The early morning light softly illuminated the path before the Emperor as he walked through the White Palace garden. He let his feet lead him, his eyes feasting on the wide range of vegetation, some of it planted by his own hand.

It was not common for those of his position to be so hands-on with such things, but this was one of the true joys he allowed himself, despite his grueling schedule. He had learned long ago that in order to perform at his best, he needed to spend time in the garden several times a week.

Often, he aimlessly walked the weaving white stone pathways through the twisting plots of trees, bushes, and flower beds that filled the space in and around the five massive glimmering alabaster towers of the palace. Most walks ended with him not touching a single thing in the garden, since those who attended his sanctuary were quite diligent in their duties.

Sometimes that irked Ghar. He enjoyed getting his hands dirty, but he realized that he simply did not have the time required to keep up with a garden that spanned well over a hundred thousand square feet. He left the bulk of that work to others he had hand-picked for the job, and settled for pulling the occasional weed or deciding what new vegetation to introduce into the garden. It certainly allowed him more time to enjoy what had been deemed by many in the Empire as one of the most beautiful locations in Ethia.

So the Emperor indulged his senses as he meandered through the lustrous garden with little thought to anything, least of all where his feet were taking him. But his pleasant reverie came to an abrupt halt when Ghar found himself at a section that he had not visited in quite some time.

There before him was a tall evergreen that soared past many of the other trees nearby. The blue fir’s wide girth ate up much of the space of this forgotten back corner. There was nothing special here. Just a small dense forest of some of the most common trees found on many Ethian planets, backing up against the north side of the central tower. Or so it would seem. For secreted beyond the more public space, was a hidden alcove.

Ghar hesitated. He considered turning around and finding his way back to the more traveled areas of the garden. It would be far better than going in there. Only bitter disappointment awaited him in that hidden space. But before he knew what he was doing, Ghar pushed his way past the spindly blue-green needled boughs, and entered the disguised entrance.

The Emperor stopped short just beyond the other side of the fir. His feet unable to carry him forward as he took in the sight before him. Among a backdrop of other evergreens, a small acreage of pathways, bushes, fruit trees, and flower beds, were all centered around a small pond with a short stone bridge crossing algae-infested waters.

At the other end of the bridge, was a circular shelter just large enough for a pair of stone benches and a table. There was a large basket set on the table that had long ago been capsized and whatever might have been inside was more than likely just particles of dust. But it was the overwhelming presence of weeds that choked the once neatly trimmed and manicured paradise that spoke more fully of the passage of time and the evidence of abandonment.

If this had been any other part of the garden, Ghar would have been in a rage at the sad state of things. But all Ghar felt as he looked upon the wild infested space was sorrow, regret, and bitterness. It crashed through him in waves, as he stood there remembering.

This had once been Leeta’s garden. She had created it with her own hands when Ghar had invited her to the White Palace to add a rare species section to his garden so very long ago. Back when things were still new and simple between them, before things got complicated.

Both of them had spent many happy hours and a few times whole days back in this secluded paradise. Sometimes planning, sometimes planting, sometimes doing other things.

He had enjoyed his time with her immensely. For an aging ruler who had no real adventures left to look forward to, she was like a tonic of youth and excitement. It was something he had long thought was a thing of the past for him. Lucky for him, she had been willing to share her love of gardening with him.

But now she was gone, and the garden had been neglected for years. Ghar sighed as he looked around at the overgrown plants and the weeds that choked the once-beautiful pathways. He should never have come here. He supposed the idea of their son finally coming home had pulled him to this place. While he was looking forward to Adar’s return, it was bringing up a lot of painful memories. Now it had caused him to revisit a place he swore never to come back to. Irritation rose up in him.

Ghar whirled around and ripped his way through the fir’s branches until he stood back in the public part of the garden. He found himself gasping for breath and his vision blurred for a moment. There was a stone bench near by. Ghar stumbled to sit and took a moment to gather himself.

It felt like all the emotions he had ignored and pushed away for years at Leeta’s betrayal and her taking Adar from him had resurfaced in that moment. The disappointment. The bitterness. The rage. He had cared for her. He had made her his Empress. And then she had betrayed him in the worst way possible.

Had that been her plan all along? It was true. Ghar had to send her away after she had become pregnant. It had been a shock to both of them. Natural conception wasn’t as common in the Empire like it used to be in the old days. It almost always required the help of a fertility Remaker to reproduce. So that made casual relationships easy and burden free. What he and Leeta had was never meant to be more, and when it unexpectedly had become more, he had thrown her away.

It had never sat well with him. His Empress at the time hadn’t taken well to the idea that Ghar had impregnated another woman, and her anger raged long after Leeta had been banished from the Palace. His wife’s unwavering displeasure had only caused Ghar’s uneasiness to grow until he finally dissolved his union with his wife.

Finally free from his union contract, Ghar naturally assumed Leeta would be happy to come back. It had taken far more convincing than he thought would be needed though, and once she did eventually agree to come back, he knew things had changed between them. But he hadn’t thought they’d changed so much for her to runaway with their son.

