The Twilight Lord (30 page)

The emperor had finally been informed by Tania, for no one else dared to tell him, of the crowd of women waiting outside his palace.

“What do they want?” Gaius Prospero asked.

“They will not say, my lord, to any but you,” Tania answered.

“Are they armed?” His voice quavered nervously and he put a protective arm around the lady Shifra.

“They do not appear to be, my lord,” Tania said.

“How many of them are there?”

“Hundreds, my lord.”

“And they waited all night?” Gaius Prospero was surprised.

“You must see them, my lord,” Tania told him. “They will not go away otherwise, I fear. They are women, nothing more.”

“Has Jonah spoken to them?” Gaius Prospero wanted to know.

“He has, my lord, but they want you,” Tania responded. “You must go then, my dear lord,” Lady Shifra said. “I will come with you.”

“Nay,” he protested. “I do not want you in danger.”

“We will garb ourselves in our finest robes, and your trumpeters will proceed us as we go,” Shrifa said. “It will charm the women to see that both their emperor and empress have come before them. They probably want nothing more than for you to release some grain from your storehouses so the price of bread may be lowered. They are thinking of their children and their oldsters, my lord. Let us go and treat them with courtesy and with kindness.”

The emperor looked first to his wife and then to Tania.

“The empress is wise. You should follow her advice, my lord,” Tania said.

Gaius Prospero nodded and immediately Tania called to the servants to fetch the royal garments. The emperor and his wife were garbed in cloth of gold embroidered with rubies, sapphires, diamonds and emeralds. Shifra’s long red-gold hair was topped with a small crown while her husband wore a larger headpiece. And while they were being dressed Tania found the imperial trumpeters, who hastily gathered up their instruments.

Jonah saw the preparations and attempted to dissuade the emperor from his course of action. “If you give in to this rabble of women, then other groups will come with an endless stream of complaints they want you to correct. And when you cannot they will be angered, mylord. I but try to protect you and the empress.”

“It is the empress’s suggestion that we greet these women and treat them with courtesy,” Gaius Prospero said. “You have not, despite the authority I have given you, been able to disperse these women. If seeing me will do so then they shall see me and my gentle empress. And arrest a half dozen of them when they go back through the gates of the Golden District.”

“Lady Gillian is among them,” Jonah said. “She has, so far, done much of the talking.”

“Indeed,” Gaius Prospero replied. He made a
tch
ing sound of disapproval. “Arrest her first,” he told Jonah. “Her term of office ends at Summerfest and Lady Farah is already prepared to take over the business of the Pleasure Guild. What do a few weeks matter, eh? We cannot have Hetarian women behaving badly and they will ape their betters, won’t they? If Gillian is not stopped immediately and publicly punished then others could easily grow bold. I cannot permit such a thing to disturb the order of Hetar, Jonah. The women must follow the example of my obedient Shifra, who thinks only of my welfare. Her womanly behavior is to be commended, don’t you agree, my lord?” Then turning to his beautiful wife the emperor offered her his arm. “Come, my dear, and let us greet our subjects.”

They walked together through the wide gates of the palace. Gaius Prospero’s eyes widened momentarily as he viewed the great crowd of women before him. But then, Shifra on his arm, they stepped forth into the late morning sunshine. The women were silent as they had been all along. It was eerie. The emperor held up his hand in greeting to the assembled. Then he spoke.

“Women of Hetar, what is it you desire of your emperor that you would put all manners aside and besiege my palace?”

And they answered him with one great voice.
“No war! No war! No war!”

G
AIUS
P
ROSPERO FELL
back, aghast at the great sound the voices of the women made. Did they not understand? he wondered silently to himself. But then he realized that of course they could not possibly understand. They were only women. A paternal rush welled up in him. He held up his hand to still them and they did indeed grow silent.

“Women of Hetar,” he began, “you must understand that we are threatened by the terrible magic forces of Terah. If we do not strike first, if we do not bring the battle to Terah, they will fall upon us like rabid wolves. We go to war to protect Hetar. To protect you and your children. And Terah has much land to be settled, many riches to be shared. Hetar is a peaceful land. We do this to keep the peace.”

“You do it to enrich yourself and your friends further!” a voice in the crowd called out.

“We do not want our menfolk slaughtered needlessly!” cried another voice.

Lady Gillian stepped forward and the women grew silent again. “My lord emperor,” she said politely and she bowed to him. “There is no real proof that Terah threatens Hetar. The Coastal Kings have traded for centuries with them and at no time did Terah ever evince hostility toward Hetar. Rather, they strove to avoid us. Our ships have never been permitted to sail into Terahn ports. Indeed, no Hetarian other than Lord Jonah has even been allowed to visit Terah.

