It had been two days, and Cedar still hadn't gotten over the bath incident. Maybe it would have been fine if he hadn't been forced to think about whether joking around with his lover might not cause more trouble for him than for her in the end. Why had he made a joke about joining her in the bathtub anyway? And why had she agreed? If she had done it to shock him, she had certainly succeeded. Now he worried about her being as stubborn as he was, and this was a huge issue.
He knew why he was reluctant to back off even after noticing that he had ventured too far. Admitting to weaknesses was hard for him thanks to his lovely mother.
But Lucille had no reason to suddenly insist on getting so close to him. How come that she, who normally was the more uncertain one regarding all of this, suddenly initiated such body contact?
And that wasn't even the worst thing. Why had that maid needed to come at that exact moment? Why hadn't she been able to stay quiet about this later?
Cedar had no answers to those questions. He only knew that the maid had told Blanche, who had told Theodore in return. No one could say anything but that Lucille and Cedar had been together in the bathroom, but for some reason, this led to everyone around them coming to one conclusion. This misunderstanding wouldn't have been a problem if those people had just shut up about it.
But more than anyone else, Theodore seemed to like driving his brother mad. He had stopped mentioning the topic for a few weeks, and now he had suddenly gone back to subtly addressing it. Even while they worked in the office and had much better things to do, he kept bringing it up. Just like now.
Apparently, Cedar had stared into the distance for a bit too long, and he was immediately punished.
Theodore set down his pen and made eye contact with his brother. He remained silent for a moment before he spoke. “You seem to be rather distracted today. Is there something you need to talk about? Something that worries you?” No.
Cedar had just thought about the contract that was lying in front of him, as he should while working. He hadn't even thought about how to find out what Lucille's favorite dishes were so that he could coax the chefs into preparing them more often this time. “Everything is fine. I was mentally absent for a few seconds because I went through the laws that are connected to this contract. Please excuse me. I will be more focused now.” Even though he had focused on work already. He directed his gaze onto the document and tried to read the lines that worried him again.
But Theodore didn't give up yet. Of course, he couldn't stop bothering his brother. “Cedar. You are aware that it would be fine to ask for help, right? I know that it isn't my place to interfere, but I really do worry to some extent. Both Lucille and you are very young, so it might be better to be more careful than normal. You know... You could...” This was the fourth time he had mentioned that already.
Cedar lifted his head and showed his brother the most radiant smile he could muster. “Don't. Theodore, I will gladly rethink the matter of Father's decorative sword if you say that one more time. You wanted to have it sharpened, yes? Then please do keep an eye on the mood of the people around you.”
Theodore just grinned at that. “Oh, my. How threatening. That scares me so much that I am starting to tremble.” Since Cedar had once said that he would kill his brother with that decorative sword during a breakdown when he had been eight, it would be logical to worry about such a comment. But obviously, both of them knew that Cedar wouldn't really attack his brother.
At least not unless Theodore continued with those jokes.
Cedar beamed at him while he replied. “That was not what I intended to make it sound like. I meant that my desire to support you during this discussion might decrease if you distract me with unnecessary banter. When will our guests arrive?” He glanced at the clock before focusing on the contract in front of him again. He didn't expect to be able to change the topic so easily, and still, he was disappointed when it didn't work.
Theodore immediately returned to the more annoying part. “They will arrive in ten minutes at most. But don't worry about that. They may be high priests, but they don't have any power. I could threaten their institution and throw them out of the palace, and they would never dare to retaliate.” That sounded oddly specific. “But that doesn't matter now. What I wanted to address is the subject of you and Lucille. I don't want to annoy you, but I worry. The two-” It was questionable whether he really didn't want to bother his brother just for fun.
Cedar was almost convinced that he was being targeted on purpose. But what was he supposed to say? He couldn't suddenly demand that Theodore stop bothering him. So, he tried to lure his brother to a more pleasant topic. “I appreciate your concern, but it isn't needed. Why don't you think about yourself first? I'm surprised that you and your wife haven't ensured that your dear Aurora has a sibling already.”
“Blanche and I do want more children. But her body needs to recover before we can even think about things like that.” The smile on Theodore's lips became much more dreamy when he talked about his family, which was pleasant to see in some way. But he instantly ruined that again by continuing to speak. “That is why she regularly ingests something that is called a contraceptive. So, the doctor has some lying around. Do you understand that? So, there is no harm in asking for some. At least if you don't want small Cedars and Lucilles running around here in a year.”
Cedar had to hold back a sigh. He gave up on his contract and put down the pen before shoving away the piece of paper. “You really want to make me upset, don't you? Someone has some sort of desire for confrontation in their blood, I fear.”
