Crown of Thorns

"Take hold of the empire's power with pride and dignity. You need no one's coronation to be its ruler."

Alone on the throne, proud, arrogant, and cold, with loneliness coiled around her like a venomous snake, she watched as the empire teetered in the storm, surrounded by wolves waiting for their chance.

"Letting a woman rule a country is like letting a heathen enter a temple. The gods will punish us."

They were bargaining chips, tools to be exploited, beautiful shells concealing hearts as venomous as snakes and scorpions.

Only fools and madmen would follow in their footsteps. But history would ultimately pass judgment:

"In an age of chaos, upheaval, and division, they were the only light, the true peace. They purged the continent with an iron hand. No ruler had ever been willing to stand alongside another and share the glory, carving an immortal name into the dark, ignorant fog."

"They crossed a field of thorns and led their people to an age of unprecedented splendor. That was the only true miracle."

Key points: Two female leads, nation-building, an ensemble of women, probably no romance (if there is any, it'll be with a beautiful young woman), and a wish-fulfillment story with steady power-ups.

Theme: The growth of two queens