Suffer the Heir, page 10
‘You might want to stay in the carriage for this,’ Hydar said to his sister.
She shook her head. The side door was opened, and soldiers helped them descend. Valentino and Beatrice had also disembarked from their carriage, and the prince was speaking to a crowd of soldiers and courtiers. An older man in black robes was at their centre, tears streaking down his face as he bowed low.
‘The man in black,’ whispered Sebastian to Hydar and Hygilt; ‘that’s Baldini. I knew him in the academy, many years ago.’
They approached Valentino and Beatrice, who was holding a handkerchief to her face.
‘Witnesses suggest that the Maker was then woken up, Your Highness,’ Baldini was saying. ‘A most grievous mistake, as it turned out. No sooner was the evil witch awake, than she summoned her wicked powers and annihilated everyone in the square.’
‘And then?’ said Valentino.
‘Most who survived fled the scene with all haste,’ said Baldini, ‘but some suggest that rebels helped the prisoners to escape in wagons.’
‘Rebels were here? It sounds as though the escape was coordinated.’
‘That was also my initial thought, Your Highness. However, one of the condemned prisoners was a member of a terrorist organisation – the sister of a rebel leader by the name of Tel Than. We suspect that he was here to facilitate her release, and that he snatched his opportunity to save the two Makers and the Master at the same time.’
Valentino gazed over the square. ‘How could such an atrocity be possible? There are strict protocols to follow while executing Masters and Makers with the ability to kill. Why was Raewyn of Klef Mordain awoken?’
Governor Baldini turned to another man, who was dressed in the shapeless robes of the Offices of Purgation.
‘I can only apologise, Your Highness,’ the agent said. ‘I was not present, but it seems that one of my subordinates in the Offices of Purgation ordered that the Maker be kept awake for the duration of the execution. The prisoner had been thoroughly beaten, and her hands were shackled.’
‘Her hands were shackled?’ said Beatrice. ‘Then how was she able to kill so many?’
‘It seems that we are dealing with an exceptionally powerful Maker, Your Highness,’ said the agent; ‘one who trained for several years at the secret school in Klef Mordain.’ He bowed low. ‘I humbly offer my resignation.’
‘On behalf of the empire, I accept your resignation as Lord Commander of the Offices of Purgation in Geathan,’ said Valentino. ‘Return to Sanctos on the first available ship and report to High Priestess Isabella.’
The agent gasped in shock, as though he had expected his resignation to be brushed aside. His hands began to tremble.
‘You heard His Highness,’ snapped Baldini. ‘Remove yourself from our presence.’
The agent shuffled away, his eyes wide.
‘What measures are being taken to apprehend the Masters and Makers?’ said Valentino.
‘We have deployed two full regiments of soldiers, Your Highness,’ said Baldini. ‘One is sweeping the suburbs of Port Adriano, while the other has entered the city of Brattak. Every garrison has been notified, but it will take time for our messages to reach the outlying areas of Geathan. If Prince Mor Dennahelm has made contact with the rebel factions, they may be shielding him. It is also possible that the prince, Abigone and Raewyn have already fled the coastal area. They may have travelled to Danastka, or perhaps the mountain regions. However, if they mean to foment rebellion, then it would make sense that they remained close to Port Adriano.’
Valentino nodded, his eyes tight.
‘We should speak to the relatives of the slain, my husband,’ said Beatrice. ‘They should know that their pain is shared by the imperial family.’
‘I can take you to the grieving families, Your Highness,’ said Baldini. ‘They have been assembled in a building not far from here, in an attempt to identify their loved ones. Unfortunately, that process has been beset by challenges, due to… the nature of their deaths.’
‘What a foul beast this Raewyn must be,’ said Beatrice, ‘to have rendered so many people to nothing but faceless scraps of flesh and bone. Truly I say to you that Masters and Makers are a scourge of this world, a scourge that should be exterminated without pity or mercy.’
‘Indeed, Your Highness,’ said Baldini; ‘you echo my own thoughts.’
