Chapter 102: A Quiet Morning
Kael woke before sunrise.
For several seconds, he stared at the ceiling.
Then he remembered where he was.
Home.
He turned his head toward the window.
The room was still dark. A faint gray light had begun creeping through the curtains.
Kael sat up.
His body felt heavier than it had before the expedition.
Not injured.
Just tired.
Weeks of traveling had taught him that exhaustion wasn’t always obvious while you were moving. Sometimes it waited until you finally stopped.
He swung his feet onto the floor.
His sword rested against the wall.
His coat hung over a chair.
And beside the bed sat the bag containing the strange egg.
Kael looked at it.
He hadn’t checked it since returning.
Slowly, he reached down and opened the bag.
The egg sat inside.
Still.
Quiet.
Its surface looked almost ordinary.
Kael picked it up.
Nothing happened.
He turned it over in his hands.
Nothing.
He tapped the shell lightly with one finger.
"You’re going to make me regret keeping you, aren’t you?"
Nothing.
Kael smiled.
"That’s what I thought."
He placed it back inside.
Before he could stand, there was a knock at the door.
"Prince Kael."
Kael recognized the voice.
"Come in."
The door opened.
A palace servant stood outside.
The young man wore a dark green uniform with silver buttons and carried a sealed letter in both hands.
He bowed.
"An Imperial message."
Kael took the letter.
"From my father?"
"Yes, Prince."
Kael broke the seal.
He read the short message.
His expression didn’t change.
The servant waited.
Kael folded the paper.
"When?"
"This afternoon."
Kael nodded.
"You may go."
The servant bowed and left.
Kael looked at the letter again.
Another meeting.
This time, however, the Emperor hadn’t summoned him alone.
His siblings had been ordered to attend as well.
Kael placed the letter on the table.
He had expected that.
His father had made his intentions clear.
The children of the Emperor were being tested.
Not together.
Not against one another.
But individually.
And eventually, their paths would collide.
Kael stood and dressed.
By the time he entered the courtyard, the sun had risen.
The fifty soldiers were already training.
Kael stopped at the entrance.
He watched.
Darius stood in the middle of the yard.
The veteran wore a sleeveless training shirt beneath his open military coat, exposing the old scars across his arms.
"Again!"
Two soldiers charged one another.
Wooden swords collided.
THACK!
One stumbled.
Darius immediately shouted.
"Don’t chase the opening!"
The soldier stopped.
"You saw his weapon."
"You saw his feet?"
The young soldier shook his head.
"Then you saw nothing."
Kael smiled.
Darius noticed him.
"You’re early."
"So are you."
"I never went to sleep."
Kael raised an eyebrow.
"That’s not something to brag about."
Darius laughed.
The soldiers noticed their prince.
Training slowed.
Kael raised a hand.
"Don’t stop."
They continued.
Kael walked around the courtyard.
The company was different from the one that had left.
Their movements were more coordinated.
They communicated without shouting.
They watched one another.
When one soldier made a mistake, another corrected him.
Kael didn’t interfere.
He wanted to see what happened when he wasn’t directing them.
For several minutes, he simply watched.
Then he noticed something.
One soldier kept favoring his left leg.
Kael pointed.
"You."
The soldier stopped.
"Prince?"
"Your leg."
The soldier looked down.
"It’s fine."
"No."
Kael walked closer.
"How long?"
The soldier hesitated.
"Since yesterday."
"Why didn’t you report it?"
"I thought it wasn’t serious."
Kael looked at Darius.
Darius immediately understood.
"Medical room."
The soldier sighed.
"Yes, Captain."
Kael watched him leave.
Darius crossed his arms.
"That’s one thing we’re going to have to fix."
"What?"
"Soldiers hiding injuries."
Kael nodded.
"Agreed."
He looked toward the training yard.
"People aren’t tools."
Darius smiled slightly.
"You really did change."
Kael ignored him.
Later that morning, Kael sat at a table in his study.
Several reports were spread across the surface.
The western expedition.
The military reports.
The false Imperial badge.
The list of expenses.
The records of the fifty soldiers.
Kael read through them carefully.
One document caught his attention.
It concerned the western roads.
He read the same paragraph twice.
Then a third time.
There were reports of missing caravans.
Not many.
Three in one province.
Two in another.
Four farther west.
Different merchants.
Different roads.
Different dates.
But the same detail appeared repeatedly.
The attackers wore Imperial colors.
Kael leaned back.
Someone wasn’t simply robbing people.
They were building a reputation.
They wanted travelers to believe Imperial soldiers were responsible.
That could become dangerous.
If enough people believed it...
Trust in the Empire would begin to weaken.
Kael folded the report.
He didn’t know who was responsible.
And he wasn’t going to investigate without permission.
Not after his father’s warning.
But he would remember it.
A knock came from the door.
"Come in."
Darius entered.
"The men are finished."
Kael nodded.
"Good."
Darius looked at the papers.
"More trouble?"
"Maybe."
Kael handed him the report.
Darius read it.
His expression hardened.
"This is bad."
"Yes."
"Should we investigate?"
Kael shook his head.
"Not yet."
Darius handed the report back.
"You’re actually going to leave something alone?"
Kael smiled.
"I’m learning."
Darius laughed.
"Slowly."
Kael stood.
"I have to go to the palace."
"Another meeting?"
"Yes."
Darius nodded.
"Then I’ll have the men ready when you return."
Kael stopped at the door.
"Don’t train them too hard."
Darius smiled.
"No promises."
Kael shook his head and left.
The palace looked different in the afternoon.
The sun reflected off the golden towers, making the entire structure seem almost unreal.
Kael climbed the marble steps.
This time, he wasn’t nervous.
He knew what awaited him.
His father.
His siblings.
Another lesson.
He entered the palace.
A servant guided him through the familiar corridors.
When the doors opened, Kael stepped inside.
His siblings were already there.
The First Prince stood near one of the tall windows.
He wore a white formal coat embroidered with gold along the collar and cuffs. His dark hair was neatly combed, and his posture was relaxed despite the seriousness of the room.
Another prince sat nearby, dressed in dark red formal clothing, his fingers tapping impatiently against the armrest.
A princess stood beside the table, quietly reading a document.
None of them spoke when Kael entered.
The Emperor sat at the head of the chamber.
He looked toward Kael.
"You’re late."
Kael glanced at the clock.
"I’m early."
The emperor smiled.
"Good."
Kael took his place.
His siblings remained silent.
The emperor looked across the room.
"Today, we’re going to discuss something none of you have been taught properly."
Kael listened.
"Power."
The room became still.
The Emperor rested his hands on the arms of his chair.
"Not the power you awaken."
"Not military strength."
"Political power."
Kael’s eyes narrowed slightly.
The Emperor continued.
"Every one of you will eventually possess influence."
"Some of you already do."
"But influence without understanding can destroy an empire."
The prince in red finally stopped tapping his fingers.
The Emperor looked toward his children.
"You will each be given opportunities to gain influence."
"But remember..."
His eyes hardened.
"The Empire does not belong to any of you."
Kael listened carefully.
"It belongs to the people who live in it."
The emperor leaned back.
"And before any of you attempt to rule them..."
"You will learn what it means to serve them."
Kael looked around the room.
For the first time, he wondered what kind of rulers his brothers and sisters would become.
Not all of them would make the same choices.
Not all of them would share his ideas.
And eventually...
Those differences would matter.
The Emperor reached for several sealed documents.
"Your next assignments begin now."
Kael straightened.
The peaceful morning was over.