Sworn to Defiance

by Terah Edun

  What was high up on her things to get done was getting her mother’s freedom. Unfortunately, the man who had imprisoned Lillian sat before them on a golden throne, his face impassive, and from her experience with him she knew that he was quite unlikely to free the Weathervane matriarch. Even if Lillian hadn’t been accused of killing the first wife of the emperor that the current emperor was impersonating and Lillian hadn’t conveniently taken the fall for the regicidal murder Maradian had actually committed. It was a dizzying array of imperial politics. Suffice it to say, Maradian would be likely to free Ciardis Weathervane’s mother when he dropped dead and only then.

  As she watched the emperor’s impassive face for any sign of regret or mercy, she was sad to say she found none.

  Sociopaths generally don’t tend to regret their actions, she thought to herself ruefully.

  Then Emperor Maradian Athanos Algardis, posing as Bastien Athanos Algardis, raised a hand and beckoned for them to walk the final length of distance to the throne. They smoothly stood and continued forward.

  As they did, Ciardis picked up their conversation where they had left off. “Silencers? I’ve never heard of a mage silencer. I know of amplifiers, though. In fact, the young woman I met at the patron’s ball long ago was one, or rather studying to be one. But even she didn’t mention this curious ability. What is it?”

  Sebastian said, “A colloquial term for their gifts only. They are well known for their gifts to steal the ability of a person to speak, like a weather mage is said to be able to steal the very air from a person’s throat. But that have one very special ability that the emperor has found useful.”

  “And that is?” she whispered as they closed the distance. Twenty feet. Eighteen feet.

  “They can deadened a mage’s ability to do cross-coordinating magic.”

  She stiffened. “What does that mean? What about our powers?”

  “They’re not limiting our personal gifts,” he was quick to say. “Just the ability for us to work in unison. It’s a useful ability for the emperor’s guards to have when a lot of the families, noble and mercantile, are known for generational gifts that strengthen when they’re working together in unison.”

  “The Forsyth family, for instance,” Sebastian said while nodding his head to the left to indicate a rather blue group of individuals.

  Ciardis almost turned her head to peer around Sebastian to make sure her eyes hadn’t deceived her.

  “Was their skin blue?” she choked out.

  “Yes,” he said. “Did you notice how many there were?”

  “Five. Maybe six?”

  He nodded. “Enough for them to call a portalway across the continent if they could work together.”

  “These silencers are blocking that ability?”

  “Just as they are blocking our ability to connect our minds as long as we are in the emperor’s presence.”

  “Fan-bloody-tastic.”

  Ciardis saw a smile appear at the corner of Sebastian’s mouth. She felt warmth spread through her. She really had been interested in learning about the cause of their mental dilemma, but more than that, she needed Sebastian to relax. He had been tensing up the closer they came to his uncle. Now less than eight feet away and the emperor would be able to see their body’s projections from where if he sat. Even if the emperor put their nervousness down to wedding jitters, he might be tempted to read Sebastian’s face to see if the nervousness nature came from another source. And Ciardis would do whatever she could to protect the secrets they both harbored.

  So she did what she could to make the prince heir relax while her own stomach roiled with fire ants as they reached the base of the throne and knelt on the matching pillows a servant had thoughtfully placed out.

  Then she re-thought her assessment. There was probably nothing thoughtful about it. Court protocol surely had a rigid system in place on who was deemed worthy of a pillow. Ciardis was just glad she wasn’t forced to kneel on the cold marble steps on her bare knees.

  As they knelt she felt magic rise like a bubble around them. She didn’t question what it was as she waited in front of the most powerful man in the empire. She assumed it was just one more of his tricks.

  “The sight and sound shield has been erected, Your Imperial Majesty,” said a voice in a dark corner toward the back of the throne.

  She and Sebastian were silent and still as they both waited for the emperor to speak.

  “My son,” said the emperor in a cold voice. “You approach me for an audience. You have my leave to speak.”

  Sebastian looked up at the man who appeared to be his father with a respectful gaze. “It has been too long since we saw each other last, Father.”

  “I feared you would be distraught over my proclamation regarding Lillian Weathervane, my son. I see I was furthest from the truth. In fact, you bring celebratory news to me?”

  Sebastian squeezed Ciardis’s hand in his own. “Yes, Father. I do.”

  “Before we come to the joyous news, I also hear that you have less hopeful news,” the emperor said, cutting him off coldly.

  Sebastian hesitated. “Father?”

  The emperor gave him no quarter. “I thought I was clear. You were not to engage with the nobles of the court, in battle or in conflict. When we spoke this was your solemn oath.”

  Sebastian released her hand. “When I returned from the battlefields of the north I made this solemn promise to you. But this was before the Duke of Carne broke the laws of common decency.”

  “Decency?” said the emperor with a startled laugh. His mages behind him, the ones enclosed in the shield, erupted in titters until the emperor waved them to silence.

  With a cold look, he continued, “Decency has no place here.”

  Ah, now you show your true colors, thought Ciardis furiously.

  “But my rule of law does,” the emperor finished coldly. “You countermanded a direct oath that you gave to me. What is not sacred if not the bond of loyalty between father and son?”

