It was a fond memory of his. One of the few ones he had.
“You're an idiot.” Cedar knew that it was nothing he should do when he wanted to keep at least a little elegance in front of this guest. But in the end, it was over anyway. Since he already had the chance, he just squeezed her cheeks gently, easily fitting both sides of her face between his thumb and index finger.
As always when Blanche got mad, she was more than expressive. Her forehead showed small wrinkles as she glared at him with that typical fiery personality of hers. “I'm an idiot? How am I the idiot when you lied to me for the past few months? You could have told me who you were!” She was probably the only one that dared to speak to the prince like this.
Also, the only one that still didn't gaze at him with disgust or fear even when he was her lover's mortal enemy.
Cedar let out a chuckle upon seeing her scrunched-up face.“Anyone with working eyes should have been able to figure it out. If you had thought about it for even a second, you would have too. You didn't, so you're an idiot.”
Blanche should certainly be at least a bit more intimidated, but she still didn't seem to understand what situation she was in. She just puffed out her cheeks and pressed her lips together. She was seriously pouting at him.
Cedar almost laughed again, but he held back. This was a new reaction to someone finding out who he was. Well, this single title a servant had accidentally used changed a lot anyway. Blanche now knew that he was her enemy, so she would keep her distance. Cedar didn't allow himself to question how he felt about that when it didn't matter. He wouldn't see her again after this, and that was fine since he had fulfilled his only goal of getting to know Sefare's puppet. He knew that she would never betray Theodore, so he should ignore that they had met for weeks and focus on getting out of confinement instead.
Cedar decided not to draw it out unnecessarily either. He had to go back to training, so he should end this here somewhat gracefully. “You seem quite upset. Did I offend you? Don't take this to heart. I call many people idiots.” He gave her cheek an affirming pat after and only remembered to withdraw his hand a moment later. This was inappropriate. He should know better than to make this even more uncomfortable for Blanche. Cedar turned and prepared to walk back to the south palace while giving her a single wave with his hand. “Have a safe travel home, Lady Blanche. I wish you good luck for your future.”
He only took a few steps when he heard Blanche's voice again. “Wait.” She sounded a little more uncertain now, which made Cedar turn to face her. He fully expected some insults or threats, but instead, he was met with Blanche's obvious dejected expression. She barely seemed like she dared to voice this, but she did it anyway. “Can I...come again anyway?”
That was the last thing Cedar had expected. It confused him so much that his smile widened. “What?” He was sure that this had been a mistake, but Blanche didn't correct herself and just lowered her head. This made Cedar turn to her fully as he couldn't help but be a little cautious, his smile still as wide as ever. “Are you aware of what this looks like? You do know what my relationship with Theodore is like, don't you?”
Blanche grasped the sides of her puffy dress tighter while keeping her eyes glued to his feet. She didn't dare to meet his gaze and still ended up saying something quite daring. “I know that this is strange. I also know that I shouldn't be here. But...” She swallowed. “I don't want to stop seeing you like this. Even if this might be wrong.”
What a surprise. Theodore's loyal little lover wasn't too aware of what was going on after all. Why else would she wish to drink tea with someone who conspired against the emperor?
Cedar shouldn't have any personal feelings about this at all. He should just see this as a chance to find out more about the palace. So, he forced his voice to stay calm while he replied. “Well, if you are self-aware about doing something stupid, it's good. You're less of an idiot than many others.”
He wanted to keep speaking like that, but when Blanche's shoulders slouched, she seemed a bit too upset to him. Did she really want to see him again? Maybe this was her way of gaining information on her enemies in return. Cedar should only read it as this, and he should also ignore Blanche's moods when he knew that she got upset far too quickly even when he hadn't even meant to offend her.
But as usual, Cedar found himself reacting to this more selfishly than he should. He replied almost immediately, just to keep Blanche from looking so dejected, even when he still didn't dare utter an invitation. “You should have figured out that I am stuck in this property by now. If you want to come again, it's not like I can run away.”
And that was enough for Blanche's face to light up with relief like the most beautiful flowers that blossomed in spring.
They hadn't made an empty promise that day. Blanche had indeed visited him many times after that, and they had become close friends despite her knowing who he was. In the process, Cedar had also forgotten to keep his personal feelings out of this and had grown to cherish Blanche more than he should.