Ghar cut off the bitterness and anger. He pushed it back to where it belonged. Down in the dark. A place he rarely touched or allowed himself to wander. She didn’t deserve his anger, and he certainly didn’t have time for it.

He looked around at his surroundings as he felt himself coming back to his normal self. It was then he noticed the indigo sky and the harsh light of the red sun beating down. Surprise washed over him. He had been in his garden for more than two hours, when he only intended to stay for a short while. There were other, more urgent matters that needed his attention. He quickly stood up.

“Hame!” he called.

The slap of boots echoed against the garden's stone pathway. A moment later, the sound came around the corner to reveal the Emperor's burly Protector. The man was never far from Ghar's side.

“Get Crishner out here to clean up in there,” Ghar gestured to the large fir behind him that hid the secret garden.

Captain Hame raised an eyebrow. He had been Ghar's Protector when Leeta had been at the palace. The Captain knew all too well what was back there, and that Ghar had been avoiding the place for the last twenty years. But he wisely kept from making a comment on the order.

“Yes, Excellency.”

Ghar turned to his Protector and gave him a calculating look. He knew this other man well. They had shared a blood bond for over thirty years after all. He could detect the hard edge of tension in the other man's voice, and he knew it wasn't from the request Ghar had made.

“What is it?”

The other man looked relieved to finally be able to give the Emperor his message. “Sire, there has been a call from Admiral Vang.”

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“Ah,” Ghar said as he held out a hand, satisfied at the Protector's explanation.

Hame knew as well as everyone in the palace that Ghar did not like being disturbed while he was spending time in the garden. He even surrendered his unity ring to his Protector before entering to ensure he’d get full privacy. Yes, Ghar was eager to hear from the Admiral, and Hame knew it, but not eager enough to have his time of solitude interrupted. It certainly explained Hame's tension. They had been waiting on this call for weeks.

His Protector handed Ghar a thin silver bracelet. The Emperor slipped it on and touched the rectangular display across the top that blinked red, showing he had a priority message. His touch activated it. A translucent closeup image of Admiral Vang’s head and torso protected into the air before Ghar.

“We have found him, Excellency, and we are headed back in great haste as you instructed.”

It felt like a great burden had just been lifted off Ghar’s shoulders. The relief was a soothing balm to his nerves. It had been a long while since he had such good news.

“But there are complications, and we didn’t get Remeer or the Empress. I felt it best not to waste time on them. I know the retrieval of your Heir was most important, and the boy seems to have a strong emotional attachment to them. An attachment I thought we could use to get him to cooperate, since he appears to be quite willful.

“Also, the planet they have been inhabiting is rather primitive. It is clear they have no ability for space travel, and I confiscated Remeer’s ship. He won’t be going anywhere. I figured we could always come back, unless of course, you want me to take the time to go back for him now.

“And as you expected, Remeer used his Dome-ni on the Prince. I am no Mind Bender, but it’s even obvious to me the use has been extensive. The boy didn’t even know our language.”

Anger erupted in Ghar. He had known the damage would be bad when he had sent Ko-tus to retrieve his youngest son from beyond the borders of the Empire. Remeer had had twenty years with the boy after all. More than enough time to bend Ghar’s son’s mind to his will, but hearing it as a fact awakened a dark fury that had been simmering for years. Ghar had to force himself past the anger so he could concentrate on the rest of the Admiral’s message. He didn’t have time for distractions.

“I know you sent a Mind Bender with me just for that reason, but I thought it best to report to you first, considering the extent Remeer has altered the Prince. I know this message will delayed with the time-dilation. I will move forward in giving your Heir basic tutelage on how to function as an Ethian until I hear back from you. I wait you orders, Excellency.”

The image of the Admiral winked out, signaling the end of the message. Ghar stood there for a long moment looking at the space that once occupied Vang’s recording.

The Admiral had been right to contact him before continuing with the Mind Bender. It would be delicate business moving forward if Remeer had altered his son as much as Ghar suspected he had. It was no easy task to reverse the work of a Mind Bender and still have a functioning person afterward.

Ghar certainly wasn’t happy to hear Ko-tus wasn’t bringing Remeer or her back. He had waited a long time to get his revenge, but it seemed like he’d have to wait even longer. There were other things, more important considerations. Ko-tus claimed his son had a strong attachment to them. That wasn’t a surprise, especially with his son’s other Dome-ni of Empathy.

Ghar double tapped his bracelet to begin his own recording. The display light blinked blue twice, indicating to go ahead. Ghar held out his wrist before him to make sure to get a good closeup shot of himself and started his message.

“Your news is welcomed, Ko-tus. The Empire will rest easy knowing my Heir is secure. Your caution with the Mind Bender is appreciated as well, but we also must know what we are working with. Have Danton preceded with a cursory scan to see if he can determine exactly how much damage has been done. But that is all. Report what he finds and continue my Heir’s basic education. We will see what can be undone once he is on Dyniss.”

Ghar took a moment to gather his thoughts before continuing. “I also approve of your usage of Remeer. At this time, my son’s cooperation outweighs everything else. We will address Remeer at a more appropriate time. Continue to Dyniss at best possible speed. We await your arrival.”

