Dead Men Smiling

5.0 THE KING'S CROWN JEWEL

Sacrifices must be made to be a hero or villain. The only difference between them is what sacrifice they will make.

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Emperor Nero gently caressed an image of Leilani with a small smile as he remembered her bright laughter. His son-in-law, could he even still consider Leonardo that, had said that she had committed suicide after being released from probation, claiming that she couldn't take it anymore and leaving him without a daughter.

And he of course blamed himself.

"She never wanted me to be Emperor and look where that got me," he said while staring at her face. "A dead daughter and a hardly alive wife."

A tear rolled down his nose and landed on the painting's eye making him let out a tired sigh.

"Come in, Sed."

He turned the painting over and watched as Sed walked in the room closely followed by El who had smoke coming out of his ears.

"I take it you failed to bring King to me?"

"She managed to escaped thrice." "How so?" "She killed my assassin, dodged an arrow and blew up Greenland."

"I don't think she survived the explosion," El had added as an afterthought to which Sed scoffed as he rolled his eyes. "I know King. That little cockroach definitely survived that. I'm willing to place a bet."

"What are you willing to place a bet on?"

Leonardo walked in with a tired air around him that the Emperor recognized immediately. "Still mourning your lover? Why not get a mistress?"

The King ignored the words and instead addressed Sed. "What are you willing to bet on?"

He then registered El's presence and grinned. "Let me guess, King's still alive?"

Not waiting for the others to respond, he pulled out a piece of paper and smiled at the three. "To all members present, I believe it's time I told you of Dead Men Smiling's weakness or as I like to call it, The King's Crown Jewel."

Sed and El both exchanged glances before turning to face the dark haired male while the Emperor didn't bat an eye.

King Leonardo rose a brow, clearly unimpressed with the lack of reaction and muttered under his breath as he walked to the fire place and held the paper over it with a threatening grin.

Emperor Nero dismissed his dramatics. "Leonardo, stop being childish and tell us what you know." "I appreciate that you be nicer about it, Nero."

Sed stared at the King who surprisingly wasn't dead and instead had his arms folded over his chest and a glare directed at one of the most powerful men in the Empire.

The Emperor stood and walked towards the younger who didn't flinch and had the audacity to raise an eyebrow.

"He's a dead man," El said with concern in his gaze. "At least we won't let his blood go to waste."

"I know you miss her, I miss her too."

The Emperor's whispered words made King Leonardo's eyes widen as his shoulders sagged slightly before he rebuilt his walls. "Your Majesty, I'm one of the most feared Kings of the seven. When I say I'm fine-"

He roughly brushed past him roughly and sat on the chair, placing his feet on the desk. "- I'm fine you abject man."

He then cleared his throat. "Take this as a game of chess."

"I'm not interested in your metaphors," Sed said bluntly as he held a cigarette to his brother who lit it without hesitation. He then continued Sed's statement as the aforementioned stood by the window to let out a puff of smoke. "Just tell us what you know."

The dark haired male tsked and spread out his arms with a bemused expression as if asking the world to witness what had just happened. He then shrugged his shoulders. "Hex," he said simply, pretending not to enjoy the confusion that quickly etched itself to their features.

"A spell type?" Sed asked. "Nope. I would've told you but you wanted to get to the point. So, Hex."

"Now you're just being a child," El sighed as Sed took a deep drag.

"You two, be quiet," the Emperor said, "What do you want to say?"

"Tell me, when faced with a swordsman, sorcerer, soldier or healer, who do you put out of commission first?"

"Sorcerer." Sed growled

"Combatant." El answered.

"Soldier," the Emperor said with a calm voice.

Leonardo let out a chuckle at their answers before asking them about the probabilities that the healer can fix whatever damage you cause? When Sed asked how that applies to what he had to tell them to which the young King chuckled. "You see so much but yet you're so blind."

He then dropped his smile. "Which member of the Rebellion have you never seen in battle?"

"Hex." The Emperor's eyes widened in realisation causing the other regal to smile. "That look is much appreciated. It means that you're understanding."

Emperor Nero did understand. His mind went back to the first time he had encountered the full Rebellion; Hex hadn't fought; instead he had watched from the safety of a rock. He remembered stabbing Autumn in the gut and when he turned to attack Beast, everything had gone black right after Autumn cut off his ear.

When he woke up, Leonardo who was a prince at the time had helped to his feet before they took in their dead soldiers. The seventeen-year-old had told him he knew nothing but the Emperor knew he knew more than he was letting on.

"He still does," he said under his breath.

"Excuse me?" King Leonardo asked calmly. "I asked what the way forward was."

"If that's the case, I suggest that El goes after Hex and Sed after King." "You better explain to El then."

The King left the office after beckoning for El to follow after him which he did after grumbling under his breath.

"Sed?"

"Yes, Your Highness?" "Are you capable of splitting?"

"Yes. Why?"

At the glare he received, he let out a sigh, making a show of correcting himself. "Your Highness."

"Good. Split yourself in two. One should find King and the other should track Leonardo." "Am I allowed to ask why?"

"I don't trust the little brat at all."