Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king

Chapter 28: Matters of Succession(2)

A heavy silence hung in the air, punctuated only by the soft rustle of silk and the occasional clearing of throats. The empress sat at the head of the table, her gaze sweeping over the assembled magnates . She knew her position was tenuous, and her power derived solely from her proximity to the late emperor. Yet she also understood the game of politics well enough to know that perception often held more sway than reality.

Give a carrot to an horse and they will plow your field

Marcellus, with his sleek black hair cascading down his neck, was the first to break the silence. His voice was firm and uncompromising as he voiced the sentiments shared by many in the room. "Your grace," he began, his words cutting through the tension like a knife, "we desire neither snow nor whores in our court. We seek strength, stability, and, above all, loyalty."

Lisidor, his lips curled in a sardonic smile, added his own perspective. "Maesinius may be as harsh as the northern winds, but at least he is brave, and many of the warlike nobles will support him .Many of us seek revenge for the demise of the last emperor. Mavius , on the other hand, is like a reed in the wind, bending to the whims of whoever holds power, who knows what he will do when he is the one holding it . I certainly do not want to return to the times of Vitellio the despicable."

Croxiatus, his double chin wobbling slightly as he spoke, nodded in agreement. "Indeed, there is only so many bastards a king should make '' The empress grunted a bit , but the fat lord continued ''it seems the best course of action is to look to the young prince for leadership. He is like fresh clay, waiting to be molded into the image of a true emperor."

The empress listened intently to their words, her irritation at the word spoken immediately crumbling. She knew that their support was crucial if she hoped to maintain her hold on power. "I am grateful that we are all in agreement," she said, her voice steady despite the tumultuous emotions swirling within her. "Together, we can shape Livius into the leader our empire deserves."

Lisidor nodded, his expression one of calculated approval. "Indeed, your grace. The best option is always the one we can mold to the better , like clay in the hands of a skilled sculptor."

'Except the hands will be mine' Valeria thought

''Though your grace, I do fear the reactions of our fellow nobles, let alone those in the north and in the east. I believe that even some of our brothers in the core of our empire would wrinkle their noses. After all, Livius is the youngest of your graces. The Nort and East will much prefer the two elder brothers that share blood with them, but between the two, they will choose the eldest. Mavius will probably do his thing, whatever it is. Though I fear some of the nobles in the south may instead turn to the elders'' Vritinius spoke, his hard face gazing at that of the empress.

The empress listened intently as Vritinius voiced his concerns, his words carrying the weight of experience and foresight. She nodded thoughtfully, acknowledging the validity of his fears. "You raise a valid point, Lord Vritinius," she replied, her tone measured and composed. "The reactions of our fellow nobles are indeed a cause for concern, particularly those in the north and east, who may feel a stronger kinship with the elder brothers."

She paused, her gaze sweeping across the faces of the assembled magnates. "It is true that Livius's youth may work against him in the eyes of some," she continued, her voice tinged with a hint of uncertainty. "And while Maesinius may hold favor in the north and Mavius may pursue his own agenda, there are still those in the south who may harbor reservations."

Vritinius nodded in agreement, his hard features softened by a glimmer of understanding. "Indeed, your grace," he replied, his voice grave. "The south is a region of strong loyalties and ancient rivalries. Some may see the eldest brother as the more traditional choice, while others may seek to align themselves with Mavius's ambitions."

''I suppose you do have a solution to propose, Lord Vritinius?'' Lord Isidor spoke, his golden hair falling in his face

''Well, I believe that all we have to do is make choosing the young prince more viable for them.'' He took a deep breath. ''Your grace, I believe it is ripe time to reinstate the council of the 200.

The empress listened attentively as Lord Vritinius presented his proposal; her expression was thoughtful and contemplative. The mention of reinstating the council of the 200 stirred memories of a bygone era, a time when the empire was governed by a network of senators and advisors.The time were the burocracy shat over the emperor's face, making him then thank for it .

The Empress did not speak; she understood the game.If she wants the apple , the empress will need to first plant the tree herself. Nothing comes for free; if she wanted her blood to sit on the throne, she would have to make concessions.No matter how much she hated it .

She took a deep breath''It has been 140 years since the council of the 200 was abolished by Vrivius the Red after subjecting the Latvians in the east. He made sure to let the empire know of that. It was when the senators had been discovered to have met an ambassador of the Latvians in secret. The emperor butchered them all and then assumed all the power. And you would like to reinstate that?''

''New men , make new choices, your grace, Our ancestors were foolish in their ambitions, We just wish to aid the emperor in making his choice, collaborating with the empress as regent to lead the empire out of these times of crisis'' Lord Croxiatus spoke, his bald head sweating a bit as he took a piece of cut apple from the table and brought it into his mouth.

She made no asnwer , just kept staring.

''Your grace, this is the best choice to gain the loyalty of the core of the empire; why else would they go against tradition?The only road that will legitimize this takeover of power is to break the tradition of the eldest and bring an older one back to life. In these way, the lords will not see Livius as a usurper but as the restorer of tradition.'' Lord Vritinius suggested ''You break a mule , to bring the horse''

The empress considered their words carefully, her mind racing with possibilities and potential pitfalls. "So, you propose to resurrect a relic of the past in the hopes of securing the empire's future?" she mused, her voice tinged with skepticism ''Is that bad poetry, my lord?''

''As you can see poetry is not in my blood your grace'' He bowed, but his eyes kept staring without pause

'These bastards just want the power they once had back; they already knew what I was going to propose, and they came together. They want the tradition very well, and they will have it for now. Who know what the future holds?' The empress mused as she smiled at the man.

''Very well then, your proposal is sound of mind, we shall crown the young prince and his first edict will be the reinstitution of the council'' The empress spoke with a dangerous glint in her eyes, as she knew this was what she had to do to let her son assume power.

''Then we shall pledge our allegiance to the new emperor'' Marcellus bowed , followed by the other four, who knew that today they had managed to restore a power that had been dead for more than a century. And this time they would make sure that it remained as such, as from the ashes of the empire, tradition would arise again.