The Princess in the Tower

by Christopher Nuttall

  Emily swallowed, hard. The hell of it was that Cat had a point. Randor was smart and the Black Daggers had a reputation for competence, although they hadn’t sniffed out either the first coup or Paren’s assassination attempt before it was too late. The Levellers wouldn’t have the protection that came from noble blood, either. Randor wouldn’t let them operate a moment longer than strictly necessary.

  “We have to take a chance,” Jade said. “I’ll meet with them...”

  “They want you,” Master Abrams said, looking at Emily. “Not Jade, you.”

  “Out of the question,” Cat said. “This is a trap. It’s such an obvious trap that it’s insulting.”

  “Which means it might not be a trap,” Jade said. “They’re clearly feeling us out too.”

  “And whoever is in charge knows Lady Emily by sight,” Master Abrams added.

  Emily frowned as the men looked at her. Everyone she knew, everyone who might have been in the Levellers, was either dead or in jail. Paren was dead, his family imprisoned or forced to flee...she wished, again, that she’d spent longer getting to know the others in his group, even the ones who weren’t openly involved with the New Learning. She had contacts, but most of them were in Cockatrice. She had no idea who she should expect to meet.

  “I don’t know who,” she said. She’d been seen by countless people, people whose names she’d never know. “But if this is our only chance...”

  “It’s a trap,” Cat said. “Look, let me go in your place. I can wear a glamour and pretend to be you.”

  Jade snickered. “I don’t think you’ll fool anyone for a moment. Even if you look like Emily, you won’t act like Emily.”

  “Then I’ll go with Emily,” Cat said. “Jade stays back, well out of sight. If we walk into a trap and can’t blast our way out, you’ll be on your own.”

  “I understand,” Jade said. “Although...I should be with you too.”

  “If the three of us go, and we get arrested or killed, there will be no one left to save Alassa,” Cat said. “And what are the odds of us surviving if we do get captured?”

  Jade looked as though he’d bitten into a lemon. “None,” he said, curtly. “Randor won’t let either of you live.”

  Emily looked from one to the other. Jade was right, they had to take the chance to link up with the Levellers, but...Cat was also right. They could be walking straight into a trap. The Levellers might have been subverted to the point that they were nothing more than an appendage of the crown. And yet...she could see their point too. They’d be terrified about exposing themselves to the king. Randor wouldn’t hesitate to purge them too if they were arrested. The advantages in reaching out to other rebels were balanced by the dangers of revealing themselves to the wrong people.

  “We can do it,” she said, trying to project a confidence she didn’t feel. “And, while we’re setting up the meeting, we start looking for other options.”

  Cat sighed, heavily. “Jade...if we meet them, and they’re real, what are we going to tell them?”

  “We get their help,” Jade said. He looked determined, but Emily could see an undercurrent of desperation. Jade wasn’t used to being helpless. “And if there is a price, we pay it. Later.”

  Emily had an odd flicker of déjà vu, remembering when Imaiqah–and Paren–had introduced Alassa and her to the men who wanted a greater say in affairs, the men who’d risked everything to fight for their king in exchange for promises...promises that had never been kept. Jade was right and wrong; there would be a price, but it might not be one he was willing to pay. The Levellers wouldn’t be fooled again.

  “We’ll talk about it later,” she said. They’d have to talk about concessions...although, right now, none of them were in any position to make concessions. “When is the meeting?”

  “Probably at least two days from now,” Master Abrams said. “I’ll have to tell them you’re interested, then...they’ll have to set up a meeting place. I don’t know where they’ll have in mind, I’m afraid. Somewhere where they can have a secret conversation without arousing suspicion.”

  “Here would be ideal,” Jade said. “They could rely on you to guarantee their safety.”

  “Not for them,” Master Abrams said. “Too few ways in and out of the area. An alert force of guards could block all the exits before we knew they were there. They’d want somewhere a little more public.”

