Aakuta: the Dark Mage (43 page)

“Lord Marak did say that the Bagora had authorized the other clans that have armies out there already,” mentioned Lord Garic. “He said the Emperor had declared it legal.”

“What other clans?” inquired Emperor Mirakotto. “Do you know who they are?”

“He did not say,” Lord Garic shook his head. “He only mentioned that there were several and that the Torak clan was one of them.”

“And he is seeking more troops to fight under his banner?” questioned the Emperor.

“That is what he is proposing,” nodded Lord Garic. “Not only armies from the Lords’ Council, but also from other clans. He says that he is facing twenty thousand Jiadin warriors.”

“Such nonsense,” scowled the Emperor. “I will not allow Lord Marak’s power to grow any further. He may well become a thorn in my side.”

“My vote will not stop this resolution from passing,” declared Lord Garic. “I doubt that I can convince Lord Patel or Lord Kiamesh to vote against it.”

“Well I can stop it,” snarled the Emperor. “Return to the meeting, and tell them that all votes of the Lords’ Council on this matter must be authorized by the Emperor. Tell them that the Emperor has been notified that there are potential illegalities concerning the placement of troops at the Balomar estate. These illegalities will be fully investigated before the government can authorize any help to Lord Oktar.”

Lord Garic grinned and nodded as he left the office. He hurried back to the Lords’ Council Chamber. The other lords had already reassembled and Lord Garic took his seat.

“Very well,” Lord Quilo said. “Now that we are all refreshed, shall we put this issue to a vote?”

“You cannot,” replied Lord Garic. “I ran into the Emperor while I was out. He is most disturbed by reports of clans assembling at the Balomar estate. He has ordered an investigation into the legalities of the matter. He has ordered that the Lords’ Council votes on this matter must be authorized by him personally until the investigation is complete. There will be no help for Lord Oktar until this is all settled.”

“Did you empty his chamber pot while you were there, Lord Garic?” retorted Lord Patel.

“Is it legal for the Emperor to stop the Lords’ Council from voting on this?” asked Lord Marak.

“The Emperor can step in if he feels that the Lords’ Council is doing something in violation of the law,” nodded Lord Quilo.

“But there has been a provocation,” countered Lord Marak. “Emperor Bagora has already ruled on the legality of my troops being there, and additional troops after the provocation is clearly legal.”

“This has nothing to do with legalities, Lord Marak,” stated Lord Patel. “This has to do with his hatred of you. To allow this council to send troops under your command is to give you prestige. Mirakotto will never allow that. His investigation is merely one of the weapons that he will use to crush you. I advise you to withdraw the request.”

“What if Lord Oktar makes the request?” asked Lord Marak. “I will step out of the entire affair and turn the troops over to someone else. This is not about me. This is about saving Khadora.”

“I believe your offer to step out of this is sincere,” Lord Kiamesh smiled thinly, “but once Mirakotto has entered into this fray, it will not matter if you withdraw. He will continue to block it no matter what. Believe me in this. I have been an outspoken foe of Mirakotto’s since the day I joined this council. He is like a starving dog that has sunk his teeth into a piece of meat. He will not let go until it is devoured.”

“It only makes sense to adjourn this meeting,” nodded Lord Quilo. “You will have to manage with the troops you already have, Lord Marak. This meeting is adjourned.”

The lords filed out of the room. When only Lord Quilo was left, Katzu quietly closed the door and walked across the room and sat down next to the Organila lord who was writing a journal entry about the meeting.

“What is it, Katzu?” Lord Quilo asked without looking up from his task.

“You ended the meeting quickly,” commented Lord Quilo.

“What if I did?” shrugged Lord Quilo. “There was not going to be a resolution. Why listen to more arguments about it?”

“You were against Lord Marak’s proposal then?” asked the mediator.

“You always were a keen observer of people, Katzu,” smiled Lord Quilo. “Of all the mediators for the Lords’ Council, your services are the most in demand. Your rulings have never been questioned. That is because you understand people and what makes them do what they do. You make me proud.”

“Most of the time,” frowned Katzu, “you have made me proud as well. That is why I wanted to speak to you about this, Father.”

