by Glen Cook
One of her lifeguards brought a chair, placed it opposite her. She indicated that Hecht should sit.
She began to talk the business of crusade and empire but seemed vaguely distracted.
The first course arrived, something local that Hecht neither recognized nor appreciated. It was a dough ball filled with shredded meat, unfamiliar spices, and strange chopped vegetables. The Empress observed, “Their people weren’t big on luxuries. Especially food.”
Hecht caught a whiff of coffee. It made him sit up straight and look toward the doorway whence the server lifeguard had entered and departed.
Katrin managed a smile. “Some things are too marvelous to give up, however much I don’t mind living rough.”
The coffee arrived with what turned out to be both the main and final course, a roast slab of unidentifiable beast the attending lifeguard divided according to status rather than capacity.
Hecht tied in, ate slowly, talked planning, and hoped the disappearance of the lifeguards and the absence of courtiers did not foreshadow another difficult situation.
Katrin did get personal. And became personable. A little food, a little wine, doing wonders for her mood.
She quizzed him about his past and plans, about Anna Mozilla, the children, what he thought of Helspeth as a person and his feelings toward her. She knew an uncomfortable lot about Piper Hecht. As always, she came to the question that seemed to consume her: Had he and Helspeth yet been intimate?
“This is difficult, Your Grace. The answer is, no. We haven’t. Nor will ever be. Though I might find it difficult to keep my place if she insisted.” He might want to sell a dangerous lie later.
“Helspeth wouldn’t insist. Helspeth is dutiful to the needs of the Empire. But a well-timed nudge could tip her over with her heels in the air.”
Katrin was tormenting him. Trying to provoke him. Being jealous of Helspeth. Again. “I’m not comfortable discussing these things, Your Grace. My role is to help you liberate the Holy Lands.”
“As your Empress we’re free to interpret your duties as it please us, Commander of the Righteous.” Using an Imperial “we” for the first time in his experience. With a tremor in her voice.
Hecht was frightened now. He had a notion where Katrin was headed. He did not want to be there when she arrived. But he saw no way to escape.
Katrin said, “Have you heard rumors about my private court, Commander?” Voice more tremulous.
He could not deny that. “I have, Your Grace. Canards put about by your enemies, surely. All rulers suffer such things.”
“But you’re afraid there might be some truth there, aren’t you?”
“It isn’t my place to be concerned. My mission …”
“Those rumors might be true, Commander. I’ve become infatuated with human coupling. I’ve made some of my ladies mate with their lovers while I watch. Some find that exciting.”
Most, he suspected, had been humiliated. Their humiliation would be what Katrin fed the darkness within her.
“You don’t think well of me. For that. I don’t think well of myself. I did stop watching those who objected. I just wanted to satisfy my curiosity, anyway.”
Which left Hecht puzzled. And disinclined to believe her.
“Of course. I’m no virgin. Why should I be curious? Because Jaime is my only experience. Jaime was never the kind of lover my ladies whispered and giggled about when they thought I wasn’t listening. Jaime was a brute. He did nothing to make me want to be there while he spilled his seed. My agents found other women he used during his stay in Alten Weinberg. His ill usage wasn’t reserved for a disdained spouse.”
“Your Grace, I beg you. This isn’t something I need to hear.”
“But you do. Jaime of Castauriga is, was, the watershed event of your Empress’s life. Jaime of Castauriga created what you see: A woman sick in body and soul. A woman who can’t fulfill her foremost duty to the Empire. I can’t produce an heir.”
Hecht tried to be reassuring. He failed.
“Commander, I know there are diplomats out west trying to lure Jaime back. For my sake. For the sake of the succession. For the sake of their own ambitions. It doesn’t matter. He won’t come. The conflict between the Jaime I imagined and the Jaime of reality will shape me for as long as I go on. My problem at the moment is my terror, knowing I may not go on long.”
Hecht grew uncomfortable in a different way.
