by Tony Roberts
“If Evas likes me not,” Amne said flinging off her undergarments and baring herself, much to the surprise of Isbel, “then he can pick someone else, an empty-headed obedient carpet who’ll let him walk over her for life. I’m not going to be anyone’s servant, mother. I’m of the imperial House and not subject to rule by anyone. Now, where’s my bath?”
Kiri exclaimed in dismay and ran off to the en suite bathroom, through a side door. Amne turned and grinned at Isbel. “You see, I’d be better off doing it myself.” The sound of water came to them through the open door. The palace still had running water, heated thanks to the efforts of the servants on the ground floor who kept fires lit beneath huge tanks of copper. Cisterns had been built centuries before, when Kastania was young, and still were in good enough repair to service those buildings that had been provided with water pipes.
Isbel noted that Amne’s body was the normal colour beneath the neck and shoulders. That, at least, was good. She had kept her modesty covered up. “Amne, do you not worry about showing yourself off like this?”
“What does it matter in here? These are my chambers; my maidservants will see me like this if they are to dress me, and you have known me for many years. I wouldn’t do this in front of anyone else.”
“I should think not! I do worry about your new independent attitude; it’s bad enough telling Argan and Istan to behave. I don’t want to have to keep an eye on you as well.”
Amne waved her words aside. “You worry far too much and its killed your humorous side, mother. Trust me, I know how to conduct myself. That Vosgaris is quite a handsome man, isn’t he? I’d not noticed before.”
“Amne!” Isbel scolded.
“What? I’m making a comment, that’s all. I do not intend to seduce the man! Can’t I make observations about someone, now? By the gods, mother, what has being empress done to you?”
Isbel tightened her lips. “Amne, I don’t want to get into any argument with you. I run this palace my way. You’ll have to abide by the rules. Keep your attention on Evas Pelgion, not Vosgaris and not that – Lalaas fellow – outside this room!”
“Lalaas is my bodyguard. Father was insistent I had one.”
“It could have been anyone, Amne!”
“Lalaas has saved my life. He’s the best swordsman I’ve seen, and father recommended him to guard me on the mission because he knew he was good, too. Who better than someone who has proved himself already? Anyway, father has agreed to him being here.”
“Yes,” Isbel said heavily, “so I saw in his letter to me. I’m not best pleased with either of your conditions.”
Amne smiled and walked away from Isbel, her female form swaying. Isbel shook her head. Amne was fully aware of her womanhood. “Those are the conditions for accepting Evas Pelgion as my husband, mother.” Amne peered into the bathroom. “Kiri, is it ready yet?”
“In a few moments, ma’am,” Kiri replied.
Amne came back. “Selana – the best dining costume. The blue one with the low neckline, I think.”
Selana looked uncertainly at Amne. “Ma’am?”
“In the wardrobe there,” Amne pointed. “Go prepare it and a clean set of undergarments. Thank you.”
Isbel looked slightly disapprovingly at her step-daughter.
“Low neckline too risqué, mother? Worry not, I’m going to wear my biggest necklace. It’ll distract eyes from my cleavage.”
“I doubt that, Amne. You’ve grown into a very voluptuous woman on your journey.”
“I know,” Amne smiled, wriggling her body. “Wonderful how men cannot resist staring. But you should know; you’re the same. We could be blood mother and daughter with our build.”
“I don’t go around flaunting it, Amne. Learn to be dignified – as a princess you must conduct yourself in that way.”
Amne tossed her hair and flicked it away from her ears. “I’ve seen the way men look at you, mother. Don’t tell me you haven’t used your womanly advantages at times. What about with father?”
Isbel looked irritated. “I wasn’t a princess then, Amne. I saw your father as a lonely man with two children. He needed me. Yes, I used my body to attract him to me, but any woman would do that in my place. I’m talking about you teasing others. It’s not called for, especially as you’re about to be betrothed.”
“I said I’ll behave, mother, and I shall. But don’t tell me you haven’t gained an advantage at times here through your womanly charms? And that poor Vosgaris Taboz; he’s like an uninitiated adolescent around you.”