“What is there to speak about?” questioned Lord Quilo. “While Lord Oktar may indeed have a problem, I see this whole request as a ruse by Lord Marak to gain power. He has already positioned troops illegally at the Balomar estate. Now he seeks thousands more to serve under his banner. Can you deny that he seeks power?”

“I know Lord Marak to be an honest and patriotic Khadoran,” replied Katzu. “Let me ask you a question. The Organila clan has long had an alliance with the Morgar clan. I know there have been several times over the past few years when Lord Saycher has talked to you about the Situ’s ambitions at Raven’s Point. Is that not true?”

“That is correct,” nodded Lord Quilo, “although I fail to see what that has to do with anything. The Situ were always desirous of expanding, and Lord Saycher relied on the Organila clan to protect him. Why shouldn’t he? Our clans have had an alliance for generations.”

“Didn’t you on more than one occasion send troops to the Morgar estate to halt the Situ ambitions?” asked Katzu.

“Not to the Morgar estate,” corrected Lord Quilo. “We did move troops close enough to warn the Situ that any attack would result in war with us. It always dissuaded the Situ from doing anything foolish.”

“And you would have attacked the Situ if they had made a move against Lord Saycher, wouldn’t you?” questioned the mediator.

“Without question,” nodded Lord Quilo. “Force is the only way to stop a thief, son. That is the one thing that I never seemed to be able to teach you. Had you understood that, you would have made a fine replacement for me as head of the Organila clan.”

“You know I abhor force if there is another way,” smiled Katzu. “The life of a mediator serves me well. How has Lord Saycher been doing now that Raven’s Point is a Torak estate instead of a Situ one?”

“Lord Saycher is very pleased,” admitted Lord Quilo. “He has no fears that the Torak clan will infringe upon his lands. I guess it is all part of the strange peacefulness that has invaded the southern frontier.”

“That peacefulness is no accident, Father,” declared Katzu. “It was brought about by Lord Marak, who by the way is trying to protect Lord Oktar just as you would have protected Lord Saycher.”

“He did not move his troops close to the Balomar estate,” Lord Quilo pointed out. “He moved them onto the estate. There is a large difference there. What he did was illegal.”

“Not true, Father,” Katzu shook his head. “I was present when the Emperor ruled on this matter. Lord Marak has every legal right to be on the Balomar estate.”

“Every legal right?” echoed Lord Quilo. “That is not possible. Unless…” he frowned. “What I am thinking only proves the danger of Lord Marak. He is trying to increase his power at the expense of other clans.”

“No, Father,” Katzu shook his head. “You said that I have a special skill in seeing the true motives of people. I understand Lord Marak, as others do not. I am privy to much secret information about him and his dealings. I cannot betray that confidence, even to you, but I can assure you that he works for the good of all of Khadora. Emperor Bagora felt this about him as well. Why do you think he made that rare appeal in the Assembly of Lords? Bagora never nominated anyone for the Lords’ Council, even when he was just a member of the council. Open your eyes, Father. I know you trusted Bagora’s judgment, and I know you trust my judgment. There is no finer patriot of Khadora than Lord Marak. Support him.”

Lord Quilo stared at his son for a long time without speaking. Finally, he picked up his papers and left the room.

It was the night before the opening session of the Assembly of Lords. The Imperial Palace was full of people, as lords from all over the country had come to Khadoratung to elect a new member to the Lords’ Council. Lords gathered in corridors and discussed the rumors surrounding the assassination of Emperor Bagora.

On the lower level of the Imperial Palace, thousands of soldiers crammed into the dining room. The dining room was huge with dozens of rows of long tables and benches running along each side of them. Nearly a hundred Imperial soldiers worked in the kitchen preparing food for the soldiers who were there to escort their clan lords. The room was noisy, hot, and crowded as long lines of soldiers streamed in and out as they took turns eating.

The trouble started innocuously as some soldiers remarked upon the untidiness of the Vessi soldiers. The Jiadin warriors who wore the Vessi uniforms cared little for the traditions of Khadorans. Some wore their clan headbands; some did not. Only a third bothered to wear the wristbands, and half had discarded the belts that featured the symbol of their clan. The Vessi soldiers did not understand the taunts at first, but as the other Jiadin-supported clans entered, the remarks of other soldiers became inflammatory. The Vessi, Glamaraldi, Lejune, and Pikata soldiers banded together and started shouting insults at the Khadorans.

