Book 7, Chapter 7: More And More Tea
Cresida was gone when we’d returned to the apartments I’d taken over. I sighed. Let out a ‘huh’ audibly. Though we endlessly argued, partly because she was bitchy, partly because she had pretty good reasons to be angry at the world and me specifically. It didn’t make me miss her so much as feel her absence as absence of companionship.
Young me, when I was only two months old on this planet, that me would have befriended the bodyguard, asked her questions, gotten to know her, but she was put by my side to watch me, to ensure I didn’t leave this place. Though she didn’t seem to mind when I beat up the harem guards, I wasn’t ready to trust her.
Mestamir’s soft footsteps were barely audible from behind as she neared, “Your Highness, may I ask a question?”
I turned around, crossed arms. “Be my guest.”
“Why don’t you want to indulge the etiquette instruction? Most women would be overjoyed to be betrothed to the emperor.”
Betrothed? Seriously? All I could do was stare at the woman. Closed my eyes and opened them very slowly. Wasn’t she following me around? Couldn’t she work out all that herself based on everything I’d said?
“Because I, of all people, need those lessons the most. Looks like my roommate is gone. You can have her bed. Goodnight.” I shut my door, then dragged a desk in front of it before lying down on the bed and contemplating more.
The kitchens! Food had to come in, garbage out. Along with staff, unless they lived here, too. There had to be exits in the kitchens. I’d just lay down and was already out of bed, moving the desk away from the door. I felt a little slow, and I hoped the scraping sounds weren’t that loud, as it would be nice to wander around without being constantly watched.
She was stretching on the floor in the main room when I exited and looked up, saying, “Barred. The exits are all barred at night, from the garden to the kitchen.”
“You are a real buzzkill. Alright, what about the balcony? I want to see the city lights.”
“If my lady so pleases.”
“I so please.” Time to face my demons. Time for the test I knew I’d fail.
***
Off the main hall, past the pool, we stood overlooking the city. It wasn’t so much a balcony, though, as an extension of the entire building. A few other women had brought wine, were chatting, watching the city lights flicker, since they were made of torches, candles, and oil lamps. The enemy army’s fires were visible, even from here, dotting the distant forest and the muddy clearing between it and the city walls.
Out of desperation, it was time to try. Use the most powerful tool left to me. Or, more likely, prove that I was entirely helpless. I case my gaze to the heavens, raised my arms, and called out in a loud, confident voice, “Oh mighty Sleipnir, greatest of all horses, I call on you to bring your magnificence, your glory, and come to me! For I am in need!”
Mestamir looked at me like I was displaying highly unusual behavior, even for a noblewoman. Crazy, she thought I was crazy.
I turned my back to her, looking away. Rested my hands on the rail separating me from freedom, though the drop was too far to long enjoy it, and one could argue a falling freedom was, at best, only freedom for a few seconds, or not freedom at all, but a bad choice. One I didn’t take.
And then, after more waiting, I slumped, shoulders slipping, bent over the railing. My beautiful Sleipnir had not come. Perhaps he was busy, transporting another, perhaps the Allfather – though I hoped not and not here! – or, more likely, I no longer possessed the power to summon another deity.
A bright flash lit up the walls to the left. Enormous burning balls of pitch smashed into the walls, towers, some landing on rooftops of houses. Fire erupted even as one of the towers collapsed. Beyond these, the forest fire had largely gone out, but for pockets scattered about. The collective shouts of thousands of men reached us as the enemy army emerged from behind their siege weapons, racing toward to the breach.
If I was empress, this situation was troubling. But no one was coming to me for orders. Serce wasn’t here, either. I didn’t know if I should be relieved that the Laemacian capital city was about to fall or worried for mine and Talaren’s safety, even Cresida’s.
“Ma’am, it’s all right. The city garrison is prepared for this.”
“What?”
She placed her hands on mine, “You can relax now.”
I’d been white-knuckling the railing without noticing. “Ah, sorry. Battle always riles me up.” Squinting, I could see archers taking positions on the walls of either side of the downed towers, loosing into the enemy. Yet the preparations of defenders taking up positions inside the walls was obstructed from here. Too many buildings in the way, both large and small. I could only hope the soldiers were setting up a line of engagement.
