James said, ‘I think Prince Arutha and the King will both understand.’ He looked thoughtful for a moment. ‘We knew coming down here there would be risks. It’s the price we pay for our privileges.’
The Empress regarded him with a penetrating look. ‘You Islemen are a strange lot. You take very seriously your concept of the obligations of the nobility and the Great Freedom.’
James nodded. ‘The Great Freedom gives even the most lowborn rights the nobles cannot abridge. Even the King is not above the law.’
‘Brrr,’ said the Empress with a mock shiver. ‘That gives me a chill. The idea of not being able to command what I wish is … alien.’
Borric smiled. ‘We are different. Erland and I, each in our own way, have learned many things by coming here, being among “aliens.”’ Regarding the lovely Princess, whose thin robe hid none of her physical beauty, Borric drily added, ‘Though by most any measure, I suspect my brother’s lessons were by far the more pleasant.’
Erland said, ‘What is to happen now? I mean with you and your son?’
The Empress said, ‘Awari has always been a strong-headed boy. That’s the reason he is not the man to guide Kesh when I am dead.’
James looked at Sharana. ‘So the Princess will be named your heir?’
‘No,’ said the Empress. ‘As much as I love her, Sharana does not have the temper to govern. Perhaps if I lived another twenty years, she might learn enough, but I doubt I’ll survive half that.’ Sharana began to protest that she would, and the Empress waved her off. ‘Enough. I’m seventy-five years old and I’m tired. You have no idea what tired can be until you’ve had the weight of over five million people on your shoulders every day for forty-seven years. I took the throne when I was younger than your mother, may the gods give her peace. Twenty-eight years when my mother’s weak heart gave out.’ There was a bitter note in the air as the Empress paused. ‘No, it’s no gift I give when I name my heir.’ Looking at Borric, Erland, and James, she said, ‘If I had one of you here, then I would not fear half so much my people’s future.’ Pointing at Erland, she said, ‘If I could I’d keep you here, boy, and name you my successor and marry you off to Sharana. Now wouldn’t that be a fine mess. How do you think the Gallery of Lords and Masters would react to naming an Islesman Emperor!’ She laughed, but Erland’s face showed he didn’t think the subject was comic.
Seeing Erland’s distress, Lakeisha said, ‘Girl, take him away and talk to him. You’re going to be spending some more weeks together and you need have an understanding. Get along.’
Sharana and Erland rose and departed, and the Empress said, ‘Sharana can’t marry anyone but a trueblood, or we’d have a revolution here upon the plateau, and Awari would be our next Emperor. We’ll barely have enough support as it is.’
James considered what he knew of the court, then said. ‘So you’re going to marry her to Diigai?’
The Empress’s eyes went round in obvious pleasure ‘Oh, you are such a clever one. I do wish I could keep you here, but I’m sure your King would object.’ Looking at Gamina, she added, ‘With a lady at your side who can read the thoughts of those you negotiate with … what a treasure you would be, my lord James. I must remember to have you banned for life from the Empire. You’re too dangerous to allow inside our borders again.’
James couldn’t tell if she was joking. ‘Yes,’ she continued. ‘I’m going to marry her to Lord Jaka’s eldest. No trueblood, save Awari and perhaps a handful of his most ardent followers, will object to Diigai being the next to sit upon the Throne of Light. And with his father’s sage council, he will grow to rule wisely.’
Looking off to where Erland and Sharana had disappeared, the Empress said, ‘All ends well, I think.’ To Borric she said, ‘I know that when you become ruler in the Isles, you’ll have at your side a brother who will always remember this court with some affection. And in Diigai, Kesh will have a ruler who will feel obligation to your house.’ Borric inclined his head in acknowledgment. James had told him of Diigai and the lion and Erland’s part in that.
Borric said, ‘I hope, that as long as I rule in the Isles, Kesh will count us her friendly neighbour to the north.’