Had he misjudged? Was she just venting secret torments? Ridding her soul of things she could not share with anyone else because anyone else would use her revelations as political tools?
“Commander, I’m dying. Slowly, but definitely getting there.”
“Uh …”
“It isn’t just the poison. Though I’ll never fully recover from that.”
“But …”
“The second pregnancy. It did something to me. Sometimes I’m deathly sick. The physicians and healing brothers can’t figure it out. Can’t make it go away. I piss purple and turn blue. It brings on episodes of madness. I don’t know that while they’re happening. People tell me, afterward. When it’s sometimes too late to undo the damage.”
Hecht was becoming more comfortable in his discomfort. This was, indeed, just a guided tour of Katrin’s inner hell. “Not to insult you in any way. Have the healers considered exorcism?”
“I’m sure they’ve discussed it. They haven’t had the nerve to suggest it. Should I raise the matter myself?”
“That might ease their fears.”
“When we get back to Alten Weinberg, then. Meantime, I have a new assignment for you.” Katrin left her seat, moved to a shadowy corner where she fiddled briefly with a wall hanging. Her hands were shaking. “Help me with this, please.”
“All right.” He shoved his chair back, rose, went.
Katrin’s gown collapsed around her. There was nothing but pallid, lean woman underneath. She stepped out, spread the gown around, dropped to hands and knees atop it, lowered her forehead onto her folded hands.
“Your Grace!”
“You know what you have to do.”
“I can’t! It’s not …”
“Then I’ll have a new Commander of the Righteous in the morning.”
Her tone left no doubt she meant what she said.
Even so, he had to debate himself before he began, reluctantly, to unbuckle.
This could not be good. In no way. It might cost him big, and forever. But he could not give up being Commander of the Righteous to avoid it.
His choices might have nothing to do with his intellect if his flesh refused to perform.
“Your Grace, this isn’t the best way.”
“This is the way I know. This is the way Jaime taught me. He wasn’t interested in any other way. Sometimes he missed the proper channel. He didn’t care.”
And still the man obsessed her.
Hecht could think of no escape save resignation.
His body was more easily swayed than his mind. He had been away from Anna for a long time.
Hecht executed his Empress’s demands, amazed to find her ready and further amazed that she responded once she understood that he would not be brutal.
Katrin was made different than Anna, in there. He did not have enough experience of women to understand what that might mean. If anything.
Self-loathing, dread of potential repercussions, even concern that he might disappoint the Empress, made him last longer than ever he had with Anna.
Katrin became deeply embarrassed after it was over, Hecht suspected more because of her behavior during than because of what she had done to make it happen. He had no idea what to say except to express an unromantic concern. “What happens if that quickens?”
“Another of my husband’s blessings, Commander. I told you. My last pregnancy left me barren.”
“I didn’t know.” That was explosive news.
“No one should. I shouldn’t have told you. That information could be dangerous to the Empire, internally and
externally. Don’t mention it to anyone. Especially not those idiots who are always scheming in my sister’s name.”
“Of course not.” She had just pulled him in further. He was deeply invested in her. He needed her reign to go on. Those idiots who schemed in Helspeth’s name did not love him. Verbally, he admitted what he had confessed with his flesh. “My post is too important to me to risk on gossip.”
Possibly not the best thing to say despite the absence of romance in the situation. But Katrin was no more experienced than he.
“Thank you, Commander.” She finished shrugging into her gown. “For everything. Are you all right? You look pale.”
“My wound. I didn’t feel it while … It’s reminding me that I’m not supposed to indulge in strenuous activity. Even now.”
Flicker of a smile. Self-congratulation? “You’d best get back to less arduous labors, then. Before someone imagines a reason for a new wicked rumor.”
“As you command, so shall it be, Your Grace.”
