Memory of Morning

by Susan Sizemore

  "The Emperor wishes to talk to heroes, Dane. Apparently, I am not hero enough for him."

  Dane? Adrew?

  I walked along with the men, totally silenced by my puzzlement. Who would have thought the two would know each other well enough to be on such familiar terms?

  "The world is full of things you do not know, Doctor," Lord North said. Though how he read my expression - thoughts? - when he did not appear to be looking at me I did not know.

  The Emperor?

  Wait a moment, what did he mean the Emperor wanted heroes?

  I would have halted in my tracks, but Adrew on one side and Dane on the other took my arms and kept me moving. Apparently, they had no fear of being in the Imperial presence. Well, North wouldn't, would he? But I was only--

  "I present two more heroes of the Battle of the Arum Sea," Lord North announced as we came to a halt.

  I looked up, and then a bit farther up, to encounter the smiling face of Marqs Shield, Emperor of the Ang Empire.

  "May I present Dr. Megere Cliff, a paragon of all virtues," Lord North announced. "Captain Copper you know."

  "You are the girl with the nice bow," the Emperor said. "I remember you."

  Since he mentioned the bow, I recalled protocol and swept into my best curtsy.

  "I like your frock," he said when I rose to my feet.

  "Aren't you a bit cold?" Lord North asked.

  I shot him an annoyed look before focusing on the Emperor. I found my tongue. "Thank you, sire."

  "Lord North and I have been discussing the end of the southern pirate problem," the Emperor said.

  "May it stay ended," North said. "The Framin had to withdraw the blockade of our shipping once we destroyed the pirate fleet they accused us of supporting."

  "When we well know that it is the Framin that supported that pirate fleet," Captain Copper said.

  "I wonder how soon it will be before the Fram can replace the ships they had among the pirates that were lost in the battle?" the Emperor said. He shrugged and answered his own question. "I suppose we'll know when the truce is broken."

  "I doubt it will take more than a year," Lord North said. "They know we're working hard to replenish our own forces and firepower. A long pause in this fool war would be nice, but I doubt that will happen. I doubt there'll be peace as long as we both want the New Islands for ourselves."

  "Sometimes I wish the Storm Tides had never abated," the Emperor said.

  "Or that our explorers hadn't braved the ocean crossing just to see what's on the other side?" Lord North suggested.

  I am not a great one for studying history, but I could follow their conversation well enough. I knew that the Framin claimed for their own all the distant islands discovered a few generations back. Their excuse was because one of their ships - a ship of exiles sent out to die in the Storm Tides - had made it to one of the New Islands, and their descendants still occupied that island when the exploration ships from Ang arrived. Because of these settlers, the Framin claimed all the islands as their territory, even though it was Angish explorers who had purposely made the crossing, and there were more uninhabited islands on the other side of the ocean than had yet been counted. We set up colonies, they set up colonies, though none of the other countries had yet settled in the New Islands. Everyone but us and the Fram considered colonization foolish, as the Storm Tides would eventually return with the Red Moon, cutting old and new world off from each other. The Framin and Ang went to war fighting over these territories. There were many more reasons for the ongoing conflict, but I think both countries had also gotten into the habit of being at war.

  Not that I would say anything of the sort in front of the Emperor, or Lord North, or even Captain Copper. Not that one of my class says anything in front of the Emperor, unless it is in response to being directly addressed by him. So, while Emperor Marqs and Lord North conversed together, I looked attentive and felt the gazes of many watchers about the ballroom at my back.

  I could almost hear the unsaid gossip: The girl with bare shoulders being sent for by the Emperor! Well! What is that about?

  "Enough speculation," the Emperor said. His gaze settled on myself and Captain Copper. "Tell me, Captain, Doctor, what part did each of you play in the battle that brought about our current state of truce? I am told the Moonrunner was the ship that was bait in the trap that brought the pirates down."

  I waited for Captain Copper to make his answer. Then the Emperor's blue gaze concentrated on me, and I found myself smiling up at the fine-looking, very tall young man, who I realized was not yet thirty.

  "I wore a civilian disguise, like everyone else, sire," I said. "Flaunting my charms, as it were."

  "And a very fine flaunting it was," Lord North murmured. "This lovely paragon of womanhood and I met during the flaunting part of the morning," he added.

  "But I saw little of the battle once the cannon fire started," I went on. "I left the bridge to treat wounded in the ship's surgery."

  "But the battle moved down to the surgery after the 'Runner was boarded," Captain Copper recalled.

  "I was most annoyed by that," I said. "Dr. Swan and I already had quite enough to deal with."

  "Dr. Cliff makes an art of understatement," Lord North said. "She was shouting profanities as she attacked a pirate with her scalpel."

  I blushed hotly. "I was not shouting, Lord North, and certainly not profanities."

  "You were," he insisted.

  "You were not even there."

  Captain Copper chuckled. "He was, Dr. Cliff. And a good thing for you, Lord North took part in the fight." He looked at the Emperor when he explained, "Dr. Cliff saved my life during the fighting in the sickbay, and nearly lost her own in the process."

