Book 7, Chapter 23: Be Still The Noose
Standing before the throne room doors, I was feeling the day. My legs wanted to collapse, sides burning with each turn, back felt like I’d been massaged by a sledgehammer. I had no idea what to say to these nobles. ‘Sorry, you’re free to go,” seemed a bit weak.
I didn’t even know what I wanted from them. Oh, right, nothing. But that triggered an idea. I needed the idiot twins here. They’d know these people and, better yet, know who had power, where the connections lie. Well, damn. No idea if I’d have thought of this earlier were I not exhausted, but I didn’t. I’d have to send for them, get this sorted later. And inform them, sadly, that neither would be my first or second wife, me not super into marrying a cousin and all that.
Family connections reminded me of another problem I needed to deal with, and I turned to my ever-present bodyguard, “Mest, I have to apologize for dumping all that emotion on you earlier. That was, well, I don’t know where it came from.”
“No ma’am, no need to apologize.” She lowered her eyes, “It has been a busy day.”
“You are not kidding.” I reached out, placing my hand on her shoulder, looking into her eyes, “You have been rock steady and I appreciate it. And I am sorry.”
“Accepted and thank you, ma’am,” she nodded her head, “though I did not understand a thing you said.”
I squeezed her shoulder, mustered a brief smile, breathed in and faced the doors. The side entrance to the room, the one I’d left from earlier. At least this time, I wouldn’t have to kill more people. Probably.
As I entered, walking toward the throne, soldiers snapped to attention, nobles sitting along the walls stood up, and people near the front of the chamber fiddled with their hands, eyes darting here and there, speaking in quiet voices. Upon reaching the throne, I dropped my hand to its armrest, meeting people’s eyes as I looked out to the crowd. They were worse for wear but hadn’t fought any battles other than being forced to stay here. Little did they know that if I sat upon this throne, I’d soon be sleeping.
After a time, I loudly said, “We have retaken the city.” A smattering of applause, more enthusiastic toward the front. I looked away. Then focused my gaze on a man there, women here, and held my fist high, “We have retaken the city!”
Sustained applause. Probably remembering the three people I slaughtered in front of them.
“We crushed their army and defeated their siege! Their army was twice the size of ours.” More clapping. “Yet I have bad news. But first, I will address why you are being held here. Because I want to know who you are! And what you have to offer Laemacia. I want each of you noble families to appoint a representative to advise me. Big or small, powerful or not, choose your representative carefully! This is your chance to influence policy.”
I could almost tell where the families were by how they looked at each other, trying to convey the opportunity I’d just given them to others silently. Then they looked at other groups of people, some with scowls, others with calculation. Great. If they could just get on with the infighting and leave me out of it, that’d be perfect.
I continued, “The bad news! The enemy’s second army marches on the city even now. We don’t know where our army in the field is, if it still exists. But our cities are sending reinforcements! We will hold!”
More clapping.
“That is all. You are free to go about your business.”
Lots and lots of shouting, people rushing forward. My immediate guards, hands on their weapons, walked forward to prevent the mob from reaching me. “God-empress, a moment of your time!” and “I demand a discussion with you!” and “If I could just talk to you!” and more and more.
I had to say something. “Now is not the time. Pick your representatives and I’ll meet with them later. I am going to shore up our defenses now. This presentation is finished.” Then I walked down the steps, ignoring everyone, and left.
***
The warm water soothed my muscles, and I sipped at an ale, set it down and probably slept in the bath. A bunch of blurry stuff happened after that and Mest was shaking me – in my new bed – awake, “Ma’am? The army has begun its siege, and the generals request your presence. You’ve been sleeping for six hours.”
My eyes half-lidded and heavy, “Not long enough.”
“Shall I tell them to wait?”
“No, Christ, I’ll get up.”
“My lady, may I ask what this ‘Christ’ is you keep saying?”
“Coffee, Mest, I am not getting out of this bed unless there’s a giant pot of coffee waiting with tea. Dinner? Lunch? Supper?”
“Well past dinner, ma’am.”
My eyes closed of their own accord, and I fell back into the pillow, “Leftovers will be fine.”
“I believe it’s information about the enemy army, ma’am. They are setting up fortifications and siege weapons.”
“Damn. Alright. Coffee!”
