The acting emperor.

One of my uncle’s mercenaries guides me to the house of the patriarch, where the talk my uncle promised me will be held. He said his name is Ballad, he seems to be younger than my uncle but not by much, he is tanned with curly red hair, tall and well-built but not in excess.

As we walk, he glances at me from time to time. “You do look like your father boy; it’s like I’m looking at a more refined version of him. I wish he could see his own grown-up son, that bastard was the best”. “So that is why you were looking at me so much, I almost thought that you were falling for me”. “Heh well played boy”. We arrived at the house which had the door open, and after crossing a few rooms we find one with a big rectangular table that has a hole in its middle part.

Presiding the table, there is an adult elf, not looking a day older than a human in its 20’s. Silky red hair with a bit of orange in its right part, eyes so blue that it’s almost frightening to look at them. Yeah, no doubt, this must be Eralas father. At his right side there he is, my uncle Retor, and at his left side is Eralas herself. They are in one of the shorts sides, while there are many older looking elfs at the longer sides. Most likely they are part of the council.

Waiting at the short side that is closer to the entrance is Klaus and my cousin Pax, Helena is waiting by the entrance. She truly does seem like she does not care at all, the only sign she is giving everyone a bit of respect is that she is not smoking. Such a bad girl I raised, aaaah where did I go wrong...

“Your highness third imperial prince, Adikemas van Rood I introduce you to my father Gurelas son of Xaralas, patriarch of the Spirit Forest and cousin to the Ever king”. She does accompany her speech with very endearing movements, she must have been properly educated and it shows. “Nice to meet you Gurelas son of Xaralas, kin to the Ever king Adonilas first and last of his name” I try to be as princely as possible, don’t want to further spread that I can’t read the room.

Gurelas exchanges a short series of whispers with Retor, no doubt he was probably expecting me to behave like a savage. Can’t blame him, my uncle was probably just preparing him to meet with a rather strange person which in truth I am.

“Excuse me for my impertinence and the whispers young prince, as you may guess we already did talk quite a bit about your person, and I was prepared for this exchange to be a lot more down to earth. It is my pleasure to see you are more capable than the rumors, that in addition to the unblemished record you have in duels makes you a nice pretender to the throne”. So, it had to come to this, why would I pretend a throne who just got bloodied. I can’t deny that the last time I lost a duel I was 11 and it was against my big brother Leon, but it is not like I have been dueling the strongest in the Septem Imperium.

Retor nods, he was most likely the one who warn him about my slum-like attitude. “The news of empress Olivia’s dead are not being well taken in the rest of the countries, most of them are afraid that their enemies will attack now that the greatest potency may be about to crumble”. Gurelas is getting a bit boring, maybe I should have acted like a prick after all.

“The situation of the imperial family is the following: the fourth prince and the third princess disappeared, presumably kidnaped by the ones that attacked the palace. The twin princesses are on their way to the Fortress Island of Sylirrianis, or what’s the same they are asking your allies, the dark elven kingdom for protection”. My uncle skips the first and second princes, so he doesn’t know anything about them? That is weird.

I don’t have much relation with most of my siblings, Ava and Zodra were bullies that always tried to bother me, of course they didn’t get much satisfaction after all they were going against someone much older mentally. They should probably just keep themselves safe. My younger siblings I did not get much time with them, Rito should be 8 this year while Zwart is 6. I am worse than bad; I should have tried to save them before fleeing.

“May I ask about my older brothers?” Retort divers his gaze, he probably was fearing my question would come. “From what our spies said, Leon van Rood was found dead the same night as your mother. In the throne room, just as her. Every evidence points at him being the killer”. The first prince, the noble pervert killed our mother? That wasn’t on my bingo. He does not have anything to gain from her death, they thought alike.

“The second prince, Licaon has taken the throne, as weak as he is most countries will see him as a reason to initiate conflict, but for now he is getting things back to normal”. The next in line is acting as the emperor. It is just the natural course, so I don’t really understand why such a heavy atmosphere in the room.

