EMPEROR ROMAN

I paced impatiently round my throne room. I had lost count of all the times I pulled out my pocket-clock to see the second hand ticking away at the time.

Sylvas had been gone far longer than I required. How hard could it have been to beat a fifty year old,cancerous woman into submission? A child could carry out such a tedious task in a fraction of the time they were taking. And they wonder why their Noble house fell from grace. There was a time that Sylvas' family trained  the most powerful army the world had ever seen, and now he was being outdone by a fucking child. Clovius appeared,his tall,staunch figure ominously stood in my peripheral vision. I turned on my heel,glad to finally have a report on something within the confines of this gods-forsakened place.

"Clovius. Punctual as always. What news do you have of the Commander?"

"He leaves for Elysium as we speak your majesty."

"He lies!"

Sylvas was being carried up the steps by his daughters,who I barely noticed were lasses until I noticed their breasts. Bulky,tall,muscular,built like brutes,they carried their father up the snow white steps to the throne room.

"Nova just attacked my sons and I,assaulted them the hospital. One is lamed for life, the other two are barely conscious."

A surge of disappointment ran through my body. "In short,they failed. Your simple job was to find Nova's Mother,intimidate her,and give me leverage!"

"I was not informed of these plans milord?"

"It's nothing of your concern Clovius" Sylvas hissed.

"No. Clovius is my steward, he deserves to know. We planned to intimidate Nova's mother. The boy's obedience has been lacking as of late, and I wished to solidify his loyalty by any means."

Clovius laughed. "So Sylvas assaulted the boy's mother and expected him to not defend her? Are you seriously that daft old fool?"

"Watch your tongue,you speak to someone of royal lineage. Speak with my father with the respect he is due." His eldest daughter said, however her tone toward Clovius made it clear that what she had said was more of a threat than a demand for respect on her father's behalf.

"I'm simply being honest. You sent your sons, and yourself apparently judging by your injuries and inability to walk, to attack the Commander's Mother, and expected not to be beaten to a pulp? You, an old man with bones so brittle a cold breeze could shatter his hips,your sons,three dimwitted brutes who can't tell a stick apart from a rock, save for one who seems to be the only brains in your family, against Commander Nova Vi Britannia. A Commander who could slaughter your mightiest armies several times over and barely be exasperated when the last man falls." Clovius said, smug grin on his face.

Sylvas' daughter's stepped forward,stopped shortly after he held them back. "I'll fall if you leave my side you idiots! Leave him be...he'll get his due."

Clovius had a smile which stretched from one ear to another. "Hardened warriors,who get offended when their daddy is put under pressure. I wonder how it must feel? Knowing you've trained your whole life to be warriors and the youngest of your brothers will be the one who is the head of your family. It must hurt knowing that all the muscles in your body doesn't amount to shit when your youngest brother has a mind more powerful than your entire family combined."

"You tread on thin ice steward." Sylvas hissed.

"I don't see the need to hold my tongue to an old fart who already has one foot in the grave."

"Enough!"

Their bickering...like children. All they did was blab. On and on,droning constantly. I wasted my time with Sylvas. He had failed me.

"Clovius. What do you suggest our next course of action should be?"

"Extend the Commander's time my emperor. All due respect my lord, taking even the fastest boat to Elysium will take you two weeks to simply arrive there. His deadline is far too short."

"Excuses sire! The Commander seeks an extension because he is lazy."

"Lazy he may be, have you ever known Nova to be the type who would never complete an assignment on time? Especially one as personal as this sire? It's the death of his lover. He wishes for vengeance as much as you do, yet he can't acquire it in such a short time span. He still needs time to investigate,follow leads and find Elena's killer."

"Nova is directly disobeying the Emperor's order, an order given directly to him by the Emperor of the Northern Empire, that is a charge for high treason!"

I sat in my throne. The bickering of Sylvas had begun to tire me. "Clovius,extend Nova's assignment to four weeks. That should give him plenty of time to find the one responsible and kill her."

Clovius gave a nod,walking away in a triumphant strut while Sylvas' daughters all growled at him.

"As for you Sylvas. You will do nothing for the time being. Your role to play is finished. Begone."

Sylvas and his daughters all left as his young lifted him atop their shoulders once more,carrying their broken father down the stairs and out of the palace.

Nova...he had four weeks...four weeks to find Elena's killer. If he didn't,he would be in direct violation of the law,disobeying the emperor of the north,unable to carry out a direct order...If Nova cannot find her killer within the following four weeks, I will have him charged with treason, and see him sentenced to death.

My hand balled into a fist. I didn't care what it took.

My daughter would be avenged. No matter the cost.