Ezra's anxious footsteps echoed sharply through the palace corridors, breaking the heavy silence as he hurried to the one place Varen had decided to spend the night.
Heavy, gray clouds of dust hung in the still air as he strode by, evidence of the neglect this part of the palace had endured after Varen's strict orders to seal it off from everyone but himself.
Ezra was already preoccupied with a mountain of tasks to get done before the spring celebrations were to commence.
However, the past couple of days have been relentless to the poor counselor as nothing seemed to be going his way at all.
First, it began with cleaning up after Varen's murderous rampages, triggered by his unpredictable fits of rage, and covering them up to protect his reputation as Exousia's ruler.
Then, he was left to manage all the palace affairs on his own while Sukha and Kango were sent off on yet another stupid secret mission that Ezra couldn't have cared less about.
Now, he faced yet another unexpected predicament and had no choice but to deal with it all alone, given the absence of the two Valors he would heavily depend on when things got out of hand.
Normally, unexpected visitors are often sent back regardless of their status or rank, but this time was different.
Very few people could make Ezra feel nervous, but today he had to confront two of the most intimidating individuals at the same time, all while doing his best to steer clear of them in case their tempers flared.
'I should have just chosen to be a scholar like the rest of my family.' His quiet reflection was filled with regret for the decisions he had made when he was young and filled with an ambition that has gradually faded over the decades. 'Maybe this is my sign to resign soon, before I die of exhaustion.'
As he made it to the door, Ezra couldn't help but hesitate, but he knew better than to have the guest wait any longer and risk inviting even more trouble.
Inside, Varen was sleeping soundly as he clung onto Zeya's bedsheets that smelled faintly of her.
Remarkably, Varen only ever felt comfortable using her bed, while everything else in the room stayed exactly as Zeya had left it.
The voices haunting his mind only died down when he spent his nights here, allowing him some peace amidst the chaos of his own reality.
The familiarity of her scent was the only thing that could ease his nerves whenever he was upset, though he was fairly certain that it was just an illusion he had created for himself amidst her absence.
The early morning rays shined directly into the room through the silk curtains, as if urging him to wake up from whatever dream he was desperately hanging onto in order to escape reality.
Eventually, it was Ezra's persistent knocking that finally woke Varen up, though he was clearly unamused by it.
"What is it?" He demanded loudly as he struggled to sit up, looking as though he was battling a hangover.
Before Ezra had a chance to explain, a voice behind him abruptly interrupted, taking over and doing all the explaining for him.
"Open the door this instant."
Varen immediately recognized the gruffness of the voice, and without any more resistance, the door to the room swung open, exposing the pitiful condition of the Exousia's emperor.
"What a pleasant surprise." Varen stated flatly to his former mentor, who also happened to be the headmaster, and founder of the Academy.
No amount of warning signs could have prepared Ezra for the moment when the headmaster violently struck Varen across the face, leaving a vivid red mark on his pale cheek.
Instead, he could only stand there in stunned silence, his mind racing with countless thoughts as he tried to figure out the best course of action if this were to escalate into something bigger.
"You still haven't changed a bit, old man." Varen responded with an eerie calmness, taking Ezra by complete surprise. "A simple hello would've been nicer."
"Clean yourself up and make your way to the throne room. You and I have many things that we need to discuss about, including your recent recklessness." The old man ordered before he turned to leave without another word.
"A-Are you alright, Your Majesty?" Ezra stammered through his sentence, unsure of what to do.
"I'm fine." He replied dryly, wiping away the blood that dripped from the corners of his lips, while Ezra could only watch, concern etched in his eyes.
"About the searches..." He asked suddenly, unfazed by the entire ordeal. "Are there still no leads?"
"Well, the emperor has been quite meticulous with his searches thus far." Ezra began nervously, quickly skimming through his messy notes to ensure he didn't skip through any details.
"But even with all his efforts, I'm afraid he has yet to make contact with Lady Zeya."
Varen clicked his tongue in disdain, seeming more bothered by the news than having been slapped across his face just a moment earlier.
"Make sure he doesn't wander off somewhere while I get changed." He ordered, running an impatient hand through his tousled locks of hair. "He'll only find more things to get mad at, and dealing with his terrible anger issues is the last thing I feel like handling today."
"Of course." Ezra honored Varen's orders and promptly followed after the headmaster, leaving Varen alone to gather his thoughts and brace himself for the challenging day ahead.
=================
The headmaster had a rather ordinary appearance despite the profound impact he had on shaping Exousia's history as a budding nation.
The only hint of his age was the white hair, neatly brushed back, with a few streaks of black still poking through all throughout his head.
Thanks to centuries of rough training during his youth, the headmaster still maintained an impressive physique despite his age, often leading others to mistake him for being younger than he actually was.
Responsible for founding the Academy, he played a crucial role in Exousia's victory over the Roseabelles during the Great War.
He was also one of Varen's father's trusted comrades and who was given the important role of preparing Varen for the throne following the nation's split from Stygia.
Varen's relationship with the headmaster was purely professional; the emperor felt no emotional attachment to his mentor, much like he did with his own father.
The tension in the throne room grew heavier with each passing moment, and Ezra could only hope that he would come out of this situation unscathed.
"... Insolent fool." The headmaster remarked disappointedly with hands behind his back. "Explain yourself, now."
"Don't bother feigning ignorance." Varen challenged, having no intentions of playing the headmaster's mind games. "I'm sure you here because you heard of what I've been doing."
"So, you won't even bother to defend yourself to me, is that it?" He berated loudly, his words echoing through the throne room. "Tell me then. Was it worth it to bring shame to the legacy your father worked so hard on by neglecting your duties as emperor?!"
"And just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, you hand over your title as emperor to that princess and vanish for years, all in pursuit of a lowly Roseabelle?"
The headmaster's voice trembled with quiet rage as he spoke, finding the entire situation absolutely unacceptable.
"You should be the last one to be surprised by this, Headmaster." Varen offered a humorless smile, silently savoring the twisted frown etched on his mentor's face. "Even my own father saw me as a lost cause... He was so certain that I would be the one to bring his entire empire down once he died."
"I'm just simply following his prophecy." Varen flashed a smile, his eyes devoid of any emotion. "I mean, who else will play the role of the great Raziel's good-for-nothing son?"
"Allowing a human to handle sacred duties entrusted to you is an incomprehensible disgrace, Varen." The headmaster fumed, finding Varen's detached responses frustrating. "Get her out of our royal assembly and retrieve your title, that is a direct order from the Academy, do you understand?"
"That Roseabelle is someone I intend to wed once she is by my side again, where she rightfully belongs." Varen announced boldly out of the blue, leaving both Ezra and the headmaster utterly perplexed. "And I don't intend to stop until I get her back."
"... If it is a spouse you desire, there are many more suitable candidates to choose from." The headmaster immediately proposed, hoping to make this horrid situation into some more manageable. "In fact, I'll see to it immediately so the wedding can commence right after the spring festivals concludes-"
"You don't seem to understand the situation, do you? Your threats no longer hold the same weight as it used to, old man." He smirked at the older gentleman, his eyes devoid of any warmth or emotions. "Perhaps you've forgotten where you stand in this hierarchy after I inherited the throne."
"... Regardless of whether you decide to listen to me, my orders still stand." The old man declared, unyielding towards Varen's stubbornness. "If you choose to disobey me, I'll see to it that your runaway Roseabelle never finds her way back to you in this lifetime."