BLOOD AND Lightening

Chapter 7

The Eastern part of the palace is considered the most quiet, its where the chamber of the Emperor is located, a great ruler who have many responsibilities doesn't need noise.

In Gildor's chambers, he is seated in the middle of the large room, a nonchalant attitude having his lunch with a stoic face when a knock came from outside, he raised his head already sensing who is at the door.

"His majesty is having his meal and doesn't need disturbance," said Penelope, the royal noble lady in charge of the King's meal,

"Am done eating, let them in" Gildor interrupted, he wasn't in the mood for food anyways, but had to eat, Penelope has been in the palace before he was born yet he does not trust her one bit and in fact knows she is not on his side and hates him just like his father did. He knows that all though she pretends to care about him, she serves as an informant to his oppositions in his court.

The door was slowly opened to reveal Nicholas, he emerged and bowed his head as greetings to the king but didn't state why he visited, he waited till Penelope and her troupe of maids were discharged before he made himself comfortable opposite the king and stated his findings.

"The ministers have planned to propose marriage at the next gathering which will take place tomorrow,"

Nicholas said with no expression, just like Emperor Gildor knows that there are spies and eyes everywhere on him in the palace, looking for an opportunity to overthrow him so did he plant eyes and ears everywhere around them, becoming a king requires a lot, yes he was the heir apparent but still even an heir apparent can be killed or overthrown.

Gildor nodded his head while sipping on a cup of wine,

"Marriage is a good plan," he said still sipping on his wine

"Permit me to ask why your Majesty," Nicholas asked genuinely curious, Nicholas might be an excellent sword man with eyes as sharp as that of the Eagle, his weakness is his slowness to understand and dictate malicious minds and act, he takes everything literally as it seems to him.

"They would propose marriage to me, they would argue that I need to produce an heir, the so-called Wife who would become the Queen consort would definitely be the closest to me and them obviously" Gildor paused as if still calculating his words

"If the ministers propose marriage, they can't force a woman on you, you are the Emperor, you choose who you want to marry when you find a woman you love" Nicholas voiced put his confused opinion, Gildor laughed at his words

"I like how you think, do you perhaps believe in love Nicholas" Nicholas choked on air while avoiding the gaze of the Emperor

"Love is an illusion, a made-up philosophy, it doesn't exist, marriage especially that of a king shouldn't be built of mere love, it's politics," The Emperor said while gulping down the final wine in his cup.

"Prince Adonis! The General has visited the King!" Ajax announced from outside the door, interrupting the ongoing conversation of the Emperor.

GILDOR signed deeply before ushering them in

"General Adonis" Emperor Gildor called out, his tone hard to decipher, was it mockery or genuine utterance of title, hard to tell, Adonis had on a pleasant smile and immediately made himself comfortable on his brother's bed making Nicholas arch his brows.

"Drop the title brother, I came for a good brotherly conversation, not some state affairs," he said with a smile "Come on Ajax leave us, I want to discuss freely with my brother"

Ajax nodded quietly while eyeing the rod lying on the Emperor's bed, suspiciously. Nicholas, on the other hand, didn't want to leave but the constant blinking of the eye from the Emperor eventually made him to join Ajax outside.

"When will you be returning to the border?" Emperor Gildor asked his brother who clearly seemed fascinated by the raptile sculpture craved into his bed frame.

"Soon, protecting our people is my top priority"

Adonis answered nonchalantly not really interested in talking about anything relating to his works but Emperor Gildor was certainly interested

"Do you smell a war breaking out soon Adonis?"

Adonis paused and inhaled deeply, indeed he smells a war breaking out soon, he recently got a report that one of their food camp at the border was burnt down and the fire was from outside the walls, the more reason why he needs to go back, the meaning behind the burning down of the food stock still a misery to him, definitely it's a message, it could be a war, but he is still on the quest to find who sent it in.

Arvernine is a big nation with a lot of resources, with its only contender being Cirden, the land of equals, a kingdom this fruitful is bound to have enemies, those who want to conquer and convert that which is not theirs.

