"Solis, let's get you to-" Uriel started but Solis held his hand up.
"I'm fine. His Highness was very lax in his techniques." He shakily stood, his body still shaken from the impact of Tempus's throws.
From an outside point of view, it may have seemed as if Tempus didn't put in any effort, simply playing with Sol, but he knew Tempus was putting strength into his hits. It wasn't even his full power, yet each strike hurt him more than Aurora's kicks.
"I still don't understand why His Highness was pretending to be a commoner just to test you." Shima put his thumb to his chin in thought. "I wonder if what he said was his true thoughts or him trying to start something by getting us angry."
"It's probably made up. His Highness would never think of his own troops in that way. He was known to be charismatic on the battlefield."
Solis steadied himself. "Let's go to the barracks and train."
"Yes, let's go." Uriel nodded in agreement.
-----
"Aurora." Tempus bowed to her.
"I greet the Crown Prince." The General bowed to her superior. "It is unusual for you to be here."
"I heard you got a new recruit." Tempus dismissed her underlying question of what his business was with her.
"Yes, I just tested Sir Sol. It seems that the only place he'll fit in with his skills is in the Zero Division."
"Oh? So it's not favoritism or keeping an eye on him?"
Aurora shook her head. "He genuinely belongs there. He has a strong innate feeling that allows him to avoid killing intent."
Tempus's brow furrowed. "That is interesting. The only way to resist any kind of malicious intent is by having a strong mental state, or if they are simply too strong to be affected."
He shook his head in denial. "I tested Sol earlier. He was fairly durable, but he lacked the strength to fight me off. I'm pretty sure he just has a much better mental state than most other people."
"What?" Aurora's neck whipped back to look at Tempus. "You tested one of my own?"
"Relax." Tempus waved her off. "I didn't do anything bad to him. I merely tossed him around."
"Tempus, I don't like when you doubt my decisions and go off on your own." She clenched her fist in annoyance. "It makes me doubt your trust in me as a General."
"I don't doubt your abilities. However, it is customary for me to make sure those you surround yourself with are worthy. Remember the reason why we even allowed you to have your own personal knights around you."
"Of course. I won't ever forget." She bowed.
He shook his head. "Put him into ๐ต๐ฉ๐ข๐ต group."
"I'm sorry?"
"Don't make me repeat myself Aurora. Father has a reason for accepting your group, while I have my own reason. You owe me for helping you with the creation of your Zero Division as a guise, so I expect you to follow my suggestions."
"I shall obey." Aurora nodded, trying to keep in her displeasure.
"Anyway, I came here to tell you that Father wants an answer from you."
"Answer?" She was a bit thrown off by the abrupt change of subject, but followed along.
His eyes drooped. "Don't tell me you forgot about the proposition that Father gave you three months ago?"
She blinked in confusion before her eyes widened in realization. "My future marriage."
"Indeed. You have been focusing too much on the security and defense of the scholar's exam, and now you are busy helping your newest recruit with accommodations. If we didn't know any better, we would've said you were interested in Sir Sol."
"I would appreciate it if you would not talk about that, especially not you of all people."
"I do not know what you are talking about Princess." Tempus shrugged. "I was merely stating what appeared to me. I trust you."
"Terra told me you were protesting about my tardiness a few months ago."
He let out a loud laugh. "She told you that? I was merely complaining for the sake of complaining." His eyes shined with amusement. "I don't doubt you considering our history."
"Why are you making your reputation worse?"
"Worse?" Tempus gave a smirk. "There is no way for my reputation to get any worse in my father's eyes after I pleaded for Third Brother's life."
Their joking and teasing mood instantly grew dark as Tempus brought up a sensitive topic.
"My constant complaining during court is simply for him to give me attention again, as well as provide my insight on issues he'll never ask me. If I don't do so, the country will be run down by corrupt officials. The braindead sheep that only follow my Father's commands are praised for their intelligence, yet they can do nothing against their own country's ministers."
"Tempus, did you really side with Solis?"
It was the first time she had mentioned his name in years to him.
The trust between the two of them was mutual due to their years together on the battlefield. Just as Aurora trusted Tempus to support her, he expected her to support him in return.
Their current talk of Li Solis Vernum was equal to treason, yet they continued despite the risks.
"Of course I did. How could I just abandon my brother's legacy? His accomplishments in war are far greater than what anyone can imagine from a man as young as he was."
Aurora could only look at him in shock. This entire time, she hadn't known this loyal aspect of Tempus, willing to stand with his own brother despite the dispute for the throne.
How could she only realize it now? Had she really been so ignorant to everything around her?
"Tempus, let's work together."
"Oh?"
Her eyes glowed as she stretched her hand out to him. "Let's reopen the case of the Third Prince."
She didn't have time to wait for Terra to obtain the throne. She wanted to investigate it as soon as possible.
All these years, those who betrayed Solis were hiding and covering their tracks. It was time to wipe them from the country.
"For the Lunar Knights and Solis."
Tempus accepted the handshake. "For Solis."
-----
"I greet the Shining Sun of the Empire. Princess Yi'Ung pays her respects." She was far more formal than she usually was due to the audience.