Tapping her fingers upon the arm of her sedan chair, Lakeisha said, ‘I hope that is so. I fear we shall have trouble with our more fractious subjects south of the Girdle. Lesser Kesh wears its yoke poorly.’
‘If I may suggest,’ said James, ‘remove the yoke, Majesty. Or at least lift it a little. There are many able men who would serve you with their life’s blood if needs be, but because they are not trueblood they are denied the highest ranks in court. There was never a more vigorous servant and brilliant mind in Kesh’s employ than your late Ambassador Abdur, Lord Hazara-Khan, and the man who has been our guide lately, Lord Abu Harez, seems cut much from the same cloth. To limit such a man from serving you because of his ancestry … seems a terrible waste.’
The Empress said, ‘It may be you’re right. But there are limits, my lord. Old ways die hard and there are men in my service, blood kin, who would die rather than see such changes. And our position is not, at this moment, what I would call the best. I have no idea how much my son was in league with Nirome, but if he truly was ignorant of what Nirome was apparently doing on his behalf, it was because he chose to be blind, deaf, and mute.
‘No, revolutionary changes cannot be considered.’
James said, ‘Be warned, then. I fear that revolution is the only alternative.’
The Empress was silent for a long time, then at last said, ‘I will think on this. I’m not dead yet. There might still be time.’
All fell silent around the table; each hoped that would be the case.
Erland held the girl’s hand tightly as he said, ‘What does your grandmother mean, “need have an understanding”?’
Sharana said, ‘She knows how much I enjoy having you in bed with me. But I need to spend less time with you in public.’
‘Why?’
‘I’m going to wed Lord Jaka’s son, Diigai. Grandmother’s decided that. The rebellious lords will get their male ruler and the trueblood will get their trueblood Emperor. He’s a cousin, you know, so it’s still in the family.’
Erland looked away for a moment. ‘I knew it was impossible for us to remain together … yet somehow …’
‘What?’
‘I love you, Sharana. I shall always love you.’
The girl pulled Erland around and kissed him passionately. ‘I am very fond of you, Erland. It will be good to know you are so close to the throne of the Isles when I sit at the Emperor’s side.’
Erland felt disappointed his statement hadn’t provoked a more enthusiastic response. ‘I said I love you.’
‘Yes,’ said Sharana, with wide eyes fixed upon him. ‘I heard you.’
‘Doesn’t that mean anything to you?’
‘Of course it does. It’s very nice. I just said so. What else did you have in mind?’
‘Nice?’ Erland turned around from her for a moment, feeling icy pains in his stomach. ‘Nothing, I guess.’
She pulled him back around and said, ‘Stop this. You’re being very strange. You said you love me. I said I’m fond of you. That’s all very nice. You act as if something is wrong between us.’
Erland laughed and said, ‘Nothing is wrong. Just the woman I love is going to marry another man.’
Sharana said, ‘You say “woman I love” as if you will not love anyone else again.’
‘That’s the way I feel.’
‘That’s a silly way to feel, Erland.’ The girl took his hand and put it upon her breast. ‘Feel my heart. Can you feel the beat?’
He nodded, feeling heat rise in his body at the softness of her under his hand. ‘I have much room in there for many people. I love my grandmother, and my mother and father when they lived. I even love my uncle Awari, though he is a strange man at times. I’ve loved other boys before you and I will love others after as well. Loving one takes nothing away from the
others. Can you see?’
Erland shook his head. ‘I guess our ways are too different. You’re going to marry, yet you talk of other loves.’
‘Why not? I’ll be Empress and will love anyone I find worthy. It will be the same with Diigai. Many trueblood women will want to sleep with him. To have an Emperor’s child is a very special thing.’
Erland laughed. ‘I guess I just don’t understand you. Anyway, I won’t cause any difficulty with you and Diigai.’
She looked puzzled. ‘Difficulty? I don’t know what you mean. I shall have to spend a few nights with him, so he gets used to the idea of being husband to the Empress’s granddaughter. And if he is to be named heir I must spend most of my public time with him. But I will have most of my nights for you while you’re with us. If you still wish to come to me.’
