The heavy oak doors of the courtroom closed with a final thud, shutting out the murmurs of the court.
The Emperor sat on a plush chair by a large table, gesturing for Alaric to do the same.
"Tell me, Alaric," the Emperor began, his voice devoid of its public charm. "You have never before meddled in matters of the court. You are my General, my shield. Why did you risk your reputation to defend a proposal from a provincial duke?"
Alaric met his gaze without flinching. "I did not meddle. I offered counsel on a matter of Imperial justice. When you made me a Prince, you gave me a title that came with a duty to the entire realm, not just its military. A Prince's duties go beyond national security."
"And you believe a spectacle for the entertainment of my court is a matter of justice?" the Emperor's tone was sharp.
"Yes. Your word is your power. When you declared Lady Daphne the Most Beautiful Damsel, the entire kingdom took note. To then simply command her to your harem would make your word a command, not an honor. It would make you look like a tyrant to the people." Alaric's voice was low and firm.
"A competition, however, would validate your decree in the eyes of the populace. It would prove that your judgment is true and your word is just. It would solidify your honor for generations to come."
The Emperor was silent for a long moment, his eyes fixed on the flickering fire.
He considered Alaric's words, weighing the political gain against the fury of his Empress.
He knew she would not like his decision, but he also knew his reign needed more than her approval. It needed the honor Alaric spoke of.
He needed to be seen as a fair and just ruler, not a gluttonous one.
"Very well," the Emperor said, a slow, cunning smile spreading across his face. "The competition will be held. But with a condition. The winner will indeed get one wish, but that wish cannot be a simple refusal. It must be something of equal, or greater, value to my empire."
Alaric's jaw tightened. "And what does that mean?"
"It means," the Emperor said, his eyes glinting with amusement, "that if the Thomas family wants to play a game of honor, then we shall play. The rules will be set by me, and the prize will be much more than just a girl's freedom."
Alaric's jaw tightened. "What do you mean, Arin?" He called the Emperor by a name only his parents, the previous monarchs called him.
A name even the Empress could not call him.
"What I mean, Ric, is that I am not a fool. The Duke's proposal is a public challenge to my will. If I am to accept this... spectacle... then it must serve a greater purpose than simply amusing the court."
He leaned forward. "The winner's wish cannot be petty. It cannot be something as small as her freedom. It must be something of equal value to the empire itself. A powerful alliance with a foreign kingdom, for instance. A strategic peace treaty with our rivals. A new economic policy that would bring immense wealth to my coffers. A wish that would cement my legacy as a great and just Emperor."
The Emperor's smile grew wider, but it held no warmth. "Duke's family wants to play a game. They will have their game. But if they win, the prize will be something that serves me and my empire, not just themselves."
...
Aidan who had waited discreetly, found Alaric in his study once, the prince seated behind his large desk, a quill in hand.
"Back so soon, Aidan?" Alaric said, setting his quill down with a click. "You couldn't wait until tomorrow to hear the Emperor's decision?"
Aidan sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I'm here hoping you'll tell me before tomorrow. Our entire family is a mess. We need to know what to prepare for."
Alaric's expression softened. He gestured for Aidan to take a seat in silent acknowledgment of the stress the Duke's family was under.
He leaned back in his chair, his hands resting on the armrests.
"The Emperor agreed to the competition," Alaric said.
Aidan's shoulders slumped in relief. "Thank God!"
"But he added a condition," Alaric continued, the words chilling the air. "The winner's wish has to be of equal or greater value to the empire itself. Something that serves him and his legacy."
Aidan's face fell, the hope that had just bloomed instantly withering. He had expected a challenge, but this was a completely different game.
"What does that mean?"
"It means," Alaric said, "that your family has no idea what they're getting into. The Emperor is not just playing a game, he's raising the stakes to a level that is nearly impossible for you to meet."
Alaric rose from his chair and walked to the window, staring out at the capital.
"He wants to test you. He wants to see if you're worthy of his attention. This isn't just about Daphne's freedom anymore, it's about whether your family can prove its political value to the crown."
"What could possibly be of such value that he would give up his newest interest for it?"
"You have to come up with something, and fast too."
"Do you have any idea what the Emperor wants?"
Alaric's gaze was sharp. "I do, but for your sake, I can't tell you much now. All I can say is, you have no idea what trouble you have brought upon Daphne." He added, "You have successfully put Daphne in the power struggle of the harem."
Aidan stared at him, his face a mask of defeat. "I don't understand. What power struggle? What are you not telling me?"
"The Empress is a political necessity, but she is also the Emperor's greatest threat," Alaric began. "She has ensured that Prince Julian is the only heir. She has made the harem barren to cement her son's position."
Aidan's eyes widened in horror. "But... how?"
"Her methods are irrelevant now," Alaric said, waving a dismissive hand. "What matters is the Emperor sees a way to use Daphne to fight back. He will not be a fool and simply demand her for his harem. He sees a way to use her as a political asset, a piece in his game."
Alaric turned back to Aidan, his expression grave. "You have no choice but to play this game. But you must play it with a different goal. Your goal is to not only win but to find a way to make Daphne so valuable, so irreplaceable, that the Empress would not dare touch her without directly challenging the Emperor."
"How?" Aidan asked, his voice barely a whisper. "What could she possibly do?"
"You should have just listened when I told you to wait for me to come up with a solution," he said, his voice flat with an icy frustration.
"Now, even if Daphne wins, her life would be in constant danger."
Aidan's shoulders slumped. He knew Alaric was right. He had walked straight into a trap, and in doing so, he had placed his sister's life on the most dangerous chessboard in the empire.
He had to go home and tell his family the truth, and he had no idea what they would do with it.
He turned to leave, but Alaric's voice stopped him.
"Aidan," Alaric said, his voice flat and serious.
Aidan turned back, his face a mask of weary defeat.
"You must make sure she wins," Alaric said, his eyes hard and unwavering. "No matter the cost, she has to win."
Aidan nodded once and left the study.
The moment the door closed behind him, the stony resolve on Alaric's face cracked.
He walked to a concealed panel in the wall, his hands tracing a specific pattern on the wood.
The panel slid open silently, and a man dressed in all black, his face hidden in shadow, emerged from the darkness.
"Things are about to get messy," Alaric stated, his voice devoid of all emotion. "The Emperor has set a game in motion that will put Lady Daphne in mortal danger. Find her. Do not let her out of your sight. You and your men are her shadow. Protect her at all costs and at all times."
The shadow knight nodded once, his figure merging back into the darkness. Alaric turned back to his desk, his mind already racing. He had to ensure that his shield would not break.
"It is time to move the piece." Alaric said to himself.