Emhyr Var Emreis x Reader

Twenty-Five

Grimly, you passed the castle guards on the back of general Voorhis horse while he walked behind you with two men that he had taken prisoners.

The icy wind of winder chased over your face and made the cut on your leg itch as if thousands of little bugs tried to bite the flesh.

A hint of your bleeding wound was already visible on the leather. It started to get stained by the blood.

Guards watched you as the small group came to a stand in the courtyard.

The general ordered them to give him a helping hand while he tended towards you and offered to help you off the horse.

You took the help with a grateful nod of your head and slid into his arms to get back your feet on the ground.

"My thanks.", you bowed your head but still had to hold onto his shoulder for support.

"Are you unharmed?", he asked.

You brushed it off with a gesture.

"Big plans demand big sacrifices, general."

A group of guards passed with the prisoners.

You watched as they took them away.

It didn't sit right with you that they had been captured so easily. Surely there was something wrong with them since you expected the merchant to be a lot smarter than this.

But there was only little time for you to be displeased about the recent events.

Suddenly, the remaining guard in the courtyard took positions. With their backs straightened and their heads held high, they raised their weapons and started to chant the praise of the empire of Nilfgaard.

Cursing softly, you squeezed your eyes shut and tried to indicate to the general that it would have been smart to slip away as quickly as possible.

But of course, as the servant of the emperor that he was, he remained motionless.

The castle gates opened and a group of nobles poured out to take position on the steps.

Like dogs, they waited, their heads turned towards the open gates as a man stepped out.

You sighed, annoyed yet fully aware that there was no way to get out of this situation now.

With a studied stern expression on his face, Voorhis bowed. As he did so, the movement pulled you down with him and forced you to bow as well.

Displeased and with eyes as grim as black magic, the emperor came to a stand right in front of the two of you.

"It's quite late.", he noted.

Immediately, you knew that he wasn't just displeased but almost fuming about your decision to go against his orders.

You had directly disobeyed him and now it was time to suffer the consequences.

But that didn't keep you from trying to smoothen the mood by diplomacy.

"The general was kind enough to show me around Wizima, your majesty.", you flashed him a polite smile. "It seemed to be a good night to take a ride."

The emperor pulled a face, almost breaking the perfect mask of his.

"A ride?", his eyes moved to the general.

You could feel how Voorhis stiffened under the hard gaze.

The fear that he might break under the pressure rose in you. If that turned out to be the case you had no chance of slipping out of this situation with just a slap on the wrist.

Thankfully the general was a man with a brain who very well knew that it wasn't wise to give the man in front of him a reason to despise his opponent.

"Yes.", he said with his eyes lowered. "I was asked to show our empire's capital. Forgive me for not giving you a proper notice. I didn't assume that you were in need of service."

The thick eyebrows of the emperor pulled together.

"You are brave to put such lies in your mouth, general.", he said and made it clear by the sound of his voice just how close he was to having his head chopped off. "Would you be willing to die for them? After all your years of service it would be a shame to see you fall from grace and shatter your fathers legacy."

Voorhis' eyes widened in shock.

His entire body stiffened and a slight shake chased through his limbs.

As someone who had experienced what the emperor threatened to put upon the general, you couldn't believe that he was willing to go these lengths.

It almost angered you to hear him say it with such ease as if it meant nothing and was but a mere threat.

He would have never understood what it meant to loose everything. He would have never had to fear to be less than the dirt under some nobles boot.

"You should speak less harsh words.", you said without thinking, yet unable to hide the disgust on your face. "After all, general Voorhis has served a great purpose."

The emperor's eyes found yours.

A shimmer of warning lit up inside his eyes.

"No one disobeys my orders.", he replied, so calm, so emotionally aggressive that it made you feel nothing but endangered in that very moment.

It made you feel like a beast stood right in front of you, drooling while growling.

"He didn't disobey you, I convinced him.", you returned, more angry than it was good in this situation. "This is a matter between you and me. Punish me if you must. Let the general take his leave."

"Is that so?", with his head tilted to the side, his arms crossed behind his back, the emperor took a step towards you while ordering general Voorhis to let go of you. "Then kneel."

To both your own surprise and the one of the emperor, the general remained by your side.

You knew that without his support you would fall to the ground, unable to support yourself with that cut wound still bleeding into your boot.

The pain was already making the skin and first layer of flesh feel numb.

It would have been embarrassing to show yourself in such a state while so many people were watching.

"Kneel.", the emperor repeated in a voice hoarse with anger.

Your eyes met his.

A silent battle was fought.

"Emhyr.", you said.