Erland felt more conflict than he could remember ever having. Then he laughed and said, ‘I don’t know. But I think I would have trouble staying away.’
Moving sensuously under his hand, she rubbed against him and gripped him tightly to her. ‘I thought you might.’ She kissed him and said, ‘Tell me, are you and your brother very much alike?’
He stepped back from her, then laughed aloud. ‘In most ways. But there are some things we just will not share!’
Sharana pouted. ‘Pity. It could have provided some interesting possibilities.’
At the city gates of Kesh the mounted escorts were ready. Borric, Erland, and their party rode down the last boulevard to the edge of the town. Up high on a nearby wall, the metal cage that had held Nirome swung empty, a grim reminder of the fate of traitors. The former trueblood noble had hung there for almost two days, enduring the taunts and prodding of anyone who passed by and chose to stop and add to his torment. And there were many who relished the idea of seeing a trueblood noble brought low.
Nearly a thousand people had lined the streets as he had been taken from the cage, forced to eat salted bread and drink vinegar mixed with water, then was whipped like a beast out to the marshes on the edge of the great Overn Deep. There he was mutilated and cast to the crocodiles, while hundreds of citizens cheered. Erland and Borric had declined the invitation to watch the spectacle. Prince Awari had watched, and no one was certain if it was to witness justice or to hear if Nirome would implicate more of Awari’s followers. There was a strong feeling that somehow the stout noble had died still holding secrets within.
At the gate, the newly named Prince Diigai waited in his chariot, with Sharana at his side. She now wore the short kilt and golden torque of her rank, and waited formally next to her future husband. Behind, ranks of Keshian nobles waited to bid farewell to their royal guests.
Lord Jaka came forward and reined in his chariot next to his son’s. Erland halted and said, ‘Good day, my lords. Prince and Princess.’
Sharana smiled warmly at Erland. ‘Good day. Your Highness.’
Borric said, ‘We are pleased you felt moved to come see us upon our way.’
Diigai said, ‘Your Highness, we are much in your debt. If we can ever repay you, you have but to ask.’
Borric bowed. ‘You are gracious. Highness. We hope the friendship we have begun here shall endure.’
Sharana said, ‘I shall miss you, Erland.’
Feeling himself colouring a little, he replied, ‘I shall miss you as well, Princess.’
Then Sharana said, ‘And while we have known each other only briefly, I shall miss you as well, Borric.’
Erland’s eyes narrowed as he turned to look at his brother. ‘What?’
Borric said, ‘Good-bye, dear friends,’ and spurred his horse forward. Instantly the dozen Krondorian Palace Guards moved out and Erland was left sitting behind.
‘Wait a minute!’ shouted Erland, spurring his horse on after his brother’s. ‘I want to talk to you!’
As the company moved out, James turned and found Nakor moving up to ride beside him. The little man was dressed in a bright blue robe and he sat upon a magnificent black mare. He was examining a device of some sort. ‘What is that?’ asked James.
‘This is a nice thing, I took from Lord Nirome’s room when no one was around,’ he said unabashedly. ‘It lets you listen to people.’
James threw a glance back at his wife and said, You were right all along. We were being watched by a device.
Nakor put it in his ever present rucksack. ‘It may come in handy.’
As they left the city gate and entered the road to Khattara, Nakor turned his horse in the same direction as the Islemen. James said, ‘Nakor, you’re coming with us?’
The little man smiled. ‘For a while. I fear things will become dull in Kesh when Borric and his brother leave. Already Ghuda is bound for Jandowae and the inn he will build. It is lonely when you don’t know people.’
James nodded at that. ‘What about Stardock? Have you thought of going there?’
‘Bah! An island of magicians? Who could have fun there?’
‘Perhaps they need someone to teach them fun?’
‘Maybe. But I think that someone is someone other than Nakor the Blue Rider.’
James laughed. ‘Why don’t you come with us until Stardock, spend a little time there, and decide later?’
