Chapter 65

65 Dilemma.

Fragrantia consoled her son and told him to stay away from all this. As a righteous man, Vertex was having a hard time dealing with all this, after all, the attack on his sister was followed by this attack on his life. This was a shock to him, he could not comprehend why would his ally want to attack him at such a crucial stage.

However, his mother ‘clarified’ that it all was a plan, the so-called enemies would first end him, and implicate his brother with this accusation. In the end, they will let Azula take the throne, as she has passed the trial of freedom, and propose a marital alliance between the two families, which will allow the children born from this marriage to ascend to the throne.

This was not a short-term plan, but a scheme to eradicate the royal family. This conjecture shocked the second prince, he was aware that his righteousness did not let him speculate on the long-term future of any situation from a crafty mindset. The end of the conversation left him embarrassed and angry.

Before Fragrantia was about to leave the room, Vertex said, “Mother, the main culprit is not madam prime minister, but the prime minister himself.”

The empress cast a gaze at her son and said, “You are too inexperienced to understand how crafty can the wife of the prime minister be. Anyway, go back to rest. I have things to deal with.”

Vertex bowed his head and sighed as he watched her mother walk out of the room. She gazed at the guards outside and said, “Sir Quies will be in charge of the security around the second prince, tell him not to let the prince go out alone, regardless of what he says, but if someone comes to meet him, then let them be.”

“Yes, your excellency.”, replied the two guards with their heads bowed.

Fragrantia nodded and started walking. Valerian and her guards began following her as well. After a few minutes, Fragrantia said, “Prepare a convoy, we will leave for the imperial academy after I have finished meeting with His Excellency.”

A guard bowed and said, “As you command, My liege.”

.....

That said, the guard moved away. Fragrantia was now walking to meet the Emperor, Libra. When they reached the Emperor’s study, they could hear a loud voice coming from inside.

It was obvious that Libra was angry, his son, the emperor’s son was attacked and almost killed. This was a slap in his face. How could he tolerate this humiliation? The guard noticed the empress approaching and bowed. Fragrantia asked, “Open the door.”

The warriors were stunned but they did what they were told to. As soon as the door was opened, a loud voice could be heard, “What were you doing when my son was being attacked? Is that how you see through your duty of watching over my children? Why have you not yet issued a search and investigation order?”

The man in front of him was a person responsible for the Second Prince’s security like Quies was for Azula. The man wanted to tell the emperor that it was the prince’s order but he was not given a chance.

The opening of the door had attracted their attention and the brows of the Emperor frowned hard, however, when he saw the familiar figure in front of him, he let out a sigh. The Empress walked over to his side, and put her hand on his shoulder, and said, “If you lose your temper, your wisdom will go to vain, Your Excellency.”

Libra cast her a gaze but the lady continued, ‘I have arranged Quies to share some workload with Commander Gent. Vertex will not be allowed to step outside the room, so do not worry about something like this happening again. However, the investigation is important, I will deploy the shadows. Do not worry.”

When Fragrantia said the word, Shadows. Libra and Gent(Commander) were shocked. They knew what shadows were, they are the forces under the empress and were capable of extracting information that was enough to destroy a lot of people in the empire.

Libra sighed and said, “I understand that I must not lose my temper, alas! This incident scared me. I do not want my children to suffer such torments for a mere throne.”

Fragrantia understood his plight. She said, “Commander Gent, you may excuse yourself, I hope that this is the last time such an incident has taken place. There will be no next time.”

The commander bowed his head and bent his waist as he said, “Your Excellency, I will voluntarily cut off my head and present it to you if the second prince has a hair from his body broken unnaturally.”

Fragrantia did not want to hear all this and waved her hand to send him out. The door closed and she said, “Libra, have you ever thought what if the snake lived in our sleeves?”

The emperor was shocked, this address was only used when they were talking about something serious and when Fragrantia treated him as an equal. Hearing her use this term in addition to the idiom. He could not help but ponder. After a prolonged silence, the emperor spoke, “Lend me five shadows, I need them to investigate a few people for me.”

Fragrantia nodded and said, “I am going to the imperial academy. I have something to meet the old man for.”

Libra sat up straight and asked, “Is it for Valerian?”

The lady nodded, she was aware that after the scene in the dining room, her husband has interviewed the child. She did not ask for the specifics but seeing his expression now, it seemed as if things did not go smoothly. She asked, “Yes, did something happens?”

Libra gave her a smile and shook his head, he said, “Come back soon, and be careful on the road.”

Fragrantia nodded and then she left the study. Valerian was still standing outside. This whole time was used by him as a self-debate. He was not only thinking back about the mistakes he could have avoided in the attack on the second prince but also the motive of the empress.

Although Fragrantia did say that it was done to make sure that her son does not end up in a coffin by the time he realizes that the alliance was a hoax, Valerian still could not help but think that something was wrong about this whole setup.

The first thing that he did not understand was the impeccable display of trust by the woman, why did she allow him to go and beat up her son when she could have assigned a shadow or someone like Priscilla? On the other hand, he did not sense any malice from her.

This was irking him, constantly. As he was lost in thoughts, the door was pushed open and Fragrantia walked out of the study. She looked around and waved to a maid in the corridor. Every corridor had a maid posted, they were to react to the royal family and important guests if they were asked to.

A maid rushed over and bowed, “Your Excellency.”

“Please get me a basket of bread and lily scent jam. Have it placed in my carriage, when we leave.”, Fragrantia said to the maid.

The maid hurriedly ran to the kitchen to prepare the basket. Fragrantia sighed and looked at Valerian, “She asked, do you think, I am very scary?”

The guards were surprised when the Empress was so kind to people, she was a cold iceberg that made the others shiver by just gazing at them. To her family, she may be warm, but to the others, not at all.

Valerian asked, ‘Shall I tell the truth or lie?’

“Oh, there is something like that?”, she asked with a very intrigued expression.

The guards behind her were silently praying for Valerian. However, the child still nodded. Fragrantia said, “Okay, go on, tell me the lie first.”

Valerian looked at her and said, “You are the best and the kindest person in the world.”

Fragrantia narrowed her eyes and said, “Tell me the truth now.”

The guards shivered and were ready to plead on behalf of this unfortunate child, when Valerian said, ‘You act as an Empress should. You are very kind to your people and protective of your family. So in order to ensure this, your cruelty and cunning are justified.’

Fragrantia did not expect him to say such words. She opened her eyes slightly and the cold aura vanished, she said, “You have a nick for being a diplomat.”

Valerian nodded and said, ‘I learned from you, Yoru Excellency.’

The empress chuckled while the warriors were all gulping mouthfuls of saliva. She said, “Let us go, the imperial academy is outside the city, we also need to make haste and come back before the sunset.”

Valerian bowed and then followed the lady with her guards. They met the maid from the corridor earlier, she had placed the basket inside the carriage. The princess had ten wraiths and guards, while the Empress had a hundred wraiths and mounted guards. Along with fifty marching soldiers and Valerian was sure that she had shadows following in secret too.

Fragrantia said, “I can sense your dilemma, let us get on the carriage, I will answer your questions. Okay?”

That said, the people set off.