The Pinnacle Of Empire (Book 6) (16 page)

Helgamyr jumped up off her divan, tossing her fan. She nearly knocked over Endaquac who was approaching with another of the stream of things Helgamyr had demanded she get.

“Trust Saxthor! The man killed your father and you want to trust our lives to his kindness?”

“For the thousandth time, Saxthor didn’t kill Father, his own troops did. Yes, we must trust to him. I’m carrying his heir, for one thing.”

Helgamyr’s face flushed and contorted. Then her wide jerking eyes grew bloodshot and her mouth pinched shut. Tears began to stream down her cheeks. Endaquac rushed to her side. Helgamyr patted Endaquac’s hand, then patted her teary eyes, but she wouldn’t look at either of them.

“I’ll see what Saxthor knows.”

Tottiana closed the door and started back to her suite when she ran into Saxthor.

“What’s happening, Saxthor? Mother’s distraught. She’s convinced herself you’re going to kill us both. Do you know anything about Senoshesvas attacking Velstorbokkin? What will become of Grandfather? I must tell Mother something.”

“There, there, my dear, you mustn’t concern yourself with rumors. You must think of the baby. Getting yourself all upset could harm him.”

“I must know something of this matter, Saxthor. I must know if you’ll help Grandfather if Velstorbokkin is under attack.”

“I’m sure it’s nothing, but we’re moving an army to the border and the northern fleet to Malledar, close to Soondaree to show support. We hope to dissuade King Nindax from his aggression and to restore peace and ancient borders.”

“What if Nindax won’t back down?” Tottiana asked, her agitated voice rising.

“I suppose we shall have to go to war to rescue your grandfather. You must calm yourself; this excitement isn’t good for the baby.” Saxthor patted Tottiana’s hand and led her back to her suite.

“Come now, ladies, see to your mistress. She’s worked herself up over nothing. Tonelia, I’m sure you can guide these ladies and restore calm.” He gave Tonelia a quick glance, pinching his face and brows, alerting her to his concern then left to meet with Bodrin again in his suite.

* * *

Memlatec rode into Engwaniria as the city swarmed with merchants hawking various products to support the military campaign. Large numbers of soldiers in small formations moved everywhere through the city. At Ossenkosk, Memlatec went to meet with Saxthor.

“Yes, the war,” Memlatec responded when told of it by Saxthor. “I’m afraid there is another evil to contend with as well.”

“Another evil, there is no end to them is there? Each time I defeat one, another pops up to destroy the peace.”

“I don’t know what form this one takes, but it was created in the west and I think it’s here now.”

“A new evil here in Engwaniria? It’s the Dark Lord in some form, isn’t it?”

“No, but the Dark Lord is behind it. Something nasty was created in the west; I felt its ripple in the energy fields, but I couldn’t identify what it was. Now, something powerful has cloaked it. I feel it might be here or coming here.”

“Saxthor!” Tittletot shouted, rushing into to the room, eyes ablaze. “It’s the baby, your child is coming.”

Saxthor dashed for the door with Tittletot and Memlatec following behind, down the corridor to the empress’ suite.

“A baby,” Tittletot said to Memlatec. “It’s been a long time since I was around a newborn, even a newborn tittletot.”

“This baby comes before its time amid turmoil and stress; it can’t be good that it’s premature. I suppose it’s the worry over the empress’ grandfather that has sent her into labor.”

“The child will be fine,” Tittletot said. He glanced up at the wizard who looked at him unconvinced.

When they reached the empress’ suite, they found Tonelia arguing with Saxthor. The countess held the door to the suite firmly closed behind her back. She glanced at Memlatec. “Gentlemen, take this crazed man and entertain or restrain him elsewhere until the baby is born.”

“I must see Tottiana,” Saxthor insisted. “She must know I’m here for her.”

“I’ve told her you’re here; she knows it. But for now, go back to your suite and I’ll come for you as soon as it’s okay for you to see them.”

