Roma's farce hardened in response as an alarming feeling clutched on to his spine. "Out of a hundred children there's a probability that the next In'er might not even be one of them. You know what that would mean for us, don't you?"
Najeer remained silent as he simply drank the glass's fill. How could he forget.
"In the far past, there was a generation that didn't get an heir. It caused disasters, the Empire folded and crumbled within centuries. Without an heir, there was nobody to continue the line, no proper ruler. For two thousand years Naq'il became a land where Qirmen fought against each other over resources and power. There was never any peace, every corner was at war, with no man holding power for long. Both the strong and the weak perished. Documented as the worst era in Naqils history, the population nearly dwindled to the point of extinction." Roma's maroon red eyes softened as he spoke. "If it wasn't for the mercies of Ha'abun providing us with another In'er, we wouldn't have the pleasure of this meeting today."
Najeer resisted the urge to roll his eyes, not having interest in the conversation. After all he had been told this story nearly a million times since he was six.
Roma furrowed his eyebrows after getting no reaction from the Emperor. It appeared he wasn't taking it serious.
"Three centuries ago, that tragedy nearly repeated itself when the gifted heir decided to skip a generation. We all horrored that we were going to suffer ruination. Then you came. We were merely lucky that you only skipped one generation, we may never be lucky like that again. That only happened because the former Emperor was slow to create his Harem having only five hundred children. The odds were too low for an In'er to be born. Your majesty, we need you to give us an gifted heir so you don't leave us without a successor. You'd be surprised how four thousand years flies by. Please, our future depends on you."
Najeer's lips pressed into a thin line again. Those were the words that he-
"I didn't think it was possible for anyone's bickering to surpass that of the Elders and my mother's. Somehow, you do it worse," Najeer complained, holding back the darkness swirling in his stomach. "I do not know why you felt the need to explain things to me. I know my duties."
Roma looked at Najeer knowingly. Even as a child, the duties to bear a new heir had been etched to his brain. He couldn't even take any direct leadership in the war against Earth, because of that. The Elders deemed it unfit for him to fight in his 'marriageable age' without an offspring or ten. They thought it adequate to convince the Emperor to temporarily retire his war life and get into the habit of procreating..
"Well, I am simply doing my job; Advising." Roma grinned to himself. "Oh I remember when you were but just twenty eight when you first promoted me to become your royal advisor. How I would gloat those days" Roma chuckled teasingly. He still gloated till date. "Ninety two years later still delivering my optimum services a soon to be married Emperor. I'm starting to feel old! I miss the first years of work. Then, you would think twice before beheading, these years however," Roma drew his thumb across his throat, "Heads go flying,"
"Do you desire an execution too? If not, end this," Najeer said. He wasn't joking though. But Roma couldn't tell.
"My point exactly." Roma grinned, " but you won't kill me. Even if you did, i would die a proud man having lived so long and achieved the things I did. Three hundred and fifty is no joke."
"And you won't live to see three hundred and fifty one if you continue speaking," Najeer threatened..
"You wouldn't kill me," Roma repeated to himself with a laugh.
"Do you believe your life has that much value to me, Roma?" Najeer tilted his head to the side psychopathically, letting his unbrushed silver neck-length hair fall to his face.
"I am not quite sure, your Majesty. Does it have any importance to you?" Roma answered as he focused his attention on Najeer, observing for a reaction. He too was curious if his Emperor valued his life.
A cloud of silence thickened between them.
Why did the room suddenly become so stiff? Roma thought to himself.
Najeer's expression revealed no reaction. "If letting you live becomes more burdensome than you dead. Naturally I wouldn't hesitate to kill you."
Roma blinked in confusion. Was that a yes-I-value-you or a no? He didn't even bother trying to ask, as he knew he would get no response from the Emperor. Matter of fact he feared the likelihood of a negative response more.
Frankly Roma was surprised the Emperor even let him talk to him so casually. Nobody else outside this room would even dare to utter any word to Najeer that had not gone through a scrutinizing filter in their heads a hundred times. The Emperor was a really terrifying person, wielding unimaginable power and scaring intelligence.
"Oh!" Roma simply dug his hand into his pocket. "I nearly forgot. I received a letter for you."
"From whom?"
"Lady Everett," Roma smirked.
"Evere?" Najeer's eyes grew as he calmly stretched a hand, "Give it."
Roma passed the white thin envelope to Najeer with a knowing raised eyebrow, maintaining his smirk. The Emperor might not hold his dislike for marriage much longer, it appeared.
Najeer took out the letter.
Roma could see Najeer's eyes softening as he read the strawberry scented note quietly. He could deduce little from Najeers cold eyes.
So strange. Despite knowing the Emperor for over ninety two years, it felt as if he had not known anything about him at all. Like he was a stranger.
"What does the letter say, to have the Emperor so interested?"
"Nothing." Najeer answered sharply, eyes not leaving the paper.
"I am guessing you've gained the motivation you wanted."
"Perhaps."
Roma couldn't help but smile. He may not be able to read or understand the Emperor but he knew as much that a letter from Lady Evere could only spell good news.
"Her servants mentioned something to me. About Lady Evere attending today's engagement in your mother's engagement dress."
Najeer's lips parted as a light flashed in his eyes, but it disappeared as quickly as it came.
Was that shock or joy? Roma thought to himself in confusion.
"You've been married before?" Najeer blurted as he lowered the letter slowly on the table.
"Still married, yes." Roma smiled sheepishly.
Najeer's crimson eyes looked up at him. And for the first time it felt like the Emperor was really looking at him.
"What is it like in your marriage... you and your wives?" Najeer asked.
However Roma caught a slight change in the Emperor's tone. He was asking, not demanding.
Rather odd.
"I have only one wife. But all I can say is, being married to her has been——"