The smile started on my lips and slowly grew to cover my whole face. Why would he make this so easy for me? The fact that she’s his daughter makes no difference.
To strike someone in the palace is the same as committing violence in the presence of the Emperor. Something he should know very well. “Is that so? Call the imperial secretary.”
I got to my feet and walked around the room willing myself to calm down and not get too excited. While eunuch Van left to carry out my orders, I decided it was time to pay a visit to my cousin. But first I met with the person I had planted in her retinue.
“Is that so? Is that all that was said?”
“Yes Your Majesty. That’s all that was said before he struck her.”
“Very well!”
I walked away having the answer to a question that had been plaguing me for years. Now I know. Which makes it easier to get rid of all of them at once with no regrets.
This time there was no welcoming party as I entered the quarters she was using during her stay here. “Your majesty!” She stood to her feet as her ladies moved aside.
It only took one look at her face to see the truth in eunuch Van’s words. There was already a red handprint taking form along one cheek and her head was a little swollen where she’d been knocked into the wall.
“I hear you’ve been struck. I came to see for myself. Are you okay?” She looked down at the floor and nodded. There was none of her usual arrogance, no coquettish behavior neither I saw.
“And who may I ask struck you?” I expected the lie before she said it.
“No one Your Majesty, I was just a little careless and fell into the wall is all.”
I looked to her court ladies next. “Is this true? Did your mistress fall into the wall? How could you all have been so careless. Do you know the penalty is death to cause the hurt of a member of the royal family?”
Only one stepped forward to tell the real story of what happened. The others, most likely out of fear of her, held their tongues.
“Since the rest of you have failed in your service to the Emperor, you will be dismissed. You’re to leave the palace immediately.” Their looks of surprise and regret were too late.
“When in service in the palace your first loyalty should always be to the Emperor. Since you don’t know that, you have no place here.”
I dismissed all of them, leaving the two of us alone. “So, your father struck you. Was this before or after you asked him to kill my wife?” The color drained from her face and she stumbled back into her seat.
“The penalty for treason, for plotting against the Empress, is death. You could’ve done so much with your life. As the Emperor’s granddaughter there were no doors that weren’t open to you. Yet you chose to waste your life like this. Pity!”
I turned and walked away before she called out to me. “Are you going to kill me?” I looked back at her with no real expression on my face. I couldn’t even bring myself to hate her, she wasn’t worth even that much effort.
“What do you think?” Let her draw her own conclusions. I went in search of Des after leaving her. I found him where I expected, outside the doors of my private chambers.
“I need you to be extra vigilant. Things are about to get very interesting in the next few hours. I’m leaving my wife and son in your hands. I don’t have to tell you what that means.”
“Of course Your Majesty. I will guard them with my life.” He bowed and I opened the door and walked in. They were where they always are, in my bed one of them half asleep while the other slept.
I kicked off my shoes and climbed in behind her, drawing her back against my chest. “Has he been asleep long?” I kissed her ear and hugged her tighter.
“I think eunuch Van keeps him up all night. The poor thing can barely stay awake during the day.” I didn’t put it past him. the man’s obsessed with the child. I expect any day now for him to give me some excuse as to why he could no longer serve me and why it’s best if he looked after the soon to be crowned Crown Prince. Traitor!
“Would you like me to have a talk with him?”
“I’m afraid it’s too late for that. Haven’t you noticed that your son won’t sleep at night unless he’s there?”
“By the way, what name have you chosen for him? We can’t keep calling him your son for the rest of his life.”
“Crown Prince Kaylen. After his grandfather and great grandfather, both great men and rulers.”
She smiled letting me know that she approved. I eased my body away from hers when I felt that familiar stirring in my groin. It’s been happening more and more often, but I know her body wasn’t ready.
I’ll never hurt her for the world, but the wait to feel her under me again was torture. She seemed to sense my turmoil and turned her head to look at me.
She turned into my arms and rested her head on my chest. “Is the wait really that awful?” I tensed beneath her and lifted her face.
“What are you talking about?” Was I being that obvious? There’s no way I wanted her feeling pressured. It was enough that she was back in my arms again. That I could spend every night in bed next to her.
She’d finally allowed the baby to sleep in his crib at night, now that she knew her brother was in charge of his security, and now it was just her and I in bed together at night.
We get so close that it’s hard to tell sometimes where one of us begin and the other ends. I moved and she winced. “What is it?” I looked down at her red face.
“They hurt.”
“What hurts?” Her face grew even redder as she pointed to her ripe firm breasts. There was a spot on her gown where her milk had leaked. “Why?” I know very little about these things.
“Kaylen didn’t take enough milk before he fell asleep and now they’re swollen and full.” I eased the cloth away to have a look and she did indeed look much fuller than usual.
I don’t know why I did it, but it seemed like the thing to do. Holding her breast in my hand, I lowered my head and sucked gently until her sweet milk burst onto my tongue.
