She knew she must look quite a fright, bloody and battered. Somehow, it still seemed a bit funny, though. She had managed to pull through, and she had even come out better than she had hoped. Aiul’s fate had been torn from her hands, and for that she was grateful. “As you might imagine, I should like to end this meeting as soon as possible. Is there anything else we must address?”
To Kariana’s dismay, Maralena rose, looking haggard but resolute. “There is one remaining matter. But I propose a recess so everyone can calm themselves before we continue. It is weighty, and we will want our wits about us. There has been far too much emotional behavior already.”
Kariana nodded, relieved. She could kill for a chance to wash the blood off her face. She hammered her gavel against her desk. “So be it. Fifteen-minute recess.”
Kariana wasted no time reaching a washbasin. She might have gone to her private chambers, but they were far away, and she settled for the court’s public facilities. She splashed water in her face until it no longer ran pink, then examined her work in the mirror. Her lip felt enormous, but it didn’t seem to show very much. A little makeup to cover scratches and bruises and things should be fine.
She saw Maralena approaching in the mirror and spun to face her, cursing herself for being foolish enough not to go somewhere more private. Maralena was not someone to whom she ever wanted to leave her back exposed again.
The Elder’s face trembled and bubbled like water boiling in a pot. For a fleeting moment, Kariana though the stroke she had been predicting for the last hour had indeed come, but when had she ever been so lucky? When Maralena finally managed to speak, her voice was breathy and trembling with outrage. “You are insane!”
Kariana rolled her eyes, and answered in her best bubbly-girl voice, “If you just think of yourself as already dead, then you won’t get that shaky sound in your voice.” She blinked innocently at the hateful harridan for a moment, then let the pose drop. “The Southlander had the right of that,” she growled.
Maralena’s clenched and unclenched her fists. “This is no game! You’ve seen what they can do! You must stand with us!”
Oh, look at her trying to restrain herself! She wants to choke me so badly! But it would spoil her arguments. Kariana burst into laughter. “Stand with you to do what? We failed, in case you didn’t notice the explosions and screams.” She patted a towel to her swollen lip and winced, then spat blood on the white marble floor. “Of course, I was in a better position to appreciate the full extent of the carnage. Was that your plan, to get me killed?”
“You ruined my plan quite thoroughly,” the elder replied, “and you earned the beating they gave you.” She paused, daring Kariana to deny it. “Now listen to me. We can salvage things somewhat. If we cannot put Aiul to death, then we shall have his punishment given to his wife.”
Kariana found herself simultaneously thrilled and repulsed at the notion. It was difficult not to relish the thought of Lara’s death, but not so pleasant a thing to imagine being the cause of it. I could get used to it, though. I think. But doing Maralena’s dirty work? That was a mouthful of piss. “Why?”
Maralena’s face was calm now, with only the occasional twitch. “We cannot kill Narelki’s son, but we can still drive a wedge between them. I can force her to side with us. When he learns she voted to have his wife put to death, perhaps he will kill her himself. Or perhaps he’ll take his own life.”
Kariana’s eyes narrowed, and she laughed. “She didn’t even flinch when I came at her with the dagger. How are you going to force her to do anything?”
“The same way I will deal with the Meites. By using her own values against her. Not everything needs to be resolved with a sledgehammer.”
Kariana flashed the old woman a girlish smile. “It’s much nicer with a sledgehammer, though. Fragile things make such lovely sounds when you crush them, don’t you think?”
Maralena gaped at her. “You’re as mad as the Meites!”
“Oh, spare me the superior act. If you weren’t dead set on causing your own brand of destruction, you’d just expose Narelki for what she’s already done. You’re looking to draw some blood here, too, and you want it dripping with irony.” She dabbed at her lip with the now red-spotted towel. “I’m surprised you didn’t stand to defend her earlier. I almost spoiled your artful little vengeance piece, didn’t I?”
