The Wolves of the North (4)

"May I ask Your Imperial Majesty, why did you come here in the north?"

"Hmmm... of course, to see the heroes that have brought a great glory to the empire, as the emperor I need to reward personally the men who have fought for victory and glory of Aquintania young Arignon."

"I mean no disrespect or any offense Your Imperial Majesty, but why did really come here in the north? If the former is the case, you can just order us to go to the capital if you want to meet the troops and reward them. It would be such a foolish endeavor to come here personally to meet them."

Hidden guards in the room immediately went out unsheathing their swords and pointing them towards Constance and Emile. The emperor's butler still stands calmly amidst the chaos and instead brings another teapot to pour into the emperor's now empty cup.

"Kid it seems you offended the emperor; the hidden guards all went out from their hiding. We're screwed." Emile whispers to Constance, fearing that what Constance had done would cause also trouble to him. His hand is also holding the hilt of his sword hang at his waist, but he did not unsheathe it.

Constance is still calm and instead look directly to Emperor Frederick XI, he wants to know

"Sigh... another personality trait of the Arignons... being stubbornly rude... you are really an Arignon in heart and body young boy. Guards sheathe your swords, it's fine, the boy didn't mean any harm or offense."

The guards hidden in the room immediately followed the orders of Emperor Frederick XI, everyone sheathed their swords but instead stood in attention at the back of the emperor.

Since the guards' hiding are already blown, it is better to stand near the emperor and protect him nearer than hiding in the shadows. The shadow guards, cloaked in all white clothes covering their faces with white masks to camouflage in the snowy environment, are still holding the hilt of their sheathed swords in their waist, ready for any attacks and situations that might arise.

"And guards, leave the room for now. I want to talk alone with the Young Lord of Arignon." Emperor Frederick added.

"But Your Imperial Majesty..." The guards want to retort back what the emperor had just said. They are not comfortable leaving the emperor with these two men as one of them is a Frankias while the other maybe an Aquintanian noble, but his blood is still a Slavin.

Emperor Frederick XI raised his left hand to signal the guard who just spoke to stop talking.

"Don't worry, Aldrik is here to protect me."

All the guards and even the emperor looked at the old butler standing behind the emperor. The butler just nods, and the guards can only helplessly obey the orders of the emperor to get out of the room.

"The shadow guards have really lived up to its name." Emile said in whisper manner. He is still amazed how skillful the guards are in hiding and protecting the emperor from the shadows. Both he and Constance think that only the four of them are inside the room, but the truth is that there are dozens of men hiding from plain sight.

"But they still can't defeat the greatest king's guard and sword master of the Frankias." Emperor Frederick replies. He is still able to hear the soft whisper of Emile.

When Emperor Frederick XI said that Emile clenches his hands tightly. He is always trying to forget such painful memories in his mind and the person in front of him just said it thoughtlessly.

"..."

"My offer still stands, Kings guard commander Emile Duguelux. You can serve in the Imperial Guards or the Palace Guards as one of the squad commanders. I promise you wealth and honor if you accept my offer."

"Former Kings guard commander, Your Imperial Majesty." Emile replies coldly and calmly to the emperor, it can be clearly seen that he is irritated by what the emperor had just said to him. For him, this is just a dark chapter in his life that he wants to forget. "Now, I am just a part of the personal retinue of the Young Lord of Arignon, and I would dedicate myself in serving as his sword and shield Your Imperial Majesty. I hope you would understand."

"Sigh... it seems I can't really entice you to join the guards. I am very saddened that you would not change your mind, Commander. But nonetheless, I was still able to recruit your vice commander." The emperor drinks his newly filled cup of tea, looking at the city view outside the window. "Your knight guard order in the Frankias, Red Lions, was once considered the most powerful knight order on the continent. I was always jealous to the bravery and strength of the men in your order. Alas, everything has its own end, but that end is really unjustifiable, you and your men did not deserve that ending."

"The past is in the past, Your Imperial Majesty. What happened happens, it is our defeat no matter how you try paint it." Emile said sadly, as he looks outside the window, no matter how much he tries to bury the past, it will always surface again, as a scar, a bitter part of his life.

"As you see fit commander... By the way young Arignon, about your question... sigh..."

"If I may Your Imperial Highness, let me be the one to explain what is happening at the capital."

The emperor's butler, Aldrik, disrupted the emperor, as everyone can see that the emperor is having a hard time explaining why.

"Sigh... okay, Aldrik, tell them..." The emperor seems sad about the thing that would soon be shared to both Constance and Emile.

They can see the sadness in his eyes and that reminds Constance of his grandfather, the current of Margrave of Arignon and his last family member alive, which is already about two years since they had last met.

"Yes, your Imperial Majesty."

Standing at the back of the emperor, Aldrik bows to the emperor after been allowed by the emperor to answer Constance's question.

"Lord Arignon, Sir Emile, the reason why His Imperial Majesty is here is because he needs your support and help in Aquintaine. The situation now in the capital... is not so peaceful as it was months ago." Aldrik continues. "Just two months ago, the Crown Prince, Prince Alexander, nearly died by an assassination attempt inside the Moon Palace itself."