My mind was spinning as I walked away from my meeting with the cloaked and hooded figure. Could it be? The Emperor had been called mad at his worst but know he seemed to be going insane. Executing beasts for no apparent reason. Why? Sick? No. Blackmailed? Possible. Imposter? Possible again.

I decided to talk to Ranen who often serves wine for the Emperor. He was at the tavern so he spoke quit freely. “Ranen, how’s our Emperor?”

“Crazy and crabby. Before he would always get me to bring him damson wine, now it’s rhubarb, or beer, he even requested grog!” “Grog?”

“That was near the beginning of when he started acting strange.”

With this news I went over to the palace to see Mad Eyes myself. I found him yelling at a rat I’d seen in the tavern once or twice.

“You’ve been at Sampetra how long, rat?” the Emperor’s voice was harsh, not his usual sweet like honey deadly like poison voice.

“Twelve seasons your majesty.”

“Well, you’ve outlived your worth,” with those words he stabbed him through the middle with a knife that had appeared in his hand. Why hadn’t he used his hypnosis?

“You there come wash my feet,” I walked forward with an idea. “Yes sir.”

As I washed his feet I felt they were callous and rough, not the feet of an emperor. As felt his heel I found they were as tough as the rest of the foot, no break, no scar where a snake had bit him! Imposter!

When I was done I dropped back against the wall to the shadows the wannabe emperor was busy with a new victim. I crept over too the Emperor’s private chambers. When I entered the room I noticed a dark figure at the rear of the room. “Why are you back so soon? We’ve got to kill around fifty beasts before we leave. Wait who are you?” “No one of great significance.”

“Then no one will care if I kill you,” the beast was a large ferret with a cutlass. “I’ll care,” I drew my scimitar and the battle began. It was short and not that amazing, the ferret seemed to have been eating too much rich food, his blows were strong but not quick. He made a strong downward chop which I sidestepped and laid his hide open in around two dozen places.

The Emperor was laying at the table unconscious, after waking him we reached a decision on how to get rid of the fake. I lured him behind the curtains behind the throne and stabbed him in the back. The true Emperor took his place and after discussing I with him decided the plan must have been to keep killing beasts until the corsairs rebelled and then put the real Emperor back. Ublaz would be dead the corsairs decimated; it would be easy for them to come in to conquer. The only question left unanswered is who did this? Finding that out could be another mission entirely.