by Mira Zamin
A few hours after sunrise, I held court to hear the grievances of the new Aquians. Bleary-eyed, I sat in the stiff seat that had been my mother’s. The watery morning light fell through the high windows, illuminating the faces of my supplicants. They were a largely uncomplaining lot and after half a dozen petitions, I was finished for the day. If only Quenela and Hadil were so easily satisfied. It had been several weeks since our meeting and although they had yet to make a move, I knew it was only a matter of time before one of us attacked the other. Even as I sat here addressing petitioners, my mercenaries were beginning to move towards the borders.
As my last petitioner backed away and I gestured for a blond manservant to pour a cup of tea, a black and silver garbed messenger entered the hall.
“Your Highness,” he murmured, kneeling before me. “I bring you news from the capital. Queen Erina has called an Assembly to select her heir. The time has come. Your presence—or that of an envoy—is required in Nyneveh as soon as possible.”
My eyes widened. I had not even properly managed Quenela and Hadil and now this. A brief dream of contesting for the throne, and perhaps even winning it, flickered to life in the back of my mind but was quickly doused. I had a mountain of responsibilities, both magical and mundane here in Aquia and as I had proven at that meeting, I was not as clever at statecraft as I had imagined.
“Thank you,” I told the black-haired boy. “We can arrange for a room and a meal for you, if you like.”
“I’ll take the meal, marm, but I must swiftly journey back to Nyneveh.” He bowed and departed.
I wondered on whom I could pawn off the task of going to Nyneveh and voting in the Assembly. If Gwydion could be trusted to not start trouble, this would be a wonderful opportunity to push him out of Aquia—maybe even before he realized what I was doing. I smothered a smile. That was too marvelous a possibility.
My plan may have worked, but the next day, news of an entirely different sort arrived in Aquia.