Meanwhile back in Rome (The imperial palace to be more precise), Empress Malty was taking out her anger for the escaped slave incident. How you may ask dear reader? She would go down to her own personal dungeon where she holds prisoners for her to torture at free will. her torture subject for today is the boy Simon, who has been taken to the palace dungeon to receive punishment for taking part in the slave girl's escape. Her choice today...? The ever so popular (with her), the good old fashioned whip. Several hours later, Empress Malty was pulling all her force on this slave prisoner. Whipping the poor boy until his back bleed, his tank top shredded to rags. All the while Malty enjoyed torturing him. Every minute she whips the poor boy on both his front and back side, she gets a little more pleasure out of it. Simon was not struggling as the he is whipped harder.
"Ugh. This damned ugly child" Malty explains after whipping the boy for about the one thousandth time. "He isn't screaming in agony like his friends. Clearly not as fun as I thought". Malty would continue to whip Simon for another good hour.
"Stupid brat!" Malty shouts angrily. "Why don't you scream? I want to hear you cry! I want to hear you shout in agony!". Malty is fed up with torturing the boy and not hearing a peep. She gets an idea and goes up the Simon, squeezing his bony cheeks.
"You know boy, your friends have not been to keen on worshiping our Three Heroes. And two of them have met untimely deaths". Though Jellal did die, Simon knew that Erza is still alive somewhere. Simon remained quiet. "How about this boy, you give praise to the glorious empire and our benevolent Three Heroes, and I will let you return to your slave friends to construct my magnificent cathedral. Do we have a deal?". In an attempt to defy her, Simon spits in Malty's face. This enraged Malty, for what his defiance means for her is a loss of control over the slaves which is not okay for her power. She scourns at him angrily.
"Ugh. You Egyptian brats are all the same. You think your friend would inspire you to fight? Inspire you to be free? Well guess what. I'm in charge of this empire, and I will say when you are free". She proceeds to whip him one more time. "Which by the way, is never". Malty has a good laugh about it, still having fun torturing Simon. An idea strikes her. A very awful idea. An idea so awful that the author is reluctant to write it down, but is willing to show this horror.
"Say, I think you don't know what I like to young slaves like you. You're most lucky to be punished by the glorious empress!". She would then have the boy lie down oh his bleeding back, with his arms and legs still tied up. Malty gets closer to him and proceeds to caress his skin in a most uncomfortable way. "Your skin is rough, but so soft. I am impressed that it lasted this long as a slave. Which will make all this more fun". Simon continues to resist from squirming as she continues to touch him. After inspecting his body, Malty begin to strip down some of her armor that she always wears. She continues to strip her shoes and eventually her top. Simon begins to struggle as Malty begins pulling up his tank top. She finally broke the boy, thinking that all he needed was a little "loving" from the empress. She looks at him with a new found excitement that gives fear to this boy. This would be a lot of fun she thought, but as she was about to do it, footsteps are heard in the hall. It was Kaname Chidori, who was going to ask for the audience of the Empress. But instead, she finds her with her armor off and lying down upon the child, which wholeheartedly disgusted her.
"Your Graciousness!" Kaname shouts. "What are you doing?"
"Isn't it obvious! I'm trying to have my way with this brat!".
"This is most unbecoming of royalty, even for you. I mean, he is just a boy".
"So?" Malty talks back, "a slave brat is a slave brat. He deserves every minute for pulling a fast one on me, and my entire empire".
"See here your graciousness. Several officers request an audience with you. They say that it is an issue of utmost importance". It was clear that Empress Malty was looking forward to an afternoon of torturing the young boy. Once again, Malty is defeated as she signs and picks up her armor.
"Oh fine!" Malty says, picking up her armors and top. It appears that Simon was spared for the time being. Malty walks with Kaname in anger.
"What is more important than taking advantage of a slave boy? It was going to be the best of times for me".
"It is about the escaped slave girl your graciousness. They say they figured out who helped that little girl out in the escape".
"Yes, yes, I know that lord Kazuma Sato helped that wretched girl out. Which is why I stripped his title and put him under house arrest".
"No not him, they believe someone else helped from someone in the north, from the coal mines". Malty immediately perked up again, for she knows who Kaname is talking about. The one person that is suspected to be working against her and her plans of Roman domination. The one person who she personally locked up. That one prince, that one German prince.