‘Maybe. But I don’t think I’m going to like it.’
James thought for a while, and became certain of something. ‘Do you know of Pug the Magician?’
‘Pug is famous. He is a very powerful magician. He works arts like none since Macros the Black. I am a very poor man who knows some simple tricks. See, I would not like it there.’
James smiled. ‘He said something. He said that if I ever needed speak for him, on his behalf, then I should say this thing.’
‘Something you think will make me want to go to Stardock?’ said the little man with a grin. ‘This must be something very wondrous.’
‘I am convinced he somehow knew I would meet you, or someone like you, someone who would bring a different perspective to magic than anyone else at Stardock, and he felt that it was important. I think that is why he had me remember these words: there is no magic.’
Nakor laughed. He seemed genuinely amused. ‘Pug the Magician said that?’
‘Yes.’
‘Then,’ said Nakor, ‘he is a very smart man for a magician.’
‘You’ll go to Stardock?’
Nakor nodded. ‘Yes. I think you are right. Pug wanted me to go there and knew you would need to tell me this thing to make me go.’
Gamina had been riding silently beside her husband and at last she said, ‘Father often knew things before others. I think he knew that if left to their own devices, the Academy of Magicians would grow introspective and isolated.’
‘Magicians like caves,’ agreed Nakor.
James said, ‘Then do me one courtesy.’
‘What?’
‘Tell me what “there is no magic” means.’
Nakor’s face screwed up in concentration. ‘Stop,’ he said. James, Gamina, and Nakor moved their horses out of line and halted by the roadside, just beyond the boundary of the city. Nakor reached into his rucksack and pulled out three oranges. ‘Can you juggle?’
‘A little,’ said James.
Nakor tossed the three oranges to him. ‘Juggle.’
James, who had always had dexterity bordering on the supernatural, caught the three oranges and propelled them upward, and quickly was juggling them while holding his horse steady: no mean feat. Then Nakor said, ‘Can you do it with your eyes closed?’
James tried to get it into a rhythm as even as possible and closed his eyes. He had to force himself not to open his eyes and yet every instant he felt as if the next orange would not land in the palm of his left hand.
‘Now, do it with one hand.’
James’s eyes opened and the oranges fell to the ground. ‘What?’
‘I said you were to juggle with one hand.’
‘Why?’
‘It’s a trick. Do you see?’
James said, ‘I
’m not sure.’
‘Juggling is a trick. It is not magic. But if you don’t know how to do it, it looks like magic. That is why people toss coins to jugglers at the fair. When you can do it with one hand, you’re learning something.’ Then he spurred his horse on and said, ‘And when you can do it without using both your hands, you’ll understand what Pug meant.’
Arutha and Anita stood before their thrones as their sons marched into the court in Krondor. In the four months since the boys had left the court, the Prince and Princess of Krondor had felt pain and joy at news of Borric’s loss and his return. And they felt an empty place within that matched the empty place in court where Baron Locklear should have been.
The news of the Baron’s death had blunted the joy over the news of Borric’s survival. Arutha took the loss of any man in his command personally, and Anita had always had a soft spot for the roguish young boy who had grown to dazzle so many of the ladies in court. Glancing at Lord James, both rulers sensed that somehow he would never regain the playfulness he had reflected from Locklear. To every member of the court there was a void next to James that would never be filled.
The twins came to stand before their parents and both bowed formally. Arutha couldn’t put his finger on it but something in them was different. He had sent boys south to deal with Kesh and young men had returned, blooded, harder, and far more mature. They were now confident where they had been brash, decisive where they had been impulsive, and in their eyes was an echo of loss, of seeing the results of vicious and hateful acts. Arutha had read the reports that hard-riding dispatch riders had carried ahead of the returning Princes, but now he understood them.
So that all could hear, he said, ‘It pleases us that our sons have returned. The Princess and I welcome them back to our court.’
Prince of the Blood, the King's Buccaneer Page 40