"I said to raise the taxes again!" Cafer screamed at the Councilman. The door to the ruler's office was closed, but the yelling could be heard clearly outside. "Why does Emperor Alaron keep you around if you cannot follow simple orders?"

Councilman Meder tried to keep his cool, but the gnome was making him angry. "You are going to bleed the people dry. Already they complain about unfair treatment."

"Let them complain! Humans love to grumble," the gnome was used to people always finding fault with something.

Meder pinched the bridge of his nose. "You will push them too far. What does the Emperor need the money for this time?"

"Weapons, armor, fortifications, feeding the army… pick one. We need money for war." The King of the gnomes narrowed his eyes at the Councilman. "It does not matter in the end. His Majesty answers to no one. Meder, I let you out of confinement because I thought you would be useful, but so far you are just irritating me. Now make it happen."

The Councilman swallowed. "I would feel better if I could hear this from the Emperor's own lips," Meder tried to stall. He was sure that another decree would put a target not only on the Emperor's back, but on his own, and he very much wanted to live.

"Emperor Alaron is unavailable," Cafer sat behind Aurora's writing desk rifling through the mess in a drawer.

"He is always unavailable. What could be more important than an all out war of humanity and magical creatures?" Meder pressed.

"The Emperor's business is none of yours. I will let him know that you would like an audience. In the mean time go and carry out my…the Emperor's orders." Cafer glared at the Councilman until he bowed.

"Yes, King Cafer." Meder scurried from the room like a rat.

Cafer leaned back in the ornate desk chair. As much as he liked being a king-maker, being the actual king made things simpler. Manipulation was a satisfying addiction, but so was pure power. If he could defeat the elves and fairies, nothing short of the Maker could stop him from ruling the entire planet. Or rather, he and Alaron would rule it together.

"I suppose I should pay my fellow monarch a visit," Cafer stood from his seat.

The day after Baak died, Xander decided that his time at the palace had come to an end. He and his pirates returned to terrorizing the sea. It was what was best for both allies.

The Captain still kept in contact with the gnome king, but those messages were always war-related. Not that either of them had anything personal that they would have shared, but Cafer had gotten used to more consistent conversation, and he craved a little just now.

The gnomes' "cousins" had arrived a couple of days ago, but they were not made for stimulating banter. These creatures were made for strength, which was something he needed, but not much else. However, these so-called cousins would soon eat him out of the place with their appetites. Yet another reason he needed to raise taxes.

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"It will be worth it when we go to war," he promised himself.

These and others like it were Cafer's brooding thoughts as he walked along the corridor toward Alaron. When he finally reached the room, he stopped and spoke to gnomic guard.

"How is our Emperor today?"

"The same. Maybe a little worse," the soldier answered honestly. Cafer nodded and entered the room.

A shell of a boy sat quietly by the window staring at his hand as he snapped. He barely seemed to notice the gnome's entrance, no less acknowledge it. Cafer sighed, and dismissed the guards who were inside the room.

"Greetings, Your Majesty!" Cafer gave a slight bow as he approached the New Emperor.

"Have you more tonics for me, master apothecary? I am sure I am due for another of your hideous medicines." the boy sneered.

Cafer pulled up a chair and sat next to Alaron. "You call me a puppet master and druggist. What ever happened to calling me 'uncle,' my boy?" The affection in the gnomes voice was repulsive to the New Emperor.

"You lost that right long before I realized it." Alaron leaned on the window sill. "And now I will add another name to the growing list: jailer. You have trapped me in this room--Aurora's room!-- and you have trapped my body from accessing my magic as I would like." The New Emperor had been trying to create a match-like fire with his snap, but nothing but a tiny spark would come. He knew this was an effect of the latest concoction that the gnomic king had made.

Cafer could not deny the claim. "I do everything for your own good. You have been trying to leave ever since you were crowned. Even now I see you weighing your odds of survival if you jump from the window."

"Which outcome do you think I am hoping for?" Finally looking at the gnome, Alaron gave him a mirthless smile.

"I have a decent idea." Cafer answered flatly. "You have been trying to use as much magic as possible even for useless things. It is draining the life out of you. That is why you were given the herbs to dampen your magic."

At first Alaron had tried to use his magic to leave, but the amount he could manage to save himself was nothing compared to the massive ring of light he had made when he believed Mairwen was in trouble. His spell was able to stun the gnomes closest to him and knock them to the ground, but in the end it was no match for those who wished to keep him.

So he settled to end his life more quickly by using magic as much as he could.

And it was working. His eyes were hollowed out and his youthful skin was stretched thin with a grey tinge. Because he was not eating and the magic was eating him from the inside, his bones threatened to tear out of his emaciated frame. It was a pitiable sight.

"Did you come just to tell me how much you care about me? If so, you can save your breath. You can go talk to those monsters or monstrosities outside if you want someone to faun over you."

In an attempt to impress the New Emperor, Cafer had taken the boy out to show their army's might. Instead of being impressed, Alaron was repulsed by the grotesque flying creatures, and the new arrivals he saw in the courtyard just now made his stomach churn.

"No, my son, I came to tell you that we are about to head out to war against your elder sister, who is still trying to claim your throne. She has gathered her full force together in a foolish attempt to fight us head on. Do not worry. We will claim victory."

The New Emperor rolled his eyes upward. "We?This is your war, not mine. I suppose you plan to drag me along as a figurehead. Perhaps you could tie me to the front of one of Xander's ships. Or would that not be fitting for the Emperor of Valiant? It is so hard to tell these days…"

The gnome grimaced. "There is no need for the dramatics. You may stay here. In fact I would prefer it. The Empress wants to get her hands on you, but I have a better idea."

"What is that?" The boy could not help but ask.

Cafer gave a mysterious smile and leaned forward as if to tell a delicious secret. Alaron leaned in too, which is why he did not see the small set of scissors in the gnome's hands.

"What are you going to—ah!" Alaron felt a lock of his blonde hair brush past his ear. Before he could process what had happened, Cafer tucked the hair into his robes and turned to leave.

The gnome king stood and walked to the door. "Thank you, Your Majesty. I will bring news of the enemy's defeat very soon."

Alaron was after him in a flash, but out of nowhere, two guards were there to restrain him. "Cafer you, fiend! Give me that." The boy pulled against his captors, but was far too weak. He collapsed on the floor in a heap.

"You need to rest, Your Majesty. Perhaps I should request some sedatives for you." The gnome king said with a fake pout. "Lukoss!"

The mousey gnome appeared quickly at his king's side. "Sire?"

"You will watch the Emperor while I am gone and tend to his needs." Cafer waved his hand to shoo the gnome.

"Yes, sire." Lukoss answered obediently, although he shot an apologetic look at the Emperor. He came to the boy's side and helped him into bed.

"Good." Cafer nodded and exited into the hall. "Now, someone find me Grisley immediately! I have a job for him also."