The Imperial motorcade stopped before the keep of the Blue Palace. The golden and purple flags on the convoys were raised as the empress was inside. Lord Darius' golden two-seater had been following behind the convoy. Lumen who had ridden back with his mother instead of his brother, got out of the third van and held the door open for her.
"Oh thank you, darling," said the empress as she got out of the vehicle. A glance through the open door showed the extravagant space inside. The dark green pure leather seats, the dim lights in the ceiling, the plush rug for their pampered feet.
Once the empress got down from her car, the golden dragon and purple eagle flags on the cars were lowered. Her majesty was no longer onboard.
Darius brought his hover car to a halt and a soldier rushed to him. He got down and the soldier got in to park the vehicle properly.
The empress hooked her arm in Lumen's and they walked towards the front doors of the castle.
"I am so glad to hear your trip to Antropos was such fun, mother," Lumen spoke with a smile.
"Oh you should have come, Lumen. The Antropi people were so welcoming. I cannot believe that in nine hundred and sixty-three years I never visited their nation once."
"Until now of course," Lumen pointed out.
"Yes, until now, my dear boy."
Nine hundred and sixty-three years. That was how long the empress had ruled. She was over four hundred when she took the throne after her husband passed. However she looked no more than 35 years old. Such was the aging process of gods, but she was finally getting old.
Lumen and the empress walked through the front doors of the keep. The empress drew in a sharp breath and let it out with a smile.
"Home again," she sighed.
"Will you have the briefing now or sometime later, empress?" Darius asked as he drew close to them. His countenance was cold. By the way he carried himself around the empress as opposed to Lumen, none would know she was his mother as well.
"Always serious and never any time for family, eh, Darius?' his mother teased.
Darius lowered his eyes to avoid her own.
"What would you advise?" she asked next. "Do I take some time for myself after the long trip, or come quickly to the meeting hall?"
"I will be in my study when you are ready, majesty," he replied simply. He bowed low, then turned and left.
The empress watched him walk away. A smile slowly crept onto her face. She used to be so worried about his reclusive ways, but she had come to understand that was just who he was. There was no changing him.
Celina Brimbor came in with a box containing the empress' very personal items. "I will take these up to your chambers, my lady," she said.
The empress gave a nod and the demigoddess moved towards the grand stairs, after Darius.
Lumen watched his mother watching his brother with a smile. From his point of view, Darius was just misunderstood.
****
The air in the meeting hall was cool. It was a bare space with silver metallic floor and walls covered in large artworks showing different renowned members of House Krul. There was a magnificent throne carved from a single purple tree stump standing in the middle of the floor, the only piece of furniture in the space.
As the commanders walked into the room, Lumen coming with them, the silver metal floor came alive as it rose to form a large round silver table with the wooden throne at one point in its circumference. The floor formed ornate chairs for the commanders and they took their seats. The floor crafted a more complex and beautified chair on the right side of the throne and Lumen took his seat.
The next group of commanders came in. They bowed to Lumen before sitting down. Then councilors, House heads and Heads of operations filed in, all bowing before they sat.
Darius entered next, all alone. He did not do crowds or groups. The commanders and politicians rose and bowed to him. He gave a small nod in response. The silver metal floor crafted a throne for Darius, along the circumference of the table, right across from the wooden throne. As the god-heir got to his throne, the chair spun to face him. He took his seat and the throne turned to face the rest of the table again. A dais raised his throne a few inches above the others.
The Empress entered with her assistant now. All rose and bowed to her.
"Sit," she said. Her wooden throne spun to allow her take her seat, before turning to face the rest of the table. A higher dais raised her throne above Darius'.
A chair was molded for Celina Brimbor to the left of the wooden throne and she took her seat.
"Now, please let me know what has happened in my absence," said the empress.
The meeting had begun.
"The Bellonese continue to be the biggest threat to Somnus," Darius spoke. "They launched multiple attack on the eastern rim lands of the continent causing us to dispatch multiple regiments to give support. I grew suspicious of the repeated regional attacks and investigated the western nations where I found a slowly but steadily growing spy network for the Bellonese."
"You found the spy network and what did you do about it?" the queen asked.
"I let it be," he replied.
"Darius wanted to obliterate the network, but I suggested we let it be and plant our own agents among them instead," Lumen replied on his brother's behalf.
The empress looked from Darius to Lumen, then back to Darius. She smiled. "Smart decision."
"I continue to push the preparations for an all-out assault on the Bellonese armada," Darius stated.
"We must drive them away from our planet," Lumen chimed in.
"The aim is to decimate and thoroughly destroy the armada, not allowing a single one survive," Darius corrected. He had no expression on his face as he said the words.
"He voices genocide and not a single emotion passes his face," the empress shook her head in disbelief.
"A favorable trait for a ruler," said Commander Ken of the Blue Garrison.
"Oh shush, Ken," the queen rebuked him. "A ruler should be capable of empathy.
"I show no pity for enemies to the throne and all it protects." Darius said the words then stared his mother dead in the eyes.
For a while, the empress held her son's cold stare. He finally looked away. He did so out of respect, not fear. His mother smiled. She understood his action. It meant a lot to her.
"Anything else?" the ruler asked.
The meeting carried on several more hours, ending in the early hours of the night. It did not interest Darius as most of it was diplomatic matters, trade and such things.
Once it was over, everyone began clearing out of the room. Darius remained seated. The empress left the room surrounded by officials seeking personal time with her.
Lumen walked up to his brother's throne. Darius looked down at him. Lumen smiled, but his brother just stared.
"What is it, Lumen?' asked the older.
"You seem cheery."
"Cheery?"
"Well not exactly cheery, but less gloomy? Does that sound better?"
The right corner of Darius' lips curved just a little.
"Darius Krul smiled," Lumen stated with a grin.
Darius let out a sigh. He waved his hand and his chair turned to face away from the table. He got to his feet and the entire table and all the other chairs dissolved into the silver floor. Once more, the room was empty, save for the wooden throne.
The brothers walked down the hallway Lumen mouthed off about this and that while Darius just listened intently. He didn't say a word, but Lumen kept talking because he knew his brother was always listening.
"Mother was very proud of your calculative thinking that led to the Bellonese spy network," said Lumen.
"She was very impressed by the fact we left it instead of destroying it," Darius stated. "I prefer a dead enemy to one I'm spying on, but I trust you with these things."
"And my advice has not led you wrong once, dear brother."
Darius scoffed, closest thing to a laughter anyone ever got out of him. They got to his chambers and he went inside after a light goodbye to his brother.
Once inside, Darius stretched is hands backwards and his coat flew off him, moving to hang itself on a hook in the wall.
The god went straight to his bed and sat down.
"I hate meetings," he grumbled. "The unnecessary chatter drains me."
He lay back in the bed, arms spread open. The grandeur was all around him, gold thread sheets, six very soft pillows.
Darius cared little for splendor though; efficiency was what mattered to him.
The god let out a sigh and shut his eyes.