Richard Tuttle - Winged Warrior

“To what end?” inquired Marak

“I can think of many uses for disinformation,” shrugged Fisher. “If I was in Vand’s position, I could give you an early date for the invasion and then have my spies watch to see what your reaction is. I would then change my plans accordingly. Or I might give you a later date for the invasion and strike early. The possibilities are endless.”

“So I see,” frowned Emperor Marak. “From what HawkShadow and Rhoda told me of their escape from the Island of Darkness, I have no doubt that Aakuta’s life is in danger. He is a courageous man to stay on that island.”

“He has already accepted his death,” nodded Fisher. “I only hope it is swift in coming when it finally arrives.”

“You are telling me this for an explicit reason, Fisher,” Marak said. “What is it?”

“I think we need another set of eyes and ears on that island,” declared Fisher. “We can no longer depend on Aakuta as our sole source of information.”

“And just who would you suggest that we send to their death?” questioned the Emperor.

“I have never been one to offer up the life of another,” stated Fisher. “I think that I should go myself.”

“Out of the question,” Marak shook his head. “You are vital to my needs here. I just cannot afford to lose your services, Fisher.”

“You cannot afford to be blind as to what is happening there either,” countered Fisher. “There is no one capable of performing that task besides me.”

“Aakuta is still in the game as far as we know,” replied the Emperor. “Let’s discuss this again when he no longer contacts us. For now, I would be lost without your eyes and ears right here in Khadora.”

“You sound as if you are expecting trouble,” frowned Fisher. “I have not picked up anything of that nature. What troubles you?”

“What troubles me?” echoed the Emperor. “I really do not know, Fisher, but something is gnawing at me. Perhaps it is the fact that nothing seems to be going wrong. If I was Vand, I would be trying to create all sorts of chaos to keep us off guard, yet everything is running smoothly. What does that suggest to you?”

“That we are missing something,” nodded Fisher. “I have been feeling that way myself, but I guess I have not dwelled upon it. You are right. Vand should be up to something, especially after the rescue of the elf king.”

“I want you to find out what we are missing, Fisher,” instructed Emperor Marak. “I know that is asking you to do the impossible, but if anyone can do it, you can.”

“I will do my best,” offered the spy. “I will be gone from Khadoratung for some time. When is the best time to contact you?”

“Early morning or around the evening meal,” suggested the Emperor, “but if you need to contact me at other times, do so. I want to know what you find out.”

Fisher nodded and left the office. Marak stared blankly at the closed door for a while, his mind lost in thought. Eventually the door opened and a guard stuck his head in. The Emperor nodded and waved dismissively as he rose from his desk. It was time for the meeting of the Lords’ Council.

Marak left his office and proceeded to the chambers of the Lords’ Council. An extra chair had been brought to the table in anticipation of his arrival, and the Emperor sat down. Lord Chenowith was chairing the meeting, and he began as soon as the Emperor was seated.

“This is an historic moment for our country,” Lord Chenowith began. “I was notified this morning that Khadora is now completely slave free. For the first time in the history of our country, there is not a single slave within the boundaries of Khadora.”

Murmurs of accomplishment rippled around the table. The lords were pleased.

“Where do we stand on resolution of border agreements?” asked Lord Patel.

“Over ninety percent of clan borders have been officially agreed to,” answered Lord Chenowith. “Most of the remaining disputes are between two rival clans and each clan has agreed to resolution of the problem by the Lords’ Council.”

“What cases will be left unresolved?” asked Lord Kiamesh.

“Cases that involve borders with the Chula,” replied Lord Chenowith. “That is one of the reasons that I have asked the Emperor to join us today. I am hopeful that he can lead a delegation to the Chula to help solve these last problems. Emperor?”

“I will need to review each border dispute before discussing them with the Chula,” answered the Emperor. “As you are all aware, Khadoran seizures of Chula territory have been a problem for centuries. There is no record of the Chula ever seizing Khadoran land. The Chula will be reticent to give up land that they believe is theirs.”

“You can’t just ask each estate to forfeit what they believe to be their land,” frowned Lord Quilo. “That would not sit well with the Assembly of Lords.”

“I am aware of that,” nodded the Emperor. “That is why I want to review each dispute first. I have little doubt that most of those claims will be outright attempts to claim Chula land as the borders are officially set, but I want to look for valid claims first.”

“How will you tell the difference?” asked Lord Quilo.

“I will ask the Chula,” replied Emperor Marak.

“That’s it?” frowned Lord Quilo. “You will just take the side of Chula? What does that say about your Khadoran lords?”

“I think it is clear what it says,” answered the Emperor. “I have first hand experience dealing with Chula boundary disputes. If Khadorans have any type of claim at all to the disputed land, I expect the Chula to honestly tell me so. I wish I could say the same about my Khadoran brothers, but we all know that is not possible. Maybe someday it will be possible, but that day has not yet arrived.”

“So all of the disputed claims will be disallowed?” asked Lord Chenowith.

“I did not say that,” replied the Emperor. “I fully expect the Chula to recognize the situation that I am in. I believe that they will give up some of the disputed land to ensure peace with the Khadorans, especially in cases where any type of validity can be attached to a claim.”

“You have a lot of faith in the honesty of the Chula, don’t you?” asked Lord Patel.

“I do,” nodded the Emperor. “When one considers that this entire country used to belong to them, one can understand their hesitancy to give up more of it, but they are also a practical people. What they desire most is to halt the incursion into their lands. I am confident that some small portions of land will be forfeited to achieve that goal.”

“I want to meet the leaders of the Chula,” declared Lord Chenowith. “I want to speak with the people that you think so highly of. Can you arrange that?”

Emperor Marak remained silent for a long time. He wondered how these high lords would react to being in a Chula village. How would they react to a Chula shaman who had the face of a lion? He remembered his trip with Axor through Fakara, and how the Fakarans received the Chula shaman. Initially there had been fear, but the Fakarans grew to accept the shaman. Slowly, he nodded and smiled.

“I think it is time for all of you to meet the Chula,” smiled Emperor Marak. “Some things about our neighbors will amaze you because they are so different; other things will amaze you particularly because you will find that they have many of the same thoughts as you have. They are like us in many ways, yet very different in others. You should be informed about your new allies. I will see to it.”

The lords looked at Marak suspiciously for a moment, but Lord Chenowith chuckled at the Emperor’s ability to leave things unsaid and continued with the meeting.

“The Emperor’s edict regarding temples to the god Kaltara is well under way,” he continued. “Each major city in Khadora now has a temple to Kaltara, although those temples remain unused. Would the Emperor care to tell us what he has planned for them?”