Needs of the Empire

by Christopher Mitchell

  ‘Me neither,’ Niall said, his eyelids sagging. ‘I’ve never been anywhere so fucked up.’

  ‘Will you go back to the Holdings?’ Fern said .

  Flora turned to her. ‘Probably. I don’t know what’ll be left of Plateau City by the time Keira’s finished with it.’

  ‘I wish I could come with you.’

  Flora raised an eyebrow, and shook her head.

  ‘Let’s just concentrate on being guards and prisoners.’

  The hours passed, the rain continuing all day. Niall smoked another weedstick, his eyes heavy, while Flora watched them like a bird of prey. Fern got up and approached her.

  ‘Miss,’ she said, then whispered something in her ear.

  ‘Yeah, sure,’ she said, standing. ‘Give me a chance to stretch my legs.’

  She kicked Niall. ‘Stay awake.’

  He grunted. Flora walked Fern to the door, and opened it.

  Agang tensed, sensing an opportunity, but relaxed as Leah came in to replace Flora.

  ‘How’s it going, boys?’

  ‘Comfortable enough with these blankets, thank you,’ Hodang said.

  ‘I’ll get more food for you soon. Did the girl eat?’

  ‘Eventually,’ Hodang said. ‘I could hear her stomach rumbling from here.’

  She looked at Agang. ‘How about you? Calmed down?’

  Agang shrugged.

  ‘Good enough,’ Leah said, then sighed. ‘Pyre’s arsehole, I hate having to baby-sit you wee fuckheads. Everyone’s getting hammered tonight, and I have to stay here.’

  She sat.

  ‘How long have you known Keira, Miss Leah?’ Hodang said.

  She squinted at him. ‘Fucking long enough. What about you? I hear you’re thinking of flipping over to our side. If we’ll take you, that is.’

  Hodang bowed his head.

  ‘You want the truth? I’m scared. Scared of being tortured or losing my life. I know what B’Dang’s like, he’s a killer. I want to live, I admit it, but part of me says if Keira is going to invade the Plateau, and I’m coming along for the ride, then I want to see the job done properly, and I know I could be useful for that. I’ve already organised one invasion, I know what I’m doing.’

  Agang shook his head. ‘You’ve forgotten all loyalty to me, haven’t you? You just suck up to whoever’s in power.’

  Hodang smiled, though his eyes were cold. ‘You were king for less than eight thirds. Over in a flash, really. Still, we did some good work together. Freeing the slaves, for instance. I was opposed at first, but in the end I had to agree it was a good thing we did.’

  Agang felt an urge to strike the old man, but bit his lip and bowed his head. Hodang had made up his mind. Who was he to blame him for it? An eight-thirds king. A joke.

  He heard the door open and footsteps enter.

  ‘Let’s make this fucking quick.’

  Agang looked up to see Keira striding into the cell, Kylon behind her.

  ‘Hodang,’ Keira said, stopping in the middle of the room. ‘Get up.’

  The old man stood.

  ‘I hear you’ve the makings of a right wee traitor.’

  ‘I serve Sanang,’ Hodang said, straightening his spine.

  Keira laughed. ‘So what do you think of us attacking the empire?’

  ‘I confess,’ he said, ‘that I didn’t understand all that Kylon said to us, about a plan made by the god of the Holdings, that would destroy us, but I’ve no love for the empire. I regret the day we agreed to the Emperor’s demands, but I admit we thought we were doing the right thing at the time. We were mistaken, and I’d like the chance to make up for that mistake.’

  Keira turned her head. ‘Kylon?’

  ‘I’m minded to say aye.’

  ‘Me too,’ Keira said. ‘Right, Hodang, you’re out of here. Come and stand by me.’

  Hodang grinned and moved close to Kylon, just behind Keira.

  ‘Agang,’ Keira said, then paused as the door opened. Flora came in, leading Fern by the arm .

  ‘Ah,’ said Keira. ‘I’d wondered where you’d got to, my wee white-faced witch. Off to the bog, were ye?’

  Flora nodded. She started to escort Fern back to her old position by the far wall.

  ‘Wait,’ Keira said.

  Flora and the girl turned.

  ‘Fern, aye?’ Keira said.

  The girl nodded, and started to tremble.

