71 Uncovering Truths (2/2)
”...”
Without a word, Caelestis swallowed hard and nodded his head. Not once did his eyes leave the deadly drop.
”Okay, now here's the big question: Quicksilver is an exclusive resource. Only the priests are allowed to own it. Sometimes, in special cases, a member of the imperial family might be able to scrounge up a bit. However, I wasn't even an official prince up until a few minutes ago. So where did I get the quicksilver from?”
Rather than let his elder interrupt his speech, Corco answered his own question, with a voice as heavy as the drop in his front.
”I found it inside of my father's body.”
”Wha...”
When the elder looked back up to his grandson, his eyes were wide in shock and a drop of sweat had begun to collect on the tip of the old man's nose. He seemed incapable of a coherent answer, but from his flustered appearance, Corco could guess very well just how trapped he must have felt. He showed no sympathy.
”You didn't expect that I guess. I know how to get the quicksilver back out of the body, even long after his death. I can show this in front of a crowd too. Let's say in front of the ancestors, or in front of the lords. It's easy for me to prove how my father died. He was murdered. Slowly poisoned to death with quicksilver.
”Now comes the next big question: Who could do something like that? Someone with the status necessary to get his hands on the quicksilver. Someone who, shortly before his death, suddenly spent every meal with the emperor, which would make it easy for them to slip the poison into his food or drink. Someone who had something to gain from the emperor's death. Or maybe, they had something to hide.”
With a soft clink, Corco placed the empty vial onto the stone step of the dais. Emotion returned to his eyes, but they felt even colder than before. He looked back up to his grandfather, to the man who had killed his own son. He hadn't even mentioned his spies or what they had seen in the ghost yard, but he didn't need to. Even with just this, he had more than enough evidence to prove the elder's guilt.
Corco watched the man's face transform as he went through the emotions. From a wide-eyed panic back to hunched contemplation, as he tried to look for more excuses, for another way out. His search would prove futile. Finally, his tensed shoulders slumped down and his entire body lost its force. Once again, like on that night of the banquet, the elder looked his age. However, this time he didn't just look tired. Tears had formed in his eyes as he spoke with a disappearing voice.
”You think this low of me? That I wanted to kill my own son?”
He hung his head and began to mumble to himself.
”I... didn't want for this to happen. For any of it. One day a priest approached me and he gave me this medicine. He called it black quicksilver. He said it would make things a bit harder for Titu, that once he took it, he might need assistance for a while. I didn't think it would be this... dangerous. How could I have known?”
The old man looked back up, into the sharp eyes of his grandson.
”I understand. You want to ask: Why would I want that, make things hard? But what else could I have done?”
Caelestis showed a bitter smile.
”Do you know what the people call the twenty-seventh generation of House Pluritac? The lost line. The great Emperor Viribus lost all his sons after all. All six died as heroes during the great storm, as they fought to fend off our invaders. Age ninety-two, the great emperor had to take another wife, just to sire an heir and preserve the line. That was me. The six genius sons of the great defender give their lives, but the useless number seven took the throne. None of my achievements are remembered, did you know that? They still remember my brothers more than me. Those brothers who have been dead for a century, those brothers who have songs and tales written in their names... yet before I could prove my worth father forced me to hand the throne to Titu! Why!?”
The elder's voice had crescendoed up to a shout as he had talked himself into a rage. His hands squirmed around in confusion before he pointed towards the door, to denounce those who had slighted him.
”Because Titu was the better emperor. Everyone said so. Even my own advisors betrayed me... but I am not useless. I am the former Emperor of Medala, damn you all! Titu was my son! He should have honored me! Relied on me! Instead he did whatever he wanted! He wouldn't even visit his own father! All I wanted was for Titu to need me for once! I am not useless! I am not lost! I am Emperor Caelestis Viribus Pluritac and I deserve respect!”
The former emperor tried to look imposing, but was betrayed by his inherent nature. He flailed his arms without coordination and almost lost balance from his unstable seat, sweat dripping from his flushed face. On the shout of his name his voice cracked, the elder almost brought to tears by his own story.
Meanwhile, Corco hadn't moved an inch. He stared down on what he had thought to be his kind, generous, honorable elder. Now he saw the man for what he really was: Vain, childish... and weak. Caelestis was everything a ruler could not be. After some seconds, the old man had still not received the consolation and support he craved from his grandson. This time, he couldn't move Corco anymore. Thus, he accepted his fate and tried to save what he could.
”...I won't sit here and beg my own grandson for forgiveness, so do what you must. If our family really means nothing to you, go ahead and denounce me. Tell the world what I did.”
Corco looked at the old man, lost in thought. He had never intended to just expose Caelestis. He could have done that any time he wanted. No, his goal had been to use Caelestis and ruin Prince Pacha. However, Corco still needed one piece to the puzzle, to trap the old man and take away all hope. Only then would the elder give in to his demands. However, despite his best attempts, he never found that final piece. Thus, he did the only thing he could. He betrayed his morals, betrayed his feelings, betrayed his family; and he lied.
”You know, when I talked about fingerprints before, I didn't tell the full truth. It's true that fingerprints are different for everyone, but the prints between father and son tend to be remarkably similar. It's a sign of their bloodline.”
Again, the old man's eyes opened in shock. Corco wondered if it was realization or disbelief he read in the old man's face.
”Laqhis, don't do this. We're still-”
”We're nothing. From today on, we won't be allies and we won't be family. We'll be nothing but strangers. I don't want to see you, I don't want to meet with you. When I visit my father you will know in advance. On that day, I want you to stay away as far as you can.”
Corco took one last look at the old man before he stood up. He burned that face of defeat into his memory, as a warning to himself. He would never become a man like Caelestis. He wouldn't let himself be governed by his weakness and betray all the values he stood for. He would do what he had to and become the perfect ruler, even if he had to sell his soul in the process.
”Here's what's gonna happen next. You will go back down there and invent a story about Pachacutec's unclear heritage. How the emperor himself told you that he suspected Spuria's infidelity. With that amount of suspicion he will never be considered for emperor, while the lack of hard evidence will be the final doubt to preserve the honor of our house. Do as I say or everyone will know the true identity of Pachacutec Caelestis Pluritac.”
”Laqhis, you still don't understand. No matter what you do, you won't be emperor. Father would never allow-”
”Whatever I do is none of your concern. Just do what I demand. If you don't, I will reveal everything. It will be your end, your son's end, your lover's end. Preserve what little dignity you have and do the right thing. For once in your life, you can be a man. Just like my father.”
His work fulfilled, Corco walked out of the room. Even though his grandfather's last words seemed strange, he didn't take a single look back. No matter who got in his way, no matter what other tricks they would try, he would smash them all apart and claim the throne, family be damned.