Empire of Avarice

by Tony Roberts

  “As you say, father, nonsense. Theros is a traitor and abandoned me when I nearly died.”

  “You what?” Astiras narrowed his eyes. “When?”

  So Amne told him all about the journey, of the spy sent to kill her, of Lalaas’ part in guiding her to Bragal, of her illness, of Theros’ flight, of the Bukrat diversion, and finally, Theros’ rescue and their meeting with General Polak. Amne fumbled in her belongings and thrust a sealed letter at her father. “General Polak wrote this for you, father.”

  Astiras broke the seal and read it slowly. “Appalling Kastanian, but I get the gist of it. It seems you and I owe Lalaas a great deal.”

  Amne nodded. “And I give you this.” She bowed and pushed another sealed document at Astiras. It was clearly written in a flowing script ‘Treaty of Alliance Between Kastania and Mazag’. Astiras’ face broke into a wide smile. He laughed and swept the giggling girl up into his arms. “Amne! You are fantastic! I love you!”

  “And I love you, too, father!”

  “I’m holding a meal to celebrate your return. You have a more – suitable – dress to wear?”

  “Why not this, father? I’m not in court; this is an army camp. What other women do you have here? Washer women, prostitutes?”

  “Amne!” Astiras looked surprised. “What do you know of army life?”

  “A lot, father. I’m not the silly empty-headed naïve girl that you waved off two and a half years ago, or however long ago it was! I’ve learned so much in that time. I know far more about the world outside Court now.”

  Astiras pulled a face. “Hmm. Well, dressed like you’re off to a hunt isn’t dinner wear. Surely you have an alternative?”

  “Of course, father! I was teasing. I’ll be there. When?”

  “In one watch’s time. I’ll send Teduskis when its time. Now you rest and freshen up.”

  Astiras closed the door behind him. Amne remained staring at the door for a moment, then threw herself back onto the bed and remained staring up at the ceiling. It didn’t seem real, now she was back in Kastanian-held territory. Already she longed to be back out on an equine, the wind in her hair, the open plain or the forest all around her. And Lalaas alongside her.

  Lalaas.

  She hoped sense had prevailed and her companion for the past two years and more had been freed. If not, there would be the demons of the dark worlds to pay. She would not let these men push her around or silence her. No more. She had learned that men respected a woman of strength, yet at the same time wished to push them into a submissive position so they could be dominated. Not Amne, not any more. She would show them she was a princess of Kastania, and also a daughter of Astiras Koros.

  She changed, washed and prepared herself. No handmaiden to dress or prepare her. Well, that was not a problem; she’d done that herself plenty of times enough to do it with her eyes shut. There was a small reflector on the table and it gave her enough to see to make her hair neat. She had a headband and tied her hair perfunctorily and decided she would do. No colour added to her face or lips. She was unadorned, but amongst the grizzled veterans of a Bragalese war, she would have no equal.

  Teduskis knocked and Amne opened the door. The ageing general looked at her in admiration. The dress she was wearing was long, covering down to her ankles, and went to her neck, showing little flesh. It was winter, after all, and the sleeves went down to her wrists. She had no necklace, hence the high neckline. She was wearing no jewellery, not having brought any on her mission, but she reasoned she wouldn’t require any until she got to Kastan City.

  The dining hall was one third of the building at the end, and as they reached it Amne could smell the food being cooked in the adjacent kitchen. At least it took away the underlying odour of equine dung, sweat and rot she had detected in the short time she’d been there. Men.

  The men all stood as she entered, and she was aware of twenty or more pairs of eyes on her. She smiled and pushed confidently past the row of men towards the chair her father was holding for her, next to his seat at the head of the table. She noted with pleasure and relief Lalaas standing on the other side of the table, one seat down. Opposite Amne was Teduskis’ place.

  As she reached her place, everyone made to seat themselves. Amne sat and the rest followed suit. It was a change being shown such courtesy. Mazag would not do that. She noted there were none of the escort there, and she turned to her father and asked why.

  “Mazag at a meal? Have you seen the way they conduct themselves?”

  “As a matter of fact, father, yes. Boorish and uncouth.”