But that didn't matter now.
Those were only fond memories because they could never go back to that. After all, Blanche had been executed over two years ago.
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Cedar's whole life had been miserable. Somehow, it was no surprise that he also couldn't enjoy the thing he had worked for ever since his very birth. It might be pitiful to admit it, but he didn't even feel a tinge of satisfaction as he sat on his throne and waited for his coronation.
The ballroom of the royal family was full. Even though the murderer of the former emperor would be crowned today, almost all nobles of Artias had come. Not a single family had refused to attend, not even Theodore's closest allies. They were all standing here silently while waiting for the ceremony to progress without uttering a single complaint. Neither of the high priests that would join the coronation seemed bothered either. Instead, the most powerful one of them just stood there in his white robe with a golden cross while he spoke about the temple being the royal family's loyal servant. He went on with this for a long time even when he should know that the future emperor couldn't care less.
Everyone waited for a new coronation just barely a month after the last emperor had bled out on the grave of his falsely executed lover. A month after Cedar had marched into the palace while publicly demanding a duel from the grieving emperor that had barely taken care of Artias anymore.
A month since Cedar stabbed a sword right into his brother's body.
He had thought that this would alarm the people around him a little, but apparently, that wasn't the case. Many nobles had already changed to the second prince's faction after Theodore had started drinking and becoming overly harsh with anyone that tried to offer help while neglecting the nation in favor of grieving for Blanche. After his death, most others had also joined Cedar's side. He could understand those people as they had seriously doubted the previous emperor's capabilities to rule.
But there were also some people that had clearly just wanted to profit. They had left Theodore's side while he had fought in the war against Northern Ocrea to keep Artias alive. All of those liars had only supported him until Cedar had brought the capital's economy into his hands in the meantime. Dirty traitors. He should probably take note of those names to ensure that they wouldn't stab him in the back later, especially those that didn't even seem uncomfortable with the fact that their new ruler had killed the old one.
Though, Theodore truly hadn't wanted to live at the date of his death anymore anyway. He had been known as a true tyrant during the past few months, so none of this was a surprise. His death left people uninterested and even relieved since the nation had to be in better hands now.
Just two years ago, Theodore had been the golden child that was always blessed and never lost. Now he rotted in the ground after he had been buried next to his Blanche.
All of this was so ridiculously tragic that Cedar couldn't help but be upset. He should be content sitting on this throne, but he wasn't. In fact, he was more than angry. And that was enough to make his face want to return to his usual expression. Holding back his smile during the whole coronation was bad enough, but getting upset and still not being able to cover it up was almost torture. That stupid smile was usually edged into Cedar's face, so going without it strained him more than anything else. Apparently, it was noticeable.
Camille, who stood next to his throne, took a step forward and put her hand on his shoulder to whisper to him. “You are smiling again, Cedar.” It was ironic to hear her say that while her smile shone as brightly as the sun. She was so content with herself.
But Cedar agreed that he couldn't grin after being crowned for murdering his brother. He quickly concentrated on keeping his expression grim again. “I apologize, Mother.”
Camille squeezed his shoulder gently. “Don't apologize. We finally did it. I can't keep myself from being content either. But it is important that you seem serious now.” Then why was it fine for her to beam like her greatest dreams had come true after her second son had murdered her first one? Maybe because that had been her greatest dream. At this point, she didn't bother hiding it since she knew that she had won anyway. But correcting her would be useless too.
Cedar directed his attention to the ceremony again. It seemed like the high priest was finally done with the speech. The man faced the servant carrying the most important object of this ceremony, who happened to be Harris, and gently picked up the heirloom of the Estien family. He presented the huge crown to the crowd and then turned to the thrones to progress with the ceremony.
Cedar wanted to get this over with quickly too, but he knew that he couldn't rush things. He had to do one last thing before the ceremony finished. He lifted his hand to stop the high priest and faced the guests as he addressed all of them at the same time. As usual, he didn't even feel a hint of nervousness upon talking to the whole group that was forced to agree with him no matter what he said anyway. “Before we continue, it is my responsibility to give the nobility of Artias a chance to speak up. I would understand if some of you have qualms about crowning me as the emperor due to the nature of my brother's demise. It was a fair duel with both parties agreeing, but some questions might remain. For that reason, I would ask those who worry to raise their hands and voice their concerns now.” This was the last chance for them to interrupt.
