Part 15 Conquests, Heirs, and poisonings
Valerian Cyraliin began preparations for his Akaviri conquests almost as soon as he had taken the throne. Hundreds of ships and tens of thousands of soldiers were recruited increasing the number of legions from eight to twelve, each legion commanded by men and women who knew how to wage war with speed and precision.
The emperor's chosen target came as a surprise to many, everyone had expected him to attack the Tsaesci on the akaviri mainlaind like Uriel II had decades before. Valerian chose to attack the Tang Mo reasoning that they were the weakest of the Akaviri peoples.
His judgement was correct the annexation of Tang Mo took a mere five years, the natives fought bravely but they were hopelessly outnumbered, the emperor used his massive fleet to launch amphibious attacks all over the islands keeping the natives divided and confused.
After bringing the Tang Mo war to a satisfactory conclusion Valerian turned his attention to the Tsaesci who were going through another succession crisis, the full detail of Valerian's campaigns would be extremely tedious to relate in full suffice to say that the imperial armies were making steady if slow progress. After sixty years roughly two thirds of the Tsaesci empire had fallen, the rest would hold out for another thirty years until they were destroyed by the young Alessia V.
After almost seven decades away from the capital Valerian returned in triumph, a chronicle covering the emperor's akaviri wars in exhaustive detail was written (while decidedly dry to modern tastes, the imperial scribe Marius seemed to care more about the Emperor's wardrobe than his war council meetings, it has proven invaluable for later chroniclers)
Two years later the emperor's only legitimate children were born, twins the eldest was named Alessia the younger Valentinian. The emperor's consort Princess Morgiah of Morrowind died suddenly of the crimson plague a short time later, the emperor never remarried.
Valerian's children grew up to be drastically different people.
Alessia was quiet, reserved, and asked nothing more than study alchemy in peace. (No one least of all her father knew much about her all consuming ambition)
Valentinian was loud, boisterous, filled with good humor, and devastatingly skilled in the seductive arts. His main flaw was the kind of ambition that emperors and more importantly the men who made themselves emperor usually possessed. (This was to come back to haunt him)
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(17 years later The Imperial Palace)
"So what have you been studying my dear?" the emperor asked his daughter.
"Poison." she stated.
"Ah feeling morbid are we?"
"No more than usual, I did get to watch someone go through all twelve stages of Scathecraw poisoning. I'm so glad you decided to let me experiment on our condemned prisoners!"
"Well if they are going to die any way we might as well make them be useful about it."
"Exactly!" she hugged her father and then left for her garden.
"That girl is adorably disturbing." Serana said.
"Oh hush she's found her passion I say let her enjoy it while she can."
"I'm still putting my Cyraliins on her poisoning you with some kind of ridiculously obscure death plant."
"She would never do that! She's too kind hearted for patricide."
"Whatever you say your grace. Where is your son? I haven't seen him in some time."
The emperor's smile faded. "Probably working his way through the brothels down by the waterfront. Or drinking himself unconscious in a tavern proclaiming that "He is the rightful heir!!" to anyone nearby."
"Ah that is... unfortunate."
"Unfortunate? He's a disgrace! I enjoy drinking and pleasurable company as much as the next autocrat but at least I have the dignity to remain presentable at all times!"
"Well at least your disturbing child seems to have her priorities straight."
"And I thank Talos everyday for that."
(several hours later Alessia's garden)
The princess was walking through her garden lost in thought.
Oh brother you really do seem to want to make this easy for me, everyone knows you want the throne, Everyone knows you hate father and I...
She began humming a merry tune as she left the garden heading to her chambers.
(Three years later, The Imperial Palace)
Valerian II was starting to feel old after a long struggle with the crimson plague he had managed to recover with great difficulty, many in the empire wondered how much longer their emperor was going to live.
There was a knock at the emperor's door.
"Come in." he coughed.
Alessia entered carrying a bottle and two glasses. "Hello father, I know you haven't been feeling well so I've found just the thing to raise your spirits!"
She showed him the bottle.
"Ventruii Tough?! I haven't seen one of these in years! Where did you get it?"
"A friend of an acquaintance, it was rather expensive of course but the price was well worth it. Have a drink with me?"
"Do you even need to ask?"
She filled both glasses. "To your health father."
They both emptied their glasses.
Over the next hour they emptied the bottle well Valerian emptied the bottle Alessia only ever had the one glass. The emperor started to feel very ill.
"Wh-what was in that?"
"Poison."
"W-" he coughed "Why?"
"Well you see I would really like to be empress, unfortunately that can not happen while you live and you are taking altogether to much time dying. So I decided to expedite the process. It really isn't anything personal father, you've made yourself an obstacle so you had to be removed." she smiled.
"That doesn't make any sense it will be obvious that you killed me!"
"Oh no, no it won't father you see my dastardly brother poisoned the both of us hoping to claim the throne for himself. Tragically you won't survive, but I will my years of alchemical studies have given me a tolerance for most common poisons. I will have him imprisoned to avenge your death and then "Sadly" take over the reigns of government."
"So *the emperor tried to stand but he wasn't strong enough* What kind of poison did you use? Some kind of ridiculously obscure death plant?"
"Nightshade actually. Any of my more... exotic poisons would be far beyond my idiot brother's capabilities, nightshade though? You can find that growing just about anywhere!" she laughed.
"Yo-you're a monster." he was growing weaker by the second. Death was not far off.
"I prefer to think of myself as "Creatively Ambitious"." She left him there.
Valerian II died shortly after midnight.
The Imperial guard discovered the emperor dead and his daughter unconscious.
The guard captain woke the young princess as gently as he could.
"My lady what happen---"
"It was poison! I-is my father alright?"
"No my lady, he is dead."
The young princess looked distraught.
"Who could have done this?" She asked shaking.
"The man who would stand to gain the most from this." the captain said with disgust.
"But my brother would not do tha---actually that... that does seem like something he would do. But there's no proof!"
"That will be taken care of later, for now we need to get you crowned my lady then we can begin preparations for your father's funeral, then vengeance."
Alessia began to recover her composure. "Yes of course captain, we should move quickly before my brother finds out he was only partially successful."
Alessia IV was crowned six hours later, the emperor's funeral was the week after that. Prince Valentinian was imprisoned on charges of treason and executed less than a month later.
(The Imperial palace the day after Valentinian's execution)
"My father considered you his most loyal friend and confidant, I hope I can expect the same loyalty from you."
"Of course your grace. I have never been anything but loyal to the Cyraliin family."
"Good, I plan on completing my father's work with the Tsaesci as soon as possible, I'm sending you to akavir ahead of me. See if you can fabricate any claims for me."
"Yes your grace." she bowed and began to head for the exit.
"Oh your grace?" she turned. "I'm so very sorry about your brother, Patricide! Can you imagine? What kind of evil person would do something like that?" She was looking the empress right in the eyes. "Ah well at least the guilty party has been punished" she gave Alessia a knowing smile, bowed again and left.
Well at least that's what the chronicles will say. the chancellor thought.
The empress was left feeling ill at ease, eventually she brushed that aside and began preparations for the final conflict with the Tsaesci...
Part 16 The Fall of Akavir will be out this weekend.