He gestured away from the square, towards a large building.
Valentino turned to Sebastian. ‘Take my grandchildren back to the harbour,’ he said, ‘and secure our lodgings within the city. My wife and I will catch up with you later.’
Sebastian inclined his head. ‘As you will it, Your Highness.’
Hydar and Hygilt followed Sebastian back to their carriage as Valentino and Beatrice were led away by Governor Baldini. A soldier held the door open for them, and they climbed aboard. A courtier attempted to follow them into the carriage, but Sebastian raised his hand, and the door was closed.
Hydar eyed Sebastian as the carriage began to move back towards the harbour.
‘What a shocking thing to have happened,’ said Hygilt. ‘Did you meet Raewyn in the Great Forest, Uncle?’
He nodded, his gaze on the street.
‘What was she like?’ said Hydar.
‘A child,’ said Sebastian. ‘Barely a woman. Sixteen, or seventeen, perhaps. She appeared to be acting as Abigone’s young lieutenant, but I had very little dealings with her. I had no idea that she was capable of such an atrocity.’
‘I do not wish to sound churlish, Uncle,’ said Hygilt, ‘but she was being burnt to death at the time. If she had been awoken as the flames reached her, then her reaction, though despicable and tragic, is at least understandable.’
‘I implore you not to repeat those sentiments to anyone else,’ said Sebastian.
Hydar shook his head at his sister. ‘Where did you pick up these odd ideas, Hygilt? We all know that Masters and Makers are dangerous, and here is one who has just proved that point. She kills hundreds of innocent soldiers and civilians, and yet you make excuses for her?’
‘Really?’ said Hygilt. ‘Tell me, brother, how would you react if you woke up tied to a stake with a crowd laughing and jeering at you?’
‘I wouldn’t do anything that deserves being tied to a stake.’
‘And what did Raewyn do? Her crime was to be born a Maker. We beat her up, shackled her and tried to burn her alive. Did she deserve it? What if we are to blame? What if our extreme views forced her to become a monster, as the only way to survive?’
Hydar snorted. ‘There is only one person in this carriage with extreme views, sister – you. Do you honestly believe that we should allow Masters and Makers to walk free in society?
‘Regardless,’ said Sebastian, ‘she is now on the loose. As are Mor Dennahelm, Abigone, and the others from the secret school. It appears that we have arrived in Geathan at precisely the wrong moment to arrest the governor. The blessed emperor cares little for corruption when set against the presence of a dozen notorious Masters and Makers in one of the imperial provinces.’
‘A dozen?’ said Hydar. ‘That many?’
Sebastian nodded. ‘The majority are still children. Dangerous children who have very little to lose. I cannot accept that many are as powerful as Raewyn, but Abigone won’t be far behind.’
‘And Denny? Can he kill?’
Sebastian shook his head. ‘His Master skills are somewhat lacking, as far as I recall. However, that might be irrelevant if his heart is set on stirring up an armed revolt against Sanctian rule. He is more dangerous to the empire as a leader of rebels.’
Hydar’s anger bubbled over. ‘Why didn’t you stop them in the Great Forest, Uncle? You allowed them to go on their merry way, and now look what’s happened.’
Sebastian lowered his gaze. ‘I do not kill children, Hydar. I am sorry if that offends you.’
‘No wonder you were stripped of your rank.’
‘Oh, do shut up, Hydar,’ said Hygilt. ‘I wish every prince in the imperial family were as brave and honourable as Uncle Sebastian. The empire would be in a far better position if that were the case.’
Hydar stared at them. ‘You two… Wait – is that why you are both on this expedition? Does the emperor know that you are soft on Masters and Makers? Does he think that I’m the same? I will not allow you to drag me down with you.’
Hygilt opened her mouth to speak, and Sebastian raised a hand.
‘Let us not quarrel, not after we have witnessed the most appalling sight,’ he said. ‘The situation requires calm heads, not displays of temper.’
