Keir beamed, basking in the cacophony of adulation.
‘They love us,’ said Thorn.
‘They do.’
They glanced at each other.
‘So, Stormwitch,’ she said, ‘what shall we do with such love?’
Chapter 6
Moral Quandary
Plateau City, Imperial Plateau – 17th Day, Second Third Autumn 525
Voices filled with anger and disbelief echoed around the square as folk pushed forwards to read the names printed up onto the public information notice-boards. Each sheet of paper held a hundred names, and there were five nailed to the wooden boards in the centre of Welcome Square in the heart of the Kellach quarter.
From the shadows by the edge of the square, Karalyn watched the faces of those who managed to shove their way to the front. Nervous eyes scanned the lists; and while some folk walked away grinning, others looked as though their lives had collapsed around them. A line of sturdy-looking imperial soldiers was standing in front of the army recruitment office on the north side of the square, but nothing worse than furious glances were being directed their way. Karalyn wondered if things would change once night fell and the taverns filled up. There had been many riots and disturbances in the city over the previous two years, but up until that point all of the violence had taken place between the Kellach and Rahain quarters. Imperial units had intervened in these, but none of the fury had been aimed directly at them. With the introduction of conscription, Karalyn feared that the next riot might be different.
She turned from the square and ghosted down the streets in the direction of the Old Town, remaining invisible to any that passed. She was supposed to have been back in the Great Fortress over two hours before, but her journey around the quarters of the city had taken longer than she had planned. Recruitment posters were also posted in the Rahain and Rakanese quarters, and in the Holdings peasant districts, summoning thousands of the city’s youth to the imperial colours. The Rakanese and Rahain would be sent to the navy, while the enrolled Kellach and Holdings would be bound for the army. This time, no promises had been made about sparing conscripts from being posted to the front and even though the siege there had eased, most still considered Rainsby to be the worst possible place to be sent, with Stretton Sands a close second.
She tried to clear her mind of the angry thoughts she had picked up from the people of the city, but her mood was low; and a headache was throbbing behind her eyes. She had felt the rage of scores of citizens, and almost every mind she had peered into had echoed with the same negative emotions. The Empress would have to be told, of course; that was the main reason Karalyn had been out in the city – to gauge the opinions and feelings of the citizenry, so that any protests or displays of civil disobedience could be foreseen and dealt with. The garrison was on full alert, ready to occupy the streets if ordered – would Karalyn’s words to the Empress cause this to happen? If she down-played the anger on the streets, and then riots occurred, would that be worse than being responsible for soldiers being called out? People could be hurt or even killed no matter what she decided.
The Great Fortress loomed ahead of her and she slipped through the Old Town entrance, past the guards at the gates. She relaxed her powers when she reached the upper floors when the palace lay, and nodded to the surprised soldiers at the doors to the Empress’s private quarters.
They opened the doors for her and she entered. The Empress and her inner council were sitting at the large table by the bay windows, with empty plates and bowls piled in front of them.
The Empress noticed her approach and frowned. ‘You missed breakfast.’
‘Apologies for being late, your Majesty,’ Karalyn said, bowing her head.
‘Never mind, take a seat. Do you have a report?’
Karalyn sat down between Calder and Mage Sanders, who both nodded their greetings.
‘Aye, your Majesty,’ she said. ‘I’ll start off with the Rahain quarter.’
‘You went as far as there?’ said the Empress. ‘No wonder you were late.’
Karalyn blinked. ‘I thought you wanted me to visit all the areas of the city?’
The Empress smiled and shook her head.
‘Her Majesty asked you to check on the Kellach quarter only,’ said Nyane. ‘Do you not recall?’
Calder laughed. ‘I thought she looked a bit dozy this morning.’
‘I’m having problems sleeping,’ she muttered. ‘Sorry if I picked up the orders wrong.’
‘You need some rest, lass,’ said the Empress. ‘Can’t have you making mistakes. Still, at least the report will be comprehensive. The Rahain quarter, you were saying?’
