Prologue Three, Aurum City
At the end of a large marble hall, where every nook and cranny is filled with intricate carvings and decadent displays of wealth, stood a simple wooden chair. It would seem very much out of place, but the man who sat on it made it seem very much like the throne it was. Green velvet drapes hung loosely from the shoulders and elbows of his otherwise form-fitting suit, piling along the legs of the chair. The man seemed bored as he slovenly rested his head on his palm, seemingly disinterested in the mumbling and hushed whispers coming from the group before him. In his hand, he held a lock of golden hair. Every once in a while, he would move his eyes and look down at the hair in his palm, and a knot would tighten in his chest. ‘Enough’, he thought and stood up.
“It has been three days. She has not been found anywhere in the city. Search the Slums.” the man said, his voice deep and rusted from days of not being used.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
At once, like a ripple, people went mute and lowered their heads into a faint bow.
“Lord Emperor,” a middle-aged man spoke up amongst the crowd, “Even if one of those managed to gather the courage to do something so audacious as this, there is no chance they could enter the city, never mind the Imperial Stronghold.”
“Aventus,” the Emperor sent a frosted look devoid of feeling towards the middle-aged man, “I gave a command, not an opinion.” Sitting back down, he swept his gaze over the crowd, “Have all the infants in the city brought before the wet nurse who delivered her. Also, make it known that anyone who gives information that leads to the retrieval of my daughter will become part of the Golden Caste,” he locked eyes with Aventus “regardless of current standing.”
The crowd scattered with a wave of his hand, off to meet his demands. Only a single straggling figure halted at the end of the hall to throw a concerned glance over his shoulder, “I’ll find her, brother, I swear.” he said, taking larger strides as he headed towards the exit of the Stronghold; his golden hair whipping in the draft as pair of a towering gold-plated gate were opened.