  "I - well - I was not thinking too clearly at that moment. I vaguely recall getting in the way of a sword, then someone shoved me out of the way and--" I looked at Lord North.

  He was grinning widely. Now he nodded.

  "--someone pushed me." I could not look away from his gaze. I had been blushing, now I began to burn. "You?"

  "Me."

  By the All, I owed him my life!

  "You gave me a concussion," I told him.

  "But I stopped that pirate from cutting off your arm." He glanced at the exact spot where the scar was covered by the band of silk across my upper arm. "And helped start a new fashion, as well, I think."

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  A rather awkward silence ensued while North and I stared at each other. There was much I wanted to say, several things I wished to do, but the public place, and Imperial protocol, prevented me from doing anything while my mind and heart raced.

  He saved my life. You saved my life. You are the bane of my existence and you saved my life!

  "Dr. Cliff, may I introduce you to my mother?"

  I am not quite sure how long it took the question to penetrate my mind, but I finally looked toward the man who had spoken.

  A tall, handsome, reddish-haired man wanted to introduce me to his mother.

  "Your mother?" The words were not spoken with any great intelligence, but I managed to get them out.

  He was smiling as he held his hand out to me. I put my fingers on his, and let him lead me away. To the dais. Where the Empress Dowager sat among her courtiers as she looked out upon her ball.

  When I came to an abrupt halt on the second step, the smiling Emperor said, "She is frightening, but Mother only bites fools. I do not think you are a fool, Dr. Cliff."

  "I think I may be acting like one," I said.

  "Adrew Osprey has a way of flustering people, that is all. Come along."

  As we reached the top of the stairs, I recalled that the Dowager's name was Cesilee. Not that we would ever be on a first name basis. I recalled when she had been the sole ruler of the Ang Empire, and when she had announced she was stepping aside in favor of her son - I had even read the speech that had been circulated throughout the Empire. Of course I knew what she looked like from official portraits.
I knew what I knew, which was little enough, but I was not prepared to meet this famously aloof woman in the flesh.

  Nor could I imagine why the Emperor would even want me to. Maybe it was the dress.

  I gave my deepest curtsy when we stood before the throne.

  The Emperor said, "Ma'am, I present to you, Megere Cliff."

  "Rise," she said.

  I came to my feet as I murmured. "Thank you, Majesty." The Emperor continued to hold my hand. Somehow, this seemed wrong in front of his mother. Yet, I could hardly shake him off, back away - and run for my life. I chose to look at the woman instead, though as meekly as I could manage and without rudely looking her in the eyes. My heart pounded so hard and fast I would have taken a listener to it and possibly prescribed a bit of foxglove serum if I had been my doctor. My throat ached with fear. Or possibly from the beginnings of a cold, a possibility I had worried about since a young patient coughed in my face two days before.

  What if I gave the Dowager or the Emperor a cold? Would that be an act of treason?

  "Are you the singing Cliff girl, or the medical one?" the Dowager asked me.

  The clouds of panic were swept away from me by her question. Why would this woman know anything about the Cliffs at all? Did we all need to be vetted by this high an authority before Uncle Eadum received his knighthood?

  "I am the medical Cliff, ma'am," I said. "One of them. My brother, Tennit, being the other in this generation." I used my calm doctor voice. Thank the All I had practice in at least appearing under control.

  "You have served the Empire well, Dr. Cliff," she said. "Perhaps you will be called upon to serve again soon."

  With that she held up her hand. I bent to kiss a very large emerald ring on her hand. By this time the Emperor had stopped holding mine. She gestured me off. I curtsied again. I was surprised that the Emperor came with me when I backed away, with his hand on my elbow this time to ensure I didn't fall down the steps.

  Instead of letting me go when all this was accomplished, he led me to the dance floor. The orchestra was about two-thirds of the way through playing a popular waltz. The Emperor put his arm around my waist and whirled me into the dance.

  "Please don't mind my taking this liberty without asking," he said as we twirled around. "I had an urge to find out what a surgeon feels like in my arms." After a few more turns around the dance floor, he added, "I believe dancing with you is far superior to dancing with Dr. Fox."

  Fox was chairman of the Imperial College of Surgeons. "Have you tried the experiment of waltzing with him, then, Sire?"

  "I have not. And I do not believe I shall."

  "I applaud your wise decision, Sire."

  At the next turning I briefly caught sight of my parents standing at the edge of the crowd, watching us, wide-eyed. I flashed a quick smile to them as we moved on.

  When the dance ended the Emperor led me off the floor, and over to where Captain Copper and Lord North were still standing. Seeli had joined them, and had her arm through Captain Copper's. She bowed to the Emperor, and Captain Copper bowed, then they headed off to share the next dance.

  "I leave you in my friend's excellent company, Dr. Cliff," the Emperor said. He placed my hand on Lord North's arm.

  After more curtsies and bowing, he walked away. I only stared after him for a moment. Hopefully, my mouth was not hanging open.

  "That was all very interesting, wasn't it?" North asked when there were only the two of us.

  I looked at the admiral. "I have no idea what that was all about."

