Lumieri Chronicles: Rise of the First Empire (Book 1)

Chapter 14 Promises, Promises

I wake up and see the same old ceiling above me.  I slowly get up and stretch out my kinks and head for the door, mostly out of habit and not because of my own desire to do so. Wandering the corridor, the servants and guards greet me with smiles and I respond in kind but just feels...empty.

I head to the throne room and sit in complete silence. It's been three days since my brother's death and my coronation soon after, my parents have been the ones running the kingdom since I've not been doing anything. The other territories that were probably considering on rejoining us immediately changed their minds and only gave us congratulations and condolences and left afterwards with the planned discussions about joining us a "consideration". The plan we had to take the other territories quickly ended in failure. I just don't know what to do. This is supposed to be my brother's throne, my brother should be king, not me! He should've had plans! Not me!

I continue to stare blankly around the empty room when my mother enters with a bang on the doors. "Leo, you need to stop it, we've sent spies to know who killed Louise so if you want to avenge him, strengthen the kingdom first."

"How!? I don't know what to do!?" I yell in a mix of anger and sorrow, tears streaming down my face. "This was supposed to be Louise's job, not mine! He should be king, not me!"

My mother approaches me and suddenly smacks my head hard. "Ow! What was that for?!" I look at my mother who now has tears in her eyes.

"To wake you up! Louise is dead! You're the king! Now go and fulfill your promise to him! What kind of face will your brother have if he sees you sitting there and letting what's left of our kingdom die? What will he think of his beloved little brother whom he entrusted the kingdom to just sit around without fulfilling his promise? What kind of face do you think he'll make when he sees we collapsed during your reign when you promised to strengthen the kingdom  back to its golden age?"

I recall my promise to Louise. How we would play with wooden soldiers as our army as they decimate the other kingdoms. How we expand Lumiere so as to reach an extent greater than the height of our power back in the past. How we were full of smiles whilst resting on the courtyard promising to fullfil it together. What am I doing? What would my brother think if I rule like this? I need to get my act together. Seeing that my mother has an obvious point, I closw my eyes and take a deep breath. "You're right Mother, I'm sorry. I don't know if I'll be as good as Louise would've been, but I'll try."

My mother looks at me smiling as she wipes away her tears. "I know you'll make us proud. An I'm sorry for smacking you on the head."

She starts stroking my hair in a motherly way but I try to reject it out of embarrassment. "I'm fine Mother, I guess I really needed that smack to make me realize what I need to do."

My mother smiles at the comment. "Then that's good."

She was about to leave when I call her back. "You say you and Father sent spies. Were those your private ones?"

"No, we sent our kingdom's spy network, not my private ones as they're still returning from their last mission. Why do you ask?"

"I want you to send out yours as well. When they return, tell them dig up whatever they can find about the whole fiasco that happened."

My mother nods at my words. "Okay then. Once they return I'll be sure to pass it on. And I know the perfect person to head it. As her part of her training."

"Train? You mean to tell me you plan on sending a novice?" I ask with surprise.

"No no, quite the opposite in fact. She may be seventeen years old but there's no denying her skill. I see her as an integral part of our spy network."