Chapter 17 - Part I

The Emperor looked in the mirror questioning his new look. His head had been shaved on one side and the hair kept longer on the other. Some hair had fallen on his face and were already getting into his eyes.

“I hate it,” he finally said and a young girl hurried to his side. He hadn’t bothered to learn her name, they never lasted long enough for him to need it.

The servant combed his hair back again. “Perhaps if we shaved the other side as well, Your Grace?” she asked.

“And keep the middle part long?”

“It is considered fashionable in many regions, Your Grace.”

Hugo tried to imagine the right side of his hair gone and found himself liking the vision. “Okay, let’s try it then.”

The girl nodded and got to work. Her hands were fast and fingers skilled. It must have not been her first job but it might be her last. Very few people lasted long on their jobs working for the Emperor but what could he do. Was he supposed to lower his standards just because the level of people working for him was so low?

He heard footsteps approaching the room and recognized them as Fowler’s. His short steps that were fast but at the same time a bit clumsy stopped behind the door and he knocked.

“Come in, Fowler,” the Emperor said.

“A message from Captain Bonestair, Your Grace,” he declared adding a deep bow as usual.

“What is it?” he asked. Whatever the message, Fowler probably had acquainted himself with it already.

“He says that two camps have been taken care of and new men will be arriving at Sencor by the end of the week,” Fowler summarized the letter.

“Good! Anything else?”

“Just a small thing. Another former guard was found dead in the woods with a knife in his back. A mister Kalbott, Your Grace.”

“Kalbott?” The name sounded familiar. Hadn’t he accepted the application of a Kalbott to be trained to be his new Night Raven?

“Yes, Your Grace. You might remember his son.”

“I remember. Any news of the boy? Did he survive the attack?” Hugo wasn’t actually worried. Whenever there was an opening to become his personal bodyguard, there was a long line of boys desiring the spot.

“There is no news of him, Your Grace,” Fowler said.

“That’s all then, Fowler,” the Emperor said waving his hand towards the door. Fowler was smart enough to understand when he was not needed. He went out of the door leaving the letter on the table.

Hugo had given the captain another task – a secret task – he hadn’t told anyone about. He took the letter reading it over. Everything was as Fowler has said. There was no extra news or secret codes added. He tossed the letter on the floor and looked in the mirror again. The center part of his head was covered with longer hair while the sides were shorter. The hair finally matched his chin.

“You’re excused,” he said to the girl. It seemed she didn’t understand him because instead of leaving the room, she started packing her things.

“I said you’re excused,” he repeated himself and he hated repeating. He looked at the girl and this time their eyes met. The Emperor was not in the mood of another staring contest.

The girl’s eyes reflected fear. She dropped all of her belongings on the floor and ran out. She was probably crying by the time she exited the room.

Hugo looked in the mirror again and found his lips curving into a smile. Perfect, he thought but then there was another knock. He hadn’t heard anyone approaching which meant there was only one possibility.

Adelaide didn’t wait to be called in, she opened the door and froze when she saw Hugo. Her face lit up and she was clearly holding in a chuckle.

“Okay, let it out,” he said. “What’s so funny?”

Adelaide blew some air out of her nose instead of really laughing and stood behind his back looking at him in the mirror.

“You look like a giant paint brush,” she said with a smirk. “A giant two-sided paint brush!”

“No, I don’t,” he disagreed but when he examined himself closer, he could see the resemblance. I’ll have the girl killed, he thought with disappointment.

“It’s a good change I think,” Adelaide said. “It’s about time you showed your softer side. Otherwise, everyone will just be scared of you.”

“They just respect me as their ruler,” he defended himself.

Adelaide had her long fingers in his hair and ruined the order in which it had been set to. Hugo felt annoyed but at the same time enjoyed her touch. She had a weird power over him he couldn't explain. He understood that he was weak to her feminine charms but there was something else.

“I heard that you ignored my advice,” she said removing her fingers to cross her arms.

“I can’t always do what you tell me to,” he answered.

“It’s starting to seem you never do as I advise you to.” She seemed hurt by the fact.

“I do take your advice, Adelaide. I cherish it but I have to learn to make my own decisions.”

“Maybe you should learn to make better ones, Hugo. You had innocent people killed!” Adelaide said angrily. She was accusing him and the Emperor didn’t like it.

“Innocent people? They killed my guards, they blew up one of the safe houses setting the whole city in danger. Thanks to them Sencor is in ruins. Children have to grow up without fathers...”

“Like you care about any of that!” Adelaide intervened. “All you care about is your precious sencurium. You’re mad they managed to destroy some of it.”

“I think you are stepping over your boundaries, Adelaide Rowley!” He was no yelling. Adelaide shut up looking at him surprised.

“You have no right to accuse me of those things,” the Emperor said.

“I’m sorry, Hugo,” she said suddenly. The anger in her voice was gone. There was only sadness now. “Sometimes I forget how complicated it all is.”

“Sometimes I wish I could forget it,” he answered. “But it’s there, in the back of my head all the time.”

Adelaide bowed and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He closed his eyes and breathed in her scent. It was sweet and delicate, reminding him of the summers he had had as a child.

When he opened his eyes he saw Adelaide staring at his hair.

“Does it really look like a paint brush?” he asked.

“It does,” she nodded. “But a very manly paint brush.”

He chuckled. “I’ll keep it for today and see what can be done about it in the morning.”