KongArt Week Stories

The Emperor's Secret - Part Sixteen

The eerie silence of the Great Hall made Kongpob's hair stand as he stepped around gingerly.

"Oak. I need you to bring Dae to Prae. Now."

"Your-"

"Now Oak. Then when you can, send word out to Knot. I need him back now."

"But-" Aim started but Kongpob shut him up with a stern look.

"Aim, go to Arthit. I can only deal with what needs to be done if I know he's safe. Don't let him leave my chambers."

"Go." Kongpob snapped sternly and the pair hurried out the back door.

Stepping into the main hall, Kongpob looked around in search of the other guards who were supposed to be on duty but was met with empty silence. Just as he was about to throw the main doors open, an all too familiar figure stepped out.

"What do you think you are doing Korn?" Kongpob hissed as his brother blocked his way out of the Great Hall.

His elder brother smirked, eyeing him as though he was prey. "I heard a rumour today, that the Emperor will die."

"You must be out of your mind!" Kongpob growled.

"No, no no. I'm but a caring brother who came into the palace upon hearing of my brother's ill health. I feared that he might have gotten what our father had. But my brother, who was delusional with his illness, saw me as a threat. And tried to kill me. So all I did was to defend myself and my brother suffered severe injuries in the process and died not long after. As his son is too young for the throne, I had to take over the throne instead." Korn drawled, slowly drawing his sword and rounding onto Kongpob.

"My brother's illness was peculiar, giving him times of lucidity and most of insanity. But it was exactly why it was so well hidden under the wraps. None of his officials even realised despite being in the morning meetings with him each day."

"You must be insane to think that anyone is going to believe you." Kongpob gritted his teeth, trying not to launch himself at his older brother. "Even if you succeed, Dae is my rightful heir. You will never be the next Emperor."

"And yet, he is nothing but a child now." Korn shrugged, stepping yet a little closer. "What is he going to do? Fight me for it?" He added, laughing maniacally.

Insane. That was what his brother was. Kongpob clenched his fists tightly by his side. There were no guards around in the hall like there usually would be. Korn must have gotten rid of them. "Are you really going to go ahead with a coup d'état?" He growled. He needed to stall for time, Knot would be on his way.

Korn paused, a cheshire grin slowly creeping up onto his face. "Oh. Nice to see us finally on the same page."

"You don't have to do this Korn," Kongpob said quietly. "You still have everything you had. I never bore a grudge against you."

"Except you are the Emperor and I am not." Korn retorted, snarling. He pointed his sword's tip at Kongpob's neck. "I want the throne Kongpob. Give it to me and maybe I'll let your wives and your precious son live."

"You don't care about the people, Korn."

Korn waved his other arm around. "It would be their honour to have me as their Emperor."

Kongpob saw red. Throughout his battles and his travels, he had seen what war did to the common folk. He had seen his fair share of bloodshed, innocent lives taken and families torn apart all for the sake of power. That was not the future he saw for Xuan Lei.

"An Emperor serves the people. Without your people you have nothing Korn!" He hissed.

"So you think you could do a better job than me?" Korn snapped, swinging his sword as Kongpob ducked. "You think you're better than me?" He yelled as he lunged forward once more, striking the pillar that Kongpob had hidden behind.