“But I must let her know I’m here for her.” Saxthor tried again to get around Tonelia, who held firm and wouldn’t let him pass.

“Gentlemen, take Saxthor back to his rooms.”

Tittletot took Saxthor’s hand. “Come on now, you’ll never outwit or convince her to let you go in.”

Memlatec chimed in. “Women are like that; they hover around and defend their charge in times like this. Countess Vicksnak will come for you at the earliest possible time.”

“Thank you, Tittletot, Memlatec,” Tonelia said, and she disappeared into the room. The three outside heard the door lock.

“You see,” Tittletot said, “I told you she was a tyrant.”

After what seemed an eternity of watching Saxthor pacing in his sitting room, Memlatec was exhausted and tried to get him to eat or drink something, but he would have none of it. Finally, he grabbed a goblet and took one swallow. There was a knock at the door. Saxthor rushed to it. Belnik was just able to jump out of the way as Saxthor flew past and out the door.

“It’s a boy!” Belnik said to the figure racing past, down the corridor.

“A boy,” Memlatec said to Belnik who entered the room. “So Saxthor has an heir.”

“Yes, but it was a difficult birth. The baby is weak.”

“We’ll have him plumped up and in the best of shape in no time,” Tittletot said. “Let’s go see him too, assuming that tyrant will let us in to see the baby.” He pulled his jeweled dagger from its sheath holding it in the air with a grin. “We may have to force our way past Tyrant Tonelia.”

“Have they named him yet?” Memlatec asked.

Belnik’s face slumped. “Engwan.” “They’re already calling him Engwan.”

“Engwan?” Memlatec asked. “She named him after the fallen emperor, the disgrace to his dynasty?”

“Apparently Saxthor and Tottiana had a disagreement over it sometime ago and Saxthor gave in rather than stress her.”

“Let’s hope the boy turns out better than his grandfather,” the old wizard said. This isn’t an auspicious beginning surrounding the birth of the imperial heir, he thought.

* * *

Two men slipped into Soondaree from a merchant ship that docked at the frenzied Velstorbokkin port. The harbor was packed with chests, barrels, and bales of goods arriving and waiting for departing ships. Panic pervaded the city. Rich and poor rushed to the waterfront with their most precious goods hoping to book passage to Tixos. A ship at the outer harbor had sunk near the channel leading to the open sea. Its masts rose from the water like grave markers. Traffic slowed as ships, both coming and fleeing, had to pass through a constricted passage.

“What happened there?” one of the imperial ambassadors asked a stevedore carrying his goods from the ship.

“Captain got greedy; overbooked with scared passengers carrying too much baggage. Them passengers all lined the starboard railings waving goodbye and a gust of wind heeled her over. She sank like an anchor. Took most of ‘-em straight to the bottom; few made it to shore.”

“Why haven’t you gone too?”

“No place to go, too poor. Them captains is only taking those what can pay a rich man’s price. The imperial war fleet is expected to cut off the harbor any day now.”

The two men looked at each other, then worked their way through the throng pushing forward to the remaining ships.

“Look there,” whispered the second emissary, nodding toward the west. “Looks like the whole Velstorbokkin army encamped all around the city. They must be expecting the empire to invade here by sea.”

“Yes, and their navy, anchored just beyond the outer harbor, was set in line to prevent entrance to the inner harbor.”

They found a man willing to sell them horses and rode west through the night to the capital. On reaching it just after dawn some days later, they saw panic among those streaming north to Lundamer or east to Soondaree. A small contingent of the Velstorbokkin army, likely the royal household guards, was encamped outside the city to the south. They were just then breaking camp and forming up in battle lines. In the distance, Senoshesvasian army drums could be heard approaching through the southern hills beyond the capital.

“They’ll never hold back the invading army with no more than one legion to defend Nenjiya,” the first emissary said. “With the army at Soondaree, King Nemenese mustn’t know about the invasion from the south. King Nindax’s army must be totally unexpected.”

“We must hurry before the city is surrounded and cut off.”

