The Sapphire Prince - Chapter 6

“AHAHAHAHAH! How amusing! Azure! Was that your best?! It makes me laugh!” The count laughed in the empty dark cold parlor. He stayed there throughout the day laughing.

“Oh how fascinating. This craze, this mania! How amazing! It’s everything I never asked! I don’t get it! Why does it feel so amazing! The sensation to have every particle in your disposal…it’s amazing…the ċȧrėss it’s so insatiable.” He added.

“I hate it! I hate it! I hate it! Why…Augh…Why just why.” The count cried. scratching his face blank in the empty moon.

The maids outside, felt the anguish. They didn’t dare to look inside the room. Perhaps it’s a spirit they said. Maybe it’s a curse, one replied. The painful mȯȧns of a sad lonely man echoed. It was his friend that listened, his darkness, his light, the solace upon the moon’s grace. He seeks salvation…from what? himself?

“It’s cold. it’s dire, like the time you died. You were pale as that round ball, as cold as this room…as beautiful as I can imagine. You left in the memory of him…Me your husband! WHY?! I’m the memory most eternal, your solace so why?!”

He cried. His head ached. His hands pinfully shaking as though his feet shaken by the cold. Stiff was his neck, and his eyes wide open looking at what seems to be an endless void.

“I could still remember those days. This life of envy, it wasn’t my fault! It was yours! it was his! It’s all of yours!” He shouted.

( Flashback )

Back then, the mistress of the Cynthias, Lady Mimosa, adored the young prince Azure and she would frequently attend to the palace for Azure’s well-being and happiness. For that, Cacious as well, grew close to the young prince.

“My, you’ve been stealing parts of the armory again. Young one, this isn’t really a toy. Perhaps try another item.” Said the Mistress.

The young prince nodded and placed down the gauntlet. Azure was emotionally dependant on the mistress, even losing sight of his grandeur the moment he felt the presence of a thousand rose boquet…to him, she was that magnificent.

“Azure, Your grace? I won’t be returning for a few days because of some matter. In time, you must behave and don’t be feisty over your brothers.” The mistress left with a tickled warm smile.

The young prince waited eagerly for her return. Days passed, weeks have bled turned into a month. She showed no sign of presence, not even a letter.

The young prince sought so many blames. Everything and everyone in the palace was drowned in black and white.

The empress, wanted to draw light to the matter quickly and asked of the Cynthias once again for an audience. In that share, the empress found out that the mistress had died.

( Present Time )

“I will seek what you wish, I will seek out our promise. The promise made in the altar, I will prove to the god that I have fulfilled my role….” The count still sat still…

The dark void made him smile. It always did, he would pretend his wife stood in front of him, behind the cold black curtain.

Yes, his imagination, the big broken fraction of his mind…sparked so much memories…so he sat still waiting for the dark to respond always mistaking his wife’s voice to those in his head.

“Everyone will know my grace.” He whispered.

( Meanwhile )

The first sound was the door creaking open. His majesty’s sight affixed to the figure who came in rudely without knocking. It was his adviser, a well groomed man. The majesty squinted at the sight of his adviser’s expression. “Simpleton” he registered. The majesty never liked his adviser but he considered him.

“Your grace, The Cynthia have concluded their meeting with the young Azure.” Said the adviser.

“Is that so? Is he settled in already? I was about to have Miranda over to see my opinions corrected.” The emperor replied.

What came after was the sound of wine. So bitter, a late hour alcohol it was for the emperor. The man scoffed a disappointed grunt.

He was accustomed to his majesty’s distinct habits, he too adapted well as to restrain him from even the softest ėrȯtɨċ book or the strongest bitter alcohol.

“He was given a room not too far from young Azure’s office, though when the guards and the other household servants asked him to leave, he left them helpless in the bitter cold.” The adviser voice was refined, a modest pale man he was. After all, his polish are all his ever good for.

“Don’t mind his behavior, besides his acts, the count’s significance is registered a prime factor of the current matter. After so, his presence to me is not a mere dandelion upon the sea of stars.”

“Do you think of me the same?”

“You are of use to me. Without such, you’re nothing more than dust.” The emperor replied.

The adviser sighed. He held a glass on one hand and he let the plate drift off absently to his hip. The emperor sat beside the man. The adviser coughed at the strong smell of wine. An intoxicating scent that if you breath hard enough, your nose hair would burn.

“Your highness please! It’s not a kingly attitude to just behave like a drunkard.” He says scooting further.

His majesty’s body was taking over the sofa. Primed to the brim by the military. An agressively built man with great resemblance with the ideal stereotypical perfect husband.

The adviser pursed his lips. Confused at something. A thought in the velvet shadows etched in his mind. A singularity he’s been begging to relive. His skin turned white and his body hardened in the cold. It was a question…

“This contract will forever change the ultimatum of our government policy. I’ve been meaning to ask you about this ominous document…I just don’t see how could this benefit our perfect sovereignty.”

“Benefit? Sir Hugo. This is another reform that I’m looking forward to. I’m a traveller of sorts, from one movement to another, if this will shift the government to its full potential, then I would do anything to exploit it.” The emperor replied.

“But your grace, Azure is but a child. His devotion to you is strong, I know, but wouldn’t there be a better way to move the monarchy rather than this?” Hugo began to sweat.

“Hugo…This monarchy is chaotic. Government and political values themselves is pure discord. I’m a foreigner, aliened to the chaos because I force the monarchy’s evolution.”

Pouring another drink to his grail, he began to speak in drunken but wise words. He unbuttoned his suit and began to take a deep breath. Steam blew out of his majesty with it a huge bellow.

“Your grace…”

“Monarchy isn’t fixed nor is it the ideal systematic order. It’s raw, like an ore. For years, many regimes in Whereana have tried perfecting the institute-”

“But it only drove the standards lower to the point where the civils have already started to question the authority.”

When his majesty is drunk. Unspeakable but honest words escape. The emperor tried to breathe with effort.

The adviser inched further away from his majesty. Then it came, he fell down on the floor and before Sir Hugo can do anything, his majesty was already blacked out.

“What shall I do with this grunt?”

The snores was nevertheless soft. It slowed like a fair summer melody. Sir Hugo didn’t have the body mass to carry him.

He was frustrated. In neutrality, he wasn’t. Today’s anger will settle in his fragile identity, but tomorrow, he would spring back to the norms, continuing to work. Dedicated to a meaning he’s given to his life…

He and the emperor’s meaning of life.

“I wish you would just act accordingly.”