But as expected, not a single person snapped out of their cowardice to speak. Even though their new emperor had murdered the former one and everyone here knew that, no one protested. Maybe because they didn't dare or because they knew that Theodore had lost his mind before his death. Either way, this meant that no one would stop Cedar anymore.
The high priest looked around nervously and seemed relieved that no one spoke. So, he continued. “As there are no objections, we will resume the ceremony.” He slowly walked toward the crown. “Cedar Estien is the only male member of the royal family and thus, has a claim on the throne. Will you accept this duty and swear to live for Artias first and foremost and that you will lead our nation to fortune?”
Cedar had been forced to memorize the words he needed to say now ever since he had been a small child. Now they felt unnatural when he said them officially without the slightest bit of hesitation. “I accept. I swear to take on the responsibility that the crown carries with it. I, Cedar Estien, shall devote my life to nurturing Artias and leading us into a future that is full of peace, prosperity and fortune. I shall give my all to ensure that each citizen of our nation can live the best life that I can possibly enable them to live. I will make it my goal to protect each of the people of Artias and promise to support the commoners as well as the nobles. Thus, I ask you to put your trust in me and pledge your loyalty to me.”
Now it was the guests' turn to reply, which they did while bowing to their new emperor. They all accepted the future ruler and could not change their minds without being accused of treason anymore.
The high priest could finalize it now. He lifted the crown before bowing down and slowly putting the ultimate symbol of the royal family on Cedar's head. “With the power that has been granted to me by the temple, I am hereby crowning the righteous heir to the throne, Cedar Estien, the emperor of Artias. May Your Majesty be a wise ruler and protect our nation from more pain and loss.”
The crown was as uncomfortable as Cedar had found it to be upon being a child. He remembered being seven and being quite excited when Theodore had actually let him carry that crown just once, only to be disappointed since it weighed more than the heaviest books in the royal library. Now the crown fit Cedar's head properly, and it still wasn't any more pleasant. The rim of the crown was cushioned to protect his scalp from the pressure, but it still felt like this symbol of power could only drag him down.
This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
The ceremony resumed anyway. The three dukes and duchesses stepped forward to bow down once more in an exaggerated manner to show their loyalty to the new ruler. If one didn't know the background here, maybe that would seem more convincing. With the background information, it was quite obvious that Duke Duremont tried to hide how tired he was, but he couldn't do it. After Theodore's death, it had been quite obvious that his family would lose a lot of power, especially since their daughter had been put on trial for framing Blanche as a murderer. Now their family had to live with the knowledge that their daughter had caused the former emperor's insanity and also had to maneuver in a difficult situation with a new ruler that was technically their enemy.
A glance at them alone filled Cedar with disgust, but he didn't allow himself to show it. Every second he wasted on thoughts of Seraphina Duremont took away more of his patience. He didn't plan on hurting her family for her crimes, but if his anger rose any more, he might change his mind. But that didn't matter yet. He had to stabilize the capital's suffering political system before he could have his revenge.
Cedar just focused on the dukes in front of him and accepted their pledges one after the other. He ignored how sickly Duke Duremont looked and also how smug Duke Vasquez seemed to be. It looked like Claude still had no idea that his nephew knew what he was planning and that he wouldn't play along with it. Cedar treated all three dukes the same before moving on.
Before he could really continue, Camille leaned down to him though. “Will you already announce your advisor, or do you want to have the day for ourselves? Both would be fine. Just don't let him wait too long, or he will get impatient.” True. She expected him to make Claude his secretary. After all, the Vasquez family had supported them for a while.
But today would have to be the first time that Cedar knowingly refused to obey his mother. He wouldn't play into Claude's hands. “Do not worry, Mother. I will take care of this right now. Just give me ten minutes to finish the ceremony.” He turned his gaze to the guests again.
What followed was half an hour of people coming to congratulate him while they also tried to win his favor. Some others were quite scared, but most seemed to be willing to bet everything on this new emperor. Though, it was also clear that everyone still treaded carefully while trying to figure out how harshly this new ruler would react to their words. Cedar would have to find a slim middle ground between dealing out harsh punishments to his enemies and also seeming composed and generous. Though, that might not be too hard when he was compared to Theodore, who had doubled the number of execution each month during the last year of his reign.
