Chapter 21

  The last few days of vacation passed in a daze. I avoided as many people as I could, but there were times I really couldn't. All I heard was rumors about why I had been called to the palace. I, of course, didn't correct any one, so the rumors kept changing, kept getting stranger and stranger. Up to an including a tryst with a young noble girl, me being the Emperor's long lost son, even though the Emperor was decidedly human and I was very much not one any more. Of course, not even I knew that. Not really. The only thing I did know was that I was going to be stuck between the Emperor and whoever the guy that kidnapped me was. And I wasn't liking where that was headed.

  I spent as much time in the library learning what I could. I didn't limit myself to Weaving, but to the political landscape, and known threats to the Empire. I didn't find much on the last, almost like it was erased or hidden, but I found a few mentions of underground elements within the major cities. Even the Capitol City had some underground ne’er-do-wells. I could not, however, find any mention of an organized campaign against the Emperor or the Empire. Political enemies didn't seem to exist, though there was always strife in Court amongst those who were trying to get the most for themselves, as in any government. Who either side was, or what their goals were, were beyond the books here.

  On the last day before the next Academy year was set to begin, I was visited by a man, in the middle of the night. I woke with a start, as I felt the feeling of cold metal against my throat. I opened my mouth to scream, but a hand was put over my mouth and nothing came out. Nothing that could be heard more than a few meters away, anyway. I looked around, trying to search out an escape, a weapon, anything. It was at this point I realized I couldn't move my body. I wasn't tied down, that I could tell. Instead, it was as if my muscles were disconnected from my thoughts. My muscles just didn't recognize my brain as being in charge.

  The man above me, seeing a chance to interject my thoughts, simply said "Sit still, and this will go a whole lot quicker and easier. I'm not going to hurt you, unless you force me to." Since I couldn't really do anything else, I simply looked up at him. "Now, you're first assignment, now that the Emperor has reached out to you, is simple. Talk with your fellow students. Inject some doubt in the Emperor and his government. It doesn't have to be concrete, or based on any policy, just a simple question on whether one man should control every being. We have to start small, and since you're the one currently in Academy, you're the one who gets this job. We'll be in contact."

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  At that, he just vanished. I don't mean he turned around and walked away. I don't mean a sudden pop as air filled a void. I mean simply gone. No noise, no sound, nothing. My body started responding to me at the same time, and I shot up, gasping for breath. I had no idea what these people were up to, but somehow, I knew it didn't matter in the end. Their methods, on the other hand, left much to be desired.

  The next day, after spending the rest of the night restless, I went to breakfast. I hadn't tried to get to know anyone, so when I went to a table, the others went quiet. I sat down, looked around at the others, and started simply, "Hi, I'm Jorth. Second year. Think it might be time to start getting to know everyone."

  No one responded at first, but after a few awkward minutes, a voice popped up, "Hi, third year, here. Call me Red, everyone else does." A red-eyed, pale-skinned boy in the back said. "We heard about you. Is it true they called you over to the Palace?"

  "Yes, it's true." I began, "Though the whole exchange was rather odd. I can't go into details, I was asked to keep it quiet."

  "Oh," a girl near Red said, dejectedly. A few others echoed the sentiment. After that, the conversation began to follow normal patterns. I learned about them, they learned a little about me, and soon we were joking around and playing like normal teenagers of any world. This guy did that, this girl did another thing, and before I knew it, it was time for class.

  Days passed, then weeks. I began hanging out with others during meals and learning about each of them. Some were children of lesser nobles, but a vast majority were not noble. Many were from merchants, like myself, but others were farmers, workers, miners, and even an urchin or two. I found, however, that most, even the nobles, didn't know much about our government and how it was set up. As part of my assignment, I began by asking them if it was right to be led by people, but now know how they led us or why it was set up that way. To some, that was just the way it was, but a few took my words to heart. Including Red.

  It got so bad, that I would occasionally hear him ask "What are they hiding?" to no one in particular, as if trying to figure it out on his own. I wished him luck on that, mentally of course, while continuing to encourage him covertly. I may not know exactly what I'm doing, but it seemed I was off to a great start.