  Keira smirked. ‘Kylon put in a word for you. If you want, I could assign you as the squad’s runner, the one who gets all the shit jobs. You’d have to promise that you won’t run away, and swear that you’ll be faithful.’

  Fern’s jaw opened, and she stood frozen.

  Flora laughed. ‘She might need a minute to process that.’

  A soft sound came from by the door.

  ‘Who the fuck’s making that noise?’ Keira said. She turned to her right, and saw Niall sitting, snoring in his chair.

  She whacked the side of his head with the back of her hand.

  ‘You been smoking again?’

  ‘Only a bit, boss, sorry,’ he said, rubbing his cheek.

  ‘Right everybody, outside,’ Keira said. ‘I want a moment alone with the ex-king.’

  Agang watched as the others filed out of the room, until only the firewitch was left.

  She sat on a chair, smirking at him.

  ‘You don’t even know what you’re destroying,’ he said.

  Keira snorted. ‘Fern and Hodang can get out of this cell, but you’re staying a prisoner.’

  He said nothing, watching as she took out a smokestick and lit it.

  ‘Could I have some of that?’

  She frowned, but drew another out from the pack for him. She lit it off her own, and passed it over, her arm out-stretched.

  ‘Thanks. ’

  ‘You’re probably wondering why I haven’t killed you,’ she said as they smoked.

  Agang nodded.

  ‘I admit,’ she said, ‘it’s partly to piss off B’Dang. He fucking hates you, and he’s been begging me to let him cut you up into small pieces. It’s funny to watch his face when I tell him no.’

  ‘I’m alive because it gives you amusement?’

  ‘Aye,’ she grinned. ‘More importantly, though, I want you to watch me attack the Plateau. You had a go, and you fucked it up. Time to learn how it should be done.’

  She stood.

  ‘We’re moving out in the morning,’ she said. ‘You’re a very lucky guy. I’ll make sure you get an excellent view when we get to the frontier wall, so you can see me in action.

  ‘And believe me,’ she winked. ‘You won’t want to miss that.’

  Chapter 20

  The Offer

  S lateford, Rahain Republic – 20 th Day, Last Third Autumn 506

  Killop’s boots crunched on the gravel surface of the road. The sun was shining through a gap in the thick clouds, and a chill mountain wind scoured the valley. He turned a corner and heard the sound of children playing. Loud squeals echoed through the trees, and he walked into a clearing, where the nursery had been built. There was still snow on the ground after the heavy fall on his birthday six days before, and the Kellach children were running through it, laughing.

  He caught sight of Draewyn, who was chatting to a few other supervisors.

  They fell silent as he approached, although one or two smiled at him.

  ‘Good morning,’ he said.

  ‘Morning, Chief,’ said Draewyn. ‘What can we do for you?’

  ‘Wondered if you had five minutes.’

  ‘Sounds serious,’ she said, glancing at the other nursery staff.

  ‘Can we go inside for a moment?’

  ‘Aye, Chief,’ she said. ‘This way.’

  He followed her into the big timber hall and through a door to her small office .

  ‘I think you know what this is about,’ he said, as she sat behind her desk.

  ‘Honestly, I have no idea.’

  He smiled. He wasn’t go
ing to get angry, he told himself. He sat.

  ‘Will we start with why you’ve stopped attending our morning meetings?’

  She pursed her lips. ‘I’ve been so busy, and if I can speak frankly, I’m not sure what the point of them is.’

  ‘You don’t have to attend every one,’ he said, ‘but it’s been six days. You’ve not even sent a deputy, which you agreed to do if you were too busy to come.’

  ‘I don’t think it’s right to force anyone to go.’

  ‘Force? Come on, it’s a meeting, not a battle. Bridget works her arse off to arrange everything. The least you could do is send someone, if you can’t be bothered coming yourself.’

  She glared at him.

  He paused, and took a breath.

  ‘Is there another reason?’

  ‘What do you mean?’ she said.

  ‘It’s not just the meetings, is it? You’ve been avoiding us.’

  ‘Who’s “us”?’

  ‘Me. Bridget.’ He paused. ‘Daphne.’

  Draewyn’s eyes narrowed.

  ‘Daphne,’ he said. ‘That’s what I thought.’