Not only were the important officials watching from the sidelines, there was a line of a few handsome men just in front of the gathered ministers.
"We can finally discuss the topic of our courts for the last couple of months. Aurora, for many years we have struggled to find the correct timing to do this, but now we are able to finally decide on a marriage partner for you out of these fine men."
The chosen men bowed to her, and she recognized the majority of them to be the sons of the highest ranking officials and ministers.
Not a single one of them sparked even the tiniest of interest from her.
"Your Majesty, would you permit your loyal subject to speak?" Tempus stepped forward and bowed his head in submission.
"Speak."
"We know Princess Yi'Ung is a very accomplished general. What better way to reward her than a man who can surpass her powers? I believe we can test all the candidates through her own handpicked knights."
"Oh? Instead of a man with knowledge, you would rather take a man with strength?"
It was a game of words. While to the outsiders, it may have been simple word play, Aurora, Tempus, and the Emperor knew where Tempus was going with his suggestion.
It was by no coincidence that Tempus would mention her knights instead of fighting herself.
There was only one person they wanted to test.
"I suggest we have all the candidates fight against a single chosen knight. After all, the Princess's Star Knights are essentially the eyes and ears of the General of South Clarity."
"Yes, if I recall, there was a new recruit just recently, today even." Emperor Li played along with Tempus's charade. "What better way to introduce him to matters of the inner palace than to have him fight against his own general's suitors?"
"Your Majesty is wise. With this, we can also determine the recruit's strength and whether he is truly worthy to serve our General directly." Tempus clasped his hands together and bowed in agreement.
"Princess Yi'Ung, what do you think?"
At this point, he was asking just to give a show. She knew that if she denied his request, it would result in severe punishment for embarrassing the Emperor himself.
In Western Clarity, the Emperor was always right and was never questioned. No matter how much one was against his decision, his word was final.
This was the rule of the strongest.
"I agree. I believe in His Majesty's decision. My newest knight should be honored to be having this attention on him."
"We will reunite for another court meeting when Sir Sol becomes aware of the news." Emperor Li stood up, his long red and golden robes flowing outwards. "The court is dismissed."
"Long live the Emperor!"
Tempus muttered softly to himself, just loudly enough so Terra could hear him. "Meet me at our place."
Tempus was the first to leave after the Emperor, his long black hair flowing behind him as he took confident strides out.
-----
"Princess Yi'Ung, the Grand Empress Dowager is calling for you."
Aurora nodded at the eunuch. "Thank you. Lead the way."
The Grand Empress Dowager, the mother of the Emperor. She was one who took over the throne during the early reign of the previous emperor, as well as the one who controlled the hatred directed at the current emperor.
The power she controlled was immense, perhaps having even more influence than Emperor Li, who was able to pardon Aurora from false crimes a decade ago.
"Grand Empress, I have arrived."
"Ah, Aurora, my dear you have arrived! You've grown so tall!"
She bowed to the woman sitting on a modified throne. The solid gold had been changed for a comfortable cushion, and the arm rests were covered with the same fabric she was sitting on.
The Grand Empress had aged considerably since the last time she visited.
"You should have told me about your marriage."
"I apologize, I have neglected telling the Grand Empress about the news."
"It's okay! It's okay, as long as you and your husband are satisfied. But when will he visit?"
"He...is busy. He cannot visit."
"Such a shame, I haven't seen that boy, ignoring his grandmother. What a scoundrel. Tell him to make time for me, Aurora. I really want to see him."
"I will try my hardest."
The Grand Empress clapped her hands in delight, almost as if her time had turned back eighty years and she was a child again. "Great, I can't wait to see Soli again!"
She dropped her head, hiding her expression.
The woman who once ruled over Western Clarity no longer existed. The only part that was left of the former Empress was this shell that could not handle the truth that she was told years ago. Ten years had gone by, and nobody had tried to tell her a second time that Li Solis Vernum had passed. The only time they did, she had fainted from shock and woke up forgetting the news.
Nobody could stomach telling the truth to this woman, who had loved Solis the most.
"Would you like some tea Aurora?"
"It would be my honor."
She tutted. "Aurora, please don't be formal to me. You are my granddaughter-in-law. You were practically family since we brought you in from Southern Clarity. If only you can learn from Soli. That little rascal always purposely ignores his status when he talks to me."
"Yes. I wish I could learn from him."
"Next time you come, bring Soli with you." She continued to ramble on.
"I will, Great Empress."
"Just call me Grandma!"
Her body trembled. She had avoided coming here for the past few years because she would always think of Solis. The Great Empress would continue to bring up Solis, and she would have to suffer pretending that he was still alive.
She would make up stories about her Soli just to keep the Great Empress happy, while continuing to spiral down in sadness when she knew she couldn't do anything she made up.
As she listened to the aged woman's rambling, tears slowly fell from her eyes.
Aurora masked her action of wiping her tears by drinking her tea, covering her face with her sleeve as she drank.
-----
๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฐ๐๐
๐ฐ๐๐ ๐ป๐๐๐ ๐บ๐๐: ๐พ๐๐๐๐
๐ญ๐๐๐๐ ๐ป๐๐๐ ๐ฟ๐๐: ๐ธ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