Serving Time(((Complete)))

Tattle-Tale

"AND THE WINNER OF THIS YEAR'S BEGINNER PHYSICAL WARFARE TOURNAMENT, LORD CALEB JOHNSON!!!" The announcer cheered, the arena melting and resettling as a sand pit.

--- Day 134 AD, 22:00 ---

I stood in my lab, breathing the familiar scents, and nodded. "Home sweet home." I said quietly.

"I watched your fights. You did well, Caleb. Very well." The emperor walked into the room calmly, despite the fact that he just walked into one of the most secret places in the College.

I slowly turned. "Thank you... My emperor... How did you get in here?" I asked.

"Simatis granted me passage." He said simply, and looked at Drake. "Why is your opponent here?" He asked.

"He is my slave, now. I planned on telling you in front of the Mage council, at the time of my... Ascension." I said slowly.

"I see... I will then have no reaction when it happens. Continue." He said.

"Yes, My Emperor. He is an assassin, sent by the Lord of Kuramar to kill you and Teresa, on the orders of Lord Armen and his son, Lord Michaelis. They intend a Coupe. I planned on building a stronger case, and also gift wrapping the assassins for you, exterminating them and showing the council my... Efficiency." I said softly.

He nodded slowly, his eyes calculating the situation. "My spies reported the same thing, but I disbelieved them. Now, from two sources, and one the very assassin? Hmm... This is troubling. May I ask you to solve this, as you solved my other problems?" He asked.

"I cannot. Lord Michaelis is a mighty Mage, and I know nothing of his father. I do not believe I could solve this silently... But I could assassinate them if you brought them in the open, in a public place." I said, thinking fast.

"How would this help?" He asked, allowing me to think as I would.

"I could use my technology, sir, and solve this. You would have to react as if you were under attack, of course, and I would aid the police in their search for the 'shooter', who would in fact be tracking Drake, here." I pointed to drake with a knuckle.

He nodded. "But that would curry favor to them."

"Not if I leaked to information networks before that they were traitors, and that there was evidence. This would stir the people up, and if told that a loyalist shot them, they'd likely flock to the Man, who would appear a Hero." I smirked.

"And when that hero turned out to be the Street Rat Turned Lord, Caleb Johnson, your favor Would skyrocket in the city, and even beyond. That meant when you ascended to the council, they would know you as a good man, and trust you... You have extremely detailed long-term plans, don't you?" He finished my sentence slowly, almost reverently.

I smiled and bowed my head. "I do. Which is why being Emperor is a bad Idea. One of the reasons, at least. Also, an immortal Emperor isn't wise. Favor drops over time, and Emperor's need to do things to curry favor. Obscure members of a 'Council', whom are never named, do not need to do so, though the council's minions do need to help every once in a while, to remind people of the 'Big Brother', that is Government." I said distastefully.

He sighed. "True. You seem to hate it as much as I do."

"And yet it is necessary. I didn't know that, when I was young... My emperor, I haven't been completely honest with you about my homeland." I said.