  Draewyn said nothing.

  ‘You holding a grudge?’ he asked.

  ‘No.’

  ‘You just don’t like her, then?’

  ‘I’m sure she’s a lovely girl,’ she said. ‘And I’ve tried, Chief, I honestly have. But you can’t make me sit in the same room as her, it’s not fair.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘And I’m not the only one who feels that way,’ she said, her features hardening. ‘Many of the lassies here are scared of her. How can I ask them to go to a meeting when she’ll be there? ’

  ‘What are you talking about?’

  ‘She reads minds, Chief,’ Draewyn said. ‘No one’s thoughts are private when she’s there. When you’re with her your mind goes blank, and all you can think about is that she might be inside your head, rooting through your secrets and memories.’

  Killop fell silent.

  ‘I would have thought, Chief,’ she went on, ‘that you’d know this better than most. Do you not think, after what happened over Larissa, that she’d want to see if you had any more secrets? If I had her powers, and I was with a man who’d lied to me, I don’t think I’d be able to resist. Would you?’

  ‘I didn’t lie to her.’

  ‘You omitted the truth. Much the same thing.’

  ‘I made a mistake.’

  ‘Aye, and now you’ve learned to tell the truth, because she’ll know if you’re lying.’

  He shook his head. ‘We trust each other.’

  ‘Trust means believing someone without any evidence. You take them on faith. How can Daphne take anyone on faith when she can easily check if they’re lying?’

  Killop said nothing.

  ‘I feel sorry for her,’ Draewyn said. ‘The urge she must feel to find out what folk really think about her must be overwhelming. It’s like she’s cursed.’

  ‘You’re wrong about her,’ he said. ‘She doesn’t abuse her powers.’

  ‘I don’t mean this the wrong way, Chief, but I’m not sure I believe that. She’d need to be strong-willed to resist the temptation, but she can’t stop smoking drugs, even around the baby, your daughter. I’m not sure she has the will-power.’

  ‘You’re crossing a line, Draewyn.’

  She lifted her palms. ‘You asked me to explain. I didn’t want to, because I knew it might hurt you. I know that you love her. That’s why I thought it best to stay away. If you order me to attend any meeting she’ll be at, I’ll resign my position as head of the nursery, and move out of the mansion. You’ll need to find someone else.’

  He stood.

  ‘If you’re not at tomorrow’s meeting,’ he said, ‘I’ll take that as your resignation.’

  He strode from the room before he could say anything else, his mind bitter with anger. The nursery staff were ushering the children back into the hall, but most averted their eyes as he passed. Outside, it was raining. Killop pulled his cloak around his shoulders, and walked from the hall.

  Killop threw off his boots and sodden cloak as soon as he entered his rooms at the top of the mansion. A fire was burning in the huge stone fireplace, where Bridget and Daphne were sitting.

  He walked over and warmed his hands.

  ‘You’re soaked,’ Daphne said. She put Karalyn down and went to a cupboard. She rummaged about, then brought out a towel and handed it to him.

  ‘Thanks.’

  ‘How’d it go?’ Bridget said.

  ‘We might be needing a new nursery head this time tomorrow.’

  ‘That well?’ Bridget smirked. ‘What the fuck did you say to her?’

  ‘It was more what she said.’ He rubbed the towel over his long wet hair, the front of his clothes steaming from the heat of the fire.

  ‘Well?’

  He glanced at Daphne. ‘She doesn’t like you. Or, to be more exact, she doesn’t trust you. She thinks you’re reading everyone’s minds, finding out their secrets, and she’s refusing to come to any meeting you’ll be at.’

  ‘Fuck,’ said Bridget.

  ‘It might be difficult to find a replacement,’ he said. ‘Draewyn thinks the rest of the nursery staff feel the same. ’

  ‘Aye,’ Bridget said. ‘No doubt she’s been spreading her shite to anyone who’ll listen.’

  Daphne sat, and lit a cigarette.

  ‘If you want me to stay away from these meetings, that’s fine,’ she said. ‘I don’t say much at them anyway.’

  ‘That’s not the point,’ Killop said. ‘We’re a team.’

  Daphne nodded, keeping one eye on Karalyn as she sat down next to the fire. ‘Maybe we should let Draewyn win this one. Tell her I’ll stop going, and you won’t have to look for anyone else.’

