Empty Halls

Zeph sat silently in the throne room as entertainers came and went.

His people thought they were distracting him from graver matters, such as hunting down his remaining three living brothers, but Zeph's mind was always on that.

He looked around at his people. There was a reason why he surrounded himself with them. They weren't the most powerful, no, he knew that powerful people tend to act rashly.

He had grown up seeing his father and his father's men use brute strength to get everything that they wanted. He understood that there was value in thinking things through, at least that's what his mother taught him.

"You seem like you are miles away from us." His mother, the lady Ayn, asked as she placed a hand on her son's shoulder.

"I'm fine mom, I'm not some kid that needs constant watching." Zeph tried his best to hide his annoyance.

He loved his mother, she was the most valuable person in his life. She had taught him almost everything she knew.