Schism of Blood and Stone (The Starfield Theory Book 1) (18 page)

Salena felt as if she had turned to liquid and was slowing dripping out of the throne into a puddle on the floor. The room spun and she gripped the throne itself like a life raft. “How dare you speak to me like that,” she growled at him. “You've just forfeited your life! I find you guilty of treason, crimes against your liege and I sentence you to death.”

Dietrich looked up at the paintings on the ceiling and refused to meet her gaze. He remained stoic and silent like the statues of the dukes and duchesses that lined the halls outside.

When it became clear that he would save no more, she waved her guards to remove him.

Sørensen stumbled with some difficulty towards the massive throne room doors so suddenly that the guards were momentarily too stunned to stop him. Finally, they moved forward and grabbed the nobleman, more to assist his unsteady gait than out of fear he may attempt to escape.

Once the doors had creaked shut behind the Sørensen commander, Salena leaned back in the throne, rubbing its unfamiliar arm rests and feeling his anger begin to melt away. The whole room still seemed cold and foreign to her even though she'd been in it plenty of times since her father then her brother reigned as Archduke. It had seemed warmer then, almost homely. But now there was a certain emptiness about it that startled her, even scared her.

There are ghosts here.

“Filipov!” She called for her chief adviser.

Dmitri Filipov had remained half hidden behind the throne in his subordinate position. He walked into view now as his lady's beckoning. Of course, Filipov didn't so much as walk from place to place as he positively
slithered.

Filipov stood before her throne silently awaiting her command. He looked haggard if that were possible as if he'd been involved in the combat, though more likely he'd been awake all night overseeing the operational details of her ascension to the throne.

“What do you think about him?”

Filipov closed his eyes and breathed deeply. “He won't help you. But he won't lie to you either. There will be a lot of opposition.”

“From whom?” She asked quizzically.

“The Conclave,” Filipov said then considered his next thoughts before speaking. “Some support you, no doubt, but others preferred Damien on the throne and some, I'd imagine would even prefer your nephew, that Kristoffer fellow. A weak Archduke invites more Conclave control of policy and most importantly the war.”

“And I suppose you have lists of allies and adversaries?”

He nodded and reached into a pocket. Of course, Filipov had no need for an actual physical list; its existence was for her own benefit. He'd be insulted if she thought he actually needed a reference to make his report. He handed it over to her then resumed his strange still posture like a machine that had been switched off.

What she noticed immediately, with a flash of anger, was those grouped under suspected adversaries greatly outnumbered those grouped under allies. She also was not surprised to see House Sørensen at the top of that former list. Even though the initial prognosis looked bleak, the houses grouped under the heading “undetermined” was longer than either list.
And House Sten is curiously absent from the page entirely
, she mused.

“And your analysis?”

Again Filipov closed his eyes and breathed deeply. “There are many who can be swayed if you prove yourself to be of no threat to them or their territory; they are selfish of course. House Sørensen will oppose you the most, well, the survivors anyway. Their remaining fleet was granted safe passage by the Azuren and they are leaving the system for a destination unconfirmed, probably to your brother. The survivors here are either in custody or went to ground.”

“And what of House Sten? I don't see them anywhere,” she said waving the paper in the air. She knew this was significant and not a simple omission. Filipov did not err.

Filipov kept his eyes closed, breathed deeply again. “House Sten represented a computing impossibility.”

This is new
, Salena thought as she crossed her arms. “Explain, Filipov.”

“The Archduke or Archduchess is always the head of House Sten. As duchess you are the House Master of the Stens, therefore logically, you would have its support. However, Damien will obviously not support your bid to power and Conrad's thoughts are entirely unknown. Therefore, House Sten can be said to support you, as well as be opposed and undetermined. Because other houses and factions may support Damien, House Sten cannot be definitively placed in any category.”

He sounds like some Starfield Theorist
, she realized,
with his bizarre calculations and equations
.
Of course, he couldn't possibly be one. His type would be cast out of their silly organization. Even their aggressive Praxis would find him too ruthless.

Admittedly
,
ju
st hearing his rationing of House Sten's position irritated her. Filipov apparently understood that Conrad and his Guard were holed up in their mountain fortress, refusing all attempts at communication. According to Commonwealth law, Conrad was required to owe his allegiance and vassalage to the Archduke or Archduchess and reaffirm it in person if the owner of the title changed. He would have to be dealt with eventually.
And I haven't ruled out an orbital bombardment of his fief, yet, either.

“Very well. I must address the Conclave to explain what happened here. House Sørensen's treachery must not be forgotten,” Salena mused almost to herself. “They must be groomed properly for Damien's arrival. He will find, when he begins searching, that allies will be hard to come by.”

The Conclave was the official body of nobles that met regularly to discuss matters of diplomacy. Prior to the Conclave, noble houses took to the battlefield to settle their disputes which severely disrupted the internal workings of the Commonwealth and weakened the power of the sovereign. By no means did any Archduke or Archduchess have complete authority over the realm. The Conclave solved that problem. Battles with ammunition were replaced with battles of words and Commonwealth politics was known to be especially brutal. The Conclave had no real power, of course, but words were weapons and she had to control the dialogue.