“Of course.” To herself more than him, she said, “A pity I couldn’t be Helspeth.” Louder, “Commander, this didn’t happen. I had an idea about attacking Hovacol on the way home. I sent the others away because I’m convinced that one of my lifeguards is spying for King Stain. I’m quite mad on that point. In fact, I’m starting to see spies everywhere. It took you all this time to talk me out of the invasion.” She paused, then added, “I really have been thinking about Hovacol. I talked it over with my people.”
“Smart thinking, Your Grace. But, don’t. It’s a side issue.”
Just how smart? Was she manipulating everyone? Had the past half hour been the product of a longtime scheme? If so, how often were her sicknesses and mad spells tactical?
On reflection, he concluded that was not the Ege style. Both daughters wanted people thinking they were more fierce, straightforward, and stubborn than their father had been.
***
Vircondelet was waiting when Hecht returned to their makeshift headquarters in the former employee barracks. “Wow! You don’t look so good, boss. What happened?”
“The wound is barking back. I got excited and tore something. What’re you still doing here?”
“They’ll move out at dawn. With de Bos doing the moving, if that’s all right. He’s got something going back in the berg. I don’t. How did you tear it?”
“I lost my temper. I’m starting to think I outsmarted myself, signing on with this madwoman.”
“Sir! That kind of talk …”
“I’ll be more circumspect. I promise.” He settled into a rickety chair, gingerly. There would be no sudden moves for a while.
Others from the duty section began to gather.
Again, Vircondelet asked, “What happened?”
“She was all about Hovacol and King Stain again. She wanted to attack them on the way home. And wouldn’t listen when I told her we don’t have the numbers and we’ll be too busy hauling falcons and firepowder and trying to avoid Eastern troops to go haring off on an adventure she dreamed up because some pipsqueak local tyrant doesn’t share her religious prejudices.”
Several men groaned. Vircondelet asked, “Do we have to? We’ll need to start planning right now.”
“No. I talked her out of it. For now. But she won’t forget it. I just need to keep her eyes on the Holy Lands. By the way. Don’t mention this to her people. She’s sure some of them are spies for King Stain.”
Hecht saw nothing to suggest suspicion of bad behavior on his part.
A clerk asked, “What is it with her? All this holy war stuff.”
“She isn’t well. And she thinks she’s sicker than she really is. She doesn’t want to be another Lothar.”
“She wants to make a splash that will buy her passage into Paradise?”
“So it would seem, Mr. Tharep. With luck, stubbornness, and a lot of yelling, I weaseled us out. Now, if we have to travel tomorrow I’d better go lay me down and let this wound recover some.”
Nervous discomfort. Some of these men could not get past their commander having been slain, then returned to life. No argument could quiet their conviction that the Night had intervened. Not that it was, ipso facto, always bad to be hallowed by the Night.
They were unaware that the Night already knew him as the Godslayer.
***
Hecht lay back on his commandeered cot and failed to fall asleep. Katrin would not get out of his thoughts. Inevitably, when he replayed specifics, she morphed into the Princess Apparent.
Try and try again, he could not get events as they had occurred to fit his prior expectations — least of all that Katrin Ege would take such pleasure from the encounter. Maybe the exercise of absolute power had moved her.
His flesh began to respond to his recollections.
***
“Well. Living proof that it’s a good idea to knock before entering.”
Hecht started up, in a panic of embarrassment. He dragged his blanket across his lap. “Heris? What the hell are you doing here?”
“Sweet welcome. I didn’t come to see that. I’ll tell Anna you miss her.”
“Heris, I … I …”
“Forget it. I’m embarrassed, too. I had to remind myself that you’re my brother.”
Which left him just that much more unsettled. “What do you want? Why are you here? What’s happened? You seem different.”
“I am different. Keep your voice down. Your mother hens will be all over us. Let me talk.” She plunged into everything she had seen since last they had visited. Hecht did not interrupt. Heris had a knack for reporting essentials.
“So you’re all set to release those devils.”
“All set to try. But not real sure we can pull it off. Which is why I dropped by. I need some weapons,” she explained.
