Emperor Mage (4 page)

Finished
with Zek s grooming, Daine got to her feet, "I need to change," she
told the marmoset when he clung to her, "Hold on to Kitten*" Zek eyed
the dragon with misgiving. Kitten chirped, and offered her forepaw. He clutched
it and watched Daine s every movement.

Drawing
on a shift, the girl surveyed her room. It was simple, elegant, and costly.
Walls, floor, and ceiling were polished marble. Carved cedar window screens
gave off their famous scent. The bed was delicately carved, the sheets fine
cotton. Over it lay a silk comforter in autumn colors. The clean, sweet-scented
privy lay off a small dressing room. That chamber, a few feet from the bed, was
furnished with a table and matching chair, a long mirror, and a number of tiny
jars which held various cosmetics, salves, and perfumes.

There
was but one feature she disliked—a tiger-skin rug. Its jaws were open in a
snarl; yellow glass eyes glared at the world. "I have to ask them to move this,"
she told her audience. "I can't sleep with it here." Kneeling, Daine
touched it sadly. She had seen tigers in the king s menagerie. They were
magnificent cats, and she preferred the ones whose skin was still attached.

Her
palms felt hot, itchy. Suddenly they pulsed. White fire spilled from her hands
onto the tiger. Slowly the eyelids feU, and rose again. The jaw relaxed; the
great mouth closed.

She
thrust herself away so quickly that she feU over, "Did you see that?"
she demanded of Kitten and Zek, "What \v«w it?" Both stared at her,
plainly as bewildered as she was.

Although
she waited, the skin did not move again. Using a long-handled brush, she shoved
it under her bed, poking it repeatedly to keep any part from sticking out. At
last it was securely tucked away, and she could dress.

TWO

IMPERIAL WELCOME

Some
hours later, Daine looked round the antechamber to the throne room with awe.
Kitten did the same. The marmoset Zek, who had refused to stay behind, observed
everything from his hiding place under her hair, at the back of her neck. There
was much to stare at. The room was filled with nobles and mages dressed in
their finest. Shave-headed slaves were everywhere, offering food, drinks,
flower garlands, and feathered or jeweled fans. Huge screens had been pushed
back to reveal a broad terrace and gardens. Light came from large globes hung
by chains from the ceiling. As the sky darkened, the globes shone brighter.

"How
 
do
 
the lamps keep burning?" Daine asked.

"Magic."
The speaker was Harailt of Aili, dean of magical studies at the royal
university in Tortall. He was a stocky, round-faced man with an endless supply
of jokes. Stuck in his outer room, waiting to bow to the emperor, Daine had
been grateful for each and every jest. "Numair, why didn't you tell us

about
this light spell?" Harailt asked. "To have strong, steady
illumination—"

Numair
looked up. "They didn't have it when I was here," he said absently.
"They did something with glass balls, but they faded after a short time.
These aren't glass."

"The
globes are filled with crystals," Lindhall Reed explained. "Remind me
and I'll have one of the craft mages explain it for you." Seeing the door
to the emperor s audience chamber open, he added, "You'll be all right,
Arra—I'm sorry—Numair?"

The
younger mage smiled. "I have to be, don't I?" As a page beckoned
their group forward, he took a deep breath. "Here we go, into the presence
of the one and only Emperor Mage. Huzza."

The
Tortallans entered the imperial audience chamber, Daine, Zek, and Kitten at the
back of the company with the clerks. The admiring looks of that group of young
men told Daine that not only had she been wise to wear this twilight-blue silk
gown, but that she had done well to accept the royal gift of a wardrobe for
this trip. "You go as a representative of the Crown, just like the
ambassadors" Queen Thayet had said, hazel eyes smiling. "My lord and
I insist. Trust me: there is nothing like a good appearance to give a woman
confidence." The queen had been right. It was hard to feel insignificant
in a gown that whispered as she moved and winked with silver embroidery.

Introduced
by a herald, Duke Gareth gave his speech to the emperor, announcing their
desire to meet Carthak halfway and their hopes for a lasting peace. He then
presented gifts from the king and queen to the emperor. As he spoke, Daine
studied the ruler of Carthak, who sat on a tail throne before them, flanked by
his ministers and nobles.

She had
never heard of him until two-and-a-half years ago, when she had come from palla
to Tortall after her mothers death. Now she knew him all too well. Most
Tortallans believed it was this emperor who had managed to break the walls
between mortal and divine realms on frequent occasions, turning loose the
creatures known as immortals to prey upon Carthak s enemies. Daine herself,
working with Numair a year ago, had found evidence that Ozorne was helping to
plan a rebellion against the rulers of Tortall. When the monarchs of the other
Eastern Lands, those countries north of the Inland Sea, had learned of Emperor
Ozorne's plot against one of them, they had united. The threat of the entire
northern continent going to war against the southern one had caused Emperor
Ozorne to back down, and to open peace talks with TortalL

Her
first sight of the infamous Emperor Mage filled her with awe. She had thought
the prince was fine, but he was a barnyard rooster to his uncles peacock. Gold
frosted Ozornes hair; gold beads

hung
from a wealth of thin braids. Gold paint shimmered on lips, brows, even his
eyelashes. Gold rings marched up the curve of each ear; a diamond hung from his
left earlobe. His neck was ringed with six rows of deep-blue stones that
sparked with many-colored fires: black opals, expensive stones prized because
they could hold magical power. Beneath them he wore the calf-length,
short-sleeved robe of his people in heavy gold brocade. Looped at his right hip
and passing over his left shoulder was a crimson drape. The long end of the
cloth was linked to the emperors left wrist by a gold bracelet. Each finger
sported a ring. His sandals were gilded. Like the prince, he wore toe rings,
and added to them ankle bracelets.

