Author's Notes.
Hi to everyone!
As I promised in my latest chapter of "Gate - Warfere", from today I'll start publishing also this short story that will seve as a pilot for a probably long fiction. I don't know if I'll write it yet, because it's a new genre of story for me, but in any case you can be sure that these first events will reach for sure their conclusion. The story will be from 3 to 4 chapters long, then I'll mark it as COMPLETE, but I could decide to keep on writing it in any moment.
So... stay tuned!^^
See you soon!^_^
Cj Spencer
That small little fly had always tried in all its life to avoid problems.
It knew that there was always need to pay a lot of attention in that difficult and dangerous world, massive predators and giant slapping hands.
But when he suddenly found itself in a world when it was the giant one, where it was able to cross one of those enormous human buildings with just few steps, it did something that a fly should never do: it forget to look around.
A rolled parchment sentenced its fate, smashing him against the outstanding scale model of the entire city emerging from the floor in the center of the throne room.
«Goddamn insects.» the architect Fidias protested. «Out of my work.»
However, there was something deeply different in that tiny version of the Empire's capital. Sadera was a truly beautiful and shining city, surely the best one in the world, but that model was if possible even better, some sort of idyllic version of an already perfect vision of order, power and glory.
Large streets, shining temples, enormous squares, and a bridge over the river so mighty to result a building itself, with an entire forum at the center surrounded by two different group of columns and built over four majestic elliptical bows.
It was perfection.
«As you can see, holy Emperor.» Fidias said turning to the throne. «The changes you proposed have been completed. I hope you're satisfied of the final result.»
His Imperial Majesty Molt got up from his golden chair and made some steps toward the model, silently observing it for a bit of time while sipping wine from a shining chalice.
«Magnificent work, Fidus. You're truly a God in your work.»
«You deeply honor me with your words, My Lord. I'm always at your disposal.»
«I dreamed all this for thirty years. I just hope to see it realized before Hardy decides to call me at her side.»
«You'll see it, Great Emperor. And when all this will become truth, you'll have made something even greater than your divine grandfather. Thanks to you, our divine Empire and its holy capital will shine like nothing else in history.»
«Yeah. You're right. And I promise you that you too will have your place in history. Because with this, we'll both print our names in stone and marble for all eternity, so that no one will ever forget our work and what we did for the Empire.»
«Thank you so much, Divine Emperor.»
Some seconds later, Prince Diabo went into the room, respectfully saluting his father the Emperor with a small bow.
«You called for me, Father?»
«Oh, Diabo. Perfect timing.» then he turned to Fidias. «Leave us.»
The aged architect obeyed, and a slave went to take a wine chalice even for the Prince.
«It's even most outstanding than the last one.» Diabo commented looking at the model in front of him.
«It has to be. This will be my heritage to the people of Sadera and all the Empire.»
«Don't speak like this father. I'm sure you'll keep watching over us still for a long time.»
The Emperor smiled.
«None of us can know what the Gods have in store for him. I want to be sure to leave this world certain that my name will not die together with me. I spent almost half of my life dreaming this new city. I'll make Sadera a city worth of the Gods themselves. The Strata Magna will be the heart of the new capital. A vast and shining city connecting the Imperial Palace with a new temple dedicated to all Gods of sky, land, sea and underworld. Countless squares so big that they'll be able to contain an entire deployed army. The most outstanding public buildings ever seen. The highest walls.»
The eyes of Molt were shining while the imagines of the new Sadera kept on appearing in his mind, and his words were so clear, so vivid that Diabo too was almost able to see them.
«Your great grandfather had started dreaming all this almost one hundred years ago. But I'll not simply fulfill that dream, my son. I'll make it even bigger. The name of Molt will be signed in stone and marble for all eternity, and no one in this world will ever forget that I walked among them like a humble mortal.»
«You'll surely be the greatest Emperor this nation has ever seen, father. I'm sure that after this, even the Gods almighty will chant your glory in the centuries to come.»
«And your too, Diabo.» Molt said seriously turning to him
«Father!?»
