~ENOCH~
Mother holds her knife and fork properly while cutting and dividing up her generous portion of meat. Her table manners are impeccable, unlike my father's advisors who surround us. Father's seat is at the other head of the table across from mother's. It's empty and so is Urdmin's.
I sit on my mother's end of the table.
The doors to the dining hall open suddenly as father strides inside...without the baby. Brommy, his right hand, doesn't appear concerned. The little one must be at the hospice.
Father's gaze, as usual, is set on no one in particular. He considers few things worth his undivided attention. He finds his seat with Urdmin nagging next to him.
The old advisee seems to be quite aggravated by something. My father narrows his eyes while beginning to cut into his own steak when the old man behind him continues to pester.
"Children are not allowed in the temple," Urdmin huffs while watching the Emperor expectantly.
Father raises his hand, indicating for Urdmin to be silent. The old advisor listens with a grunt. Then he proceeds to turn on his heels and storm out of the dining hall probably to find a slave to put his anger out on in the meantime.
"What happened?" one of father's empirical advisors asks while stifling a laugh.
Adler appears disinterested in Urdmin's leave.
"He found the little one with me this morning during an advisoral meeting."
"Secrets are not for the ears of the young," Mother corrects with a light laugh, her eyes are hard. "Why was she not at the hospice?"
Father sets down his fork.
"She's been having nightmares. Brommy has reported her poor sleep patterns to me. You know this already, Femke. Do you have an issue with me caring for a helpless baby?"
Mother raises her chin at his words. She scoots out of her seat, silently taking her leave too. Her personal guards follow her on her way out, leaving just me with father and his men.
Another guard approaches our dining table.
"Supreme ruler, Adler. An envoy from the Harlong Kingdom has arrived. Where shall I send them?"
"Escort them here."
The guard inclines his head with a doubtful look. "You do not wish to partake in the meeting?"
"Enoch will stand in my place...if he wishes."
"I do not."
Father chuckles while watching his wine splash around in his goblet as he rocks it back and forth slowly in his hand.
"Then I suppose they have no business here. Strip them of their weapons and kill them out beyond our walls. The desert demons can feast on their carcasses. Enoch will take his turn watching the stables tonight and give you your time."
A sick feeling grows in the pit of my stomach. Father sips his wine and gives his advisees a small smirk. As a young teen, I always questioned his coming to power. He was not always a city dweller like mother. Mother grew up in a wealthy home here. She was pampered and educated within these walls.
Father has never spoken much of his past. From what little mother has told me, I know his family is from another kingdom. He was a great warrior and still is. He has lived to see many other cities, but he boasts ours is the grandest. No other city has light like ours. I suppose there is a sense of pride that comes with knowing that and how much our empire has accomplished.
However, aside from our thriving community, there are greater faults that need taken care of.
Our city has been stained by the greed of our rulers and their brutality to achieve what they desire, power. My father is different from the other rulers though, he was not born into wealth. At a young age, mother had told me he planned on freeing the slaves and much more.
Never has it happened.
Father has had to fight for everything he's wanted. The only reason he came to power was that he killed the royal family like many before him did to previous rulers. There is something else different about him though. I just don't know what yet. He wasn't always so blood thirsty and reclusive. I think, at one point, he did fall in love with mother.
He was so used to everyone praising him as a warrior under the previous emperor back then. He still lives off that praise.
While the Emporer chats with his lap dogs, I get up. I admit I'm put off by his turn of heart for our supposed allied kingdom. There is something else more troubling on my mind, but I have already been given instruction to aid them in the slaughter of the innocent.
I can only hope the baby is safe. He was routinely bringing her to the table up until today. It's a miracle she survived alone in the desert. There must be something very special about her, besides her race, that brings my father to care for her.