  “So no Mazag here. I understand from Teduskis they’re enjoying some wine and roast porcine in the stables. I’ve put a heavy guard around them in case they get too carried away.”

  Amne looked thoughtful. “They’re our allies, father.”

  “Allies do not have to be friends,” Astiras replied, then tapped a spoon against his crystal goblet. The rest, a collection of the unit commanders and captains, all sat still and waited for their emperor to speak. “Gentlemen, we are here to celebrate the return of my daughter Amne from a long mission to secure an alliance with Mazag. I am pleased to announce she was successful and as a result the empire has an alliance with our southern neighbour. I wish to propose a toast to Princess Amne.”

  Amne was surprised to see drinks waiters suddenly appear with bottles of wine, and they began pouring the liquid into each goblet. For a besieging army in a devastated region it struck an odd note. She lifted her half full goblet and looked at the wine. A clear white wine, probably from the Aester coast. They tended to be a little sharp.

  Astiras stood, followed by the rest of the men. “To Princess Amne!”

  “To Princess Amne!” the rest chorused.

  Amne smiled and lifted her glass in acknowledgement. They all took a mouthful, before the men sat down. She looked across at Lalaas. “I’m pleased to see you’ve been released, Lalaas.”

  “Ma’am,” Lalaas replied. He looked slightly uncomfortable. Amne knew this wasn’t his comfort zone. “Thanks to your testimony.”

  Astiras cleared his throat. “Yes. You and I have still to discuss that, Lalaas.”

  “Sire,” Lalaas bowed formally.

  “Oh, father, don’t be such a fuss. He saved my life.”

  Astiras smiled at his daughter. “I wish to have a word with both of you. After this meal.”

  Amne let that go, and settled down to enjoy her first full course meal for a long time. The captains chatted at length about the Mazag and their prowess with the bow whilst riding. Lalaas made the comment that he had one of their bows and Astiras pounced on that. “You will bring that with you when you see me after the meal, Lalaas.”

  “My lord.”

  Amne didn’t engage much with the general conversation. It seemed to mostly be on military matters which didn’t interest her, but she gathered that Zofela was tottering on the edge of surrendering. No food or supplies were getting through now and the winter was taking its toll on them. Elmar, the garrison commander, had pleaded to allow the women and children to pass through the Kastanian lines but Astiras had refused.

  “Why, father? Surely it would be an act of charity to do so!”

  Astiras smiled at his daughter. He shook his head. “Not military sense. Lalaas, perhaps you could explain why?”

  Lalaas stirred. He looked down at his plate, then up at Amne. “If your father allowed the women and children out, then he would have to feed and house them. Where? There are no places for them to go, and Elmar may insert a spy or two amongst them, maybe to sabotage things here or to pass back information to him. Also, by letting the women and children out, it means Zofela has longer to hold out as the food will last longer. Your father wishes an end to this as soon as possible. All this is a drain on the imperial treasury.”

  Astiras nodded in agreement. “Lalaas has the general idea, Amne. Also Bragalese children have murdered plenty of Kastanian soldiers already in this war and I do not wish for my camp to be
endangered in that way. Harsh, but a realistic fact of this war. With the fall of Zofela this war will be at an end. Thank the gods.”

  Amne shook her head. It was something she didn’t understand nor wish to. She changed the subject. “What of Kastan City? How are mother, Argan and Istan?”

  Astiras brought her up to date with events in Kastan as he understood them. He also mentioned the treaty with the Tybar, and Amne felt pleased. Not only had she secured a treaty with one neighbour, but her father had done the same with another. Kastania was in a safer position that it had been three years ago. Maybe all the hard work and sufferings she’d endured all this time had been worth it.

  Afterwards Astiras escorted her to his quarters, along the passageway to the other end of the building. The first two rooms were guard quarters, and the emperor’s was the third. Amne found a comfortable wooden chair with a cushion to sit in and engaged in small talk with her father until Lalaas turned up, escorted by Tesduskis, holding the Mazag bow.

