Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king

Keval walked down the quiet, echoing hallways of the palace, his footsteps resounding off the polished stone floors as he approached the regent’s chambers—the place that had been the center of his world for so many long, grueling months.

He remembered the countless nights he had spent in that room, poring over documents, frantically balancing the empire’s precarious finances, and managing every problem that had been hurled his way. It had been the room where he’d argued with ministers, cursed misfortunes, and occasionally fought back the weight of it all with clenched fists and sleepless nights, which many times ended with him crying .

Now, with each step, a new sense of freedom lifted him. No more desperate meetings to salvage royal coffers, no more watching over every shit his bich of a sister managed to make a mess of,whom by the way he was waiting with excitement to see the punishment, and more important no more vigilance against a hundred other fires in the empire.

Keval allowed himself a slight smile. For the first time in what felt like ages, his shoulders relaxed.

As Keval neared the regent’s chamber, he spotted Tyros waiting just outside the door, leaning casually against the wall. Tyros looked up, his face breaking into a wide grin, and he pushed off the wall to embrace his brother warmly. ”It’s been too long, brother’’ Tyros said, pulling him into a tight hug. ”Months since I last saw you—look at you, still alive after all this.”

Keval chuckled as they separated. ”Barely. It’s been... harder than I thought it would be.”

Tyros gave him a knowing look. ”I heard all about it—especially what Valeria’s been up to while your father was away.” He shook his head. ”But if it’s any consolation, just think: we’ll be spared her little games from here on out.”

”I can only hope,” Keval replied, sighing. He felt Tyros’ reassuring hand pat his shoulder as he turned to face the chamber door.

”Go on, get in there,” Tyros encouraged.

Keval glanced back at him, eyebrows raised. ”And you? Why aren’t you already inside?”

Tyros grinned, letting out a mock sigh. ”Oh, I tried. But Father threw me out. Seems he wants some peace in his new office.”

Keval smirked, shaking his head. ”Not surprised,” he said, gripping the door handle,his brother was never the diligent one,and so Keval got ready to face his father—now the regent—and feeling strangely lighter at the thought of leaving that room’s burdens behind.

Keval stepped quietly into the regent’s chamber, and the familiar room seemed heavier now, almost somber in the morning light. Behind a broad desk littered with papers and official seals, Lord Marthio sat, his focus intense as he reviewed a long scroll. His face, sharply lit from the window, was as stoic as ever, but there was a quiet pride in his eyes as he glanced up to see his son enter.

Keval bowed his head briefly in greeting and took his seat, clasping his hands in front of him, watching as Marthio set down the scroll with deliberate care. Marthio folded his hands over the desk, looking at Keval with a calm, assessing gaze.

”Keval,” he began in his deep, steady voice. ”I’ve been briefed on your work these past months, and I want you to know I am... satisfied.” He paused, as though letting the weight of his words settle. ”You’ve managed a difficult hand—very difficult, hell even hopeless. And despite that, you’ve done well.”

Keval inclined his head slightly. ”I only did what I could, Father.”

Marthio regarded him thoughtfully, almost severely yet blessed him with one of his very rare small smile ”You’ve done far more than that,” he said, ”I reviewed our accounts personally before I returned to Romelia. Given the setbacks... you kept our coffers stable. It’s impressive—particularly with the fall of Harmway.” His eyes narrowed, his expression still as stone. ”Harmway’s loss could have crippled us, yet you managed to cushion the fall .”

A flicker of memory crossed Keval’s face, his jaw tightening. He nodded. ”It was a hard blow. I underestimated how much we had relied on the island.”

Marthio gave a grave nod. ”You were not alone in that. We all counted on its resources.” He was silent for a moment, his gaze weighing Keval’s response. ”But you didn’t let it ruin you,” he continued, voice lowered. ”I noted that deal you secured with Yarzat.Those two new things of that small princedom truly are amazing, and you managed to negotiate to take over the monopoly over the entire market.We will increase the amount we will buy by at least an half starting from next month.”

Marthio’s gaze turned more intense as he shifted to the next subject. ”Then there is the matter of the emperor’s kidnapping. A disaster averted, but it could have shattered the stability we fought so hard to preserve.” He paused, his eyes narrowing as he looked at his son with a mixture of appraisal and solemnity. ”And yet, you managed to contain it. Your response was swift, decisive.”

Keval inclined his head slightly, his voice even but laced with sincerity. ”I had luck on my side, Father. The gods seemed to favor us, as they had given me defector from their ranks—a rat willing to betray his own.” He allowed a small, wry smile, a reminder of how close they’d come to losing everything.

”Luck or no luck,” Marthio replied with a dismissive wave, ”you took control and defused a crisis before it could spread. That is what matters.” His voice held a weight that left no room for modesty.

Keval absorbed the compliment in silence, knowing that any additional praise from Marthio was rare and deliberate. Seizing the moment, he took a careful breath and ventured, ”And Valeria?” The question lingered in the air, carrying an undercurrent of tension.

Marthio’s gaze grew colder, and he leaned forward slightly, studying Keval with a penetrating look. ”Tell me, Keval. How would you handle it?”

Keval straightened, his expression hardening with conviction. ”If it were my choice, she would be executed for treason. She endangered the Empire itself; that kind of betrayal demands a clear, unflinching answer. I say off with her heads” He met his father’s eyes, letting the weight of his words linger.