«I'm becoming old, my son. I'm not even sure that I'll see the end of these works. I know they'll request many years to be completed, and I'm not so arrogant to think being immortal. For this, since now, I entrust this task on your hands.»
«What!?»
Diabo was speechless. He knew that his father had a special opinion of him, but he would've never imagined to be held in such high consideration from him.
«What's the problem, my son?» Molt asked noting his stunned expression. «Are you not happy.»
«Y… yes, of course I am, father. It's just that… why me?»
«I have faith in your judgment. You've already demonstrated a certain talent in such questions, and I'm sure that with you at the lead, the new Sadera I dreamed for years will be truly able to see light, no matter if I'll be still here or not.»
It was more than Diabo could hope to gain, and he was the first one to know it.
«But… why now, father? I mean, the moment is quite… complicated.»
«And it's exactly for this that this is the best moment. We have to be honest, Diabo. Two weeks for now, our Family will celebrate five hundred years from our rise to power. We ruled the Empire longer than any other Imperial Family in history, but right now our power is weak like few other times.»
Molt reached again his throne, placing the hand over the golden sphere at the end of each of the arms.
«Dramatic changes are happing right under our eyes. New Families are growing, hungry for power and influence, and the number of our enemies keeps on increasing. For centuries, we've used war campaigns to please the people and affirm our power, but now we've reached the point where there's nothing else to conquer. That's why I had ordered to our mages to create an artificial Gate in Arnus. I wanted to celebrate our five hundred years of dominion by sending our army to place the Imperial banner in other worlds: it would've been the greatest triumph possible.»
«I promise it, father. I'll make your dream come true, and I swear that you'll be still here with us the day that you'll be able to see the new Sadera in all its might. It will be the most glorious moment in the Empire's history, and the greatest day for our family.»
That was the kind of moment when slave Mascius hated have being chosen by prince Zorzal as hid personal advisor and counsellor; even before crossing the door of the prince's rooms, the slave had been able to hear the most savage louds and woman screams coming from the other side, but the truth was that at that point he was so used to such things that it didn't was a pain for him anymore.
Maids, servants, even the wives of some noblemen: it was difficult to find a woman in the imperial palace that hadn't visited Zorzal's rooms yet, but since when the Prince had returned from his last military campaign against the Worrior Bunnies with a new plaything, the scream Mascius used to hear were always the same.
Suspiring in disapproval, Mascius ultimately crossed the door, finding himself face to face with two lovers occupied in making sex in the most savage and barbaric way, at the point of making the enormous bed trembling violently under their passionate movements.
Zorzal was notoriously an exigent, not to say tremendous lover; only a really minimal number of women among the countless ones passed from his bed had been able to completely satisfy him, and for a brief time even Queen Tyuule of the Warrior Bunnies had found really big problems in bearing his brutal research for pleasure.
But right because she was a Warrior Bunny, she had taken little time to settle, and thanks to the godly knowledge in the art of sex of her people she was now able to provide the most absolute, heavenly experiences Zorzal could ask, at the point that the prince was no more able to find satisfaction with other women apart for her.
When they reached the climax, both Zorzal and Tyuule screamed so loudly that probably half of the palace heard them, and only after that the prince decided to turn his attention toward his slave, still standing in front of the bed with emotionless expression.
«What do you want?» he said with the demi-human princess still riding him.
«We need to talk, Your Grace.» when he mendaciously looked at Tyuule. «Alone, if possible.»
Clearly disappointed Zorzal gave a final lick to Tyuule's nipples, then he ungraciously ordered her to leave, and the princess obeyed leaving the room completely naked without a word.
«So? What's so important to get you here to stop me during my… morning exercises?» the prince demanded sipping a bit of water from a chalice near the bed.
«It's your father, My Lord. He entrusted the city's construction project to prince Diabo.»
Zorzal gnashed in disappointment, almost crushing the chalice.