  The hunter bowed and placed the bow on Astiras’ desk. The emperor picked it up and examined it. It was short, half the height of a standard man, but tight and required just as much strength to pull it as a Taboz bow. “Very interesting. Teduskis,” he thrust it at his retainer. “Take it apart and find out what it’s made of, and then make me lots. Send it to the imperial workshops in Kastan.”

  “Sire,” Teduskis left.

  “Now,” Astiras leaned forward, lacing his fingers, staring intently at Lalaas stood before him. “You have seen my daughter naked. I do not have to remind you, do I, if you repeat this to anyone I’ll rip your tongue out of your mouth?”

  “Sire,” Lalaas stood stiffly to attention.

  “Father!” Amne said, shocked.

  “Amne, I am your father and have a father’s instinct for his daughter. You are also a princess of the imperial dynasty, and Lalaas is a commoner. This just does not happen!”

  “He saved my life!” Amne stood up, clenching her fists. “Without him I would not be here now!”

  “I charged this man here before he left with saving your life no matter what, even if it cost him his own. He was doing his duty.”

  “Saving my life no matter what,” Amne shouted heatedly, standing alongside Lalaas, “means no matter what, father! If he hadn’t done what he did I would have died. Have you ever seen cold fever?”

  Astiras eyed his daughter. Something deep had changed within her. She would not have dared challenge him before. She was much more – adult – since leaving Kastan. “He still took liberties, Amne. I am not comfortable with that!”

  “Oh for Kastan’s sake, father! What did you expect him to do, gouge out his eyes before doing what he did?”

  Lalaas remained standing, staring at the ceiling. He wanted to hug the furious woman by his side. She was so alive, passionate, beautiful. She was shouting down the emperor on his behalf!

  Astiras grumbled. “He’s still seen you….”

  “I know, and it matters not to me, after all, it’s my body he’s seen, not yours.”

  “Amne, you’re sounding like a courtesan. What’s happened to you?”

  “Father, do you have to say that, especially in front of Lalaas?”

  “Sorry,” Astiras waved a hand in the air. “But you’re not the same woman who left Kastan.” He looked at Lalaas. “I suspect you’ve had something to do with this?”

  “My lord?”

  “Just exactly what did you teach my daughter?”

  “To survive, lord. Your daughter can look after herself.”

  “Hmph! She will have servants at Court to do that.”

  Amne pulled a face. “I don’t want empty-headed ninnies attending my needs, father.”

  “Amne Koros, you will accept what is given to you, and do not be ungrateful.”

  “Father, you and I have to have a serious discussion, but not in front of anyone else.”

  Astiras looked at his daughter for a long moment, then stood up abruptly. “As you wish. Before that, Lalaas, I thank you for succeeding in bringing my daughter safely back unharmed. I shall reward you appropriately in due course. You are now to report back to General Teduskis for your new orders.”

  “Sire,” Lalaas saluted, thumping his chest. He left.

  “Well?” Astiras faced Amne.

  Although Amne only came up to Astiras’ collar, she stood her ground. “I am not going to follow your wishes, father, unless I’m happy to go along with them.”

  “What?”

  “You think I’m just another woman to do your bidding? I’m your daughter! You’ve got plans for me, haven’t you? I wouldn’t even be surprised if you’ve lined up someone to marry me on my return to Kastan.”

  Astiras looked perplexed. “Well…”

  Amne drew in her breath sharply. “You have! You didn’t even ask me first! How beastly! I’m not twelve anymore, father!”

  Astiras spread his hands in a conciliatory manner. “Amne, you’re twenty-three, and not a young girl anymore. You have to marry and soon, or you’ll be too old. There’s a young nobleman at Court we’ve identified would be perfect as a match.”

  “And who is this man who is going to make me happy the rest of my life?” Amne asked acidly.

  Astiras looked uncomfortable. It had seemed perfect when he and Isbel had discussed it a short while ago. “You know the Pelgion family? Big estates in Frasia near Kastan City?”

  “I know of them, yes.”

  “They have a son, Elas. Twenty-one, tall, a potential warrior. Seems the right choice.”

  Amne glared at her father. “And without me seeing if he’s suitable to me? What if he’s got the face of a bovine’s rear end?”

