before Rema arrived.
“ What do you plan to tell your uncle?” Ellie asked.
“ This is where it gets tricky,” Darmik said. “Emperor Hamen will perceive Rema as a threat. The only way he’ll let her live is if she’s not the true heir.”
“What are you saying?” Ellie asked.
“I want to convince him he has the wrong person, and Rema is simply a commoner whom I’m betrothed to.”
“ How do you plan to do that?” Neco asked, raising his eyebrows with a skeptical look.
Darmik was surprised no one questioned him using the term betrothed . He stood and began pacing around the small room. “As you know, Rema bears the royal mark on her shoulder.”
“ You want to remove it?” Savenek asked.
“Or I could cover it with makeup,” Ellie suggested.
Darmik nodded. “What do you think?”
“ I can cut the mark off and stitch her up,” Vesha said. “Rema will have a scar, though.”
“Makeup will be easier,” Ellie said.
“Don’t you think the emperor will check?” Neco asked. “He’ll see the scar or the makeup.”
“ And that’s assuming you have the opportunity to remove the tattoo or cover it with makeup before the emperor checks,” Savenek added.
Darmik stopped pacing and sat on the empty chair, facing everyone. “I’m open to ideas.”
“ Why don’t we try to intercept Rema before she makes it to Emperion?” Savenek offered.
Darmik had already considered the possibility, but they were headed slightly north of the merchant ship. “If we’re lucky enough to catch her boat, we will certainly grab her.”
“ Can’t we arrive at the merchant port first and wait for her there?” Vesha asked.
Darmik shook his head. “A military ship can’t arrive at the merchant port—especially undetected. The army will swarm aboard, and we’ll be unable to rescue her. We have no choice but to dock at the military port, north of there.”
“ Once we dock, can’t we get off the ship and travel to the merchant port? We can try to rescue her there,” Savenek said.
Darmik leaned back on his chair. He looked at each of the five faces, staring hopefully at him. “All of you need to understand something,” he said. “We’re entering another kingdom. They have different rules and customs. While I appreciate your suggestions, they’re unrealistic. When our ship arrives, we will need to state our names and purpose for being on the mainland. We won’t be able to slip away unnoticed.”
“ Very well,” Savenek said. “We’ll stick with your plan.”
“I ’ll work on mixing some things together to make a skin-colored makeup to cover her tattoo,” Ellie said.
“I ’ll check medical supplies for a needle and thread,” Vesha added.
“ I want everyone to get a good night’s rest,” Darmik said. “Tomorrow, we’ll train, and I’ll teach you proper etiquette.”
Audek scrunched his nose. “Etiquette?”
“ Yes,” Darmik mused. “You need to know how to greet the emperor. I can’t have you do something to offend him. Otherwise, he’ll have you beheaded.”
Audek shivered. “Etiquette it is.”
****
Darmik’s back hurt from standing so straight and stiff in the courtyard among hundreds of other soldiers. The hot sun beat down on his exposed neck, causing him to sweat in his full military uniform. The two prisoners stood on the raised platform. The first one, a boy of about twelve years old, was crying. The executioner shoved the boy onto his knees and pulled his wrists forward, locking his forearms into metal cuffs.
The warden read the charge. “This boy has been caught stealing food from the Kalmier Market. Two apples. The penalty is loss of both hands, so he will never be able to steal again.”
The executioner raised his axe. Darmik’s stomach twisted in pain. Surely, stealing food didn’t deserve such a severe punishment. The axe came down, and the boy screamed a bloodcurdling sound. The axe went up. Darmik wanted to close his eyes; however, if he did, he’d
“ What do you plan to tell your uncle?” Ellie asked.
“ This is where it gets tricky,” Darmik said. “Emperor Hamen will perceive Rema as a threat. The only way he’ll let her live is if she’s not the true heir.”
“What are you saying?” Ellie asked.
“I want to convince him he has the wrong person, and Rema is simply a commoner whom I’m betrothed to.”
“ How do you plan to do that?” Neco asked, raising his eyebrows with a skeptical look.
Darmik was surprised no one questioned him using the term betrothed . He stood and began pacing around the small room. “As you know, Rema bears the royal mark on her shoulder.”
“ You want to remove it?” Savenek asked.
“Or I could cover it with makeup,” Ellie suggested.
Darmik nodded. “What do you think?”
“ I can cut the mark off and stitch her up,” Vesha said. “Rema will have a scar, though.”
“Makeup will be easier,” Ellie said.
“Don’t you think the emperor will check?” Neco asked. “He’ll see the scar or the makeup.”
“ And that’s assuming you have the opportunity to remove the tattoo or cover it with makeup before the emperor checks,” Savenek added.
Darmik stopped pacing and sat on the empty chair, facing everyone. “I’m open to ideas.”
“ Why don’t we try to intercept Rema before she makes it to Emperion?” Savenek offered.
Darmik had already considered the possibility, but they were headed slightly north of the merchant ship. “If we’re lucky enough to catch her boat, we will certainly grab her.”
“ Can’t we arrive at the merchant port first and wait for her there?” Vesha asked.
Darmik shook his head. “A military ship can’t arrive at the merchant port—especially undetected. The army will swarm aboard, and we’ll be unable to rescue her. We have no choice but to dock at the military port, north of there.”
“ Once we dock, can’t we get off the ship and travel to the merchant port? We can try to rescue her there,” Savenek said.
Darmik leaned back on his chair. He looked at each of the five faces, staring hopefully at him. “All of you need to understand something,” he said. “We’re entering another kingdom. They have different rules and customs. While I appreciate your suggestions, they’re unrealistic. When our ship arrives, we will need to state our names and purpose for being on the mainland. We won’t be able to slip away unnoticed.”
“ Very well,” Savenek said. “We’ll stick with your plan.”
“I ’ll work on mixing some things together to make a skin-colored makeup to cover her tattoo,” Ellie said.
“I ’ll check medical supplies for a needle and thread,” Vesha added.
“ I want everyone to get a good night’s rest,” Darmik said. “Tomorrow, we’ll train, and I’ll teach you proper etiquette.”
Audek scrunched his nose. “Etiquette?”
“ Yes,” Darmik mused. “You need to know how to greet the emperor. I can’t have you do something to offend him. Otherwise, he’ll have you beheaded.”
Audek shivered. “Etiquette it is.”
****
Darmik’s back hurt from standing so straight and stiff in the courtyard among hundreds of other soldiers. The hot sun beat down on his exposed neck, causing him to sweat in his full military uniform. The two prisoners stood on the raised platform. The first one, a boy of about twelve years old, was crying. The executioner shoved the boy onto his knees and pulled his wrists forward, locking his forearms into metal cuffs.
The warden read the charge. “This boy has been caught stealing food from the Kalmier Market. Two apples. The penalty is loss of both hands, so he will never be able to steal again.”
The executioner raised his axe. Darmik’s stomach twisted in pain. Surely, stealing food didn’t deserve such a severe punishment. The axe came down, and the boy screamed a bloodcurdling sound. The axe went up. Darmik wanted to close his eyes; however, if he did, he’d
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