The Aeterna Empire

Chapter 2 - Rising Resistance

I stared at what remained of my father, or, at least, what should have been my father.

"Why is the king's head missing?" I wondered. My eyes fell on one of father's many personal doctors, freshly turned embalmer.

"I apologize, Prince! The destruction was so complete that to remove the sun-kissed spear required removing -well- h-his head."

The Chancellor of the state spoke up, "Surely you can recognize your father without the need for his face, my prince?"

I frowned and cast a grey eye at the man standing by the door. We had never gotten along. Although I have not known him well enough to dislike him directly, the fact he was close to my father has always led me to suspect him.

"I can," I answered.

I pulled back the blanket and brought his arms up. A few small scars stood out. He was the man I knew based on the claw marks of the hunting bird on his favored arm, the slight knick from arrows on his fingertips, and the little bite mark from a problematic horse, ignoring plantable evidence such as rings, bracelets, and implanted jewels. Hunting was a long-favored hobby of his.

The sun gave us life, and we worshipped it for that. Yet the priesthood in my father's reign took us from merely appreciating it to hungrily taking more life. Hunting was a hobby I could understand, yet I knew it was more to him: He stole life to increase his own.

Now he was dead, and by a hunter's weapon cast down by the sun no less.

"It's him," I confirmed." My father, the king, is dead."

I felt nothing from uttering the words. As a son, I supposed I should be sad and act mournful since he was the king, yet I could not bring myself to pretend to mourn for the life of me.

"That confirms it. You are now monarch of the Ronlin house, King Valspear." The Chancellor stepped forward and bowed to a knee while the doctors covered the corpse again." We must-"

I interrupted him. "I know what must be done. Send out all of the ministers and officials from the palace. Send them home to their families. Their service is fulfilled." I sharply turned and walked away, out the door.

"Fulfill- Surely you jest?!" The Chancellor gasped, chasing after me.

"Surely, you go, unless you wish to be the first sent home! The only reason I think to spare you and allow you to hold your position is that your talent outweighs your duplicity!"

"But my lord, if you send everyone out of your court, who will be left to run the kingdom?!" He cried.

"Let me worry about that. Go send my orders out."

After leaving him stunned and frantic behind me, I continued to my destination. It was perhaps a bit foolish to send everyone out because not everyone my father possessed was useless. Yet, to scrounge through them would take far too long for far too little gain when my time was limited. I had a better idea. If father surrounded himself with the corrupt, bought, and weak-willed, my chosen would be found amongst those he rejected.

My feet took me to the castle dungeon. Here, Kes' salvation lay dormant for having opposing opinions with King Kador. Now, this font of power only needed to be awakened from its slumber. I did not do this to smite my father, yet the thought did not slow my steps either.

The guards shared a puzzled look but did not think to stop me. In fact, they escorted me in out of concern.

At a desk just inside rose a higher-ranking guard. He saluted me and said, "My lord, I-I am sorry, I was not alerted you were coming."

"It is no matter," I waved away his concern.

He nodded briefly and smiled in thanks, yet his eyes still flickered between me and the floor, "If I may... is the news true? Is the king-"