«We knew it would happen. That's not the kind of stuff I'm brought to. Diabo is the most proper one for drowning in projects and calculations. I had to cross the portal and plant our flag on other worlds. That was my way toward glory. But the gods have decided to deny the glory I deserved, and now that filthy bastard will use this chance to try and take away my right to the throne as well.»
In truth, Mascius thought, immediately before the failed attempt to open the gate on Alnus hill, a certain number of people swore that the Emperor was not so sure about entrusting command of the expedition to his first-born, at least to not put the life of the prince at risk launching him against a completely unknown and potentially powerful enemy, but there was no need for Zorzal to know it.
«I don't think you have to worry about this, My Lord.» Mascius answered. «For what we know, the Emperor has made no plans to change the line of succession to the throne. And as long as most of the senate keeps on sustaining you, there's no way for your right to take His Majesty's place to be at risk.»
«You say it all times, but you know exactly like me that Diabo is an obstinate bastard. Blood is the sole thing we have in common, because under those polite manners and fine speeches he desires the throne more than anything else.» the Zorzal stopped for a moment, lowering his discomforted eyes to the ground. «And above all, maybe you forget that he's not the sole opponent I have to pay attention about.»
«Princess Pina?!» Mascius said almost smiling. «My lord, you overestimate her. The Emperor keeps her in the palace only because she reminds him his favorite concubine. He has absolutely no intention to considerate her for his succession. I mean, you only have to look what her supposed elite unit has become.»
«Of course, but sometimes destiny is unpredictable. The truth is that Pina has a certain number of supporters, especially among the populares. They think she would be the easier Empress to control, and for this they silently support her hoping for my and Diabo's disgrace.»
«The Empire cannot be entrusted to the daughter of a concubine, no matter if the Emperor's blood runs in her veins. Trust me My Lord, you have no reason to worry about her.»
The truth was that more than one time Zorzal had thought to settle things with his brothers once and for all, once with a bit of poison, once with the dear old knife: however, and this is something everyone knew, the Imperial blood was sacred, and spilling it was simply unforgivable for someone aiming to the throne.
Zorzal was more than sure that Diabo too, and who knows, maybe even Pina had imagined conspiring against him many times; but just because they were behind him in the official line of succession they were forced to remain as cleaner as possible, if they wanted to have even the slightest opportunity to take his place.
This is what their family was. A fragile, weak, precarious balance of interests and old rules, where the smallest thing was able to have the most dramatic consequences, and blood was nothing but an obstacle more than something to protect and be proud of.
«And there's one more thing.» Zorzal kept on saying. «We both know that even if he carefully avoids saying it loudly, actually my father has quite… problems with my lifestyle, if you understand what I mean. You know me, every time we talk about this, he always repeats that when he was my age he was already married with our mother.»
«If I can, my lord, this is a problem easy to solve. There are countless nobles, senators and even kings from other nations that have sent proposal for you to marry one of their daughters. You are spoiled for choice.»
«I have no interest in sharing the rest of my life with just a single woman.»
«You can take all the women you want even if you have a wife, my lord.»
«You say it. You know what they say of my sexual preferences, and I have no interest in justify them with an idiot wife. Plus this, half of the noble bitches that use to visit this bed keep on doing it just because each of them hopes to become the empress. Why in the world should I spend the rest of my life alongside one of these filthy sows?»
«But Your Grace, if you don't make a choice, your father could ultimately do it in your place.»
Hearing such thing, Zorzal remained silent, looking in front of him with a mind filled with terrible feelings and fears.
«Well, there will be time to think about this. For now, all I want is to enjoy life as long as I can.»
Then Zorzal finally got up from the bed, and supported by a couple of other slaves he started dressing for his morning ride.
«One more thing, My Lord.» Mascius said again. «The Emperor your father has prepared a special dinner with you and your brother for this evening.»
«A dinner?! For what?»
«I suppose to announce his decision about entrusting the works for the new city to prince Diabo and discuss about the plans for next week's celebrations.»
«Shit. First he steals my glory, and now I'll be forced to watch him while he laughs of me.»
