Emhyr Var Emreis x Reader

Eighteen

With a gesture, general Voorhis drew a circle on the map, right around a spot that was close to the border of the city.

You made an effort to seem particularly interested as if you understood right away what he wanted to indicate.

From the get go it was helpful to pretend to know a lot of things only to learn them later on. That way you could pretend to be educated in many field and copy the etiquette of the masters.

Masters such as the general.

"It's rather big.", you noted with a quick glance whilst the general still had his finger on the same spot.

A sound of approval could be heard from him.

"It's the main hiding place of the rebels.", he said. "At least that's what we suspect."

You let your gaze wander over the map.

"Is there confined knowledge about that?"

The general shook his head.

"We didn't manage to get into their ranks."

You couldn't help but make your amusement be heard.

"How so? I thought the emperor's army knows no limits?", maybe you were a little too careless with the way you talked.

You could feel how the eyes of the emperor dug into the flesh of your back.

Surprisingly, the rebels are a lot better organised than we expected them to be, he said and made you look over your shoulder to meet his cold gaze.

A shiver was send down your spine. It wasn't a pleasant shiver nor something to make you tremble.

But it was enough to make your entire body grow goosebumps.

Something made you feel flustered.

A shivering breath escaped your lips.

Luckily, not a single one of the nobles seemed to notice how you faltered. They were too busy trying to understand what you had already thought through.

Immediately, you turned your eyes away.

"So they are no ordinary rebels.", you picked up the conversation with Voorhis again.

"We suspect them to be from Temeria.", he said and pointed at another spot on the map. "This is where they will appear next."

You frowned.

"And you know that from which source?", you asked. "If there is no soy in their ranks, you shouldn't trust rumours."

One of the noblemen gasped, audibly offended.

"I am not some rumour.", he announced and stepped up to the table to draw your attention towards him.

With one eyebrow raised, you examined him from top to bottom.

He was dressed overly fancy, way too many fringes on his clothes, feathers adoring his hat and so many golden jewels that it seemed almost offensive towards the emperor himself, who was dressed less extravagant.

Now that you thought about it, for a man with an empire that had no equal, the emperor dressed quite plainly with his black leather coat and the shirt that was barely decorated with red.

Only the golden sun around his neck indicated that he was someone who shouldn't be messed with.

With your arms behind your back, you turned to meet the nobleman's gaze and tilted your head.

He pulled a face.

You wanted him to know how little respect you could offer him.

"And you got this information from who?", you asked and made sure that he felt extra uncomfortable under your eyes.

Baffled by how unbothered you were, he let his gaze jump back and forth between you and the emperor.

Your heart started to beat faster.

If the emperor would order you to apologise all of your credibility would have been gone with the wind.

But he didn't.

Instead, he lowered his gaze to glance at the man through his thick eyebrows.

"Answer the question.", the emperor demanded.

All at once, you couldn't help but smile. This was what victory tasted like.

Visibly struggling to keep his composure, the nobleman pressed his lips into a thin line and bowed his head.

Your eyes narrowed.

This was a common gesture to avoid being caught in a lie. Eyes always gave away what the mind was thinking.

This one didn't want to give away his true intentions.

Something in the back of your head tingled. It would be wise to keep an eye on this one.

"Your majesty.", the man started to explain himself. "As a man whose business is the exchange of goods, I get to know loads of people. And I hear even more."

For a moment, the emperor eyed this man.

Then, a low sound escaped his throat.

It was barely a sound, so clam and silent that it could have been dismissed as an attempt to clear his throat.

You caught it as a hint.

Without making it seem obvious, you threw a glance over your shoulder.

His eyes met yours.

Deep, dark brown kissed your (E/C).

There was something hidden in his eyes.

There was a demand, an opinion in this deep brown.

He didn't belief a single word.

Now it was on you what to do with it.

Barely noticeable, you nodded your head for him to notice and turned back to the nobleman.

"If it's from you, it must be good information.", you told him and made it sound like you were impressed.

Surprised yet unsure, he examined your face.

As he couldn't find mistrust, he flashed you a smile and nodded his head again.

"Thank you.", he said and took a step back. "I might have missed it, but since when does the emperor have a new right hand?"

A slight flinch chased through your eyes.

Your lips twitched in an attempt to reply something.

But you didn't have to.

The emperor came to your aid instead.

"You are not to question the ones I call to serve me.", he said and gifted the man a glance that said more than a warning ever could.

Submissively, but most definitely more to safe his own head, he pulled back and nodded.

"Of course, your highness.", he said but managed to throw you a glance that gave away that you had already fallen from his grace. "I will watch myself next time."