Combating the fatigue that was clawing away at every inch of my body, I turn to Kira and say "I need you to call the commander of the Palace Guards and the Grand Chamberlain."
"I understand your imperial majesty." Even Kira started calling me as if I was the emperor, which brought back many memories from my previous life.
After Kira left I went to my mother's office with Horus, where I waited for two of the greatest, oldest and most loyal warriors in the empire, Commander of the Palace Guards Abraham Durga, and the Grand Chamberlin Isaac Hodur.
Soon two men arrived, one was two meters tall with charcoal skin, and a large and a muscular physique, with knee length curly hair that was tied in several braids, he also had eyes as black as night that gave off a feeling of oppression and danger. He was wearing intimidating golden armor, and holding a large golden glaive in his right hand, this was obviously Abraham, the golden guardian of the emperor.
The second man was almost the exact opposite of Abraham. He was fairly tall at 180cm tall and had a small and slightly skinny body, that was hunched over due to age. His white hair was cut short and sleeked back professionally. He was wearing a black and white suit that didn't have a single blemish on it. Even though he was wearing a small smile that gave one the impression of a harmless and kind old man, his eyes couldn't completely hide the glint of ruthlessness that was deeply imbedded in his chilling pale blue eyes. He was the Grand Chamberlin of the Eclipse Empire, but he had another far more feared identity! The commander of the Shade Corps. A secret force of spies and assassins that answered to no one but the emperor!
"You called prince." The two said while slightly bowing their heads. I merely nodded my head to this since I already knew they wouldn't bow. After all these two will only bow and answer to the true master of these lands, the emperor of the Eclipse Empire, a prince such as myself holds no weight in their eyes. That's why I planned to secure their loyalty as fast as possible.
Without saying anything I activated my power for the third time this night, and I could already feel my eyelids begging to close! 'Not yet. Not yet.' I kept thinking!
With the activation of my power, and the change of my physical features, the two stood there wide eyed, but I wasn't done. I also started to make the light in the room start to dim. Even though the fires that lit up the room were burning with no issue the light itself started to vanish, until the room was completely dark and silent, with the only thing still visible were my two silverish eyes shining ominously in the dark.
Waking from their stupor, they quickly fell to their knees. "We greet your imperial majesty! Forgive us for not properly greeting you just now!" Abraham said with his powerful voice, while Isaac just kept his head down in shame.
Deactivating my power I sat down quickly fearing that I would fall. "It's alright commander. But I have a few tasks for the both of you." I finished.
"Merely speak the words, your imperial majesty, and it shall come to pass." Isaac said with resolve.
"First of all, Abraham when will my father's body arrive?" I asked.
"Tomorrow at noon, sire." he answered.
"I see, then I want all the Palace Guards to be ready in case anything happens. And I want you to secretly dispatch more guards to my family. Also during the funeral for my father, my half brothers may challenge me to a duel to take the throne, so I need you to make the necessary preparations."
"Of course sire, I will offer you their heads on a plater the moment the dare do anything!" Abraham said as his eyes flashed with a murderous light.
"No. What I want is for you to help them. Make sure that non of the guards hinder them in any way." I said calmly.
"... I'm sorry, but I don't understand." He said.
"I want him to challenge me. So make sure that you prepare a fitting stage for it!" I said with a predatory smile.
Seeing my expression, a mocking smile appeared on their faces! "I understand, my emperor!"
I nodded my head and turned towards Isaac "I want you to arrange a hundred members of the Shade Corp to protect my family from the shadows. As well as to begin purging all the palace servants that have any connections to our political enemies."
Isaac found the second order normal, but the first one confused him. After all, the protection of the royal family was not the Shade Corps' job.
"Your majesty if I may, the Palace Guard are more than enough to protect your family. Moreover, your personal guard Horus is one of the best talents in the empire, I doubt anyone would even dare threaten them." Abraham said.
"That is correct your majesty, besides the Shade Corps isn't trained for this kind of thing. Besides, many of them are a bit extreme, and might frighten the princes and princess!" Isaac said in support of Abraham.
"You're correct, but there are things that the guards can't defend against, especially for the next few days." I said.
Hearing this they nodded. After which we ironed out the details for the plan tomorrow, and after that they left.
As soon as they took their leave I collapsed on to the chair and before I knew it my eyes closed and I was asleep.
***
The next morning I opened my eyes slowly, and the first thing I saw was Nizam and Cyrus sleeping soundly, causing a smile to creep it's way on my face as I saw this. I slowly began to raise my head to find Alisar, and I noticed her a little further away from me, and I could see that her eyes were still a little swollen from crying yesterday. Unlike me and my brothers who simply respected our father but were not that attached to him, Alisar was different since father always spoiled and played with her, his loss weighed heaviest on her.
As soon as I moved slightly, I heard a tender and loving voice from behind me. "Are you awake sweetheart?" I turn around to find my mother wide awake with slightly red eyes looking at us.
"I am mother. Are you better today?" I asked worriedly.
"Of course." My mother said confidently trying to put on a strong front. She continued "But are you fine? You almost scared me to death yesterday when Horus brought to the room unconscious."
I felt horrible for worrying my mother, especially in this already stressful situation. But before I could even apologize, my mother hugged me close to her chest and started stroking my hair as she said "I'm sorry sweetheart. I'm so sorry I showed you such an unsightly side of myself yesterday. I'm sorry you had to overwork yourself that hard yesterday. I should be the one to take care and protect you and your siblings, but you ended up having to take my role."
Before my mother can say anymore I said hurriedly "Don't blame yourself mother! You always did your absolute best to shield me and my brothers from our jealous half siblings and stepmothers! Besides, you're seven months pregnant, and you were having severe complications, if I was so weak that you were forced to stand up for me even now I would never forgive myself!" What I said brought back some bad memories, but it was true. If I failed to protect my family a second time, I would rather kill myself than live with that shame.
My mother hearing my words hugged me closer to her chest, and said in a cracking voice "My sweet little boy. I love you so much."
"I love you too mother. So please don't tire yourself anymore, and relax. I promise you that by the time my newest sibling arrives, all our troubles will be over."
As I and my mother were having this conversation, we didn't notice that Nizam had woken from his slumber, and heard it all.