The Iron Mine and the Unyielding Emperor
Lucian Drake's brow furrowed slightly, the faint shadow of amusement flickering across his violet eyes. "And why not?"
A minister could not hold back any longer. His voice echoed across the high-ceilinged hall, firm with conviction. "Your Majesty, this is our land! Our territory cannot be ceded!"
Lucian's expression softened only a fraction, his voice calm yet imbued with authority. "Minister, you are correct. The homeland must never be surrendered. Yet… the Ironforge Kingdom is offering far too much to ignore."
With a grand sweep of his hand, Lucian gestured toward the distant horizon visible through the tall palace windows. "A mere three hundred K.M. of land—let them have it if they wish."
Shock rippled through the court. Another senior official rose, his face pale but resolute. "But Your Majesty, that land contains the Red Rock Iron Mine! If the Ironforge Kingdom gains control of it, they could produce weapons endlessly, posing a dire threat to the Drake Kingdom. I beseech you, reconsider!"
Lucian's chuckle cut through the tension like sunlight through morning mist. "Ministers, you need not fear. Even if they control the mine, it will take them years to manufacture weapons. Meanwhile, we now possess the wealth to purchase them outright—saving time, effort, and lives. Isn't that far wiser?"
A third minister, unable to restrain his outrage, jabbed a finger toward Lucian's nose. "Your Majesty, are you not afraid of eternal infamy? To relinquish your territory for the sake of a single woman…"
Lucian laughed heartily, the sound filling the marble hall like a clear bell. "Let them curse and whisper! They are merely sour grapes. If they wish to speak ill behind my back, I will have them all beheaded and see who dares!"
"Your Majesty, you must not!" The officials' pleas rose in a desperate chorus, the echo bouncing against gilded pillars.
Lucian's anger flared, a violet fire igniting in his gaze. "Whoever dares oppose me will be stripped of his office!"
The court fell silent as if frost had descended upon it. Officials shut their mouths, their pride and loyalty wrestling with fear. They had already fulfilled their duties; the responsibility and consequences now rested entirely upon the young Emperor who dared defy tradition.
A loud voice broke the hush. "Your Majesty, I have something to say!"
Lucian swiveled on the Imperial throne, his presence commanding, his violet eyes sharp as blades. "Prime Minister, what is it you wish to speak?"
Prime Minister Thomas White rose unflinchingly, his grey hair glinting under the lantern light. He bowed deeply, meeting Lucian's gaze without fear. "Your Majesty, the Red Rock Iron Mine is not merely part of our territory—it is a strategic bastion for our military. Young men of the Drake Kingdom fought fiercely to secure it. It is part of the foundation of our nation and cannot be traded. I implore Your Majesty to reconsider this command."
Lucian's fury ignited. "Prime Minister! Have my words lost all weight? The very first matter I attend to as Emperor, and you dare contradict me? You rely on age and past merits, assuming I dare not act? Do you truly think I fear you?"
Thomas's voice rang with unwavering loyalty. "Your servant is devoted to the Drake Kingdom, loyal to Your Majesty alone, harboring no ulterior motive. I beseech Your Majesty to see clearly!"
Lucian's chest heaved with controlled rage. After a tense pause, he said, almost gently yet with unyielding finality, "Very well. I shall honor your loyalty. From this day forth, you are relieved of your duties as Prime Minister. My dear uncle, you have labored for half a lifetime; it is time to rest."
Pale as death, Thomas White's eyes widened in disbelief. The Emperor—his sworn brother's son, the young man he had watched grow—had actually dismissed him.
A bitter, indescribable sorrow welled up in Thomas's chest. He had protected, guided, and advised this throne for decades, yet here he stood, undone by the very hand he had served.
The court collectively froze. The Emperor has truly dismissed the Prime Minister! whispers ran like lightning among officials.
Thomas White had been the right hand of the throne, indispensable in governance. By removing him, Lucian risked destabilizing the very machinery of the court. Yet none dared speak.
"Your Majesty, this—" one official began.
"No jesting in matters of state!" Lucian's violet eyes blazed. "Anyone who dares contradict me will be stripped of their office!"
Silence descended again, thick and suffocating. The dismissal, paradoxically, reassured the officials—they were safe so long as they obeyed.
Grand General Eldric Bennett rose to speak, but Thomas White's faint gesture halted him. Swallowing his words, he stepped back, frustration restrained.
Lucian's gaze shifted to the envoys standing nervously before the throne. "Envoys of the Ironforge Kingdom, once you deliver the promised gold, silver, jewels, grain, and tribute to the Capital, I will, as agreed, cede the Red Rock Iron Mine to you!"
Silas bowed low, his face pale but tightly composed. "Yes, Your Majesty of the Drake Kingdom!"
The tension in the hall remained, a silent storm of awe, fear, and the unspoken question lingering in every courtier's heart: What is this Emperor's plan? Is he mad… or brilliant beyond all measure?