The two men rode hard and passed through the gates without much delay by the guards amid the panicked exodus. The men worked their way to the royal palace, but the guards there were more protective.

“We must see King Nemenese immediately, in the name of Emperor Saxthor of the Powterosian Empire.”

“Spies! Infiltrators!” a palace guard yelled. “Get the captain.”

“We’re not spies. We come seeking an audience with the king.”

The captain appeared about the time King Nemenese was rushing past amid a flurry of councilors.

“How can this be?” King Nemenese was saying to his chatra. “An attack from the south? The empire couldn’t move an army to the border that quickly and undetected.  King Nindax must’ve gotten wind of the emperor’s plot and is coming to our aid.”

“Your Majesty can hear drums coming from the south,” the chatra said.

“Our garrison at the southern border would have warned us if the empire was attacking.”

“What if the border fortress was taken by surprise?”

Impossible!”

“Your Majesty!” the second emissary shouted.

“Throw them into the dungeon,” the captain said. “The king can decide later what to do with them, if there is a later.”

“Your Majesty, we come with a message from your grandson-in-law, Emperor Saxthor.”

“What’s this?” Nemenese said, he was haggard and his tone befuddled amid the panic.

“Your Majesty, Emperor Saxthor sends his greetings and wishes us to speak with you in private.”

“Throw them in the dungeon, Majesty,” the captain repeated. He pointed his sword at the men, looking at the guards, who grabbed one of the emissaries and started to push him toward certain incarceration.

“Hold there, you men come with us,” Nemenese said. “We’ll hear what you have to say. Guards, stay close by them.”

In the king’s audience hall, Nemenese sat on his throne and the emissaries bowed before him. Hearing war drums, the king glanced at the window and winced.

“Your Majesty, the emperor has just heard of the attack on your kingdom.”

“You mean the empire is attacking.”

“No, the emperor knew nothing of this Senoshesvasian attack. He was on a tour of the provinces when he learned of the invasion across imperial territory.”

“Are you suggesting this invasion is treachery; that the army approaching is Senoshesvasian and not imperial? Nindax would not have crossed imperial territory and risked war with the empire had they not concluded and alliance against Velstorbokkin and agreed to allow that territorial transgression. Do you take me for a fool?”

“The emperor wishes you to know that he has nothing whatsoever to do with this. Also, he wishes us to convey that he will come to your aid if you request it, but he has held back the imperial army and navy lest you should interpret them as invaders rather than allies.”

“So you claim King Nindax is the invader? The emperor is not in league with that Nindax to divvy up my kingdom?

“That’s correct, Highness.”

“Treachery! Can this be true?” Nemenese asked his chatra. He shook his head and grabbed it with both hands. “Treachery! Deceit! Curse Nindax.”

“Do you wish Emperor Saxthor to come to your aid?” the emissary asked.

Nemenese looked at the man, focused, searching the man’s face. He slumped back on his throne. The chatra rushed to his side. “I’ve dispatched my army to Soondaree and readied the navy for an attack there, expecting invasion from the empire. Nindax sent us warning of such an attack. Our forces are far to the east at the coast. They can’t return here to confront an attack from the south in time. Your imperial forces can’t get here in time either, even if they profess to be allies and not part of this perfidious invasion.”

“The imperial navy will soon anchor not far from Soondaree at Malledar, ready to come to your aid. The emperor sent the imperial army to Shinnadda at the same time he sent us to confer with you. If you can hold out until the imperial troops can come to your relief, we might be able to force King Nindax to withdraw.”

“I don’t know that we can hold out that long,” Nemenese said. He glanced at the window where the pounding of drums grew louder. His head drooped as his voice trailed off.

The two emissaries looked at each other. One gripped his badge of office.

“With your permission, we shall leave at once to bring the imperial forces to Your Majesty’s aid.”

“You crossed our lands and saw the panic. Order has broken down. Criminals are looting the city as we speak,” Nemenese’s voice was cracking. “My son refuses to leave the capital. I fear we’re doomed.”