An hour passes as Malty has already changed back into her armor. She sits upon her golden throne, with whip once again in her hand. She has a proud smirk on her face of lust and pleasure. She calls for suspect (whom she clearly knows) to be in her presence. Sir Motoyasu and Sir Itsuki come in with their prisoner in hand, Sir Tenya Iida and Lady Renge Houshakuji followed suit. The prisoner in question is most definitely the crown-prince of Germany, Prince Edward Elric. In his current state, he does not seem to be much of royalty. His clothes were only a white collared shirt and brown pants, and those once suitable clothes are now torn up in multiple places, all dirty from the coal dust that cling on to him. His once golden hair has gone black from all the coal dust as well. As extra torture, he did not have any shoes on his feet, leaving his bare feet a black charcoal color. He was chained up and had scars all over his thin, malnourished body. Motoyasu and Itsuki both push the prince down to his knees, with Motoyasu putting his foot on Ed's back.
"We had confirmed reports that either a slave or a prisoner was helping the little girl escape from our grasps. We assume it was this bastard your graciousness". Malty gets up from her throne, going up to Edward.
"Your assumptions are correct Sir Motoyasu. I just knew that this rapist had planned this from the beginning. That wretch!" Malty proceeds to firmly slap Ed on the face.
"Say what you will" Ed starts, "But what I am telling you is the truth. I know nothing of this girl you speak of. I don't even know how you would think that-". Malty proceeds to kick him in the stomach, causing immense pain in him.
"Don't play stupid you damned German. You think that I don't know what you have been doing down in the coal mines? You think I don't know that you are trying to overthrow me? Just so that you could take as man victims as you want?".
"You know that is never my intention to purposely hurt anyone. And you should do the same" Ed warns, in a soft but weary voice, trying to recover from the kick. "I want to help you keep your throne, but I can't do it if you-", before Edward can finish, Malty pulled out her whip and began to throw lashes on his back.
"SCUMBAG! You think that by saying that, I would release you from prison? Why should I believe a word you say? Are you trying to take advantage of me?"
"I never did any of those things you said. Why do you keep insisting on this?". Another firm slap in the face was delivered by Malty.
"Yes you did. And it is still painful memories that I find myself having nightmares to this day. You tried to get on top of me that night. Grabbing me in all of the wrong places. I... I thought you loved me, but I was wrong. You wanted to take advantage of me! And after all that I have done for you!"
"All that you have ever done was declare my ideas as a threat to your power! All of this, ALL OF THIS MESS! This is all your doing! Why didn't you just listen to me instead of lying? I am trying to save our families, our monarchies! It is you that everyone hates. I couldn't just sit around and do nothing. The monarchs of Europe will fall if you keep acting like some entitled bitch!". That was most definitely the last straw for Malty, who throws several kicks and punches to the prince.
"HOW DARE YOU CALL ME OUT YOU DAMNED PRINCE!" Malty shouts in anger while throwing the punches. "AND FURTHERMORE, I AM NOT GOING TO TAKE ORDERS FROM A SHORT-ASS RAPIST!". After she goes all out on attacking him, Ed struggles to get up from laying the floor.
"D-Don't call m-me short you bitch" Ed said, his voice muffled from the bruises and blood. It was apparent that Malty did not want him around anymore.
"Oh. Assaulting and insulting the empress is both punishable offenses. And do you know what happened to those who have committed both sins?". Ed just stares at her angrily before Malty brings about her final judgement.
"Sir Motoyasu, Sir Itsuki, I want you both to take this man to the courtyard. It is time I execute this bastard quickly and quietly. Sir Iida, I want you to grab the noose. I want him hung". Anger still filled Edward's eyes, as he was given his death sentence.
"I warn you. You are bringing about the end of monarchy all across Europe. You'll rue the day that you mess with people's lives" Ed continues to say with a muffled voice.
"Speak up you gravel. I can't hear you over your unholy abomination of-", just as Malty was poking his face making fun of him, Kaname pulls her back.
"Stop! This madness can't go on any longer". Malty has become more upset than usual. She has always looked forward to executing that bitter devil of Hohenheim.
"What the hell Kaname? This has been my dream for my entire life. That liberal no good prince had it coming. It isn't like you to restrain my orders".
"I will not let you go on with this any longer! If you execute him, think about how the German people would react if they find out? Killing him would spell doom for you your Graciousness!"
"BAH, I'll kill a thousand German princes before I let them get in the way of my rule".
"You know what, Prince Edward is right! This is exactly why so many of your subjects have become sick and tired of your rule". As Kaname lays down facts, Malty becomes more and more enraged.
"That's a lie. There is no dissonance in my empire; and if there were, I would have sent them to either the prisons or slave camps".
