The carriage rolled down the street in all of its gilded glory. The sides coated in gold, and ivory, with our so called coat of arms chiseled into the side, and the team of horses all 20 of them coated in our houses colors. It was supposed to be a grand display they told us, it was to honour our house, and its achievements! We were a symbol of peace! What smug bastards! All it honoured was our downfall. They still gloated over their so great, all powerful, triumphant victory over us sixteen years later. Sixteen hundred years! Though then again if I’d had defeated my families once great empire, I would be proud, and smug too. I snorted, not that it gives them an excuse to be so proud now. As expected since my family fell from grace the world had changed, and not in a good way… Outside the carriage crowds of people yelled to get my family's attention. Both to shout curses at us, and to cheer us on mockingly. Causes them! Though it did warm my heart to see after all these years we still had supporters, in the back there were people who didn’t shout of leer, but actually soberly bowed. We were in a long procession of gilded carriages. My father, the so-called “Emperor” thorough in name only was at the front, we followed from there in order of rank and birth. My sister Fontisi was second as she was first born, and my brother Treas was third and so on. I was thirteenth towards the end of the procession as I was the twelfth child of my father. The only one behind me was my little sister Isie who was the only one of my brothers and sisters who I got along with. Probably because as the youngest she was overlooked and I helped guide, and teach her when no one else would. Yes, I know dear reader she is very indebted to me, very grateful, and I am indeed an awesome brother. I was not going to let her be taught to be complacent like the last couple generations had been, I taught her the truth the Senate didn’t want her to realize. We could be more than puppets, a symbol of our defeat and their victory, and a proof that they are the supposed rightful inheritors of my family's empire. The carriage hit a bump in the nasty road, jolting me out of my stupor, and forcing me to look up from the book I was reading. I looked around trying to gauge how much time had passed meeting the eyes of my manservant Narcante. We’ll manservant didn’t do him any credit. His official title was head imperial servant of his imperial highness, lord manager of his highnesses finances, and 1st of 7 lord commanders of his imperial highnesses retenue. Then again, he was still just another servant, granted one that was absolutely loyal, and that I trusted above all others. Seeing me looking he frowned, sir? Do you need something? I looked out the window. My glum mood got a little better watching as we passed through the city on the way to the Senatorial Palace. The buildings we passed were dilapidated and a lot were just large tents. Served them right… They never should have rebelled! Where did it get them? This! Yes, they may on paper have more perceived rights, and freedoms, but was it worth it? Their precious republic barely gives them food, or shelter, and I've seen the ancient records, they charge more in taxes than my family ever did! Yet they praise their precious republican system. The ignorant fools. Nrcante sensing my mood interjects. Your imperial highness, we are approaching the senatorial Palace, your father has issued a strict warning to you. Another incident like last time when you were there, and he says even he will not be able to spare you the Senate's wrath. You know they are already suspicious as it is…. I scowled. These lords who once were so petty, and insignificant dared threaten a member of House Nyleo! I wanted to scream… but I couldn’t. I was always being watched. By the servants, by my family, by my “guards”, by my family, and most significantly by enemies. My brooding was once again interrupted by Narcante to tell me that we were arriving. During my brooding we had passed out of the slums, and into and out of the merchant, and noble district, and finally was approaching the Royal district. I say district because even after 1,600 years the 7 by 7 square mile district that housed the royal palace, its gardens, pools, and the 170ft high statues that depicted the Emperors of my family, and the Arlossi Empire. All 34 of them. The status stopped at the last emperor, the end of my family's rule of the Empire and the 4 continents encompassed. I was told they once had a coating of silver, and gold, with rubies for eyes before the fall, but the common soldiers, peasants, and looters who came through during the fighting, and after must have stolen it. Though they were in bad need of repair, the Senate claimed money was tight and they saw no point in restoring the statues of emperors no one cared about, and that they were better off forgotten. Another slap in the face to my family. We passed through the gate of the first of the three huge walls that guarded the royal district. They got bigger as you got deeper into the imperial district, and the area they guarded decreased though the one we were passing through right now was over 20ft thick, and 100ft high. With a huge wooden gate, though I read that before the fall, there used to be a massive engraved gate with my family's coat of arms in front, made entirely of a substance called steel which I read was much stronger than any iron that can be made today. They even had gold trim. Sadly they were destroyed when the rebels seized the district, and the council deemed them too expensive to even make a cheap replica. Their excuse was that republics don’t waste money on extravagant things, unlike monarchs who waste money for their vanity instead of spending it on the people. I had a good ironic laugh at that which by the way was the “incident” Narcante had told me my father was angry about. I had caused a scene in front of the high nobility, and Senators of the so called empire of theirs, oh sorry... “Ours”. They refuse to waste money to maintain symbols of my House and our vanity, but they parade us around in gilded carriages, with the finest horses every month to gloat in their victory over us...I'm tapped lightly on the shoulder. Your highness….Your imperial highness we have arrived. 

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