[Completed] Amaryllis And The Labyrinth Of Magic

Chapter 6

When the conversation was over, the Emperor and I found themselves immersed in the intricate tapestry of a brewing crisis. The emperor, with a stern expression, explained, "Salien, however, there's a deep-rooted issue here – corruption, enforced slavery. It's eroding the very foundation of our empire from within. I found it today while investigating, so it's better for you to stay at the palace for a few days."

My curiosity piqued, declaring, "Father, I want to get involved. I want to understand and help." This was the same issue Amaryllis brought a few days ago. I want to get involves.

The Emperor, placing a hand on my shoulder, cautioned, "It's a dangerous game, my son. This web of corruption goes deep, and untangling it could be perilous. My presence here may have already attracted unwanted attention."

“Father…”

The Emperor continued, not sparing a moment for me to talk, "We've gathered information, but now, we return to the palace and I want you to come with me. It's late, and the night conceals more dangers than we can fathom. We'll plan our course of action there. I will spare you the details there for transparency but, again, I don't want you getting involved in this matter. "

“Yes…”

I was torn between the desire to make a difference and the realization of the imminent dangers. I nodded reluctantly.

I asked the Emperor to let me go inside for a moment. I apologised to Elara for acting out earlier and she forgave me, even though she was visibly hurt. During this, the Duke left to join my father. Next, I asked Amy if she wanted to communicate via the communication ring. She agreed.

The communication ring lets us talk with each other almost anywhere. We just needed to tap our rings together. The best fact about this was we never had to share our personal details to talk with the other person. I would have asked her for this later on but with the corruption matter at hand, I had to join our rings together.

She was a part of this whole thing too as she brought our attention to it first. Moving forward, I have no idea when I will be back here because of this pressing issue at hand, I don't want her to wait and eventually feel abandoned. The way she smiled melted my heart. I wanted to take it slow with her and she seemed to agree but her eagerness to talk via communication ring made me realise that the fire was burning on both ends and she would not mind if the pace increased a bit.

The village, shrouded in the secrets of its own, echoed with the footsteps of my father and me, his son as we retraced their path back to the palace, leaving the mysteries of the night to linger in the air.

Upon returning to the palace, the atmosphere in my chambers shifted from anticipation to a heavy acknowledgment of my recent escapade. The Emperor adopted a stern demeanor as we entered the lavishly decorated space. The grand doors closed behind us, sealing the air of formality that accompanied such occasions.

Taking a seat in the intricately carved sofa, I braced myself for the impending lecture. The Emperor circled around the room, his gaze sharp and unwavering. He addressed the recklessness of my actions, emphasizing the potential consequences for both my safety and the reputation of the royal family. And how he had said this to me for the third time. While I listened with due respect, my mind lingered on a different narrative—the labyrinth of my adventures with Amaryllis and how we joined our rings and the excitement on her face when we did.

As the scolding continued, a subtle shift occurred. The Emperor, recognizing something, tempered his stern demeanour. The sharpness in his gaze softened, and there was a hint of understanding beneath the authoritative facade.

"Salien," he said, the sternness giving way to a lighter tone, "I understand the desire for freedom, especially at your age. But there are proper channels for such requests. Sneaking out is not the solution. We know this."