Jok quietly whistled through his teeth. It’s a good thing his friend, Ioro, wasn’t the heir to the throne. He certainly wouldn’t have passed that test.
“Why isn’t that in the official history books?” Jok dug deeper.
“Because people are afraid of what they do not understand and what they cannot control. Because they fear us sorcerers. If they knew the existence of their kingdom depended on our consent, that it wouldn’t even exist without us, it would lead to hatred and persecution.” Go’s eyes grew dark. “That has happened often enough at other times and in other places.”
Master Go was not inclined to go into further detail on that point. Jok stopped asking questions for the time being. He would find a better opportunity. At least he knew a bit more about Karapak now.
*
Iragana gazed at the first blue lotus of the year. The bud had opened at sunrise. The deep-blue blossom stood two hand-widths above the water, reflecting in the glistening ripples the silverfish created with their tails. The king’s first consort sat as still as a statue. From a distance, she looked like a fine porcelain doll in embroidered brocade.
Iragana was lost in thought. She had seen where Tolioro’s interests lie long before Kanata had. Her royal husband wasn’t exactly demure in his treatment of his bedmates, but he did think pragmatically. Kanata didn’t waste a life without good reason. Tolioro on the other hand... The king was unhappy about what his son got up to at night. Extremely unhappy.
There had certainly been instances in Karapakian history of unpopular or unsuitable heirs to the throne discreetly disappearing from the picture. Tolioro was a fool. He threw all caution to the wind. Ioro, on whom he focused his hate, was not his most dangerous opponent. Ioro was only the son of a common concubine. He couldn’t dispute Tolioro’s right to inherit the throne. Tolioro should be more worried about Kanata. Kanata’s second and third consorts had sons with legitimate claims to the throne. They may be young now, but children grew up quickly. Kanata may decide to replace Tolioro with a more suitable son. Iragana sighed. Her son was definitely controlled more by his prick than his intellect.
If Tolioro refused to see the danger, she would have to take care of it herself.
She signaled her chambermaid with an elegant flick of her fan.
Before midday the next day, Iragana once again went to the rose garden. The little man was waiting for her as agreed. Iragana listened silently to what the man knew about Tolioro’s activities. Toloran money to purchase the services Tolioro no longer found in the palace, at night on the streets of Sawateenatari. Unpleasant, but no cause for concern. Bribery was an expected part of diplomacy.
The question was, what was Tolor paying for? Iragana thought of the small package of Karnas worm silk she had recently received. Her eyes narrowed. The silk trade! Not a dumb move on Tolioro’s part, but also not particularly smart, either. With the amounts of money that flowed into the royal coffers from the silk trade, sooner or later, Kanata would notice something was missing and realize he had been cheated. He might be able to see past a few corpses, but not missing funds. Iragana nervously folded her fan together and then unfolded it again.
“Keep an eye on Tolioro and quietly make sure no obvious traces of his nighttime pleasures remain in the city.”
The little man bowed silently and waited.
“I have another problem. Minor, but delicate. There is someone in my circle whose continued life may pose a threat to my well-being. As you know, I am just a weak, little woman. I need a weapon with which I can dispatch my opponent. A weapon that can be used from a distance and does not require a strong hand.”
The little man’s eyes lit up. The king’s first consort was seeking a magical murder weapon! “That will cost you quite a bit!”
Iragana made a dismissive gesture. “Not as much as it might cost me not to have this weapon. Procure it for me as quickly as you can.”
The little man bowed silently again. Then his silhouette disappeared. Iragana only saw an unassuming wall of roses.
The Gift of Death
Jok had a bad feeling. It wasn't anything tangible. He had dreamt of Ioro more than once over the past few nights and had awoken, bathed in sweat, unable to remember the contents of the dream. He asked Ioro for permission to strengthen the dagger. After some hesitation, Ioro agreed to his request. Jok strengthened and modified the mirror on the blade of the dagger so it not only warned of nearby magic, it could also absorb and neutralize harmful magic upon contact. He asked Ioro to keep the mirror dagger with him at all times, no matter what he was doing. Ioro seemed a bit irritated, but agreed, nonetheless.
Still, the nightmares wouldn’t stop.
*
Kanata listened, with pursed lips, to what his vizier had to tell him. “At least twenty percent of the income from silk duties are missing, Sire. Apparently, this only applies to the northern Toloran traders. They, in turn, are almost all in the service of the Toloran count palatine, Chilikit.”
Kanata furrowed his brow. The steep crease on his forehead deepened. He knew as well as his vizier did that only one person would be impudent enough to cheat him in such a manner. "Tolioro!” The king’s exclamation sounded almost suffocated by rage. Kanata’s hands gripped the arms of his chair. His knuckles were raised and white.
He needed a few breaths to collect himself. “I assume you investigated what my son has to gain from this?”
Beads of sweat appeared on the vizier’s forehead. He could only pray Kanata would not unleash his rage on him.
