The Greater Duty.

The doors opened and the young man entered the large round chamber. It was ornately decorated in violet silks and gold. Above the floor along the round walls were gallery seat for the court of lords, which was filled. Directly across the doors set up on a stair-pyramid style podium sat a large chair made out of gold and heavily cushioned.
In the throne sat a tall thin man, the Imperius of the Empire, covered in decorated robes of silk. Next to him stood an older man in nice robes as well, though plainer than the Imperius's, he was the Advicator to the Imperius.
The young man, well dressed in fine armor and a silk cape with a sword sheathed at his side, marched across the chamber towards the Imperius. Stopping at the bottom at the throne's stand, he knelt on one knee before his sovereign.
"Imperius, the battle went well. Your armies were victorious."
The Imperius looked down at the young man, his face expressionless, "you have done well in leading my forces. Truly an asset to the Empire."
"You were right, Imperius, attacking the our neighbor was well worth the loses we suffered."
The Advicator looked at the young man and frowned. The Advicator has known the him since the young man was born. The young man confided in the Advicator, even called him his Uncle. The Advicator knew that before the battle the young man had reservations about attacking a neighbor that had been an ally for generations.
The Imperius smiled and stood, which caused the court to also rise. He walked to the young man and bid him rise. When the young man was on his feet, the Imperius embraced him a hug.
"I am proud of you my son. When I die you shall be a fine successor. Let all know on this day, I officially name you Imperius Heir."
The young man looked the Imperius in eyes. The young man had a look of sorrow in eyes. "Father, as you have named me as such I now have grave news for you."
The Advicator looked between the two royals before him. He was worried about what was to come next. The Advicator looked saddened by what he saw.
"Father, you have named me successor. By the authority of that claim and the power of my birth right, I find you guilty of treason to your subjects and negligent of your crown."
The Imperius frowned and glared at his child before him, "you dare say I am guilty of treason? Speaking to me as such?"
"You tried to plunge the realm into war. Waste the lives of your soldiers and people just to attack a friend over land."
"I had you attack them so that our Empire will be stronger. So we can be richer. So we can be great."
"Except I mislead you, the army never attacked. I did not allow the generals to engage, to protect my troops and my people."
"THEY ARE MY PEOPLE!" The Imperius roared at his son.
"Not anymore, Father." The young man drew his sword and before the court ran the Imperius through.
The court erupted in chaos with that action. The lords were used to the Imperius and his son not seeing eye to eye and arguing. But in the Empire's history, no Heir had ever killed the Imperius, for it would be patricide, at least not openly.
The young man whispered in the Imperius's ear as the sovereign slumped to his knees dying. It wasn't heard over the roar if the lords, but the Advicator knew what the words were. The young man looked over to the Advicator, tears in his eyes.
The Advicator frowned then stepped out to the center of the chamber. He looked up at the lords that were in uproar.
With a voice that boomed over the noise as if by magic the Advicator shouted just one word, "SILENCE!"
Instantly the court went quiet. They looked at the Advicator stunned. They didn't know what to expect.
"Let the Heir speak."
The young man looked up, his eyes red with tears. He let his gaze meet the Advicator's, who nodded for the young man to speak. After a moment the young man was able to compose himself.
"My lords, I loved my father. He was a good father. However, he had lost perspective as Imperius. I disregarded his orders to attack our ally, as it would be to costly in both lives and resources. The Imperius is sovereign, but is nothing without his people. The war would have left us with nothing." The young man sighed and looked at the now corpse of his father. Another tear fell from his eye. "I loved my father. But as the Imperius Heir, I had a duty to our people above all else."
The Advicator looked at the lords then to the young man. He then looked at the body of the Imperius. "My lords, the Imperius is dead, long may the Imperius reign."
The lords were stood there in stunned silence at the events before them. Then after a moment one of the lords shouted, "long may he reign!" After the other lords also joined in the shout, as a show of support of the new Imperius.
The Advicator swept to the doors of the chamber and called for staff to remove the deceased Imperius. He then returned to the new Imperius. He walked up and kneeled before his new sovereign.
The young man looked down and tried to make the Advicator stand back up. "Uncle, do not bow to me. You are family and family will not kneel to me."
The Advicator looked up and shook his head. "I am your Advicator, the head of your court and voice in your ear. It is my duty to acknowledge you for your station."
"That will change. I will not rule based on what is right for me. I am the Imperius of my people, our people. We will listen to the needs of the Empire and we will acknowledge that change is needed."
The lords looked stunned. The were the leaders of the people, but never before were the needs of those people regarded. This was new to them.
The Advicator looked at the Imperius and beamed with pride. He knew that this young man meant what he said. This was a new day for the Empire.
And so it was that a son wept for his father. A realm changed its views of it own people. And the Empire was prosperous for it.