Way of the Empire

12

Lilibeth laughed as Ero put down the book.

"I never knew that was meant to be funny!'' A large toothy smile graced his face. At least that's what Lilibeth thought based on the creases of his face that she could see. He was still wearing the mask. Every time he ate his hand crept up into the mask and found his mouth. When he drank he turned his head before sliding one side off.

"That is one of my favorites.'' Food was scattered around the table on various plates. Lilibeth was hesitant at first. She'd barely get food because they would serve the other servants first, leaving her family to spare the scraps. Well, now, her and her mother. Lilibeth had come to the conclusion that her father had died in the war and her mother didn't have the strength in her heart to deal with it. Even then, she had only nibbled at the food, taking small bites here and there.

''You need to eat more than that.'' Prince Ero ripped at the bread and handed her the bigger piece.

"I won't tell anyone you ate if that's what you're concerned about. I could get in as much trouble as you.'' He dipped his bread into the juices of the meat that lingered on his plate. Lilibeth snorted.

"Who would you possibly get in trouble with? You're the prince, future ruler of Astoria.'' Lilibeth ripped off small bites of her bread before popping them into her mouth.

"Well, there would be scandal, and if there's anything my father hates, it's not being the center of attention. Lilibeth and Ero stared at each other, locking eyes over the tray of bread.

They laughed.

''You can take your mask off if it makes you more comfortable.'' Lilibeth's voice was just above a whisper.

An urgent set of knocks sounded from the door. Lilibeth leaped from her seat, shoving the plate of bread in Ero's direction. Ero waited until she nodded before giving the command to open the door.

''What could you possibly need at this hour?'' Anger came off his voice in waves. Lilibeth kept her head down and watched the floor as the messenger stood next to her.

"My prince,'' he bowed,'' the king humbly requests your presence in the dining hall for a special introduction.'' Lilibeth could feel the boy shaking next to her.

"Very well, wait outside. Come and prepare my things.'' Ero commanded. Lilibeth could feel the edges of her smile curling up and did her best to stop herself as the boy left the room. She walked over to Ero and grabbed his mantel, where it lay draped on a nearby chair. The halls of the castle were chilly at night as the wind whipped against its walls.

"You don't have to do that," he said as he turned around and bent foreward for her to drape the mantel around him.

''Well, you need to keep up your reputation somehow,'' she leaned in and whispered, her breath grazing the exposed upper part of his cheek, '' they're most likely trying to listen in from the door anyway.'' She finished securing the mantle to his shoulders, her fingers hovering above his chest a second longer than they needed to. Lilibeth rushed to the door and knocked. Four guards stood in the doorway. The two that were guarding the door when she arrived and two new ones that had most likely followed the boy to the room.

''Come with me'', Ero whispered to her as he swiftly moved into the doorway. Lilibeth followed behind both guards as they went away from the servant's stairwell and headed for the main part of the castle. This area was much more lively than hers. Banners and tapestrys hung in the corridors. Blue and purple with gold threads or brass tassels zoomed by at the speed they were walking. Portraits of different people popped up. Some dated back to hundreds of years ago. There was one from around the same time her family was indentured to work here. But Lilibeth knew there would be no portraits of her or her kind lined in these halls. Even if we have been working her for almost a hundred years.

They passed the Queen's portrait. It sat across from King Abdeel's portrait in a gold frame. It took up nearly the entire wall. She was poised in a purple gown with pearl and silver beading. Her hands were crossed and laid against her dress. A large ring adorned her hand. She looked happy. It was once told that her happiness came because the king entered the room at the exact moment the painter was focused on her face. It's said that there was peace and happiness throughout the entire kingdom. A moment of peace before the rage and anger would consume him and haunt these very walls where happiness so despretly tried to cling to . They paced through the halls, taking paths Lilibeth didn't recognize until they arrived in the all too familiar hall that led to the dining room. She had spent three days scrubbing and clearing this room of dust, cobwebs, and smells.

They stopped before oak doors, waiting for the guards to pull them open. Whispers spilled out from between the cracks. Lilibeth felt her heart pounding in her throat and her stomach in knots.

The doors swung open. Lilibeth felt a bump against her forehead. Screams of laughter and chaos flooded her ears as she looked down at the small bread roll she had prepared hours earlier. As Ero entered the room, the guard at the door locked his hand onto her shoulder. She wasn't granted permission to enter, nor did she want to. Slabs of bread and jam were littered along the red carpet. Women walked around, their feet pressing the jam deeper into the floor and spilling their drinks as they laughed while trying to fill their gold goblets. She had never seen these women before. They ducked and dodged as the men threw bits of cake and pastries at them. They were barely clothed, and Lilibeth felt as if she was intruding. If what they were wearing consisted of clothing at all. They were wearing a light chainmail covering that stopped just below their breast. The chainmail was poorly made and would never serve in battle with how spacious it was. Their lower half caused Lilibeth's face to turn red as she looked away. Her eyes widened as she temporarily forgot the horrors of the room. There was nothing but a short strip of see-through fabric that left nothing to the imagination. Lilibeth almost forgot about the disaster the room was in until Ero spoke. He had been standing next to his father until now, where he stood at the head of the room, commanding attention.

Lilibeth was seething. She saw nothing but rage and anger and pain. All the time she and Maudie had spent cleaning and scrubbing to ensure the room would be presentable was for nothing. She would have suggested leaving it as it was if she knew this would happen. People had been starving because of the war. Some children didn't even survive last winter because of how skinny they were. Everything was spared for the army. And here they were, throwing it around like some toy while people were dying! Lilibeth felt the tears begin to fill her eyes. She looked up and widened them, remembering her promise to herself not to cry. She watched as Ero held up a goblet, and the other men followed suit.

"In honor of our freedom, our kingdom, our soldiers and our people, and our king. Long live the King!''

"Long live the King!'' reverberated throughout the room.' The very people you all let die' Lilibeth thought to herself. Every duke and lord sitting as this table did nothing for the people. They sat in their homes, turing away everybody. Their own servants were some of the people who lost their children. It was their job to look after the citizens in his absence and they just sat around on their asses getting fat while everyone else starved. Lilibeth's eyes followed Ero as he wrapped his arm around one of the woman's waist, his fingers digging into her skin. She looked up at him, the twinkle of the candles shining in her eyes. Lilibeth watched as he grabbed a handful of cake and smeared it against her stomach. Lilibeth felt her stomach turn. The men laughed. One of the dukes next to him went as far as to lick up the dessert from her skin.

''I'd tell you to stay son, but it seems as if you're having your own celebration.'' King Abdeel raised his glass, the liquid sloshing around and dripping onto the table. Lilibeth thought back to the hours she spent on her knees scrubbing the throne. She came back to her senses as she watched King Abdeel gesture to her. Her cheeks turned red and she wanted to step back but the guard's hand on her shoulder stopped her.

Everyone laughed. Lilibeth watched Ero laugh.

"If you can't manage any fun with that one, we'll be here all night.'' The woman's sultry voice was loud enough for her to hear. She wanted her to hear. Ero's eyes traced her body, lingering on certain areas for a second longer.

''Well, gentlemen, I bid you a goodnight, If I do not see you later.'' Ero walked back to her and into the hallway. Lilibeth turned as if walking behind him. He stopped at the edge of the hall and turned as if he had been speaking. Ero looked to his side for Lilibeth. He turned around, looking behind him. No one. She was gone.