The War of the Gilded Beasts

by Grady P. Brown

  Looking at the crowns, Kemrin could see his reflection on the sparkling metal and was disgusted with what he saw. After the Battle of Ragnarworth Field, Kemrin tried to heal his wounds with Druid magic, but his injuries were never mended properly. His eyeball regenerated, but it was white and blind with a gnarled scar running past it. The cut on his leg gave him a permanent limp and had to be locked into a brace. Even so, Kemrin needed to additional support from a cane. It was a state that left Kemrin in a constant state of debilitating physical pain.

  Images of Razos’s smoldering corpse flashed through his mind, causing him to feel like a cluster of white-hot needles were being stabbed into his brain. The loss of his dragon was so devastating that Kemrin did not speak to anyone for five days. His heart felt perpetually cold as ice and it weighed him down like a glacier pressing against a mountain.

  What hit Kemrin the hardest was the memory of Autem’s mutilated corpse laying before him. An anointed emperor was brutally murdered in front of Kemrin and that emperor’s throne was now his. Every nerve, muscle, and tendon in Kemrin’s body felt as though they were turning into glass, threatening to shatter and slam him into the ground. In the back of his psyche, Kemrin knew that what happened to Autem Sylva could also happen to him if he was not careful.

  Overall, Kemrin was being torn apart by an overwhelming maelstrom of physical, mental, and spiritual agony and it showed no signs of stopping. What terrified Kemrin the most was the thought that he was going to feel this way for the rest of his life. Was this the fate of every emperor?

  Kemrin’s thoughts were interrupted when the lead blacksmith approached him and announced, “We are ready, Your Imperial Majesty.”

  Without a word, Kemrin handed the two crowns to the smith.

  After inspecting the crowns, the smith asked, “You want us to melt these down and reforge them into an emperor’s crown, an empress’s crown, and a crown for the Imperial heir apparent? You want them to be Ferruman with gold trimming and keep the original gemstones? With Ferruman, it won’t be easy. Don’t get me wrong, Sire. We have more than enough metal to work with, but the process will take time. Also, we will need to remove all of the gemstones before proceeding.”

  Growling, Kemrin bitterly snarled, “Aye! Get on with it, damn you!”

  The master smith bowed his head and his team started working on their new project. As Kemrin lazily watched the blacksmiths work, he was approached by Brom Letum, who was dressed in his formal garb.

  Giving Kemrin a friendly pat on the shoulder, Brom said, “We are two of a kind, aren’t we? We both have one eye and one working leg. It makes me feel closer to you, cousin.”

  “How did you live with it?”

  “I just adapted to it however I could. I know you can do the same, Kemrin. You are as strong and resilient as your father was. I’m sure he would have been proud of you and your siblings.”

  Pausing briefly, Kemrin changed the subject and asked, “What is the status of the Empire?”

  “With the Sylvas crushed, the morale of most of their survivors has died out. There are a few stubborn barons who are in open rebellion, but our forces have been making quick work quelling them. Winter has been going on for a week and is slowing our progress somewhat, but Daegar and his dragon Mendryg have been most helpful in the process. The majority of the Empire is now firmly in our control.”

  “What about that special edict I ordered? Has it taken effect yet?”

  Brom hesitated before answering, “Aye, but it is questionable to say the least. You are not even crowned yet and already it has started an uproar amongst the nobles. You wanted the chroniclers to record your reign to the day before you defeated Autem Sylva. In blunt terms, you are essentially accusing everyone who sided with the Sylvas of treason!”

  “Aye. That will give me the legal right to attaint them whenever I want, which will frighten the surviving Sylva loyalists into submission. What about the missing Sylva granddaughter? Any sign of her?”

  “She has disappeared. Even though your edict may frighten the barons and kings into submission, that will not stop them from hiding the heir apparent of the Sylva dynasty. I advise caution in the years to come. The nobles may be kneeling to us now, but if the opportunity arrives, they will use the last Sylva heir to try and overthrow us.”

  “I will keep that in mind. How are we doing with the new Privy Council?”

  “King Walter Rosa has been named Lord Chancellor and will be here in the capital while Erik rules Valai in his stead. Thanon has taken the post of Grand Admiral and is in the process of bringing the Imperial Fleet to heel. Caelum chose to be the Lord Magistrate and is preparing some new laws and regulations for the new regime. Daegar was offered to be Lord Marshal, but he gave the post to me and I have been busy coordinating our forces. Barma Staan has been named the Imperial Spymaster and is currently deploying the Darrman Ninja Clans to sniff out any more potential traitors that need to be put down. Urgyn Turrgal has become the new Lord Treasurer, and as long as his daughter is married to my son, he will keep our coffers full. The Grand Sage will join the Council after your coronation ceremony. We still have a few seats open and we will search for new candidates to fill them as soon as possible.”