‘The situation demands the slaughter of every damn Master and Maker in this world,’ spat Hydar. ‘Only then will we be safe. I might not like the agents of the Offices of Purgation – I mean, who does? – but they are a necessary part of the empire.’
Hydar’s anger started to fade. Both Sebastian and his sister were looking out of the carriage window rather than meet his gaze, and he fell into a sullen silence.
The carriage arrived back into the harbour to find the four troop transports tied up with their soldiers still on board. Sebastian stepped down to the flag stones of the quayside to talk to their officers, and Hygilt turned to Hydar.
‘Sometimes, brother,’ she said, ‘you go too far. You have no idea what Uncle Sebastian has been through. He saved my life in Upper Down, and then he tried his best in the Great Forest, only to be tortured by the Offices of Purgation on his return to Sanctos. You should apologise to him.’
‘Are you a heretic?’ said Hydar.
‘Don’t be ridiculous. You sound like a child. Things aren’t always so simple. In the Great Forest, the Masters and Makers of the secret schools helped to destroy the horrible Master who ruled there. I understand that they can be dangerous, but a man with a sword is dangerous – should we kill all of them, too?’
‘I don’t want to hear it. The faith tells us that Masters and Makers are evil.’
‘Yes, but how do they know that’s true?’
Sebastian re-boarded the carriage. ‘We have quarters in the Governor’s Residence,’ he said, as he sat down, ‘and our luggage has already been sent ahead.’
Hydar frowned. ‘I regret what I said about you being stripped of your rank, Uncle. It was a stupid comment, and I shouldn’t have said it.’
Sebastian nodded. ‘I appreciate that, Hydar. It is true that I am not in the emperor’s favour at the moment; none of us on this expedition are his majesty’s favourites right now. Let us concentrate on supporting Prince Valentino – he has a difficult task to carry out in Geathan, and he needs our support.’
Hydar noticed Hygilt give him a brief smile, then he turned to gaze out of the window. He had only been in Geathan for a few hours, and he had already witnessed the aftermath of a massacre, and argued with two of his closest relatives. It was his big mouth that had got him into trouble with the emperor in the first place, and if he didn’t learn to control it, then he would alienate those who still loved him.
As for the Masters and Makers, he knew he was right, and that his sister was wrong. That was all there was to it.
CHAPTER 7
PRISONER’S DILEMMA
South of Brattak, Geathan – 23rd Day of Saluna 109
Denny’s imprisonment within the slave encampment of Steppen had lasted only three days, but he ranked them among the worst days of his life. Compared to that, his seven days of captivity in the desert south of Brattak had been easy. His left ankle had been shackled to an iron peg embedded into the floor of the small room in which he was being kept, but he had received plenty of fresh water, regular meals, and he had not been ill-treated by the pair of Geathians guarding him.
The walls of his room were made of baked clay mixed with straw, and the roof was thatched, but he had two narrow slit windows. They were too high for him to look at the surrounding landscape, but they allowed in sunshine, and prevented the room from getting too warm.
‘How are you this morning, love?’ said Kur Shoella, as she opened the door. She placed a covered jug of water from the well onto the hard-packed floor, along with a basket of food.
Denny glanced up at the woman from the straw-filled mattress. ‘I would be better if I was free,’ he said.
‘Of course you would,’ she said, ‘but that won’t be happening. You are far too valuable to us, little prince; we won’t be giving up our prize any time soon.’
‘What do you intend to do with me?’
She laughed. ‘You ask that question every day. Have I ever given you a reply? What makes you think I’ll tell you now, eh?’
‘Because you seem like a decent person.’
‘Appearances can deceive, love.’
‘Tell me about the group you work for. What are their aims? If I knew who was holding me prisoner, I might be able to negotiate.’
Kur Shoella shrugged, a hand on her hip. ‘We want the people of Geathan to be free. Do you?’
Denny smiled. ‘I want what’s best for all the peoples of this continent.’
‘And who are you to decide what’s best for me? Do you think that being born a prince means that I should be bowing or kneeling before you? The rich are all the same – they make the rules to suit themselves, and the poor either obey or get punished.’