She sighed in pleasure and that was my go ahead to continue. I emptied one breast and moved onto the other. It wasn’t the same as being inside her. I don’t think anything could be or even come close, but the pleasure was intense all the same.
My cock was hard as a javelin and I was in worse shape now than when I first entered the room by the time I’d had my fill. “How about now? Do they still hurt?” She looked like the cat that ate the cream.
“Ummm, I feel marvelous.” She stretched and I grinned even though I was now the one in pain. As long as she was okay what did it matter that I was going to need to swim in a frozen lake to get myself back under control?
“Your eyes can barely stay open. Get some rest and I’ll be back later.” She was already asleep before I cleared the door and I had a new pleasure to look forward to. If I could just figure out a way not to leave myself in pain afterwards though, that would be superb.
My countenance changed by the time I made it back to the audience room. Eunuch Van greeted me with the news that the council had already started to gather.
“And where is Prince Loren now?”
“He was stopped on his way out of the palace Your Majesty.”
“Have him brought here. I will see him before I go before the council.”
As I was having the son brought before me, I had someone inform the mother of the rumor making the rounds in the palace. I had no doubt she’d get up off her sickbed quickly and try to put out the fire that had already started.
Prince Loren was brought into the room to stand before me. The once bold Prince wasn’t looking so arrogant now as he stood before me with head bowed and trembling limbs.
Why did he have to show such weakness now? Why couldn’t he be as he always was before? Or is this his ploy? Is this how he’d got my grandfather not to kill him when he so rightly deserved it? Too bad it won’t work with me.
“Your Majesty, you sent for me? May I ask why y
ou’ve called me here?”
“Yes, in a little while you’ll be brought before the council. But there was something I wanted to say to you before that happens.”
He finally lifted his head and looked at me. And for the first time in my life I let all that I felt for him show on my face.
“Was it worth it? All the lies, the innocent blood? Was it worth it?” He formed his lips to lie fool that he is, as if he thought there was even a chance that I would believe anything that came out of his mouth.
“I do not know to what you refer nephew. All I tried to do was have my daughter married. Isn’t it every father’s wish….?”
“I would never soil myself with your daughter. She came from you. I despise you and everything that you touch.” He stumbled backwards as if he’d taken a blow.
“There was never any chance, no matter how many crimes you and your mother committed that I would ever take Princess Rowena as my wife. So you struck her in vain.”
His eyes widened now, no doubt wondering how I’d learned that bit of news so soon. “As to what you did to my father all those years ago, hell is holding your place for you.”
He swallowed hard now and stumbled over his words in his bid to convince me of his innocence. I let my distaste show on my face as I sneered down at him, all the while holding myself back from drawing my sword and ending his miserable life.
“You may go now, that’s all I wanted to say here.” I inclined my head to the guards who’d brought him in and they took him away to await me before the council.
That wasn’t half as satisfying as I thought it would be. But I was only just getting started. “Eunuch Van. I’m going to pay the Grand Empress dowager a visit. Prepare.”
This was a long time coming. I’ve avoided her presence all these years, though there were times I couldn’t avoid it. In an effort not to let on that I knew as much as I did, I’d had to endure her presence a time or two.
She was awaiting me in her sitting room, trying her best to look frail. I smiled warmly as I took my seat before her, paying her the respect due her title and position.
It didn’t matter, since this was the last time I’d ever do such a repulsive thing. “How are you grandmother?” I’ve never called her that before and I saw the surprise on her face.
Though I’d let slip the rumors, she had no idea of what had passed between her son and granddaughter earlier, because I’d kept it away from her ears.
The rumors she could try talking her way around, but the other there was no disputing. “I’m not well Emperor as you can see.”
“Yes, I heard of your illness and meant to visit you sooner but time did not permit.”
“May I ask what brings you here today?”
“I’m sure you’ve heard the rumors by now and just wanted to come and reassure you.” Her eyes shifted around the room and her nerves begun to show.
“But, before I could reach you, something of a more serious matter came to my attention. Prince Loren has struck the Princess Rowena within palace walls.”
“I don’t have to tell you what a serious breach this is, and the consequences of such an action.”
“What? What nonsense is this?”
“What’s worse is that your granddaughter was overheard asking her father to kill my wife.”
The look of confusion on her face was instantaneous and she looked her age and more in the few seconds I sat there. “Your wife? What do you mean?”
I didn’t answer but instead got to my feet and bowed before turning to leave the room. Let her sit in wonder and worry. It won’t be long now before she got all the answers.
As I made my way back I felt the weight of all the years gone by finally lifting from my shoulders. After today I won’t worry about my wife.
After today I’d have exacted vengeance for her and we can start on the road to the rest of our lives in peace. I had much to look forward to.
I’d played around with the idea of allowing her to see today’s proceedings, but in the end decided against it. I did no want her touched by their evil any more than she’d already been.