Marthio gave a small nod, his face unreadable but his tone resolute. ”I agree with you. After her actions, she’s no kin to us—no kin to anyone who values this realm’s stability.” He paused, his voice dropping to a tone that held a touch of bitterness. ”But an execution would mean having the emperor order the death of his own mother. A stain like that would never wash off, no matter how many victories or achievements follow.That would follow his children and grandchildren”

Keval frowned, considering the complications. Kinslaying held a deep, ancient stigma in their culture, something that would weigh upon the imperial lineage for generations. ”Then... what is to be done with her?” he asked, wary yet curious.

”I’ve already arranged it, she will no longer worry us anymore” Marthio replied, his voice turning almost clinical ”Now that that’s settled,” he continued, his tone shifting, ”we need to discuss your new position.”

Keval felt a flicker of surprise but said nothing, waiting intently for his father’s next words.

Marthio’s gaze was steady as he spoke. ”Tyros will return to our lands and assume the regency there, managing affairs on that end. You, however, will remain here, Keval,” he said, his voice firm but not unkind. ”I’ll need you by my side to continue overseeing the finances—something in which you’ve proven remarkably adept.”

Keval’s face betrayed a flicker of disappointment, and Marthio caught it at once. ”Is there something you want to say?” Marthio asked, studying his son closely.

Keval hesitated, then exhaled. ”I’m... tired, Father” he admitted quietly, as if confessing a hidden weakness.

For the first time, Marthio truly took in his son’s face. He noticed the deep-set lines beneath his eyes, the strain in his expression, and even the faint strands of silver hair at his temples—stark against the dark. His son had borne the weight of duty, and it had marked him.

Marthio’s tone softened, just a touch. ”I understand, Keval. I, too, am tired. If the choice were mine alone, I would gladly lay down this burden and leave it all behind.” He let out a sigh, though it was barely more than a breath. ”But the time isn’t right, not for either of us. Every one of us has to make sacrifices when duty calls.”

Keval nodded slowly, his expression resigned. ”I know. I’ll continue, then, as I have until now.”

Marthio gave a slight nod of approval, his expression almost one of pride, tempered by the knowledge of the weight he had asked his son to carry. The room fell silent, and though no more words were exchanged, both men felt the heaviness of what lay ahead. For Keval, the path was clear—one more step forward, into the quiet endurance that duty demanded from them.

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Everything had unraveled for her, just when she believed she was standing at the summit of her ambitions, surveying the vast landscape of her success. But the ground itself had betrayed her; the mountain crumbled beneath her feet, and she plummeted, crashing down from the heights she’d fought so hard to reach.

How had it all fallen apart so quickly? Had she been betrayed? Did Marcellus—her own ally—aid them in this downfall? Her mind raced as she turned her gaze to the door, where two royal guards stood like statues. She’d tried to walk through that door more than once, only to be shoved back, her status disregarded, her authority shattered.

Valeria knew her father had returned, and she dreaded every second until his arrival. She sat tensely, imagining his reaction, the severity of his judgment weighing on her chest. And then, without so much as a knock, the door swung open.

There he stood—Lord Marthio, his expression unreadable, yet his stern, unyielding gaze landed directly on her. It was the look of a man who’d already decided her fate, and her stomach twisted. She rose, swallowing down her pride, and greeted him with a quiet, ”Father.”

Marthio’s voice cut through her words like a cold blade. ”Do not call me that. You have forfeited the right to that title.” His tone was flat, relentless. ”From this moment on, you are no daughter of mine. Consider yourself disinherited, if only in private for now.”

Marthio’s voice was as steady and cold as steel. ”You’ve fallen to new depths, Valeria,” he said, his gaze heavy with disdain. ”Not only did you turn against your family’s interests, but you did so with complete disregard for the honor we’ve fought to build.”

Her heart pounded, and she kept her head low, unable to meet his stare. But he didn’t stop. ”I thought I could salvage some measure of respect for you—some shred of the daughter I once knew. But even that slipped away the day you disgraced yourself, bringing a stable boy to your bed, which now you share with that fool of a lord, the only reason he is still walking freely is because we have no proof of that .” The disgust was evident in his voice, cutting deeper than she’d expected.

Valeria’s hands tightened into fists as she fought the burning in her chest. She’d known he would bring it up. He never forgave her for that mistake; even now, it seemed as if every slight she’d ever caused him would be laid bare. And this time, she had no defense.

Marthio’s voice was unwavering, a final pronouncement. ”You will be taken to the Temple of the Goddess Fertility,” he said, his tone devoid of warmth. ”There, you will serve as a servant to Her, as a member of motherhood. It’s the only path left for you now, since you disregarded your earthly motherhood.”

Valeria shot to her feet, her face contorted with fury. ”I won’t!” she shouted, her voice laced with desperation. ”I am not some servant to be cast off and thrown away!”

Marthio regarded her outburst with a chilling calm. ”The decision has already been made. Nothing you say will change it.” His gaze hardened further, as if she were already gone from his life. ”I came only to inform you of your fate—to tell you myself, so you understood the weight of your actions. As of this moment, you are no longer a daughter of mine.”

Without waiting for a response, Marthio turned and strode to the door. He didn’t look back, leaving her standing in stunned silence, her protests silenced as the door closed behind him with a heavy finality, just as her access to power.