Where The Dead Ones Go Book 3 -Emirate-

Chapter 19

It is as the god of time has said.

The time seemingly stood still for the duration of my wedding reception because you can't, under normal circumstances, seal agreements and alliances in such a short span of time from dusk to dawn, but it didn't even manage to reach daybreak.

Half-past eight, mere four hours after our ceremony at the temple, Irene and Ekecheiria finally managed to sit in their table for the first time since the two arrived here with triumphant smiles in their tired, but happy faces as Demeter and Lytta serve them their meals which they gratefully accepted.

To say that it is an incredible feat for two minor and lesser-known goddesses is an understatement.

They managed to secure allegiances of more than a thousand primary and minor deities from all walks of immortal hierarchy.

"I guess we can consider this as mission accomplished," Eonia said contently as she and Gala drank deeply from their glasses filled with buko juice, "Even Ms Peregrine is already chatting the night well away with Lady Hebe."

She and her second glanced at our left, and indeed we saw our surprisingly cheerful adviser giggling uncontrollably when the goddess of youth whispered her something while they drink from their wine glasses happily.

"No problems to be reported on the mortal front, Gala," Zenith reported and we saw him standing in front of the table where the three of us are sitting, "Mother and the other national leaders have just finalized their military agreements and will proceed to start the eventual integration of our respective countries' armed forces into one central command."

I heaved a sigh of relief as I saw Taurei and Avesa appearing before us and bearing good news themselves.

"The magistracy, republic, emirate and union will all consolidate their commands under the Hellenic Citadel's leadership as soon as possible," Taurei chirped as he grabbed a handful of exquisite gummy worms from the bowl in our table, "Color me surprised, I never know that our school can handle such responsibility."

His twin sister inclined her head towards where our Headmistress and Deputy-Headmaster are sitting together with the god of love and goddess of the soul, Eros and Psyche respectively and chatting the night away with other teachers and school staffs present in my wedding.

"Well, it is, after all, a military institution, brother. Whenever there is a need to amass military forces from all corners of the empire, it's the Hellenic Citadel who do it," Avesa said matter of factly as she looked at me knowingly, "Back then, the members of the Imperial Armada Forces are handpicked from the top-notchers of our school. If they are the cream of the crop, those chosen by the Imperial Family themselves are the cream of the cream, isn't that right, Vivet?"

I nodded in agreement as I materialized an apparition of my loyal retainer made of the very light of hope, "He is Barius Hausen, a Cretonian mortal of utmost talent and skill with a unique mastery over not just the fire but also the water element. My father picked him for me in his deathbed and even after many eons, he still is one of the best alumni the citadel has ever produced."

The boy made of light bowed respectfully before looking at the direction of the archduke who is now walking towards us flanked by Narcine and Rebie.

"I know I already said my greetings to your marriage but I will repeat it again, Vivet. From the bottom of our hearts at the union, we wish nothing but the best for the future of your dynasty and its successor," Yosefo said reverently, and I bowed in gratitude, "I will cut to the chase and tell you why I quickly ended my meeting with President Atomo and hurriedly make my way here the moment I saw you conjured that man made of light."

I didn't reply and instead, let him continue talking as he and Barius look at each other intently.

"Though his face is obscured by the radiance, his very visage stands tall at the front of our parliament house. His portraits line the corridors of the manor that I live in," he continued in almost a whisper as his voice trembled with emotion, "There can be no mistaking it. If you, the empress has made her return, it can only mean one thing. Our stolen grand duke is surely with you all this milenia."

I unconsciously touched my chest when I heard the word "stolen".

Guilt, shame and embarrassment filled my thoughts as my cousin, who is listening in our minds rushed to my side from the balcony where he is watching Plutus and Hyro play together at the courtyard below.

"Vivet..."

The archduke suddenly realized that I am deeply affected by what he just said, bowed apologetically, "I am very sorry for the blunt choice of words, Your Majesty. But as much as I want to sugarcoat it, it is what our ancient scriptures has told me and my ancestors."