By now the house liaisons would be sending messages back to their superiors requesting instructions in response to the Sørensen coup and Teton-Sten counter-coup. The other nobles houses would scramble for a solution, but due to the delicate nature of the balance of power, most would be content to let events play out. If the Sørensen insurgency raged longer than expected the houses may grow restless with the instability and take action to restore order.

I need to address them before they begin their own political machinations,
she thought bitterly.
There are going to be several major power shifts as the houses consider the new situation. I need to prevent those shifts from damaging Houses Teton or Sten. It will be like navigating a minefield blindfolded,
she thought closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.

“And what of your brother, my Lady?” Filipov asked.

“We will have a something special planned for him. Though by the end of his visit to Magdeborg, I suspect he will be joining Lord Dietrich on a path to Ithix,” she said coldly referring to the Amrahn infinite river reserved for the damned and the most lost of souls. Ithix, it was said, flowed around the salvation land where the Path led, allowing those trapped in its currents views of Paradise even as they struggled to reach it and drowned for eternity.

“I excel in planning special occasions,” Filipov said. He smiled in such a way that reminded Salena of a feral animal realizing it had cornered its prey. She shivered involuntarily as the twisted man slithered out of her presence, his warped mind already working away.

Sir Aaron Mercer-Sten

Knight Scion of House Mercer

Scarlet Light,
Goteborg, Magdeborg Duchy

______________

Aaron looked out the window of his private quarters on the
RDS
Scarlet Light
as Damien's
flagship
seemed to glow white hot then vanish as it successfully made the jump to Wastert on its way to Magdeborg. Damien left Aaron in charge of the defense of Goteborg in his absence, despite the seniority of others in both rank and status. Many of the more senior knights in service to House Sten demanded their own be appointed the commander of the border army and voiced their complaints loudly with a fair share of literal saber-rattling. For a few moments it looked as though the coalition of houses was about to shatter until Damien threatened the belligerents with military action spearheaded by the very aggravated Slader Sten.

After Damien's public display of support for Aaron, he boarded his ship and left Aaron in charge of the last line of defense for the Goteborg Duchy. Despite Aaron's predicament, he did not envy his uncle's duty. He had no doubt that a trap awaited Damien at Magdeborg. Salena couldn't leave him free to gather allies, nor did she have the political clout to control him. What it meant was a public arrest and a sham trial accusing him of being in league with the Sørensens resulting in a public execution.

Damien didn't survive sixty years in Duchy politics without developing a few defense mechanisms
, Aaron thought to himself as he watched the tiny ships maneuver outside.

“You know, if Salena was successful as she claims she was, House Sørensen is probably destroyed along with the Sten House Guard,” Reyna commented, seeming to speak to no one in particular.

Aaron glanced over at her. She sat in his spare chair, spinning it gently, her hands clasped behind her head. She was staring off at the ceiling, as if contemplating the strategic and tactical ramifications of the coup. He often allowed her refuge in his private quarters which sometimes proved more of an annoyance than a pleasure.

“Or Conrad took the Guard into the mountains like he did when Archduke Haakon died. Their loyalty is to House Sten, not Magdeborg or the Commonwealth for that matter,” Aaron said.

“House Sten
is
the Commonwealth, Aaron, and has been for a thousand years,” Reyna reminded him, only partially scolding.

Aaron shrugged. “I have no loyalty to House Sten beyond what my own family owes. I grew up on Haberton as a member of House Mercer and I'm a Sten by blood only on my mother's side. I've never been to Anarrk or Magdeborg for that matter.”

“Neither have I, but I still claim allegiance to House Sten through your house's vassalage to them,” Reyna said, turning towards him and placing her hands in her lap. “You should, too.”

Aaron put down his pen and pushed away the paperwork. “And what are you trying to get at?”

“You don't give Damien enough credit,” she said bluntly, then returned to spinning back and forth.

Aaron arced an eyebrow. “How, exactly?”

“Damien is your mentor and there is a reason why he picked you and not any of those thick-headed fools who have been sycophants to Damien and other nobles waiting for gifts of territory and wealth. You have proven yourself in battle as both a fighter and a leader. Damien believes you are capable of defending Goteborg. He's not stupid. He needs you here and confident. Damien has greater plans for you.”

Aaron frowned. When the Mercer homeworld of Haberton fell to Pershing's army, Aaron began making preparations to return home to fight, but Damien kept him at Goteborg and a part of his army. His family also ordered him to keep away from Haberton. Even when word that his brother and father had died in battle, they still kept him away. He struggled to accept reasons why his family refused to allow him to return home to fight the Dominion when they died in his place. Staying at Goteborg and supporting Lord Damien was more important, his mother told him so he played the role of the loyal son and obeyed.

“Why do you think that?” He asked slowly.

