Tower of High Sun - 7. Chapter 7

Five Years Later:

Chapter Eight: Sun Gardens

The Prime Heir looked about his court and sighed. Today was his eighteenth birthday yet he found himself with no desire to celebrate. The gifts sent from each province were the richest yet but what use was gold and jewels to the second wealthiest man in the world.

He had even lost interest in his sex slaves. While the men and women were often fairer than him, there were only so many variations one could enjoy. There was also the fact he felt nothing towards them.

Now, if only he could find someone to love… that would mean something. Yet, as was the custom, he would not be allowed to wed or sire sons until he ascended to godhood. Even then, he would be allowed but one child.

His so called companions, sons and daughters of the most powerful families of the Upper Nobility, were as dear to him as his little toe. What sort of friends would try to manipulate him into granting their families greater titles and lands?

If and when his father died and he became the God Emperor, he would exile each and every one of their families to the Outer Provinces. It would cause trouble… even as a god, he would need allies in the Capital but he would do it.

One problem he would not have was the odious son of the Grand Duke. Since their timed birth, he had been stuck with his company. He had been relieved when Prince Gustav’s father had sent him away. Supposedly his father was seeing that he receive a proper education. Regardless of his intelligence and sage advice, the Prime Heir would never take him to his bed.

“Now presenting his Royal Grace Grand Duke Dmitri, Count of Astoria, Prince of the Free City of Felli, First Consul of the Imperial Senate, General Supreme of the Imperial Guard…”

One thing the Prime Heir came to hate about his birthday was listening to his chief steward ramble through each visitor’s long-winded titles. With so much inbreeding among the Upper Nobility, most had at least three titles. He himself had nine. His father, the God Emperor, had an even hundred. Stripping each noble down to a single title was another thing his highness would change once he was Emperor. When that day would come, however, remained an excruciating mystery.

“Your Imperial Highness.” Protocol dictated that as the right hand of the Emperor, the Grand Duke was third in rank after his majesty and the Prime Heir. As a result, he was not required to bend to one knee. Instead, he leaned forward until his neck and chest were perpendicular to his legs.

“Grand Duke.” The Prime Heir was only required to nod. “I hope all is well in the capital.”

“The Empire remains peaceful and prosperous.”

The Prime Heir nearly choked. The Empire was neither at peace nor as prosperous as it had been on his 17^th birthday. There was the growing threat of war between the Empire and the Republic of Caledonia, not to mention the growing unrest in the Outer Provinces. The Provinces across the Middle Sea always chafed against any direct Imperial rule. With the recent rise in taxes, they were more tempted than before to declare independence. As it was, he felt his gold mask wobble when he choked.

The reason grain taxes and export tariffs had to be raised were the brush fires in the grain growing regions in Central Rygis that had destroyed most of this year’s crop. By raising the amount of grain the Lords of the Outer Provinces had to send to Rygis each year, as well as making the taxes on grain exports so high as to be unprofitable, the Grand Duke and the Upper Nobility hoped to avert skyrocketing food prices and famine in the Inner Provinces.

No, the Empire was neither at peace nor prosperous this year. Nor did the Prime Heir believe the coming year would be any better. It was as if the Empire had become as weak and frail as his aged father. If matters didn’t change soon, the Prime Heir might find himself without a nation to rule or, for that matter, a name.

“We are pleased to hear that.” The Prime Heir replied. Appearances had to be maintained. “How is your son? It has been quite some time since we’ve last seen him.” The sharp tone he used was less than pleasant.

The Duke shifted uncomfortably on his feet. Clearly the Heir’s dislike for his son had not lessened. “He continues to strive in his studies. All to better serve you of course. His return to the Tower is one of the things I wish to discuss.” He didn’t have to say he wanted to discuss the issue in private.

“I do as well. I am also famished. Shall we retreat to the sun gardens and break bread together?” He might not like his son but at least the Duke had given him an excuse to escape his sycophantic court

“How can I refuse such a gracious offer?”

The sun gardens were a series of crystal green houses. Under each domed structure were collections of the more ascetically pleasing flowers, plants and trees. There was one dome for each of the fifty Inner Provinces and one for the Imperial City. When the Prime Heir had first visited the Sun Gardens, he asked why there were no plants from across the Middle Sea. It soon became clear that none had been built because the Upper Nobility thought the Outer Provinces had anything worthy of being preserved.

Going to the grandest of the gardens, the one reserved for the flora found in the capital, they ate in silence. Only when the Heir had put his fork down did the Duke dare to speak. “I beg your forgiveness your highness.”

