An opulent ruik-drawn carriage unhurriedly traveled the streets of Ollerin's capital city, Bowen. It was late into the night, and the streets were illuminated by lanterns methodically placed every twenty-five feet, but as it was the noble district, there wasn't much to look at even if it was illuminated.
At least Edward Revan didn't think so. He had been raised in the sort of luxury that few experienced, even kings. So, it took much more than a few mansions designed by the nouveau riche to draw his interest.
In fact, very little could draw his interest in the first place. For as long as Edward could remember, his world was painted in a dull gray shade, lacking the vibrancy he so often heard about from others.
Where most viewed the world and everything in it with awe and wonder, he just felt tired and apathetic to it all. Edward wasn't sure why he was the way he was, and at some point, he stopped bothering to ask, accepting that he was just different from most.
With a sigh, Edward turned away from the carriage's window and glanced around the empty carriage.
"We should be there momentarily, lord." A masculine voice called out, seemingly originating from the empty seat opposite him.
"I'm well aware of the location of my estate, Braer." Edward chided the empty seat.
"Of course, lord." Braer humbly replied, yet his voice bore a hint of laughter behind it.
Edward ignored the disembodied voice and returned to the open book on his lap. However, it wasn't long before the carriage arrived.
The Revan estate's location on the easternmost hill overlooked the capital's massive harbor; as such, the warm night air was filled with the scents of the sea as he departed the carriage.
Glancing toward the harbor, Edward was surprised by the countless torches scurrying below. It looked as if a swarm of fireflies had made its home amongst the ships as torches bobbed about with the tide.
It took him a moment for his eyes to adjust, but once they did, it became clear. The bay was filled to the brim with soldiers hustling atop numerous ships, preparing them for war even at such a late hour.
It was quite the sight, but Edward lost interest as the momentary curiosity faded. Finally, he hummed, turning away from the scene and entering the manor.
Once inside, a servant girl greeted him with a soft smile. "Lord Marquis, welcome home. A guest is awaiting your arrival. If you'll come with me, I'll take you to him."
Edward's eyebrow rose in response as a frown formed upon his lips. He had just arrived and was tired from the long trip to the capital. So, he had no intention of entertaining guests at the moment. On top of that, the servant girl's tone almost appeared as if she was ordering him to follow her, irritating him further.
"It's late." Edward replied, walking past her as if she were air. "Tell whoever it is to return at an appropriate hour."
"He said you'd say that, lord." The servant girl giggled. "He even did an impression of your voice and everything. It was quite accurate, too."
Edward slowly spun around as rage rose within him. He had already let her disrespect go once due to his exhaustion, yet she persisted in not knowing her place. He opened his mouth to berate her but suddenly stopped himself as the identity of his mysterious guest clicked within his mind.
Only one person in the empire would dare make an impression of him so openly. He spun back around and casually made his way to the manor's guest hall, finding two men waiting for him inside.
"Eddy-boy!" One of the men called out with a jubilant grin as Edward opened the hall's door. "You've finally arrived! Come and sit! Come and sit!"
Edward's face contorted as he stared at his guest. The man looked deceptively young, easily passable as a young man who had just entered his twenties despite Edward knowing better. His delicate features and thin frame certainly helped create such an illusion, as did his long blonde hair and innocent smile.
Of course, Edward knew such illusions were often used by the most cunning men to hide their scheming nature. His son Arthur was one such example. The only difference between the two was that he knew the man before him was as lackadaisical and gregarious as he appeared while he was still unsure about Arthur's true disposition.
"I've asked you many times to not call me that, Your Majesty." Edward sighed but remained where he stood, intent on ignoring the man.
Edward would never act so brazen if the two were in public, even if he had ten lives. However, this was his manor, and Arren Ollerin, the current emperor, was an uninvited guest.
"What? You dislike being called Eddy-boy? Then what shall I call you, I wonder?" Emperor Arren asked with a laugh.
"Marquis Revan suits me well enough." Edward bluntly replied.
Emperor Arren smiled and gasped in faux outrage. "You'd treat your closest friend as no more than a stranger?"
"That's a self-proclaimed title you've given yourself after subjecting me to decades of harassment in your attempts to befriend me." Edward replied, finally acquiescing to the man and taking a seat on the sofa across from him.
