Chapter 394: A Mission from Sol

"Lies.... LIES!" Theosdosisu screamed out as he pointed at Julius. Looking around in a panic, his eyes met Bardas’s. The bastard child smiled at the Emperor before looking at his half-brother, who smugly smiled. "Bardas. You better have an explanation?" Theodosius walked over to his son and said quietly enough for only him to hear.

With a nod from Julius, Bardas knew the plan was a go. "FORGIVE ME, FATHER!" Pushing past Theosdosisu, he lowered his head to Julius and bowed. "Forgive me, Brother. I didn’t want to kill you, but I had no choice." Julius nearly laughed at how Bardas was able to make himself cry. "He threatened my life" Bardas’s voice broke as he turned away from Julius. "I had no choice."

Julius looked at the nobility in the Cathedral. Many of them quietly whispered to one another. The change in the story was sudden but thrilling to most of them. They lived for drama, and finding out that his half-brother, instead of Magnus, killed Julius was something none of them expected.

Yet the resurrection of the Prince remained the main point of interest for them all. Some doubted whether Julius was really dead before he stood up. They felt the body; it was cold, and his skin was deathly pale, but it could have easily been faked. But when seeing Theodosius’ reaction and the fact that Julius was disfigured, they had to believe it.

"I know what you all have done to me," Julius said firmly and scanned the room with a hardened look. Many couldn’t stand looking at him for too long, his burnt appearance hideous compared to his old looks. "Bardas. Tell the truth. If you do, I will forgive you."

Cato opened his eyes widely and took a few deep breaths. Seeing Bardas get up and look at him, his back went cold.’Don’t do it, boy.’Mouthing to Bardas, the young man suppressed his smirk.

"I...." Bardas put on his performance once again. Looking at Theodosius, he turned to the eunuch, "I was ordered by a man you all know well." Lifting his hand, he pointed at Cato. The two locked eyes, and Cato saw Bardas’ arrogant eyes curl. "Late at night, he came to me and shared a drink with me. I thought it was in good faith, but I later learnt he had put a slow-acting poison in it. The only way to get the antidote was to murder my dear brother and your Crown Prince." Bardas turned his head and covered his eyes in shame. Yet Cato saw his soft, sinister smile that he hid whilst staring at him.

The game was up. Cato knew it. Hundreds of eyes looked at him in disbelief, and turning to look at Theodoisus, the Emperor turned his head, no longer wishing to be involved with him. Cato sighed, his eyes hardening as he boldly walked forward. "Well done, you fucking dog." Cato dropped any civility he had and approached Bardas.

Turning to look at the nobility, he gave Theodosius one last look and, seeing the man he had given his life to abandon him easily, he chuckled and shrugged. He lost his source of power; there was no point in defending it anymore. "Yes, what Bardas say is true. I did give him the order to kill His Highness the Crown Prince. But I did it under the orders of the Emperor, who, seeing his children as failures, wanted to remove them, leaving only his second son, Constance, remaining."

"As for this shame you all are seeing, Julius was never dead. He ran to the Holy Seat and met with his brother. There he kept the ruse up, burnt half his face off and came back pretending to be dead. Mark my words, the Holy Seat will soon support Julius with all their might to secure the throne." Cato turned to look at Bardas and, seeing his smug smile, realised he had acted exactly how he wanted him.

It was hard for a son to label their father as an accomplishment in his death without it looking like a power grab, but for his trusted advisor to say it openly. Cato realised he had messed up and helped Julius. Even if he revealed the truth that the resurrection was fake, there was no way to prove it until Constance acted.

"YOU LIE!" Theodosius screamed out and walked over. Hitting Cato with a backhand, he sent the enuch to the floor. "Do dare say I would hurt my heir is outrageous."

"Father" Julius spoke softly, but his voice echoed throughout the room, "Are you saying I am the rightful heir to the throne? Your heir." Theodosius looked between Julius and Bardas. Seeing the two convincing eyes, he realised he had been played and felt a wave of pride he had never had for his son.