“For Gustav? So long as he never returns, I see the matter as settled.”

“We both might wish that but the priesthood and their soothsayers think otherwise.”

“You mean their stupid vision that the fate of the empire lies in our being beloveds?”

“Yes…”

“What of your search for a bastard to replace him? I have read every word of the soothsayer’s prediction and it does not say anything about only your legitament son. It only says I be betrothed to a son of your House.”

“I know your highness and, believe me, I have tried. I’ve searched every inch of the Empire for every bastard I ever sired. Simma’s assassins, however, have proved quite efficient in disposing of them.”

“So has your son.”

“You mean the Hunt.” The mention of the subject was enough to sour the Duke’s full stomach.

“I mean everything but especially the Hunt. Hunting mere slaves is one thing but to hunt and kill his own kin, makes the sport most foul.”

“I know your highness. It was for that reason that I made sure he could not take part in High Sun’s Hunt.”

“Then why has word reached me that Gustav is holding his own hunts? If it is one of your bastards you’re searching for, I suggest you start looking there. If only Yalla’s bastard had not died. But what else could be expected from Yalla. After the knight you sent didn’t return, I sent one of my agents to that cesspit. You know what they found?”

After a year with no word from Sir Levi, the Duke had sent five knights to Yalla’s fief. He had not known until now that the Heir had also sent his agents to confirm the truth. “I do.”

“Nothing… That’s what they found, nothing but skulls and bones. According to my agents most of them were found dead in their beds. In what could only be the manor, they found the bones of a woman and child. Care to tell me how that happened?”

“My people believe her lands had been stricken with plague.”

“Aye… plague! If she had not been exiled to the most worthless bit of land in the Empire, the bastard might still be alive!”

The Duke was confused by the outburst of emotion. For some reason, the Heir had taken the death of Yalla’s bastard more personally than those of the others. “Sir Highness… he was but one child out of many.”

“Did you not, even once, believe he was the only one Simma would never kill? With his death, we’ve lost the one who offered us the most hope.”

The Duke didn’t know how to respond. Yes, they had believed the lad would prove the most malleable of his bastards to control, but that did not explain the Heir’s exploding rage. “There are other children… their mothers might not be of noble blood but half of what they carry is still mine.”

“Not of noble blood? You mean slaves. Very well, search among the baseborn if you must, but take care. If it were to be learned that the son of a slave is to replace Gustav, we will have more to worry about than a few angry priests.”

The Duke knew all too well how the Upper Nobility would react. The very idea that the Prime Heir would go so far as replace one of them with a slave-born would lead to civil war. “About Gustav.”

“No… he may not return to my court. He will continue his studies until I say otherwise.”

“And the priests?”

“Until I am the God Emperor, they will have no reason to force me to take Gustav as one of my betrothed. My father has lived longer than any Emperor before him. Who is to say that he will not continue to?”

“As you say your highness.”

Chapter Nine: Proposal

“May I speak with you father?” Ever since Thaddeus had been adopted Amber had wanted to make this request of her father but until now she had not dared.

Lord Fredrick, now in his late sixties, looked up from the book he had been studying with bulbous magnified eyes. Having become terribly nearsighted in recent years, he now depended on his spectacles in order to read.

“Oh father, take those silly things off. When I look at you I want to see my father, not a frog.” She took them off and placed them on the desk.

“Sorry my dear. My eyes are not what they used to be. Now what is it you wish to ask of me… Do you want a new dress?”

“No father… not another dress.”

“A horse is it? I can send Thad to Evermore and buy you the finest in the market.”

“I’ve been to Evermore more than a dozen times. I know how much the finest horse costs and I know you can’t afford it. It is about Thad.”

“Yes my dear?”

“I wish to ask you your blessing to marry him.”

“You’re asking for my blessing? Is it not the custom for the man to ask?”

“I know… I also know how you feel about him. That’s why I’m asking first.”

“Marry Thad? Marry Thad? My son Thad?”

“Stop it father. This is not the time to tease me.”

“Very well… no.” He said flatly.

“No!”

“You heard me… no. He’s my son and your brother. I cannot have you marry him. I don’t even believe he wants to get married. Did you not think of asking him before me?”

“Father… this is Thad we’re talking about.”

“Then why are you here?” If it was anyone else other than his daughter, Lord Fredrick would have found the situation amusing.

“He hasn’t asked for my hand yet. I plan on asking him.”

“When?”

“When he is ready.”

“My child… you cannot ask me to give you my blessing for a marriage that will never happen. He is my son and…”

“And my brother… but not by blood.”