For now, Cedar just opened the buffet and the dance floor after giving a short speech about Artias' future. Then he decided not to delay it any longer and addressed the topic of the royal advisor. Everyone seemed sure that Claude would be named, so Cedar was happy to smash their expectations. “As you all know, a royal advisor is necessary to ensure the safety of our nation's political foundation. Thus, I can only think of one extremely capable person that could take on this post. They already proved that they are well-versed in many topics and that they can work hard for Artias. I wish to rely on their skills even now. I am hereby granting the title of the royal advisor to Marquess Leonard Astame.”
The people in the ballroom gasped. Cedar only glanced at Claude though. The other man looked like he had seen a spirit, and then he became so wrathful that it was obvious that he already planned an execution in his mind. Cedar almost smiled in response, just because he forgot to hide his usual expression. Though, he forced himself to seem indifferent quickly as he glanced at Leonard Astame and waited for a reply.
Leonard Astame, Theodore's former close friend and advisor, had been eaten up by grief ever since the previous emperor's death. He hated Cedar. And yet, he had come today. Yet, he would consider this option. He knew that meddling in the political affairs here could only be beneficial for Artias. Then he could at least save the last things Theodore had left behind in this world. So, his reply wasn't surprising as he stepped forward and bowed to the thrones. “I accept.”
The people in the ballroom almost lost their minds and started whispering loudly. No one seemed to understand this.
Especially Camille didn't find the situation funny. She hurried forward and dug her fingers into Cedar's shoulders while hissing at him. “What are you doing, Cedar?”
Cedar turned his head to her and whispered to keep others from hearing him. “Allow me to explain.”
As usual, Camille didn't listen. She just grew angrier and snapped at him again. “No, you tell me what this was right now. Are you insane? You can't just put that bastard into such an important position because you-”
Cedar knew that she would just get louder if this resumed. So, he leaned closer and whispered again, with more emphasis in his voice now. “Mother. Don't you think that Claude is becoming quite arrogant? Just because he is our close friend, he already believed that he could control you. Do you remember how he tried to tell you what to do? Should we continue like that? No. Of course not. We need to remind Claude that he is just our dog lying in wait, that he will only receive treats when we decide to give them to him.”
And just like that, Camille was easily convinced to comply with her son's idea. She calmed down instantly but seemed a bit skeptical still. “I see. But...is putting your brother's stupid servant at your side a good idea?”
Cedar could easily justify that too. “I need to win over Theodore's last supporters. How could I do that better than by taking in one of his best people? It also allows me to control Lord Astame without any issues. Do you think I'd trust that man? No. I'll keep an eye on him at all times.” And Leonard was also one of the most skillful politicians in this nation. Cedar needed him for that and possibly for some secret assassinations too. But he didn't say that. He just left it at this.
As expected, Camille fell for it easily. A smile grew on her lips as she threw away her last doubts and replied while reaching over to pinch his cheek. “Oh, Cedar. My clever little boy. I knew that I could rely on you.”
Cedar smiled at her in return. Finally being able to cover up all his annoyance again was more than relieving. “Always, Mother.” He slowly stood up from his throne and fully ignored how the heavy crown and cape weighed him down. Turning to his mother, he offered her his arm. “Please allow me to escort you. We should speak to our citizens now.”
His mother complied immediately. She locked her arms with him and seemed more than content as he led her toward the guests. For her, this probably felt like another part of her victory celebration.
For Cedar, it symbolized something else. He switched back to his scheming view of the world as he scanned the people in the ballroom. He rarely had the chance to gather everyone in one room, so he had to use this chance to find out what everyone was planning.
One glance at the visitors already revealed much about the factions that had formed. The minority was still neutral and tried to stay away from the main factions, which consisted of the people that had once supported Theodore and the others that followed Cedar. Frankly, Theodore's death had made this much more difficult. Both sides basically seemed to lie in wait to attack the other at this point, which was dangerous since the former emperor's supporters were getting weaker day by day.