"That's just it your Graciousness, the people can't speak out. But I know that rebellion is ripe and if you don't quit acting up, you are going to lose your throne!". An angry Malty can't take it anymore.
"Send him to hang NOW!" she shouts angrily to Motoyasu and Itsuki, who both comply. This is probably the last time he would see anyone. A concerned Kaname speaks up one last time.
"Your Graciousness, this is most unconscionably fiendish. You need to control yourself!" Malty has become enraged with all of this insubordination from her suppose to be loyal advisor.
"I HAD IT UP TO HERE WITH YOUR INSUBORDINATION!! YOU WILL DO WHAT I DEMAND!!"
"No your Graciousness. I will not back down on this. Your throne is in danger!"
"Is that so? Well then I have no choice. You. Are. FIRED!!! I HAVE TERMINATED YOUR SERVICE! GET OUT OF THE PALACE GROUNDS NOW!!!!!". Seeing her title vanish in just a mere matter of minutes, Kaname can no longer argue with the empress, least her head wanting to roll off. She leaves defeated and now unemployed. Malty laughs in a wicked way. Her quest for world power and domination might as well be greenlit as ever now that the big obstacle between her and that has been terminated.
"You Graciousness" Tenya says, "I think you made an excellent decision".
"I agree your Graciousness" Renge adds, "now that the Prince is dead, I'm sure that the world will see how serious we take our domestic policies". Malty sits back down, taking in what has happened at the moment.
"Ah! Yes of course. But I don't to obliterate them immediately. Therefore, it is for the best that this execution stays between us. Do you understand?"
"Of course your Graciousness" Renge responds, "I'll see to it that the word does not get out about this". The other advisors leave to let Malty alone.
Meanwhile, the whole termination doesn't mean that Kaname is deterred from taking action. First before leaving the palace, she ran off to find Prince Edward, who was being dragged to the palace courtyard for his execution.
"Wait! Let me talk to the prince!" Kaname shouts.
"You have a few minutes," Motoyasu responds. Kaname pulls up something that has been given to her just a few days ago, a letter from his brother.
"I was instructed to give you this letter your highness". Kaname hands Ed the letter. He reads it, which is an update of everything that has gone on in Germany and the world. After reading, he was in tears. He knows he'll never see his young brother ever again.
"Thank you. Thank you for this miss". Ed puts away the letter and looks up at Kaname, looking depressed, for his death is nigh.
"Whenever you can, please send a message to my brother that I loved him very much and wish him well".
"Of course your highness" Kaname responds before seeing Ed yanked by Motoyasu.
"Don't your highness him" he says angrily, "he is a traitor, a bastard, and a disgrace to her Graciousness' court. This boy deserves this execution, like the atheist German empire of which he comes from". Motoyasu and Itsuki continue to drag Ed to the courtyard as Kaname leaves, this is the last interaction Ed had. He was executed in the afternoon.
Meanwhile, Kaname leaves the palace and is off to the Russian embassy. Before Kaname came in, Ambassador Chad was calling Secretary Fullbright currently in Brighton, who was telling him about the current situation on the whole Egyptian revolt.
"Really? All that time and research went to waste! Ugh. I almost lost my head because of that. Alright, I guess we should start again". He finishes his call and hears a knock at the door. He walks up to the door to find Kaname standing in front.
"Ms. Chidori! Oh, please come in, come in". Kaname follows Chad inside the embassy going to his drink cabinet. "Would you like some tea? I was just boiling some. Perhaps coffee, or vodka?"
"No thank you, I just need to send a message to the Germans, and I figured that you would have access to messaging the German embassy".
"The foreign secretary is out of the country, but I can relay that message over to her as quickly as I can. What is the message?".
"Tell the German embassy, that... Crown-Prince Edward has been executed". It's a good thing that Chad didn't drink anything, otherwise his papers would have been ruined given that the shock of this news would have made him spit out anything.
"Is it true?"
"I'm afraid so. Her Graciousness after all these years has finally hung him in the palace courtyard". Chad is taken back at this fact.
"Does anyone else know about this?"
"Only a handful of the Empress' advisors. And you". Chad sits down and sighs.
"Okay, I'll send the message immedietly".
"Also, please also message the new Crown-Prince Alphonse that his brother loved him very much and wishes him well".
"Okay, I'll do that". Kaname thanks him and leaves back to her home. Chad begins to write down this message on a private email server to the Foreign secretary, and contemplates the current events.
"It seems that war is now inevitable. The fuse is set for its outbreak, and I worry for the future of humanity".
-End of Chapter Sixteen-