Building an Empire [M/M]

Chapter Six

I wrote this while travelling between locations (I was at a wedding and then had to visit some more family) so it's a bit messy. I hope it isn't totally unreadable. Now excuse me while I go and write my biology assignment.

Siobhan’s POV

It was still early in the morning, the dew still in the air, when the large bell in the highest of the castle towers tolled. I looked up from the game of chess that Alex yet again had convinced me to play - not that I proposed much of a challenge. Alex, who had been just put me into to checkmate again, looked up to with a curious expression.

“That’s the High Tower Bell,” I said to her. It had become a habit for me to talk to her as if she understood. It had to be lonely being in a place where no one understood you and the other way around, so I tried to help by talking to her. It probably didn’t help, but it made me feel better to try anyway.

Alex looked at me with her golden honey-brown eyes and blinked as if asking me to continue. Turning my gaze to the window so I wouldn’t stare at her - at least when she was looking - I continued. “It’s a bell that, as the name suggests, is located in the highest tower in the castle. It’s only used when an heir is born, when an emperor is crowned, when someone from royal family gets married, or if someone from the royal family has died.” I chanced a look at Alex, she was still looking at me intently. “It’s also used when a new general is elected and when a general dies.”

Siobhan paused to listen to the tolls. Depending on the number and the pause between the intervals, it could be any of the things he’d just listed.

“A general is dead,” he finally muttered, “probably The Sixth.”

There didn’t even go more than a handful of moments before Alex’s personal attendant knocked on the door. Siobhan stood and opened it for her. In her hands she had a long simple black dress.

“Lady Alex,” she greeted with a quick curtsy. She then glared at Siobhan and waved her hand in a shooing motion. Siobhan chuckled and bowed his head to Alex before he walked out. It was customary that when a general died everybody - except the royal family - wore black for three days to honour their fallen protector and mourn him. It also conveniently gave the staff time to prepare for the Election Tournament.

All squadron leaders had to compete, but even if you officially won, you weren’t necessarily made the next general. The tournament was more so that the generals available had a chance to look at what they had to choose from. Of course since they were at war with practically every country near them right now, a lot of squadron leaders weren’t here.

But Camion couldn’t go without 10 generals for more than a month. It wasn’t stated so in the law, but the founders of Camion had once stated that an emperor without his 10 generals was not a true emperor.

There would be a tournament in three days, Siobhan was sure of it, and all the squadron leaders with ties to the nobility would be pulled from the war and hurried back so they could be there in time. Siobhan sneered, so much for ‘an equal chance’.

The heavy door opened again and Alex’s attendant stepped out. “Siobhan,” she greeted him curtly, then turned to wait while tapping her foot impatiently. Siobhan bit his lip to hold in another chuckle. Siobhan thought it was kind of sweet how shy Alex was. Not even letting the attendant see her change. Maybe where she was from attendants didn’t help the royalty and nobility change.