“I’ll be honest with you, Mestamir, I’m not entirely unhappy about this turn of events. Sure, rape is going to be a real issue if those soldiers reach us before their commanders do, maybe even after, but at least we won’t be imprisoned here.”
“Imprisoned? This harem is the most secure location in the city. We are well protected.”
“It’s a prison for me and I hope you don’t mind if I do a little cheering for the enemy.”
She held out her palms, “But this is your city! Your empire.”
“Is it? I’m not so sure Laemacia is long for this world. If an enemy army can sack its capital, Laemacia is fallen. Otholos shouldn’t have spent his military against me.”
“In the event the harem is breached, I will defend you until the end.”
“A thing that brings no end of comfort to me.”
She joined me on the rails, watching the siege as best we could, hearing metal against metal even at this distance, saw fires erupting and being put out, the archers emptying their quivers, boys running up and down the stairs, all without us speaking. The louder shouts made it, though without meaning and, fortunately, screams of pain didn’t carry this far.
The night wore on, the fighting continued, but the enemy did not seem to make headway through the walls and eventually withdrew. Soon, the catapults renewed their pummeling of the city, attacking the walls near the downed tower. If Serce didn’t return with his army soon, this city was going to be sacked and we girls and women here were a Christmas present, waiting to be opened.
***
A woman waited for me outside my apartment, the elderly woman who first dressed me, whom I had wanted to find to ask questions to. It was good she brought herself to me. “Ah,” I said upon seeing her. Tienseon, that was her name.
Wearing a blue version of the dress older ladies wore, a modest shoulders to ankles dress, she gave a bow of her head, “Your Highness.”
“You’re forgetting the ‘imperial’ part of that.”
“Not quite yet, I’m afraid, though that is what I’ve come to talk with you about.”
“Let’s talk inside. But I have to say, you’ve waited long enough to have allowed multiple other conspirators to approach me. What if I like their offers better?”
“You might. You’re young and foolish.” Tienseon raised her head, “Their offers might seem attractive to you.”
Rolling my eyes in a manner most foul, I opened the doors and held them open for her, “Please.” Age before beauty, I thought, and then reminded myself to be nice. She might, after all, have the best offer, and she certainly knew more than all the others. Tienseon had thrown me to the wolves in the bride-to-be dress before anyone knew that Serce had chosen me and only me.
After entering, the woman made her way to the beverage station, or whatever it was called, and poured two cups of tea.
I joined her and, after she handed one cup to me, I set it down, fought the urge to roll my eyes again, and poured a third cup, passing this one to my silent bodyguard, who’d taken up position by the door. Mestamir raised an eyebrow but took the cup. Oddly, it was then I noticed her short nails and rough skin. She really had trained as a warrior.
Smiling at this, I turned back to the guest, took up my cup, and joined her near the fireplace.
“As you can see,” began the woman, sitting into a sofa chair while talking, “giving you the red dress was accurate.”
“All you did was mark me as a target. Did you know at the time what Serce’s plans were? To take me as his only wife?”
“Yes.”
“And how did you come by this information?”
“I’ve an extensive network of spies.”
Her honesty caught me off guard. “Oh.” When my mind caught up, I added, “And? You didn’t come here to brag about your prescience.”
“His Royal Majesty, Emperor Searcian, returns and will be within the capital in two nights.”
“Another two days in this place is unwelcome.”
“You are so looking forward to his bedchamber that this place of opportunity sickens you?”
“Lady, I’m going to roll my eyes at you until I become permanently disfigured. There’s no opportunity here for me.”
“A lady of your station surely knows better.”
“It’s not so much that no opportunity exists here. Sure, I could bargain my way to retaining power and all that, but none of this shit, forgive my language, matters. This place,” I raised my hands up, “is a trap and me remaining here will lead to the collapse of the Laemacian empire, the subsequent collapse of all nations on this continent, and possibly everywhere else on this planet.”
Not saying anything, she held her teacup a moment, and then another, before carefully setting it on the short table between us. The wrinkles in her face gave her a wizened aura and her consideration seemed careful, but there was no way, not a chance, that she could fully understand that each and every word I’d just uttered was not only the truth, but a wild underestimation of the likely outcome were I to do nothing about the Others.
