His Favored Empress

Public Discipline

Sieh took a scented fan from her sleeve and pointed it at the nursemaid. "This lowly peasant tried to force the prince to eat. Who does she think she is?"

Gritting his teeth, Shaugn looked down on the little prince. "She is his nursemaid. It is her job to ensure he learns manners and etiquette which includes being grateful for what he's given and eating what's in front of him."

"If he doesn't want to eat , he doesn't have to."

Shaugn gave Sieh a hard look. Her voice was giving him a headache. "Said who and what gives him the right to throw food at someone? He is wasting food and the emperor's money."

"She can be punished when she does something wrong."

"Is that so?" He stood and flapped his fan open. "The house rules state that the staff may only be punished by the adults. The prince is not an adult and therefore has broken a rule and he will be punished instead."

Sieh grabbed her son and pulled him behind her. "Don't you dare touch my son, you -you –" She took a step back as Shaugn stepped into her personal space.

He lowered his voice so only she could hear. "Disrespect of the empress is also against the rules so you'll be punished with him."

She grit her teeth and glared up at him. "I'd like to see you try."

Dealing with an entitled, spoiled noble was going to have some consequences. He smirked and waved his fan. He gave a lazy shrug and turned to the guard. "Radagar, take these spoiled, ungrateful children to the clinic. They can assist the sick and infirm until they learn to be grateful for what they are given and treat their fellow humans with respect and dignity."

Radagar motioned to two of the guards. "Yes, your majesty." The nursemaids glanced at each other then lowered their heads. When had any of the consorts or children been punished on their behalf? When had the consorts ever treated them with respect for that matter?

Sieh's eye's widened. "What! How dare you."

Sion tugged on his mother's skirt. "Mother."

Seih looked at the guards on either side of her and fought against them as they tried to drag her away. "I will not! How dare you! Take your filthy hands off me!"

Shaugn turned to the adult table. "Also, please escort consort Iksa to the kitchens to wash the pots and pans and then feed her whatever the kitchen staff is eating."

"What?!" Her eyes widened and she looked Xoan with a pitiful expression. "Your majesty, the empress is going too far!"

Shaugn returned to his seat and sipped his water. Xoan held his hand under the table. "The empress is in charge of the harem and the children. What he says goes."

She'd never done any sort of manual labor in her entire life. Large tears welled in Iksa's eyes. "But-"

"The kitchen should have something more to her liking." He waved his fan to the table. "Take this offensive schlop away at once."

Two of the guards stood behind her chair. "Please come with us, your majesty."

Iksa yanked her arm out of his hold and tried to return to her seat. "But it's not right. I'm a consort. I don't deserve to be treated like a child."

The guard wrapped an arm around her waist and hoisted her on his hip.

She twisted in his arms and slapped his chest plate. His steel-like arms only tightened as he began to walk.

"Nooo! Stop!" She gripped the doorframe when the guard passed too close. "This isn't how you treat a member of the imperial family!"

The guard hoisted her over his shoulder. Her screech echoed in the room making several people wince. Shaugn touched his throbbing temple. Another guard wrapped her hands with a belt from around his waist and they proceeded out of the dining area.