Serenierre
Established Nation
LE CHANSONS D'AUTREFOIS
une histoire à la Gallie
PROLOGUE
The Night the Emperor was slain
une histoire à la Gallie
PROLOGUE
The Night the Emperor was slain
Aistulf stood guard that night. As one of the banner-men of the Comte d. Rousillon, he had become a frequent feature in the grand halls of the imperial court since his liege lord had been appointed Chamberlain.
“Make sure,” his liege lord said to him after the Emperor’s physician left, “No one should see His Lordship in his condition.”
He had nodded and remained true to the command. Only his liege-lord, the Emperor’s physician, and confessor were allowed to enter the bedchamber. Dutifully, he had stood by the antechamber which led to the private bedchamber of the emperor, away from the prying eyes of the courtiers.
Although, that night, as the moon reached its zenith in the clear cloudless sky, there was a noise from inside, accompanied by a loud thud. Alarmed, he had entered the bedchamber, breaking his liege-lord’s orders, he had witnessed the emperor standing in the middle of the room. He had almost screamed.
The emperor seemed like a daemon. His hair matted and his clothes drenched in sweat, the once robust man had shrunk, Aistulf, strong and tall seemed to tower over the man who had been anointed to rule all of western Francia.
“Your lordship, you are well!” he offered, “Let me-”
“I see the shadows moving,” the emperor said. “The shadows are moving.”
“Your lordship,” Aistulf had offered his hand, “Please lie down, and let me call someone.”
“Understand me,” the emperor said, “The shadows are moving.”
Aistulf held the hand of the emperor and walked him back to the bed. But the emperor still seemed to mutter the same phrase. Perhaps he had started hallucinating, maybe he was possessed. Aistulf wondered whether he needed to summon the physician or the confessor.
But before he could withdraw from the bedchamber, he was confronted by the dark form of a mysterious entity standing by the door. It moved quickly and the glint of metal in its hand shone brightly even in the dim moon lit room.
It was strange that Aistulf sensed the blood trickle down his body before he felt the sting of the cold blade rip through him. He coughed. Blood sputtered from his mouth and he fell to his knees. As the pain spread across, he looked up at the mysterious entity, which walked with a gentle step, almost imperceptible to hear, he was walking towards the emperor.
He was still babbling in coherently: “the shadows, the shadows, the shadows.”
As the darkness of eternity swept over Aistulf, he saw the glint of the metal once again and suddenly it went quiet.