“He is most certainly not!”
“Oh yes he is,” Amne chuckled. “He was red in the face when he bumped into us. He couldn’t stop looking at you.”
“Amne, that’s simply not true!”
“It is, too. You have him wrapped round your little finger. Ask him to crawl and bark around the corridors and I think he’d do it.”
“Amne! Enough!” Isbel said, uncomfortable with the way the conversation had turned. She made her way to the door. “Before I go out, get into the bathroom. I don’t want to risk anyone looking in and seeing you like this!”
Amne smiled again and wiggled into the bathroom. Isbel shook her head, made an exasperated noise and left. In the corridor she looked at Lalaas. The guard returned her look blankly. “Lalaas, a word with you please, in my office, now?” She looked at the other guard. “Make sure nobody goes in here, you understand?”
“Ma’am.”
Lalaas followed Isbel down the stairs, wondering what would be said to him. He hadn’t met the empress before, so was unsure what was going to happen. He stood waiting in front of Isbel as she got herself comfortable in her chair. Pepil was standing by her right hand side as usual.
“Lalaas, I understand you saved Amne’s life on more than one occasion during your journey together. You have my thanks for that, but I’m concerned that there would appear to be an over-dependence from my daughter towards you. In fact,” she looked up at the hunter right into his eyes, “to the extent she bullied the emperor into allowing you to take up a permanent post here in the palace.”
“Ma’am,” Lalaas bowed his head.
“Do you have any thoughts as to why this would be so?”
Lalaas clasped his hands together behind his back. “She feels safer with me about. After protecting her on more than a few occasions, I think she feels she needs me around her most of the time.”
Isbel pursed her lips. “I’m not entirely convinced by that argument, Lalaas. Let me make myself clear to you; she is about to be betrothed to a member of a prominent noble family, and I won’t let anything get in the way of that, even my daughter’s feelings of affection towards anyone. Do you understand me?”
“Ma’am.”
“So if I think your presence here is threatening that, I shall have you removed from the palace no matter what she says. She does not run affairs here; I do. Also, if I find that you are directing feelings of affection towards her, then may the gods help you. The dungeons aren’t a place for anyone to enjoy themselves.”
Lalaas inclined his head again. “Ma’am, I have no desire to become embroiled in imperial politics or intrigue. I’m a hunter. I would much prefer to be out in the open scouting for the army.”
“Hmm,” Isbel leaned back. “But you agreed to accompany Amne here anyway.”
“As if I could refuse an imperial command?”
Isbel smiled thinly. “Granted, I concede that point. Very well; you may return to your duty, but don’t think I won’t be keeping an eye on you or Amne.”
Lalaas saluted and left. Pepil looked at Isbel. “Ma’am?”
“Make sure you have agents watching them at all times, Pepil.”
“Already arranged, ma’am.”
“Thank you, Pepil.” Isbel heaved herself out of her chair. “I am to go prepare myself for the banquet. Make sure all the places are correctly labelled and the chamber fully prepared. This is our first big celebratory banquet since we’ve been here and I don’t w
ant anything going wrong.” She glided out of the room and wandered towards her chamber. As she got to the bottom of the staircase, Vosgaris appeared, checking on the guards. Isbel paused, thought for a moment, then called the captain over. Vosgaris came up to her and saluted. “Captain, may I have a discreet word with you? In a room somewhere here?”
“Uh, yes ma’am – this one here I think is unoccupied.” He tested the door, peered in and saw nobody was around. Isbel went in first, and Vosgaris followed, a little apprehensively.
“Shut the door, Vosgaris.”
“Ma’am.” He stood before her, trembling slightly inside.
“Captain. Am I correct in understanding that you have, shall we say, affectionate feelings towards me?”
Vosgaris felt himself turning red again. He didn’t know what to say; technically it could be interpreted as a treasonous offence. “M-Ma’am….”