‘Aye,’ Karalyn said, too tired to feel embarrassed by her mistake. ‘The folk there are angry, and disbelieving. Many seemed under the impression that the Rahain would be exempt from the new conscription laws. I would expect an official complaint to be made by the community leaders as soon as they’ve had time to digest it.’
‘A complaint I can live with,’ said the Empress. ‘Where next?’
‘The Rakanese are more resigned to it, having been conscripted for the navy before, but the unions there are considering a strike in the imperial dockyards to protest.’
‘Out of the question. The docks are in the midst of constructing the new troop-carriers required to ferry the conscripts across the Inner Sea.’ She turned to the herald. ‘Nyane, prepare for this; do whatever it takes. No strike must happen.’
Nyane nodded. ‘Yes, your Majesty.’
‘The Holdings districts are the least affected,’ Karalyn went on, ‘and a few seemed pleased that over-crowding might be eased by the removal of those conscripted.’
‘Useful to know,’ said the Empress. ‘Carry on.’
‘The Kellach quarter was the most angry.’
The Empress sighed and lowered her head. ‘As I suspected it would be.’
‘The general feeling there was that since they’ve already provided a disproportionate number of volunteers, then the burden should fall on the other peoples this time.’ She paused. ‘I fear there might be violence.’
Silence fell across the table.
‘It’s not true, you know,’ said Nyane after a moment. ‘Taken as a whole, the Kellach Brigdomin have contributed approximately their fair share of volunteers.’
‘Aye,’ said the Empress, ‘but only if you include all the folk down in Domm, but precious few have come from those parts. They’re so cut off from the rest of us, sometimes I think they forget they’re part of the empire.’
‘We should send recruiters there,’ said Calder. ‘Maybe they need to be reminded.’
‘Time and money, Calder,’ said the Empress. ‘It would take a year at least to organise and get any recruits onto the Plateau, and at what price in gold? They would be the most expensive soldiers in history.’
‘Not if we make the Clan Council carry the expense, your Majesty,’ said Nyane.
The Empress frowned. ‘I’ll consider it.’
‘Good news from the Old Town,’ said Karalyn. ‘Barely a murmur of protest there.’
‘Aye,’ said the Empress, ‘but that’s only because so few are being conscripted from there. Most of the civilians already work in the harbour, or in essential trades. They know they’re safe enough from the recruiters.’
‘And the New Town last. I skipped the university and diplomatic districts, as they’re exempt, but caught several aristocratic types out studying the listings. The Holdings in particular are enraged that their sons and daughters are liable to be called up.’
‘It’s only fair that the rich are treated the same as the poor. How would it look if I allowed the children of my nobles to escape service?’
‘There was a large queue at the Holdings embassy,’ Karalyn said, ‘there to file complaints with the First Holder’s office. Many are unhappy with my mother’s support for the new laws, and some were openly discussing their wish to see her removed from power.’
‘What, and put
that idiot Blackhold onto the throne?’
‘I wouldn’t underestimate him, your Majesty,’ said Nyane. ‘Lord Blackhold’s royalist party has been increasing in popularity for some time now.’
‘I’ll stick by Daphne until the end of her term,’ said the Empress. ‘It’s up to the Holdings how they rule themselves, but if the royalists try anything underhanded I’ll do whatever it takes to stop them.’ She glanced at Karalyn. ‘Thanks for the report, and sorry you had to miss breakfast to get it. Make sure the kitchens send up something for you. Do have any plans for the rest of the morning?’
Karalyn nodded as she rose to her feet. ‘Belinda and I are still working our way through Laodoc’s lessons. We’ll probably get some reading done.’
Nyane caught the Empress’s attention and a glance flashed between them.
The Empress frowned. ‘Before you go, your mention of Belinda has reminded me of something.’
‘Aye?’ said Karalyn, taking her seat again.
