~HOPE~

Chapter 2

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"Da-da-dum ta-ta-ta~"

Music rung loud in the silent hall, rich and round it was. The woman, the pianist who played the piano, would have enjoyed it only if she wasn't playing it for a tyrant. Beads of sweat formed across her forehead, her face bruised as she continued to play in fear.

"Ta-ta-ta ti-ti-ti~"

His voice was childish, but carried that sense of power. Whenever she heard his voice, her fear increased. She continued to play, her eyes travelling around her fingers, her focus solely on the piano alone. There, sat a man on the throne, above everyone, as he was lazily looking at the woman with his eyes sparkling in amusement, regarding her fear.

"Da-da-dum ta-Oh you missed a note!~"

He shouted, in a sing song tone. The woman's eyes went wide as she immediately got up from the stool and got down on the floor. Her nose, touched the red carpet as she cried and begged.

"MERCY-PLEASE-SPARE THIS ONE MERCY- EMPEROR AOI!"

Her voice was shrill as she begged and shouted. Tears welled up and fell down, fear for life becoming desperate as she begged. The man, the emperor, Kento Aoi, who was grinning, suddenly morphed his mouth into an ugly snarl as he regarded the woman.

"Quit crying, woman. You are ruining the carpet"

The woman, quickly tried to wipe her tears away, still bowing so low. Kento's grin was back as he watched the woman struggling to even breath in fear. Then, he called out a servant. "Bring, Princess Nika to the hall" he told the servant. The servant quickly scrambled away to bring the princess to the hall. Kento, then hummed and looked at the woman, with his face, resting against a palm. "What punishment, shall I give you?" he asked, not expecting an answer, and in return, he received silence.

His eyes wandered around the hall, irritated by the coward ministers and the woman. But, his mood was lit up when he saw his daughter. “Nika! Child, you look tired! Were the new trainees difficult?” he asked, concerned for her daughter. Nika, just smiled and shook her head but suddenly kneeled in front of him. Kento's eyes went wide. “Oh no-Nika, Nika, child, stand up properly. You are my daughter, you do not have to bow to anyone, even if it is me!” he said, his voice wavered a bit but his posture turned nervous. Nika, that daughter of his! Just smiled and stood up properly. “As you asked earlier, the new recruits aren't really difficult. They are doing well. Maybe, soon they will finish training, Dad” she told.

Kento, recovered from the initial commotion, hummed and asked: “Have you checked upon your brother, yet?” Nika nodded, her mood seemingly brought down. “He was, as usual, his moody self in the early morning! Who in their right mind wakes up early just to stare at a damn painting and throw a tantrum! Dad-I tell you-Please shift my bedroom away from his! He is such a brat-” And she continued. Kento just chuckled at her antics. He just loved his children so much—Nika and Valt.

Valt might not be at his best right now, but back then, he had always been amazing. He mentored his sister and that traitor. He trained many new ones and treated them with kindness. Nika, while now holds Valt's past position, is not so kind when it comes to training, but she shows sympathy. Valt, on the other hand, used to be the strongest of all, he was not the very best in academics, but was very good when it comes to battles. He had a good bond with his spirit. If you asked Kento about Valt back then, Kento would have definitely told That Valt is of brawls. And Nika and that traitor as brains.

But things changed. Ever since Kento had sealed Valt's power, his eldest had changed. Just seeing Kento's face, makes Valt angry, very angry. But still, Kento loves him and Nika as his children. It cannot be changed.

“Nika. Child, do you see this lady over there?” Kento asked, interrupting Nika. Nika looked at the woman on the floor and back at Kento and nodded. Kento, with his smile widening lied without problem. “That woman tried to kill me, early this morning. What punishment should be given?” these kind of questions on punishment distributions and all, are supposed to be Valt's area. He is the soon to be king, so Valt had to study them all but of course, he was so focused on his training that he didn't care about these. But Nika, his lovely daughter, studied all the laws and punishments and all in her free time.

“Execution if it is an assasin, prison for twenty years if accident, and whipped, with exile if with intentions.”She answered perfectly. Good. “Her identy had not been discovered yet. So torture?” he asked. “Whipped and prison for at least, ten years”Kento smirked, proudly.

“You all heard her. Guards” he commanded and two guards came in and dragged that woman away. Kento was glaring when that woman cried and begged loudly. Disgusting. Nika, most likely, sensing his disgust, just smiled affectionately at him. “Dad, had I told you? Valt's butler, Mr William, had informed me that, Valt, recently had started spending his time in the library, reading all our laws and history! Isn't this good?” she asked enthusiastically.

Kento's smiled softly at her attempts. “Is that so? If it is true, then it is good indeed. ” And Kento's attention had been swept away to an upcoming real trouble. For Nika, the carefree, lovely, intelligent child, her brother's new found interest might be a good news. But for Kento, the ruthless Emperor of Valkryie Empire, the  Father of two smart and strong children and a traitor, this was suspicious.

Valt, had never really had any interest in their empire's history poor laws. But he is looking into it, now? That wasn't good. “Nika, child, did your brother meet someone, recently?” he asked, still smiling. “Oh! Yes! He did meet Kristina Kuroda recently. She was the one who actually came to meet him. You know, both of them used to be friends back then” Oh dear. So, Kristina had met with his son? And Why wasn't he informed? “Oh! Kris! It's been sometime since I saw that girl. If I knew she was here, maybe I would have had a tea and chat with her!” he told Nika.

“You weren't informed? Valt told me that you were informed when I saw them both talking in his garden, Father” Poor Nika, trusting others too easily and Valt had simply lied through his mouth. “Maybe he forgot. Well, don't worry, I will go have a chat with his butler and him” Nika nodded, still lost in the chaos. He simple just shook her head. “Nika, maybe we should go out today. I am free tonight, be ready alright? And your brother will tag along as well” His child's mood was lit up immediately.

Oh Nika. Oh child, how much do you even wish for our family to be happy and together? But do not worry, your father, will make sure it happens. Soon. Just wait a bit more.

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