Sarda, Year of Severus, 15, I.R., the 24th day of Fall

The Senate buzzed like flies during a hot sunny day. It was noisy and irritating. Arterius along with the other Senate member escorts went inside the hall and saw the rest of the Senator staring down on him, standing from their seats.

At the High Table, was the Imperatur along with him were Senator Lucresia and Lord Commander Crovar who sat at the back waiting for the Imperatur's orders. His brother, Veritus stood at the podium silently waiting for the rest of the Senators to fill the seats before he begins his report.

All eyes pried on Arterius who limped down the isle going to the podium. He could hear the whispers of the Senate members mocking him for stalling their time for other important matters. He hurried his way to the podium to join his brother who looked equally impatient as the rest of them.

As he reached the podium, his father stood up from his seat and began his speech by berating him.

"Senators, let me start off by apologizing for my OTHER son's insensitivity to time. I'm afraid that his limp didn't help him as much as it benefited for ours to mock!" The Imperatur's eyes sharply met Arterius'. The poor prince could only avert his gaze to avoid his wrath further.

The embarrassing moment was further rubbed on him by the laughter of the Senate. He clenched his fist, trying to control himself from lashing out. He had suffered long and hard to get to where he stood right now. A few more sufferings wouldn't hurt as much as long as he gets the last laugh…or so he thought.

Veritus patted his back and whispered, "Stand straight brother. Don't let them see your weakness."

He glanced at him and nodded, but deep down it was hurtful and numbing. Veritus would never understand that! He was never in that position to begin with! He was the stronger and powerful one. The Senate got their ears on his younger brother, unlike him who was often ignored and ridiculed.

He wanted to say a few chosen words to his brother as well, but he found no fruit with the anger he had right now. This is his break or make moment. He wanted to be on his brother's good graces. So, he took a deep breath and smiled at him as he always did all his life—smiling through the pain.

Imperatur Severus raised his hand to silence the buzzing Senate. They did so and sat down eagerly waited for him to speak.

"Esteemed Senators, my son, Veritus has returned from defending the Northern territories!" The Senators stood up and clapped their hands. "As we all know, my OTHER son, Arterius was also sent on a mission to the North to test his…cannon for effectiveness. I would like to hear from you, Veritus! Tell us the story of how you defeated the Vyrkolak invaders!"

The Senate chorused in agreement. They wanted to hear answers but most importantly, they wanted to hear how hard Arterius failed. Like vultures waiting for their prey to die, the other Senators gazes hovered around the older prince and waited for the younger one to throw him off the stage.

Veritus cleared his throat and glanced at him. The Senators' anticipation was palpable. They desperately needed to embarrass Arterius at that instant.

"Father, Senators and invited guests, the battle ended as soon as it began!" The Senate buzzed. In their minds, Veritus' participation on the defense might have factored on the early end of the battle. "Be the gods as my witness and with Lord Commander Crovar's words be proof of my statement!"

Lord Commander Crovar stood up from the chair and place his right hand to his chest. "Thus, all accounts from Prince Veritus shall be thereby, be the truth. I, Lord Commander Segues Crovar of the Naval Fleet confirm all statements from Prince Veritus Prima, true. This I swear by the gods, the state and the name of my House, Crovar." The Lord Commander bowed at the Imperatur and was acknowledged.

The Imperatur looked back at his sons on the podium, "You may continue."

"Father, Senators and invited guests, we have successfully defended the town of Imvula against a fleet of 100 armored ships!"

The Senate hall went on silence as they waited for the prince to continue. "They used Tarasque shells and leather that our proud cannons weren't even able to put a dent on them!"

"Aha!" Lord Ordus stood up from his seat. "See! Prince Arterius' toy couldn't even dent those—"

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, Senator Ordus." Veritus interrupted. "But if you were listening, I said OUR cannons. Not my brother's."

The Senate whispered amongst themselves. Arterius looked around and saw the confusion of some of the Senators' faces including that of Senator Ordus. The Imperatur raised his hands once more and commanded for silence.

"What do you mean by that, Veritus?" His father asked. "A tarasque shell you say?!" Are you telling me that our cannons cannot par with the invaders' primitive defense?"

