The stone floors of the palace were cold beneath Apu's bare feet as he stepped onto the balcony. The golden light of dawn washed over the sprawling city, casting a warm glow over its structures and streets.
Behind him, the lightly dressed maids were preparing a bath, as today was a particularly important day.
His father's funeral, followed by his own coronation. It was the day he would take the throne, the day the people would finally get the competent ruler they had been yearning for—or at least, that's what they hoped.
Apu allowed himself a slight smirk as he looked over the capital, his gaze sweeping across the once-proud empire. It had been declining under his father's rule, a downward spiral that Apu was determined to reverse.
Cayoc Chakra, his father, was never a good ruler. He had inherited the empire of Shawaya at the young age of 23 after Apu's grandfather was killed in battle. At first, everything seemed fine. The kingdom was thriving, and his father had promise. But that changed after the coronation.
Apu had never fully understood what happened, but after hitting his head soon after taking the crown, his father's sanity had begun to unravel. The man who had once been capable of leading with strength had turned paranoid, lashing out at anything he saw as a threat. His most drastic decision came when he declared war on the neighboring empire of Awasis, an empire that was the only true rival to Shawaya in terms of strength and influence.
The war had been a disaster. Cayoc, consumed by his own delusions, ignored the counsel of his generals and advisors, leading the empire into a costly defeat and the loss of vast territories.
In the aftermath, his father's obsession with rebuilding what had been lost drove him to raise taxes beyond what was bearable, plunging the empire into further turmoil.
This led to a rebellion, one that his generals ultimately quashed, though they too were punished for failing to rein in the unrest. In a fit of rage, Cayoc executed them all and appointed new generals, ensuring loyalty at the cost of competence.
Apu, the eldest of his father's three children, had watched the decline of Shawaya from the sidelines, growing increasingly disillusioned with his father's leadership.
Despite his father's incompetence, Apu had proven himself to be a strategic genius in warfare, though his skills in diplomacy were lacking. He had never been particularly fond of his father. In fact, he had often entertained the thought of ending Cayoc's reign early.
At the age of fifteen, while lying in bed one night, a sudden and sharp pain had gripped Apu's head. Visions flooded his mind: vast armies, Apu at their helm, leading them into battle, his presence towering over all. He saw himself standing at the apex of the world, a king of unimaginable power.
The desire to conquer—and to finally take control of his destiny—had burned brightly within him. But he knew he was powerless to act at that moment.
So, he bided his time, plotting in secret. Two months later, at the age of 43, his father was found dead by suicide. The throne, and the empire, were now Apu's.
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"Your Majesty, the bath is ready," said one of the maids, her voice pulling Apu from his thoughts. She bowed before him, her eyes respectfully lowered.
Apu didn't acknowledge her. He simply turned and walked back inside the massive room.
The maids began to undress him, and as they did, he glanced at the mirror beside the bath. The reflection staring back at him was that of a short teenager with brown eyes, equally brown hair, and a deep tan.
Apu sighed inwardly. His height, just shy of five feet, was a constant reminder of the limitations he had inherited from his father. Cayoc, too, had been short—only 5'5" at the age of 43. It seemed as though Apu was destined to carry on his father's legacy in more ways than one.