Thomas Harlan - The Gate of fire

"Take me to the balcony. There is work to be done today."

The dark-haired guard captain nodded and motioned to the other guardsmen to precede them down the hallway. With the help of one of the Scandians-the blond one with long braids-Rufio helped the Emperor into his chair. It was more a sling that supported Heraclius under his arms and midsection, and left his bloated legs to rest on a fabric of silk straps. Four of the guardsmen lifted it with oaken handles. When the Emperor moved in his palace now, all other men and women were sent away. Only stoic Rufio, the Faithful Guard, and the Emperor's brother were allowed to look upon him. Rooms and chambers would be cleared as he moved. The vast warren of the Bucoleon now seemed a dead and empty place to Heraclius and he often gazed about in confusion as he was carried from room to room. Where has everyone gone?

He saw that it was a cloudy day as the guardsmen carried him out onto the balcony. This was the one place that he could look at the sky; a third-floor terrace that looked north upon the towering dome of the Temple of Zeus Pankrator. Small trees rooted in wooden boxes surrounded the terrace and it could not be seen from the ground or the windows of the palace. Most importantly, it did not look upon the sea.

Since the swelling in his legs had begun, the sight of water filled Heraclius with unreasoning fear. He knew it was madness, but could not bring himself to look upon the dark blue waters of Propontis or even the marble-lined tub of a bath. When he looked upon water, he thought of the clear fluid that bulged under the distended skin of his legs and he shuddered. He thirsted constantly, but could barely bring himself to drink. Only resinated wine, or perhaps the juice of some sweet berries, could pass his lips.

A host of fluffy white clouds thronged the sky, passing in front of the sun in endless procession. When they parted, the sun shone down bright and clear. Heraclius sighed, feeling the warmth on his face. Here in the protected little garden, surrounded only by trusted friends, he felt almost well. The guardsmen put his chair down carefully at an ornamented wooden table set underneath a pair of flowering lemon trees. A number of papers were laid out on the table, along with quills and ink and a sand block.

"What," gasped Heraclius, feeling a twinge in his legs as he settled, "is the business of the day?"

Rufio nodded to the guardsmen, who withdrew to the edges of the terrace, becoming invisible among the planters and trees and ornamental bushes. The scarred guard captain stood at ease beside the table, his hands clasped behind his back.

"Avtokrator, the first item is the setting of the Imperial rate. Each province within your realm has reported that it has completed the initial census. Each governor and legate now awaits your decision about the rate of taxation that they will apply."

Heraclius smiled wanly, feeling pain trickling through his legs. Despite it, he picked up the first of the papers and read the summaries compiled by his clerks.

"Good. We shall surprise them then, good Rufio. I am reducing the rate."

He picked up a quill, wetted it in the inkpot, and then wrote as strongly as he could the edict that would go out to tax the world. He ignored the surprised look that flickered across the guard captain's face. Let them be astonished at my generosity! We shall make the shortfall back, and more, from the new lands under my demesne. When he was done, Heraclius looked up and handed the paper to the man.

"Sand this," he said, his voice quavering. Heraclius leaned back in the chair, breathing heavily. "See that copies are made for each governor by the end of the day and check them to see that they are copied dutifully. Then…" He paused, catching his breath. Even this little effort was exhausting. "Then, send copies forth by Imperial courier to each town and city. This edict is to be posted in every forum and agora, in a plain and public place. Each and every citizen within my realm is to know, before the month is out, what is expected of him."

Rufio bowed and walked to one of the terrace doors. In the room beyond, Heraclius knew, there were a clutch of sallow-faced clerks, scribes, ministers, and copyists waiting about for him to deal with the matters of state. He had always disliked them-conniving men with small minds and a greedy penchant for bribes. Now he had every excuse to ban them from his presence. It was a carefully hoarded spot of joy.

When the guard captain returned, the Emperor motioned to him weakly.

"What is the second item?"

Rufio's face became even more impassive and still. Even his dark eyes seemed to shrink into immobility. The guard captain removed two parchment sheets, folded letters, with purple edging on one side. Heraclius stiffened and his mouth twisted into a grimace. Such papers were reserved for petitions from the Imperial family. He tried to raise a hand and wave them away, but Rufio spoke regardless.

"Avtokrator… your wife requests an audience with you. She wishes to show you your son."

Heraclius flinched as if struck by a mailed glove. Before this torment he had not thought that Rufio possessed even the faintest hint of a conscience or sympathy or love, but even with his voice as cold and even as a gravestone, the Emperor could hear the entreaty in the man's words. Heraclius thought of his wife, his niece-young and beautiful, filled with a lively wit and an unquenchable desire for knowledge-and the pain was worse than that from his tortured legs and lower body. If she saw me, she would flinch away and those gorgeous brown eyes would fill with the most dreadful fear…

"Is… is my son healthy? Is he strong?"

Rufio remained immobile, staring into the space above the Emperor's head. He said nothing.

"Answer me!" Heraclius hissed in rage, his hand scrabbling on the tabletop, seeking a weapon.

"He lives," said Rufio at last, after a long silence. "There is every hope that he will grow strong and hale and straight."

"Enough…" Heraclius looked away. Even my blood is corrupt. I am cursed by the gods.

"I will see the Empress on another day," said the Emperor, and put the letter aside, unread. "What is this other?"

Rufio unfolded the letter and placed it before the Emperor. Heraclius frowned, seeing the stiffness in the man's fingers. Where the first petition had inspired love, this one roused disgust or hate in his guard captain. Heraclius caught Rufio's eye and cocked his head in question.

"What is this?"

"Lord Theodore," said Rufio, his jaw clenched. "requests your permission to send another physician to attend you. This one is a master of the Order of Asklepius."

"How has this transpired?" Heraclius was outraged. "What is he still doing within the city? He should be on his way to take up residence in Ctesiphon by now." The Emperor's hand was shaking and he pressed it firmly on the tabletop, trying to make it stop.

Rufio nodded stiffly, then said, "So you directed him, my lord, but he has refused to go. He claims that he loves you too much to abandon you here, while you are still sick." The guard captain seemed about to say more, but did not.

"Foolishness! If he waits here, the Persian dihquans will gather themselves together and reestablish order and control over the land between the two rivers. Bring him to me immediately."

Rufio nodded, then turned and strode to the nearest guardsmen. Heraclius gnawed on his knuckle, his thoughts occupied with incipient fury. Sometimes his reckless brother taxed him too much. Something was going on behind his back, too. He was not so far gone to miss the unspoken meaning in Rufio's words. If the Prince were loitering about the capital while his brother lay sick, Theodore would be prey to all kinds of conniving sycophants and intriguers. It had been far too long since the Emperor had appeared in public. Rumors would be rife in the markets and among the padded seats in the Hippodrome that he was dead, or mad, or worse. An ambitious and healthy brother could easily see an opportunity in such a time.