“Five percent of the missing customs duties went to the customs officer at the Three Bridges station and an additional five percent to the silk merchants’ guild market master. The final ten percent were paid to your son, Tolioro.”
A vein at Kanata’s temple throbbed. His voice was dangerously quiet. “Why does my son need so much gold?” He drummed his fingers on the armrest. “On the other hand, it is a pitifully low payment for a crown prince. Why is he content with so little?”
The vizier swallowed. “Sire, the answers to both your questions are related. Your son is content with a relatively small amount because the Toloran silk merchants also assist him with his, shall we say, special predilections. It appears the Tolorans provide him houses and cellars in which your son can pursue his pleasures undisturbed by prying eyes and ears. Apparently, they also dispose of the remains. We don’t know yet how your son has managed to get into the city without being noticed for so long. Your son needs the money to purchase the objects of his desire. Finding people no one will miss isn’t cheap.”
Kanata gritted his teeth so hard they creaked. Tolioro! That rabid dog! He should have killed him when he had the chance. What now? The Toloran engagement stood. Breaking this engagement due to the death of the betrothed would set his political efforts back years. Until his next son from a legitimate consort was old enough to marry, this unique political window would be closed and access to Tolor would once again move further into the distance. There was nothing he could do; he would have to continue on with Tolioro. Merciful Goddess, what could he do to instill some reason in his son?
He turned his head and studied the vizier like a falcon mustering his prey. “The others involved?”
The vizier lowered his head a bit. “The customs officer and his entire staff have been arrested. We are only waiting on your command to execute him. As far as the market master is concerned, I had the guild denounce him immediately. The guild took care of the matter according to their own statutes.”
Good. The silk merchants’ guild statutes demanded drastic penalties for anyone who enriched themselves without authorization and tarnished the guild’s reputation. Those who accepted bribes were sewn into a silk sack as tightly as a silkworm in its cocoon. Then, the sack was hung from the center of the guild house gate. Everyone who walked through the gate hit the delinquent. Until he or she was dead.
As for the others involved...
“Have the customs officer publicly whipped to d
eath to set an example and have his ashes scattered into the ravines under the Three Bridges. His men will be executed by the sword. Then you can surrender their corpses to their families.”
The vizier acknowledged the order with a slight bow.
“As for Count Palatine Chilikit, I am certain he will be more than happy to pay his customs in full in the future.”
“Sire, shall we charge him a penalty?”
“No. Chilikit is a kingmaker in Tolor. A time may come when we need him. We will act as though nothing happened.”
Kanata stood up and went to the window. The vizier looked at his broad back, emblazoned with the falcon crest. The fabric moved, violently and quickly. Without turning around, Kanata said, “Go. And send Tolioro to me.”
Tolioro swept an unruly lock of hair from his forehead and scowled. Plague and demons, he had a terrible hand today! Not a single sorcerer and instead, eight simple foot soldiers and a cavalry captain. The only bright spot was the priestess. Still, that was hardly enough. Regretfully, he laid down his cards. “I pass this round.”
The gold was gone.
In fact, he should have received a new, well-filled pouch from Tolor yesterday. The silk merchants had never been late before. Whatever, it would come.
Rumbling steps at the entrance interrupted his thoughts. A servant. What was the man thinking storming in here so loudly and clumsily? Tolioro’s expression grew icy. “Clutz! Dolt! Can’t you see we are playing here? You’re bothering us!”
The servant bowed deeply and nervously wiped the sweat from his face. “My Prince, your royal father sent me. You are to report to him immediately.”
What was that supposed to mean? Reluctantly, Tolioro pushed the chair back and nodded to his fellow players. “Gentlemen, I apologize, but you will have to continue on without me. Urgent matters of state.”
He could almost sense the young barons’ looks, ranging from respect to envy, at his back as he left.
A servant opened the door to Kanata’s study. Tolioro entered. Oh my, the air was thick! When his father stood the way he was standing now, as though he had swallowed a stick, he was in a bad mood. If he was tapping his foot, which he was also doing now, he was in an extremely bad mood. Just in case, Tolioro stood at attention. “You called for me, father.”
“How was the game?”
The game? Why was that suddenly of interest to the king? What was really going on here?
“Unfortunately, it wasn’t ideal.”
“In other words, you lost.” Kanata’s voice was markedly devoid of emotion. “You don’t seem very upset. Have I provided you so much gold that you can gamble it away without a thought?”
Tolioro didn’t know what to say. He sensed he was on thin ice.
“Oh right,” Kanata continued, “of course, you have the Toloran money, don’t you?”
The ice cracked.
The abyss gaped open beneath him.
“Gold that belongs in my coffers!” Kanata’s rage broke through. “You embezzled from me! You conspired with a potentially hostile foreigner to defraud me! You allowed him to circumvent paying the taxes to which I am legally entitled and accepted his gold in return. In addition, you bribed Karapakian officials. That is not only dishonorable, it is also stupid. I would never have thought my own son could be so stupid. It appears you are more like your mother, that obtuse, country bumpkin!” Kanata was almost screaming now.