  "Perhaps our beloved ruler was merely trying to show a sailor a good time." He gestured toward the pairs gathering on the floor. The music began once more. "Come along, Paragon. It is time you and I took a turn at the dance."

  I put my hand on his waist. "I agree, Admiral. It is time for us to dance."

  Being held by Lord North brought back the memory of our embrace on board the Moonrunner with such intensity that I stumbled forward the moment we began the steps of the waltz. Why did it have to be another waltz?

  He steadied me, but pulled me closer than the proper position the steps required.

  "No," I said. Though perhaps not as quickly as I should have.

  It took us a few moments to rearrange ourselves to avoid comments about our scandalous position. I was already going to have quite enough gossip swirling around me from the waltz I had shared with the Emperor, thank you very much.

  "How goes your Seeker Season?" Lord North asked after a few silent turns.

  "Oddly," I said. I am used to being truthful, but there was something about North that seemed to make me even more so.

  "Oddly? How so?"

  "So far I have managed to hand two of my potential husbands over to cousins."

  "Copper would be one of them, I gather. And my ridiculous young cousin." To my nod, he said, "You are well rid of both of them."

  "I quite agree."

  His eyebrows shot up. "Something we agree on. This frightens me, Doctor." He was smiling broadly.

  "You do not look frightened. How goes your Seeking, if I may ask, sir?"

  "Complicated," was the only answer he gave.

  I did not enquire further. Though I did wonder what great noblewomen might be looking upon our being together during so much time at the ball with a certain proprietary annoyance. Perhaps he was attempting to arouse jealousy in some teasing woman's heart.

  "How is your son?" I asked. I hoped this was a properly polite question to ask a nobleman of North's rank. "And his mother, Lady Harrier?"

  "Both are back home, and doing quite well. Lady Harrier takes great pleasure in the regency of the northern lands while I am away, and I take some pleasure in being away. Did you enjoy the cultural exhibit she hosted?"

  "I did."

  "It is a good way of reminding the people of Ang that the north has a culture and history of its own. Not that I am sure that the people of Ang understand that our exhibit is done to make a point."

  Had he kissed Lady Harrier in front of me that day under the palm trees to make a point? At the time I had thought so, but had since decided he had not known, and certainly not cared, that I was there.

  "It was an excellent party, Lord North. We Angish enjoy a party above all else."

  "As this evening's event certainly proves," he said. "What think you of this extravagant show, Doctor?"

  "I think that it has certainly been more interesting for me personally than I had anticipated."

  The music ended. We stepped apart, nodded and slightly curtsied to each other, and politely applauded the musicians. I assumed my time among the great to be over and prepared to gratefully disappear into the bosom of my family. But it was not to be.

  "Let us try to keep the evening interesting," He said. "Come with me, Dr. Cliff."

  I could no more disobey one of the great lords of the Empire under the gaze of all society than I could have disobeyed the Emperor. Besides, I was more curious than I was annoyed at his order. There was something I wanted to say to him in private anyway.

  He acquired a couple of goblets of wine, and I followed him out to the terrace overlooking the lake.

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Green Moon hung low and full in the sky, its reflection huge in the lake. Gray Moon was a pale nonentity next to its huge companion. Red Moon was a barely discernible dot. The fiery trails of meteors made thick arcs overhead. Many people were on the terrace, but it was a very large terrace and deep, mixed shadows gave the illusion of privacy to those seeking it. Lord North led me to a dark spot with a fine view and helped me to a seat on the wide railing. A cooling breeze from off the lake played with my loose hair. I faced him rather than the lake and moons to my back. His sharp features were emphasized by the play of shadow and light from the moonslight.

  After I was settled he handed me the glass of wine. Lord North's hand continued on, to touch the pearl hanging at my throat.

  There was warmth in his gaze when he said, "I made a wager with myself abou
t which jewel you would choose."

  "When you make a bet with yourself, you cannot lose, my lord."

  "That depends on what odds you give yourself, Doctor. But since I thought you would take the pearl, I won."

  I touched the pearl on its gold chain. It was suspended from a setting resembling a stylized wave. "I think it is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen," I said. "I thank you. Not for the pearl, which was a blatant bribe, but for saving my life."

  He stepped back to offer me an elaborate bow. "It was my pleasure to be of service, Dr. Cliff."

  "Shouldn't you have made a humble statement about how you only performed your duty in the heat of battle?"

  "And how would that impress the likes of you?"

  "Why would you want to?"

  He gave me a look that seared through me. Then he said, "Naval surgeons are hard to come by, Doctor." He abruptly sat down beside me on the wide bannister. He lowered his voice. "Now, why would you think I would need to bribe those under my command?"

  I had spoken with reckless honesty, which was a bad habit I had when addressing this man. Try as I might, I couldn't stop now. "The navy and marines vie for resources and prestige, though I believe the military groups manage to cooperate most of the time." So much for a feeble effort at discretion. For honesty, I added, "One hears rumors and speculation about personal tensions between the commanders of the services. The marine commander is closer to the throne than the naval commander. It is in your best interest to build personal loyalty to you among the navy's officer corps to counterbalance Imperial favoritism."