“He wouldn't have given you command of his army and told you to protect Goteborg if he didn't trust you,” she said.

“What about my obligations to my family?” Aaron asked quietly.

“Are you considering taking your new army to Haberton and leaving Goteborg to the Dominion?” She asked.

Aaron mulled this over. Damien had entrusted his army to him, but he wondered if he might be bale to take it to his family's homeworld and dispatch the Dominion garrison. He could reclaim the world in the name of his dead father and brother and put his house back on a path to reclaim its former glory.

He declined to answer Reyna's question.

“They understand,” she said. “Your mother and sister know why you're here. They believe in you and trust you just as Damien does.”

A sudden blizzard of suppressed emotions threatened to overwhelm him. He took a deep breath, shoving them back where they belonged.

“I ought to have been with them,” he said, “Fighting to protect Haberton.” He looked away, trying to hide his reaction. Anger began to boil to the surface. “I should have been with my family and my people. How do I look to them now? I am the coward that hid behind Lord Damien while they fought and died in my place.”

“If you have been on Haberton, Pershing would have killed you too. Don't confuse bravery with stupidity,” Reyna said none too gently. “You are the heir to your house now. You have a responsibility to live to carry on the family legacy.”

Aaron blinked regaining control of himself. Damien had said the same thing to him on several occasions as he pointed out the foolish actions of glory-minded knights. Damien had always told him never to consider the “what ifs” of a conflict. Recognize only that different choices could have been made and remember that those choices existed in the future, but to dwell on past mistakes was even worse than forgetting them.

“What do you think about what Lord Damien told us, about Archduke Peter's secret children?” He blurted out, desperate to change the subject.

Reyna crinkled her brow, taking the change in stride. Damien's revelation seemed to be something she had been considering, but didn't necessarily enjoy the ramifications. “It's hard to say. I don't know what Damien hopes to accomplish by manipulating them. Kristoffer is going to be a target for Salena's assassins, no doubt. If the kid lives another week I'd be surprised.”

“If he is who Dietrich claimed he is, we have to find him and keep him alive,” Aaron said. “Those were our orders.”

“Even if Damien doesn't return?” Reyna asked.

Aaron frowned. “What happened to giving Lord Damien credit?”

“You must consider the very real possibility that Damien does not return from Magdeborg.”

“I'm surprised he went,” Aaron admitted.

“I cautioned him against it, but he was insistent. If he refused he would send a very powerful message but it would let Salena control the dialogue. Damien was invited to Magdeborg for his brother's funeral. By not attending, he shows he cares little about his brother and publicly snubbed Salena. It doesn't matter who you are, that sort of behavior is dangerous. He needs to be present to control the discussion.”

Aaron exhaled. “Do you think he will come back?”

Reyna licked her lips and thought about the question. “He might, or he might not.”

“Don't you have that silly equation you use to determine those things?”

Reyna laughed. “And you rely on the Goddess Amrah to make those sorts of decisions?”

Aaron shrugged helplessly. “It's outside our control. I can't be worried about it. I have to worry about Goteborg.”

“You've already thought about this?”

“I've had to. If something happens to Damien, I'm left here with his army. Salena will want to know what I intend to do with it.”

“That's true. You'll become a power player in the Commonwealth. You will have a choice. Either you keep it here and protect the border from the Dominion or you take the army to Magdeborg, overthrow Salena and free Damien.”

Aaron took a deep breath. “What should I do?”

“You're asking for my advice?”

“You're here to advise me, are you not?”

Reyna smiled. “That's what your mother sent me here to do.”

“Well?”

“You're not going to like what I have to tell you, but you should go to Magdeborg and free Damien. You owe him too much. He brought you here from Haberton, gave you a spot in his inner circle and has taught you all he knows.”

Aaron nodded. “What about Goteborg.”

“You have a choice to make then. Do you wish to protect Goteborg and kill Pershing or do you want to save Damien.”

“Pershing must die,” Aaron hissed, clenching his fist and feeling his breath quicken. “But I can't leave Lord Damien to die at Salena's hands either.”

“Then you have some thinking to do. Don't let these potentials take you by surprise. Be ready for them. We already lost the initiative when we found out Pershing was sprung. Let's not screw that up again.”

“Lord Damien was always better at predicting these outcomes and being ready for them.”

“It's true. Damien paves the way for many things to happen, but some are out of his control. The best he can do is be prepared. A good leader uses foresight to be prepared for the worst and the best. You need to start doing that, too.”

“You act like Damien's already dead,” he accused.

“I am preparing for the possibility. As you should, too.”

Aaron scratched at his desk and took a deep breath.
I can't imagine life without Damien. If he's gone, that leaves me to fill his shoes. I don't think I can.

“You're right,” he admitted. “Let's plot out a response, but first I want us in position to get Kristoffer when he gets back to station. I can't chase him into Dominion territory, but I can ambush him when he returns. No mistakes this time,” he said. “I want this done.”

Reyna smiled happily and squeezed his shoulders reassuringly.