Aurora allowed herself a smile, turning towards Magnus. Her younger brother had yet to feel the true burden of their duties, having his boyish charm still to him. Like all of Augustus' sons, he looked like his father, a younger copy of him. But he had softer eyes and finger that shied away from a sword's grip.
He wrung his hands behind his back, avoiding her eyes. Aurora sighed, knowing what was to come. "Out with it, Magnus. What is it?"
"It… it's Ulicar. He's picking on Felix again and has his… moment."
As expected. She couldn't leave her brothers alone for a moment. "Fidelis, you are dismissed. Thank you for your service. I will see you tomorrow."
Fidelis bowed to her, hurrying away. Aurora watched the nervous man go, envying him, before she turned to her younger brother. "Come on, Magnus, lead me to them."
Magnus nodded, taking the lead. "My tutors have praised me again," he said. "Even old Eberich has said my fencing has improved."
Aurora patted her brother's head. "That is great, Magnus. I am very proud of you. What did you learn today?"
Magnus beamed at Aurora's praise, a grin lightening up his face. "The Empire's history again. They questioned me about anything that we have talked about in the last week. I knew everything and could answer every question. And against old Eberich, I landed several blows."
Magnus reenacted his bout against their weapon master, making the sounds of his invisible blade cutting down his opponent. "I got him here and there, and then he just gave up, and I won!"
Aurora clapped. "My little warrior prince. This is a victory you have truly earned. How are your art lessons going?"
Magnus's glee melted off him, and he looked at the ground, scoffing. "Who cares? I'm an Arist, not a Lorraine. My hands are meant to wield a blade and not a brush."
"But Magnus," Aurora said, putting a hand on her brother's shoulder. "You love painting. You are so good at it. Don't discard it."
Magnus didn't respond.
"Well, how about this?" Aurora said. "You paint me again, and I will help with your fencing."
"You would?" Magnus asked, smiling. "But… you are always so busy with us and…"
"Please," she said. "I'm an Arist as well. And I know one or two things old Eberich doesn't. He would never admit it, of course, but he knows it, too. So, do we have a deal?"
Magnus thought about it, taking his sister's hand. "Yes, we do."
"Good, but I want something grand. So you better work on your brushwork. No first attempts."
Magnus saluted her, both laughing. They talked until they reached their brothers.
"I can!" Felix screamed.
"Really?" Ulicar responded. "Then do it."
Aurora pushed the door open to their private dining room. Nothing grand, enough space for them and them alone. They sometimes accepted guests here, speaking with them in privacy. Ulicar sat at the table, leaning back with his chair, his feet resting on the table's edge. The maids cleaned around him, cautious to not disturb the crown prince. Ulicar didn't return the favor, making sure he was in the way.
Felix stood at the other side of the room, his face red, on the edge of crying. He was the youngest in the family, yet to reach five years old. Ulicar was the oldest, a man of twenty years, but he acted like he was Felix's twin.
Ulicar clipped his fingernails, snipping them at Felix. The boy's face strained in effort, trying to activate his Gift. But nothing came of it, the fingernail hitting his nose. Felix screeched, stomping. "This is not fair!" he yelled. "You are cheating!"
"How am I supposed to?" Ulicar asked, enjoying himself. "No, younger brother, I think the fault lies with you."
As he noticed Aurora, his smile faded. "Ah, sister. What a pleasure to see you." His eyes wandered to Magnus, hardening. "Little telltale."
Magnus looked away. Aurora frowned. "What are you two doing here?"
Ulicar took his chalice, filled to the brim with wine, and emptied half of it with two gulps. "I am helping our dear Felix further his Gift. As a big brother should."
Without looking at him, Ulicar snapped another fingernail at him, getting his younger brother by surprise. Unable to contain himself anymore, tears rushed down Felix's face. "I hate you!" he screeched.
Ulicar rolled his eyes, finishing his chalice. He burped. Aurora could smell his breath. This wasn't his first bottle. "You're such a baby," he said.
Aurora glared at her older brother, walking over to Felix. She kneeled in front of him, wiping away his tears. "All is good, Felix, all is good."
"But he is cheating," Felix cried. "I can't use my Gift because of him."
"Don't point at me, you little shit."
