Chapter 132

　　The Earl of Praxis raised his lasrifle casually, pointing it toward the sky and taking a deep breath to steady his hands. He waited patiently for his targets to appear.

　　It was a chilly morning on Praxis, and the ground had a layer of early morning frost that shimmered in the light. Wearing thick robes and gloves, the Earl barely felt the temperature as his breath left a white mist in the air in front of his face.

　　A glimmer of light in the sky announced the arrival of the small drones he was using as target practice.

　　Crack! Crack! Crack! Bluish-white streaks of light shot out of the rifle, and the thunderous crack of its discharge broke the early morning silence.

　　Half a dozen broken drones crashed to the ground. Each pierced directly in the center of their oval bodies. Lowering the rifle, the Earl flicked the safety back on the weapon before placing it on a nearby table for his servants to clean and maintain.

　　"Excellent shot, Milord!" One of his staff shouted, bringing him a steaming cup of tea. Taking it in his gloved hand, he raised it to his lips, feeling the warmth travel down his throat as he swallowed.

　　"Yes. Excellent shooting, Uncle." A woman`s voice sounded out from the rear of the courtyard, surprising the Earl as he enjoyed his tea.

　　A woman stepped forward, her shoes making a crunching sound as she walked across the stiff, frost-covered grass. She was a young woman, not the false youth of rejuvenation. She was only eighteen years old, her face showing the freshness and purity that could not be faked.

　　She was beautiful, with long brown hair that fell down the back of her white winter jacket.

　　"Tabitha, what a wonderful surprise. I was not informed of your arrival." The Earl looked crossly at his staff, his frowning face causing a stir amongst those gathered. The young woman laughed, placing a hand against her cheek cutely as she did so.

　　"Oh, Uncle. Please don`t be angry. I asked them to stay silent. I`ve come with news and didn`t want them to ruin the surprise." Tabitha exclaimed, stepping forward and hugging her uncle.

　　"News?" The Earl asked with curiosity. He had access to information networks across the galaxy, but very little escaped his notice.

　　"I`m to be wed to the Prince. Mother informed me mere hours ago, and you were the first person I thought to tell." Tabitha replied with happiness.

　　Tabitha was the youngest daughter of the Carmichaels and not truly the niece of the Earl. He was over six hundred years old from a side branch of the Ducal House. Praxis owed his loyalty to House Carmichael, Tabitha`s grandparents had been his own aunt and uncle.

　　The Earl tapped his cup of tea with a finger as he thought about the ramifications of the statement.

　　"So, your mother has gotten everything she wanted then." The Earl mused.

　　He was aware of Prince Augustus` desperation for Carmichael`s support and what the Duchess required in return. Tabitha`s presence here was a show of respect for his position. They wanted their daughter to deliver the news to him personally.

　　"I`m to be Empress!" Tabitha shouted, spinning around in a dance across the grass.

　　"Yes, provided we secure the throne first." The Earl muttered and frowned at the comment. Tabitha stopped her dance, returning to her uncle`s side and gripping his arm.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

　　"Uncle, you don`t sound happy with my news. Is something the matter?" Tabitha asked, and the Earl was struck by how young and na飗e she was. How would she fare in the future? The galaxy was not a pleasant place, and being Empress was less of a reward and more of a burden than she could ever imagine.

　　"Then it is settled. We will face Havencroft. I`m sorry, my dear. I find that I am filled with regret this morning. The old Duke Havencroft and I were friends, no one was more loyal to the Empire than him, and now I must fight his son. I suppose it is the burden of a long life that friends and allies eventually turn to enemies." Praxis ruminated, draining his cup of tea and holding it out for a servant to take away.

　　"There is more, Uncle. Mother instructed me to inform you that Baron Caledon and Princess Marella have the protection of Havencroft. It would be beneficial to us if you strike against them. Your time for revenge has come." Tabitha explained, and her innocent face twisted with perverse pleasure momentarily.

　　She despised Princess Marella. Tabitha hadn`t liked the Princess even before her disrespectful treatment of Malik. So haughty and arrogant, Marella disdained all the things that Tabitha enjoyed. The affection of the public, the spotlight, fine clothing and entertainment. Their few interactions together had just further cemented Tabitha`s disklike of Marella.

　　"That is all well and good, child, but Havencroft is no provincial force protecting a single planet. With their house on Argyle`s side, we will have enough trouble driving them back from our borders, let alone striking out at a backwater like Caledon. I will not allow my hatred of that family to be an albatross around my neck." Earl Praxis commented, shaking his head at the suggestion.

　　"To make matters even more difficult, there are two Titans on Caledon. Even with inexperienced and weak Pilots, they are not something to be trifled with." Praxis finished.

　　"Mother concurs, Uncle. That is why she has sent you a gift!" Tabitha exclaimed, stepping back and pointing at the sky above them. The Earl followed her gaze, squinting his eyes slightly against the harsh morning light. He could see the light reflecting off something far above, an object falling toward the surface at tremendous speed.

　　His eyes opened wide in shock when he saw what it was.

　　A massive Mobile Suit spread its wings above the courtyard, its enormous body shading the area from the sun. It landed gently on the ground, folding its wings and standing upright. It was glorious.

　　The Titan of the Carmichaels had been given to them by the Unifier, based on the design of the Ouroboros. Standing nearly one hundred and twenty feet tall, its humanoid frame was bulky and stout. Heavy plates formed a suit of armour over its torso, and its head reminded Praxis of a lion, its mouth slightly open to reveal long fangs.

　　The Mech had a heavy Lasrifle gripped in one hand, custom designed for the Titan. Far larger and more powerful than its more common variants, it was matched by missile launchers on both shoulders and a giant sword secured to its back.

　　"Prometheus, the Cleansing Flame." Praxis whispered in awe. Crimson red and silver, it glittered in the sunlight. Spotless, it gleamed magnificently, and he swore he could see the fire rising from the Titan, spreading like a cloak around it.

　　It had belonged to the Carmichaels for ten thousand years, a physical representation of their pact of loyalty to the Empire. Praxis was a side branch, and its Earl had only seen it once when he was a child. He had sworn an oath of service to the Duke at the time, a symbolic gesture that every Noble in their sector did when they came of age.

　　To his knowledge, it had only been deployed on a handful of occasions, to devastating results.

　　"It`s for you." Tabitha spoke from beside him, gazing up at the Mobile Suit in reverence. Praxis was at a loss for words, turning to his niece in shock. He had the Carmichael bloodline and could operate the machine, but no one outside the direct family had ever been trusted with it.

　　"That`s impossible. I cannot believe your mother approved of this." Praxis uttered the words in shock, not just of his Piloting it, but of its deployment at all.

　　Titans were not to be used unless the Emperor approved or the life of its Pilot was in danger. They were weapons of unimaginable destructive power. Capable of destroying entire armies, planets and systems. If he were to use it against their enemies, they would respond in kind.

　　It would be the end of all things.

　　"She did. And so do I, and so does my husband. Augustus now has six Ducal Houses supporting his claim, while Argyle only has five. It does not matter how many troops Argyle has or Mobile Suits. It is still six Titans against five. Mother does not want to risk Malik in this conflict, nor do I want my brother placed in danger. It will be up to you, Uncle, to pilot Prometheus and cleanse our enemies in its flames." Tabitha explained, her tone of voice losing its childishness and warmth.

　　To Praxis, it was at that moment that Tabitha ceased being his niece, the child that he had watched grow up.

　　"As my Empress commands." Praxis replied.