Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 6

blooded and calculated move. A move worthy of his mother.
    "Not poison. I hardly want to see my brother dead." The way he stated that made it hard for Chien to believe. "It will just paralyze him a bit. He'll fall over, I'll win, and we're all happier."
    "But won't he know?"
    Minh waved the question aside as he picked up another of the bowls, "I love my dear brother, but Tuan is not exactly bright. He would have the empire constantly at war over nothing." And wasn't that the truth. Though Chien pondered if Minh would be much better. Hardly. Men who thought themselves great leaders rarely were in practice. "What this Empire truly needs is someone willing to bring the provinces together. I have plans my dear cousin. Education, industry. Plans that would never see fruition under Tuan's rule."
    "Industry?"
    "Have you not heard? They have begun to see the most interesting applications of science in the territories outside of the empire. Imagine our strength if we could bring those devices to the empire. Our enemies would cower before us." Chien had heard tales of the war machines developed outside of the Empire. Heard tales of the devastation they had wrought. And Minh hoped to bring those vicious machines to the Empire? "It would prove an effective way to secure my dominance over the distant territories and stop these ridiculous revolutions." As if sensing that he had lost Chien somewhere along the way, he added, "And if he were to take rule, I'm sure he would make life very hard for you."
    Chien frowned, "It is true. Tuan does not care for me as you do, Cousin, but I do not wish to make the Empress angry."
    "She will not be angry. She will never know. That is the best part!"
    "She'll never know?"
    "Of course not. I'll never tell her and you won't either. It'll be our secret."
    "I do wish to help you, Cousin." Chien stated reluctantly. "And if it shall be a secret."
    "Excellent." Minh stood and walked to his chest, reaching deep inside of it to retrieve a box. "Just pour this into his drink tonight just after Mother begins her speech and everything shall be taken care of."
    "A few drops?"
    "The whole thing." Chien glanced upward while he spoke and saw the disturbingly cheerful grin that crossed his cousin's face. He recognized the smell of this particular vial. This was not about disabling Tuan in the least. Minh hoped to kill his brother in an exceedingly painful manner.
    "And this will help?" At the very least, Minh would get what he wanted in the end. But he would suffer the very same fate of course.
    "Of course it will."
    "And I will not get into trouble?"
    "Chien, don't ask so many questions." Minh was irritated by his doubt and doing a poor job of hiding it. "It will work out perfectly. Now enjoy your breakfast, I have things to take care of." Minh ate the last of what was left in his bowl and left. Chien did not miss the fact that two guards stepped inside at his absence.
    Chien had to force the last of the food down for form's sake before asking shyly for an escort back to his room. Once he was alone, he looked back into the box. A vial of translucent green liquid sat inside of it. Minh wanted him to poison Tuan.
    His method lacked honor as well, but Tuan and Minh were not his true targets for the throne. They would need to be dealt with of course. They were as wicked as their mother. Wickeder for the mere fact that they had had so much more time to grow into monsters beyond what their mother had become.
    The worst part about his aunt's betrayal was that she had not always been as such. Once upon a time, his aunt had treated Chien and his sister, An like her own. She had been full of laughter and stories. The death of her husband had changed her.
    The same way the death of his family had changed him.
    The banquet that night would see the last part of his plans to fall into place. He could only hope the Dragon would protect him.
    ****
    Chien watched from the verandah as the sun sank into the ground and day slid seamlessly into night. The banquet would come soon; Chien was not at all completely sure he was ready. His mind whirled with worries and doubts, and no matter how much he attempted to tell himself that he should throw them away, the action was far more difficult than the thought.
    His personal guards sat before him, their backs to the wall. Chien had always assumed that the Empress had placed him there in hopes that some lucky assassin would take the bait she had so lovingly placed and do away with him.