her as they realistically can throughout the day. They tend to keep one hand on their sword, being mindful of everything going on around them. The Defender is expected to know the terrain and the people of the Empire like the back of their hand, knowing each and every nook and cranny. To sneak up on the Defender would be a feat within itself. Those who have tried might the sharp end of a blade.

Defenders Throughout History
Juro - The current Defender to the Empress. While the vast majority of Defenders throughout history have came from noble birth and have had some type of formal training, the current Defender lacks that. Nothing more than a common thief when he was first found. Hand picked back the Empress herself, Juro was plucked right off the streets after having a run in with the Empire knights. Instead of punishment, he found himself standing in a honorable position, the new Defender of the Empress.

???? - First Defender.