Tyrant of the Ruined Sun

For Eve, Isaac and I all looked to one another then, remembering what we had been discussing just moments before his arrival. For he was absolutely right. The wilted wolfsbane she mentioned in her letter, they were undoubtedly the ten servants who’d been exiled for dereliction of duty. The same ones the Shade Corps can no longer find.

Dead. We were slightly apprehensive of fully adopting this theory before we do more to fully grasp the truth of the matter, but now we were certain. And these fallen ten, among them the Head Maid of the Silver Court, were undoubtedly part of the emperor’s losing faction within the Silver Court of the east.

‘His enemies are already able to make the Head Maid of the Silver court disappear? A woman with such an elevated position of honour and power that even kings and lords of mighty realms would not easily dare to slight her. This is undoubtedly a true disaster.’

“Brother what?!” Nizam asked loudly, prompting us to quickly reveal to him the news as well. And when we finished, his face became as pale as milk.

“Brother we must act!” Nizam wailed, his emerald eyes burning with a desperation I had hoped not to see once more in this lifetime.

“And so we will.” I proclaimed, rising from my seat, as Eve agilely slipped from my lap and appeared next to her wardrobe, already pulling a more suitable attire for the long night ahead.

“I will gather the council my liege.” Isaac said, before he vanished from the room.

“Nizam you will join us as well… And clean yourself up.” I said.

“Yes!”

***

My order brought pandemonium into the silent palace. Once peacefully asleep ministers were now rushing shabby haired and bleary eyed into the Council Chamber. The mumbling echoes of their curses and woeful lamentations trailing behind them like disgruntled and weary shadows.

All of them were like this, bar a mere two. Darius and Valdour.

“Excellent work my young prince.” Darius proclaimed as soon as he entered and took his seat beside him, patting his shoulder as he did with well deserved appreciation.

Nizam did not answer. Ordinarily he would’ve been over the moon at such words, but his mind could not allow him the brief respite to even enjoy it. He was beyond anxious at the moment, his mind already rushing through the desert dunes, and into the eastern lands.

I entered then, just as they finished briefing everyone of the situation at hand, with my Eve to my side, as they all rose in greeting, before I then sat with her at the head of the table, looking particularly grim-faced this evening.

“Brother. Time is of the essence. We must intervene” Nizam immediately said, throwing all decorum to the wind. Yet none bothered to correct him.

I raised my hand in a calming gesture, before I looked to my most astute advisor. “Darius.”

“I concur with his highness, my liege.” He immediately replied. “The known is forever the better of the unknown. Regardless of all else, even his highness’ betrothal to their royal house, The Yue Dynasty and it’s rulers have been our neighbours for millennia. We know their habits, their strengths, their weaknesses. Their virtues and their vices. Everything. But this new entity is a complete mystery to us for now. We know not their objectives. Their limits. Not even their leaders. They could become our greatest allies or most bitter enemies, but in my age I’ve come to know better than to take such a gamble when we are so blind.”

The rest of the council immediately concurred, agreeing wholeheartedly with the Grand Vizier.

“We’ve come to a consensus.” I nodded, silencing them. “But now the question remains. How do we act?”

The first to speak were the three aides left behind by Hamilcar to see to his duties in his place. “My emperor, much of our military is already southbound, so a change of plans now might be ill-advised.”

“Rest assured gentlemen, I have little thought of demolishing months worth of effort for the eastern empire.” I said to them, as they exhaled in relief.

They had worked undeniably hard for the newest southern campaign after all.

“Sire, I believe a more subtle approach is the wisest choice this time.” Darius then interjected. “We can lend the Shade Corps’ power to the eastern emperor. After all, his primary war at the moment does not seem one that would benefit more from anything else.”

“How many operatives do we have within the Yue Dynasty’s borders Commander?” I half turned to Isaac, who was standing a step behind me.

“One thousand thirty three, my liege. With many more informants as well.” He replied.