New laws

"Cut a deal with humans?that is the most ridiculous and meticulous thing I have ever heard,what sort of deal do u mean?"Tyran asked as he leaned to one side of his throne,caressing his beard and pulling on it softly.

"Your imperial majesty,in exchange for more human prisoners or civilians we can offer them our treasures,as you know Delvin is richly blessed with precious stones and treasures.I suggest we give these to the king of the walls in exchange for more humans".

An outburst of laughter filled the entire hall even Tyran wasn't left out this time.

King Cadul looked at the faces before him with a quizzled face as he turned from his left to right then his gaze rested on Tyran.

Emperor Tyran could not stop laughing,he hadn't laughed this much in ages.

This was utterly the most stupidest thing he had ever heard.Maybe king Cardul was the most stupidest king he had ever encountered.

"May I know what sounded so funny my lords?"King Cardul demand with a stern expression on his face.

Rather than a response,king Cadul was greeted with silent whispers and unceasing laughter around him.

"King Cardul...are you still awestriken at what you said that sounded so amusing?"

Tyran asked amidst his laughter,trying his best to control it as his abdomen was starting to ache.

King Cardul nodded slowly,

"Yes your imperial majesty I would like to know"

Tyran stretched out a hand to silence the hall once again and then said,

"Humans?I am most astonished you don't fully know the difference between us demons and humans till now.Our hearts differ and our nature is exactly opposite to theirs.Whats worse is the king of the walls.He is everything you can describe as pure,more purer than any human you can think of,maybe purer than a human priest...As you know, only sentenced prisoners are thrown outside the walls which we already pay for with our treasures now even if we give the humans dozens and millions of treasures what makes you think such a pure human would take as he describes them innocent lives in exchange for gold.The humans are endowed with precious stones already and bluntly speaking they don't need our gold"

Tyran motioned in King Cardul's direction

"You were present in our voyage to the human realm sometime ago,don't you recall his words in that last meeting?

King Cardul searched his memory to recall but couldn't get anything.

The emperor sighed and eyed him irritably

Look at him,he is such a nutcase,I can't believe there is such nutcase king within my empire.Now I am unsure he has a brain,how could he forget what happened a few weeks back.Tyran thought.

"Am not sure"king Cadul responded and laughter erupted once again from the hall.

From the look on the king's face Tyran could tell he was beginning to feel uncomfortable.

Meetings with the kings had always been this way especially with king Cadul around.

He always brought the dumbest ideas,made the dumbest suggestions,he was more like an entertainer who almost never said something reasonable.

For that very reason they loved having him around.

Meetings couldn't be anymore boring without him around.

It mwssseswonder how the king ruled an entire kingdom,or maybe it was his prime minister who ruled behind the scenes Instead of the king.

"I don't need your gold I will not waste innocent lives for the likes of a demon.Naturally we shouldn't be having this meeting in the first place,consider this a fine gesture of generosity that you are being offered the sentenced... who said that?"Tyran asked raising one dark lash.

King Cadul only nodded and took his seat.

The emperor's words had succeed in jogging his memory.

That was exactly what the king of the walls had told them in their last meeting and exactly how he had said it.

Drowning in his own shame,king Cardul lowered his head and bit his lip unceasingly.

Emperor Tyran raised a hand to silence the whole hall and said,

"Do we have any other objections to this law,if there be any I would like to hear of it".

When no response came from his audience he continued.

"Very well then,I pass a decree of a new law.The savages will become prey to us as we are to them.The imperial court will take note of this as well as courts all over the empire"

The kings and prime ministers nodded, some whispered and thers frowned but never uttered their thoughts.

To them,it wouldn't matter.

Majority of the kings liked the idea and even the emperor.He had succeeded in convincing most of them.There was absolutely nothing they could do.

A demon dressed in a black garment entered carrying a royal seal,an ink and a scroll on a rectangular shaped cedar wood.

His head was lowered with an outstretched arm which held the items as he passed the lords and noblemen gathered in the hall.

When he reached Emperor Tyran's throne,he held the wood in one hand and with the other removed what kept the scroll rolled to a corner in the cedar wood, letting the scroll spread below his hand which now supported the middle upper part of it.

He read out the decree but there were two laws instead of one,the last one which made indistinct chatter erupt from the hall as he read through it.

"But your majesty!"Lord Tydor protested.

Tyran raised a hand to silence the hall then he glanced over at Lord Tydor.

Tyran grinned menacingly.

