The Golden Throne

Chapter 26: Chasing a ghost

Hilbert sat alone on the old sofa in his house. It was midday now, and the gang just came back from their audience with the Emperor. Hilda was outside at the veranda, painting a portrait of Skywatch. Kye was talking to her excitedly, recalling their epic experience last night. With the Emperor's permission, Kye was able to postpone his studies until the Zaff menace was gone for good. Now, he was staying with Hilbert and Hilda, where he wouldn't feel so lonely anymore. Their voices reached Hilbert's ears. The lights of the television screen flickered in front of Hilbert's face- it was playing a movie starring a famous actress named Diantha, but he was too preoccupied with his thoughts to pay any attention to it. Lucius' words echoed in his mind:

Something big is coming. Beware of my Lord Zultan...

Hilbert got up from his seat and switched off the television. There was something he needed to speak to the Emperor about.

"And, and, and remember when we were pinned to that corner?" Kye muttered excitedly. "Gosh I thought we were done for!"

Hilda giggled a little as she was focusing on her painting. She had to improve her buildings. She squinted at Skywatch perched atop the far-away mountain to get a better picture in her head, then she continued painting. "Yeah, that was too close," she replied to Kye. The sound of Hilbert stepping onto the veranda caught her attention.

"Guys, I'll be out for a while," Hilbert told them and then turned away.

"Okay, we'll be right here," Kye said to him.

"Where are you going?" Hilda looked over her shoulder.

"I'm going back to the palace. There's something I need to talk to the Emperor about," Hilbert scratched his head. "I won't take long."

"Is something wrong?" Hilda tilted her head curiously.

"No, everything's fine," Hilbert lied. "It's just a minor thing."

"Do you want Brave to fly you there?" She called out to him as he was already some distance away.

"I'll walk!" Hilbert opened the front gate and stepped outside. Then Hilda and Kye watched him walk through the nearby street until he disappeared.

"Is he always like that?" Kye asked.

"Like what?" Hilda turned back to her painting and continued working on her buildings.

"Mysterious," he crossed his arms.

"You have no idea," Hilda rolled her eyes. "Something's troubling him."

"How can you tell?"

Hilda placed her hand on her hip and analysed her painting for any mistakes. Then she turned to Kye, "he gets disconnected to the things around him. He talks to you less and you catch him staring into empty spaces for long periods of time. Hilbert's like that. I just hope that his thoughts will clear after speaking about it with the Emperor. Knowing Hilbert, he tends to stress himself out."

"OooOOooo! you must really care about him," Kye gave Hilda a cheeky smile.

"Kye, has anyone ever smeared you face with paint before?"

***

"Your majesty," Hilbert bowed before the Emperor. He was seated on his throne as always. But today he was alone- Ripley was nowhere in sight.

"Yes Hilbert, you requested to see me? Is there something we need to discuss further?" the Emperor asked.

"It's about Lucius..." Hilbert mumbled.

"The traitor?" the Emperor snorted. "Go on."

"Last night, just before he died, he was telling me something. It sounded more like... a warning. He said that something big was coming. And to beware of a man named Zultan." Hilbert's eyebrows furrowed as he recalled Lucius' foreboding words.