But since it was an order from his father, there was no way to avoid it.
«I'll need a longer ride today. Call my escort!»
«Yes my lord.»
Every time Pina left her pool, Hamilton had the sensation to see the Battle Goddess Arithya emerging from the waters of Mysia Lake.
She was pure and graceful, but also mighty and strong, and even if everyone still used to laugh about her supposed elite unit her gorgeous but even trained body was the best proof that she was much more than a crown princess.
It was sad that her mother's history had condemned her to become the last one in the line of succession to the throne, and even considering that she was a woman, there was few doubts about the fact that her fate was all but to reign over the Empire. And incredibly, one of the sorrier about this seemed being her father.
«If just you were a man, you would've become a wonderful Emperor.» he once said in a moment of discomfort the day when Pina's mother, the most loved one of his lovers, was dead.
But the truth was that she had no interests in becoming her father's successor. She knew her position, and in any case she was too fond of both her brothers to remain involved in their well-known games and conspiracies to steal the throne each other, and that was the main reason for which her knights had such deep respect for her.
Two handmaids went to dress her once she left the bath, and while she was still wearing the armor for morning training her knight Norma Co Igloo entered the room, respectfully saluting his Captain before speaking.
«The new recruit is here, Captain.»
«Let him pass.»
«Yes, My Lady.»
Norma left immediately, and shortly after an even younger soldier appeared in front of the princess; he was probably the same age of her, and one could easily think that he was a girl for how sweet and almost feminine his traits were, with short brown hair and a not excessively developed physique, so that the armor seemed almost too big for him. However, in his unusually grey eyes Pina was able to see a mighty flame of passion and determination.
«Petty officer Julius Decimus Valerio reporting for duty, Captain.»
Pina stood silently watching him for a while from her seat, then she turned to Hamilton and the handmaids.
«Leave us.»
«What!?» Hamilton replied. «But, Your Highness…»
«I said leave us.» she said in an even more serious way.
The girl and the maids obeyed, and when they finally remained alone Pina got up, heading to a still frozen Julius without stopping to seriously watch him. Then, finally, she warmly embraced him, smiling in happiness and receiving a similar hug in response.
«I'm glad to see you again, Julius.» she said
«I'm sorry for having left you so suddenly, Pina… I mean, Your Highness.»
«For you, I'm only Pina, at least when no one watch us. We know each other since we were barely kids. I never said you how much I'm sorry for your parents.»
«Don't worry. It's been a tragic incident. And my uncle and his wife have been like a second family for me. Unfortunately, when my uncle has been promoted to Governor, I had to follow him in his dominion.»
«Yes, my father told him when I asked why you vanished. So? How was the Knappnai?»
«Hot and dusty. I spent most of my childhood and youth following him in his political affairs and in his beloved lion hunts in the desert.»
«But it's been useful, I see. When I left you, you was nothing more than a timid and skinny little child. Now, look at you. A man. And a warrior.»
«Never like you.» Julius smiled. «A Commander. And a true Imperial princess.»
«Oh, I'm just an ordinary girl still on search of her place in this world.» then Pina offered a chalice of wine to his new soldier, which gladly accepted. «Being honest, I remained speechless when Gray showed me your request to enter my unit. You know that apart for he and Norma we're a Corp made entirely of women, right?»
«Yes Your Highness.» he replied respectfully recreating the class difference between them. «To be honest, I've been refused by the Imperial Army due to me limited physic abilities, but I still strongly wanted to serve the nation as a soldier. So, when I heard of your elite unit, I thought… well…»
«There's no need to say more. But I must warn you. At now, we're nothing more than a joke. We never served the Empire in a true battle, and there's no hope to do it in short times. Do you still want to join us, even knowing this?»
«Of course. Because if you princess are the same of long time ago, I know that your time will come really soon.»
Pina smiled, putting her hand on Julius' shoulder.
«In this case, welcome among the Rose Knights. I hope you'll serve the Empire as well as you hope to do.»
«Thank you, Your Highness. Really thank you.»
