Chapter 99

　　Alexander watched his niece glide across the dance floor with Baron Kalen Caledon with interest, one of the few in the crowd who paid attention to the consequences of what he was seeing.

　　Many people forgot that the Emperor and Empress had a fourth child, the youngest, and often overlooked Alexander. Unlike his more accomplished and extravagant siblings, he preferred to blend into the crowd.

　　He downed the full drink in his hand before gesturing to a nearby staff member for another. Although he didn`t really feel like drinking tonight, he had a reputation to maintain.

　　His brother Argyle was known for his commanding presence and prowess on the battlefield. He was a Mech Pilot with a customized Imperial Guard Assault Mech Justice.` He was the true leader of the Imperial Guard after the Emperor, and it was the base of his power, which was why so many of the Nobility flocked toward him this evening.

　　But Alexander suspected that Argyle was a failure in his father`s eyes, lacking the intelligence and drive to succeed him. Why else would he be denied the title of Heir?`

　　Then there was Augustus, the very image of Imperial wealth and decadence. He had inherited his father`s intelligence from the gestation tanks that birthed all Noble children, the uncertainty of a mother`s womb too unreliable to be trusted with a Noble Scion.

　　But Augustus was selfish, caring only for his own comfort and status. The perfect Bureaucrat, he ruled the Imperial Government with the goal of benefitting himself. While not as popular as Argyle, he still gathered quite a number of his peers to support him.

　　Finally, there was Amara, who lacked both intelligence and ambition. Alexander completely disregarded his sister and her husband, throwing the pair aside in his calculations.

　　But it was Alexander who was the true inheritor of the Emperor. He was intelligent, ambitious and driven to succeed, so his parents thought he would be a contender to the throne, but things changed a few years after he had been born.`

　　Alexander cared little for the Empire and had no thought to rule it. He didn`t want to assist the Royal Family in their duties, nor was he interested in forging bonds with others. He removed himself from public life, burying himself in his studies or indulging in vice.

　　Alex hummed a tune, his body comfortably numb from the strong alcohol as he watched his parents stand on a stage and grant their blessing to their grandchild. He politely clapped along with the rest of the crowd, all while a single thought twirled around his head, the same one that had been present for as long as he could remember.

　　How can you fool that which is omniscient?`

　　It was a thought that consumed him for his entire life since he first understood how special his father was. Aurelius had unparalleled intelligence, combined with an information network feeding him data from around the galaxy and a millennium of experience in interpreting it.

　　He still remembered that feeling of awe as he gained awareness of his father`s understanding of the universe and their place in it. The man knew what everyone around him was thinking and could predict events years in advance.

　　It had been humbling for Alexander, who had always felt he was the most intelligent being in any room.

　　And with that understanding came a goal, a lifelong pursuit. He wanted not just to gain the same skills as his father but to surpass them. And that goal brought him here, with a statement ringing in his mind.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

　　If his father was nearly omniscient as so many claimed, and he himself had witnessed, could Alexander fool him? Could he surpass his father?

　　His life was defined by that single ambition, to see the look on his father`s face of shock and awe that his youngest, often forgotten son had outsmarted and outmaneuvered him. It was what drove him forward every single day of his life.

　　With that goal in mind, he considered the problem from all angles. To fool an omniscient being, one must create a false persona so perfect that you would be lost within it.

　　Alexander accomplished this, dropping all signs of intelligence and ambition, crafting a new version of himself so self-indulgent that no one could suspect him of the slightest bit of mischievousness, so drowned in alcohol and drugs that he was incoherent.

　　With his father`s eye off of him, he continued to work behind the scenes, understanding the players and the role he wanted them to play. He was like a child, setting up his dominoes one at a time while waiting for the perfect, golden opportunity to topple the first one, setting off the chain reaction.

　　And lo and behold, that opportunity was finally here, and he was prepared.

　　Alexander giggled. The few nobles and guests standing next to him looked at the youngest prince with a mixture of contempt and disgust. His formal outfit had long since been stained with wine and spirits, and he was unsteady on his feet. Swaying and laughing, he danced a small little jig, his feet moving to unheard music as he thought about the coming festivities.

　　Soon, his subtle hint delivered to his brothers on anonymous wings would set events into motion, with his deft hand leading them like marionettes. He would be free to act under the disguise of ambiguity, his father unable to know which of the sons was responsible for the coming chaos.

　　Only at the end, when all the dominoes had fallen, would he pull back the curtain. The Grand Reveal, the showstopper.

　　Alexander shuddered in anticipation at the thought, and his laughter grew louder, lost amongst the music of Marella`s birthday celebrations.

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　　"This is my cousin, Katherine." Mare introduced after the ceremony with her grandparents ended. The party was in full swing, although most guests were distracted by their meetings and conversations to enjoy it fully.

　　Mare and Kal were standing by the refreshment table, letting the sound of the music wash over them, when a tall, blond-haired woman approached and hugged the princess unexpectedly. Stepping back, Mare introduced them before Katherine slowly assessed the tall nobleman who was accompanying her cousin.

　　"Baron Caledon, Mare has told me all about you." She greeted. Kal responded with a slight bow, aware of this woman`s identity. The youngest daughter of Duke Havencroft, niece of Magnus and Mare`s first cousin.

　　"Liar, I`ve barely said anything to you about him." Mare replied, smiling at her cousin.

　　"Well, it`s more what she hasn`t said that intrigues me." Katherine joked, and the three made pleasant small talk until Katherine dropped her voice to a whisper.

　　"I wanted to give you a warning. Malik Carmichael is not happy. He`s taken offence to your supposed snub." Katherine explained, and Mare gave an unladylike scoff at the comment.

　　"I could care less if he isn`t happy. I noticed he didn`t come. Was he too embarrassed to show his face?" Mare asked.

　　"Hardly. One has to have a sense of shame to be embarrassed. He`s likely plotting revenge in some hole. It probably won`t amount to anything, but you should be careful. He`s the most dangerous kind of stupid and arrogant. He`s angry enough to try anything and too powerful for many to stop him." Katherine warned.

　　The rest of the evening passed in pleasant company, with Mare and Kal enjoying their time together. Time seemed to pass in a blur, and the sun began to creep over the horizon before Kal realized how late it had become.

　　"I had a lovely evening." Mare stated from the hallway outside her quarters. She had long since taken off her uncomfortable shoes, holding them in her hand and walking barefoot down the lushly carpeted floor of the palace.

　　"Surprisingly, so did I!" Kal replied with a grin.

　　"Surprisingly?" Mare stated with a frown, causing Kal to laugh harder. She cut him off by pressing her lips against his, the suddenness of the kiss taking him off guard. Before he could respond, Mare stepped back, giving him a smile.

　　"Good night." She said, closing the door to her room behind him.

　　"Good night." Kal repeated, placing his fingers against his lips, before turning and making his way to the waiting hovercar. He could think of nothing else but her the entire trip, replaying the scene in his mind.