“Oh, Captain, you’re not a twelve year old encountering a female for the first time! This shall not go beyond this door, I promise.”
“Thank you ma’am. Yes, I do have those feelings. You’re an incredibly beautiful woman.” He stood to attention, his heart pounding. He wondered if he would be arrested or dismissed. He’d said it now.
Isbel sighed. “Oh, Vosgaris. I wish partly you hadn’t said that – but I’m grateful you have. That puts me in an awkward position. What do I do with you? I don’t want to lose your services, but if you do feel like that towards me it could compromise my standing here, let alone incur the wrath of the emperor. You do understand, don’t you?”
“Ma’am,” Vosgaris replied. He stood to attention, not daring to look the empress in the eye. His attention was fixed over her shoulder on the far wall where a tapestry hung. It was of a hunting scene, made some indeterminate time ago. There were equines, hunting avians, canines and lots of flora. Vosgaris thought it rather beautiful. “Am I to resign my commission here?”
Isbel said nothing for a moment. Then she shook her head. “I have just spent some time trying to make other people remember their duties. I will now do the same with you; you are the palace guard commander, Vosgaris. I am empress. You are not to show me any affection. You are to do your duty as a loyal subject of the House of Koros. You know it is strictly forbidden to love the empress, don’t you? It can carry the death penalty.”
“I do know that ma’am. Fear not; I shall perform my duties as befits my rank and position. I will not compromise your standing here, as I know there are enemies even within these walls who would wish you and your family to fall. And I also know, ma’am, if you fall then so would I. Do not worry about my dedication and loyalty to the House of Koros. It is unquestionable.”
Isbel nodded slightly, then her face softened. “You are a silly man, Captain Vosgaris; your heart is doing you a disservice.”
Vosgaris nodded and smiled, looking down. “I cannot help how I feel, ma’am, but I shall not let you down.”
“Then we shall speak no more of this. Wait here a few moments after I leave, then resume your duties.”
Vosgaris was left alone for a few moments, his heart pounding. He felt weak and had to hold onto a handy chair until the feeling passed. He knew he’d come close to losing his position. Fortunately Isbel had seemingly either felt pity towards him, compassion, or something else.
Perhaps she, too, felt affection? Vosgaris smiled to himself. He would think of that, even if it may not be true. The thought warmed him. He waited a few moments more, then slipped out of the room, carefully closing the door quietly. Checking left and right, he saw nobody, and walked off as if nothing had occurred.
But someone had seen him – and the empress – leave the room, and made notes.
Pepil.
____
Amne lay in her bath soaking her skin in the perfumed waters, enjoying the unaccustomed experience. It had been so long since she’d had such a pleasurable bath. The two maidservants handed her the oils and scented cloths she used to wipe her skin with. As Amne lay there, her head back so that her hair floated free in the water, she thought on her life, past, present and future. True, she had more now than she had ever before. Being a princess gave her plenty of privileges and status, and on the surface it would seem to be the perfect life.
But she’d seen the other side of life, that of people struggling to exist, people living a fundamental level of subsistence, and she felt uncomfortable that she and her family should have so much and these people so little. It had been a shock to her. Lalaas had not been surprised to see what he’d seen, and Amne had tried to hide much of her surprise from him, lest he think her naïve and over protected. But she had been, and her journey had been one huge awakening for her. She had to admit it but she had been complacent and conceited with her life. It wasn’t something she’d deliberately engendered, but something that had come simply through being cosseted away by her social position.
Her two maidservants were from that lowly position, but they had been lucky in getting employment in the palace. Amne wondered if they would be surprised at the amount of understanding she now had of their social lives. She wouldn’t speak of it, thought, as it may be patronising. She would keep her thoughts to herself unless a situation that demanded it arose.
