General Swain Viler sat weeks before his memorable wedding in the Imperial Palace. His armor, red from the blood of the Empire's enemies, dripped on the expensive carpet. He had just come from a subjugation of a rebellious faction within the Verradus walls. It was a massacre. He enjoyed it.

The shaken guards opened the door to the emperor's office. The old man stood there in the sunlight, like a gentle yet cunning leader.

"I can assume it went well" the emperor said waving off Swain's mockery of a royal pleasantry.

"It has been completed as ordered." he said.

"I assume you want a reward"

"Your kindness precedes you, your majesty"

The emperor grunted and called his man servant.

"What do you want?" the emperor asked "More land?"

"A wife"

The emperor was intrigued. The man, Swain Viler, a man known for his obsession with power, wanted a wife. Who was the poor candidate? The emperor thought.

"Oh, someone has caught your fancy?"

"Yes, your majesty"

It was during the subjugation that the blood armored General had met a man named Yorick. Yorick was a messenger for the rebellion. A scrawny young man, with freckles on his face and a tongue that would be intrigued to give information for a gold coin or two or in the face of torture.

This was before the massacre had began and they, the General's army of men, were planning the subjugation. They had employed the services of a small number of harlots.

It was in the bosom of a cherry lipped harlot that a young man barged in claiming his love for cherry lips. He held a sword like a duck and offered to duel the man that was in bed with her. Unfortunately the man was not just a man but a beast and a war lover.The harlot laughed and Swain called one of his men to lead the fool to his grave. He was frustrated as it was.

Only then did Yorick present himself. The foolish young suitor was his brother (gasp) and he began to bargain for his foolish brother's life. But every life has a cost. So Swain led the two men back to the room with cherry lips and offered to castrate the brother as payment for interrupting his playtime.

But Yorick wouldn't have it, he revealed to the General who he was, a messenger of the rebellion. Apparently that would sway the people of the area with fear. Yorick was duly led to the torture chambers where he learned who exactly he was dealing with and continued to share the rebel's next move in two nights. He also shared that the rebel's wanted to take over the Black Market. A secret shop for the empire's worst criminals.

"And how were they going to do that?" he asked the young Yorick.

"With the help of Lady Hildebrand, Duke Hildebrand's only daughter." young Yorick replied with tears.

"Interesting" Swain thought.

"Why does she want the Black Market?" Swain asked

"She wants to earn the love of a man, some Marchioness that all the ladies like. I don't know his name."

And Yorick's life came to a bittersweet end.

That is how the General Swain began to actively monitor Lady Hildebrand and her mannerisms. He knew what she liked to eat, where she liked to go and how many social events she attended in a week. He knew her friends but it was difficult for his men to catch the lover. He was a smart man. Fortunately, he became intrigued by her secret little letters with her lover. He would intercept each and read them before he had his midnight Scotch. He wanted that. The Black Market, hell...the economy. She was a daring woman with great ambition. He liked that.

"Your Majesty, I would like to ask for the hand of Lady Hildebrand" he said with a smile. It was the first time he had smiled in the emperor's presence. Thoughts of an economy he controlled, excited him.

Now, the said Lady Hildebrand was his wife and she had agreed to give him an Economy. The Verradus economy. She cared for him more than her lover, he was certain. Maybe he could be nice to her as well. He enjoyed their night time routines of love making in the moonlight of the Northern Gates but he wanted to be her friend as well.

Friends share power tributes all the time.