The emperor just smirked in return. He made a dismissive movement with his hand. “Oh, please. If I really wanted to bother you, I would be even more insufferable.” He became more serious after that again. “I really do worry about you. I know how overwhelmed I felt when Aurora was born. For you, it might feel even stranger. It would be good for you to wait at least one or two years until Lucille and you are married. Before that, you can simply-”
Cedar cut him off there. “I know. And I would accept contraceptives if I needed them, alright? But at the moment, they are not needed.” Even if that might change soon in the future if Lucille continued to see her lover's jokes as invitations. That could cause serious issues. Especially if she did something like coaxing her lover into bathing with her and then suddenly throwing her arms around him. Cedar did his best to push the memory of that day aside. For once, he was lucky.
Seconds later, the distraction came along. Someone knocked on the door, and Theodore let them in.
Leonard stepped inside with two elderly men, who wore long white robes with golden crosses on them. The secretary didn't look very impressed by the high priests, of which one seemed to think that he was rather important since he didn't immediately bow to the emperor. In fact, Leon looked rather annoyed and just faked a smile when the priests could see his face. Thankfully, he wouldn't need to deal with them much longer.
Theodore would take care of that, and he already began. He walked toward the priests and smiled at the one who bowed before making eye contact with the other one, who quickly lowered his head as well. “It is nice to meet the both of you here.” He glanced at the priest who had been courteous from the very beginning. “I have to thank you for the wonderful wedding ceremony once again. Blanche and I are very grateful since you made that day more pleasant than any other priest would have made it.”
That painted a smile on the priest's face.
The other priest spoke up first though. “Greetings to Your Majesty, the emperor of Artias. May the gods be with you.” Both of them bowed for a bit longer before they raised their heads.
Cedar would have liked to use the time to continue this contract, but he had agreed to help. So, he had to stand up and walk over to the group to be polite. He waited next to his brother and showed the other two a bright smile. When he realized that no one else spoke, he opened his mouth. “I wish both of you a wonderful day. Welcome to the royal palace. We sincerely hope that your travel here did not cause any issues.”
The priests bowed again. “We greet Your Royal Highness, the second prince of Artias.” How formal they were. That didn't keep one of them from scanning the prince with obvious skepticism, but at least he pretended to be nice. “There have not been any issues. Thank you for your concern. We are truly honored to receive permission to visit the palace.”
Theodore chimed in here again. “It is nice to hear that. But of course, we did not just ask you to come here for idle chatting. Please do make yourself comfortable. We will drink some tea together and discuss the topic that concerns you.” He gestured to the sofas before he led the group over.
Everyone took a seat, with the brothers on one couch and the priests on the other. For a moment, it was silent.
Theodore picked up his cup and drank a bit while scanning the other men with something calculative in his gaze. He was trying to guess what kind of problems would arise now. “It would be pleasant if we could just come to a conclusion together without discussing much. I doubt that this will be possible though. I will not discard my goal. Please do voice your concerns.”
Cedar only took a few seconds to watch the reactions of the people in front of him to determine who the issue was. The priest who showed them a gentle smile and seemed to have guided the wedding ceremony of the royal couple probably wouldn't utter any complaints. But the second priest, the one with significantly more desire to argue with people here, would not agree immediately. Just as Cedar had thought that, his guess was reaffirmed.
The second priest spoke up as soon as the emperor had finished. “I shall be honest. After hearing about this matter, we could not help but worry about Your Majesty's intentions. Naturally, the temple supports your decisions to the fullest, however, granting a deceased person the title of the dowager empress is... Frankly speaking, that never happened in our nation.” The nation had never had someone as insane as Camille in the royal family either.
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Cedar barely thought that, and immediately, his brother said the same thing.
Theodore finished the cup of tea in his hands before he put it away and spoke up. “I understand your concerns. But I have to remind you that times change and will require different methods. We never had a dowager empress who tried to kill both of her children and lost her title because of that either. That did not keep me from stripping her of her title.”
The priest quickly nodded in affirmation. “Indeed. And we can fully understand why you made that decision. Of course, those steps were radical, but in that case, they were necessary.” A little frown formed on his forehead. “However, in the case of making Lady Estien the dowager empress, we cannot see the need for that. She has returned to the gods seven years ago, so how would a rank benefit her?”
Theodore listened to that patiently before he replied. “I will attempt to explain my reasoning.” He paused just to drink some tea again. He made it quite obvious that he took his time before finishing and replying. “If Father was alive, he would have divorced his former empress. Due to the sheer amount of her crimes, that much is clear. Unfortunately, he left us eight years ago and cannot divorce her now. But of course, she could not keep her power, so I chose to strip her of her title. Now she may be called Camille Estien, but she is not considered to be a member of royalty anymore, and she isn't the dowager empress. Theoretically, this is the same as what would have happened after a divorce. And what else would have changed?” He paused for a moment and pretended to wait for a response.
