The throne room was one of the important— if not the most important place in the palace; as it was where the Emperor was seen the most, and where the whole Imperial family met the subjects under them. But, it was one of the most unpleasant place for Damien who memories of this place were not so pleasant.
As Damien stepped out from the rift he saw two unfamiliar royal guards in front of the gate to the throne. Their armors followed the same color as every armors made for royal guards: the shades of purple. He awkwardly stood before them without knowing what to do as the neither the guards or the large ivory gate moved.
"Ahem…" Damien cleared his throat, and even removed some bangs of hair from his eyes to show that he wasn't some stray vagabond or a trouble maker; and he wouldn't be surprised if they took him for one.
Damien could only discern their acknowledgment of him through the slight change in their posture;— otherwise they seemed like two statues erected before the gate. However, after their silent scrutiny of him both of them took off their helmet and hurriedly kneeled in front of Damien, but not willingly— he noticed.
'"Please pardon us for our blunders, your highness!"' both of them said at the same time with their head bowed low.
"You don't need to apologize; I know I've been gone for sometime so I don't except many people to remember. Please just announce by visit to the people inside." Damien requested them, "I believe his majesty and the council is expecting me."
The two guards then eyed each other with uncertainty, but they wore their helmet again, stood up, and mechanically shouted at the same time, "Thank you for bestowing your benevolence upon us, you highness"
The guard at right went to his post but the left one paused for sometime— probably communicating with the guards inside the throne— and returned to his post with nod.
Damien didn't need to wait for long as the prodigious ivory gates opened from inside and saw the throne room with it's traditional decorations mixed with some modern aspects.Two guards stood beside the now closed entrance of the hall donned in armors that were similar to the ones worn by guards outside.
He saw the same faces he was familiar with— who were all of the old fossils of the council who still looked like they were in their thirties; and some he had never seen before— who probably were their attendants or advisors — seated on the columns of seats that were placed at both sides of the walkway he was now walking on towards the Emperor who he hadn't seen after getting in to the, but Damien's repulsion towards him hadn't decreased a bit.
There were some murmurs and slight exclamation among the people, but Damien barely paid them attention; though he was sure they were talking about his furrowed brows as if he was in pain— which he was;— his academy uniform that was coated with his still wet blood; contrasting against his white jacket; But the main reason he guessed was him actually walking on his own. He looked around trying find the two people he cared about while moving towards the throne.
"Ah… just look at our little Damien… he's grown up to be a fine man isn't he?" A potbellied man who was seated at right side of Damien asked to a woman beside him — Damien barely recognized him as the old man had put on quite a bit of fat in his body. 'Marcus… you old fool' Damien thought to himself. It seems old Marcus was still trying to woo Lady Varvara.
"Are those eyes of yours for decoration only? Or do they only see food? Did you not see what Damien did?' lady Varvara said so in a whispered hiss, and returned Damien's nod with a smile and moved her lips to say, 'you look good.'. Marcus just grinned, and gave a thumbs up in response.
- - - -
"Damien, my boy, What happened to you...?Is that blood I see on you?" The Emperor said in a slight worry to Damien after he had reached near the raised platform where the throne was; however, he already knew that the Emperor was quite pleased to see him in this state.
"Damien greets your imperial majesty." Damien didn't reply to him, but got down on a single knee, bowed his head low enough that nobody saw his wrathful face. Control yourself boy. Damien heard in his head, and he was happy to oblige him this time.
Many people present in the throne room had gasped in surprise at his action. They probably guessed that he had done this as a show of respect.
"huh...Why are you kneeling, my boy? You can stand up. The Emperor said after a pause; while looking at everyone present with a thin smile and said to him, "And you didn't answer me? Who hurt you ? Oh, and don't you worry and can talk freely, my boy. You remember the imperial council right? They're all part of them."
"Everyone, greet your third prince, Damien. He's come in her after a long time."
The greetings from most of them except Marcus and Varvara was overly strained as if they loathed the idea of even talking to him. The other old fossils from council— except Varvara— even looked at him with disdain; but Damien just returned those greetings with impeccable manners much to the dismay of the council members who were ready to criticize him.
"Reporting to your imperial majesty: Yes, I had just been bleeding; but It is nothing serious, your majesty. It's due to my negligence when I was in the void realm." Damien then addressed the Emperor in a formal manner, and lied without a change in his expression.
