David Coe - Bonds of Vengeance

He had hoped to build a friendship with the new high chancellor, just as he had with Dusaan’s predecessor, but it soon became apparent that Dusaan and the emperor meant to change the high chancellor’s responsibilities from what they had been. What little contact Stavel and the other Qirsi had with the emperor diminished even further. Dusaan became a conduit of sorts, meeting first with the emperor and then with the other ministers and chancellors, carrying orders from one and counsel from the other. Stavel could see where the new arrangement might be attractive to Harel, keeping his audiences brief and simple, but it left many of the Qirsi feeling superfluous, even resentful. For his part, Stavel accepted this new state of affairs, realizing that there was little he could do to change it. “All that matters,” he told himself and any others who would listen, “is that we continue to offer sound advice to the emperor.”

He viewed days like this one as a vindication of his forbearance.

When he had finished his meal, he returned to his chamber, as he did each day, to write out the minutes of the day’s discussion. No one had ever asked him to do it; he had taken on the task himself. But Dusaan had once mentioned that he found the documents helpful, and so Stavel had continued the practice. Once he completed his work, he walked to the gardens, enjoying the late-day sunshine and the warm breezes blowing down from the hills.

It was there, wandering among the swelling buds of the roses, blackthorns, and woodbine, that he encountered the emperor. Harel was with the youngest of his wives, and several guards walked before them and behind. Stavel stood to the side and allowed them to pass, bowing as the emperor and empress stepped by him.

The emperor nodded to him, then hesitated.

“You’re Stavel, aren’t you?” he asked.

The chancellor could not help but smile as he said, “Yes, Your Eminence, I am.”

“The high chancellor told me it was your idea to make our solution in the south a temporary one, as a way of appeasing Lord Grensyn.”

“Yes, Your Eminence.”

“A fine idea, Chancellor. Well done.”

Stavel bowed again, his heart racing. “Thank you, Your Eminence.”

“I was also pleased to hear that the rest of you thought it wise to begin the invasion early. It’s good to see all the gold I pay you Qirsi being put to good use.”

Harel started to walk on

“Yes, Your Eminence,” the chancellor called after him, abruptly confused. “Thank you.”

They hadn’t even discussed the invasion. Not at all. They hadn’t spoken of it in days. Certainly the ministers and chancellors as a group had reached no decision at all regarding the timing of the assault on Eibithar. Stavel doubted that they would decide anything of the sort without hearing first from the master of arms. And even then, he didn’t see how rushing the invasion could serve any purpose. For a moment he considered following the emperor to ask just what Dusaan had told him, but he quickly thought better of it. Harel had honored him by speaking to him at all. For Stavel to ask any more of him, and in particular to ask him about a conversation he and the high chancellor had in private, would have been utterly inappropriate. There was no telling how the emperor would respond.

Instead he chose to find Dusaan, hoping that the high chancellor might be able to explain the emperor’s comment. Before he reached the man’s chamber, however, he remembered hearing Dusaan ask the young minister, Kayiv, to remain behind so that they could speak. Perhaps the two of them had discussed the invasion and the emperor had merely confused Kayiv for Stavel.

He stopped at Kayiv’s door and knocked. He heard no reply from within, and was about to leave in search of Dusaan when the door opened, revealing the minister, his bright yellow eyes bleary with sleep, his hair disheveled.

“Forgive me, Minister. I didn’t mean to disturb you.”

Kayiv peered into the corridor as if to reassure himself that Stavel was alone.

“What can I do for you, Chancellor?”

Now that he was standing before the man, Stavel wasn’t certain how to ask the question. The two of them had never gotten along very well, in part because they invariably found themselves on the opposite sides of every argument. Stavel thought the minister ill-mannered, and no doubt Kayiv saw him as weak and narrow-minded.

“I couldn’t help but notice that you remained with the high chancellor after our discussion today.”

Kayiv narrowed his eyes. “Yes. What of it?”

“Did you and he speak of commencing the invasion earlier than we had planned?”

The man’s brow furrowed. “The invasion?”

“Yes. I’ve just come from the gardens, where I saw the emperor. He complimented me on the compromise I proposed for the dispute in Grensyn, and then said that he had been pleased to hear that we were in favor of beginning the invasion early. I thought perhaps you would know what he meant.”

For several moments Kayiv said nothing. He was staring past the chancellor, chewing his lip.

“Did you speak of this with the high chancellor?” Stavel asked after a time, the silence making him uncomfortable. “I thought perhaps that you and he had talked about the invasion after the rest of us left, and that the emperor had simply mistaken me for you.”

“Did the emperor say anything else?”

Stavel shook his head. “No. Just that he was pleased that the rest of us liked the idea-and by ‘the rest,’ I gathered that he meant the other ministers and chancellors aside from Dusaan. Then he said he was pleased that all the gold he paid us was doing him some good, or some such thing. And that was all.” He watched Kayiv for a moment. “Do you know what he meant?”

Again, it took the man some time to reply. But finally he gave a disarming smile, and said, “Yes, Chancellor, I believe I do. This is all a misunderstanding, just as you thought.”

“Well, I suppose I’m relieved. Though I must say that if the high chancellor wishes to offer counsel to the emperor on matters of such importance, he should speak with all of us, not just a select few.”

“Yes. Perhaps you should mention this to him during tomorrow’s discussion.”

Stavel felt the blood drain from his face. He had no more desire to anger the high chancellor that he did the emperor, especially in front of the other Qirsi. “I’m certain he had good reason for offering this counsel the way he did. It’s not my place to question him.”

“Of course, Chancellor. I understand.”

Stavel couldn’t tell whether the man was mocking him or being sincere, but he didn’t care to find out. “Thank you, Minister,” he said, turning away.

“You’re welcome. Good day, Chancellor.”

Stavel turned and walked away, and, a few seconds later, heard the door close gently behind him. He made his way back to his chamber, wondering if he had been wise to raise the matter with Kayiv or if he would have been better off keeping it to himself. Palace politics could be a perilous game, the rules of which he had once known, the subtleties of which he had once taken the time to master. But that had been long ago and much of what he had known was lost to the years. At this point in his life, he was far too old to begin learning these things anew.

He waited until he heard Stavel’s door open and close before leaving his chamber silently and stepping carefully to another door. He knocked once, just loud enough for her to hear. Belatedly he remembered that his hair probably looked a mess and that his clothes were rumpled. It doesn’t matter. She loves another now .

He didn’t have to wait long. She pulled open the door, revealing a chamber bright with lampfire. Her hair was down and her eyes seemed to glow like the stars. Kayiv felt his stomach tighten and he cursed himself for being so weak.