Steel and Sorrow: Ri Chapter 38: First session(2)

Chapter 38: First session(2)

All eyes in the grand chamber were fixed upon her, their collective gaze following her every move with attention. Each step she took reverberated through the silence of the hall, echoing off the polished marble floors and ascending to the ears of those seated in the front rows.

Accompanying Valeria were the stoic figures of the imperial guards, standing both at her side and that the young emperor.

As Valeria approached her son, she paused,and with grace, she took her seat upon the smaller throne positioned slightly behind and to the side of the emperor's, an acknowledgnt of her temporary role as regent.

sha, the young emperor, cast a nervous glance in her direction,anxiousness was in his gaze as he felt the stare of hundreds of people on him alone

For a fleeting mont, mother and son shared a silent exchange,before Valeria stared ahead.

He must learn on his own, was the thought that ca to her head , no one likes an indecesive ruler,and there would be no way that his son would be one.

As the sll of the herbs burnt the previous week lingered towards her nose,she decided to comnce the first session. She raised her hand, with the sa gravitas one would have when declaring a charge towards the ene and finally brought it down.

Imdiately after she did so , soone stood up from the back rows ,and walked out of his seat down the stairs.He was old, his head was bald, his face filled with wrinkles and he shivered so much that the empress feared that a small wind would blow his ones away like dust.

The man walked down using a cane, as two slaves stood at his side. His cane thundered on the stony ground with each step. After the fourth, he stopped a bit to breath and then started walking again.

'We are going to start by late evening if the old bone stop every two seconds ' Valeria thought as she turned to his son, who was watching the scene with a bored expression. Luckily this was to be a one-ti thing . The old man in question , since he was the oldest man in the room was given , as per tradition the role of 'Senex Arundus' whose job was that of basically mantaining order inside the council beating his cane in the ground each ti he wanted silence .

'Always if he does not break his hips coming down those stairs', she wanted to order his guards to grab the old man grab and move him to his seat, but she knew this was the traditional march that each Senex Arundus must do the first ti they are given the title.And since Valeria wanted to picture his son as the restorer of tradition , she needed to go all the way, even though she found it extrely boring

After what seed like an eternity the old man finally reached his seat, it was between the nobles and the emperor , and it was a lone marble seat with no decoration , nor anything to make it more comfortable, no cushion not even a place to lean with his back . More than a seat it was like a stone.

Finally those old bones settled on the chair, he leaned on his cane to regain his breath and when he was ready at last he raised his cane and brought it down on the floor.

A loud thud reverberated throughout the building, followed by the feeble voice of the old man erging from his bony and dry mouth.

"By the Authoritas'' he stopped a fit of coughs reaching his throat'' b- bestowed upon

by the role of Senex Arundus, I hereby declare the start of the first eting of the council, wisely reinstated by the ruler of the empire of Rolmia, sha Kantazokounes. May he live to be one hundred," he proclaid, his words carrying weight despite his frail form, before settling into his seat with a labored breath.

Observing the silent attention of the gathered nobles, Valeria, the Empress, sensed the opportune mont to make her presence known. Rising gracefully from her throne, she commanded the focus of the chamber with a quiet authority.

With both hands raised in a gesture of solemnity, she addressed the assembly of lords,

"My esteed lords, in the wake of a recent crisis that has befallen our noble empire, we mourn the loss of my late husband and your esteed emperor, Gratios. His strength and wisdom guided us through tumultuous tis, steering the realm away from the brink of chaos during the civil strife that marked his ascension to the throne."

Pausing for emphasis, her eyes scanned the faces before her, conveying both sorrow and resolve. "Yet now, I fear that once again, greed and injustice threaten to cloud n's judgnt, plunging us into madness."

A somber silence enveloped the chamber as her words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of responsibility and the gravity of the mont. "My heart aches at the prospect of discord among us. However, in the spirit of rcy and reconciliation, my dear son, our reigning emperor, has extended a gracious invitation to his elder brothers,prince Mavius and prince Maesinius to reach the capitle , promising that no harm will co to them.."

Her voice softened, infused with a glimr of hope. "They are called forth to Rolia, where they may pledge their allegiance to the rightful emperor and nd the fractures that threaten to divide our noble house. In return for their loyalty, they shall be granted pardon for past transgressions and bestowed with lands as a testant to the unity and strength of our empire."

As she finished so she sat once again, and the nobles saw it their mont to express their opinions.Which obvioulsy were all of agreent, who would be as so dumb as to deny that in front of the emperor and his regent?

''The emperor's rcy know no bound''

''Long live the emperor, may the Gods bless him ''

''Sha on Prince sha and Maesinius , may the gods direct them to justice''

As the assembled nobles erupted into applause at her proclamation, she watched sha intently, her eyes tracing the contours of his face as he absorbed the adulation of the crowd. There was a subtle softening in her features, a fleeting smile tugging at the corners of her lips, as she observed the scene .He liked the cheers, that was not good, an emperor should never be influenced by the opinion of rabbits.Eagles devour them, not lean their ears to them.

anwhile, sha stood at the center of attention, his young eyes wide with wonder and awe. His gaze swept across the sea of faces, as he just had his first proper taste of the power that n use over other n.

And so under the jubilant cheer made by the nobles, the first session of the council of the two hundred finally started. Which had as its only outco , the choice of the ssenger to send to the two princes.