The Emperor's Killer Bride

8.

The blue sky was dotted with fluffy white clouds that drifted lazily in the gentle breeze. It was midday, and the sun was high, blazing beautifully.

Far across the eastern wing of the palace were the training grounds. A large field enclosed with stones stood there. The archers section, horse riding section, armour making and many more.

Eduardo and Arman circled each other, each one grinning at the tension they had caused in the training ground.

Suddenly, Eduardo lept forward, charging his friend. Unprepared, Arman recoiled from a punch to his jaw with a wince. In retaliation, he prepared to strike his friend in the stomach, but he hesitated. 

"Don't do that," Eduardo told him before striking Arman in the shoulder with a hard fist. Arman fell backward with a loud thud. "It's fatal," Eduardo finished, offering a hand to help his friend up. "You could've done better."

"You fought like a beast today," Arman groaned, swinging his shoulders to lessen the knot twisted. "I wonder what you have on your mind."

"Nothing." Eduardo grinned. "Here," he threw a wooden sword towards Arman. "Last round of training is always fun."

"En Garde!" Eduardo shouted, as he attacks Arman in full force. The wooden sword swung in full force, nearly making Arman stagger back. But he held back, fighting back.

"This doesn't look like a training to me, Baal," Arman groaned, blocking another attack from Eduardo.

"Oh, it does look like one to me," Eduardo replied, in between loud grunts and sword swinging. Noticing that Arman had let his guard down by trying to examine his face, Eduardo seized the opportunity and attacked him non stop, rendering him swordless in seconds.

"That... was...an... intense... training there...Baal."

"I know," Eduardo replied, his lips tilting up with a smile, while his eyes danced with a mischievous glint in them. "Wasn't that fun?"

"Fun?" Arman scowled. "You kept attacking me as though you were fighting an enemy!"

A chuckle escaped Eduardo's lips as he walked towards the large table were the wooden swords and other training materials were kept. He was sweating profusely, shirtless and so was Arman. They were both clad in long breeches. Eduardo's being black and Arman's brown.

"I was just releasing some pent up energy."

"Does this pent up energy have anything to do with the lady from five days ago? The one you refused to save?"

"Arman," Eduardo groaned, face palming himself. He paused from picking his long sleeved shirt that was hanging on the rack and turned to face his friend. "Who said anything about her?"

"Well, I just did," Arman replied, lifting his shoulders in a half shrug. "Now answer me, is she part of the pent up energy?"

Eduardo simply sighed, unhooked his shirt from the hook holding it and walked off towards the stables.

"I suppose you could say so. I don't know why I'm still thinking about the incident, but I've been having this vague feeling that perhaps, I did something wrong by not helping them that night."

"You think? Would you save them if you were to see them in the same situation now?"

Eduardo thought over Arman's words for a moment before he replied. "No," he knew that was the right thing to do. They weren't his citizens. He had no rights on them or on thier master. Although he was the king, and soon enough, he'd hold all of his powers without having his grandmother interfere and despite the fact that he was a soon to be crowned emperor, he still lacks. Although his grandmother would be backing off from making decisions regarding the court, he knew it was impossible to be rid of her. Only and only after his plan fits in can he get rid of her.

He wouldn't help them even if he were to meet them all over again. But perhaps, he might have given the fierce girl a blade and ask her to fight her war. Like the citizens say, he was nothing but a puppet being controlled. He needed everyone to believe that so his plans can work out.

However, it was already too late to give the girl a blade, and now he has other pending issues to tackle and not keep thinking about her and the possibility of where she might be now.

"I would've saved..."

"Tomorrow is the hunt, Arman. How prepared are we? He cut off Arman before he could continue talking about the girl he had only seen in the dark, and who seems to be clouding his thoughts these days.

Arman sighed, knowing that his friend doesn't want to talk about it anymore. He had wanted to tell him the girl was part of the hunt. But seeing how indifferent he was with the issue made Arman decided otherwise.

"As prepared as we can be, My Liege."

They rounded the corner to the stables.

"Good. Have you heard anything about our little mischief in the Prime Minister's warehouse and the War Minister's warehouse?

"No. Both minister's haven't raised an issue about it. But the citizens to whom we dropped off some of the provisions and coins are happy."

"That was the goal. However, I suspected that the minister's won't make it known around about our little raid. But they'll tighten their security. So, today we're skipping raiding any warehouses. It happens tomorrow, during the hunt."

"But how? You have to be there throughout the hunt. Don't tell me you're planning to do what I think you are," Arman sighed as they came to a stop before Eduardo's horse.

"Don't worry. You can handle it without me, can't you?"

"Of course. Damn you, Baal! How dare you question my talent?" He was smiling as he spoke, and Eduardo couldn't help but join in too.

"That's fine then. I have to..."

"My Liege," Eduardo's attendant, Felix, bowed as he stood before Eduardo. "The ministers are here and ready to see you."

"Can't someone rest for a day?" Eduardo grumbled then turned to Arman. "Take the afternoon off, Buddy. I'll see you in the evening to finalize what we just talked about."

"As you wish, My Liege." He bowed, then turned to walk away.