“Damn! I ought to give you to Rhuk and Prosek. They could use somebody who understands firepowder as well as you do.”
“Even a girl?”
“That could be a problem. Drago is a total cocksman. Anyway, your timing is good. There’s about every type firepowder weapon ever imagined here. Tell me what you need. I’ll leave it behind.”
“A lot of firepowder. Several light falcons. And some of those hand weapons you don’t let your men use anymore. Why is that, anyway?”
“I do let them. Some of them. But giving them to everybody — besides being expensive — is counterproductive. Originally, the idea was for every man to have a weapon he could use if he came up against some Night thing. But they won’t hold back. If it’s dark and they’re scared they go straight to the smoke and bang. They end up hurting each other.”
“God, Piper. You sound like Grandfather giving a lesson on the Construct.”
“Sorry. Any news from home? Have you been?”
“Not for a while. Last time I was there, Anna was all upset because the girls were spending so much time with Grandfather. He has them learning the Construct. And Pella was being a handful. Anna has to remind him about the incident with the rotting demons all the time. He should be out here with you.”
“He should find something better to do with his life.”
“Anna would agree. But, what? Think about his background. The best he can do is have your light shine on him. I’ll let you get back to what you were doing. I’ll pop over to the town house and steal a night in a real bed. Don’t forget to leave me my toys.”
“I won’t. How will you shift them?”
“Dwarf power. I’ve got troops of dwarves I can call in. All mythical and imaginary, of course. Me being a true-believing Episcopal Chaldarean.”
Heris turned sideways, leaving Hecht unable to ask further questions.
***
As with everything in life, departure took longer and was more aggravating than had seemed likely beforehand. Everyone wanted to know why Hecht was leaving a cache of firepowder and falcons in the barracks. He refused to explain.
While questions were asked and going unanswered a courier arrived. He bestr
ode a badly blown bay gelding. He was as bad off as his mount. He belonged to the party that had gone down to Liume. Hecht and Vircondelet helped him dismount. He had just enough will left to hand over a folded note. Vircondelet helped him lie down, which was all he wanted now.
“Vircondelet. I have something to do. You’re in charge till I get back. Keep things moving. And be ready for trouble.”
“The locals say there’re no …”
“Ready for trouble, Mr. Vircondelet. It’s stalking us now. Don’t let it surprise us.”
“Yes, sir. As you command.” Clearly puzzled.
Hecht strode through the ruins of the manufactory, bent by his burden. He found Katrin’s lifeguards in a frenzy of activity. They had no specific invitation, and seemed determined not to coordinate, but were not eager to be left when the Righteous departed.
Hecht cornered Captain Ephrian. “I need to see her. Now. Bad news.” Rather than argue, he presented the note.
“Oh, shit. Holy fucking shit. You think it’s true?” In a flat, stunned monotone.
“I can’t imagine my men sending the news the way they did if it was just a rumor.”
“I’ll take you to her, she likes it or not, because I don’t want to be the one who tells her.”
“Coward.”
“Damned straight.”
“She’ll take it hard.”
Ephrian growled, “She’ll go way beyond the bug-fuck she already is. I’m willing to bet.”
Hecht would not have stated it that colorfully but he agreed. Katrin would do something dramatic.
She was not pleased to see him. She tried to avoid talking to him.
“Your Grace. I’ve just received terrible news from my intelligence chief. You need to know. Right now.”
“Speak. And it had better be interesting, Commander.”
“There was a battle near Khaurene, in the Connec. Connectens and Direcians fighting King Regard of Arnhand, who invaded the Connec at the bidding of the Patriarch.” Underscoring the obvious.
Katrin went from imperious and impatient to pale, bowed, and bleak. “Tell me.”
“King Peter of Navaya and King Jaime of Castauriga were slain in the fighting.” He did not try to soften the reality. He wanted to get in quick, deliver the blow, get out, and let Katrin bring her Ege iron to bear.
