Page 122 of Alien Prince's Fake Bride
The room is quiet while he steps up on the podium and sits down on the Throne. His tentacles are not as pale, and they move more naturally than before. He looks healthier than last time I saw him.
“Crown Prince Mareliux,” he begins, his voice stronger than the sickly wheeze he could manage before. “Prince Nerox. Princess Umbra. General Grast. Caret’ax the Warrior. Young cornica.” He gives us all short nods. “Things have changed since last we spoke.”
Nobody says anything. I don’t think anyone expected him to seem this healthy, and I know that Mareliux isn’t sure how this will play out. They have been talking using the comms on theGladiux, and Mareliux has given the Emperor a full report of what happened. Skipping our marriage being fake, of course.
“The Empire was under the destructive influence of a Phrex alien for many years,” Craxallo goes on. “It nearly brought our Empire to destruction. Thanks to all of you, this didn’t happen, although the situation got far too close. It turned out that our wife, the Empress, was a Phrexz shapeshifter and that the woman we thought we married was an alien enemy.”
He speaks so clearly and with such determination that I can only assume this is being recorded somewhere, and probably it will be played on the visual media the Khavgrens have so people will know how close to destruction they got. His use of the royal ‘we’ makes it harder to follow what he says, but I’m sure I’ll get used to it.
“Even the Calanians were ruined and infiltrated,” the Emperor goes on. “The Phrexz would even sit on the Tentacle Throne sometimes, using its power to weaken our forces. It poisoned us and kept us weak for years while it systematically gained control over the Throne and started dismantling our empire. We have thought about this since we realized what had happened. It’s our opinion that none can be blamed. This was simply an astonishingly daring and well executed enemy plot. The shapeshifter was a perfect replica of Juriniel from the first moment. It would be next to impossible to reveal it, unless one were to carry out a thorough medical examination of the Empress. That has, of course, never been suggested by anyone. We married Juriniel in good faith and accepted her sons into the succession. Nobody suspected what was really happening. The Empire and the Throne thank Crown Prince Mareliux, Princess Umbra, General Grast, Prince Nerox, and Warrior Caret’ax for their invaluable service. There are also others who shall be honored, including the shock troopers of the Eighty-Second Assault Legion. Here are the decisions we have made about the Empire going forward.”
The tension in the room increases, and it looks like even the Throne freezes its movements.
The Emperor clears his voice, and for a moment I worry that he’ll start coughing again.
“We, Craxallo Imperator, shall continue as Emperor and use the Tentacle Throne to the best of our abilities. If it turns out that our use of the Syntrix has been permanently weakened, we will ask Prince Mareliux to take our place. But that will be seen in time.”
Mareliux’s hand relaxes. This was what he thought would happen — that Craxallo would continue his reign but lean more on others. With the Phrexz gone from his palace and his home and his Throne, there’s a good chance he will reign for many more years. He’s still old, but he looks much healthier than before.
The Emperor adjusts his robes. “As for the reign of the Empire, we find that this terrible plot was only possible because too much power is vested in one single person. That opens the Imperial Court and the Tentacle Throne to schemes such as this one that was only barely thwarted. The immense power and responsibility must be shared, so that no one person becomes too vulnerable to alien interference. While we shall still remain Emperor, we hereby decree that a Regent’s Council shall be founded. It shall consist of five trusted nobles and officers. Each will take turns ruling certain parts and elements of the Empire in a way to be determined later. A majority of the Regent’s Council may overrule any of its members, as well as the Emperor. However, only the Emperor may sit on the Tentacle Throne. This is hereby decreed.”
“Magnificence,” Mareliux begins as his hand clenches around mine so hard I wince. And I understand why. This idea is completely unexpected.
Craxallo lifts one hand. “We may ask for comments later, Prince. Now, this first of the Regent’s Councils shall consist of Prince Mareliux, Prince Nerox, Marshal Fortanusiux, Duchess Spure,and Quaestor Preniat. The first meeting of the Regents’ Council shall take place in six days, at noon. It shall be chaired by Prince Mareliux, but the chairmanship shall rotate among the members. Princess Umbra may attend the Council’s meetings, but does not have a right to speak or vote. Thus decreed. Now you may make your comment, Prince Mareliux.”
Mareliux gives my hand a final, hard squeeze and relaxes. “Magnificence. Perhaps it would be better to postpone the creation of the Council until we know more about the effects the Phrexz had on all of us.”
I get what he means: He thinks the Emperor may have lost his mind or still be under some kind of enemy influence. Because this doesn’t sound like a good idea. Especially appointing Preniat to such a high office. Though I like the idea of Darient sitting on that Council.
“We shall of course see any such lingering effect very soon,” the Emperor says, reaching up and touching a tentacle of the Throne. “But the Council is intended as a safeguard against it. And against any future plots by the Phrexz or any other enemy of the Empire.”
Mareliux’s hand is relaxed, but through our shared Syntrix I can sense that he’s worried. “Very well, Magnificence. Hopefully no such effect will linger, and the Council can be disbanded. The Emperormustremain the source of power, Magnificence.”
Craxallo nods slowly. “Of course all power rests in the Emperor. But a tempering force is needed, as we see from the Phrexz plot. And the Council will be that tempering force, to moderate the rule of the Empire. It will never need to be disbanded. Was there anything else?”
I sigh inwardly. It’s the same kind of thing I’ve seen in Space Force many times. Something goes wrong, and the officer in charge takes immediate steps to make sure it can’t go wrong again. Usually any decision made in that way is a really bad one that’s designed only to protect that officer. It’s doing something simply to be seen to be doing something,anything. And it usually only leads to more things going wrong until someone higher up steps in to fix theactualproblem. But here, there’s nobody above the Emperor. I get what he’s trying to do. But it doesn’t sound thought-through.
“Magnificence,” Nerox pipes up. “I have a confession to make.”
Craxallo peers at him. “A confession, Prince Nerox? Then by all means let us hear it.”
Nerox fidgets with his belt. “I imagine that Your Magnifience was as surprised as everyone else when Mareliux announced that he would marry. And marry an alien, at that.”
Mareliux pulls me closer and places his arm over my shoulder. “Analienwho just saved the Empire! I want everyone to remember that.” His voice resonates around the room.
“This is true,” the Emperor says. “We never had you figured for the marrying kind, Mareliux. But we suppose the heart wants what it wants. What a strange confession, Prince Nerox.”
“I’m not quite done, Magnificence,” Nerox says. “You see, Mareliux thought that you had commanded him to get married. He thought that if he didn’t, he would not be able to inherit the throne and be the next Imperator.”
Mareliux squeezes my hand and stiffens.
Craxallo frowns. “And why would he think any such bizarre thing?”
Nerox wets his lips with his tongue. “Because an Imperial Messenger came to him, Magnificence. She delivered a message that appeared to be from you. It was an order for him to get married before it was time for him to ascend to the Tentacle Throne. If he would not, the message stated that he would be removed from the succession and he would not be Emperor. That message wasn’t from Your Magnificence, of course. It was fromme. Pretending to be you, Magnificence. That is my confession.”
The throne room is quiet while everyone tries to process it.
Mareliux is the first to recover, chuckling softly. “Irreverentimp.”