I sat in silence, clearing my mind as I bided my time, giving my brother time enough to get here. As soon as I received the news that he was headed towards the palace gates the I gave orders to have the Grand Empress dowager escorted to the council.
All the players knew where to go and what to do. We’d planned it well in advance. The council sat waiting for my appearance, the whispers and murmurings already started. No doubt they were all wondering why I’d called them here at this hour.
I waited for their greetings before taking my place on the Emperor’s seat and then addressed them. “I’m sure by now you’ve all heard the rumors that have been circulating around the city and have even reached the palace.”
“These rumors have been spreading all around the kingdom in the last few days and the people demand an answer.” There were a few left over who spoke up immediately on the Grand Empress dowager’s behalf.
I of course let them have their say and then it was the turn of the opposition to speak out. I let the two sides argue their points for ten minutes without interruption. I did not want it to be said that I was bias and unfair after all.
Emperor Jai
I called the room to order and silence fell immediately as they once again turned their attention to me. I nodded to eunuch Van who went to do my bidding.
He announced the arrival of the Grand Empress dowager and five seconds after she entered the room Prince Loren was announced, followed by his daughter five seconds after that.
The three looked at each other, none knowing their reasons for being here, but I’m sure after our earlier talks the fear had already started eating away at their insides.
I’d wanted it that way. Wanted them to fear and worry for those few minutes and hours about their fate. Only the Grand Empress dowager would think that she could somehow get away unscathed. But the other two must know that they’d gone too far this time and there was no way out for them.
To be overheard mentioning the death of the Empress was an offense worthy of death and this time there was no way for them to wiggle out of it. There’d been no time for them to silence the witnesses the way they’ve done so many times in the past.
I indicated to the secretary that he should begin. He opened the box my father had left me and retrieved the letter my grandfather had passed onto him.
“Do you all recognize this seal?” I asked the room at large as he held it up for the room to see. They could not see what was written there, but the seal was hard to miss.
I waited for each of the council members to nod their heads before ordering the secretary to read what was written there. In a loud clear voice he read the accusation of treason and murder, carried out by mother and son.
The room was in an uproar by the time he was finished, but my eyes never left the Grand Empress dowager. Prince Loren was already shaking and Princess Rowena cried silently, while the Grand Empress dowager protested loudly, proclaiming her innocence.
“Are you accusing my grandfather, the former Emperor of this land of lying to frame you?”
“You, you did this. This is your doing.”
“So you’re accusing the current Emperor of this atrocity?”
She did what she always did best, yelled and threatened, but the damage had already been done. That seal alone insured that every man in the room would believe the authenticity of the letter.
“You may finish reading what my grandfather the Emperor had to say.”
“Yes Your Majesty.” He cleared his throat and carried on.
“I hereby order the Emperor for the sake of the good of the people and the throne, to sentence the Empress Valeria to death for her part in the murder of her predecessor.”
It was obvious from her shocked reaction that she had no idea her deeds were so well known. Her cry of outrage was silenced with one word from me. “Silence!’
I think it was then she realize
d that she had no power over me. That I had no care for her stolen position in the royal court. With her usual defiance cut short, she had no choice but to stand there and await her fate.
Still, the secretary wasn’t done and with a nod from me, carried on. “As to my son, Prince Loren, for his part in the framing of Prince Kai and those other loyal subjects who he sent to their deaths. I leave his sentence up to the Emperor at his discretion.”
If anyone thought those two bore each other any love, they got to see firsthand what people of their ilk truly are. Mother and son turned on each other spectacularly, one outdoing the other in pointing the blame.
It was a very poor showing for members of the royal family, and only gave credence to what had been whispered about in many circles for years. For the first time, those who had been taken in by the Grand Empress dowager’s show of virtue and kindness got to see the true nature of the beast.
I let the two of them carry on, exposing them farther to everyone gathered there, before calling a halt to their tirade.
“What you’ve just heard was only one of the crimes committed by the Grand Empress dowager and Prince Loren. I also accuse them of plotting to kill the Crown Princess Mia so they could put the Princess Rowena on the throne.”
Now a hush fell over the room as men whispered in disbelief. I indicated to eunuch Van that he should open the doors and let the others waiting there come in.
Prince Javan entered with a figure at his side, shrouded in a shawl that covered her completely. “Your Majesty, your servant has returned from the errand you sent him on.”
He and the figure bowed before me. “Remove the shawl.” There was a loud gasp in the room from both the Grand Empress dowager and Prince Loren once the stranger was revealed.
“Who are you?” I asked the old woman who stood before me with head bowed.
“I am Giselle the seer.”
“And why are you here today?” She told her story from beginning to end leaving nothing out to a hushed room. No one spoke for the first few seconds when she was done.
“What nonsense. I’ve never seen this person before in my life. How dare you lie on a member of the royal family? And where is this girl you say is alive…” She would’ve gone on had I not stopped her there.
Flower In The Palace Page 25