Turning to look at the nobility, he knew he had a choice. "You are my only heir. The rightful successor to the Severian throne." He was back in the corner. All it would take was one word from his two children to reveal his part in Julius’ assassination.

Julius smiled and stepped down from the coffin. He stumbled slightly, but stayed standing. "Good." Resting a hand on his father’s shoulder, he leaned next to his ear, "You will pay for what I went through." Snarling in his ear, Theodosius’ spine went cold. "Tearing you down here is not enough for me. I will wait."

Julius leaned away, looking at the nobility, and put a soft smile on his face. "You all are blessed. I have died once for this Empire, and I will die again for you all if I must. But men who have no right to rule over you conspire to claim the throne and subjugate you under them by force. I will do all I can to stop this. I hope you can put your faith in me."

The nobility looked at one another, and one by one they lowered their heads towards the Prince. Looking back at Cato, Julius smiled. "Take him away."

Bardas happily complied and picked the eunuch up, holding his arms behind his back. "Despite all your cunning, at the end of the day, you’re a spiteful little dog. Easy to predict." Bardas mockingly whispered and dragged the eunuch away. Cato didn’t make a sound, only staring at Julius with hate.

Seeing him being taken off, Julius sighed in relief. His father was a dangerous man, but Cato was even more so. He had the Emperor wrapped around his finger. He needed to be removed if he wanted to make his move. Looking up at Bardas, his eyes hardened. Even with everything, he couldn’t trust the man and knew at some point he would have to deal with his half-brother.

Walking forward, he put the thoughts of Bardas to the back of his mind. Today was about him, and his only chance to get people on his side. Smiling at other nobles, many tried to look at his eyes but lowered their heads, disgusted by the left half of his face. Touching his scarred face, Julius suppressed the frown.

He needed a mask going forward. Even if he learned to accept his scarring, people were superficial. They would judge him based on his appearance. He couldn’t exactly blame them. He would have much rather bent the knee to his past self than what he looked like now.

The priest who had been frozen in shock from the series of events finally got up and ran over behind Julius. "Your Highness...." Gulping, he grabbed the symbol of Sol around his neck. "What did you see?"

Looking at him, Julius went stiff. The madness in the man’s eyes was terrifying.’I see why they chose this method.’Looking at the priest, it was clear that he had created a lifelong follower.’No wonder the Emperor in the east could centralise power so easily.’He finally understood why Constance was so worried about Alfred and desperate to have him become his puppet. The power a miracle had over others was immense.

"What I saw cannot be explained." Julius lied easily, "Our lord, he is beyond understanding, but he told me it was too early. That I must return to finish the mission he had given me."

"Your Highness. What... What is it?" The priest asked with excitement as the nobility leaned closer.

Julius looked around. "To defend his home from those who lie. To guide his wayward child. To defend the faithful of the correct faith." Julius walked forward towards the pair of open doors. The sunlight blinded him, and covering his eyes, he saw the streets packed with commoners.

Turning back around, to everyone, he was a shadow in the sunlight. "You are all sceptical, I can see that. But do not be." Whilst he spoke softly, he spread his arms arrogantly, "I have been baptised in the holy flame of Sol, and whilst my body is scarred and disfigured, my resolve has never been stronger. These are not wounds I am ashamed of, but proof of my divine trial."

Seeing all the eyes on him, he bathed in their attention—worship, suspicion, happiness, hate. Everyone felt differently about him, but Julius didn’t care. Any attention at this time was good. "I promise you all. Now that I have returned, the Severian Empire will prosper. The rule of man is over; through me, Sol’s law shall reign supreme."

Julius turned around and left the cathedral, looking at the commoners. The smile on his face kept growing, and as everyone looked at him, he felt as though he had finally got what he was owed after disfiguring himself.