That was a huge issue. Artias needed a few powerful groups to function without turning into an unstable mess. To ensure that they could continue peacefully, Cedar had to intervene. The political stability would fall apart soon if one faction lost, which meant that he needed to strengthen the apparent losers while weakening his own people. He had to do most of that behind closed doors, but choosing Lord Astame as an advisor had been the first step in the right direction. This wasn't enough though. He had to do more.
As Cedar wandered through the room and greeted all guests, one question rested on his mind. How could he use these people? That was the only thing he needed to consider. Each family and person here could be a threat to him, but he could also use them to win if he did it right.
Starting by Duke Duremont. This man would basically have to do everything for him at this point. Henry Duremont had been Theodore's strongest supporter, but ever since his daughter, the former empress, had been divorced and accused of treason, he had lost a big portion of his power. With the emperor's death, it might seem like his household had no chance to continue to exist. Though, he would get an opportunity to fight for his family now. Henry was more than aghast when Cedar greeted him before the Vasquez family. The conversation was tense, but that the emperor had even acknowledged the Duremonts meant a lot.
Cedar didn't spend a lot of time with them, but he already thought about ways to use them. When this conversation was done, he led his mother, who complained about the Duremonts quite openly, to the Vasquez family. He already prepared for a troublesome interaction here, so he wasn't surprised when he barely uttered the greeting and was immediately snapped at.
Claude was boiling at this point, his head utterly red as he raised his voice a little. “Good day, Your Majesty. How could you make that man your royal advisor when you-” Maybe Theodore had dealt with this kind of disrespect, but the new emperor wouldn't.
Cedar shut down every small bit of resistance immediately, meeting Claude's gaze directly while smiling at him so openly that this could only be understood as a threat. “Your Grace, it would be best for you to remember to be quiet. You are raising your voice at the emperor of Artias.”
Claude backed off immediately. He seemed to know that he wasn't powerful enough to gain anything here yet. That was why he gritted his teeth and then forced himself to be quiet instead of screaming at the other man. “You promised that I would become your advisor.” How upset he was about this.
Cedar beamed back at him. “When did I do that? I do not remember uttering those words. I said that I would reward everyone on my side, but I did not assign positions yet, did I?”
The other man was right, and that angered Duke Vasquez so much that he got louder again. “No, but you could at least have told me when we discussed this. I fully relied on Your Majesty. Why would accept that useless man? We were the ones that paved the way for you!” How arrogant. He wanted to be close to the new emperor despite being nothing but a damn traitor?
Did he really think that Cedar didn't know what he had done? At this point, it was quite obvious that Duke Vasquez had never supported the second prince. Instead, he had merely pushed Cedar forward to hide his true intentions. The fact that he was trying to gain power in the background was rather obvious.
Cedar was well aware that Claude wanted him dead and that he had to be careful. That was the only reason he didn't admit everything openly, but he still found clear words. “Were you truly? Did you do anything to help me? As far as I remember, I personally took the crown by winning over my allies and defeating my brother in a duel. This has nothing to do with you.”
Claude wanted to talk back, but he seemed to notice that he wouldn't progress here. He forced himself to be quiet despite his pride, which was the first sign that announced that he would try to eliminate Cedar soon. That was the only reason why he settled down quietly now. “I apologize, Your Majesty. I do not know what came over me. Of course, you are correct. This will not happen again.” He would use much more violent weapons from now on.
Cedar would know when to strike back, and he wasn't one to hold back. But for now, he just put on a bright smile and decided to prepare everything slowly. “Good. Then we won't have to discuss this in such an ugly tone.” He kept beaming as he turned to Selena, his aunt, who seemed quite unhappy upon seeing her husband quarrel with the new emperor. Even now, she looked like she wanted to make up for Claude's mistakes. But she might not know how big her husband's plans were. She wouldn't stay with him if she knew that he wanted her nephew's death. So, Cedar wanted her to stay out of this. “I wish you a wonderful day, Your Grace. Has your journey here been pleasant?” He held his hand toward her to offer her a small hand kiss. He rarely did that. Usually only when he wanted to tell the concerned person something.
Selena already recognized that as she took a step forward and lowered her head to listen to him. She was utterly worried before he even spoke. “Your Majesty...”
Cedar didn't have much time when they stood directly in front of Claude, so he did it as swiftly as he could and whispered that under his breath. “Divorce him. Quickly.” He let go and stepped away.