"What I have seen father, is that the northern invaders had tarasques! A monster we thought had been dead for such a long time! As what my mages told me, they had Magical properties that deflects any physical attack thrown against them." Veritus explained.

"So, your brother's cannon…" Senator Lucresia diverted the question, "How many did it destroyed? One? May be three? We are curious to know!" He pried.

"Bring out that cannon!" Veritus ordered the knights guarding the door.

A few moments later, they came in with a dented and twisted piece of scrap metal. The Senate whispered at each other again. The Imperatur had to call for their silence once again.

"What is this, Veritus?" He pointed at it.

"That's the cannon my brother brought with him." Veritus answered.

The Senate exploded in laughter, ridiculing Arterius and the scrap of metal that was brought before them.

"Hahaha!" Senator Lucresia had to wipe the tears in his eyes. "So, this is that cannon we saw blasted a Jagaleer? How many times did it fire before it became into this…thing? Two? Three?"

The Imperatur couldn't help but crack a smug look on his face. As much as it was embarrassing for his name, he now had all the reasons he needed to kick him out of the family and the succession to the throne.

Arterius was enraged. He gnashed his teeth to hold the anger waiting to explode at all of them. The brother he thought would help him, threw him off the stage and went on to mock him as well. He was breathing rapidly as the fumes of his anger are about to explode.

"More than half of the fleet." Veritus answered. "Father and esteemed Senators, this piece of scrap you have been laughing about had destroyed more than half of the invading fleet."

The hall was silent. The Imperatur's smug face went into a look of surprise and disbelief. "You do not jest, son, do you? I mean… Lord Commander h-have you seen this…cannon do its job?"

The Lord Commander stood up from his seat, "I haven't personally saw it. I was awaiting orders from the other side of the bay. But here's what I could vouch for." He paused. "I have never seen a weapon so powerful that it lit the entire side of the bay as if a dragon came by and breathe fire unto the ships!"

The Senate exploded in disbelief.

"Half of the fleet?!" The Imperatur inquired. "Are you saying that you, the Lord Commander of the Naval fleet were only picking up the scraps of the battle?"

"Astonishingly, yes." The Lord Commander answered. "When we surrounded the remaining fleet, they were already running away from the fiery carnage! Even I had the shivers looking at the bay becoming into an inferno of sunken ships and burned men." He added.

The Senate's thunderous shouts went back to whispers of disbelief and awe.

"Yes, you heard it right!" Arterius broke the silence. "That cannon, MY invention just sunk more than half of the invading ships!"

He went down the podium and touched the damaged cannon. "Imagine, if there were a hundred of these during our battles with the other invading kingdoms! Imagine! How far we can go and rule!" He looked at the Imperatur. "Father, imagine winning against the Western Kingdoms and taking their cities for our own—"

"You've proven your point Arterius!" His father said. "But I want to hear this report from Veritus."

Arterius was silenced again by his father. He wanted to stand up for himself and assert his right to speak, but he chose not to. He's already in hot water, and he doesn't want that water to boil and scald him.

The attendants had their eyes set on Veritus, waiting for his verdict.

"The cannon had flaws." He sighed. "It wasn't as mobile as I wanted it to be. It had a new igniting chemical which doesn't need the use of gun powder, but the reloading system had only improved a fourth of the time as the regular gunpowder. There are a lot of things this cannon can improve on!"

Veritus glanced at the Senators before he continued his speech. "But it devastatingly destroyed enemy ships and imagine what it can do if that destroys incoming land troops or sturdy walls!"

The younger prince went down from the podium and took the scrap of metal and lifted it. "The only reason why the cannon turned into this was because I accidentally used it as a shield for an incoming projectile from the opponent." He patted his brother's back. "But in terms of result, I found this necessary for our empire's expansion!"

Veritus smiled at him, "Brother, if you're going to make more of these, make one for me…and uh… make it mobile for me to use."

Tears welled over Arterius' eyes. Finally, their hard work had finally paid off. His brother acknowledged it! Now the Senate and his father has no choice but to honor the prince's word for it.

He smiled back at Veritus, "Brother, I'll even make you spares."