  Sebastian stood up. Ciardis stayed were she was. She might have been afforded a comfortable pillow, but that was only because she stood by the prince heir’s side as his equal in this venture. She wasn’t about to shake up palace protocol. The servants arrayed behind the emperor’s throne didn’t look the least bit willing to take nonsense.

  The emperor drummed his fingers in irritation. “My son? Is there something that would come between our bond?”

  The emperor’s eyes drifted to Ciardis as he finished that question. She didn’t like the ice-cold look in his gaze. Like a snake before it prepared to strike.

  Then Sebastian spoke. “Nothing.” Ciardis wasn’t sure if she was the only one who heard the shaking fury in Sebastian’s voice. But she was dead sure she was the only one present at court who knew the reason for the fury.

  Ciardis knew if Maradian pushed Sebastian one step further, they might lose the meager advantage of surprise that they had.

  So she did the only thing she could do. She stood, gripped Sebastian’s hand, and spoke.

  “Your Imperial Majesty, we did not come here in sorrow to confess our actions or to petition you for retribution for another’s wayward attempts on our life.”

  The emperor lifted an eyebrow but he did not speak. When a chamberlain came forward to attempt to have her fall back into her place, he raised a restraining hand.

  Ciardis took a deep breath and took that as permission to continue. “We came to announce a joyous moment in our lives, to ask respectfully for your blessing and hope on this anniversary of your beloved wife’s death that you can forgive us in our fervent desire to mark our love as one of triumph rather than despair.”

  Ciardis felt Sebastian flinch beside her when she mentioned the emperor’s first wife. It had been a calculated risk on her part. Maradian had killed her, after all, but it was well known that Bastien had been enamored with both of his wives. After losing one so soon after the other, he should be sympathetic to the plight of young lovers, if h
e was acting true to the real emperor’s persona. Or at least she hoped he would. Because she had no more cards up her sleeves and the emperor’s expression reminded of her of the steeliest visages of General Barnaren before he perished on the battlefield. They both would have made excellent poker players.

  The emperor drew a thoughtful finger over his lips as he leaned on the left arm of his throne. “That is why I like you, Weathervane. Forthright, honest, a busybody. All attributes that my son could learn from.”

  Ciardis felt relief and indignant ire course through her body. She hadn’t planned on retorting anyway, but Sebastian’s heel ground into her foot certainly stopped her. He had situated it so that the courtiers behind them couldn’t see because her robe and his cloak billowed out and mingled at their backs. Ciardis knew that sight and sound shields could be transparent and this one was. It only blocked noise. But the emperor certainly had, and Ciardis could have sworn a small and brief smile appeared on his face in response.

  “It is done then,” he said leaning forward seriously. “You have proposed?”

  “Yes,” they both answered in conjunction. Then each looked at the other in amusement.

  “Well,” Sebastian amended.

  “You see, Your Imperial Majesty—” Ciardis interjected.

  The emperor waved a quick hand. “I don’t care how it was done. Just that it was done. You’ve sworn vows to each other and now seek my permission to wed as husband and wife, as equals before my court and my laws?”

  Ciardis gulped and nodded. Sebastian said, “Yes, Father.”

  The emperor sat back. “Then you have it.”

  Ciardis felt her heart jump into her throat. Even though she intensely disliked the man and all he represented, having the emperor of her land pronounce his blessing over her intent to wed his heir was something she’d never thought she’d hear. Ever.

  It was hard to blink back to tears as she thought about Fervis Miller’s mother’s outright contempt for her, her dark skin, her unruly hair, and her unsavory heritage.

  “Now look at me,” Ciardis said silently in a hoarse tone. She knew her voice was too low for even Sebastian to hear. Or least she thought so. But a second later his hand tightened on her own and he pulled her quickly enough that their shoulders brushed before protocol forced him to release his hold.

  “Truth be told, I had worried for you, my son,” the emperor said simply.

  Ciardis blinked back the tears harshly. Wishing she could wipe her leaking eyes.

  “But this woman has truly brought out the ruler in you. A man who can make decisions. A man who can forge his destiny. I approve,” the emperor said.

  Ciardis felt like sobbing now. It wasn’t every day you were praised before the entire court. In fact, she remembered quite a few times she had been castigated. It felt nice. Even coming from a back-stabbing, throne-stealing, two-faced man like Maradian.

  The emperor continued speaking with some satisfaction. “You’ll do better before the noble court together rather than apart.”

  “Thank you, Father,” Sebastian said faintly.

  Then a true smile appeared on the emperor’s face, “You have my approval, my son. Now go turn those noble idiots into a flock of squawking geese. I’m sure I won’t hear the end of their silly gobbles for another week.”

  Sebastian bowed at the waist and smiled. “It will be my pleasure, Father.” His voice rang with false bravado, Ciardis could feel his arm shivering with anger, and yet he managed to keep his cool.

  She was proud of him.

  As they turned to leave the emperor’s presence, he called out, “One more thing, Ciardis Weathervane.”

  She felt a cold shiver go down her spine as the emperor said her name.

  She turned, composed. “Yes, sire?”