After a time, she rested one hand over the other, and said, “I’ve been talking with the mage. While he doesn’t share your fears, he is . . . terrified that you know more than you’re letting on, that your worries are warranted.”
I couldn’t help but stand as I said, “Finally! Oh, that stupid wizard! Why didn’t he listen earlier, god damnit!” Taking a breath, closing my eyes, I counted to five, lest I start punching things. When I became as calm as I could get, I said, “He should have listened to me earlier and we’d be halfway to the Temple by now.”
“When a mage is worried, I listen.”
“What about when a goddess is worried?”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Nothing! Get to the point, woman! What do you want? If you’re listening to the wizard, and you believe him, get me out of here!”
“I’ve come to offer you a deal. Accept, and you will be empress in more than name for I mean to dispose of the usurper and his family once and for all.” No smile came to her lips, and she nodded slightly.
I didn’t know what to say. I should heartily agree, but I liked Serce, and this plan certainly involved his head being separated from his body. Yet the man clearly didn’t care what I thought. He did not pay my warnings, desperate as they were, any heed.
The absolute easiest path forward was to kill Serce and take the throne. I could easily overcome him and his guards myself, but that would get me nowhere, except imprisoned and probably executed. Here was a power holder, potentially on my side, offering me a better outcome, with me coming out on top.
“What’s your angle here?”
“To restore you to the throne. Your family’s bloodline is the one, true-”
“Oh please! Neither of us are that naïve. Yeah, I look like a moronic child,” shaking my head, “and act like it more often than not, but let’s just ignore all that and pretend we’re both adults. When are you moving on Serce?”
“These are details I will keep for now. What I need from you is a simple answer.”
“Spit it out then!” I nearly added, ‘At your age, you don’t have a lot of time for waiting,’ but wisely kept my mouth shut. About the only time I was wise, my inner conscience said, was when anger took over. And I was this close to giving anger the reins entirely.
“Will you assume the throne given the chance?”
“If the throne is suddenly empty and I’m the only one left? Yes. But you want me as a puppet, not a ruler, and that gives me pause.”
“Your rule will be supported, and we will listen to the mage.” She stood up. “And you will support myself and those I represent in turn.”
I hated selling out Serce, but he wasn’t leaving me any options. I could wash out my mouth with soap later to get rid of the bad taste. They were definitely going to kill him and I was rubber stamping that. “Yes, yes I will.” My shoulders wanted to slump, back wanted to hunch, for this felt wrong, and I pushed all those accurate feelings down, crushing them, standing straight up with perfect posture.
“Then I will take my leave of you my lady. And set the transfer of power in motion.”
“Before you go, I have one last concern.”
“Yes?”
“It’s a rhetorical one, most likely. The attacking army. They’ve breached the city walls. What makes you think the city will hold until Serce comes?”
“There are details I care not to share at this moment. We have means.” She opened the door, faced me once more, and said, “More than you think.”
After she left I considered. Two days until Serce returned. Assuming he was overthrown that night, a day to restore power, if they were so competent, and another week or so before messengers could reach my army. Another week to ten days before they could get here or meet us on the way to the Temple. Another few days to reach the Temple.
Too much time. Far too much. Fourteen days for the Others to plan, orchestrate attacks, weaken my brother, the Trap, escape. I didn’t like it and I had no choice.
The bodyguard broke me out of my thoughts, “Ma’am?”
“Yes? Oh, please sit down. No need to stay by the door.”
“Ma’am,” she sat. “I was wondering, you didn’t ask the lady. Yet I would guess-”
Rubbing my temples, I tried not to sound angry, “What? What are you guessing?”
“She must be arranging another marriage for you. I apologize for bringing the topic up, and I only do so because you go on about disliking marriage so.”
“I’m not, you know, against the institution of marriage. Per se. Just, just as it affects me – a forced marriage isn’t one I’ll accept.”
“I am worried you’ve just agreed to that very thing. My lady.”
“Do we have anything stronger than tea?”
“Perhaps I can add more leaves?”
The hole that was my heart somehow withered even more. But it was for the best. “No, no, I’m going to my room to think about all this, sleep, you know.”
“Rest well, ma’am.”
“You too.”
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