Lucian watched the youth leave; something had his chest beating wildly. The pounding was starting to make his vision blur as well as make it hard to hear... if anyone was even speaking.
Devlin shivered, "Well, that was... straight to the point..." Perhaps it was his own apprehension, but Devlin did not want to hear Ashton sing again. Something about the cords and inflection had his heart racing as if he'd just fought for his life... and failed.
Sebastian stood up as well, "If there is nothing else, I plan to retire for the evening, I will be ready before first light to help with the preparations to welcome the delegations." He'd already expressed twice that he thought they should keep the church separate from the delegation welcoming, alas...
Charmaine glanced over Sebastian, "I do believe you were also included in Lord Reece's message, Lord Carlos." She remarked with a provocative glance. As she held her tea, she could see the ripples as her fingers trembled... something about that song had... it had done something.
Sebastian gave a calm smile, "I would not dare consider myself worthy of such a title." Sebastian informed with a slight bow then departed.
Charmaine clenched her teacup tightly watching Sebastian leave, then glanced around. "I will send word for all the eligible ladies of the empire to attend the tribute banquet." She informed practically slamming her teacup down as she stood up. She had to use her hands on the table to force her wobbling legs to stand, but her steps didn't waver as she left the room.
Leonard glanced around dejectedly, "Perhaps we should let nature take its course, clearly what we are doing is not helping our situation." As much as he wanted to follow after Ashton and do something to sooth the upset youth... his legs were currently no stronger than soggy noodles.
Bodin put his regular smile back on, "While we may not know what fate has in store, we should still hope for the best yet prepare for the worst." He had to remain calm, he refused to clench his fist or give away any telltale sign of what had just happened. Bodin wasn't sure how, but the holy mana he'd released to regulate the area... was gone. Usually that meant it had been passively absorbed by the occupants, but this time... it was like a void had appeared swallowing the mana up.
Wilbert stood up, "He's already stronger than he was just a few days ago." Just singing had changed the minds of nearly all the nobles, Duke Carlos had been dismissive at best, but the rest had been starting to accept Bodin's influence.
Leonard was unimpressed, "Be that as it may, making a potentially ascending dragon upset doesn't seem like the best course of action." Even if Ashton wasn't stronger than yesterday, he'd still managed to kill a lord class land dragon... he's never been weak.
Promise glanced around, "Every record we have states that the ascending process makes them irritable, we should subtly ingratiate ourselves. Even if he doesn't ascend into a dragon, any ascended beast that calls the empire home will be a blessing."
Bodin's eyes narrowed even while his smile remained, "If he's not a dragon... it would still be close, otherwise the dragon heart would not have reacted." Did the savages on the other side of the savanna not worship a snake? If that god had offspring, it would still at least be a legendary class beast.
"Then we should wait until after tomorrow, clearly much will be happening." Leonard persisted then glanced at Lucian who looked... dazed. "Your majesty?" Suddenly everyone turned to look at Lucian.
Jaxon stood up to put his hand on Lucian's forehead, "Majesty? Majesty? Can you hear me?" Jaxon asked as he felt cold sweat. A moment later Lucian jerked his head away wiping his face.
Lucian rubbed his face as his heart settled down, "I'm fine, I was just lost in thought." He suddenly felt as if he'd been walking through water unknowingly, but now he was back on land. Lucian quickly retraced his thoughts, when had he started to become muddleheaded...
Jaxon hesitated, "Majesty perhaps a healer..?" If the mages hadn't noticed anything, as distasteful as the thought was, Promise was an apt healer... They could not afford for Lucian to be indisposed for the delegation's arrival.
Lucian glared, "We are fine Duke Darnings." Lucian reiterated using the royal we this time. Lucian wasn't sure how he hadn't noticed the difference in his state... but he'd also been strangely moody since Ashton's little outburst. What he did not need was someone poking around in his head right now.
Jaxon stepped back with a bow. "I overstepped your majesty, please forgive me." Maybe he hadn't been the only one affected by Ashton's little song... but now was not the time to ask. Jaxon subtly glanced over the priests who were sharing glances.
