The day was still young when Marshal Mei knocked on the door of the Empress' office. She waited for permission to enter.

The empress was at her desk. Marshal Mei found her pale and tired.

“Good morning Duna, please sit down," said the Empress, pointing to a chair in front of her desk.

“I received your message. What's going on?" Marshal Mei immediately asked.

The Empress held her head in her hands.

“I have bad news for you.”

“And it makes you this effect? Thank you for your concern.”

“Your assassin is dead.”

Marshal Mei jumped to her feet and began to pace back and forth across the room, shouting, “Fuck... fuck... FUCK!”

She kicked the chair and it shattered.

“I wanted to torture that asshole.”

She screamed, “Which son of bitch killed him?”

Her whole body was shaking. By reflex, she grabbed the handle of her sword. This gesture seemed to calm her down. She looked at the Empress who began to speak, “According to rigor mortis, he was killed last night, probably just after the Bal.”

“I should have taken care of him back then," Marshal Mei growled.

“That's not what worries me most," the Empress confided.

“What is it? “

The Empress handed her a sheet of paper as reply. Marshal Mei discovered a sign drawn on it. In the center, a circle surrounded a familiar shape.

“Is this the new royal seal?”

The Empress's face tensed for a moment.

« Certainly not. »

“It's a paw, isn't it?”

“Yes, but it's not a wolf paw, it's a bear paw.”

“A bear's... paw...”

Marshal Mei saw the terrible news.

“But your brother is dead, isn't he?”

“Yes, but it's not that simple.”

The Empress sighed.

“I have to tell you a secret. Our grandmother did not only marry the Emperor for political reasons. She was from the Dark Mountains and had the blood of the ancient shamanic people known for taming the powers of the mountains. There were a people ruled by the spirit of the wolves and a people ruled by the spirit of the bears. Our grandmother had the particularity of being one of the last descendants of these peoples.”

The Empress pointed to the sheet of paper held by Marshal Mei.

“The seals are imbued with these powers. As long as a member of the people to whom they are attached lives, they cannot disappear.”  

“You mean...”

“...my brother...”

“... had a child.”

The Empress added, “ Our family has always been part of the wolf people, but my brother has manifested himself as part of the bear people. So I decided to stage a coup d’état seventeen years ago to prevent him from gaining power and reducing the influence of our wolf family.”

“That's all very well. What are you getting at?”

“This seal was drawn on the forehead of your assassin. “

Marshal Mei widened her eyes and stammered, “The assassination attempts... are just... the first step.”

“Exactly. Their purpose is to weaken me by depriving me of my military strength. The initiator's goal is to take power.”

“But is it really realistic?”

“I am wary of the inhabitants of the golden valleys. They have always shown their hostility. Especially since the wheat harvests are smaller this year. Without talking about famine, I am afraid that a shortage will occur and that it will lead to a revolt. If a rebellion is created, it will come from there.”

“I can easily crush it.”

“Not if a member of the bear spirit takes part.”

The Empress stood up and picked up the candlestick on her desk. She brought the flame of a candle close to the sheet of paper. Marshal Mei let go of it when the fire brushed her fingers.

The Empress picked up the piece of paper that had not burned, that is to say the place where the seal was drawn. She gave it to Marshal Mei, saying, “As long as a member of the people to whom the seals are attached lives, they cannot disappear. Only a member of the wolf spirit can destroy them.”

The bear paw seal burned in the Empress' hands.

“I don't have the power to remove the seals that will be engraved on each weapon. Besides, I lost many of my powers when I killed my brother. I will not be able to kill his child. Another wolf shall take care of him.”

The two women's eyes met.

“Duna, you're my cousin, right?”

Silence.

“I will kill the child," Marshal Mei struggled to articulate.

“We'll also have to come up with a strategy to stop the rebellion. I'll leave it to you.”

“Understood, Your Majesty.”

The Empress showed her relief. With a firmer voice, she continued to explain her plans, “In his youth, Baron Klein was a very good friend of my brother. Since he ordered your murder, I suspect he had something to do with the child.”

“I killed Baron Klein.”

“He had a brother, didn't he? Our dear romantic author Alopex Klein. I want you to seduce him and bring me good information.”

“I can't seduce the Prime Minister’s husband!" Marshal Mei exclaimed.

“He's not her husband anymore since this morning. I pronounced their divorce.”

Alopex Klein.

“I killed his brother. How do you expect me to seduce him?”

“Oh, you've never had any trouble getting men to like you," the Empress slyly said.

Marshal Mei recoiled for a moment.

“I've always done it on your orders.”

“Have you? And the last one? What was his name again? Philein? Are you going to tell me that I ordered you to make him love you? Do you dare to imply that I ordered you to be loved by a paramour?”

“Don't say another word!”

“Well, well, Duna, are you getting angry?”

Duna grabbed Louise's collar. Louise was not at all impressed.

“He died a few days ago” - she said - “Accept it.”

“Don't ever talk to me about this again!”

“Stop it, Duna. I'll end up believing that you loved him.”

Duna let go of Louise's collar.

“Last order I give," - the Empress said by taking a book from her desk - "Read this book on the powers of shamanic people.”

Marshal Mei took the huge volume.

“Alopex Klein is in the imperial garden, seeking comfort," the Empress announced. “You may begin your mission without further delay.”

Marshal Mei sighed.

“I am Minister of Defense and Security. I can't believe I'm going to start this game again.”

“I'm counting on you," the Empress said with a smile, "You are the best after all!”

Marshal Mei left the office.

Alopex Klein.

Alopex...

To be continued