Aram hardly heard his brother. The drums of war were calling and he cared nothing for the fate of the guards. All he could think was that his Empress was gone. Striding past Leck, Aram went to their father’s massive obsidian throne and sat himself upon it. He felt better from this height, the imperial might of his House solidly supporting him; felt as though from here he could witness the Empire entire. If he but stretched out a hand, his Empire would burn. And perhaps it would, after all this time, perhaps that was what Velorum Nocate deserved after all House Quasar had striven so very hard to give it - only to be met with dishonest disloyalty.
“The Empress is missing as well,” said Aram. His voice was the absolute calm of ice, so cold it burned. “It seems her guards were remotely locked in another room and by the time the doors opened, the Empress had vanished, as had Xia at the same time. Do you know what this means, brother? Someone has reached their fingers into my palace; someone has reached into my very palace and snatched away my wife and son!”
The ice chipped and cracked. He’d tried hard, so very hard, to maintain peace. He’d nurtured loyalty and punished its lack. He’d been generous and even allowed the other planets to keep their pathetic leaders. What had been the point? He had only eroded their respect for his House. “Our father was right.” Aram’s fist clenched as he bit out the words. “I have tolerated enough.”
Aram stood. “These traitors have stolen away the future of House Quasar and made a play for Reva and Vaane, to boot. I have been a fool, Leck, a fool to offer the olive branch to those undeserving. I thought that I must foster peace to achieve prosperity. Now I see my failure. I swear to you, my brother, if a hair upon Xia or Caressa’s heads have been hurt, I shall unleash my fury upon all Velorum Nocate such as never has been known.
“Summon Valance and the Zeltrons. Summon the Cains. Summons the Harands and the Tomaks. Hell, summon Dorn Legasi! Summon anyone and everyone who may have had a hand in this blasphemy and everyone and anyone who may be of help in putting it to rights. I shall know who has assaulted me from within my own home and I shall peel the flesh from their bones. Let the Empire tremble! I shall turn away no longer!”
Leck considered what his brother told him, “This sounds like a plot that would be put into place by Torul Molec,” He said. “Infiltrating the security system because he is too weak and cowardly to take what he wants with force.” Leck hoped that he was right in this assumption: he had hated Torul since they were boys: he would enjoy watching him suffer now.
It was no secret that Torul disliked the Quasars, even though he publically gave them his loyalty and support. There had been rumors that he was to marry Caressa Harand, before she married Aram instead. Perhaps he thought he would try to take what he thought was his. What a deadly mistake he had made.
“We shall tolerate no more,” Leck agreed. In truth, he had always thought that his brother had been far too lenient. He had shown mercy and compassion, where Leck would have only shown violence. Leck never voiced this opinions in the past: nor would be voice them now. He would never show such disrespect to Aram, his brother, his emperor, his god.
Leck understood that while perhaps Aram had not been on the right path before, he was now. Leck could see it in his eyes. The empire would burn. Leck’s lips twitched at the thought, forming a half smile. He would enjoy watching the five worlds bend so fully to his brother’s will. Once this was over, they would be even more powerful than they had been before.
“We must deal with this as our father would have.” Leck said, following his brother to the throne room. “We will show no mercy.” After this, the thought alone of crossing the Quasars would bring men to their knees. Something like this, must never be allowed to happen again. Our strength is only an illusion if we cannot protect our family.
“It will be done, my brother,” Leck bowed. He would have them all summoned under pain of death.
“Ancestors,” He began his prayer, through bloodied teeth, with a calm and reverence that he did not show even to his brother, “Give us the strength to defeat our foes ... and give us the wisdom to seek out those who would betray us, so that we might crush them beneath our heels.”
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