“The imperial capital was on flames, and just about two days later the acting emperor got everything in check? Mind you Retor, but this seems like that boy is nothing but a puppet. The country must be controlled by the ones that made the attack and somehow manipulated the scenes to put the blame on the first prince”. After 4 years living with Klaus this is probably the time, I have heard the most words come from his mouth in one sitting. Well, he is standing, but you get me.

The point my butler makes is a good one. “General Klaus, you were always one with a good head on his shoulders, so I’m not surprised at you getting straight to what is possibly the truth. It is probably the work of a complex organization with great control of magic and that was already infiltrated among the imperial council”. Wait he called my butler general? Uncle please don’t drink before serious matters.

“Most kingdoms would have things to gain from the Septem Imperium downfall, including Elfhellion, but being the country that put every military conflict in check I don’t believe any ruler would be so unwise as to kill the empress. An organization that thrives through chaos is the only agent that has everything to gain and little to lose from our current position”. Eralas crosses her arms while speaking, that is normally a gesture for great worry.

The Septem Imperium is pretty much done for. Things would be very different if the first prince was the one taking the throne, but he was apparently a traitor. Even if I try to take the throne and do good whichever side put my mother down would come for me.

“If we knew the enemy I would offer you my full force boy, but it is not smart to just charge against shadows. I have already gotten permission from the patriarch for you and your companions to be guests indefinitely in this haven; feel free to choose”. Retor looks at me directly in the eyes, I am not sure if he wants me to give up or if he wants me to try and convince him to join a desperate fight.

“If I may speak your highness? Uncle?” Pax asks for permission to speak; I point my consent and Retor nods. “There is no reason to stay here, one does not need to be a genius to see that if the enemies of the imperium come here trying to defend the citizens would take every man you have. Most elves here were slaves, I don’t mean it in a disrespectful way but the only ones that could hold their ground among the elves are the councilors, the patriarch and his daughter. We know that you would be good with distance but bring some good swordsmen and that’s it.” So basically, we would doom them if things came to a fight. I knew that much already.

“The third prince is not such an important piece of this board, I don’t think anyone would be coming for him”. “Are you forgetting who is it that you are uncle? Who was your older brother? Any noble that wants nothing to do with a puppet emperor will put their hopes in Adikemas, son of a hero, son of the empress. Even if its without his willingness he is already the piece that can turn the tables” So much passion from someone that I met just a few days ago. We are family but come on buddy you are going to make me blush.

Still, he is right, anyone that doesn’t want to align with Licaon will try to take any other imperial sibling under their wing, the little ones disappeared so they are only left with the twins that went abroad in a boat and me, who is hiding a few days from the capital.

“I will take your offer and stay here, but it will be only for a few days. Just like Pax says this place will be in danger if I stay too long, not only you could be attack by the ones that brought down the capital, but any potential ally of mine could also try to forcibly take me and start a campaign to put me in the throne”. Klaus puts his hand on me should and gives me a thumbs up. I look behind me to see Helena smoking, it seems like the situation is dark enough for her to lose all respect. Pax goes to one knee and offers his sword to me, such a pretentious kid.

Gurelas gives a single clap, and everyone starts leaving. He comes closer to me and embraces me in a thigh hug. “Your mother was a good person your highness, I wish we could do more for you. Whenever you are ready to leave just let us know and we will prepare a couple of things for your journey”. Eralas just gives me a concerned look, almost like looking at a sheep scheduled for slaughter.

“Adikemas, I am not sure if I will be able to leave this place... But I can’t leave my nephews go around just like that, only the goddess knows which bloody enemies will haunt you”. He seems very mad; this man should relax a bit. His white hairs are most likely from stressing that from old age.

As I also leave the house, I decide that my main concern should be rescuing my younger siblings. Leon was a good older brother who tried to check on me as much as possible, it wasn’t much but you can’t really blame him; each trip from the territory he ruled to the capital took a few months. He will be cursing me in the afterlife if I sit down and just hope that everything turns alright without moving a finger.

I hope my mother comes to my dreams again, she seemed to be about to speak about important things and seeing how she went from this world she is my best bet to understand who the enemy is and what would they do with two kids.