The greatest evil alive died leaving behind a line of fools to rule, it was laughable Ara thought, who knew he wasn't immortal.
Emperor's who tainted his legendary legacy, and made the people speak heresy in whispers, ruined the empire and plunged the people into abrupt poverty.
Silverston, the empire ruled currently by emperor Vastus Roveriasazar reign of the fourth Roveriasazar.
The first emperor Medus Arak Roveriasazar conquered the world with an iron fist, he seized the six kingdoms with a blood shed that made its way into history as:
The massacre of six kingdoms.
He was cruel, vial, vicious, wicked and evil, if one could name every terrible attribute they can come up with that would be him, but that didn't matter. He didn't care if that man had been the cause of many nightmares that plagued children because that man had been his great-grandfather.
Many feared him, many reverenced him but he loved him. He had many enemies yet he ruled one and hundred years many started to believe that the cruel emperor was immortal before his peaceful death followed by the reign of his dimwitted son Gaith Roveriasazar.
Who ruled seven and one years before, then his grandson Medus Alha Roveriasazar the second who was just as cruel as his grandfather and now Vastus the fourth also known in secret as the foolish emperor.
He was a laughingstock, mostly because Medus the second died young of disease which one believed was inflicted on him by sorcery, according to town folk he wasn't taught well he became emperor at fourteen and was simply a pawn in the court for the royals.
He feared his father died from a curse, so Vastus for fear he'd end like his father banished magic into non-existence.
If one was caught performing any form of sorcery they'd be executed on the spot.
Ara was so lost in thought as the pope said a prayer and he with his family all knelt to give honor to his great grandfather. Like they did every year.
It was unfair that his great-grandfather had to die when he was so young. No one had understood him like that man. The stories they told about such a man who had only ever shown him kindness never ceased to amaze him.
To him that man was a hero, to others that man had been a villain. The man had looked into Ara's eye and seen what others couldn't see, a monster. "Among all my sons only you have my eyes" he had said confidently.
Only he looked at him and didn't see a good for nothing fool, a loser.
Ara bowed to the grave, that man had said those words to an eleven year old boy and died the very next day.
His mother had hated him right after his birth. She waited for the moment he could walk then abandoned him.
At first he thought she was just busy with her royal duties, but when she gave birth to Tyr and Lir he finally understood that she simply loathed his existence. Why? because she never wanted a child...no she had wanted an obedient puppet like his stepbrother Myth.
The only person who had acknowledged him died, what a pity.
In his teenage years he became a tyrant, he began to rebel so much his mother had been disgusted by him, comparing him to the other prince's, envying the second concubine's rather obedient son Myth. Who he had secretly come to despise.
It was preposterous, where on earth, was it heard that a mother preferred her stepson to her own flesh and blood!
He thought she'd outgrow her attitude but it only got worse, soon she attempted to assassinate him not once but twice. He had hated myth with blind jealousy wondering what his mother so much preferred in her stepson to her own child.
But soon he realized, his mother only wanted to get rid of him then make Myth crown prince, only for myth to die of unknown causes then her own real dog of a son Tyr would inherit the throne and do her bidding.
She had planted hatred all these years between him and myth so they would kill each other and make the throne accessible to her pet of a son.
And it would have worked had it been if he was an obedient child and didn't try so hard to impress her by entering her chambers with different gifts everyday hoping to gain her approval.
All for naught after he heard her scheming with her wench of a maid, who he had later accused of theft and had her executed, another reason for his beloved mother to despise his very breath.
Now in his early twenties he was in the mood to hunt in the town and so he went.
One would ask how does one hunt in the town, well on this day he was feeling rather great but the weather ruined it with its blasted clouds.
The streets were empty as anyone who laid their eyes on a prince in the street was considered a deadman, so they hid in their roofs.
He spotted a beast he liked and tested his new blade on it in a quiet corner of the market, its blood smeared on his face and hands.
It was thrilling to think something so much bigger could die in his hands. It was a good anger management method.
He was so thrilled that when a poor old woman the owner of the beast he assumed staggered out of her tattered house and stumbled to her knees he laughed "My lord have mercy! Have mercy! That was my only source of feeding, Have mercy my lord please."
If you want to catch a rat, on must simply lay a trap he thought thriller in his catch.
She begged, clinging to his shin, he enjoyed watching her grovel and weeping the tears in her eyes only made his grin even wider "Don't worry I'll help you."
He said politely "I didn't know the beast was yours I'll have it replaced."
Didn't she know it was a law not to walk the path of a prince let alone touch him?
"Oh thank you my Lord! I'm grateful!" She appreciated him and on her knees he embraced her.
Of course she didn't know because the laws had faded with his father's loose rule, people no longer feared the law.
Everyone saw the act but no one heard the words "What makes you think a lowlife like you deserves my sympathy?" he mumbled his blade piercing through in her ribs.
This blade would become his favorite, he smirked accessing the crimson fluid on its silver Alcon edges
Her moans were overshadowed by the rumbling of thunder clouds in the sky "Oh madam no need to be so overjoyed. I'm happy to help."
No one saw her back to a dead end of an alley as she died under the cold wet rain in the flith of soaked hay, her blood washed away by the rain.
Anything touched by a royal belongs to the royal, and anyone one who lays their hands on a prince except his spouse the penalty was death.
