Ch 16: You shall not Join us - Part 1

Elias's days were a blur of small tasks and discreet movements through the vast imperial palace. Despite his lowly status, he'd developed a keen sense of how to navigate the sprawling halls without drawing attention. 

Most days were uneventful, marked only by fleeting interactions with other servants or the occasional presence of Prince Aedric and Lady Selene. But one afternoon, as Elias carried a tray of tea through a quieter wing of the palace, he encountered something—or rather, someone—entirely unexpected.

At first glance, the man standing at the end of the corridor bore an uncanny resemblance to Prince Aedric. The sharp features, the golden hair, and the piercing blue eyes were all eerily familiar. 

But this man was older—mid-thirties, perhaps—with a composed, almost regal demeanor that made Elias halt in his tracks.

The emperor, Elias thought immediately, his heart skipping a beat. He bowed his head quickly, lowering the tray to his waist as he attempted to make himself as unobtrusive as possible.

"Your Imperial Majesty," Elias murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.

The man didn't respond.

Elias waited for a moment, his head still bowed, before risking a glance upward. The man hadn't moved. He stood perfectly still, his expression serene yet distant, as though he were lost in thought—or observing something Elias couldn't see.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty," Elias tried again, his voice faltering.

This time, the man's head tilted slightly, his gaze locking onto Elias. It was unnerving. The man's eyes held no warmth, no curiosity—just a hollow detachment that sent a shiver down Elias's spine. When he finally spoke, his voice was soft, measured, and strangely devoid of inflection.

"You are... a servant," the man stated, as though the fact was a profound revelation.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Elias replied, unsure of what else to say.

The man's gaze lingered on Elias for a moment longer before he turned and walked away, his movements unnaturally smooth, almost gliding.

Elias stood frozen in place, the tray trembling slightly in his hands. Something about the encounter didn't sit right with him. The emperor had a reputation for being stern but fair, a man of flesh and blood like any other. This man, however, had felt... off.

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The unsettling feeling stayed with Elias throughout the day. As he went about his duties, he couldn't shake the image of the man's empty eyes and the eerie stillness of his movements. His suspicions deepened when he overheard other servants discussing the emperor's whereabouts.

"The emperor's been in meetings all day," one maid whispered to another as they scrubbed the kitchen floors. "Hasn't left his study."

Elias paused mid-step, his heart pounding. If the emperor had been confined to his study, then who—or what—had he seen in the corridor?

Determined to make sense of the encounter, Elias began discreetly observing the man whenever he caught a glimpse of him. It didn't take long for him to notice several oddities. 

The man never ate or drank, even when seated at a table with food in front of him. He didn't interact with anyone, save for the occasional terse command delivered in that same detached tone. And most unsettling of all, he never cast a shadow.

It took Elias only a few hours to reach the conclusion he'd been avoiding: the man wasn't the emperor at all. He was a ghost.

Elias had always known his ability to see spirits set him apart, but this was the first time he'd encountered a ghost so closely tied to the imperial family. He couldn't help but wonder who the man had been in life. A former emperor? A prince? Whoever he was, his presence filled Elias with a mix of fear and curiosity.

That curiosity nearly got him into trouble later that evening when he was summoned to the emperor's private quarters to deliver a message.

As Elias entered the grand study, his gaze immediately landed on the figure seated behind the ornate desk. For a moment, his breath caught in his throat. The man bore the same golden hair and striking features as the ghost he'd seen earlier. It's him, Elias thought, panic surging through him. The ghost.

He stood frozen in the doorway, clutching the letter tightly in his hands. It wasn't until the man looked up and spoke that Elias realized his mistake.

"Come in," Emperor Alaric said, his voice sharp but unmistakably human.

Elias blinked, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment as he stepped forward to deliver the message. "Forgive me, Your Majesty," he stammered, bowing deeply.

Alaric took the letter without comment, his piercing blue eyes briefly scanning Elias before returning to the document in his hands. Unlike the ghost, his gaze held weight—an undeniable presence that grounded him in reality.

"Dismissed," the emperor said curtly, waving a hand.

Elias bowed again and quickly exited the room, his heart pounding. The encounter left him shaken, not because of the emperor's demeanor—stern as it was—but because of his earlier assumption. 

He'd mistaken a living man for a ghost, and now he couldn't help but wonder if he'd been wrong about the ghost as well.

