Book 7, Chapter 12: An Unexpected Bitterness
Still shaking and shaking with anger, I stared at those fallen to their knees. Walked back and forth on the dais, trying to calm down. Mest was right. I am a goddess. Why pretend? Why should I pretend!
But I needed more than just fear, were I to succeed here. I shouted, “I will take back our city!”
Head’s up, they cheered. Then stood, clapping and clapping as if the first to stop would become my first target.
Down the steps I went, stopping in front of the guards. I rested my hand on the arm of the rightmost, “I need you to find my generals.” I let go, “I need all of you to get more guards, and seal off this room. I want these nobles arranged by blood. I want to know who my relatives are. And you,” I touched another one, “can you get me a chamberlain or lady in waiting or something? I could use a bath.”
The guard nodded, “Ma’am.”
“Princess Cayce!” a woman’s voice cried out, fast footsteps toward me.
I turned, it was Casonia, Serce’s concubine. Nervous smile, her hands out as if to hug me, and she was babbling something about our two states working together.
I stepped forward and punched her so hard in the jaw you could hear it break, her head rotated around, body following and down she went, face first. Her entourage of cute ladies-in-waiting screamed and screamed. Scared gazes at me, at the unconscious woman, at me, at the unconscious woman. Lots of crying.
Ignoring these girls, and any nobles trying to get my attention, I faced the soldiers, “I’m sorry to ask this, I need more personal guards to keep,” I gestured at the nobles, “these people from me. Oh, and toss this woman into some kind of jail. It doesn’t have to be nice, but no physical abuse! Or I will be unforgiving. One last thing,” I pointed at the fourth guard, “bring me a suit of armor.”
They dispersed to follow my orders, but brought new soldiers to stand around me, keeping everyone away.
Holy shit. Holy. Fudge. Holy fudging-fudge! I’d broke my no swearing rule so, so many times. And fate would surely punish me. And I’d taken the throne.
Wow. Alright. I tried, very hard, to look stern and like I knew what I was doing. I fought the urge to go ask someone, “Hey, so how’s your day been?” And I crossed my arms. Angrily.
Hell, I was angry! All the crap I’d been through since I’d lost my divinity to the mages. Not, like, I guess it was their fault. But . . . faking it as Sarah, being surrounded by inept militaries, and lied to in the worst way by Serce. Oh, I knew he’d lied. I knew. He’d switched the messages that night, writing new ones while I slept. Or just telling someone to do so and singing them. None of his commanders acknowledged my rank. He’d sent none of the scarred men, the men who knew what I could do, who were so fearful as to have bowed before me.
That piece of slime, Serce. Still, I liked the man. I did. He had his charms. I hated what I had to do to the guy. Yeah. He didn’t comprehend the real problem, and he was irretrievably in the way of my success. Plus, the Brundle argument and all that about leaving no loose ends. Sorry Serce.
I crossed my arms. Thinking. It worked for the Egyptians. The Mayans, the Aztecs. Even the Mesopotamians. Alexander too, whom I was now leading in body count, if not cities founded, believed himself of divine birth. So, it would work for me. God-empress. It would work.
Because in this case, it was true.
It occurred to me then that the mages were worried about the wrong problem. They’d been worried, to the point of murder, of a ruler gaining magical powers and conquering all. Meanwhile, they kept deities locked up in their temple to provide them with magic. What they really should have been worried about is a god assuming human form and taking over.
Yeah. Me.
Soon, the soldiers parted to let an older man in. He had long grey sideburns that curled, long hair tied back, was wearing chainmail and carried a sword, “Your Royal Majesty,” and bowed low. “I am General Abtin and couldn’t help but overhear you wanted to speak with us?”
“Yes. The city is under attack, and it really seems to me that if the nuns can get into the palace, they’re besting our army. I want to know what’s going on. Is it dire?”
He looked at me, “Nuns?”
“That’s just what I call them. The enemy. Someone else called them The Temple Clerics.”
“The military is from a distant neighboring state, my lady. And, yes, the situation is dire, but we are pushing them back. Their attack on the palace was a great miscalculation on their part.” He smiled warmly, “If you were asking if you have time to, ah, clean up, you do.”
“They’re here in support of the Temple Clerics. Their goal is to retake the Temple of the Gods.”
“I wasn’t aware of that. How did you come buy this knowledge?”
“Where are the other generals? Take me to the command center.”
“As my lady wishes.”
Behind him, Mestamir appeared, but she was stopped by one of the soldiers. “No, let her through.”
She curtsied, “My lady. A remarkable display of martial prowess.”
The general laughed, “I’ll say. That was Big Babak, the tallest and strongest soldier in our forces. Where did my lady learn to fight like that?”
“It’s all inclusive with the deity package.”