As soon as he stepped in the palace he was met by his mother's fury in the hallway with its tall painted glass windows, she stomped on the black carpet beneath their feet.
This was the only time she remembered he existed "How dare you do such a thing? a poor woman and her beast in public? Have you no shame!."
He moved past her with a small smirk playing on his lips. Regar opened the tall oak doors to his chambers "Where did you hear such preposterous rumors, I've been in the royal garden all day."
His mother frowned "You dare lie to me?"
Ara's eyes flashed as he unclasped the brooch his dark cloak with the crest of the house Roveriasazar's lion in golden thread and diamonds embroidered in it's quality navy blue velvet material, even though the weather was cold he was boiling with rage, his smile cruel "You dare to spy on me?"
Empress Laifeyar cleared her throat, not attempting to answer the question.
"You must really care about the poor and helpless, I didn't know you were a charity mother." Regar took his cloak from him.
"You are the crown prince Ara, your actions tell a lot about what you do in public! or do you want Myth challenging you for the throne!" Her words caused his smile to wither.
Regar held a tray for him. He picked up a bottle and poured wine in a cup that he did not drink then settled in his cushion and set his eyes on her "What action's? I was never outside today."
The wine swirled in the silver cup "-and also anything I touch... I'm sure you know belongs to me by law."
He paused as thunder growled in the distance "The beast was already mine, she only died because she defiled me. she defiled me and her life became equal to the beasts, so I have not murdered a person mother...I only tamed a beast."
"That's where you are wrong, a good emperor must feel sympathy and empathy for his citizens! A good emperor must not misuse his power!" she snapped at him.
He smirked "Your highness it's too late for the lectures on etiquette, that time has passed, also I know you're here only because you wish not to be punished by the Emperor, fear not I have broken no rules."
Guilt darkened her features "I'm just warning you the throne has eyes and they can see what you do."
"There already whispers that myth will make a better emperor than you."
Regar moved to clear the wine away then poured him some tea instead, since only he noticed he didn't sip his wine and he never does "Give me their names." he said cheerfully.
"What for?" she asked cautiously.
He cut an apple. It's bright red, so much lovelier compared to the wine he thought "I can slit their throats so they can no longer whisper." he laughed.
His mother groaned "I can't seem to get through to you. I have given you my warning. If you like, don't listen."
She walked towards the large oak doors with golden lion heads.
His voice was raspy with the question that caused her to stop her hasty strides "The emperor shan't hear of this, your highness."
Laifeyar turned to look at him thin golden veil over the lower half of her face but her eyes said it all "is that a threat?"
He smirked, "Of course not mother, it's a friendly warning."
"I am NOT your Mother!" she snarled vehemently.
Like an elegant cat he stood up from his cushion seat "How about this…once there was an old woman who was a spy. Someone set her up when they put the beast and that woman on the road in my path, a prince must not be seen in public except at festivals and important occasions, mother who could have the gall to commit something like that against a CROWN PRINCE! any ideas?."
He continued walking to his large poster bed with its intricately carved wooden frame "Any prince caught outside would be punished, as you know thus, who could do something so despicable?" he said calmly plopping majestically on his silk bed sheets.
Her tone turned hostile "I know, not, what you speak of!"
His tone was condensing "According to a little birdy, she was a retired maid of the palace and when we checked the records guess who her master was...you mother...you sent her to die as the penalty for killing a person publicly is banishment for a prince?"
She still tried to feign ignorance "Are you accusing me right now?"
"Accusation is a strong word mother...do you know the penalty for framing a prince...a crown prince for that matter? I'm sure you know the laws of Silverston do not favor women." he said in a singsong voice.
To the regular eye she remained stoic, poised and composed, not breaking a sweat at all, but to him this was the most nervous she'd ever been "I guess the rumors about the murder were exaggerated...a bit. She did obstruct your way after all your highness. if you will excuse me."
She turned and halted in her steps for the third time "Are you really a fool...like your father?"
He sneered rolling on his bed in an inelegant way "What can I say, only a foolish prince would make a scene in public."
He almost imagined visible smoke coming from her veiled scalp, as she made her way out of his chambers with her back as straight as a ruler the door echoed behind her and his lazy smile turned into a foreign expression no one could imagine on his face.
He chewed his apple slowly "Regar?" he called his courtier.
Regar ran up to him "You called your highness?"
"Continue to spread the word, the crown prince is foolish and unwise just like his father, they're sure he won't be the next emperor." he told him grinning.
Regar went on his knees "Your highness that is treason!" he trembled.
"You refuse?" Ara asked.
"I dare not." Regar retorted
"Then go."
Ara watched him leave as another maid walked in "Your highness the Emperor seeks your presence in the evening gathering."
He scoffed, the man was throwing another party. He really was the world's greatest drunk of an emperor.
This was good. Everything was wonderful. He would go and drink and be merry.
Soon everything would fall into place, he stood up calling on another courtier, Robert wasn't as good as Regar but he would just have to make sure he couldn't be late for the evening gathering.
"Prepare the finest of my attire, I wish to outshine everyone in the Emperor's court today." he said with a smile.
Robert went off to the royal tailor.
It didn't matter if he outshined anyone, the man never noticed him. He didn't know who he despised more, his mother who hated him or his father who was simply too drunk to see him.
As Ara looked outside his window he wondered, what would the great Silverston empire look like if it were painted in crimson red?
Yes, only a mad man would know?