A few seconds passed before one of the priests tried to speak.
Theodore already continued at that moment. “The second wife would have become empress. My mother, Althea Estien. If Father was alive, she would have been accepted as the first wife already. And once the emperor dies, his first wife becomes the dowager empress, correct? That is why we should give Mother the rank that she deserves.”
The priest looked like he was rather skeptical. He didn't waste any time before voicing his dismay. “With all due respect, Your Majesty, there is another part that worries us.”
Theodore's lips formed a faint smile, but for some reason, that looked more like a threat. “Please elaborate.”
The priest immediately continued, but as most members of the temple happened to do it, he didn't phrase it curtly. “Of course, we do not wish to make you misunderstand. It is not our intention to criticize your decision. We do not doubt your judgment, and we will always support Your Majesty's will. We are your loyal-”
Theodore cut him off. “Speak freely. I wish to know what exactly worries you.”
For a few seconds, it was silent before the priest resumed. “Very well, Your Majesty.” He almost looked like he was a bit indignant while he replied. “The fact that Lady Althea Estien was suddenly announced to be the previous esteemed emperor's wife long after their deaths is shocking, and it raises questions. The previous esteemed emperor never even mentioned his connection to her in a single word. Thus, some people found it surprising to hear that she is indeed a member of the Estien family. We do not understand why the previous emperor would have hidden his marriage and why one would have needed to wait so long before revealing it.” He questioned whether that marriage was truly real.
He was correct too. This marriage had never happened.
But of course, the emperor wouldn't accept this without refuting it. Theodore just smiled back at the priest without showing any signs of weakness. “What do you mean to say?”
The priest, who seemed to keep discussing with the emperor, immediately replied. “I do not wish to say anything. I am merely pointing out what some people have asked questions about the sudden reveal. By now, rumors about the validity of that union have formed.” Saying that directly might have been a bad idea.
The first priest, who had been silent for a while, still didn't say anything. He just leaned back, drank his tea and watched how his colleague would deal with this, which proved that he knew how this would end and just relaxed in the meantime.
Cedar decided that it was time to chime in though. He swallowed his tea and spoke up. “I sincerely hope I misunderstood. Your words would indicate that you are doubting the emperor's words.”
The priest saw that as some sort of personal insult. “I did not mean to say that, Your Royal Highness. I merely said that some of our citizens are worried. As high priests of the temple, we need to gather information about such matters. Naturally, we need to consider the public opinion before coming to a conclusion here.” Why was he even discussing? His opinion didn't matter.
Theodore only needed the signature of one of the more influential high priests. Of the two that were here, one already wanted to help him. So, there was no need for the third man to agree to this.
Cedar was quick to remind him of that. “It is gracious of you to worry, but there is no need for you to do so. This topic is not one your institution needs to worry about. ‘The temple shall not hold any political power. While the servants of the gods may act to help our nation and support the citizens of Artias, they may never question the authority of our ruler, the emperor, as well as the authority of the royal family and the aristocratic families of Artias.’ Do you recognize that?” He paused for a moment to let the priests understand that before he continued. “That is the first paragraph of the laws connected to religion and the state. It is clearly stated that politics and faith are to be kept far apart from each other. The position of the dowager empress is clearly one of political nature. Theodore is the head of the Estien family, and so, the final decision will be made by him. Especially since this change does not detriment our citizens. Thus, the temple's involvement is unnecessary.”
Of course, the priest didn't calm down because of that. He didn't really care about the opinion of the public or the rest of the temple. He was probably one of the more conservative high priests and didn't like that Theodore suddenly reformed many parts of Artias. So, he might be a bit upset and try to purposefully block the emperor's ideas. It was just good that he was bad at hiding his intentions. “Your Royal Highness, I am very much aware of that. I am merely worried about His Majesty's reputation. He did countless things that worried the citizens these past months. Many question his judgment. After all, he decided to make a commoner empress, changed laws overnight and even allowed someone who committed treason close to him again.” Someone seemed to be a bit on edge for a priest. Now he tried to make the prince feel bad.
Cedar didn't care very much. But he could do what he was best at. Annoying other people. He spoke in a dramatic tone while putting on a dejected expression. “I should have known that my presence would cause trouble for my brother. It pains me to hear that. No one should question his judgment because of me. I would never do anything that could harm him again. I am aware of all of my mistakes and their consequences. Until the day that I die, I will carry this burden with me, and I will regret everything I did forevermore. However, my generous brother saw it in his heart to forgive me and granted me another chance.” He paused and put on a little smile while looking straight into the priest's eyes. “Forgiveness is one of the most important parts of your faith, is it not? From now on, I wish to assist our emperor in leading the nation toward a bright future for both us and our neighbors. Please grant me that chance.” The prince hadn't put in that much effort, but he had been successful.