  The emperor looked down at her with carefully blank eyes. “I look forward to the wedding ceremony when I welcome you into the family fold as Princess Heir.”

  Ciardis let a trembling smile cross her face. That sounded more like a threat than a promise. But she was careful.

  She dipped into a respectful curtsy and said, “As do I, sire.”

  With nothing more to be said, she and Sebastian swept out of the emperor’s court.

  Chapter 16

  As they exited the formal audience chamber and left the outer waiting area through two silent columns of nobles, Ciardis wondered if the day could get any weirder. Then her silent question was answered as whispers began to follow them in their wake. Nervous sweat beaded down her spine.

  Then she felt the magical shielding of the silencers’ gift dissipated. That was a relief, up until the noise began to build. First a chatter, then a conversation, and finally like a wave it enveloped the people as noble after noble muttered disdainfully.

  “Think they know?” whispered Ciardis. She didn’t have to speculate what.

  “I doubt it as my father had a very thorough shield directly around his throne. Petitioners can see him converse with each individual person or group. But unless he makes a proclamation their secrets are theirs to keep,” Sebastian answered.

  “Then what’s got a stick up their asses?”

  She could feel Sebastian trying to decide whether or not to be horrified or amused at her comment. She thought he chose both.

  Finally he said, “Us. I think they expected us to be dead after run-ins with two dragons and a deadly duke. Not to mention the fact that my father was rumored to want me imprisoned and you beheaded. Yet here we stand, alive and well.”

  Ciardis sniffed. “Vultures.”

  At that moment one nobleman stepped directly in their path just a few feet away from the exit to the garden courtyard. Ciardis watched him, unsure of what he wanted. His head was bowed and she could see armor peeking out from inside his cloak, where a hand rested ominously on the hilt of a sword. She expected him to look at them before he challenged them.

  Instead he went to one knee.

  As he did, he finally raised his head and said, “All hail the future Emperor of Algardis. All hail Prince Heir Sebastian Athanos Algardis.”

  Then then the man turned his head to Ciardis. “It is good to see you whole and not under attack, Ciardis Weathervane.”

  It was then that Ciardis recognized the twinkling blue eyes and the unruly mop of hair. Although the last time she had seen him he had acted like a pretentious fop even before Sebastian had ordered him to redirect troops to his command in the north. Before them knelt the strange, bejeweled man she had first seen at a disciplinary hearing of the Companions’ Guild.

  “Please rise, my champion,” Sebastian said grimly. “This is no place for theatrics. These nobles would rather cut off your head than recognize my supremacy.”

  Lord Crassius stood and held out a gloved hand to first the prince heir. As they shook, he said, “Then perhaps we need to correct their misconceptions by chopping off a few heads. Their lack of respect for a man who has sacrificed more for his people in a day than they have in a lifetime is revolting.”

  Sebastian smiled. “On this we do not disagree.”

  Sebastian leaned forward and whispered something into Lord Crassius’s ear.

  The man nodded and said, “Your will is my command.”

  Ciardis looked over at the two conniving heads suspiciously. “What are you two up to?”

  Sebastian stepped back and said, “Merely righting a wrong.”

  She raised an eyebrow as Sebastian continued, “Thank you for your support, Lord Crassius. But what are you doing at court? I left you in charge of our troops on the northern border.”

  Lord Crassius nodded. He towered over Sebastian, even though Ciardis’s husband-to-be was having a growth spurt, and still managed to seem respectful. “I was there, sire. But I have returned with dire news. News that you and your father must be made aware of.”

  “Concerning?”

  “Concerning a dark gate that has opened in the mouth of Ban,” Crassius said grimly.

  Ciardis paled. “The entrance
should not have formed. It’s not time yet. Barnaren said we had months, possibly years!”

  Crassius turned his dark gaze to her. “I do not know what magical foresight gave the general, may he rest in peace, this knowledge. But when I left, the tear between the realms was four inches wide. It grew an inch with each week that passed. Nothing we have done has been able to stop it.”

  “And the trolls?”

  “Still in a stasis as far as we can tell,” confirmed Lord Crassius.

  “Well, we knew this day would come,” said Sebastian bitterly. “We had only hoped for more time to prepare.”

  “What do you will me to do, Prince Heir?”

  Sebastian responded, “Make your report to my father. Ciardis and I will journey by the fleetest of carriages now to the Companions’ Guild. We will seek their aid in our marriage as well as the coming fight before we attend the convening of nobles on this evening. Your support and testimony would be well appreciated at that meeting.”

  Lord Crassius pounded an uncharacteristically grim hand to his breastplate. “You shall have it.”

  Then Crassius bowed again. “If you’ll forgive me, my impending audience with the emperor is quite imminent. I must depart.”

  Sebastian nodded. With his permission, Crassius walked away. Sebastian and Ciardis exchanged calm glances and walked forward as if they hadn’t just had a meeting that could determine the very fate of the entire empire in the middle of the entrance hall.

  As they left to go outside, Ciardis whispered, “Did he seem...different to you?”

  “How so?”

  “Well, even in the north he was quite the foppish fellow. I confess I expected him to be more likely to be smoking a rare cigar than telling us of troop movements.”