“Ma’am.”
***
It really was a pot of coffee. The kind you cook with. I shook my head. Yeah, that didn’t translate I guess. I lifted it to my lips and tried not to spill. Sighed. Breathed in deeply and then just dumped my cup inside, filling it up, holding it over the pot to let the coffee drip back in, and wiping it with a cloth. That confirms it. I was a barbarian.
Not being used to it in this young body, the coffee got me buzzing pretty quickly. But thinking about it, had I ever really had coffee? Ugh, I gave up on that line of thinking and got dressed in my armor. While taking generous sips from the glorious black liquid and bites from a plate of meat, cheese and bread that served as dinner.
Six hours of sleep. That put it sometime in the afternoon.
I still felt sleepy. And worn out. Hungry, too, but I was taking care of that need now. If not for the urgency, I’d ignore the generals. Yet this was like my first day on the job. First impressions being everything, I hurried.
And, well, the enemy army readying to attack was a strong motivator.
***
Back in the war room, assistants lining the walls, five generals around the main table, sunlight shining through the window to warm the maps scattered about it, everyone faced me as I entered. Honorifics given. Mest and other bodyguards put their backs to the wall.
“Gentlemen, I hope some of you were able to rest. Now, I believe you have updates for me?”
The tall and lean Sasan, of course, stepped forward, “They’ve set up camp to the south, directly in front of the city. We’re lucky at present, as they haven’t moved on our downed city walls to the east, but I worry they will. Right now, I have half the surrendered men putting up defenses in front of the city walls and the other half clearing the eastern city and shoring up its defenses.”
“Ma’am,” Dareb apologetic look on his face and touching the map where the enemy army would be, said, “several of the former prisoners have crossed to their camp. A few were loosed upon initially, though several made it. We should expect the enemy to know about the last few days of combat.”
“Good,” said Mazdak, “let them know how utterly we overcame their army.”
I nodded. “Can’t be helped.”
Dareb continued, “I don’t think it’s good. They’ll reason that our war rhinos are gone, our troops depleted. And, my lady, may I ask why you offer the enemy’s surrendered soldiers land? That will sow division amongst our own men. Surely they must be upset that they also aren’t getting land.”
I resisted the urge to facepalm. “Excellent point, General. We’ll give our soldiers land, too. It’ll become part of their pay and, at the end of their tenure, they’ll get land. We’ll make certain it’s larger.”
Generals Sasan and Dareb were aghast, but Mazdak and Abtin both nodded, and Sorstram’s face showed something akin to reverence. None of them knew I was just making this up on the fly. To quote a genius philosopher and procrastinator, these were future Cayce’s problems.
Yet the thing was, why shouldn’t all soldiers be given land? Yes, it would upset the order. Yes, the nobles would be upset, and anyone with a vested interest in maintaining a lower class, but those weren’t my goals. If I somehow survived the Others, it was clear I’d take this entire continent. And I’d force peace on these people, introduce reforms, and aim for population growth. We lived in a dangerous, messed up world where nature truly needed taming. Monsters terrorized the land, eating livestock and people. Our only hope against them was to create a stable society based on expansion, so we could make nature ours.
Later, I’d have to work out how to expand human settlements in the least dangerous way. We couldn’t just have frontier land being broken up for farming since those people would be no more than food for whatever is out there. We’d have to conquer, settle with defenses, expand and conquer more land. Hell, I’d follow China’s example with the Great Walls they built over the years. We’d take land, wall it up, settle it, take more land.
But there was no point in explaining this vision to these people. I didn’t feel like being put on the defensive, being told all the reasons my plans would not work, and there was no point discussing this right now. If we didn’t succeed, if I couldn’t unify my kingdom and Laemacia and destroy the nun’s army, and somehow defeat ancient horrors, it didn’t matter that a few thousand people thought they were getting farmland.
Yes, you are getting a pony! Just be a nice boy for a little while longer. And keep quiet.
“Will we . . .” Dareb’s eyes darted here and there, “how will we, uhm, give land? Based on rank?”
“Sure, that works. Gentlemen, I need you to focus now. Not on problems we’re going to be facing if we survive. Give me updates. Mazdak, what’s the enemy doing? Abtin, how did the nobles respond?”
