Emperor Mage (33 page)

He
looked her in the eyes for a moment and saw that she meant it, "Name these
people, then."

"The
Banjiku—all of them, please, and their animals. And the emperors mutes,"

"The
mutes?" She nodded. "But—they're useful, and since they're mute
already—" Daine stared at him. The emperor sighed. "Very well. I have
to bustle, if they're to leave tomorrow."

As he
tried to get up, Daine held him back. "Kaddar, it's not my place to
criticize the way you live, but if I were you, I'd think about your slaves.
Animals endure cages if they must, but not two-leg-gers. If your slaves ever
think to break out, it'll make what I did look like mud pies."

He sat
down again. "It would beggar the empire if we freed them. No one could pay
wages to so many when they pay only for room and board now. My nobles would
rise against me. Even my soldiers would rebel, thinking that freed slaves would
attack and their homes and families would be in danger"

"I
know it'd be hard, but please, think about it. If you whip an animal long
enough, it turns on you. If all the world were slave, I don't know if it would
be so dangerous, but all they need do is look across the Inland Sea to know
life doesn't have to be like this."

To her
surprise, he lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it, "I will think
about it; I promise."

At
dawn, she stood on one of the ships that would convey the now much larger
TortaUan party north to Corus, the Tortallan capital. Their small convoy would
raise anchor once the Banjiku and their animals boarded Daine s ship. The
mutes—those who had chosen to come—were already aboard another vessel. To
Daine's surprise, half of them had chosen to stay behind. Talking in sign
language to Numair, they had explained that they preferred to stay with the
life they knew. Emperor Kaddar would be far kinder than his uncle, they were
sure, and Carthak was their home.

"When's
the coronation?" she asked Kaddar, who had come to see them off, Numair,
standing nearby, picked up Kitten, trying to pretend he wasn't listening.

"Full
moon" the young man said, "I wish you could be there."

"I
don't," grumbled Numair. Daine kicked him gendy.

"You'll
write?" asked Kaddar, turning to go. The Banjiku had finished boarding.
"You promise?"

"I'll
write," she replied. The early fog had burned off at last, giving her a
clear view of the palace. While some parts remained as they had been, she saw
plenty of cracked and broken walls, The upper reaches were
     
by flame and soot Of its five towers, only
three remained standing.

She
also saw one more thing. "Your Imperial Majesty? Kaddar!"

On the
dock, he looked up at her. "Yes?"

"About
the palace? I wouldn't rebuild over there, if I were you. You're going to have
a dreadful problem with pests, and no dogs or will stay in it"

The
captain shouted the order to cast off. She waved cheerfully.

"Pests?"
Kaddar glanced across the river. The entire slope between palace and water was
covered with rats.

It's
ours, now, they thought to Daine.

It's
only fitting, she told them, and waved goodbye. Thunder rolled softly overhead
as, once more, it began to rain.