‘The war’s changing,’ said the Empress. ‘When it started it was armies against armies; sieges, battles, raids, but a new ingredient has been added to the broth. What your brother did in Rainsby, and the feats of Thorn in Stretton Sands, have altered how this war will be fought. From what you and Calder have told me of your mission to Rahain, our enemy also has its cadre of high mages, capable of displays of power beyond anything seen since the days of the old Emperor. The assassin that murdered your father is still on the loose, and she is another with a range of powers that makes her nigh unstoppable. And,’ she said, her eyes meeting Karalyn’s gaze, ‘Belinda was also one.’
Karalyn nodded, but remained silent.
‘The future of this war will be decided by the high mages on either side,’ the Empress went on. ‘Armies and navies will still be important of course, but as we saw in Rainsby, a single fire mage was enough to destroy every ship in the harbour, and another, your brother, was enough to repel an entire attack. We have within our ranks another high mage, one capable of matching this Agatha. Perhaps it’s time that we tapped into her true potential.’
The silence round the table deepened as all eyes fell on Karalyn. The Empress was looking at her as if she expected a response, but Karalyn’s tongue seemed fixed to the roof of her mouth. What were they asking of her? To complete Belinda’s transformation into a killing machine?
‘Well?’ said the Empress. ‘Out with it. I want to hear your opinion.’
‘Then I want you to tell me exactly what it is that you want me to do.’
The Empress glared at her, her remaining eye narrowing. ‘Fine, if that’s the way that you want it. I require you to lift the remaining blocks on Belinda’s powers. All of them.’
‘No.’
‘It’s not a request, lass.’
‘I won’t do it.’
‘Let’s reason it out,’ Nyane said, before the Empress could respond, ‘and go through the arguments, before you flatly refuse the orders of your sovereign.’
Karalyn folded her arms. ‘I’m listening.’
‘Very well,’ said Nyane. ‘Firstly, the fact that Belinda has the potential to use the entire range of mage powers is beyond dispute; we are in agreement on that. Therefore it falls to whether these powers should be released. Her loyalty to the empire is not at issue; she has proved herself time and again, and acted coolly under extreme pressure in the Rahain Capital. Calder, would you concur?’
The Kellach man shifted in his seat, and grimaced. ‘Aye. She was very professional.’
‘And she had plenty of opportunities to betray you and the empire,’ said Nyane, ‘but refrained?’
‘She’s loyal, all right.’
‘Aye,’ said Karalyn, her temper quickening, ‘but she’s not ready.’
‘In what way?’ said Nyane. ‘And please be specific.’
Karalyn glared at the Rahain woman. ‘She’s amoral, like a child. I know she’s intelligent, she’s picked up all of her lessons; she knows more than me about many subjects now, and her language skills are undeniable. But, and listen to me, all of you – with her full powers Belinda would be a weapon that could level cities, or destroy whole armies, but would you give a child such power?’
‘You’re talking nonsense now,’ said the Empress. ‘Belinda’s not a child.’
‘Calder?’ said Nyane. ‘Apart from Karalyn, you have spent the most time with her. Do you agree with this characterisation of Belinda as a child?’
‘No,’ he said. ‘Sure, she says crazy things now and again, and has a tendency to take what you say literally, but so do many others. Is she ruthless? Aye. She never flinched once from a fight, or from doing what was necessary on occasion. When soldiers act like that, we call them brave. Belinda’s the same.’
Karalyn’s mouth opened, unable to believe what she was hearing. Could they not perceive the obvious?
‘It would brutalise her,’ she said, to looks of irritation.
‘And?’ said the Empress. ‘Speak to half of my army, or anyone who’s served in Rainsby or Stretton Sands if you want to know about being brutalised. Tell me then, why should Belinda, who came within an inch of killing me and you, be spared this?’
‘You can’t go back to that,’ Karalyn spat out. ‘She was re-born that day.’
‘Was she really?’ said the Empress. ‘Is she not just the same person with her memory remade? Not just as ruthless, or as professional? Except now she is on our side.’
‘It’s wrong.’
The Empress sighed, then glanced at Nyane. ‘Your reasoning doesn’t seem to be working.’
‘Because, your Majesty,’ said Nyane, her brow creased, ‘Karalyn is being unreasonable.’