Lucian nodded, while they were cousins, he was still an emperor and Jaxon was a courtier. Such weakness could not be shown publicly, especially in front of enemies.
"We shall see what happens tomorrow before any plans are made. For now, We shall allow access to the royal library but only under our direct supervision. No notes, records, or conversations are to be made outside the library. Dismissed." Lucian announced as he stood up. Right now he needed to be away from the priests, away from those suffocating memories, away from this room. Lucian could feel it now, something was... dragging on him? He felt heavier, as if something was weighing not just on his body, but his mind.
Jaxon watched Lucian closely, something was... off. "Yes your majesty." Jaxon acknowledged along with everyone else.
Lucian had to make an effort to keep a steady pace, he felt like he'd just run across the empire then been dunked into a frozen lake. The farther away from the priests he was, the slower the feeling returned. Lucian clenched his fist, it would seem no matter what, it was returning. He ordered a bath, hardly surprised when Jaxon and Leonard requested an audience.
Jaxon and Leonard were escorted to his majesty's personal bath. The magnificent room was large enough to fit a small lake, and the fountains were constantly running steaming hot water using mana. When Lucian was laying out with his arms resting on the side of the marble floor they saw all the scars left from fighting for his life on the battlefield. Unfortunately, the battlefield was not only outside the palace walls.
Leonard met Lucian's... dazed eyes. "Your majesty, did something happen?"
Lucian debated, "That song affected me somehow, as if the light sucked out of my thoughts as my heart was racing...," Lucian then described what he'd felt in detail. Even that the feeling was slowly returning.
Jaxon listened intently, "Your majesty, have you ever felt anything similar?" He'd felt something similar, but none of the weight or muddle-headedness was returning.
Lucian hesitated, but with a sigh nodded. "When I first saw Ashton back in Palmer, at the Silas mansion one night, the day we entered the capital, when those creatures touched me to throw us out of the throne room, and just now. But previously it was only my heart rushing for a moment or two. Never that intense. I also never noticed the... weight being lifted. Just that I felt different sometime later."
Jaxon thought over the timeline, "Not while Ashton was fighting the land dragon?"
Lucian debated, "My heart did race, but nothing out of the ordinary, I could attribute each time to battle or worry for Natasha and Serafin."
Jaxon nodded, "Makes sense, anything else?"
Lucian sighed, "Nothing comes to mind."
"Do you think Ashton's ascension is affecting his majesty?" Leonard asked also starting to connect events.
"We need to find and analyze the records of the previous ascended... successful or not. I don't recall two ever ascending at the same time... but maybe they just never announced anyone who failed during the successful ascensions." Jaxon admitted.
Lucian clenched his fist and jaw, "I will open the library tomorrow night. It's sealed so I will need Serafin and you too Jax." Lucian informed, his bastard of a father had made sure it wouldn't be easy to open the library after his death.
Jaxon sighed, he hadn't heard that nickname since Lucian had become the emperor. It was rare they had these heart to hearts... "No matter what Luc, I'm here for you. We should still summon a healer, even a mage healer is better than nothing."
Lucian nodded, "A mage healer, no priests."
Even after a mage healer examined him thoroughly twice nothing out of the ordinary was discovered. Lucian sat on his bed while Jaxon hesitated to speak. Jaxon didn't miss the pointed look from Leonard.
"Luc, we won't push right now, but if it happens again... we should get a real healer. I'll put out feelers for a priest who isn't... so loyal to the pope. Or at least can keep their mouth shut." Jaxon stated meeting Lucian's eyes.
"Fine, or maybe a healer from another country. Surely one will meet secretly for a good sum of coin without knowing any identities." Lucian added thinking if anyone came to mind.
"We should see if Devlin can discover anything about the priests, or if and how they are muddling our thoughts. Because I assure you, a week ago the idea of working with priests wouldn't have even crossed my mind, but this morning I was vouching for them... Something about that isn't natural." Jaxon reminded trying to figure out when his shift in mentality had happened... but nothing stood out. Lucian and Leonard nodded but there wasn't much more to say until they had more information.