His Favored Empress

Start From Small

The children walked into the dining room and found their seats at their table. Shaugn looked at them as they just stood without sitting.

"Sit down."

"The attendant is supposed to seat us."

Shaugn chuckled. "Are your hands broken?"

The younger ones looked at their hands then at the older children in confusion.

The first princess, Zoe, shook her head. "No, mother empress."

"Then pull out your seat and sit yourself."

"But-" the second youngest looked at the chair and scratched his head. "Mori didn't teach me this."

"Don't know how? Let me show you." Shaugn pulled out one of the chairs and sat down. "Now you try."

All the other children pulled out their chairs and sat down. The youngest ones were in awe. A few even struggled with the weight of the wooden chair. Some of the children were shocked.

"Wow."

"My nurse is so strong."

"Right, right."

Shaugn looked at the oldest prince who was standing with his arms over his chest and a sour look on his face. "Is there a problem?"

Sion was the first prince born from Sieh – the second consort of a royal family. This prince has been pampered and coddled since his birth. As the first in line for the throne, he was selfish, mean, and arrogant. No one dared speak a harsh sentence to him or they'd face the wrath of his mother. Many tutors and sword masters had been beaten or dismissed by her command if they displeased her precious son during trainings. After his poisoning, she became worse.

"This is beneath me. Servants are supposed to do this for this prince."

Shaugn fanned himself. "I see. It's beneath you."

"Yes."

Rotten children got under his skin more than shameless adults. Shaugn snapped his finger. Rou appeared out of thin air and knelt.

"Yes, your majesty?"

Shaugn pointed to Sion's seat. "Please remove this chair and put a pillow in its place."

Rou bowed and did as commanded. Sion's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. Shaugn smirked. "Now sit."

The defiant ten-year-old crossed his arms over his chest and stuck out his chin. "This prince will not sit on the floor like some lowly dog."

A creepy look crossed Shaugn's face as he walked closer to the child. Sion shivered and felt a chill up his spine. The empress was weak and easily bullied. No one respected him. This was not the empress from his memories.

Shaugn leaned down so they were eye to eye. "Do you really think you have a choice?"

Looking for help, Sion looked to his younger brothers and sisters who were watching with widened eyes. "I-"

"Rou, bring him out and give him to the kitchen staff to assist with washing pots and pans and scrubbing floors."

Seeing his options getting worse and worse, Sion bowed before he plopped onto the cushion. "This prince obeys the mother empress."

"Good." Shaugn looked at all of the children. "Let this be a lesson, none of you are above the emperor, empress, or the gods. You will treat everyone with respect and mind your attitudes. Your birthing parents are the only things separating you from the servants. Even a royal can fall from grace and richness. I will strip you of everything you own and let you live like a pauper while father emperor is away. Am I clear?"