Ghar sat down heavily in the seat he previously occupied during his confrontation with Adar. The boy had been gone only a few minutes, but still he was having a difficult time settling himself. Ghar had exerted himself more than usual, trying to block the lad from reading him and still make sure he was able to get his point across to Adar. Though it could have been that he was just so tried.

Today had been a trying day all around. It had started out pleasant enough having breakfast with Adar. But things quickly devolved from there when he’d gotten word that the Fazha were allegedly involved in a raid on one the major food caravans in King Harvel’s domain.

Now all the Kings were in an uproar. A few had even been bold enough to inform him that they were going to appeal to the Kings’ Council to get Ghar’s executive order to hand the Qua-zot Sectors over to the Fazha annulled.

Good luck with that. It took a majority vote to do such a thing. Since none of the Kings could agree on much of anything, majority votes didn’t happen very often. Most of the time, Ghar had to weigh in with his own opinion, which usually meant that whatever way Ghar decided was right, that was the direction they went.

With as many of the Kings upset about Ghar signing over the Qua-zot Sectors in the first place, he supposed it wasn’t a total impossibility that enough might vote to overturn his ruling. If that happened, the Fazha Rebellion would hit back with a vengeance. Ghar was certain about that. He warned the Kings of that very real possibility. He supposed time would tell if they were smart enough to heed his words. There was not much he could do otherwise.

He blew out a long breath to expel some of his frustration. And then he retired to his bedchambers with hopes of a decent sleep to offset the weariness he had felt sent the early afternoon. Only to spring out of bed when he had heard the ruckus outside his room.

He was still in a bit of shock over the whole affair. Ghar had spent weeks learning as much as he could about his lost son. The boy’s time on Earth. The short time he had spent with the Admiral.

Certainly, the lad showed signs of being impulsive, reckless, and a bit assertive in his opinions, but nothing explained the brute force and anger Ghar had witnessed from his son. It was concerning, and it made him wonder if maybe he had made a mistake in capitulating to the the Fazha’s demands, and then expending the effort and resources to have the Admiral go fetch his son.

Ghar didn’t need another mindless brute that Zorren had turned out to be. He needed someone who could control himself and use his mind to fix his problems, not with his fists like some barbarian. Ghar supposed Aragon was to blame for that as well. That man seemed to be blocking him at every turn, and the Protector hadn’t set foot in the Empire in twenty years.

Irritation rose inside him, causing the Emperor to stand up and marched across the room to the far wall. He waved a hand near the sensor, and the white wall before him began to turn transparent. A moment later, he was staring out at the blackness of night and the twinkling lights of the palace and city far below him.

It was usually a calming sight, but tonight it did nothing to cool his ire, not even hearing Adar say Aragon was suffering the living death. Had that been the reason for his son’s angry out burst? The whole reason for the unpleasantness tonight?

The door to his room opened interrupting his thoughts. He turned to see his red-faced Protector barreling thought the entry, not even bothering to ring the door chime.

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“Excellency, I came as soon as I heard. Are you alright?”

Ghar gave the other man a wry smile. “I am unharmed, Hame. He just wanted to have a conversation.”

“That’s not what I heard,” the Protector strode across the room. He stopped a few feet short and eyed Ghar closely as if checking him just to be sure.

“I can only imagine the tall tales Fator and Jemon told you, but I assure you, Captain, all is well in hand.”

The Protector stood for a long moment as if he wanted to protest, but after a moment he nodded. “Very well. I will make sure such a thing never happens again.”

The Captain made to turn, but Ghar stopped him with an outstretched hand, knowing exactly what Hame meant by that. Normally, Ghar didn’t stand in the way of his Protector and the means in which he did his job, it had kept him safe all these years after all. But the last thing he needed was Adar to getting more upset than he already was.

“You will leave my son alone. He was angry and made a bit of a ruckus, but we have talked it out. He won’t be a problem anymore. There is no need for you to get involved.”

Hame’s jaw stiffened. “He threatened you, Excellency.”

Ghar shook his head. “He did no such thing. He was just a little upset is all. We have sorted it out. Now that’s enough of this. Go back to bed. I’m headed there soon myself.”

The Captain hesitated like he wanted to do anything but go back to his room and relax.

“Captain,” Ghar said with a hard edge to his voice, making it clear that his request was an order that needed to be followed right away.

Hame bowed his head, and then slapped a fist to his heart. A moment after that, he whirled around on his heels and marched from the room.

Ghar watched him go, envying the man’s youth and strength. Oh if only he had a portion of that for himself, but it had been many, many years since Ghar had seen that age or vitality. He sighed wearily and made his way back to his bed.

He made a note to himself to talk with Master Kiev in the morning so he could get a clearer image of his and Adar’s conversation about Aragon. Maybe it would help Ghar get a better handle on his son’s volatile emotions, and how to reign him in.

Certainly, the threat to that planet he had grown up on seemed to do the trick––for now. But that had been the purpose of the threat against Aragon. Adar had jeopardized that by acting as he had, and he knew it. So why risk further retribution? Living death wasn’t dead after all.

No. There were still things about Adar that Ghar didn’t quite understand. He needed to get a better handle on that. A lot was riding on Adar being his successor. Too much. Ghar hoped this new threat would be enough to keep him in check, but for how long?

Ghar climbed into his bed. His head fell into the softness of his pillow, but the tension in his body kept him from relaxing. There were just too many unknowns, too many variables running through his mind to let him relax enough to sleep.

The biggest that ate away at him was this business with the Fazha. Ghar did not often question himself or his decisions, but he couldn’t help but feel a slight doubt about signing over a piece of the Empire to get his son back, especially if Adar refused to cooperate.

Ghar was just glad that Vang had been clever enough to plan ahead. But the fact that Ghar had to use such means to get his son’s attention was concerning in itself. He certainly wouldn’t hesitate to act on his threat. That planet meant nothing to Ghar. But it was the fact he had to go to such measures in the first place, and Adar had been at the palace for only two days.

It was clear to Ghar that he had his work cut out for him. He would have to tread carefully and do far more planning to make sure things went more smoothly here on out. He might even have to get Rainus in on this. Adar had lived his first five years in the King’s palace. If anyone in the Empire had insight on his son, it would be him.

He was getting too old for all this. Ghar relished the time when he could finally get someone competent enough to help him keep things in check. And to finally have his succession settled once and for all. That thought made him relax a little further into his sheets. It took far longer than he wanted, but eventually, Ghar was able to quiet his mind enough to drift off into a restless sleep.