"Oh...Then were you doing your usual training while coming here? Haha, you're quite diligent, my boy. Training even during travels? And you also have your studies in your academy. You may even surpass your brother at this rate, haha." The Emperor said cheerfully, but continued after not receiving any response from Damien.
"Though, you worry me, my boy. You don't even have time to visit your family; — You mamman has been complaining to me to reprimand you to come to visit us every week. Anyway, don't listen to this old man's rambling; I am just glad you are find and healthy." Damein knew that this was all a farce, and he was having a hard time putting on a smile in his face.
"Now, let's talk about why you were summoned here today. In view of your improved health, the request from your mother, and the approval from Lady Artoria 'The Void Walker'— may your destiny be a grand one — you are requested to join the annual congress this year." The Emperor stated while leaning back on his throne, while staring at Damien with his deep purple eyes as if he had expected something from him, but Damien maintained his deadpanned expression.
"It will be my greatest honor to join this year's congress, your majesty." Damien replied without any superfluous words.
The reaction among the council were mixed; Varvara and Marcus looked worried, some council members who didn't care about Damien felt that this was his chance to get humiliated while some people who cared about the reputation looked at Damien with some resentment; so the hall was quickly filled with hushes, and whispers of conversation; but no one had outright objected the emperor. Meanwhile, Damien read the lips of people who could give him trouble during the congress.
'Huh...this can't be happening right? It will be a disaster...' A woman who was wearing a white robe muttered to herself. Damien recognized her to be Madam Margaret, the one dealing with everything related to administration of the empire. He remembered that she was quite a xenophobic person and never liked the fact that Damien's mother was an elf.
'Finally, let's see how those bastards will deal with him' he read this from the thick lips of a topless dark man named Radhan who he remembered to be the one who dealt with the matters related to military. This man was barely able to fit into his chair due this height that towered over others while still seated in his chair. Radhan was the second prince's supporter so he would also become a problem.
'True, I've been waiting for this, haha.' A fellow beside the dark man Radhan uttered with excitement in his face. But he didn't know this man; however seeing how he was sitting beside Radhan he could guess that the guy was his advisor.
But everyone quieted down as soon as the old man beside the Emperor, who was silent till now suddenly spoke:
"If I may be so bold, your imperial highness, may I ask what his imperial majesty's intentions are by making the third prince come to the annual congress? " The old fellow asked calmly who was silent till now and just starting at Damien with his narrow and wrinkled grey eyes, and dressed in dark purple robe with a hood over his head; who would would scare even an adult if he suddenly appeared in front of them. Although, Damien acted as if this fellow wasn't even present, and was; — to the surprise of everyone still kneeling down.
"Of course I am being impudent, your majesty. But, I, as your chief advisor should have known about this beforehand, your majesty; for the future of the Empire depends on this, and I only want the best for our prosperous Empire." The chief advisor added while bowing his head, " I think we should give third prince some time to rest." Damien thought that the advisor was trying to get one up on him but he was trying to meddle on something that he shouldn't have.
The Emperor glanced at the old man for an instance, and Damien saw that there was a slight change in the Emperor's cheerful expression, for a instance the Emperor had malignant and malevolent expression in his face when the advisor had interrupted him.
"Of course, you should know; — and not only you - everyone present should know this." The emperor replied him in the same jolly tone, and said in a solemn and pious tone,"Damien attending this year's congress is a matter decided our priests, for they had got an oracle from Her.
There were sudden gasps of surprise among the people and Damien was also quite surprised, 'so this is Lady Artoria's excuse to shut people up huh…' he thought to himself.
"I don't think anyone here has any objection to this matter right?" said the Emperor addressing everyone in the room, who had gone silent after his declaration, "Good, I hope you support Damien in this year's council."
"Marcus." The Emperor then looked at the Marcus who was passionately whispering about something to Lady Varvara; Marcus stood up with a start."Yes, your majesty?" He answered in a respectful manner.
"Marcus, as Damien's former mentor and Lady Varvara's friend, I believe I can trust you to impart the information about the congress to him if he requires it? Of course, you are not required to follow thorough this request, Marcus." The emperor said amicably, but there was no way Marcus would object to this 'request'.
"Of course, your majesty. I will relay everything I know and more to the third prince. Plus, I don't have much to do before the congress anyway." Marcus answered casually.
"Good, then you and Damien are permitted to leave."
'''Thank you, your highness.'''
Both Damien and Marcus then left the throne room under the gazes of the all of the people in the room; who were hatching out plans of their own that would let them profit from this situation.