The Dialogue with the Emperor of Rhetoric

when does suggestion become coercion? when does it become forced? what draws the line between? only the emperor knows. this is one of those journeys that is laced with regret. it is one of those itches that give excruciating pain when scratched. in my quest for answers i had come into the penultimate misfortune of having the answers handed to me from the emperor himself.

i met the emperor sitting on his chariot being dragged grudgingly by a slave race known as Hisego. apparently, the emperor employs Hisegos all throughout his kingdom. but what surprised me the most was the small choir of Hisegos trailing behind the chariot belting out praise and adulation to the emperor. the emperor, sporting a frown turned to the choir and silenced them with a wave from his hand. i think one of the female collapsed from this unexpected attention now, it was my turn to be nervous as the emperor beckoned me to him while rising up from his chair. still with a stern look pointed to a room with the doors open into one of his chambers . i followed the emperor to a room with a table and two chairs opposite each other. these chairs had those tall backs with ornate carvings of people bent in weird places. i seated myself on one chair being pointed by one of his servants. i didn't notice this before but i think the emperor's chair did not have four legs to support it but had a Hisego on all fours to raise it.

at this point, i recorded the entire conversation with utmost care for the emperor's words that i wrote them down exactly as he spoke them.

emperor: "my advisers tell me that you have questions you mean to ask me."

author: "ah yes. yes i do. i have come long and far from the island beyond and i apologise for looking a bit disheveled from the travel as i have been awake all night long.

emperor: "it does not suprise me. with your youth, i know you must have wasted the night with this horrible horrible youth acts. youth." he paused and grunted. "i ask first writer, when you do those things that the young do at night... do you learn anything from it? why do it? i cannot for my wisdom think why."

author: "exactly why we do it...exactly...i do not know. its one of the unknown i have yet to find. like it is that they say..."

emperor: "youth is wasted on the young?"