Bow!

One word. One word is all it took for a single man to make an entire room full of powerful and prideful people to submit. A room once filled with abundant noise is now silent. Everyone except a single man crouches. Rushing to their knees they all fill with hatred yet not one dares speak. All stay still until ordered otherwise. This is the power of an emperor.

The emperor of the Alvion Empire, Bronn Loriston, holds an iron grip over his realm. Making him one of if not the most powerful man on the continent. Only other emperors can challenge him or, so it is thought. Yet a small realm the size of a county has withstood his ambitions and the ambitions of his father and grandfather. For three generations my Deor family have stayed a thorn in their side but now we are here bowing. My father, me, and the rest of my family kneel before our enemy of many generations. The worst part is we bow willingly and without contempt. We bow just like the rest of the cowards in the room. That is how far our great dynasty has fallen. We are nothing but cogs in this worthless machine they call an empire. My father is no longer seen as the great warlord of the north.

This is what my father expects me to come to terms with. Pathetic! That is the only word to describe us all now. Acting like mere peasants by kneeling to some twenty-two-year-old boy who has been babied his whole life. Us! The great Deor family that was once feared as people of military might the equivalent of a kingdom.

Rise! Immediately everyone stands to their feet like the puppets they are. But what can I say? I rose along with them because we are all now one united in the fact that we can't stand against the might of the one in front of us. My father stares at the feet of the emperor in fear of meeting his cold gaze. All follow in his footsteps but me. Even if it means death I do not care. It would be better than submitting to the mongrel in front of me.

Are eyes meet and yet even though my pride forbids me to do so I look away. I, Octavian Deor, who had made peace with dying right then and there had looked away out of pure fear. How could I call myself different from everyone in this room when I don't have the guts to do anything either?

The eyes of the emperor meet the slightly bowing head of my father. "Justinian Deor?" "Yes, your majesty" he answers softly. "I the great emperor of Alvion have taken pity to you and your peoples." "Despite our many years of disagreements I have decided to invite you to join us in the empire as a great noble!" proudly says the emperor. "I am giving you so much, yet I feel I am the only one happy in this arrangement." "Is that just me?" asked the emperor. My father shaking like the rest of us cowards softly declines such thoughts. Emperor Bronn smiles knowing he has us at complete compliance.

"Well how about we get this over with then." "Justinian and the rest of the Deor family do you solemnly swear complete and utter fealty to me as your ruler?" A moment passes without a word being said until my father yells, "Yes, your grace!" We all follow suit. "Then I shall accept you as my beloved vassals." answers the emperor. "Rise!" All of us Deors stand as Emperor Bronn walks down and hugs us all. The rest of the nobles in attendance at the Great Royal Hall clap and cheer. "A monumental day this is!" exclaims the emperor.

This is the day my great lineage fell to its lowest depth.