That evening, a shadow crossed the door of the palace's kitchens.
No one noted her, or more probably no one payed attention to it, for how much work there was; Emperor Molt had personally requested the best dish possible, for him and his sons, and for this everyone were occupied to do their work the best they could.
The shadow walked along the hot rooms filled with lauds, smells and yells and submerged with an almost unsupportable vapor cloud, ignoring everyone and being ignored as well, until when it reached a plate where a golden chalice and three silver ones of different dimensions were place, filled with red wine and ready to be served.
The shadow waited until everyone around it was occupied in other things, then it quickly put an azure liquid in the golden chalice, leaving the place seconds before the plate with the cups was put by another maid and taken to the hall where the dinner between the Emperor and his sons was taking place.
Molt, Zorzal and the others were wearing their best dresses, and they were all followed by their favorite slaves or guards; Zorzal, as everyone expected, in addition to Mascius had brought with him even Tyuule, respectfully standing behind his triclinium, and was euphemistic to say that his father and brothers were not happy of this.
The maid with the chalices thought that it was the better and maybe the only occasion in her life to taste the flavor of a royal wine, so she toke a sip from the golden one before entering the room.
«Much time has passed since our last dinner together, my sons.» the Emperor said while receiving his chalice for first. «Those were different years. Your mothers and brothers were still among us, the Empire was powerful, and our family strong and respected. Today, sickness and wars have taken away most of our family, and both the Empire and the Augustus are facing difficult moments.
Now, you're all I have left. You're the best heritage I'll leave in this world when Hardy will call me to her side. In your hands I put the fate of our family. It will be your sacred duty to assure that the House of the Augustus will keep on reigning over the Empire.
Even if I entrusted the works of the new Sadera to your brother Diabo, my beloved Zorzal and Pina, this doesn't mean that I have no faith in you. When I'll be dead, the sake of this nation will lie in the hands of all of you, no matter who'll become the next Emperor.
All of your other brothers are dead. Your mothers are dead. Your uncles too are dead. So, now it's up to all of you. What I expect from you, is to continue your ancestors' work, just like I did.»
«We'll do it, father.» Diabo said. «There will be no ambition or thirst for power capable to stopping us from turning your vision in truth.»
«He's right.» Pina said. «No matter what will happen, our family's power will not fade.»
The Emperor then turned to Zorzal, the sole one which wasn't clearly enjoying dinner.
«Zorzal?»
«Yes… of course.» he replied with a very less moved tone. «The Augustus are the chosen one of the Gods. I… we'll make sure that things will not change. This is our main duty.»
At that point, the Emperor rose up his chalice, followed by all of his sons.
«May our family reign forever over this nation. And may you, my sons, make your ancestors proud of your work. To the Augustus.»
«To the Augustus!» everyone replied.
Custom said that the Emperor in this kind of occasion was the first to drink, followed immediately after by his sons in order of age, starting with the older one.
While Pina was waiting her turn, a noise came from her back, and turning she saw a maid lying to the ground.
«Lynne, what happens?» one of her companions said, uselessly trying to help her. «Please, answer me.»
«What's her problem?» Pina asked
«I don't know, Your Highness. She fainted all of a sudden, she's uncontrollably trembling and vomiting.»
Pina and Diabo then went to help her, finding them face to face with a really gruesome spectacle: that poor woman was as pale as a ghost, her eyes were almost blank, and waves of puke didn't stop coming down from her opened mouth. And before they could try doing something, she died in front of them.
«What the hell…» Pina
«Poison.» commented a scared Diabo.
Among the puke, Pina noted some strange red lines: initially she thought that it could be blood, but looking more carefully it became obvious that it was something else.
«The wine…» she said.
A shiver ran across her spine.
«Don't drink the wine!» she shouted turning to her father and brother.
But it was too late.
Molt and Zorzal had already emptied their chalices, and even before being able to understand Pina's warning they started coughing at the point of vomiting blood, and second later they too were both lying on the respective triclinium, apparently dead.
«Father! Brother!»