Chapter 15: The Reward

Ciro(POV)

The large double doors open into a immaculate open space. As the sounds of the clicking of our boots come to. Hans, dressed in his attendant uniform with a white dress shirt and white neck tie, show casing a red rudy teardrop pendent in the centre with a black jacket and pants that gives him the look of a high rank noble with his long dirty blonde hair tie behind him with a red ribbon and black frame glasses. A golden pendant of a the house Kronos de Lux a golden lion with red ruby eyes that I gifted him after he came under my service which is pinned next to his heart to show his loyalty to me and the empire. Standing on the side at the bottom of the red carpeted stairs that leads up to the throne. I pass Hans as he bows his head in respect as I claim the stairs up and sit at my throne.

Seated I look down over the large black and white marble chess floor, eight large diamond chandeliers that glint in the sun light hang off the golden ceiling, along the side of the wall showing paintings of different artists from all over the empire and beyond and the on the other side is the floor to ceiling double glass doors that opens to the balcony which over looks the palace gardens and city. the light that shining through hitting the gold on the ceiling and floor making the room look more royally immaculat.

"You majesty, everything is set." Hans said as he looks up with a straight face.

"Hans, my dear friend smile for once please I beg you. Today is such a good day we will be giving the people that worked so had a reward. You must show them your kindness face." I said as I put my elbow on the arm rest and my chin on my fist showing a grin expression as i looked down on Hans.

"Yes, your majesty joy to all I must say. May I proceed now majesty" he said in a bored tone.

"Cheeky Hans" I smiled. "Yes you can."

"Bring him in." Hans spoke in a loud tone to the guards at the end of the hall they bowed then open the double doors.

A noble man dressed in a brown coat with navy blue pants and a navy blue expensive silk scarf around his neck decorated with a diamond pendant hanging on centre of the scarf. The man walks in the room with his noise in the air looking down on at the royal guards until he reaches the bottom of the stair to the throne. He stop swung his arm behind his back and bow with a dramatic flare the comes back up sport a cocky grin on his face think that he has won the favour of the Emperor.

'Good he is one of those.' I thought a I smiled to myself.

"Your majesty, thank you for the kind invitation I and my family are grateful for your kind word and support you have given us in our territory. For this I have not come empty handed but with gifts of gratitude. Please sir do accept this and look on to my family and territory with kindness." The man said with a poetic charm.

'Oh is that another grin. This will be good.'

Done with his speech the man looked up expecting me to smile and be blown away with his words. 'Fat chance buddy.' I thought as I rised my one eye brow at him and at the same time giving him a look of 'and who the hell told you to speak' look. I can feel my irritation fulling me up before anything has started.

'Calm yourself now, it's almost time just keep dangling the carrots' I said to myself always the same.

He come in here thinking that he out smarted me how cute and on top of that he thinks that I will be rewarding his stupidity. The only thing I want from him is his screams. Well before all that I will need him to beg and plea then give me the names of people who were part of the scam I mean what's more wonderful than a person rating out his people and yes I know, I know I'm not the bestest super kind Emperor you all inversion but as I said before I don't care.

Hans clears his throat making the idiot noble look at him and he gave Hans a scowling look of 'you can see I'm talking to the Emperor here.' but Hans didn't give any flying monkeys about the noble because Hans and everybody in the room already knew the fate of short minded noble. My irritation turns to amusement as the man really thought I was going to grant him a reward I mean the last man that walked in through those doors clicked immediately. He saw the empty room and guards surrounding the exits and that's when realise that this is not reward ceremony but this guy. Ha! I'm going to love this. Hans gives me a glance and see my expression change from boredom to excitement and I can imagine him giving a long winded sigh with his signature shaking of the head. He turns back to the man and spoke.

"Yes, his majesty will love your gifts Earl Maxtim. We have also seen how the works you have done on your territory and his majesty is very impressed and would like to reward you."

The man lips stretched into a smug smile as he bows dramatically again.

"Your majesty you are to magnanimous." He said in a prideful tone. I smiled slyly down at him.

Yes, this is what I want…no it's what I need. Hans waves his hand up to signal to the guard who stood at the side doors by the throne room he nods and opens the door then three more armed guards walk through with three others next to them in heavy chains.

The atmosphere in the room immediately changes as fear came on his faces as the three guards push them up to the bottom of the stairs of the throne. A elder noble women who dressed in a expensive purple and gold gown with jewellery all over her hair, neck and hands also covered with makeup all over her face looking like a clown that's seen better days. The other two was a young women and a young man. The guards dragged the three people and threw them on the marble floor. Sounds of protest came from them along with the clacking of the chains. On they knees the women sees the noble man standing next to Hans. I never thought it possible that a persons face can turn more pale but never say never. The women makes a small cry of shock making the other two look up and turn to see what the woman in the purple and gold gown was looking at and they still.

"Father?" The young noble women said in a small voice. That must be the daughter. The father in question stood there in shock as the events unfold. The woman in the overly large ugly ball gown dress began to crawl to the Earl feet as the chain drag behind her one of the guards started to walk up to her to pull her back but I rose my hand to stop him. The man stopped and step back to his place.

" Henry, Henry darling! please help us! I don't know what's happening, please help us! They just came out of nowhere in our home and took us please.! Say something don't just stand there!" She said in a scared panicked voice as she grabbed on his pant leg in fear. The Earl just stood there motionless, pale face in shock and understanding that this wasn't a celebration. Ah yes! that's it this is what I wanted. Can you feel it.

"Earl Maxtim, your project in the Empires land has been investigated and we have found irregularities. We found out that money is missing leaving that project incomplete, under age slave labour and deaths of those under age slaves." Hans said in a detached voice while his reads off the paper in his hand.

"I can explain your-" the Earl studded as sweat beans off his fat round face.

"Also missing residents in your territory that were found dead, abuse against the staff in your household, neglect to the people in your territory from food and basic necessities."

"Ok ok I understand!" The Earl said in fustration as his wipe the sweat from his forehead with a crisp gold handkerchief. They really do love gold in this family.

With hands shaking the Earl found his courage to look up to me. I was still in the same position with my elbow on the side arm on the chair propped up, my hand in a fist under my chin looking down at the fat heavy breathing Earl. He smiled a small sheepish smile up at me showing is crooked yellow teeth like this is just a small matter and I should understand. I cocked my eyebrow making him flinch then his quickly looks down and his body starts shaking.

I swear it's like I've been beating him for hours and is about to crack open.

"Please do explain yourself Earl Maxtim. My ears are open." I said with a wicked smile. Knowing that what ever he says now will not change anything for him and his family.