Maralena raised an eyebrow. “Yes, I relish the irony, but that’s hardly the only reason to do things this way. Frankly, it will cause you more pain, as well. I do not forget your part in Marissa’s death. I am merely willing to overlook it to punish the party more responsible.”
“And I have to make him hate me just as much, for siding with you!”
Maralena nodded. “It wouldn’t make sense for you to do otherwise. He tried to kill you.” She smiled, gloating in her victory. “But there is some small chance for you. When he finds out that it was his mother all along, he might even be able to forgive you.”
Kariana smirked back at the Matriarch. “There’s one problem I see with your plan.”
Maralena tapped her foot impatiently. “What, pray tell, would that be?”
Kariana spat blood on the old woman’s shoe, eliciting a screech of outrage from her. “I won’t do it.”
Maralena reached down as if to wipe the mess her shoe with her bare hand, but jerked her hand back before she actually made contact. “You’ll do it, you little whore, or I’ll expose you for murdering Marissa!”
“And expose yourself for treason!”
Maralena chuckled darkly. “Oh, no, not really. Certain evidence will turn up that will implicate you in Theron’s death. We planted it soon after the fact, for just such a possibility. I’ll claim we were watching you because we knew this all along. I’ll walk away without a scratch, and you’ll be disgraced. Perhaps they’ll give you a cell next to Aiul so you can make cow eyes at him and suck his cock through the bars!”
Kariana barely restrained herself from attacking the old woman. She could take her, she knew that, but not now! There was one old woman in particular who she most definitely could not take, one who was looking for a pretense to make good on her threats. Killing Maralena now would be signing her own death warrant. She reached deep within herself and found enough will to stay her hand, but a low, bestial growl tore itself from her lips. “Bitch! This isn’t over between us!”
Maralena snorted. “Oh, I suppose you think that’s some great threat, but the truth is that it’s never over, not until we’re all dead. That’s now Nihlos works. You’ll get used to it.”
Kariana said nothing as she tried to steady herself against the dizzying rage that she dared not express. Oh, I don’t think we both need to die for it to be over. Just you being dead should work fine.
Once the council resumed, Maralena rose to speak. “Now that we are all calmer, we need to discuss something rather ugly. The political ramifications of these decisions cannot be ignored. Someone must pay as a traitor for the assault on Tasinalta, not because she is loved, but because the leader of Nihlos cannot be perceived as weak, or chaos will ensue.”
Prandil laughed out loud. “Oh, my, you’re so terribly dramatic, Maralena!”
Maralena gave Prandil a condescending look. “You may know sorcery, but you spend your life in an ivory tower. You have the luxury of dealing with people by swinging a sledgehammer at their heads. You know nothing about human nature. The people will demand someone suffer for this.”
Prandil touched a finger to his chin and grinned like an imp. “It was my understanding that most of them would rejoice in her passing.”
Maralena shrugged. “Probably true, but irrelevant. A crime against the Empress is a crime against them. She is a symbol, else why maintain this charade? They will say, ‘If Tasinalta cannot protect herself, how can she protect Nihlos?’ They know Southlanders have entered the city. How long do you think it will take them to go from panic to rebellion?”
Narelki nodded her agreement. “It is as she says
. This is almost a direct quote from the Book of Amrath.”
The other elders were in general agreement. Polus, as usual, chose to ask the difficult question. “A lovely sentiment, but whom exactly do you propose to execute?”
Maralena took a deep breath and let it out again, slowly, dramatically, a look of deep disquiet on her face. “You won’t like my answer, but it’s the only one I have. There are a number of parameters to be met. Someone close to him, someone who may well have conspired with him, so that the public will believe justice is being done.” She paced back and forth on the platform, looking at each of them, as if she were actually thinking on the matter. “Someone whose loss he will feel keenly because it is part of his punishment. Someone unhoused, and thus not subject to Tasinal’s Mercy.” She took another deep breath, then let the words tumble out of her. “I propose Lara, Aiul’s wife.”
Time seemed to freeze for a moment as the Elders sat in dumbfounded silence. At last, Maranath broke the quiet. “You are mad.”
