Chapter Eighteen: Commencement Of The Bloody Throne Race
1132 Words
Imperial Palace.
Prince Étienne Norvig Yarez.
A late dinner was in no way ordinary, especially one that extended till midnight and, worse, involved all the imperial children minus the empress and concubines.
The trip from school to the palace had been so urgent he had had to share a carriage with Priscilla, Seria and Killian.
Harell was stuck on a club trip three days away, yet still, his crystal projection was forced to sit for over four hours in the name of dinner.
“I do not normally sit with all nine of you.” The Emperor began stilling everyone in their thought. “But I feel this an urgent matter.”
Will he mention the school …or his failure to grant his wish?
Étienne wondered, yet all his thoughts remained unvoiced for fear of reprehension.
The Emperor cleared his throat then turned to his wine glass.
“I fear that I was led astray by some of your mothers. Every day they would sing of your capabilities, talents, and prowesses. Every one of you.” The Emperor said.
“There is no child whose mother did not hold praise for them.” He continued, “So I went on believing in the capabilities of my princesses and princes, in the abilities of the future leaders of Norvig.”
There was a tense pause as he cleared his throat, yet again, noisily.
“I turned too much of a blind eye by trying my best to maintain harmony within castle walls, but enough anecdotes offered to me as offerings. Enough.”
“ Your weaknesses have grown too astonishing.” He scoffed, “You mean to tell me that a child of mine, with my blood in their vein, failed to convince a fifteen-year-old into an engagement? Even with their parents' blessing?”
Étienne flinched.
“Could you not have held her maid or her friend hostage? Could you not think externally? Beyond your crown laden head??”
“Another lunatic,” the Emperor turned to Killian, “Sets fire to a tavern after a w***e claims you fathered their child? Are you people sick?!”
Killian turned his gaze away from the Emperor.
“You will look at me.”
The command was too rigid to permit suggestion that he meant another person, so Killian stilled himself and gazed at his father.
“If I hear that you spread your seed once more to anyone aside from the woman you are promised to, I will make you a eunuch.”
The Emperor turned his gaze towards Rheyes, the first prince,
“Another monstrosity, terrorizing anything that breathes.” He turned his gaze to Seria, “Another shy, another another another….”
“Not one of you is perfect, but that is fine; the throne does not need perfection.” He sighed. “But neither does it need mediocrity.”
“Ettiene Norvig Yarez.”
“Yes, father.” He replied sharply with the bit of effort he could muster.
“You are hereby stripped of the title crown prince and shall henceforth be known by your original title: fourth prince.”
His blood froze rigid, such that the only movement that emanated from him was his heartbeat, yet if he could still its beating, he was sure he would.
“Wai-,”
“Do not talk over me, boy. I am not your playmate.” The Emperor’s command echoed through his being, silencing him.
“I hereby declare the throne race officially open, under all fair terms. Meaning even the princesses, bastards, illegitimates, monstrous…all the children who came from my seed may vie for the seat.”
“Father!” a plea escaped Harell’s lips, “Women have never-,”
“Yet they will fight alongside you and even defeat you. I am tired of the mockery made under my name, and more than that, I grow weary of your falsified audacities. You have six years to leave your mark. Six years to impress me, the people, the world. Six years.”
The Emperor stood at his final remark then turned to his aid.
“Mail the respective land documents to the Alpensa lass.” He said then, without another word, he left his children.
As though he had not turned their lives upside down! As though he had not just stripped him of his mother’s fifteen years of effort.
How cruel could he be? He was the Emperor, for goodness sake! Should he not show mercy? It was only his first error, his first failure.
The knife in his hand trembled violently, cracking bitterly the plate half laden with food.
Arusei! Arusei, that damned devil! This is her fault!
She should have seen what happened to her maid and become frightened! She should have come to him!
That was what he awaited, for her to approach him, in tears, pleading that he had been right in his thoughts, that she regretted her decision, her rudeness to him, her…inappropriateness!
Yet what did she do, instead?
She went to f*****g Patum on a Geography club trip. She was not even a club member, but her name was still scribbled on their participation scroll.
There was neither mention of misfortune befalling her despite the sent men claiming they had done their work with precision or discussion of late-night screams or higher intervention.
That damned witch.
He could not even send his men to peer through her rooms due to the increased surveillance caused by the disappearance of the principal. A matter he was forced as a royal to aid in its dealing, leaving him absolutely no choice but to wait for her to seek him out.
But she didn’t.
She went to f*****g Patum.
Even Priscilla couldn’t help despite her being an option he’d rather avoid, for her favours were never proportionate during collection!
Fucking, Arusei.
“Hah, you look constipated.” A deep voice broke his concentration.
He said nothing, merely sneered at the monster before him. Rheyes.
As usual, his brownish-black hair was held flimsily in a bun; his demeanour was casual, utterly unaffected by the Emperor’s words.
“Don’t look at me like that, baby bro. I might feel tempted to strangle you under the guise of the throne race, you know.” Rheyes said playfully.
Rheyes’s smile exposed sharp canines that only hinted at the golden glow markings on his cheeks that rebuked him from humandom.
“f**k off, Rheyes!” he said, but all his confidence left him when Rheyes’s fork flew past him, burrowing itself on his chair.
A streak of crimson dripped down his cheek, solidifying his fear.
“Watch your tone.” Rheyes smiled, “I like you alive.”
The only reason he had been safe from his brothers was his title…now…now, he had nothing.
- Writer