  “Public,” Cat repeated.

  “It’ll make it harder for the guards to seal all the ways out without being noticed,” Master Abrams pointed out. “And there’s a risk of triggering off a riot if they start setting up barricades in the wrong place. But they’ll let us know.”

  Cat met Emily’s eyes. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

  Emily looked back at him, evenly. “Do we have a choice?”

  “No,” Jade said. “And we’ll go into the meeting with our eyes wide open.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  “A BROTHEL,” CAT MUTTERED, AS THEY STRODE towards the building. Night was falling, but the streets were crammed with people. “Why am I not surprised?”

  Emily shrugged, smoothing down her loose pants as she looked around. Two days–two days of haggling with information brokers while waiting for the Levellers to get back in touch with them–had taken their toll. She’d had far too much time to think about all the ways the meeting could go horrifically wrong, but the need to do something–anything–had been gnawing at her too. Jade had paced the room like a caged lion, alternatively dreaming up wild plans for breaking into the Tower or snapping at Emily and Cat for not coming up with anything. She wished he could accompany them, even though she knew the dangers. It would give him something to do.

  And instead, he’s watching from a distance, she thought. It was a compromise, one that had satisfied no one. She would have been happier if Jade was a long way away, just in case something went badly wrong. He’ll intervene if we run into trouble.

  She studied the brothel as they circled the building, noting the three entrances at the front–all guarded by masked men–and the more discreet exits into the alleyway behind. A man who exited the brothel could claim, with a straight face, that he’d merely taken a wrong turning, although Emily rather doubted his wife would believe a word of it. Sailors were known for frequenting brothels, even if they were married. The sexual liberty they’d never dream of allowing their wives was theirs for the taking.

  They walked up to the largest door–the one advertizing the most expensive whores–and held out the card they’d been given. The bouncer inspected it for a long moment, then motioned for them to enter the building and walk up the stairs. Emily glanced at Cat, who shrugged. She reached out with her senses as she started to climb, looking for possible traps. Apart from a handful of obscurification wards, there was no magic in the building at all. She hoped that was a good sign.

  Not a bad place to meet, she thought, as she reached the top of the stairs. A single door was gaping open, inviting them to step inside. The others were closed. Their occupants wouldn’t open them until their customer had finished and left, guaranteeing their privacy. There’d be a riot if the guards tried to storm the building and arrest us.

  She braced herself, readying a spell, then walked into the room. It was empty, save for a king-sized bed and a small drinks cabinet set against the wall. A man with tanned, vaguely Arabic skin stood at the far end of the wall, clearly ready to bolt down the back staircase as quickly as possible. She looked at him as she removed her scarf, allowing her hair to fall around her shoulders. He looked surprisingly familiar. His curly dark hair reminded her of Imaiqah.

  “Lady Emily,” he said. The accent was strikingly familiar too. “I wish I was meeting you again under better circumstances.”

  “Me too,” Emily said. The man was related to Imaiqah. She’d bet good money on it. “I’m afraid you have the advantage over me, sir...”

  The man laughed, harshly. “Tam,” he said, simply. “Imaiqah is my cousin.”

&n
bsp; Emily nodded. Imaiqah had a lot of cousins, too many for Emily to keep straight. She didn’t know how Imaiqah managed to remember all of her relatives, let alone make sure to send a small present for their birthdays. If Tam had ever been mentioned to her, she didn’t remember. She hoped Tam didn’t realize just how ignorant she was of him.

  “It’s good to see you again,” she lied. “And I’m glad that you escaped the king.”

  Her mind raced. Tam must have seen her, probably when she’d attended a couple of family gatherings as Imaiqah’s guest, but she didn’t recall seeing him before. Perhaps he’d been nothing more than a face in the background. His features suggested a considerable amount of mixed blood, more than most locals might be prepared to tolerate. She rather suspected he preferred to spend his time in Beneficence. No one made fun of people with uncommon features there.

