Embers and The Fiend

Chapter Sixteen

Izo frowned deeply as he watched the hired help repair the damages of his estate.

The lawns and manicured gardens were ruined from the fire rampage and debris, statutes were crumbled and stained with blood from his unfortunate guests, and various windows were shattered and broken throughout the building. The pathway towards the estate was littered with decomposing bodies that had yet to be sent to their mourning relatives.

Izo frowned deeply with displeasure. The debutante was his ticket to achieving more status and higher nobility, and it was all dashed away because some street rat decided to choose him as a prime candidate to rob. Not that Izo blamed the urchin; he was the wealthiest in the entire country and possessed the most land, who didn't want to rob him? Though entirely upset with the series of events that happened, Izo knew he was intelligent to find a positive outcome for himself.

This raid had worked perfectly in his favor aside from the damaged property. Thinking about it, with all these opportunities available to him, he could easily conquer this country without even becoming Emperor. Instead of kissing the heels of lords, he had an easy pick of the territory without influenced politics, he could even have as much influence as to rid the ban of trade and travel with other countries. He could acclaim more wealth, and possibly even more lands. Oh the letters he would write!

Though still, the raid had tarnished his name slightly until those idiotic lords realized he had the means to buy anything he wanted save the succession of the throne. The accusation that he had stolen goods was all just a ploy to distract, kill, and rob. The Emperor's accusation had struck his ego into shambles, but Izo believed the Emperor had received his just desserts when his precious mistress was ripped to shreds by that monstrosity. That same monstrosity that had almost sunk its teeth into his glorious flesh. He had barely made it towards the secret chamber with the hallway of mirrors because out of the courtesy to be a good host and not seem as a coward to his fellow noblemen. All because of his reluctance to follow Izo and get to safety, his beloved mistress' death was on his head and not Izo's. As soon as Izo had discovered her body when the chaos had passed and that horrid beast vanished in thin air, his ego was restored to its finery once again.

When the chaos had subsided and the robbers gone, Izo went straight to work in collecting information. The ones with little land and nobility were sent home first, their decaying bodies could have been thrown on a cheese cart for all he cared but he maintained in having some decency in having their bodies wrapped and bound. He knew he would receive favors for his compassion. He even had the decency to have his servants clothe them in fresh clothes. He didn't care if those plebeians retched as their bare hands touched decaying maggot infested flesh.

As Izo turned from the window and settled on the onyx and silver chaise in his bedchamber, his thoughts stirred into looking for positive points of all those who were slaughtered at his daughter's debutante.

He now had official claims to the Shisailles estate due to Hisako and Jolena's disappearance as he presumed missing and prayed for dead. Of all the bodies that he found and still searching for, he had yet to find either of their bodies. He had hoped though that they each suffered greatly from straying from his side and was slightly wretched that he had to find new amusement for himself. Beline was safe though shaken up. In her good thinking she had followed him to the secret chamber and they waited out the chaos. In a recent letter from one of the surviving invitees, it was reported that Ames was alive and well aside from various burns on his body, currently a guest within their home. Izo had compensated them greatly and knew they would become close allies especially since they had his son and only heir.

As Izo continued to relax on the chaise, his silk black morning robe hanging loosely off his body, he began to think of what else needed to be done. Several days after that accursed riot, the dead were all sent to their homes to be properly buried which left him enough time to write letters and visit his neighbors for the funeral ceremonies after he himself prepared a funeral ceremony for his second wife and step-daughter.

He would try his hardest not to smile, though he knew he would most likely break that promise. Izo continued to lounge on his chaise, happily thinking of what funeral garb he should wear in the coming days.