  “How soon will the coronation ceremony be?”

  “At this rate, we can have you crowned in about two months. Considering how well you led us in the war, I have a good feeling about your reign. However, keep in mind that ruling in times of peace is completely different from ruling in times of war. I learned that when I ruled Foxden under my own power.”

  Nodding slightly, Kemrin murmured, “I will keep that in mind, coz.”

  Kemrin and Brom then stood in silence as they watched the new crowns take shape.

  ______

  The coronation ceremony took place two months later, just as Brom had predicted. Outside the Imperial Palace, snow was coating Chrysos in a veil of whiteness. Still, despite the weather, the city was alive with festivities like a colossal carnival.

  Inside the Throne Room, Kemrin walked down the aisle with his cane. He was dressed in his finest silk, his father’s Graega hide cloak was wrapped around his shoulders, and his father’s livery collar made from the Graega’s claws encircled his neck. Rings made from gold and Ferruman decorated his fingers.

  The chamber was filled with a crowd of kings and barons, waiting to see their new emperor be crowned. Some looked at Kemrin with pride, some with derision, and some with hatred. As he limped towards the Imperial Throne, Kemrin was worried that he was displaying weakness. Weakness could invite some upstart to emerge from the crowd and stab him where he stood. It was a fear that infected Kemrin’s mind like a cancer. Still, Kemrin pushed himself towards the throne with all his strength.

  Waiting for him at the throne were his entire family and the Grand Sage. Caelum stood with Yarma, who was cradling their newborn daughter, Vara. They wore clothing that bore a quartered coat of arms that bore the sigils of House Magnus and House Ganjol. Freya was escorted by two handmaidens, and all three of them were carrying Freya’s triplet sons, Roderik, Aemos, and Renal. Freya wore a dress that displayed a quartered coat of arms with the Magnus and Donard arms. Daegar stood with Mya, their armor and dress also showing the quartered sigils of Magnus and Barran. Mya held her newborn daughter, Shaera, who giggled at the celebration. Ymir stood with Kenji Staan and the two proudly wore the quartered banners of Magnus and Staan on their tunics. Finally, Lyra stood in a red and white dress with her and Kemrin’s son, Votum. Unlike the other members of the family, Lyra did not quarter her family arms with Kemrin’s, but Kemrin was not bothered by the sight.

  Resting on Lyra’s blonde head was a Ferruman circlet with gold trimming and decorated with rubies and black gemstones. Votum wore a thinner Ferruman and gold circlet around his neck like a necklace with a single ruby embedded in the front. These were two of the crowns the blacksmiths made for Kemrin, one for the Empress Consort and the other for the Imperial heir apparent.

  Kem
rin thought back to when Votum was born a week ago. Lyra was in so much pain and screaming so loudly that Kemrin thought he was living in a nightmare. Physicians and specialists came and went throughout the night, struggling to keep Lyra’s temperature down. After seven long hours of frightening agony, Lyra gave birth to a healthy baby boy. Unfortunately, the physicians said that the birth was so traumatic that Lyra would never bear another child. The other Magnus brides were more fortunate with their children than Lyra was and were up and running within three days. Still, Kemrin was pleased that both his wife and child were still alive. Within five days, Lyra made a quick recovery and never allowed Votum to leave her clutches.

  Eventually, Kemrin hoisted himself onto the Imperial Throne and looked at the Grand Sage, who was holding a black, velvet pillow in his hands. Sitting on the pillow were the Imperial orb and scepter of state and Kemrin’s new crown. Kemrin’s crown looked much like his father’s old one except for thicker spikes and gold trimming.

  As the Grand Sage began to chant in ancient Homani, Kemrin leaned his cane against the throne’s armrest and gently picked up the orb and scepter from the pillow. Once the orb and scepter were in Kemrin’s hands, the Grand Sage took the crown and handed the empty pillow to a lesser Sage.

  Holding the crown over Kemrin’s head, the Grand Sage asked, “Do you swear to rule justly and with virtue? Do you swear to defend the helpless and uphold the weak? Do you swear to speak only truth and dispense justice upon the wicked?”

  Swallowing hard and knowing there was no turning back, Kemrin declared, “I so swear!”

  The Grand Sage then placed the Imperial Crown on Kemrin’s brow and announced, “I now proclaim Kemrin the Seventh of House Magnus, Emperor and Supreme Ruler of Gradaia! Hail to the Emperor!”

  “Hail to the Emperor!” the entire hall cheered in unison over and over.

  Basking in triumph, Kemrin held up his orb and scepter with pride. Despite his doubts, Kemrin knew his life would never be the same. The Gold Phoenix had risen.

  Acknowledgement

  I wish to thank my friends at the Society for Creative Anachronism for providing me with all the medieval inspiration I needed. I want to thank my family and loved ones for their love and support as I pursued this project.