Over the next few days, Elias found himself increasingly paranoid. The ghost continued to appear in odd places throughout the palace—standing silently in the gardens, gliding through the halls, even lingering near Prince Aedric's quarters. Elias avoided it as best he could, but his curiosity gnawed at him.

Who was the ghost? And why was it haunting the palace?

One evening, as Elias was tidying up one of the lesser-used rooms, he felt a chill run down his spine. Turning slowly, he found himself face-to-face with the ghostly figure.

The man's hollow gaze bored into Elias, and for a moment, neither of them moved. Then, the ghost spoke.

"You see me," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Elias's throat went dry. He nodded slowly, unable to find his voice.

The ghost's expression didn't change, but there was a faint flicker of something in his eyes—recognition, perhaps, or relief. "You are... like me," he murmured, more to himself than to Elias.

Before Elias could respond, the ghost turned and walked away, disappearing through the wall as though he had never been there.

Elias stood frozen, his mind racing. The encounter had raised more questions than answers, but one thing was clear: the ghost wasn't just a remnant of the past. It had a purpose, and somehow, Elias was now entangled in its story.

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The ghost's cryptic words haunted Elias for days. "You are... like me." The phrase echoed in his mind at odd moments, stirring a sense of unease he couldn't shake. 

What did the ghost mean? Was it a warning? An accusation? Or something else entirely? Elias had no answers, and as much as he wanted to find clarity, he resolved to push the thought aside.

He had duties to fulfill, and Prince Aedric, as demanding as ever, gave him little time to dwell on the strange encounter.

The prince had grown increasingly attached to Elias, refusing to let him out of his sight for long. While Elias found it exhausting, he couldn't deny the small swell of warmth he felt at Aedric's insistence on keeping him close. That day was no different.

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"Prince Aedric, I should—"

"No excuses, Elias," Prince Aedric snapped, grabbing Elias's arm. "You're coming with me."

Elias blinked, startled. "Where are we going?"

"To my sword lesson," Aedric said, dragging him along. "You'll stand by and watch. I need a proper audience for my progress."

Elias sighed but didn't protest. The prince's stubbornness was impenetrable, and arguing would only waste more time.

When they arrived at the training courtyard, the scene was lively. Young squires and nobles trained with wooden swords under the watchful eyes of Knight Boras, the imposing head instructor. His booming voice barked out commands, his every movement exuding authority.

To Elias's mild surprise, Lady Selene was also present, clutching a wooden practice sword with a look of determination. She spotted them immediately and waved excitedly.

"Aedric! Elias!" she called, bounding over.

"Selene," Aedric said flatly, crossing his arms. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to train, of course!" she replied cheerfully, ignoring his sour tone. "I'll be a knight one day, remember?"

Aedric rolled his eyes. "You're not serious about that, are you?"

"Why not?" Selene countered, lifting her chin. "You'll see. I'll be better than you in no time!"

Elias chuckled softly, earning a glare from Aedric. "Don't encourage her," the prince muttered.

Before Aedric could retort further, Knight Boras approached, his stern gaze sweeping over the trio.

"Prince Aedric. Lady Selene," Boras greeted, his deep voice rumbling. Then his eyes landed on Elias.

"And who is this?" Boras asked, raising an eyebrow.

"This is Elias," Selene piped up before Aedric could respond. "He's my Princess and I'm his knight."

Aedric groaned. "He's not a Princess. He's a servant."

Knight Boras stroked his beard thoughtfully. "A servant, hmm? You seem to carry yourself well enough, boy. Perhaps you should join today's training session."

Elias's eyes widened in alarm. "Oh, no, I couldn't—"

"He's not joining," Aedric interrupted sharply.

"Absolutely not," Selene added, stepping in front of Elias protectively.

Boras frowned, clearly unaccustomed to being contradicted. "Why not? A little training wouldn't hurt. He could learn a thing or two."

Aedric scowled. "He's not here to fight. He's here for me."

"And me," Selene added stubbornly.

Elias shifted uncomfortably, caught between the argument. He didn't particularly want to train, but he also didn't want to upset Knight Boras.

"Perhaps another time," Elias said diplomatically, hoping to diffuse the tension. "I wouldn't want to disrupt the lesson."

Boras gave him a long, appraising look before nodding. "Very well. But if you change your mind, you're welcome to join."

Aedric huffed in satisfaction, and Selene beamed triumphantly as Boras returned to his instruction.

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