"It was a nightmare" It was confirmed, as a servant came knocking, informing him of the urgent morning meeting with the aristocrats.
"Propone it till tomorrow!" He commanded, and strangely enough, the servant who always hurried to fulfill his demands, stood silently, fear evident in his eyes.
"This is enough for me to kill you, But I'm not in the mood, speak if you have something to say…?"
Falling to his knees, the servant almost in tears explained in a stuttering voice.
"Y-you-r Maj-esty, Th-e mee-ting is ve-ry impo-rtant…"
"Will you speak up…!" Derek outburst, frightened the servant even more, but it helped him speak faster.
"Something happened at the outskirts of the city last night, an entire village was completely annihilated" After a seconds pause he continued.
"Everyone has different speculations and his Majesty needs to know the way forward, I would have returned if his Majesty didn't attend the court, the Grand Duke is also there" Saying this the young servant blotted out of the room like his life depended on how fast he ran.
Though it seriously did.
"What…?" Before everything was loading in his brain, the lucky servant had already escaped.
"What…!" He roared, his eyes turning a mysterious shade of black with no pupils, like an abyss, the darkness was endless.
"No…No…! It's not possible, it was just a dream, a mere dream?" He calmed himself down with much difficulty.
In no time, he finished dressing, stepping out of the room, as numerous guards and servants paid their respect, but it all went on deaf ears, as his mind was already clouded.
"What if it's true? Can't be!" He readily dismissed his own thoughts.
The palace Courtroom,
On sighting the King, the guards hurriedly opened the huge door, awaiting his entrance.
Stepping in through the huge doors, his eyes surveyed the entire room, taking in the figures and their respective roles in the Empire.
Raising at the sight of their rules, everyone bowed in an orderly manner.
"Greetings to your Majesty the Emperor…!" The whole room echoed.
"Everyone raise…!" At his words, everyone took their respective seats as the Emperor sat at the round table, though Young Derek was able to earn the respect of the elite both young and old as they gaze at him with admiration.
"What happened…?"
"Your Majesty, it was reported earlier this morning, that the outskirts of the city was attacked by a creature from the forest…I" A Baron said
"Who reported it…?" He asked almost immediately the Baron finished his report
"It was a survivor, she claimed to be the only one alive"
"A woman..?" His voice laced with hope
"Yes your Majesty, she should be around fifteen years old…!" He continued unsure of why the Emperor was asking.
"Where is the survivor…?" Impatiently, Derek questioned the Baron, making him feel wronged.
"Your Majesty, unfortunately, she was severely injured and died shortly after"
"D-Died how did she die, you couldn't even save just one person, what good are you to this empire then…? !" His voice laced with anger, he scolded the Baron in a loud tone shocking everyone in the room, which some found out of character.
"Your Majesty, It's not Baron Hillsong's fault, as he said the young maiden was already badly injured, so…"
"Say one more word and I will revoke your title as Marquis" He threatened as the whole room gasped in shock.
There was pin drop silence in the whole courtroom, no one agreed to confront the arrogant Emperor on his behavior as everyone turned to the Grand Duke, who was the Emperor's uncle, trying to persuade him to calm his nephew down, but like any other aristocrats, he turned a blind eye to their pleading gaze.
'Does arrogance really run in their bloodline?' Everyone had the same thoughts, they kept silent, waiting for an scapegoat that would break the silence so they would voice their complaints.
No one was that stupid to speak first.
"The King's anger incur great wrath, blessed is a man who avoids it!"
Two hours later,
"The meeting is over…! I want to see that deceased survivor!" He announced stepping out of the room with bold steps.
"Yes your Majesty…!" Everyone greeted, cheerful in their tone as they survived to see the next day.
Derek couldn't help but recall his dream, where she vanished right before his eyes, and he could do nothing about it.
Deep down he wished she was the survivor, at least he could find a way to save her.
"Master…?"
Hearing that naturally annoying name, he knew deep down who it was, but he couldn't help but feel a little delighted, at least there was someone to vent.
"Where have you been…?"
"Master, you sent me last night to monitor the Dowager Empress palace and info you of anything amidst"
"Master, I'm here to report"
"It better be worth my time, else you'll regret it"
"Yes Master"
For a split second, Yuvo wished he could rewind time and never appear before his Master, cause it looks like it's master is in a very bad mood.
"M-Master actually, it's not that serious, it's just that The Dowager Empress was going for a walk with Lady Diane, so I just left to inform you…"
Derek's eyes keep twitching as he breathes slowly, trying to calm himself, before he passes out from anger. As he stared at the shadow creature before him, wondering whether he could return him where he was found.
Watching his Master's reaction, Yuvo felt wronged but still continued his report.
"Before I left, the Empress Dowager, seemed to be telling a story about a fallen princess of an Empire who was spared death but returned to take revenge"
"What…did you say?"
Knowing his mother well, she was not the story type, it must have a deeper meaning
"Continue…!"
"Um… Master I came to inform you that your mother is fine, so I left them"
Unsure if it was anger or regret for having such a subordinate, Derek was really pissed off, he walked to his room with quick steps and shut the door in a hurry, as his anger finally exploded, crashing everything in the room.