He rubbed his fingers softly in annoyance. They were still red and hurting from when he'd hit her. She'd fallen, without a sound, crumpled onto the ground. But he knew she was neither in pain nor was she unconscious in the slightest. She was just waiting for him to be bored and leave her alone after hitting her once. After all, it was difficult for a commoner to strike back against a noble.
He tried to ignore it, going back to noting things down from the processes that the new King had given him to cover over before the morning hearing. Two princes had died in succession after this King had taken office, and with his temperament, and all the paperwork that went along with royal deaths, Shemiirr already missed the old one.
Once again the pain distracted him, causing him to remember the dirty face. She really had been quite pretty, even covered in dirt, funny to think a grave diggers daughter would be so comely, he took a moment to bring up the family's information, to find the man actually had 5 daughters, but 4 of them had already been married off, each to far more decent families than they should have been able to.
He was interrupted by the door to his office being slammed open. A young man in an over embellished robe strode inside, even his long hair had braided treasures all through it.
He flopped down on a cushioned clutch to one side, his guards following to stand behind him. He took off his circlet, twirling it around on his finger. "So, was he really dead?"
"What, you didn't kill this one either?" Shemiirr snarked.
"Ayah, why does everyone keep assuming it's meee, now the entire kingdom thinks I murdered two of my brothers, and neither of them were the one I was planning on murdering right now, the one I was going to is now hard to murder, cause the others are dead....ugh."
Shemiirr just rolled his eyes.
The young man sat upright, hanging the king's circlet on his finger, like it were a common bronze toy. "Yo, Shem, do you think, now that im king, I can decree that king gets more wives that 7?"
"You don't even have 7 yet." Complained Shemiirr. In fact, men in Hoth of southern Yenth could take up to 3 wives if they could afford it, one primary and two secondary, a king could have three primaries however and 4 secondaries. And nobles could usually get away with up to 5. 6 might mean rebellion however, and commoners rarely had more than 1, since it was looked down upon among them. Shemiirr and two. He thought of the dirty girl. She wasn't a bad option since she was more beautiful than any noble lady he'd set eyes on, and more than he'd ever dared to want, but better as a mistress, since she had no background. He remembered how she'd dirties his lips. Nah, she would never accept that, but if married, would drive his other wives to an early grave.
"Won't take me long." The young man flicked out some earwax, with no kingly grace that people assumed they got when taking the seat.
"Your majesty, there were some reports of grave robbers circling your bother's grave."
"Hah, let them, that brother of mine, imagine the expression he'd make when he gets robbed of his birthright, even in death!"
Shemirr avoided giving him a look, unfortunately the young king caught it anyway. "You, go catch them then, since you're so interested."
he frowned instantly. But thinking about it, she'd invited him anyway? he stood up, bowing, "Your majesty, please lend me a martial magnate." There were very few magnates, even fewer martial ones, but one magnate could dominate a thousand masters. You automatically were granted a non-inheritable noble name by your king upon becoming a magnate, were powerful beyond description, and could live for hundreds of years.
The king waved his hand, lazily, standing up to leave to bed and his overly cheerful wives. "Take er Zsaratzic." He left, and Shemiirr grabbed the king's staff, to head to the soldier's barracks. Some still practiced late into the night when he arrived, but he strode past the sweaty bodies, in the darkness that had begun to descend, to the largest home, much like a mini palace, a servant announced him to the lord, and summoned him to kill off the king's brother's men who prowled the tombs.