  Tam came forward. “I think you need to close the door, then we can talk.” He glanced at Cat sharply, then looked back at Emily. “I hired this room for the night, and paid well over the base rate, but someone will talk...”

  “I understand,” Emily said. She wished she knew Tam better. “How...what happened to the rest of your family?”

  “The majority managed to flee, when we heard the king was coming after us,” Tam said, morbidly. “Others...got swept up in the general purge of the Levellers or were killed resisting arrest. I managed to get most of the womenfolk out of the city before the king put watchers on the docks, but...we lost a few people. It wasn’t a good time.”

  Emily shivered. “And yourself?”

  “I had to remain behind,” Tam said. “The Levellers needed me.”

  “Good,” Emily said. “Have you heard anything about Imaiqah?”

  “Only that she went into the Tower” Tam looked worried, just for a moment. “Beyond that...nothing.”

  He sat down on the hard floor, motioning for her to sit in front of him. Emily sat; Cat stood behind her, his presence surprisingly reassuring. Tam didn’t look pleased to see him there, but he didn’t seem inclined to make a fuss. Emily suspected that wasn’t a good sign. The Levellers were as desperate as everyone else.

  She wished, with an intensity that surprised her, that she dared use a truth spell. Or something to loosen his tongue a little. But a merchant would be aware of the dangers, even if he wasn’t carrying something designed to protect him from outside influences. She’d blow any trust out of the water if she forced him to talk. Tam would never forgive her. Nor would anyone else. They’d see it as a clear sign she had no intention of dealing with them as equals.

  “I’ll cut to the chase,” Tam told her. His voice was very blunt. “I have been informed that you wish to make a deal with us. Why should we make any deal with you?”

  You wouldn’t have come here if you hadn’t wanted to make a deal, Emily thought, any more than a shopkeeper would set up a stall if he didn’t want to sell anything.

  “We have things we can trade,” Emily said, carefully. “And we can make reforms...”

  Tam spat, loudly. “Five years ago, my uncle told me that you were wonderful, that your inventions would change the world. He gambled everything on you, Lady Emily. Now, my uncle is dead and his wife has fled and his children have been marked down for death. I think you have brought nothing but misfortune to the family.”

  Emily felt Cat shifting behind her. She ignored him, choosing–instead–to keep her eyes on Tam. He had good reason to be angry, both with her and the king. There was no point in trying to deny it. Better to admit it and hope she could smooth things over.

  “The Crown Princess made promises, five years ago,” Tam reminded her. “And were those promises honored? No! The Assembly has been shut down and those of us who didn’t flee are in prison! Why should we put our lives on the line for you?”

  “Because you need us,” Emily said. It was true. “You wouldn’t have come here if you didn’t need us.”

  She spread out her hands, making a gesture of openness. “On one hand, you have a king who is steadily turning into a tyrant. King Randor has closed the Assembly, crushed free speech, shut down broadsheets and is trying to register the entire population. It won’t be long before the king’s justice is nothing more than a joke. You’re in trouble and you know it.

  “And, on the other hand, you have the nobility. They’re gathering their forces for a final battle, one that will determine who rules the country. If they win, they’ll stamp out all the improvements and reforms you’ve fought for over the years; the railways and factories and everything else will be torn up or burnt to the ground. And if they lose, large swathes of the country will be devastated and the king will have all the power he needs to wipe out dissent and freethinking once and for all. Either way, you’re going to lose.”

  Tam looked displeased. Emily pressed on, silently grateful that Jade had made her go through all the talking points ahead of time. She’d never liked preparing for an exam, but this was far more important than anything she’d done at Whitehall. Her name and reputation might get the Levellers to listen to her, yet she had to be convincing. If the Levellers suspected they’d be betrayed again, one final time, they’d walk away.

