by Matt Gilbert
Kariana leapt to her feet. Here I go again. I really should make out a will some time. “Go on!” she shouted. “Say it! Kariana the stupid whore, good for nothing but being a lightening rod for assassins!” She walked to the desk and turned back to the Elders on the platform. “My father groomed Theron for rule. I was supposed to be a princess! I was supposed to be beautiful and have beautiful things! I was never supposed to be anything more, and you stole it from me!” She swept her arm about the room, accusing them all with the gesture. She spun and laid both hands on the judge’s desk and stared Maranath in his stormy blue eyes. “You put this crown upon my head, and you never warned me how heavy it would be!” She stepped back, blinking against tears. Not now! But they were coming, and she swept them aside in fury and humiliation.
“You have no right to put it all on me! You left me to sink! You never told me what to do, or why, or what it would cost! At least have the balls to admit it! None of you want the job. Who else besides me is stupid enough to take it?”
For long moments, there was stunned silence among the elders. Prandil began to clap softly, and it seemed sincere. Maranath shook his head in admiration. “Touche’, my dear,” he conceded with a nod. He glanced about, noting that most seemed to agree. “If there are no objections, then, I will return this courtroom to the Empress.”
“I object,” Ariano said, her voice almost a growl. “Her remorse is feigned, and she has no intention of wearing our yoke for long. We should kill her now, and deal with the consequences as they arise.”
Kariana stamped her foot and spun toward the sorceress. “If I had my boot on your neck, would you feel any different?”
“No,” Ariano conceded. “But mark my words, child. Defy this council again and I will use your skin for a canvas and your blood for paint. Then, my dear, you’ll once again exist only to be beautiful, and we can all be happy, hmm?”
Kariana felt a chill up her spine at this, and barely suppressed a shiver of fear. Ariano meant every word, and she was more than capable of delivering on the promise. She’s the most dangerous person in the room. Kariana swallowed a lump in her throat and nodded quickly to the old sorceress. “It will never come to that.”
Maranath rose from the desk and bowed, then ascended the platform and took his seat. Kariana looked up at them as she took the judge’s chair back, and found herself gifted with a sudden insight. They sit above me because they are above me. What a fool I have been.
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 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 long moments, then let the pose drop. Kariana could almost feel her eyes blazing with hatred. “The Southlander had the right of that,” she nearly growled.
Maralena’s eyes flashed with fury, and she 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 the towel to her swollen lip and winced. She ground her teeth and spat, “Of course, I was in a better position to appreciate the full extent of the carnage. Was that your plan, to get me killed?”
Maralena ran a hand over her face in dismay. “You ruined my plan quite thoroughly, 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 in derision. “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 and brute force.”
Kariana flashed the old woman a girlish smile. “It’s much nicer with brute force, though. Fragile things make such lovely sounds when you dash them against the floor, don’t you think?”
Maralena stared at her in horror. “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 Nerelki for what she’s already done. You’re looking to draw some blood here, too, and you want it dripping with irony.” She rolled her eyes again. “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, impressed. “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 now. “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. I won’t do it.”
“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 point out that we were watching you because we knew this all along. I’ll walk away without a scratch, and you’ll be dis
graced. 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 could barely restrain 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 dare not express. Oh, I don’t think we both need to die for it to be over. Just you being dead should work just fine.
Once the council meeting 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’s gave Prandil a sad, almost 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 we all play into? They will say, ‘Tasinalta cannot protect Nihlos. She cannot even protect herself!’ 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 quickly. “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 shook his head vigorously in denial. “Nobility be damned! A name given cannot be taken back!” He looked to Narelki for support, but found little there to aid him. He waited for several moments, 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 at this, her eyes burning with rage as 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. She was emotionless now. She’s stolen Narelki’s ice. “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 your house name, but it was not a matter of law. There is precedent for what I propose.”
Narelki rose to her feet, fury twisting her face now. “Executing a rapist is hardly the same as executing an innocent!”
Maralena tried and failed to suppress a giggle, then covered her mouth with her hand, looking embarrassed. “No one is innocent.”
Ariano sighed and joined the argument. “Even if we accept this line of argument, she bears his child. There can be no question that the child carries noble blood.”
Kariana matched Ariano’s sigh with her own, twice as loud. “Oh, I assure you, there can be plenty of questions. A noble father, a common mother, things are never settled.”
Maralena nodded her agreement. “And in any event, the child is unborn, hence unnamed.”
Prandil, too, had heard enough. “So you would have us all participate in a mass self delusion 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 women has aborted an unwanted pregnancy with herbs, or with surgery, and they were not treated as murderers. Aiul has himself performed such surgeries. How can anyone argue otherwise?”
Polus nodded, almost 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 nodded agreement. “Aye, enough of this 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 even speak, Maranath slammed 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 cleared his throat and raised a hand, still scribbling furiously in his notebook. “Just a moment, I will vote against you. I vote that we put you to death. I just need my hand here a few moments longer.”
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, shock and anger on his face. “Narelki! Will you not stand for your own blood?”
Narelki’s face was ashen, haunted. Tears brimmed in her eyes as she looked about the courtroom, but she did not rise.
Kariana waited for several moments, then announced in a deadpan tone, “Six opposed, and one aside 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 must follow procedure, eh?”
Prandil’s grin seemed suddenly much more than humor to her. He was flirting. Even after the mess she had caused, and even after putting her down. 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, followe
d by Narelki.
Ariano’s eyes grew wide. “Faithless bitch!” She started forward, 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 met Ariano’s volcanic gaze with her own glacial stare. “Amrath cursed hypocrisy above all else.”
“It is not hypocrisy to change your mind!”
Narelki smiled wryly. “I have not changed my mind. I would change nothing I have done.”
Ariano shook her head in disgust. “A lie for these fools, as we well know. Have a care, Narelki, there are things you don’t know that will make the poison in your soul work faster!”
Maranath shook his head in disgust. “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 and glared pointedly at Maranath. “That’s enough, I think.”
Maranath responded with a grunt and turned away, fuming. “The level of cowardice in the chamber astounds me. We should never have allowed any but Mei’s loyal to stand as Elders!”
Sadrina sat in silence, her mocking 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 are children.”
Narelki spun toward her, eyes full of fear and fury. “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 with her rebellious mood.
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?”