Selena had understood him, but his words scared her. Her eyes widened as she just stared at him in shock. “What?”
Cedar was quick to cover up her reaction with a bright smile. “I apologize. Did I speak too quietly? I just wished to tell you that you look stunning today, dear aunt. It seems like the past weeks were very kind to you.” He swiftly directed the conversation in another direction and smiled at Luciano. “To all of you. Then let me greet you too. I wish you a wonderful evening, Lord Vasquez.”
Luciano frankly looked like he hadn't slept well for the past weeks. He was a clever man, so Cedar assumed that he had seen through his father's ridiculous plans. It was no wonder he barely managed to fake a smile in return. “It is an honor to meet you, Your Majesty. Congratulations on your coronation.”
In contrast, Cedar showed his perfect smile without any issues. “I sincerely thank you. It is wonderful to have all of you gathered here.” He turned to the last person in the group, even when she wouldn't be able to reply to him much. “And here we have the small lady of the family. How have you been, Lady Vasquez?”
Rebecca was Selena and Claude's daughter, who was two and a half years old now. She was quite the sweet little girl, who was very attached to her mother and older brother. She also liked her cousin a lot, so it was no surprise that she favored him in this huge group of people. Her pronunciation was still a bit slurred when she addressed him, but he could understand her. “Cedar...” She extended her short arms to him, probably to hug him like she always did when they met. But doing that wouldn't be possible now.
If there was something Camille was sensitive to, it was people ignoring her son's rank while daring to act like he was close to them, no matter what her son said about this. She couldn't care less that this was a toddler or that Cedar liked Rebecca. Instead, she raised her voice to snap at the girl with much more resentment than a child should face. “Does this ball seem like a casual event to you? Don't call the emperor by his name. Did no one teach you to use his title from now on?”
Rebecca, who typically cried easily, only needed that much to tip her over. She hurriedly hid behind her mother as quiet wailing came from her and tears ran down her face. This just earned her a dirty look, which she couldn't even see.
Selena saw it though. She immediately panicked as she tried to hug her daughter while also talking to Camille. “Sister, I sincerely apologize. But Rebecca didn't mean it. His Majesty allowed her to-”
As always, Camille didn't let her talk back. She just interrupted her. “But Cedar is emperor now. Do you wish to question the validity of his title?” She said that right after demonstrating that she was the only one that was allowed to say his name. As if to underline that fact, she linked her arm with his quickly and stood even closer to Cedar than before. “Are you looking down on him just because he's your nephew? Do you think that'll give you the right to address him however you see fit?” She got louder near the end.
Selena understood that her sister was serious now and hurriedly tried to please her. “Of course not! We never intended to say any of that. Please, Becca just-”
“Stop with your excuses. Your child should learn to behave. She's already this old and still can't obey despite knowing the rules. How disappointing. It's even more useless than it was with you as a child.” Camille said such harsh words without a sliver of shame or even sympathy. She truly just pushed for what she wanted without regard for others. It was painful to witness and also embarrassing.
Rebecca was a toddler. She shouldn't have to focus on things like this. To her, Cedar was simply her cousin who sometimes played with her. Of the nobles in this room, merely a single person would blame her for calling him by name and reaching for him. Children of this age usually weren't even brought to events like that, and when they were present, they weren't expected to act by all noble conventions. Criticizing her like this was ridiculous.
It made Cedar want to ask his mother how she still hadn't understood that children didn't like this treatment after raising him. But of course, he just smiled brightly as he chimed in to mediate. “Now, now. There is no need to be so harsh, Mother. Today is a joyous day. Naturally, Rebecca would be excited as well. She must be happy for me.”
And once again, Camille seemed to have changed her personality in an instant. She gave him a soft smile now and leaned against him while reaching up to pat his cheek. “Of course. All of us are happy for you, my dear son. The only one that could be happier than all of them is me, your mother.” She always had to push herself into the foreground. That was quite typical for her. It was also no surprise that she was still upset with her sister and her niece, which caused her to announce that they would leave quickly. “Anyway. Cedar and I will greet the others now. Have a nice evening.” She pulled Cedar away after without even asking what the emperor wanted.
Cedar didn't complain. He had to meet other people to figure out whether he could use them anyway. He might as well use this ball properly.