Karalyn’s face fell, and she had to suppress the tears that were forming in her eyes. If her job was to turn Belinda into a mass-murderer, then she didn’t want it. How could the Empress not understand? And Calder, he had been there; why did he not see what she had? As for Nyane, Karalyn felt like the last fraying cords that connected their friendship had finally been severed. The herald would always put the Empress first, over everything, and everyone.
She glanced at the Empress. ‘Order me then, if you must.’
‘This pains me, lass,’ said the Empress. ‘I have no wish to see us divided, but my duty is to bring peace back to the empire, and to that end I need every advantage I can lay my hands on. Will you do it if I ask nicely one more time?’
‘No.’
‘Then I order you, Karalyn Holdfast, to release all of the blocks on Belinda’s powers, by nightfall at the latest, or…’
She disappeared before their eyes and the Empress cried out in anger. Unseen to all, Karalyn got to her feet and edged back from the table as the others stared at the space where she had just been. She visioned to one of the sentries at the door, urging him to open it. He did so, but Karalyn stayed where she was.
‘Karalyn!’ cried the Empress towards the open door. ‘This isn’t over!’
‘Go after her,’ shouted Nyane to Calder, who leapt to his feet and ran to the door, while Karalyn watched quietly from the shadows of the chamber, unmoving. She felt a tightness in her chest; a mixture of anxiety and exhaustion drenching her as she watched the Empress frown.
‘What have we done?’ she muttered to Nyane.
‘She’ll be back soon, your Majesty, once she’s had time to calm down.’
The Empress shook her head. ‘She’s stubborn, like her mother.’
Calder re-entered the chamber, shrugging. ‘Lost her. I’ve sent an order out to the guards to be on the lookout for her. She won’t get far.’
‘And say we haul her back,’ said the Empress, ‘and she refuses again?’
‘Then there must be consequences,’ said Nyane.
‘I don’t know. Is there any truth at all in what she was saying about Belinda?’
‘I sincerely do not believe so, your Majesty,’ said Nyane. ‘We must remember that Karalyn has been close to Belinda since the scouring. I suspect she harbours
an almost maternal feeling towards the young woman, and I think that explains her reticence.’
‘She’s probably just gone to her room,’ said Calder, standing by the table. ‘Should I go and see?’
‘No,’ said the Empress. ‘We won’t win her over with force or threats. Leave her be for a while.’ She stood, and Nyane did the same. ‘I need some time alone to think.’
‘But, your Majesty,’ said Nyane, ‘the Board of City Planners are due here in five minutes.’
‘Then they’ll have to wait,’ said the Empress. She turned and walked for the door to her private chambers.
A guard opened it for her, and Karalyn ghosted through the doorway behind the Empress. She had no clear plan of what she was going to do, but an idea began to form in her mind.
Twenty minutes later, Karalyn was in her bedroom, packing a bag with clothes, her mind turning over with a guilty excitement. The Empress was going to be very angry, she knew, but Karalyn could see no other choice. Her job in the fortress had become so stifling and anxiety-ridden that she almost missed being in Rahain with Belinda and Calder. Back then, she had only to look out for the three of them, and perversely had felt freer than being tied to the imperial government.
She changed out of the tunic and skirt that she had been wearing and dressed in her travelling clothes, sitting on the bed to lace up her boots.
She still had one choice to make; the biggest of all. The thought of it almost made her ill with nerves, but it had to be done. Standing, she pulled the strap of the canvas bag over her shoulder and walked over to the door to Belinda’s room.
‘Are you there?’ she said, knocking.
‘Come in,’ said Belinda’s voice.
Karalyn opened the door and walked through. Her friend was lying on her bed, reading a thick leather-bound tome with a cigarette in her fingers. She frowned as she glanced up.
‘Where are you going?’
‘Away,’ Karalyn said.
Belinda sat up, narrowing her eyes. ‘On another mission? Why wasn’t I told?’
‘No, not a mission. At least, not one sanctioned by the Empress.’
The Magelands Epic: Soulwitch Rises (Book 7) Page 9