"Stolen? Whatever do you mean?"

We looked at Gala who is confused by what transpired many eons ago and even Narcine and Eonia fell silent as if they don't think they are the ones who should explain about this sensitive subject that is one of the contributing factors as to why I failed to unite the four provinces and the capital city.

Now that the memories have been unsealed by Proto and Meta together with mine, past embarrassments and flaws of the seemingly legendary Imperial Family have once again resurfaced.

"I think the best person to explain it all is the very one who is at the center of the issue, isn't that right, cousin?"

I looked up at Morris who said that out loud as he remembered in our thoughts how I gave my comrades corporeal forms back the Novus Zephyranth temporarily.

It seems that there are no other explanations, I will have to come clean if I want this unity to be real and not just superficial.

And with great effort, possibly because I hadn't recovered yet from the recoil I had suffered when I used the unbridled powers of my mother to will my loyal forces into reality to meet their loved ones, my retainer begin to materialize slowly right in front of the surprised eyes of my friends and the very person whom he supposed to meet after a long, long time.

The descendant of his own retainer whom he left the reigns of his province to take care of in his absence to be by my side.

Though mortal and even back then, Barius is always a looker who was being courted not just by mortals but immortals themselves.

Distinct piercing black eyes, perfectly tanned skin and lean but muscular body, not to mention exuding the prestige aura of royalty.

Very manly strong jaws, long pointed nose and smooth red lips that are seemingly in permanently pursed expression that made him look like an unapproachable god himself.

Standing around the same height as me, he is always walking either in front of me if in ceremonial duties and behind if in the security detail.

To say that he became the face of my reign is not an understatement.

He acted not only as my retainer but also my confidant, right-hand man, sibling and spokesperson, not to mention the stalwart leader of the Imperial Armada Forces in such a young age and commands the utmost respect from the rest of our comrades-in-arms.

I want to believe that the reason why my comrades joined me in this journey of mine was solely because of their loyalty to me, but I do believe that a part of it was because of my retainer imploring them to stand with him as he is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice with me.

Wearing the ceremonial clothes of his position, he now stands ever faithfully beside Morris and me looking at the tearful eyes of Yosefo.

"The portraits and statues didn't do justice to capture just how striking and glorious you are, Grand Duke Barius the Thirteenth of the House Hausen," the archduke said breathlessly that made my retainer smile a little at him as if he is hit with nostalgia when he heard the title he held back then, "How long has my ancestors, the House Freedel has waited for this very moment to come to pass, Your Highness."

Barius chuckled and scratched the back of his head that made several mortals and immortals look at his direction only to marvel his eyecatching good looks.

"And you sounded the very same like Yurgo before you, heck, you even resemble him a lot now that I look at you carefully, Yosefo. To think that his bloodline survived up to this very day makes me feel glad that I left Cretonia to his capable hands," my retainer said proudly that made the archduke bit his lip as Eonia and Narcine bowed their heads respectfully, "And Aerna and Seveonia's descendants are here as well, tell me, are Darlene and Reber's survived The Fall?"

Our class president nodded quickly, "Yes, Your Highness. Baroness Darlene's successor, Darling is the current head of her house. However, Baron Reber's house was..."

"The way you say it, his is no longer in the realm of the living?"

Narcine grabbed Rebie's arms and pulled her forward to meet Barius, "Your Highness, House del Rio is indeed no more, they are absorbed to the Wilkins Dynasty of the Scythian Emirate as part of the goodwill pact at the end of the Famine War between Cretonia and Scythia centuries ago. My close friend here, Rebie is technically the descendant of the del Rio's."

"And obviously inherited Reber's unforgiving attitude, excellent," he said approvingly at the demiurge of Amphitrite who curtsy at him, "Well, to answer the question of the champion of Lord Ares, what we have talked about just now regarding the ruling families of the Cretonia Province or the Cretonian Union as it is known now, is related to her question. I was the sole son and legitimate heir of House Hausen, the ruling family of the Cretonia Province. Well, that was until the insurrection happened."