He paused a moment to make sure there was nothing else, and then said, “End recording and transmit.”

The bracelet blinked twice again. Ghar lowered his arm and walked toward his guard, passed him, and then began a steady march to the garden’s exit.

“I image they are waiting for me by now?” Ghar asked as his Protector fell in a few steps behind him.

“Yes, Excellency.”

Ghar grimace. He again admonished himself for taking so long in the garden, even though it was all he wanted to do. He longed for the time when he had spent whole days in this beautiful place before having to come out to face his duties to the Empire. But that time was long gone thanks to the Fazha and their damnable Rebellion.

He felt himself flexing his fingers into fists in both his hands. His skin tingling with anger. Ghar prided himself in being able to keep his emotions in check, but the last year was testing his resolve. The Rebellion had done what two hundred and forty years of ruling the Empire had not been able to do––make Ghar fear for the future.

The group’s harassment and sneak attacks had cost Ghar so much. What had once been a laughable uprising had turned into an all-out war, and somehow Ghar had not seen it coming. It made him question his Dome-ni. It had never failed him before, but then he was in the sunset of his years. It wasn’t unheard of for Dome-ni to begin to fail in the last years of life, and at two-hundred and ninety-six, he was certainly getting there far too quickly. It hadn’t been something he'd worried with before the falling-out with his other sons, and then the brutal attacks by the Fazha.

Ghar realized now that the Rebellion had planned their well-coordinated attacks precisely, knowingly pushing Ghar into a corner. They even timed it just as the conflict with his three sons had come to a head, and it wasn’t the first time that Ghar suspected his offspring of being in collusion with the enemy.

He might have even believed it if the Fazha hadn’t offered up the location of Adar in exchange for the Qua-zot Sectors becoming free of Empire rule. Ghar knew his sons would have never allowed such knowledge come to light. They would have sought their brother out on their own and finished what they started nearly twenty years ago.

A mix of rage and relief filled Ghar. Rage at being out maneuvered by a bunch of filthy Fazha and relief at finally finding his lost son. Had the Fazha known for twenty years where Adar had been, which implied they may have had a hand in his son’s abduction? Or had they simply discovered that information on their own, something not even Ghar had managed to do despite all the time and resources he’d committed to finding Adar?

He supposed it didn’t matter. They had obviously used the information to their advantage in a cleverly devised multiple step plan that now had Ghar at a serious disadvantage, because in exchange for the location of his lost son, Ghar was now at war with the Kings for signing over any part of Ethia to the Fazha.

It didn’t matter that the Sector wasn’t a significant loss. It was a tiny pebble in a much larger galaxy. It wasn’t even a nice pebble. Most of the space was uninhabitable and the handful of planets that did support life in that sector weren’t of significant quality. It had been populated mostly by Fazha for generations because it was considered substandard living conditions by any true Ethain. So to give the Fazha something they technically already had wasn’t a huge concession, but still the Kings saw it as a dangerous precedent, and they weren’t wrong.

Would he have signed over the Qua-zot Sectors if it they had offered up anything else than the possibility of getting his lost son back? Probably not, and he certainly wouldn’t have tolerated such a concession from any of the Kings.

Ghar sighed heavily. He understood their anger, because he felt that anger at himself. There were just too many problems these days, and not enough solutions. Or maybe he was just getting too old.

Yes, he could feel it in his bones. He was up to two Remaker treatments a day, and he still was feeling his age. It didn’t help that his legs were now aching from all the walking he had done this morning.

He just hoped that he had made the right decision in sacrificing so much for his youngest son’s return. There was a lot riding on Adar being his Heir, and it sounded like he would need a lot of training and behavioral adjustments before any real work could be done.

But Ghar certainly couldn’t trust his other offspring to be his Heir. He had given each of them ample chances to prove themselves, and all three had been bitter disappointments throughout the years. Ghar supposed only time would tell if Adar would be the same, but deep down he hoped not. One way or another, he was going to make this work. He just had to make plans accordingly.

“After my meeting with the Kings, make sure Dur-rele knows to block off the rest of my day. I want to review all the information that the Admiral sent about the planet my son grew up on.”

“Yes, Excellency,” Hame replied.

“And send a follow up message to Ko-tus. I want recordings of every meeting he has with Adar. I want to know everything my son does and says while he’s on that ship. I want nothing left out.”

“Of course, Excellency.”

Ghar nodded as walked through the double glass doors into the White Palace as they automatically opened to his forward motion. The assimilation of information always made him feel better about any potential problem. And maybe it would help him find a way to make a connection with his son once he arrived on Dyniss.

More importantly, Ghar hoped to find something to convince Adar to be ready and willing to do his duty once he got here. If Remeer had a heavy influence on him as Ko-tus suggested, Ghar suspected he’d get a lot of resistance from his son. There was just too much riding on Adar working out as his Heir, and Ghar Zahn wasn’t going to leave anything up to chance.

With that firmly settled in his mind, Ghar marched down the pristine pearly corridors of the palace to tackle another of his growing problems. The Kings had better not test him too much today, he wasn’t in the mood.