"Adonis" Emperor Gildor gently called out "do you smell a war coming to my kingdom or do you perhaps find me unworthy of the the thrown" he added

"Why would you come to such an extreme conclusion brother, there is no one else fit for the thrown other than you," Adonis said with concern evident in his voice.

"Then I demand as the Emperor of this land, do you sense a war coming?"

"I have not verified your Majesty," Adonis said with a straightened back "we might have experienced what seemed like a warning at the border, I need to go back and verify"

Emperor Gildor rolled his eyes on hearing the report, then forced a smile

"Okay, report everything directly to me from now on, the ministers can't be trusted, remember we only have each other now, don't trust anyone brother," Emperor Gildor said in a calm voice while Adonis nodded confusingly.

The door slowly opened to showcase Nimai carrying three jars of white wine and her hair hanging low, she stood by the door with a shaky hand waiting patiently to be asked forward.

"Come on in," The Emperor said looking in her direction, she slowly approached the two royals and dropped the wine in front of them, then raising her eyes to meet that of Prince Adonis, she quickly averted her eyes and began retreating her steps.

"Come on and serve the wine," Emperor Gildor said with a smile, Nimai froze at her spot then slowly approached the table with her head still hanging low, she poured the wine into the Empty cup of the Emperor who took the cup to drink but was quickly blocked by his brother.

"It hasn't been tasted, your majesty," Prince Adonis said looking keenly at Nimai who raised her brows immediately looking at the prince, 'is he implying I poisoned the wine'

"Don't be alarmed, General Adonis, this here is my trusted maidservant Nimai," the Emperor said with a smirk, Nimai's face brightened immediately at the Emperor's word, to her, he is a good man with a good heart who can't watch people be bullied.

"You can't take chances like this, your Majesty, you really never can trust anyone remember?" prince Adonis said still looking at Nimai, for some strange reasons he couldn't get his eyes off her

"Would it be alright if I taste it first your majesty?" Nimai asked bowing toward the king

"I would say it's unnecessary but go ahead," the Emperor said passing a cup to Nimai who gulped down the wine in one take, she narrowed her eyes at the prince then turned around and forced a smile for the Emperor who in turn nodded while smiling

"I told you she can be trusted," Emperor Gildor said,

Prince Adonis kept peeking at Nimai, he didn't heed the rumors but it was clear as daylight that his brother the Emperor has some attachment to the maiden, he watched every of her movement, she was indeed a beautiful maiden but Gildor is not one to be seduced with beauty.

Nimai had entered the room with shaky hands and extreme nervousness but had grown confident with just the Emperor speaking in her favor, she felt safe and protected with the Emperor around and at the same time weary, maybe because of General Adonis, she can't tell, the warnings from Odede still ringing sound in her ears, 'but am just doing my duty' she assured herself inwardly.

"Athena will return soon," the prince said while sipping from his wine, Nimai's ears grew wide.

Princess Athena the rare beauty, a goddess with silver hair, the most beautiful maiden in Arvernien, and the only daughter to king Adrastos. Nimai has only heard tales of her beauty and never seen her, the most dotted and loved child by the previous Emperor, she would finally return.

" Finally good news, when will she return?"

"She is already on her way, she would be back in four nights I presume, she only sent out news of her return while already on the journey" Adonis elaborated with a smile

"Ooh, that's exactly like Athena, stubborn, give my words that her wing be redesigned with fine fabrics and jewels, the best of the best, to her taste, before her return, I will personally go and examine their work"

' It was evident that the Princess was loved by all, including by his brothers, while I quietly poured wine for them. Prince Adonis and Emperor Gildor went on and on about Princess Athena, the Emperor was exceptionally happy while the prince was a bit sulky that he would be returning to the border only a few nights after the princess's return, prince Adonis might not like me but he was lively with his brother unlike in the tales of how rarely he talks, the tales made him more of a statue and god than a person, he would glare at me from time to time but still didn't stop initiating topics to the Emperor, a closer look at them, their similarity was glaring, they could pass as twins, with Adonis with a longer hair than the Emperor...