What of her position now? Now she was aware of the huge differences between being a princess and a subject of Kastania? She couldn’t carry on her life feigning ignorance. Neither would she allow herself to be pushed around. She’d already stood up to her father and step-mother. She wasn’t sure that Isbel was the easier of the two; in many ways she could be a far more dangerous opponent. And that was how she now viewed her family. Opponents. Traditionalists. Conservatives. Her more relaxed views certainly would not go down well in the palace. But she felt liberated in her mind. Standing up for herself was such an exhilarating experience. She would not let these people beat her. But she would need allies. She would have to tread carefully, finding them out.
She already had plans for the future, and it was an inescapable fact that she had to marry. Using her as an alliance contract was demeaning to her, but she knew that to get what she wanted she would have to concede a point or two. Her father had agreed to two things in return for the marriage. Lalaas was the first. The second was a long-term plan and would only bear fruit long in the future, but now was the time to plant those seeds.
And they had been planted.
A sharp pain in her abdomen broke through her thoughts. She hissed and grabbed her lower stomach. The pain grew, then subsided. It was a familiar pain and she cursed under her breath. Not tonight, of all times! Why couldn’t it wait just one damned day? Her cycle was an inconvenient occurrence. Of all times, now was not the right one! She would have to get out of the bath before the blood came.
Men didn’t have this to deal with. They just didn’t understand, or indeed probably care. She would be irritable, and knew that she would have to bite her tongue at dinner. Oh, by the gods, fate sometimes played wicked tricks upon a woman. She would need to get to her supply of dry cloths in her dresser.
On her journey she’d used up her supply long before they had gone halfway, and Lalaas had cleaned her while she’d been ill. She’d known that, and he’d merely smiled when she’d asked him. Such intimacy was probably unsurpassable. If a man did that for a woman, how much closer could he get? The fact he had not been disgusted or appalled warmed Amne and she smiled in remembrance.
Kiri began drying her back and Selana stood waiting with her clean undergarments. Once she had half-dressed she moved to her bedroom and found one of her cloths, padded with the cuttings of a wool beast. It would help. She sat on a small stool and allowed the two girls to dry her hair. “Kiri, please go fetch Lalaas.”
“Ma’am – you’re not dressed!”
“I know. Lalaas is my bodyguard. He will not do anything untoward. Please fetch him.”
Kiri strode across the carpeted room, stiff with disapproval. She called in Lalaas and the familiar sight of her travel companion cheered her mo
od. He looked surprised at first to see her in her undergarments, but quickly recovered. “Your highness?”
“Lalaas. This Evas Pelgion; I assume you nothing of him?”
“No, ma’am, sorry, but he’s not someone I’ve had dealings with.”
Amne huffed. “Well, someone must have, surely! What about that young guard captain, Vosgaris? He’s nobility, from Frasia. Please bring him here.”
“Uh, ma’am, to see you like this?”
“Oh, Lalaas! Certainly not. By the time he gets here I’ll be dressed.”
Lalaas grinned, bowed, and left. He informed the other guard where he was going, and wandered the corridors, looking for the guard captain. A few enquiries led him to the office wing and he saw the casual stride of Vosgaris. He hailed him. Vosgaris came up, his expression unreadable. “You’re the new bodyguard to the princess, aren’t you?”
“Yes, Lalaas. Formerly a hunter to the emperor,” Lalaas thought it wouldn’t go amiss to demonstrate his status.
Vosgaris was unimpressed. “You ought to be in attendance with the princess. What are you doing here on your own?”
Lalaas didn’t know whether Vosgaris’ slight undertone of hostility was directed at him personally or that he was normally like this. He did recall seeing him running after the boy Argan and getting a telling off from the empress. “Princess Amne sent me to summon you to her chamber. She would like a word with you.”
“What for?” Vosgaris was surprised. He’d not had much to do with the princess in his time at the palace, even before she had gone on the mission to Mazag.
“Best to ask the princess that,” Lalaas said offhandedly. “I’m just the messenger.”
“Hmph! Very well. It’s hard enough checking on the security of this place without being called at a moment’s notice. I’ll have to impress upon the princess there’s a protocol through my office on the ground floor.”
Lalaas chuckled. “Good luck; I don’t think the princess is the type to take being told.”