  “Amne! Where did you learn to talk like that? He hasn’t, incidentally, so rest assured there.”

  “So what is he like? Does he like riding? Does he eat properly, or with his mouth open? Does he smell? Does he know how to talk to a woman? Does he like children? Does he hate children?”

  “Uhhh..”

  “Father!” Amne shrieked. “You have no idea whether he’s a courteous pleasing man or an axe wielding maniac! I might be married to a moklar!”

  “Amne, for Kastan’s sake!” Astiras yelled. “I will not have you using such language!”

  “Then don’t provoke me, father! I’m not the empty vessel I was before, waiting for a man to fill me. I know what I want from my life and I will have a say in it!”

  “You will obey me, Amne; I am your father and the emperor of Kastan!”

  “The emperor of empty-headed planning!”

  Astiras went beet red. “You have gone too far with me, Amne. I may be your father but that does not entitle you to defy me in this way. If you persist in this sort of behaviour then I shall arrange for you to spend the rest of your days in a temple serving the gods, forever a virgin. Daughter of mine or not – if you do not serve this family and the empire in the way I wish, then that is what your fate will be.”

  Amne clenched her fists. Her face was white with fury. “Is that all I am to you, father? A useable object for your own dynastic ambitions? Do my feelings have no value? Don’t you want happiness for me? Do you think so little of me as a person?”

  “You do not understand, Amne,” Astiras said gravely, staring hard at her. “We all must make sacrifices. Kastania comes first. Our wishes are secondary. I hoped you would understand that. When you agreed to take on the mission to the Mazag I thought you did, putting the needs of the empire before your own comfort and safety.”

  Amne fumed, opening and closing her hands. “I can serve the empire, father, my marrying a noble of my choice; not one of yours or of mother’s. What does it matter if it’s Elas Pelgion or…or… anyone else?”

  “Anyone else?” Astiras said softly but with an underlying menace. “Such as?”

  Amne hesitated. She saw danger opening before her. “Oh, Vosgaris Taboz, for one.”

  “Vosgaris?” Astiras exclaimed, looking in surprise at his daughter. “You w
ould consider marrying him?”

  “Why not?” Amne retorted. “He’s not a bad looking man. He’s kind, honest, hard-working. He’s known by us all. I would be quite happy to marry him. And he’s a noble!”

  Astiras growled, waving his hand dismissively. “A minor noble. No real political power. The Pelgion are powerful and we need their support. Marriage between our Houses would make us much more powerful and gain a huge amount of support in the Council. We could push through more difficult changes with their backing. I need their support Amne, please. Please?”

  Amne had never seen her father pleading with her before. The fire had gone out of her when she’d nearly blurted out Lalaas’ name. Suddenly she felt the gilded prison bars of being a princess closing around her. It depressed her. She closed her eyes and bowed her head.

  “I would be very grateful, eternally so, Amne.”

  Amne snapped her eyes open and gave her father a steely look. “Then I shall marry this Elas Pelgion, father, on two conditions. I want your word on both. If you give me them, on the gods, then you’ll have your marriage alliance.”

  Her father looked long and hard at her, then sat down slowly. “What are these two conditions, Amne?”

  She told him. Astiras shook his head. Amne folded her arms and turned her back on him. Astiras tried to reason with her. Amne shook her long blond hair and stood her ground. Then she walked to the door. “I’m going out, father. I’ll stay out until you see reason. You’re so stubborn.”

  “And what of you?”

  Amne paused in the doorway. “I am your daughter, after all. I’m just like you, so I’m told.” With that she was gone, leaving Astiras tapping his desk in irritation. She marched along the passageway and went to her room, changing back into her riding clothes. She needed to work off some of the frustration she felt.

  Teduskis, having sent Lalaas as far from the camp as possible, on orders from Astiras, was returning from checking the guards when Amne came striding past him, her hair blowing in the chill wind. “Ma’am?” he asked, surprise showing on his face. Alarm replaced it when he saw her making her way to where the Mazag were seated, around the stables, cooking up a stew in a large pot on a blazing fire. A couple of their equines were saddled up still. “Hey, Miss Amne, I wouldn’t go over there…”