"Ulicar!" Aurora snapped at him. "Get yourself together!"
"What? You're never this mad when Father drinks." Ulicar turned to one of the maids, grabbing her by her arm. "Am I right? You've seen Father when he…"
"Let her go," Aurora said, stepping towards him.
The maid trembled, afraid to say or do anything against him. "What?" Ulicar asked. "I'm doing nothing! I'm not that kind of asshole. I just had a question for her. And I wanted to show her the book I've gotten. It's ancient."
Ulicar turned towards her. "You know, it's from the time when the Ashburns ruled over the Empire. Before the Silver Moon and all that nonsense. Did you know that? Did you know that the family leading the Resistance wasn't just a Sacred House once, but they led us all? Some would even say they did it better than we."
"I…" the maid stuttered.
Ulicar laughed hard, letting her go. "I'm just fucking with you." As no one joined in, Ulicar hissed. "What's wrong with you all? You're so serious. Relax and enjoy the moment more often."
Aurora's eye dug into her brother, silencing him for good. "All of you, please out," she said, addressing the maids.
They followed her order, fleeing the scene, leaving the royal family alone. Ulicar buried his face in his hands, muttering something to himself.
"Ulicar, you…"
"Don't fucking lecture me," Ulicar said. "You're not Mother."
"Then why do I have to behave like her? You are the oldest, Ulicar. It's time you start acting like this."
"Well, I didn't always use to be."
Silence hung heavy over the dining room. All except Felix lowered their heads. He was too young. He wasn't born yet when Octavius had died.
Ulicar ran his finger over his chalice's edge, lost in thought. He groaned, rubbing his forehead. "Felix," he said, "come here."
The boy followed suit, his face wet. Ulicar examined him, his eyes sober, all malice gone. "You are too brash. Calm yourself. Breathe. You can't force your Gift to appear. Your mind needs to be clear to use it. You will never be able to use it if you let yourself be enraged by me. Do you understand?"
Felix nodded. Ulicar turned his attention to Magnus. "And Magnus, if I don't see you with a brush in your hand next time, I will shove your face into my pot after I have used it, understood?"
Magnus grimaced at that, and Felix giggled. "And now both of you, fuck off. I will throw up if I have to keep watching you."
The youngest sons of Augustus Arist dashed away but not before both showed their older brother their tongues, laughing together as they ran away. Aurora watched them go. "Ulicar, why are…"
"Shut the fuck up," he said. "Go to Father. He needs you, and we both know he would rather bite off his tongue than talk to me."
Aurora wanted to argue, but she knew the truth. There was not much love lost between father and son. Ulicar simply wasn't Octavius. A fact Augustus never grew tired of reminding his son of. She left him alone in the dining room as he opened the next bottle, drinking it with no company but his thoughts.
…
"Away, you simpletons!" Augustus roared.
Aurora didn't bother to knock again, entering her father's studies.
"Are you deaf, you… oh, it's you."
Augustus Arist, son of Gallius Arist, fourth of his name, Emperor of the Divine Empire of Harras' Scion, was drunk again. He smashed his studies in a fit of rage. The fifth time since the vision had occurred. He sat behind his flipped desk, muttering to himself and his bottle. He tumbled upwards, pushing his silver hair backwards. His beard was disheveled, wet with wine. As head of the Empire and Harras' church, he alone was allowed to wear the garments their holy father once claimed as his own. Red, gold, and white. Soiled in alcohol.
Again.
Augustus hiccuped, a cautious smile on his lips. "Eclipsa, my dear, what are you…"
"Aurora," she said, her jaw tense. "My name is Aurora, Father. Remember. You named me after your mother."
Augustus stared into the distance, murmuring. "Yes, yes… ah, of course. Aurora, my dear. How could I forget? Please come. Close the door behind you."
Aurora did as she was commanded. Augustus activated a lamp at the ceiling, the Machina spending light. He groaned as his study lit up. He looked around, scratching the back of his head. "Well," he chuckled, unsure what to say. "I've caused a bit of a mess. I hope you can forgive your father for being… special again."
Aurora kept her posture straight, allowing herself no pause from it. "Father…"
"Ah, come here, daughter," Augustus said, waving her to him. "Look what I did."
