Chap. 6 Daybreak on Virbula

Day's first golden rays reached the castle. Ebrude and his partners had been up most of the night waiting for Galaxo's awakening. One of the guards had heard rustling in the night but there was nothing out of place and Ebrude wouldn't let anyone go in and disturb him.

Now he would chance the outcome to see his master's fall. He should have never killed Tuhga, Ebrude's brother. You mess with one of us, you get both of us.

He assembled the guards and acted as though he'd found a great clue to the princess's disappearance. The servants were lined up in the halls as were the slaves. The Tenders wanted to be here when the "disappointing" news of Galaxo's death became public, and the names of the successors to take his place.

The thrown room guards opened the door and Ebrude entered. Just stepping in, he realized that something was not right. The food and wine trays and utensils were empty, but the emperor's body was nowhere to be found.

Realizing that this was a minor setback, Ebrude took charge. "See that the Tenders get full responsibility of the lands until our Emperor returns." He flicked his green-black hair and added, "I, as Galaxo's right hand, will assume his duties of rule. If anyone has a problem with it, now is the time to speak," he shot with a glint in his eye.

The guards knew better. Ebrude was known well for his excellent fighting skills with most any weapon. They also knew that the brothers had promised to take a wife out of the slaves of the greatest land they conquered by the age of 20, as some sort of trophy. Ebrude was 20 last month and he had already chosen the perfect bride.

Gathering the slave girl, Hakura, and the Tenders, the guards stood in the hall outside the thrown room to await their new orders.

First he spoke to Hakura, since she was the first to come in. "Hakura, I bet you are really pretty behind all that field dirt. Would you like to live in the palace and not work anymore? Be a princess, or better, an Empress? Empress Hakura Tantuly, that's pretty isn't it? Would you like that?"

He had his hand under her chin, pushing her nose close to his. She had wild frightened violet eyes, and he knew she would never disobey him. He knew she was pretty because he'd studied her at work. Her hands hadn't blistered in the work in the fields, a rare quality he complimented her on. He'd often cornered her in the past month he had been planning, to wear down her defenses toward him and had succeeded to.

Hakura nodded shakily, then, realizing he wanted an answer, "Do you mean what I think you mean, sir? Me and You? Are you sure? There's no one else...better?" he shook his head. "I don't believe it! I knew you thought well of me, but I would have never imagined...!"

"There isn't," he confirmed. Then, grabbing her shoulders, he gave her the most passionate kiss he was sure she'd ever had. "I want you to go upstairs to the master suite, get cleaned up, and when lunch comes, be ready for our wedding." Without resistance she did as she was told, almost in a dazed trance. Then Ebrude turned to see that his two accomplishes had entered and began making plans with them.