She'd
heard of Carthaks wealth and power, but it was one matter to hear such things,
another to see one man decked out like an idol in gold and gems.

Duke
Gareth had finished. Now the line of Tortallans started forward as Duke Gareth
gave their names, each bowing to the emperor as they were presented. Watching
them, Daine felt a rush of pride. Carthak might be proud and great, but Tortall
had sent wise and famous people to work out a peace settlement. Alanna the
Lioness was a legend in the Eastern and Southern Lands, one the Carthakis
couldn't match; and as far as Daine was concerned, Numair was the fish their
hosts had allowed to get away.

At last
her name and Kittens were called. Taking a deep breath, Daine walked up to the
first step of the dais on which the throne stood, and curtsied, spreading her
blue skirts at her sides. The queen had worked on the movement with her for
hours, and she was glad to do her teacher proud. Kitten walked up the steps,
halting only when she reached the emperor s feet.

"Greetings,
dragon child. This is a pleasure " He reached down. Kitten sniffed his
fingers, and sneezed. Grasping his hand with her forepaws, she examined the
gems on his rings with interest. "And you are her keeper?" inquired
the emperor. "The one who is also a healer of animals?"

She
didn't like that word, keeper, but she nodded. Lord Martin cleared his throat,
and she realized she was supposed to answer the ruler of Carthak. "I take
care of her, Your Imperial Majesty. And I have wild magic with animals of all
kinds."

"How
was she taken, your dragon? A trap, or a pit? A net?"

Daine
swallowed. Traps or snares for Kitten? "I don't think you understand our
relationship, Your Imperial Majesty. I'm not a keeper; I didn't take her.
Kit's—Kitten's—ma died to protect my friends and me. She left Kitten to my
care."

"Indeed?"
He looked at her with curious amber eyes. "It is true, then. You are able
to commune with the immortals."

"The
ones like animals, sire. The griffins, and winged horses. Dragons. The ones
that are part human, no." She made a face. "They can communicate
without my help."

Kitten,
bored with the conversation, voiced a whistle-croak. The gems on the emperors
fingers blazed with light.

"Amazing,'"
he cried, delighted "Has she always been able to do that?"

"No,
sir. She learned a year ago, from a basilisk. She learns things fast."

"Then
she is blessed, as we are blessed to look upon her." He nodded a
dismissal, and Daine stepped back to join the others.

Introductions
over, the emperor said, "To you, representatives of our royal cousins
Jonathan and Thayet, we say, welcome to Carthak. We pray that peace will reign
between our lands and know that with such a distinguished company to smooth the
way, peace is all but assured And now, there is food outside, and drink, music,
and good company. In your time among us, we have arranged for entertainment
that we hope will arouse wonder and interest in our empire. Enjoy all these
things, please. If you desire anything, only voice it to our servants. Within
reason it shall be granted you."

Dismissed
from the imperial presence, the Tortallans bowed as they backed up, until they
were outside again. Once they had left the area closest to

the
door of the audience chamber, a gong sounded and a grinding noise filled the
air. Everyone, guests and servants, froze in place. Slowly the walls that cut
the audience chamber off from the antechamber sank into the floor. Now the
emperors dais commanded a view of the combined rooms. Everyone bowed or
curtsied deeply to the golden man on the golden throne. He waved a hand; talk and
movement picked up where they'd left off. A slave knelt beside the throne,
offering a bowl of fruit. The emperor selected a fig, and nibbled it.

Daine
felt like a puppet whose strings had been cut. Luckily niches in the walls held
couches, with brightly colored pillows to cushion those who wished to sit. She
nearly fell into the closest one. Zek squeaked and left his place of
concealment to climb into her lap. Duke Gareth and Nurnair sat beside her, and
the remaining Tortallans gathered around.

"Are
you all right?" Numair asked softly, cupping her cheek with one large
hand. "I had forgotten how intimidating he can be when he has all his
imperialness on."

The
girl looked at the gilded figure on the dais. "I noticed. Are you all
right? Did he say anything to you?"

He
smiled. "No. If I'm lucky, he'll ignore me for the rest of our stay.
That's how he always managed such things when we were boys, anyway. If

someone
bested him at anything, he just pretended that person didn't exist. He got to
be very good at it."

Duke
Gareth remarked, "It went quite well. You did us credit, Daine."

The
girl blushed and smiled at him. "Thank you, Your Grace."

Gareth
the Younger and Harailt, who had quietly left them, returned with servants
bearing trays of cups. "Fruit juices," the mage said as his
companions helped themselves.

"So
far, so good." Lindhall had come with the servants. "Numair, did he
speak to you?"

"He
didn't even look at me. He spoke the most with Daine."

"But
what about his birds?" the girl asked, confused. "I came all this way
to see them, and he didn't mention them at aU,"

"Rulers
don't act as other men," Duke Gareth told her, "All requirements of
protocol must be met before personal considerations may intrude. You must be
patient until he sends for you,"

"But
more of them might get sick then," she muttered. Numair looked at her and
put a finger to his lips. Daine sighed, but obeyed the command to be quiet,

"Arram"
said a female voice. Everyone looked around. A blue-eyed blonde in an open
mage's robe of cream-colored silk approached, hands out. Her