He furrowed his brows.
“Uhm, ma’am,” Mest said before the general could collect his thoughts, “may I continue as your bodyguard?”
“Of course. Stand by my side.”
***
The walk through the palace was filled with people openly staring at me, a blood-soaked girl in a torn and ruined sundress, escorted by no less than eight soldiers who cleared my path effectively.
“Make way! Make way, the empress is coming through!” they said, pushing people aside, in some cases pressing them up against the wall until I passed. Mest walked behind and to my right, my personal guard amidst the men.
The command center was located in a part of the palace I hadn’t been to. At some point, the bricks became smaller and were basically rocks fitted together, then frozen in place with mortar. Probably, this was an older fortification that was expanded on.
We’d finally gotten to the war room and, just outside the door, someone had run ahead and set up a washbasin, with a rack of robes beside. Oh, but I wanted to tear off this dress and clean up! Now that I wasn’t raging and killing, the drying blood was starting to bother me.
I pushed my entire head into the basin, ran my fingers through my hair, came up for air, grabbed the soap and lathered my face and hair up, then poured water over and over until the soap, at least, came off. Mest toweled me off, and the towels were soon half- red. After washing and washing my hands, I took a robe.
“God, Mest, I cannot wait for a full bath.”
“Perhaps there is time now?”
“Best to frighten the generals first, I think.”
Clean enough, at least my face, and dry enough, I moved toward the room. A soldier hurried ahead, opening the door and calling out, “Her Royal Majesty, God-Empress Cayce!”
Perhaps ten men were inside, standing around a high table with map of the city laid out on it. Four of the men were closer to it, the others standing back, probably assistants. They were the first to bow.
One of the generals, blond hair, raised an eyebrow, asking, “God-Empress? What happened to Lady Tienseon? She was running things while Emperor Searcian is in the field.”
Another general gasped, covering his mouth. He had uneven hair and burn-scars. He immediately took a knee, saying, “Your . . . Divine Majesty.”
The blond one looked at him, then focused on me. “What is this nonsense? Who are you, girl?”
“As the man said. You perhaps know me better as Princess Cayce of Nevarrelund, but I am now Laemacia’s empress, too. It is my birthright and I exercised that.”
The kneeling general choked out, “Princess Cayce defeated Otholos at the battle for the Bechalle pass.”
Two of the other generals shared a glance, then immediately fell to their knees, saying honorifics.
“And,” the older general who escorted me here, said, “she killed Tienseon for treason just now. Before assuming the throne.”
The blond man’s eyes widened, “And now you’re here? To take the empire?”
“It’s my empire and I mean to defend it. Now, apprise me of the situation. I do not wish to keep my bath waiting long.”
***
I meant for it to be a short bath. Just soap up, scrub away the blood, somehow get it out of my hair and from under my nails, and then go yell some more at some generals, nobles, whatever it is god-kings do, because I needed to be seen.
But I couldn’t, just couldn’t leave. It was a large bath, more akin to a hot tub, but built out of pretty red stone. Rose petals had been scattered across the warm water, and the scent was heavenly. The heat soaked into my muscles, I floated, finally feeling at peace.
These were formerly Serce’s apartments and before him, Otholos’, and before him, this body’s grandmother and her emperor husband. I think. Still not entirely clear on the family tree.
Regardless, servants were even now removing Serce’s belongings – paintings and sculptures I didn’t like, mainly depicting violence but also the portraits as they still bothered me, even though Bechalle, my torturer, was long dead and gone, some overly sexual sculptures, his wardrobe, and a bunch of masculine stuff I didn’t need. And changing the bedding.
They were larger than my previous apartments at the former Castle Bechelle, now Castle Hafthon, and didn’t feel like I owned them. Not yet. And I really didn’t mean to stay here long, but to consolidate my power and then march on the Temple. I’d barely spent any time in my own castle, down in the south and on the ocean. I really had to rectify that, but I guess this was now mine, too. My palace.
What an absolutely crazy day. This world had won, it had truly beaten any remaining morality out of my system. Brin had told me, in our baths together oddly enough, that might makes right. It’s military power, pure and simple, that supports the nobles’ claims to power.
Or, in my case, I used the incredible violence this body was capable of producing to take the throne. Not a single one of these people could stand against me, no matter the weapons they had. Well, perhaps a well-aimed crossbow. But Laemacia did not yet have crossbows. Oh, I missed my armies.
For me, it was therefore might and fear. Though, I didn’t want to rule by fear, but wow, fear had been a highly successful ally today. And, anyways, what did love and kindness ever do for me?
“My lady?” Mest’s voice, she tapped on the door. We’d decided to forgo ladies in waiting and other attendants for now. They’d probably just get in the way, but they’d also report to whatever factions they served, and it was best to keep me a mystery for now. “The kitchen has brought a selection of beverages for you. May I set it down?”