  ‘No,’ he said. ‘She wins this, folk’ll think she’s right.’

  ‘In the Holdings,’ Daphne said, ‘the powers of the high mages are kept quiet, to stop these sorts of rumours. I understand why Draewyn doesn’t trust me. People with secrets fear those who can reveal them, and most people have secrets.’

  ‘Have you ever looked inside my head?’ Bridget said.

  ‘No, never.’

  ‘And would you?’

  ‘Maybe in an emergency, like you were dying and I needed to know what poison you’d taken, something like that.’

  ‘Have you ever looked into Draewyn’s mind?’

  Daphne laughed. ‘Why on earth would I do that? I don’t care what she thinks.’

  Bridget nodded, and raised an eyebrow at Killop.

  ‘I don’t know why you’re looking at me,’ he said. ‘We were on the mountain for twenty days, and she never once went into my head. And I know that, because if she had, she would have found out about Larissa before Lilyann told her.’

  ‘Fair point,’ Bridget said. ‘But let’s face it, it’s all very well the three of us sitting here agreeing, but we’ve got to convince everyone else. It’s not something we can prove.’

  Killop sat, his clothes dried. They gazed at the fire.

  ‘She also brought up the drugs,’ he said.

  ‘That’s none of her business,’ Daphne said. ‘And it’s double standards. The Kellach drink more than the rest of the world put together. I smoke. So what?’

  Killop said nothing. He could hardly disapprove, as he had taken to having one or two puffs of Daphne’s weedstick before bed. It had given him six peaceful and dreamless nights, and he was starting to believe it was preventing Karalyn from entering his mind while he slept. He knew Daphne was doubtful. She claimed that smoking enhanced her vision powers, but he was always asleep within a few minutes of having a smoke.

  ‘Maybe a wee bit of discretion?’ Bridget said. ‘Smoking seems foreign and weird to most folk.’

  Daphne nodded. ‘All right. If it’ll keep them happy.’

  They turned as a door opened and Lilyann walked in, wearing a bedrobe.

  ‘Afternoon,’ Bridget said.
r />   The young mage grunted.

  ‘That you just up?’

  ‘Aye, so?’

  ‘Are you not supposed to be at lessons?’

  ‘I wasn’t feeling well, Bridget. Stop nagging me.’

  ‘Are you better now?’

  ‘A wee bit.’

  ‘Then get dressed and get your arse down to Dyam.’

  ‘That’s what I’m trying to do!’

  ‘Don’t you shout at me.’

  Killop shared a glance with Daphne as Lilyann strode over to the sidetable and poured herself a mug of water.

  ‘What you all doing?’ she asked.

  ‘Talking,’ said Daphne.

  ‘What about? Your wedding?’

  ‘No, but we should,’ Bridget said. ‘We still need to pick a date and the venue.’

  Lilyann smirked. ‘Don’t you care that it’s illegal?’

  Killop frowned. ‘No. ’

  ‘You should,’ Lilyann said. ‘The Old Free rebels have cut off Slateford from the capital. We need the republic’s help, but they won’t help us if you brazenly flout their laws.’

  ‘The empire’s laws, you mean,’ Daphne said.

  ‘Aye.’

  ‘We’re not part of the empire,’ Bridget said.

  ‘You’re living in a dream,’ Lilyann said. ‘There’s no trade coming in or out of the estate while the Old Free rebels control the roads. We need imperial help.’

  ‘With rebellions in Sanang and Rahain,’ Bridget said, ‘I think the Emperor has more to worry about than Daphne getting married to Killop.’

  ‘But if you renounce the wedding and let the missionaries in, then alliance troops would be on their way here to protect us.’

  ‘We don’t need them,’ Killop said.

  ‘You think Kalden’s militia will stop the Old Free army?’

  ‘Aye.’

  Bridget nodded. ‘Slateford will be their grave if they enter.’

  Lilyann shook her head, a look of disbelief on her face.

  ‘It’s not safe here anymore.’

  She put down her mug and crossed the floor. The others watched her enter her bedroom and close the door.

  ‘Wee cow,’ Bridget said.

  Killop gazed at the fire.

  ‘How many does Kalden have now?’ Daphne asked.