Tolioro didn’t move a muscle. Whatever he said would be wrong.
His father continued in a calmer tone.
“And for what? Just so you can pursue your desires like a randy goat? So you can buy what arouses you and what no one would willingly offer you? You are well aware that neither the Privy Council nor the nobility, nor your family can call your conduct anything other than dishonorable. You know Ioro discovered your previous machinations in the palace and discreetly got rid of the evidence. You must have known I was also aware of it. I am your father; I am your king. I always know what you are doing. Never forget that!”
Kanata grappled with fate and the gods. Why had he been saddled with this heir? He once again wished he had accepted the Privy Council’s request to expand the line of succession to include all of his sons, whether from the consorts or the concubines. If only Ioro were in Tolioro’s place... There was no point in thinking about it. He had barred that path himself, and he had done so solely out of spite because the request had been initiated by the Crystal Chamber. In hindsight, the request had made sense. Kanata had often asked himself recently if the Crystal Chamber might, indeed, be able to see his future.
He mustered his son silently. Tolioro was well built. Somewhat smaller than he or Ioro, but well proportioned. He had an attractive, symmetrical face, which he had inherited from his mother. How was it possible that such ugly desires raged within such a beautiful body? Tolioro’s face was reserved, but his body language betrayed his spite. The boy didn’t even accept that he had done something wrong. Kanata suddenly turned around and went to his desk. Without looking up, he briskly wrote something on a piece of parchment.
Tolioro bared his teeth. Did he have to put up with this? First, his older brother read him the riot act for his behavior and now his father was on about it. They were just a few worthless women. Damn it, he was the crown prince! Wasn’t he allowed to do anything? Hah, once he was king...!
Kanata was finished. He turned around to face Tolioro. “As of now, you are under house arrest. No sexual escapades anymore. If you need a woman, you will have one, but she will leave your room alive and well. You will have your expenses approved by me, each and every piece of gold, silver or copper. And no more contact with Tolor, except your betrothed. Now get out of my sight!”
Tolioro practically fled from the room.
The news that the crown prince and the king had gotten into a row spread through the palace like wildfire. More than one servant secretly made an offering of thanks to the gods. Rumors also spread through the city. Ioro heard about it from his soldiers. A visit to The Red Keg that evening confirmed the reports. The news even made it to Jok, which he told Ioro. Master Go’s servants brought the news from the market. That convinced Ioro more than anything that something had to be done. He requested an audience with Kanata.
“Father, throughout the realm, the people are saying the heir to the throne has fallen into disfavor,” he began carefully. Kanata made a noncommittal sound. Ioro continued. “The people are uneasy. They don’t know where they stand. They don’t know if the line of succession is secure. They are waiting and speculating. The merchants are already complaining about a decrease in trade.”
Kanata waited.
“The rumors have also reached Tolor. The Toloran emissary asked me last night, very discreetly and with much allusion, of course, whether the wedding will still proceed as planned.”
Finally, Kanata stirred. “What do you recommend?”
“Show yourself in public with your heir. Demonstrate that the House of Mehme stands united and there is no rift between you and Tolioro. That will kill the rumors at the root and the situation will normalize.”
Kanata leaned back. “You have excellent judgment, my son.” He looked directly at Ioro. “I will take your advice. But I will tell you something. This is the last chance I will give Tolioro. If his behavior is exemplary, I will forget what has happened. If he is involved in one more unpleasant incident, it will cost him his head. I will not play these little games again. I have other sons who can marry the Toloran princess. I would probably be doing the girl a favor.”
“Will you speak to him yourself, father?”
Kanata snorted disdainfully. “No, his mother can handle that. Let her teach her son something useful, for once, and tell him he has to behave.”
Ioro saluted.
Iragana was sitting with her son. Contrary to all her fears, Tolioro had not gotten angry. Instead, he was pensively brooding. Finally, he stirred. “My royal father is truly an honorable man,” he said ironically. “I t
ake him at his word that he would cut off my head.” He let out a short burst of laughter. “But, I am decidedly against that.” He briefly fell silent, then continued speaking. “Unfortunately, the sentries and the honor guard are still under my brother Ioro’s command. There’s no way I can bend an ear there. I am currently cut off from my allies in the city. As far as the Privy Council goes, I can’t expect anything from them, either. They know nothing but Kanata’s will...” He brooded again for a moment. Then, he looked at Iragana. A sinister fire burned in his eyes. “But I am still the crown prince, the heir. If something were to happen to my father, I could ascend the Falcon Throne tomorrow.”
Iragana smiled contentedly. Finally, her son could also see what she had known for some time. “I have a gift for you, my son,” she said. She carefully took out the package she had obtained a few weeks prior and placed it before Tolioro. It contained a round object, hardly a finger’s length, wrapped in dark silk. Tolioro curiously opened the cloth. Then, he looked at the contents, confused. It looked like a small icicle. He stretched out his hand.
Royal Falcon Page 24