Heavy is the Crown

“The Crown is never clean; it is always pawed down dripping with blood.” -Emperor Egon Oaklion the 4th of the Nightly Lion Dynasty

Dear River,

 

                The other morning I rose before the sun did to get to the library earlier to get some reading done. My day was going to be long with a lot more training with Gulydin. We were planning to go out into the city beyond the Estate. It had been weeks if not months since I had been off the Estate grounds and I wasn’t sure how I would feel about the event. It didn’t matter too much what I felt about going out into the city, it was going to happen one way or another. I had no choice in the matter. I was going with Gulydin into the city, but that is a part of my duty for my Rank.

                I climbed the stairs to my tower to read and watch the sunrise. It was a way for me to get ready to be outside the walls and when I open the door, I found the Emperor sitting in my chair. I guess, it wasn’t so much my chair but his either way I felt wronged. He glanced back at me with a weak smile standing up from the chair.

                “My Emperor,” said I with a bow.

                “Brain,” Emperor Edward said back to me, “I didn’t know there was anyone else who knew of this place.”

                He explained to me after we sat down to watch the sunrise, the tower was the place he went to remind him why he wore the Crown. I could tell sitting across from him watching him stare off into the city the duty of being Emperor was a heavy one this morning. He again doubted his right to rule within himself. He never asked for the crown, but the seat of power to rule over the Realm was forced on to him. He had no choice but to take the throne putting aside all he dreamt about becoming.

                “You see, my friend,” he told me,” I dreamt of being a Sword Saint. My father would bring in any Saint who entered the city letting them sleep on the Estate. I, as a child, would sit with them for hours asking them a thousand questions about where they have been.” He smiled at those memories from a lifetime ago.

                “I plan to join the Order,” Emperor Edward said softly,” to the point that I would take no wife and my father, once he understood my wish, never pushed me to carry out that part of my duty. My brother, Eli, was always meant to wear the crown. He was the oldest after all.”

                I now understand why Edward has never taken a wife. He always meant to give his life to the AllFather and the Order. He never planned on raising a family and for the most part still has no desired to have a family. We all know this has sent many nobles into a fearful rage on what to do if he passed away before he has a son, but it is believed around the Estate the Emperor’s Sword will take the seat of power. From what I have heard along with meeting Gabriel Strongshield, I believe this to be a very wise choice, but this is if our Emperor doesn’t find love first.

                I didn’t say much while he told me his woes, but I didn’t we call what happens to his brother Eli. “He rushed off to fight in the War, trained as a true Knight,” Edward explained to him. “Gabriel trained with him under the Masters in the Knighthood. All knew Gabriel was better at the sword than Eli, but my father kept the Knight here.”

                It was a mistake, maybe? Eli died in the first few battles where the Whispering Oaks troops fought against the Arcane Ants. No one knows which battle took Eli’s life because most of those first fights were nothing more than the Arcane Ants tearing through the Ranks. They never found his body, but the news of Eli’s death sent the Royal family into a deep sadness. The Emperor, Edward’s father, was hit with such grief he couldn’t rule the armies anymore.

                “It was a hard day,” Edward said with a heavy sigh, “when the Emperor’s Sword came rushing into my chamber telling me I had to take the throne.” He never looked over at him. “I didn’t understand at first what had happened until I realized my father had already left the city with his army to fight the ants.”

                “It was the last day I saw him.”

                Soon after the reports came rushing in Edward’s father had rushed into combat with the ants only to be killed. His mother, the Queen could stand the heartbreak and threw herself off the Knight’s Academy leaving Edward alone to be Emperor. I guess, he wasn’t truly alone he did have Gulydin and Gabriel to help him rule but most of all work through his sorrow over his family. He had lost them all before the war had truly started, but Edward ruled with great wisdom during the war.

                “The days didn’t get less hard,” Edward said with the weight of his duty dragging down his words. “In fact, they seem along grow with difficulties. I never wanted to rule an Empire where I had to outlaw the very existence of some squirrels.”

                “Then why did you do it, my Emperor?” I asked him.

                “Because,” he sighed deeply, “because I had no choice. Magic brought the Arcane Ants to the Realm, and the ants killed my family along with countless others. I can never let that happen again.” He said lowing his head a bit, “And I just read a report that a town was destroyed by a Spellcrafter who was trying to recreate a Manna Bomb of the Wizards Three used to defeated the Horde of the Arcane Ants, the spell went wrong. There is no one left alive in the town, all three hundred die in a flash.” He slowly stood up from the chair trying to smile, but the smile wouldn’t dear come forth. “My father never told me about this part of ruling the Realm. I wish we had then I might have joined him in the war.”

                Before I could say another word, he left the room leaving me alone to see my Emperor and your Emperor more as one of us than anyone else would be able to see him. The story he told me was a sad one, the pain of his power even sadder. I couldn’t help but find some enjoyment in seeing him like a normal squirrel struggling with the duties of his Rank.

 

Your brother,

Brain Redtales

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