*

The throne room, as always, was filled with the ministers. Fifteen of them, precisely. With his grandmother sitting behind on her veiled throne. It annoyed him more than anything that she always choose to sit through meetings like this. But what annoys him the most, was that she always tried to make sure that her commands were carried out, and not his. Which made him look alot more pathetic in the eyes of the ministers than he already did. 

Eight people sat by the left, indicating the southern faction. Seven sat by the right, indicating the northern faction

The royal scribbler was sitting at the far end of the throne room recording everything being said.

"My Liege," Lord Janos, the Prime Minister began. "The agenda mostly still leans towards the queen selection, which comes up in two months. Have you decided on the houses that would be competing?"

It's always been this issue. Ever since the days had been drawing in, all the ministers ever talk about was the queen selection, most especially those from the southern faction. They want the queen from their side. Preferably, the Prime Minister's daughter. Eduardo knew all that already.

"Not yet, Prime Minister. However, I'll do just that before the said date to choose. How are the preparations coming along for the hunt?"

"I would suggest your Majesty chooses now, preferably, the Prime Minister's daughter. She's the right candidate for this." The queen Dowager spoke.

"I disagree, MyLiege." Lord Marcus the second Minister of Astrology thundered. "Why does the queen always have to be from the southern faction?"

"Watch how you speak to me, Marcus!" The Dowager bellowed.

"If the King is so silly that he can't even speak up and decide on things without you interfering, then he's no better than the puppet the citizens call him."

Although the Dowager was behind a thin white veil, Marcus knew he had crossed the line. But that was it, they were all tired of being trampled upon by the same leaders over and over again.

"I said I'll choose the houses myself!" Eduardo snapped, hitting his hand so hard on his throne. "I will not have any of you call me names in my presence. If this was the only reason for this meeting, then I'm out!"

"Baal..."

"Enough, Grandmother!" He gritted. He was tired. They were all trying to push him to his limits, and he wasn't just going to sit back and watch them keep trampling on him. He just needed to hold on for a little while, then he was going to show them who the real ruler was. And he'll make each and everyone of them cower in fear and beg for their lives.

But now isn't the right time, he told himself, trying to calm his raging nerves.

"I asked how the preparations for the hunt are coming along!"

"Everything has been set in place, My Liege," The minister handling celebrations stood up and bowed. "Including the food to be eaten by the noblemen during the hunt. The bows and arrows included."

Eduardo wished he was powerful enough to abolish this barbaric act. But he wasn't. Not yet. And he had to endure that long.

"See to it that even the citizens get fed during the hunt. Isn't it a time of celebration? Everyone should be given equal treatment."

The ministers exchanged worried look and one of the ministers from the southern faction started  to speak up, but the Prime Minister quickly shook his head.

"Of course, My Liege. I'll see to it as soon as we're done here."

"How many women are participating again?"

"Forty. Ten from each kingdom under us. Although a little accident happened and one of the girls had to be replaced."

Eduardo nodded, wondering why they needed that many women if there were only twenty men participating.

"However, I need to bring to your notice that Lord Ashton got a pass for the hunt too, and insisted that his name be added to the hunters list."

It came as a shock, a boomer to them all. And soon enough, they all turned to look at the Prime Minister, who didn't look up nor show any sign of disagreement on his face.

"Why would he? Isn't the hunt for low noblemen? Some of whom are yet to have titles or come from smaller homes?" One of the ministers asked.

"Allow him be, gentlemen. He might just want to have some fun." Eduardo was excited at the prospect of the Prime Minister's son joining. That way, his plan would fall into place perfectly without faults. A smile threatened to curl up at his lips, but he quickly stopped it.

"If there's nothing more to discuss, I'd like to go rest. As you can see, I came straight from the training grounds," he paused, turned to stare at his grandmother for a while with a smile. "Would you be so kind as to continue this, Grandmother?"

He needed to make her still believe he was just a puppet. He had made a mistake by snapping at her moments ago, he needed to correct that mistake. Now was his chance, to leave the other decisions in her hand.

"Of course, Baal. Anything for you," the Dowager replied with a smile.

"Great!" He stood up, looked over at the men and smiled. "See you all tomorrow, gentlemen. I'm going to make this hunt a memorable one for us all."

And with that, he strode out without even looking back. Arman was standing by the door as soon as he stepped out.

"You should've gone in if you didn't take the afternoon off."

"I'll be joining you during these meetings from now onwards. Perhaps, when they notice you're starting to stand up, they may lessen their stupidity."

Eduardo laughed heartily, waving at the guard stationed by the dining room before stepping in. "We shouldn't do anything that'll draw their attention towards us. Besides, we have a little change of plans. Ashton is joining the hunt. Now, we're going to replace only his arrows with real arrows. That should make things easier."

"He is?" Arman asked, his voice rising a bit in surprise. 

"Yes," Eduardo nodded. "I think the Gods are on our side."

"You bet! I'll get to it now!"

"And Arman," Eduardo called just as Arman pulled the door to leave, allowing the cook to step in.

"We go for two big houses tomorrow."

Arman needed no explanation to understand what he meant. He simply nodded his head and smiled.

As he walked away, he smiled, glad that Baal was ready to fight back. Now was the time to show who the real Emperor was.

Eduardo, on the other hand, was thinking of something entirely different. The girl from five nights ago. 

Damn her for making him think about her constantly!