“He is by law. We are not in Rygis or members of the Upper Nobility. They might sleep with their sisters and marry their mothers, but not here, and not you. I will not stand for it.”

“I hate you!” Amber grabbed her father’s glasses and stomped on them. She stormed out sobbing.

His eldest, having come to see what the fuss was about, found her father on his knees try to twist the wire framed spectacles back to their proper shape. “What happened? Did you drop them again?”

“No, your sister saw fit to twist them into a butterfly.” He held them up so she could see them. With the lenses making up the wings they did indeed look like one.

“I do not have to ask which sister it was. It was Amber, no?”

“Aye, it was Amber. Can you believe she came to ask for permission to marry your brother?”

“I hope you said no.”

“I most certainly did. You know as well as I do that he’s not all that interested in girls.”

“Except for his squire, I don’t think he’s all that interested in boys either.”

“They do make quite a pair. When was that terrible night… three, four…”

“It was six years ago. And I agree, I’ve never seen the two apart since.”

“There is something unnatural about Jack.”

“Other than his total devotion towards Thad?”

“Yes… it’s been five…”

“Six father… six years.” Lisa corrected again. Just as his eyes had gone bad, so had his memory.

“Six… and not once has he told us what happened that night.”

“I don’t think he’s even told Thad.”

“Exactly… he hasn’t even told his beloved.”

“Beloved?” This was the first time her father had used such a strong term.

“Oh please… you can’t tell me that they’ve not been screwing each other like rabbits.”

“I wouldn’t know… I’ve never seen them do more than kiss.” Lisa had seen far more but she wasn’t going to tell her father so.

“Then you’re blinder than me.”

“I think Amber is the blind one.”

“True… well, I’ve made up my mind. Tomorrow I’m sending my son to Evermore.”

“For how long?”

“Most likely several years. I’ve already sent a letter to the new Earl. Hopefully his father has passed down his good judgment of character.”

“You plan for him to serve in the Earl’s court?”

“No… those two would die of boredom. I’ve asked the Earl to take Thad as one of his Companions. With war brewing in the east, those fools across the Middle Sea will want him to take part.”

“You are going to send Thad to fight some stupid war half a world away in Rygis?”

“He will have to one way or another. The Earl is our feudal lord and we are his vassals. When the order comes for the Earl to sail east, he will expect the lords of each fief to provide him with conscripts for his army. The lords are also expected to provide a commanding officer selected from their own house. If I were twenty years younger, I would gladly go but at my age I would cause nothing but trouble. That only leaves Thaddeus.”

“But Thaddeus never swore fealty to the Earl.”

“No. I did that for him when I made him my legitimate son and heir.”

“Then make him illegitimate! I don’t care what it takes. You can’t let him get killed in some stupid war that has nothing to do with the Outer Providences. Let the Upper Nobility fight their own battles.”

“Daughter… the Empire is in a state of growing unrest. The Emperor, blessed by the stars, has lived far longer than he rightfully should. He has grown weak of body, will and mind. This has left the Empire under the rule of the Uppers. Until the Prime Heir takes the throne, the unrest will only grow worse.”

“We should take advantage of that and declare our independence.”

“Hush child. Caledonia is the only nation left on Rygis with enough strength to threaten the Inner Provinces. Even so, a war between us and the Republic would strain the resources of both nations to the breaking point.”

“So why is the Empire so eager to fight one?”

“Because they are worried about losing the Outer Provinces. If we were to declare independence, then the Inner Provinces would find themselves squeezed between two hostile nations. By having the Outer Provinces fight their war for them, they hope to weaken their enemies in Caledonia as well as leave us too weak to revolt.”

“Then we must strike now.”

“We can’t. If we were to, we would certainly lose. Until all the Outer Provinces unite, we cannot hope to defeat the Uppers. If it were put to a vote, only a half would vote in favor of independence.”

“What we need is a leader, someone all the Provinces can unite behind.”

“Like Thad?”

Fredrick almost choked. Looking into his daughter’s dark eyes, he could see the question had not been made in jest. “Nay… he lacks the blood and the ambition. He’s a follower, not a leader. Whoever he serves, however, might have a chance.”

“You mean the Earl?”

“He’s young and inexperienced but he’s now the ruler of the most powerful Imperial Province on the Walis Continent. His father drew many of the finest minds and blades to his service. Many continue to serve under his son. Believe me daughter, it is for the best.”

“I swear, if he dies away from home, I will never forgive you.” Lisa retreated from the room, slamming the door behind her.

“By then I’ll probably be dead myself. Stars make it so.”