"How long do you intend to stay hidden within his majesty's presence?" The large, gruff man standing behind the emperor suddenly asked as his gaze locked onto the empty space behind Edward.
Emperor Arren turned to face the gruff man. "Gran, if Eddy's guard wants to stay hidden, then leave him be. Have you not heard me just say that he is my closest friend?"
Gran was head of the Nyrian guard, who directly served the emperor and was arguably the most powerful mage within the empire. He also happened to be one of the few men who could see through Braer's invisibility magic, so Edward saw no point in having him remain hidden.
Edward waved his hand before Gran could complain more. "It's fine, Braer. Come out."
As Edward's words resounded within the guest hall, a thin man covered in black cloth faded into sight behind him like a mirage appearing before one lost in the deserts of Innihana.
Emperor Arren nodded toward Braer before returning his gaze to Edward. "Now, where were we? Ah! That's right! You were on the cusp of finally admitting that I am your dearest friend before Gran so rudely interrupted!"
"Why have you come?" Edward asked, ignoring the emperor's childish behavior. "If the servants notify Duke Yor that you snuck out to meet me, everything will be undone."
"Always so serious!" Emperor Arren chuckled. "The servants are all my people, and they've been properly vetted to the Nyrian standards. Did you think I'd let just anyone serve my dearest friend?"
"Even if they're vetted, their loyalty can change with time." Edward replied as if the repercussions of such a development had no effect on him despite the harsh truth of the matter.
"Fret not. I have my own contingencies." Emperor Arren replied nonchalantly. "Anyway, have you heard from your son?"
Edward glared at him as a foreign emotion brewed within his chest. He had three sons, yet he knew that the emperor wasn't asking about the sons he had with Elyria Yor.
"Which son? The one I was forced to disinherit to save my country and emperor? That son?" Edward asked mockingly.
"How unlike you to show such emotion." Emperor Arren said with his head tilted in disbelief before suddenly clapping his hands. "I knew it! You're actually fond of the boy. My years of hard work are finally paying off!"
"Had you not begged me to marry Sofia Perick, I wouldn't have been put in a situation where I'd have to carry the shame of disinheriting my own blood." Edward scoffed. "That is the source of whatever emotion you claim to see."
"If I hadn't told you to marry her, you would've died alone like some old crone in the forest. You've never been interested in women and kept declining every marriage request sent your way." Emperor Arren said as his childishness melted away and his voice took on a solemn tone.
"I am truly sorry about your situation, old friend. I know how much you dislike all this scheming, but it was the only way for us to get someone inside Duke Yor's faction. Had I known Elyria would be so quick to kill Sofia and leave you in such an awkward position, I would never have asked you for this favor."
"I'm aware of the stakes. What's done is done. Now, what is it you wish to tell me about my son?" Edward asked.
"I'm sure you've heard about how he discovered the enemy camp near Rothwel, but most recently, my people tell me he found a hidden escape tunnel that led to Nosin's castle. Because of that, a city that would've required months of siege fell within a few days and sped up the pace of the entire war.
"I'll speak honestly. I had always assumed that despite your grumpy exterior, you exaggerated like any father would when you told me of his abilities. Yet now I'm beginning to believe you, and I can't help but grow curious about him." Emperor Arren said with excitement.
"Is this why you've come?" Edward asked coldly.
"In part." Emperor Arren nodded. "I'm just pleasantly surprised with his performance and thought he deserved something more than an earldom since it was due to my negligence he was disinherited from a marquisate in the first place. What are your thoughts?"
"Whatever you decide, don't get him anymore involved in..." Edward's words trailed off as a brilliant flash of light illuminated the room from the window behind the emperor.
A soft rumble gently shook the manor and would have been unnoticeable if not for the flash of light he had witnessed. Edward rose and walked to the window, leaving the emperor confused. Gran followed close behind, likely feeling the strange rumbling as well.
"What's going on?" Emperor Arren asked as he, too, rose to his feet.
Edward stared out the window in disbelief as white flames lit up the harbor and danced upon the shattered husks of the ships he had seen a short time ago. No ship appeared to remain unscathed from the attack, as if the entire fleet was taken out in a single blow.
"It would appear your fleet was destroyed." Edward replied in his usual monotonous voice despite the severity of the situation.