happy as I am, except when you’re away.’
‘And how is Meshurek?’
Again a hesitation. ‘Mother and father think he is making excellent progress. They’re too busy to look underneath. He seems to have changed for the better – you know, he is confident and full of ideas – the new castle was one of his – but something is not right with him.’
‘He’s always been… difficult,’ said Ashurek. ‘Do you mean he is worse, ill perhaps?’
‘Not ill,’ Orkesh replied thoughtfully. ‘On the contrary, he’s never seemed better; quite articulate and charming. It’s the way others react to him. Servants, courtiers, messengers, even the various cousins and uncles who know him well – they don’t like him. No one likes him, and believe me, it is no secret that everyone wishes he was not going to be their Emperor one day.’
‘I don’t believe that,’ Ashurek said sharply. ‘Anyway, they have no choice – and no right to speak against him.’
‘Oh, you’re as bad as father.’ Orkesh began to tease her brother. ‘Can you honestly say you would not like to be Emperor? Ah – but what an Empress I’d make. It’s time Gorethria had an Empress again. We could easily dispose of Meshurek – ah, but then I’d have to murder you, too, to achieve my ambition.’
‘Be quiet,’ Ashurek laughed. ‘I think you’re only half-joking. Meshurek has grown up at last, and people find it hard to accept, that’s all.’
Orkesh turned to face him, her green eyes shining bright with that strange combination of humour and sincerity that was unique to her.
‘No, you’re wrong,’ she said. ‘People are frightened of him. And so am I. There’s something in him that terrifies me. But if you can look at him and tell me it’s my imagination, I’ll not say another word about it – agreed?’
‘Yes, Your Highness,’ Ashurek grinned. ‘Now we had better go in and ready ourselves for yet another dreary banquet.’
Innocence. Talking and laughing with his sister, thinking the palace garden the loveliest place in the world. Greeting the rest of his family with joy, knowing that in only a few hours he would receive the high office that he had worked so hard to achieve. It would be the beginning of a wonderful life – the beloved army at his command and the freedom to wander the Empire like a hawk. Ashurek looked forward with almost boyish eagerness to a life of glory and high adventure fighting for Gorethria. He was aware of his vast responsibility; but to him responsibility was a joy, a way of serving his father and country. And it was not power he longed for; he was simply in love with army life, the smell of horses and leather, sweat and dust; the long treks across changing landscapes; the fascination of planning strategy, arguing long into the night as he and his fellow officers pored over maps by the light of a single lamp. The skills of battle and weaponry were arts in themselves to him, and the deaths they caused just a by-product, stones on Gorethria’s path to ultimate supremacy.
Ashurek was indeed innocent as he walked into the dazzling opulence of the banquet being held in his honour. He did not dream he was only a few hours from doubt, and a few months from dreadful knowledge.
There were many people to speak to, and not much chance to talk to Meshurek, but in the few moments Ashurek found to observe his brother’s behaviour, he seemed cheerful and self-assured. Slightly shorter and more broadly built than Ashurek, he seemed in the best of health and looked a suitably regal figure in a robe of ornately quilted green, purple and gold satin. Eventually Ashurek saw him talking to the Emperor and Empress, and moved across to join them. He found Orkesh on his arm as he said, ‘I hear you’ve initiated the building of a new castle at Terthria, Meshurek. How is it progressing?’
Meshurek turned smiling to him and said, ‘I think you are wondering, why am I building it? Terthria is a region of rare
‘And how is Meshurek?’
Again a hesitation. ‘Mother and father think he is making excellent progress. They’re too busy to look underneath. He seems to have changed for the better – you know, he is confident and full of ideas – the new castle was one of his – but something is not right with him.’
‘He’s always been… difficult,’ said Ashurek. ‘Do you mean he is worse, ill perhaps?’
‘Not ill,’ Orkesh replied thoughtfully. ‘On the contrary, he’s never seemed better; quite articulate and charming. It’s the way others react to him. Servants, courtiers, messengers, even the various cousins and uncles who know him well – they don’t like him. No one likes him, and believe me, it is no secret that everyone wishes he was not going to be their Emperor one day.’
‘I don’t believe that,’ Ashurek said sharply. ‘Anyway, they have no choice – and no right to speak against him.’
‘Oh, you’re as bad as father.’ Orkesh began to tease her brother. ‘Can you honestly say you would not like to be Emperor? Ah – but what an Empress I’d make. It’s time Gorethria had an Empress again. We could easily dispose of Meshurek – ah, but then I’d have to murder you, too, to achieve my ambition.’
‘Be quiet,’ Ashurek laughed. ‘I think you’re only half-joking. Meshurek has grown up at last, and people find it hard to accept, that’s all.’
Orkesh turned to face him, her green eyes shining bright with that strange combination of humour and sincerity that was unique to her.
‘No, you’re wrong,’ she said. ‘People are frightened of him. And so am I. There’s something in him that terrifies me. But if you can look at him and tell me it’s my imagination, I’ll not say another word about it – agreed?’
‘Yes, Your Highness,’ Ashurek grinned. ‘Now we had better go in and ready ourselves for yet another dreary banquet.’
Innocence. Talking and laughing with his sister, thinking the palace garden the loveliest place in the world. Greeting the rest of his family with joy, knowing that in only a few hours he would receive the high office that he had worked so hard to achieve. It would be the beginning of a wonderful life – the beloved army at his command and the freedom to wander the Empire like a hawk. Ashurek looked forward with almost boyish eagerness to a life of glory and high adventure fighting for Gorethria. He was aware of his vast responsibility; but to him responsibility was a joy, a way of serving his father and country. And it was not power he longed for; he was simply in love with army life, the smell of horses and leather, sweat and dust; the long treks across changing landscapes; the fascination of planning strategy, arguing long into the night as he and his fellow officers pored over maps by the light of a single lamp. The skills of battle and weaponry were arts in themselves to him, and the deaths they caused just a by-product, stones on Gorethria’s path to ultimate supremacy.
Ashurek was indeed innocent as he walked into the dazzling opulence of the banquet being held in his honour. He did not dream he was only a few hours from doubt, and a few months from dreadful knowledge.
There were many people to speak to, and not much chance to talk to Meshurek, but in the few moments Ashurek found to observe his brother’s behaviour, he seemed cheerful and self-assured. Slightly shorter and more broadly built than Ashurek, he seemed in the best of health and looked a suitably regal figure in a robe of ornately quilted green, purple and gold satin. Eventually Ashurek saw him talking to the Emperor and Empress, and moved across to join them. He found Orkesh on his arm as he said, ‘I hear you’ve initiated the building of a new castle at Terthria, Meshurek. How is it progressing?’
Meshurek turned smiling to him and said, ‘I think you are wondering, why am I building it? Terthria is a region of rare
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