Maralena eyed him with a cool gaze. “I am practical, Meite. That’s supposed to be one of your virtues.”
Maranath rose to his feet. “She carries House Amrath’s name!”
“Irrelevant. She is not of noble blood.”
Maranath shouted, “Nobility be damned! A name given cannot be taken back!” He looked to Narelki for support but found little there to aid him. He stared at her a moment, then called, “Narelki.”
The Matriarch of House Amrath was ashen, as if she were suddenly very ill. “It is a gray area.”
Maralena sighed. “No, it is not a gray area at all. There are several precedents. One of them even involves you, Narelki. You had a husband put to death, as I recall.”
Narelki’s icy manner shattered; eyes burning with rage, she answered. “A former husband, who tried to force his way back into my bed and my life! He did not bear the name Amrath.”
“I beg to differ,” Maralena said coolly. “As Maranath noted, there is no provision whatsoever for stripping a house name from anyone. Even Aiul runs no risk of that. Perhaps it was your convention that he no longer use yours, but it was not a matter of law. There is precedent for what I propose.”
Narelki rose to her feet, her face twisting in fury. “Executing a rapist is hardly the same as executing an innocent!”
Maralena failed to suppress a giggle, then covered her mouth with her hand, looking embarrassed. “No one is innocent.”
Ariano sighed and joined the debate. “Even if we accept this line of argument, she bears his child. There can be no question that the child carries noble blood.”
Kariana grunted. “Oh, I assure you, there can be plenty of questions. A noble father, a common mother, things are never settled.”
Maralena nodded. “And in any event, the child is unborn, hence unnamed.”
Prandil, too, had heard enough. “So you would have all of us participate in your fantasy that because the child is unborn, it is somehow not real? You and our empress share a remarkable ability to retreat into self-delusion at will!”
Maralena was unmoved. “Again, I note that there is ample precedent. Unborn children are not protected by the law. Many a noble woman has aborted an unwanted pregnancy with herbs or surgery, and they were not treated as murderers. Aiul himself has performed such surgeries. How can anyone argue otherwise?”
Polus nodded, seemingly despite his inclinations. “You know the law well, Maralena.”
Maranath bristled at this. “She twists precedent to serve her ends! Those are early pregnancies. Aiul’s child is nearly born!”
Maralena shrugged. “It matters not. This is a point of law, not vague morality. And we waste our breath in pointless arguing. We’re not going to change one another’s minds, are we?”
Maranath raised a hand for calm as murmurs erupted. “Aye, enough of this mental masturbation. Is there even a second?”
Kariana sighed. “As much as I don’t like it, I am forced to agree.” There. Quite literally true. “I second.”
Maralena called out, “Then let us vote. Empress?”
Before Kariana could speak, Maranath raised his cane overhead, then slammed it against the floor. “Opposed!” Ariano and Prandil followed suit immediately. Lucreta and Davron also raised their hands.
Kariana officially noted the vote. “Five opposed.”
Maklin, still scribbling furiously in his notebook, cleared his throat and called out, “Just a moment, I will vote against you. I vote that we put you to death. I just need…one…more…there.” His hand shot up, and he grinned innocently at her.
Kariana couldn’t actually muster any ill will toward the old fellow, Meite or not. “Noted. Go on with your work.”
“Thank you, Empress.”
Maranath stared at Narelki. “Narelki! Will you not stand for your own blood?”
Narelki’s haunted eyes brimmed with tears as she looked about the courtroom, but she did not rise.
Kariana waited for several moments, then announced in a deadpan, “Six opposed, and one side vote to have me put to death. In favor?”
Prandil snickered. “Of having you put to death?” He raised a hand.
Kariana rolled her eyes. “Oh, I think that matter needs a second and a vote of its own. We have procedures for a reason.”
Prandil’s grin had turned positively lascivious. Odd. I should think he would hate me now.
Kariana raised her own hand. “Well?” Maralena raised her hand. Polus and Olemus also raised theirs in support, followed by Narelki.
