"Your-- Your Majesty-- this surbodinate was-- was just trying to--"
"Trying to slander the Imperial Princess," Aunt Royan helped him finish, unable to hide her glee.
"Your Majesty -- please give this surbodinate an ear!" Minister Shun clutched at his last straw, "perhaps that sinner colluded with the Hakorhi! Your Majesty, please investigate!"
Father stared at him coldly. Then he turned his back.
"Guards!"
They swarmed around the Minister, who was on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly, with his head making knocking sounds on the marble floor.
"The Cold Palace!" Father enunciated, without turning around.
"Yes!" the guards started to drag him away. He didn't make a big fuss like Alexandria, though. Probably thought Father would soon change his mind.
Nothing was more furtherest from the truth.
"Marquis Yu!" Father called.
A young man stepped out and stood before Father, who still had his back turned, and bowed.
"This subject is present,"
"Receive my decree: from this day forward, answering directly to the Crown, I appoint you Minister for Transport,"
So he had been a mere Minister for Transport. And he dared to point his finger in my face? Scoff.
On his part, Marquis Yu was flabbergasted. And terrified.
"Your- your Majesty-- this, this subject does not deserve, does not deserve--"
"Are you doubting this Emperor's prescence of mind?" Father turned around and asked, with a raised eyebrow, the scepter laid against his chest due to his crossed arms.
"No! No! This subject doesn't dare! Doesn't dare! Doesn't dare!" Marquis Yu clarified in alarm, "this subject thanks His Majesty for his benevolence!"
Humph!
Father waved a hand at me, indicating me to return to my seat. I obeyed, and after sitting down, Mother snatched up my hand and began stroking it.
Father went to sit on the throne, and all eyes went to him.
"You are all aware," he began, "of the war going on between the safrohi and the Valencian army. These safrohi are a coalition of all the northern magic user clans. But it is Savitro Zhan that is providing most of everything. We heard that it was Savitro Zhan who spearheaders the rebellion in the first place, but out of nowhere, Iriadne Hakorhi took over,"
A murmur ran through the court.
"We will continue to investigate the last place that sinner was identified, but until there is ample proof that the Hakorhi colluded with him, We shall support them, as a way of showing our gratitude for the care they have shown Our Princess,"
"Your Majesty," Elvin Kushad rose, bowed to Father, then towards Mother and I.
"Say on" Father replied.
"Your Majesty, this surbodinate takes the liberty to suggest that the Imperial Princess stays behind in Canolita. This surbodinate shall lead the troops in Her Highness' stead,"
I fisted my hands. Mother looked at me in surprise and promptly straightened them, calming me down:
"Your Father has said you will lead the troops. Do you think an ordinary Elvin Kushad can make him go back on his word?"
He'd better not.
Father glanced over Elvin Kushad. His lips curled under that penetrating stare, but he stood his ground, not looking Father directly in the face.
"When have you," Father drawled, "had the right to tell this Emperor what to do and what not to do?"
Elvin Kushad looked up quickly.
"Your Majesty, I was not implying--"
"Be quiet,"
Elvin Kushad clammed up. Nildan Laoren seized this opportunity to rise, bowing repeatedly towards the throne.
"Your Majesty, Elvin Kushad is known to be getting more and more prideful! This surbodinate witnessed him forcefully answering Her Highness' questions, defying Her not once, but twice!"
Elvin Kushad shot him a glare sideways, scowling. Meanwhile, my youngest aunt was tearfully shaking her head. Her husband had gone too far. Wouldn't he also end up at the Cold Palace? Did he not realize the Emperor was in a bad mood today? When had they seen him ordering people to be dragged out of the Royal Court?
"What do you have to say about that?" Father asked, with the last strand of his patience.
Emperor:...have they all really been stepping all over my darling daughter like this??....
Elvin Kushad bowed.
"This surbodinate misspoke at that time," he said dourly, "and Her Highness granted me mercy. Nildan Laoren, sit down,"
"When have you began to determine whether my officials sat or remained standing?"
Elvin Kushad bit his lip. Who knew that every single thing he said today would be heard in another way by the temperamental Emperor?? This was not the first time he was asking someone to sit down when they were being unreasonable! What happened to the Emperor's trust in him? What happened to him silently agreeing with every suggestion he brought forward? Only three months ago, had he not been bestowed with an honorary title, Diriad; which showed that he was the wisest official in court?
The Emperor was still looking at him though, waiting for an answer.
Thump.
The officials all looked at one another in surprise!
"What could drive the high and mighty Elvin Kushad to his knees?!"
"Something is really happening today! Shame the first minister isn't present! He'd have loved this!"
"Hadn't Elvin Kushad even almost surpassed the first minister! But he's kneeling today, heh!"
"This is getting interesting! Seems like the arrival of the Imperial Princess is really going to change things this time around,"
Elvin Kushad glared at the whispering officials. So what if he knelt? Was it not better to kneel than to be sent to the Cold Palace??