Grinning like the drunken fool he was, he held up a rough sketch of Octavius, clad in the armor in which he had died. "I drew this myself. And not just that, so much more. I draw you, your mother, and… Ehr… Magnus. Oh, Magnus can paint, right? Yes, he can! How foolish of me. I should go to him and paint with him. Ah, Aurora, I've never felt more alive. The arts are the greatest blessing we…"
Aurora put a hand on her father's shoulder. He wanted to dash around his studies, hurrying from corner to corner as his euphoria gifted him with new vigor. "Father, please, listen to me. We… we are concerned for you. These last two weeks, you…"
"Forget it then!" Augustus yelled.
He ripped his drawings apart, throwing them at his daughter. "For once, I wanted to share with you what brings my sore heart some relief and passion, and how do you repay me this, daughter? By negging! How dare you, you unthankful brat. Ashamed of yourself, you should be! Ashamed, I say!"
Another insult on his lips, Augustus' eyes wandered downwards, noticing what he had done. He fell to his knees, biting into the palms of his hands, tears glittering on his cheeks. "What have I done? My poor boy. I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I never wanted to hurt. I love you, Octavius. I'm sorry."
Aurora kept her breathing shallow, standing still like a statue. For minutes, Augustus wept without restraint, clawing at the shredded paper scattering the floor. Once, she would have tried to calm her father, but his mood swings were a beast who knew no master. She had learned her lesson since her mother's death. Should Augustus Arist suffer a bad mood, he needed to find his way out of it alone.
And he did, rising. Wiping his tears away, the man she knew reappeared. Cold grey eyes, unmoved and ageless. A mouth close to a sneer. A presence worthy of an Emperor.
"Pardon, Aurora, I have calmed," he said, his voice void of any stirring. "Say your piece, and then leave."
Aurora's mask cracked, crumbling under her father's attention. She preferred the drunken fool over the man standing in front of her now. "You… the servants were afraid that you…"
"Why care for their opinions? They are lambs in the presence of lions. They know their place. You don't if you weigh their opinion highly enough to disturb me. Have you no honor in your name, daughter? What else?"
Aurora gulped, feeling like a girl younger than Felix. "L… Liron Sturm has escaped Kupferrang. The Inquisition has failed."
Augustus' lips twitched. His features came alive, a fire burning behind his eyes. He kept his reaction under control, but it burned fiercely, fueling a madness that had haunted him for years. "What lovely news this is. I had reckoned the boy would find his end in Kupferrang. I was wrong. What sweater fruit is there than a surprise?"
Aurora froze, staring at her father. "He murdered you, Father. He…"
Augustus' hand snapped forward, faster than she or her Gift could follow. He grabbed her by her cheeks, his fingers pinching into her as he pulled her close. "Silence, child. Do not dare to insult me. Do you think I do not know? Are you calling me a fool? I know what he is. And I know how he ended me."
Inches separated father from daughter. Aurora trembled in his grip as the maid had done with Ulicar. He showed his perfect teeth like a lion would to his prey. "Do you think I have not recognized my daughter's eyes in my murderer? You have failed me. All I have ever done and all that I have endured for scum like you. If I had known I would suffer for you and this cursed Empire, I would have thrown you to the Qilesh when I still had the chance. But now it is too late. I cannot be redone."
He let her go, and Aurora fell. She panted, massaging her face. Augustus glared down at her, folding his hands behind his back. "Pathetic. I should not blame you. Your mother is at fault. Her blood was foul after all. That a creature as low as she blessed me with my Ocativus, a miracle. One that is lost to time forever now. And all I have left is you and your brothers."
August shook his head, turning away. "Leave, child. Leave before I find more than a passing delight in watching you quake."
Aurora sniffed, refusing to cry in his presence. She stood up, gathering all dignity she had left, and walked with slow steps towards the door.
"Wait," Augustus said.
Neither turned around, their backs to each other. "I will promise you to be in a more stable mood. No more drinking. That I promise you, Eclipsa."
Aurora nodded. "Thank you, Father."
Before she left, she looked at Dawn, Augustus' trusted blade, seeing her reflection in its steel. She nodded towards her Sister, reaffirming the promise they had made so long ago.
The Empire and her father would die. And she would be the one to bring their downfall.