Mazdak took a half-step forward. “They wish to parley. There’s a lone soldier on a horse waving the white flag, requesting our presence. We thought it best you rest and have not answered him yet.”
“Ah.” I didn’t know what to do. A normal leader would likely ride out to meet them, hear their terms or threats or whatever, but I knew exactly what they wanted. My bones, apparently. Not very motivating. “They betrayed the last parley. I don’t see a reason to meet with them.”
“That’s quite true.” He nodded. “I recommend waiting until that man gives up, turns his horse around, and heads back for their encampment before answering the request. It’ll buy us time. Also, my lady, I’m not sure you should attend the meeting, given that they tried to kill you last time.”
I shook my head, “They aren’t capable of killing me.” The room was full of feet shuffling, people looking at the ground, but all Mazdak did was smile. “We’ll follow your recommendation and continue ignoring them. That’ll give us more time to prepare. How are the defenses coming along?”
“Building defenses for the east city is slow going, but we’re making progress. If they attack from there, we yet maintain the advantage. We have rubble piled up, archers on rooftops, and we’ll funnel their men into kill zones. However, we will be in danger of losing archers as they take city blocks. And they will, as they have the numbers and we don’t have a lot that can push them back. Excepting yourself, my lady.”
“Right.” I let my head fall for a moment. “Let’s start building walkways along the rooftops. As sturdy as we can. That way, we won’t lose archers. They’ll be able to retreat as the enemy gains ground. We need to make them pay for every step they take.”
Sasan nodded and assistants left the tent in a hurry. “Excellent, ma’am, but that’ll mean their troops will eventually ascend and harass our archers on those same rooftops.”
“As long as the walkways can be tossed to the ground after they’re used, that won’t be a problem.”
He nodded at me, this time in agreement, but another assistant left as well.
“In front of the castle,” Mazdak said, “we’re also doing our best to also force their movement during attack. It’s slow going and I don’t think we’ll fully succeed if they attack soon. Also, they’ll have their siege weapons into position soon. Unfortunately, they’re just out of archery range. That is how they brought down the city walls the first time, my lady.”
“Ah. You’re in favor of parley?”
“Only as a delaying tactic. There’s no reason to trust them at all and no reason to take their request seriously.”
“The nobles, ma’am,” said Abtin. “They’ve formed a committee to speak with you, as per your instructions. They’re waiting down the hall.”
“They can wait for the moment. Understand, we are fighting together now. Against a common enemy. And I am the only heir to this throne, the only surviving legal monarch. But you don’t know me. Except, and I apologize for how, Sorstram.”
He kind of bit his lip and nodded.
Inhaling deeply, I paused, not knowing how this would go. Yet, I had to cement my power here. “I need your oaths, gentlemen. I need to know I can count on you against not only our foreign enemies, but any nobles who threaten my position.”
Dareb glanced at Sorstram, then looked at me, asking, “If you can melt weapons and burn armies, then why don’t you?!”
Lying never really worked for me. But the truth here seemed foolish to disclose. I walked around the table, tapping my hands on the wood every few steps, never meeting anyone’s gaze. The generals, the assistants, to a man were frozen. Some looked down. Others’ eyes followed me, my walk. Mazdak watched. Abtin. Sasan. Mest and my bodyguards tensed, ready, hands not quite on their weapons.
But Dareb stood like a statue right where he asked me that question. My walk took me behind him. I tapped on the table again. Beside him. I touched my hands together. “Because, General, I currently cannot melt weapons. What I can do is fight. And work with you, my generals, to eliminate our enemies. Do you have any other questions?”
He bowed his head briefly, “Ma’am.”
Mazdak spoke up, “None here doubt you can fight, ma’am.”
“What these youngsters are dancing around, I’ll just come out and ask,” said Abtin. “As Mazdak mentioned, we are awed at your ability to fight. And your success at defeating an army twice our size.”
Holding up my hand, “Yes, yes, and?”
“What are you doing to do when Searcarian returns? He is currently under the impression that he is emperor. And he has the bulk of our troops.”
I didn’t know quite what to say to them. Were they Serce’s friends? Did they like the man and want him in some position of power, perhaps even the one I now held? Maybe they wanted me to marry him. It didn’t matter. Because now I was a killer. And I had goals that needed accomplishing.
“He will be arrested and hanged.”
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