  “King Randor and his rebellious aristocrats are about to have their final clash,” she said, putting it as plainly as she could. “And whoever comes out ahead, you’ll lose. The commoners will suffer. Randor won’t tolerate more threats to his power, even indirect threats like a say in how the money is spent, while the nobles will try to turn the clock back. Either way, you lose.”

  “I might agree with you,” Tam said. His face was expressionless. “That doesn’t mean that we are prepared to put our lives on the line for you.”

  Emily took a breath. “You have two problems, as I see it,” she said, feeling her heart start to race. Too much of what she was about to say was based on guesswork. “The first is that you cannot take the city, let alone hold it. You cannot capture the castle, let alone the garrison and the walls, before the king’s reinforcements overwhelm you. The second is that, even if you did succeed, you’d have to fend off the nobility and run the country. And revolutionary movements tend to collapse because they’re trying to set up a new government in the middle of a war.”

  And because they’re trying to be all things to all men, she added, silently. It was a shame she couldn’t talk about the French or Russian Revolutions, both of which had been unable to impose fair and just governments before they’d run out of time and devolved into tyrannies that were far worse than the ones they’d overthrown. But he’ll have heard of peasant revolts in the past...

  “You don’t want to destroy the government,” she added, “because that would lead to absolute chaos. You’re a merchant. What do you think will happen to your interests if the entire country collapses? You need the government. What you want to do is co-opt it so you can make gradual reforms over the next few years without causing a total disaster.”

  She took a breath. “And the only legitimate heir to the throne, the only one who can and will change things for the better, is the Crown Princess.”

  Tam studied her for a long moment. “You expect us to put our lives on the line for a royal brat?”

  Cat snickered. Emily turned and glowered at him, then looked back at Tam.

  “She’s grown up a lot over the last six years,” she said. That was true, even though the common folk probably weren’t aware of it. The barrage of negative propaganda hadn’t helped. “And she’s also the only option you have, unless you want to trust the king–again.”

  Tam didn’t look pleased, but he didn’t offer any counterargument. Emily understood. Merchants were dependent, more than they cared to admit, on the government keeping the country relatively stable. Runaway inflation, mass confiscations and constant changes to the law were not good for business. A noble-dominated government would drive the merchants out, as spreaders of disharmony, while a peasant-dominated government might try to communize everything. Any moderates amongst the Levellers would need
a government to impose their reforms.

  “She’s also a princess,” Tam said. Emily thought he looked interested, but she couldn’t be sure. “Can she be trusted?”

  “She’s married to a commoner,” Emily reminded him. “And she does understand that things have to change.”

  She sighed, inwardly. Alassa might understand that things had to change, but she wouldn’t like it. She’d worked so hard to inherit her father’s power...Emily hoped, grimly, that Alassa would accept that she would never be an all-powerful monarch. Either she moved with the flow, riding the waves of change, or she let them overwhelm her. There was no other choice. No one could keep the lid screwed down indefinitely, not now. She’d seen to that when she’d introduced the New Learning.

  “We would find it hard to trust her,” Tam said.

  Emily met his eyes. “Do you have any other choice? Civil war is about to break out. Either you try to shape events, as best as you can, or you let events shape you.”

  “I am aware of the dangers,” Tam said, stiffly. “I also have to consider the long term...”

  “There won’t be a long term,” Emily told him. “If the king gains undisputed power, you will be crushed; if the nobility takes control, you will be exterminated. There won’t be a second chance to make the reforms you need.”

  Tam said nothing for a long time, long enough to make Emily wonder if she’d overplayed her hand. He might respect her, although he was clearly of two minds about her, but he’d also be reluctant to risk a direct trial of strength. The king might be able to wipe the Levellers out quickly, if they showed their hand, yet...if they managed to weaken the king, they might also give the nobles a chance to take the city. An uprising now, even if it was successful for a few days, might hand the country to the nobles. A three-cornered war would be utterly disastrous for the people caught in the middle.

  “I will discuss it with my fellows,” Tam said, finally. “I cannot make such a decision on my own.”