“Please.”
She’d already cleaned up, probably in a wash basin outside my private bath, and was wearing a blue tunic and pants, loose probably for fighting. Mestamir entered, placing the tray on a nearby table just for that. “It appears they’ve brought you various teas, this black beverage is called coffee, and then a selection of wines.”
I rushed over so fast water slopped out of the bath and all over the tiled floor, “Did you say coffee???” I reached down, picking up the cup, and brought it to my nose, inhaling deeply. “Oh my, oh my god! This makes the entire escapade, the last few months, worth it. Coffee!” Slowly, ever so slowly to savor the taste, I took a sip, and the deeply dark and bitter liquid filled my mouth, and I melted back into the warm waters.
Mest stood, amused smile on her face, waiting. “So that’s what all this was for, so you could have your coffee.”
“You have no idea. I’d have killed the entire enemy army for this cup.”
“Ma’am, what did the general mean when he said you’d defeated Otholos? In the throne room, you said you’d personally killed him.” She knelt down beside the tub.
“Ah. I was thinking, you have friends who trained with you, yes? From the age of three to be bodyguards to the Laemacian royal family.”
“Yes, my lady.”
“I want you to fetch them. They’ll all be my guards now, with you in charge. I’m going to have special armor designed for you. Oh! And we need to replace your weapons, unless they’ve been found.”
“I imagine the army is still securing that entrance. I will make inquires. Ma’am?”
“Also, how’s your wound? Your arm? I hope you got it treated.”
“A healer is waiting in the other room, to check on you. She was gracious enough to heal my arm.”
“That’s excellent news! I took a few cuts, but, ah, they seem to have been minor.” In the excitement, I’d entirely forgotten about them. No blood in the water. I lifted my arm out, no cuts. Something about my divinity had clearly returned, then. Or something new. When things calmed down, I’d have to give it more thought.
“Ma’am?”
“Ah. Yes, ok. I burned him alive in my hands, Mest. I burned so hot that his flesh blackened and charred, his eyeballs melted away, then his flesh was made ash until all I held was his skeleton and this, too, burned to nothing before I was done.
“I defeated his army by melting their weapons. And it looks like many of the soldiers survived, but with scarring. I’m glad they survived, Mest. I still have no idea how many I killed that day, the horrors I caused, yet it had to be in the tens and tens of thousands. But Otholos gave me no choice. He’d promised to kill all whom I held dear.” Not to mention beating me and threatening rape. The man was a monster, I lost no tears over him. “Yet, my own actions are not forgivable. I don’t know how I can begin to atone for them, the deaths of so many a stain on my being.”
She was quiet for a time. Then, “Can you not do the same to the attacking army now?”
“I’m sure others will ask the same question, and soon. Have they brought me armor yet?”
“Yes, it’s ready. I will help you don it when you are.”
“Thank you.”
Standing, she turned to leave.
“Oh, and Mest? Can you send someone to find the little girl who brought me water? No need to bring her here or anything, but I told her to hide until soldiers, our soldiers, found her. I just want to know she’s safe.”
“Your will, my lady.”
She left, I sipped and sipped, putting everything else out of mind, trying to enjoy what little time I had left for relaxing. Yeah, I had a lot to do. A lot, a lot. To solidify my hold here, push the enemy back, ready the troops for when Serce returns because there was no way, no way in hell I was giving this empire up now. And I needed to send messages to my own army. And talk to the mage, Talaren, wherever they were keeping him.
Oh how I wanted my army with me! The strongest on the planet, with the very capable General Brundle leading and Morry, my big man, in his full plate mail, crushing my enemies down. They’d come. And when they did, it would mean unity between my kingdom and now this, my empire. A much larger empire now.
The prince should be arriving tomorrow. That would give us enough troops to utterly defeat their army here, though we’d have to do so quickly. Before their other army arrived. Yet the bigger problem was if Serce didn’t return. For that would mean the other nun’s army had defeated his. It would double the number of attackers facing us and we would lose shortly. Given that the city walls had fallen, it seemed were already losing.
I’d do what I could to shore up this city’s defenses, but there was no easy solution here. My new generals probably knew more about war than I did, they were probably doing all they could already. Yet they were losing. There were no neat tricks I could introduce to win the upcoming battles.
But I could definitely join the battle. And that would likely inspire our troops, watching their god-empress slay the enemy.
I took another sip of the coffee. It was beginning to chill, so a gulp this time. It’s bitter pleasantness ran through my veins like an old friend come to hug me.
On the other hand, I didn’t have to fight, our armies didn’t have to fight. The nuns wanted me for a reason. All I had to do was talk to them.
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