"Yes,yes every fripju lily plant in Delvin is to be destroyed,of what use is it to us...Demons only use it to commit crimes by concealing their scent.As of this day it is considered illegal and any demon without a scent is to be arrested,it will be assumed he had used it to mask his scent".

Tyran finished and stole a quick glance king Maxmillian's way,he seemed calm,his gaze as expressionless as ever remained on Lord Tydor's face,besides he wasn't the only one looking at him.

The Demon ascended the stairs to Tyran's throne and kneeling down on one knee with the other leg flexed,he stretched his hand further and lowered his head the more.

"This is a new law and today I make this law"

Tyran uttered as he picked up the seal.

Just as he was about to seal the decree,king Jamek interrupted.

"Your imperial majesty...I mean no disrespect but shouldn't the sorcerors be present in this meeting,I mean you are making a new law in the absence of Delvin's elders".

Tyran ignored him and sealed the decree with ink on the bottom right corner of the open scroll.

"The message can be passed across to them.Unbeknownst to you the elders have a meeting today in sorceror's city and I wasn't intended on inviting them to this gathering to begin with...the presence of my kings would suffice".

"All hail the great emperor!!!"the great hall's occupants chorused."May he live long and may his days be as the sun above".

The man took few steady steps backwards, descending the stairs and finally left the hall without raising his head.

Emperor Tyran sank deeply into his throne feeling pleased with himself as he watched the dozens of eyes focused on him, awaiting his next statement.

The hunt is tomorrow.All kings are expected to summon their knights here today,every one is expected to be fully prepared.

The kings exchanged perplexed glances wondering what hunt he spoke of.

Usually the hunt took place once every three months and the recent one had been concluded.

The hunt was a ceremony which took place in Mordid forest in Urah,where all the kings and their sons along with the emperor and assisted by knights would gather to hunt for wild life.

It was a tradition in the realm aimed at sustaining harmony among all six kingdoms of the realm along with their respective royals.

Tyran studied the look on the faces before him and said with a wave of his hand.

"This time not the usual hunt we know of, tomorrow we raid the den of the savages and bring back prey taking back as many as we can capture.Great kings...ensure to select the finest and fiercest of your soilders,it will be a bloody bath". Tyran smirked as he pulled on his beard.

King Zemah got to his feet,bowed and locked eyes with the emperor.

"Errhmm...your imperial majesty,if I may suggest i say we do not raid their den to reduce casualties.Your imperial majesty as you know there are tens of thousands and maybe millions of those beasts in there.Would it not be preferable to hunt within the forest rather than raid the den it self?we can Capture the number we need then next time_again your majesty this is just a suggestion,it is my utmost desire that you reconsider_"

"There is nothing to reconsider king Zemah... raiding their den is the best choice we have.I am very uncertain we would find enough savages for all 6 realms running around in the forest.We will capture enough to use to our heart content and imprison the rest for some other time.Imagine attacking a park of savages?What would happen if it alerts a nearby park or even Savages from the den?"

Emperor Tyran paused and studied him,he was not taking his seat.

Apparently king Zemah had welcomed the new decree but didn't like the idea of raiding a savage den.

Nevertheless,to him it didn't matter.He was Emperor and would do as he pleased.

Tyran raised a brow and forced a smile.

"What...king Zemah do you intend going to the human world frequently to hunt for savages? aren't there other basic issues of your court to handle?doeth these beasts frighten you?".

"Why no your majesty,we are by far stronger than they are but_"

Tyran raised a hand to stop him from talking.

"Enough buts...king Zemah this topic is concluded"

King Zemah clenched his jaw and abruptly sat down.

Tyran eyed the older demon as he fought his best to hold back a chuckle.

His father had always listened to king Zemah,always welcomed his suggestions but it would never be the same for him.He had been to several meetings and had watched his father's yes turn a no for this king but now,those were long bygone days.

Not even king maxmillian who was closest to him could influence his decision or judgement although king Maxmillian had always supported,trusted and looked up to him.

King Zemah was one of the oldest in the hall.About his father's age if the former emperor still lived but reluctant to give the throne to any of his son's.

His eldest son,Garrith Tyran knew was capable of ruling the kingdom but for some reason there had been no news of a coronation in Polymus for many years now.

Tyran thought there would never be,not until king Zemah's demise and the king didn't look as though he would die anytime soon.Though now frail he was still in good health.

Other issues of the realm were brought up,debated upon and resolved.

The more issues that were raised,the more the questions that followed.

Tyran sat on his throne with a hand placed under his chin and his elbow on the arm of his throne,listening,much more than he spoke now.

To him the meeting seemed endless....