Ariano shouted “Faithless bitch!” and started toward Narelki, but Maranath put a hand on her shoulder to restrain her. “Pathetic weakling! We should have killed you the moment we saw your taint!”
Narelki refused to meet Ariano’s gaze. “Amrath cursed hypocrisy above all else,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
“It is not hypocrisy to change your mind!”
Narelki smiled sadly. “I have not changed my mind. I would change nothing I have done.”
“A lie for these fools benefit,” Ariano declared. “We know the truth. Have a care, Narelki, there are things you don’t know that will speed the poison in your soul!”
Maranath turned to Narelki. “A minor inconsistency moves you to abandon your own blood? You are worse than faithless. You are a slave. But we knew that already, didn’t we?”
Prandil cleared his throat. “Maranath, that’s enough, I think.”
Maranath responded with a grunt and turned away. “The level of cowardice in this chamber astounds me. We should never have allowed any but Mei’s loyal to stand as Elders!” he fumed.
Sadrina sat in silence, eyes brimming with mischief.
“Choose carefully, Sadrina,” Ariano said, her eyes boring into the lone holdout.
Sadrina smirked, obviously pleased with herself. “Why should I? Have I something to fear from you?” She giggled. “You and your kind are nothing but bullies, flexing your muscles whenever you choose, sneering at the rest of us as if we were children.”
Narelki spun toward her. “Shut your mouth, fool!”
Sadrina was not inclined to be obedient. “I have been silent this whole affair! Now, I hold the power. I will speak my mind!” She rose her feet, her fiery red hair seeming to bristle.
Ariano clenched her fists in frustration. “You stumble blindly into things you cannot possibly appreciate! There are dark forces that hunger for men of will, men who have lost everything! It is madness to create such monsters! Why else do you imagine a tyrant like Tasinal would stay his hand?”
Sadrina sneered. “Please! I have listened to you fools spout about invisible gods and demonic forces since I was born. There is no denying you have power, but I see no special enlightenment in you.”
“How can one as blind as you expect to see anything?”
“Go on, witch! Tell the rest of your fairytale, so we can all laugh at you.”
Polus stamped a boot on the floor. “You humiliate us all, Sadrina, wit
h your petty jealousy.”
“You are a fool, Sadrina” Ariano declared. “The Dead God has always lurked, waiting for the right moment. The Fallen prophesied his return long ago! Amrath wrote of it in his book!”
“Amrath is dead, as are all the other founders!” Sadrina shouted. “And they were superstitious fools! There are no gods.”
Prandil said, in a soft, menacing voice, “It would be the height of irony to see Tasinal return and rip your traitor’s heart from your breast.”
“Ignore their threats,” Kariana said. “With your vote, I will be empowered to break a tie. You will be on the victorious side.”
Sadrina jammed her hand into the air, glaring at the Meites. “I care nothing for the outcome, here!” she told them. “I simply stand against you and your bullying!”
“Then die for your pride!” Ariano shrieked, her voice once again multi-harmonic. Maranath and Prandil, however, sensing her intent, moved to restrain her, hauling on her arms to stop her.
“Bitch!” Ariano shrieked. A missile of glassy, pointed sound shot from her mouth and penetrated the wall inches from Sadrina’s head, leaving a smoking crater the size of a man’s fist. Sadrina screamed in terror as Maranath and Prandil struggled to restrain Ariano.
“Control yourself!” Maranath shouted.
After a few moments, Ariano calmed enough to allow Maranath and Prandil to guide her to her seat, where she sat in grim silence, staring into space.
Maralena waited until everyone seemed ready to move on, then cleared her throat and spoke. Seeming secure in her victory now, she put on a magnanimous pose. “I understand it is an emotional issue, for some, but it is settled now unless the Meites intend to destroy a thousand years of tradition and defy the council.”
Prandil cracked his knuckles and cast a withering glare at her. “If that were our intent, we would have simply done away with you out of hand.”
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