New Rome

30. A Father's Fears

Prince Kai walked beside the Imperator, matching the older man's ambling stride through the Castle of Red's tranquillity gardens. His mother, Livia, was a little ahead but still in view. She was chatting with Ellie, her heavily bangled arm linked through his. From an outsider's perspective – it might have looked like an idyllic family moment – all three generations gathered together. It was a misleading picture.

"Take this," the Imperator spoke softly – handing Kai a folded piece of paper. "It's a list of names."

Kai subtly hid the paper up his sleeve. "Pursue the course we discussed."

"Yes, Imperator." Kai bowed his head slightly, to show he understood. He looked up and his gaze met Ellie's. The young man was watching them intently, his expression hard to decipher.

"It brings me much ease to see you dressed no longer in black, young Ellie." The Imperator addressed Ellie loudly, having noticed the lad's interest also. The nation had been in mourning, for those lost in the high casualty battle of Wewid, but the period of reflection had finally come to an end.

"I disagree, grandfather. All season I have known precisely what I should wear. The black became uniform. Now I am lost with what the fashions should be." Ellie replied, smiling innocently.

Kai scowled.

"Outer appearances occupy the minds of young too much these days. I should shake clothes from mind, boy." Kai rebuked him. Ellie ducked his head meekly, his gaze fixed on the ground. It had perhaps been the longest speech his father had made to him that day. And it hadn't been the one he'd wanted to here. Livia gave Ellie's hand a sympathetic pat.

"You speak too harshly, my son." She chided Kai gently.

"He speaks reasonably," the Imperator came into the argument on Kai's side. They settled down in a seating area. Livia and Ellie occupied an alcove, able to watch Kai and the Imperator as they took up a game of chess. "The words fit my grandson Agrippa all too well."

The Imperator had a new way of saying Agrippa's name, he'd started to growl it whenever he came up in conversation. Livia's lips curled up into a smirk.

"I wonder, is it the same for Arly? She is their age also." She dropped the name into the conversation, wanting to see how the ripples would touch her husband.

"Arly has little thought for dresses." Kai assured them, smiling fondly at the mention of his favourite. "She is at camp right now. Running drills with the army as part of a young person's programme."

"I hear word she is getting on well." Livia added, slyly casting the Imperator a look.

"Last I saw her, she reminded me much of you at that age." Graesen commented, addressing Kai.

"I thank you." Kai moved his rook, gaining an advantage. "She is a good child – with kind heart and good intensions."

All through this exchange, Ellie's depression worsened. He hung his head. The proximity of his father wasn't comforting, instead it felt like Kai's aura was chipping away at his own. The more Kai ignored him, the more Ellie felt like his own skin was fading away and he was becoming truly invisible.

           During his journey home, Kai pulled out the list of names from his sleeve. He read through them, committing them to memory. These were a list of senators – ones that the Imperator suspected were on Amen's payroll. Kai flexed his fingers. It was his task to investigate them and, whilst they were under suspicion, to stall their projects. He tapped the ground with his foot impatiently. The Imperator was finally starting a war with the Amen faction and Kai was to be his sword. A sword couldn't be scared of getting bloody.