The spark that ignited the trouble occurred when a Pikata soldier tripped, his tray of food flying through the air to land in the middle of a group of Aritor soldiers. The stew splashed onto the crisp uniforms of the Aritor soldiers, and the Jiadin started laughing. The Aritor soldiers responded by hurling scraps of food at the Pikata troops. Within seconds, soldiers were charging one another. The four Jiadin clans squared off against the soldiers of all of the other clans. Fortunately, weapons had been forbidden within the Imperial Palace, but the fighting was still intense.

Tables were knocked over, and benches were torn from the floor and used to bash opponents. Some soldiers used their eating utensils to attack others. Several snared torches off the wall and attempted to ignite their adversaries. The hundred Imperial soldiers immediately discarded their cooking duties and streamed into the room in an attempt to restore order. They failed.

Someone alerted Marshal Chack, and he arrived with three hundred armed Imperial soldiers. They methodically cleared the room by starting at one end and working their way to the other. They subdued anyone who resisted the call to stop fighting, and evicted the others from the room. When the fighting was over, sixteen soldiers of various clans had died. Another four hundred required the services of healers.

Marshal Chack ordered all clan soldiers to return to their quarters and remain there until further notice. He ordered Imperial soldiers to enforce the ban on the movement of any clan soldiers and then reported to Emperor Mirakotto.

“It was bound to happen sooner or later,” the marshal reported. “I have restricted all escorts to their quarters. My men are patrolling all of the residence corridors with orders to stop any clan soldier from leaving their quarters.”

“They still have to eat,” pondered the Emperor. “I do not want a repeat of such behavior. I am ordering all clan soldiers out of the palace. Let them camp in the outside area with the rest of the escorts.”

“The lords are not going to like that,” countered Marshal Chack. “They will feel unprotected without at least some of the soldiers nearby.”

“I do not care what they think,” snapped Emperor Mirakotto. “They have Imperial troops to protect them. Besides, no lord will be disadvantaged. Their enemies’ troops will also be outside the palace. Carry out my orders, Marshal.”

Marshal Chack bowed to the Emperor and left the room. He gathered every spare Imperial soldier that he could find and addressed them in the entrance foyer.

“You will start with the left residential corridor,” he said to his troops. “We will empty the palace one suite at a time. Let them take their weapons, and escort them to an exit. Then you come back and do the same for the next clan. As you free up Imperial soldiers from the left residential corridor, I will send them to the right residential corridor. Move out.”

The Imperial guards began to empty the palace of clan soldiers. Marshal Chack was kept busy as he was called to address the concerns of each lord as the complaints were made. It took over ten hours to empty the palace. Marshal Chack and the Imperial troops were exhausted.

* * *

Lord Marak rose early. He got dressed and left the empty Torak quarters. He hesitated a moment outside the door as he debated whether he wanted to eat in the lords dining room or the one set aside for the Lords’ Council. It was early enough that neither kitchen might be open. He decided on the Lords’ Council kitchen, as they were more apt to be up early to serve the most important lords in Khadora. He climbed the stairs and found the dining room empty. He passed through the room and into the small kitchen. One man was busy making pastries. The man bowed his head slightly, but did not talk or stop his work. Lord Marak took two pastries from the tray and left the kitchen.

Lord Marak ate the pastries as he passed through the dining room and started down the stairs. His mind was distant as he walked. He kept replaying the previous day’s meeting of the Lords’ Council. He wondered if he could have played it any differently, and how he could recover from the loss. As he reached the main floor and stepped off the stairs, he did not notice the shadowy figure on the stairs leading down to the soldiers’ dining room. He did see an Imperial soldier walking towards him as he turned down the left residence corridor to return to his quarters.

Lord Marak had not gone more than twenty paces along the residence corridor when he heard a noise behind him. He spun around and saw two figures. A dark clad man was hidden behind the Imperial guard. The Imperial soldier had both hands up to his throat, and his face was a bright red, veins bulging as if they were about to burst. On the floor in front of the Imperial soldier was a knife that had been dropped. Lord Marak frowned when he saw the telltale brown stain of poison upon its blade. He also noticed the Imperial soldier wore gloves on his hands.