"Insurrection?" Taurei asked as he sat beside me and continue eating and drinking from my glass as if he is just watching a fascinating documentary right before his very eyes, "Like a coup de ta or something?"

Barius chuckled at the son of Hera before looking down on me, "Your Imperial Majesty, may I?"

I bowed my head and nodded.

I don't know why, but I am ashamed of the very event that happened when Barius and I are not even born yet.

"No, not a coup but something similar, Prince Taurei. You see, the House Hausen lead a failed insurrection against the Viera Dynasty. My father thought that the reigning emperor is unfit to rule the empire as he was, at the time, preoccupied on his seemingly fruitless search to find hope herself for years and leaving the ruling to the Imperial Council."

To my surprise, Morris laughed sarcastically when he heard that, "Can't blame him, Barius. The Imperial Family was a glorified figurehead anyways back then. Their influence only reaches within their palace walls, not even directly controlling the Auralia Capital City when it is technically speaking, on papers, under the jurisdiction of the Vieta Dynasty. I bet he is tired of them all and thought that searching for a mythological goddess was not as pointless as being paraded around like a living statue to be venerated."

"I have no qualms with what you said, Lord Morris, it is what you said. However, my father back then is not aware of that fact. He thought that Her Majesty's family wields substantial powers even if he personally knows that their voice was barely even heard if at all in the council meetings," the grand duke continued as he looks at Zenith and inclined his head, "The magistrate of the province of Pagos was of the same idea and together, they conspired to oust the emperor while he is away."

The son of Zeus sighed and shrugged his shoulders, "My mother just told me the story a few days ago when the unsealed scriptures once again bore the words that were erased by time itself. The viceroy of Auralia was neutral since the Imperial Palace is within its borders and the Scythian Dynasty is too busy defending their territory to even care either way. They would have successfully installed the reigning grand duke back then as the new emperor if not for the leader of the Anoixi Province, Councillor Andrade if I am not mistaken, a staunch imperialist told the wandering emperor who luckily happened to be at the outskirts of his dominion and he quickly mobilized the entire Imperial Armada Forces to stamp out the insurrectionist and apprehend the magister and grand duke for challenging his mandate."

"What happened to your family, Barius?" Gala asked quietly as if taking care not to offend my retainer, but there's no need to be careful, what happened after was not so bad if I were to be asked.

"To Cretonia's surprise, after Her Majesty's father swiftly defeated the grand duke's forces without a single casualty, he reinstated him and pardoned all those involved, even the magister of Pagos," he answered smoothly. Still, Morris laughed hollowly at what Barius said, and my retainer continued speaking but this time, smiling slightly, "However, as part of concessions by the grand duke of the time, he promised the service of his heir to the Imperial Family. When I was born, I was given to the emperor immediately."

Avesa gasped and touched her chest out of surprise, "That's rather heartbreaking."

"Well, not much, Princess Avesa. See, my mother died on childbirth and my father followed her soon enough succumbing to his longterm illness," he replied matter-of-factly, "Before Her Majesty was born, I was raised as the emperor's own child. I even joined him in his supposedly fruitless search for the goddess of hope when I was a but a child. Of course, that's his press release only, isn't that right, Lord Morris?"

My cousin nodded and grinned at me, "Yeah, that's what they taught us in primary school at least. Vivet here was born from a random Cretonian woman when the emperor and his young companion stayed there for a year and returned with a baby girl in the arms of the young, newly-appointed retainer."

"Wow! So that's why you can control fire element, Vivet!" Narcine exclaimed as I nodded at her, "Well, come to think of it, hope can be think of as a flame, right?"

"It is, my friend. A blinking, faint burning small fire in the dark," I said as I let Barius finish his story.