The priest looked like he wasn't happy about being told something like that, but he didn't have the chance to comment on that.
Theodore already replied while scanning his brother from the side. “Hearing you speak like that is exhausting. You could just have told them that we have been working together for longer than the public knows and that the revolt failed on purpose. That would have answered their questions quicker.” He made it sound like Cedar had worked with him back then already once again. That was a complete lie and the opposite of the truth, but it seemed to help.
The priest didn't dare mention that topic anymore.
Cedar wouldn't have cared either way. He showed his brother a blinding smile. “Thank you for your kind words. However, does any of that truly matter? Not when it comes to the topic we need to discuss, right?” He focused on the priest across from him again. “The only important part is that Althea did, in fact, marry Father. We have three witnesses within this very room. Is that not right? Theodore was present during the ceremony, and I was there too. The one who performed the ceremony was the high priest sitting right next to you.”
That priest was Theodore's accomplice and had signed the marriage contract despite there never having been a wedding.
The second priest scanned his colleague with obvious distrust and was only met with a gentle smile. That made him turn away again. He gritted his teeth for a moment before he replied. “I understand.”
Theodore smiled at the group before asking once again. “So, you trust that there was a wedding? Then the rest should be easy to discern. Historically speaking, my mother deserves that title now.” He glanced to the side.
Cedar took that as his cue to continue the narration. “Indeed. The title of the dowager empress is currently given to the empress after someone else takes over her husband's throne. However, that position was originally supposed to honor the mother of the new emperor. This position would grant the woman who raised the ruler and led him onto the correct path power in return for her dedication to her son. If one applies that, it is quite obvious that my mother, Camille Estien, has no qualifications to claim that title whatsoever. Not only did she not raise Theodore, she also caused more trouble for him than anyone else. The person who raised Theodore and helped him to be the thoughtful and diplomatic person he is now was Althea Estien.”
Theodore didn't give the priest a break and just added something to that. “The ministers will not object, by the way. They already agreed. All members of the royal family, my wife, my brother and I, agreed as well. What I need is merely the signature of one of the high priests to, once again, confirm that the marriage between Mother and Father was lawful and that I am in the right to make her the dowager empress.”
Unexpectedly, the priests didn't argue against that. The one who had been discussing the whole time became oddly quiet too.
The kinder one of the priests just continued to smile while he replied. “Of course, we will support Your Majesty. We trust your judgment.” In the end, he had been the one with the final say in the matter.
A few minutes later, he signed a few documents for Theodore and even took one copy with him. Then both priests left with differing moods.
As soon as they exited the room, Theodore allowed himself to show his true feelings again. He grinned down at the documents on his table. He almost seemed to glow as he happily sorted the different copies and prepared to send one to the supreme judge.
Cedar gave him a few minutes. In the meantime, he focused on his contract again and finished some paragraphs before he spoke up. “I presume that this is it. Althea is now dowager empress, right?”
Theodore's reply came immediately. “Almost. I will write it into the family register, and I need to exchange the painting in the ancestral gallery with one of Father and my mother. Then it will be complete.” He read through the contract once again with a soft smile on his lips.
Cedar stayed silent for a few seconds before he replied. “Congratulations. It is an honor to be able to help Althea receive her title. It's just odd. I have the feeling that I wasn't needed here at all. Surely, I was a fitting alleged witness, but I could have explained that before returning to work. So, I wasted at least one hour because those men didn't finish their tea quickly enough. That means...” He knew it was mean, but he needed something important. “I helped you with your issue. Now you need to do something for me in return.”
Surprisingly, Theodore didn't bat an eye. “If you ask me for a favor, it has to be important. I'm listening.” He set down the documents and made eye contact with his brother.
Cedar hoped he wasn't going far with this request, but it should be alright. Both he and Theodore were morally gray, and this didn't involve hurting anyone, so it would not cause too much of a problem. “This isn't necessary for my survival, but I would like to research something specific. Lucille's father had an interesting document about her mother hidden in his desk. Unfortunately, I didn't have the time to skim through more than the first few lines. I need to read that document, preferably without Lord Valerian noticing anything. I can describe where its location is, so you would only need someone to pick it up and write me a copy.” Cedar finished and stared at the emperor in expectation.
Now it depended on Theodore's willingness to support his brother. The prince was lucky though.
It took a few seconds before Theodore let out a low sigh and replied. “You truly aren't making things easier for me. But Leon could work some magic. I will find a way for you to get that document.” Good.
Cedar showed his brother a bright smile in return. “Thank you.”