‘Do I look rich?’
She laughed. ‘Not right now; I’ll grant you that. But, you were born in a palace, with servants kissing your arse all day. Me? I was born in an overcrowded shack on the outskirts of Brattak. When I was a girl, I would look over the river and see Colonia Victus being built. I was so naïve that I believed the Sanctians were building the new city for us.’
‘I left the world of privilege behind when I ran away from Sanctos,’ he said.
‘Am I supposed to believe that you see yourself as an ordinary man? Have you renounced your royal blood? Have you denounced the entire concept of monarchy and empire? Do that, and I might just believe you.’
‘I cannot help who I am.’
‘So, you won’t renounce your royal status? I see. Do you think that an accident of birth qualifies you to be a leader?’
‘Being an imperial prince means I have a duty to serve the people of the empire.’
‘Oh yeah? And how are we being served by the empire? The native Geathians toil in the fields for their Sanctian masters. We do all the work, and it’s people like you who steal all the profit. Enjoy your breakfast.’
She pushed the basket closer to Denny with the toe of her boot, then she nodded to him, turned, and left the room, locking the door behind her. Denny reached out and pulled the basket next to him. He removed the cloth that kept the flies off, and began to eat. There was only a foot’s-length of chain connecting his ankle to the iron hoop in the floor, but he was able to sit cross-legged without too much discomfort. He picked up the jug and drank. The water from the well had an earthy taste to it, but he had got used to it. Altogether, things could be much worse.
It was probably much worse for Raewyn, Marlow and Stanza. Had the Sanctians executed them? Denny had been told nothing about what was happening in Colonia Victus, and he wondered if Kur Shoella or the man who also lived there – Gor Abel – knew anything. As far as Denny was aware, no one had been to the remote desert compound to visit in the seven days since he had been taken there. Perhaps his two captors were as much in the dark about events as he was. They were waiting for something, but Denny had no idea what that could be.
What did they want with him? If his conversations with Kur Shoella were any guide, then the group that was keeping him prisoner had no desire to see him upon the throne of Geathan. They seemed to despise the idea of hereditary rule, and had gently mocked his royal pretensions, claiming that they had no need for a king or emperor. For Denny’s entire upbringing, he had been taught that those in the imperial family were above the ordinary citizens of the empire; that they were better, in some indefinable way. He was also taught that this brought duties and responsibilities. The imperial family might be better than everyone else, but they had to use that knowledge to serve the people. Uncle Sebastian was a fine example of this principle. He was brave, honourable and wise, and he fought only for the safety of the empire and its people, not for riches or prestige. That was the model to which Denny aspired. To renounce his royal blood seemed nonsensical. Would Abigone ever do such a thing? Her realm was tiny, but she remained a princess by birth and blood; and was therefore worthy of respect. Lothar, Walter and Annalise would have obeyed any command given by Abigone, just as the servants in the palaces of Sanctos had obeyed Denny. There was nothing wrong with this system, as long as those in power did not abuse their position as the Whalebone King had done.
His thoughts drifted to Emperor Antonio. Was he a good ruler? His Offices of Purgation were causing untold suffering throughout the Central Provinces; but if you weren’t a Master or a Maker, then life among the empire’s subjected provinces was at least tolerable. The natives of Geathan might toil in the fields, but they were protected by the rule of law, and by the mighty army and navy of Sanctos. And besides, Crown Prince Mikel was next in line to the throne, and he promised to be a ruler less cruel and ruthless than his father, so there was hope for the future. He wondered if Saffie was safe. Her revelation that she was a Maker had shocked Denny in the Great Forest. While he was glad not to be the only member of the imperial family with powers, he worried that Saffie’s secret would be revealed. If the emperor or Aunt Isabella discovered the truth, then she would likely be dead – burned at the stake by the Offices of Purgation.
He lay down after finishing the food. The mattress wasn’t too bad, he told himself. He had been through worse, and the training he had received on Sanctos had prepared him to tolerate adversity. He needed to remain calm, and wait for an opportunity.