“You promised the citizens of Hetar that the colonization of the Outlands would bring us all prosperity. It has not happened because, rather than distributing the land fairly, you have parceled it out among the magnates and you have transported the poor into positions upon their farms that make them little better than slaves. The few who have gained their own land have fallen into debt with the high prices needed to purchase equipment and build their shelters. We have problems here in Hetar that need correcting. We do not need another war. We will not support another war,” Lady Gillian told him implacably. “Will you send your son, Aubin, into war, my lord? How many of the magnates’ sons, the sons of the Crusader Knights, will be sent?”

“What has that got to do with the threat that Terah poses to us?” the emperor demanded.

“You are quick to send our sons into battle!” one of the women cried out. “But not your own lad. Why is he better than our boys?”

“The emperor’s son cannot be compared with a mercenary’s son, or a merchant’s son or the son of any common Hetarian citizen,” Gaius Prospero said in lofty tones, as he looked down upon them from the steps where he stood.
Stupid women,
he thought, irritated.

“We will not send our sons into your war this time, Gaius Prospero,” Lady Gillian said quietly. “The women of Hetar will not support your foolishness any longer.”

“The women of Hetar will do as they are told!” the emperor burst out, his fury evident.

Suddenly an angry murmur arose from among the crowd and the women once again chanted,
“No war! No war! No war!”

The young empress stepped forward and held up her hand for silence.

The women stopped to listen, for she was an unknown commodity.

“Women of Hetar,” her girlish voice cried out to them, “you surely cannot comprehend, for I know that I do not, the greater good our emperor brings by his actions. Trust him. I do.”

“We thank the empress for her kind thoughts,” Lady Gillian said, “but she has not the experience of many years or sons to protect as we all do. Know this, Gaius Prospero. The women of Hetar will stand against you in this matter. Think carefully before you commit us to a futile endeavor.” Then Lady Gillian turned, and the crowd parted for her and then followed her as she walked back down the gravel path, across the greensward and toward the gates enclosing the Golden District.

When she reached the gates, the guards, already alerted by Jonah, attempted to take her into custody, but the women protested and their numbers physically overcame the guards pushing them back with great shouts of outrage. Lady Gillian walked on proudly. The guards tried to snatch several others, but their companions would not permit it. Finally, the great crowd of women had exited the Golden District and they walked through the streets chanting.
“No war! No war! No war!”
Now and again the protesters would stop and one of their number would speak. Soon other women in the streets were joining them.

From the safety of his palace Gaius Prospero was still stunned by what had just occurred. He hurried back to his library, his young wife running behind him with Jonah. “How could this sort of thing happen?” he demanded of the man he called his right hand, slumping into a chair while Shifra poured him a goblet of wine and mopped his forehead, which was beaded with moisture. “Women in revolt against
my
authority?
The authority of Hetar?
If it had been ten or even fifty or a hundred I should have taken no heed of them. But there were over a thousand women certainly, Jonah!”

“Surely not a thousand, my lord,” Jonah said in silky tones. “And now they have all gone home. They have had their say, my lord, and that will be the end of it.” He offered his master one of his rare smiles.

“A thousand or more,” Gaius Prospero said firmly. “And who encouraged them to this rebellion? There were women of all castes, Jonah. From the highest to the lowest. Most were bold and showed their faces, but I saw others who were well cloaked that their faces not be seen. Those garments were of the richest fabrics. They were surely wives of Crusader Knights and magnates, as well as Pleasure Women of high rank.”

“Many were from among the mercenary class,” Jonah soothed. “The poor always complain, my lord. It is in their nature.”

“This revolt crosses class barriers, Jonah,” Gaius Prospero said.

“’Tis a little revolt, my lord,” Jonah answered.

“From little revolts come bigger revolts,” the emperor replied. “But no matter. I want to know who is behind it, Jonah. How many were arrested at the gate?”

“I will inquire,” Jonah said.

“I want Gillian questioned. Do what you must but find out what we need to know. I will put a stop to this resistance against my authority immediately,” the emperor said.

“Of course, my lord. Your will is mine to obey,” Jonah told him, then bowed himself from the emperor’s library even as Shifra slipped into her husband’s lap to soothe him, her little hand caressing his face with a gentle touch.

Jonah sent a messenger to the gate to inquire about those arrested. He then directed his personal servant, Lionel, to find his most useful spy, Arcas, and bring him to the palace. He was not pleased to learn that no one had been arrested. And when Arcas finally arrived, Jonah, who knew the emperor would not be pleased to learn this, rounded on the man who was his spy and in Jonah’s debt.

“You have heard what happened?” Jonah asked grimly.

Arcas nodded nervously. “I have, my lord.”

“Women in revolt, Arcas, and you knew nothing of it? The booth in the market where I placed you to toil as a scribe is next to a most popular women’s destination. A large booth dealing in scents, lotions, soaps of the finest quality. It is always filled with women chattering. And you heard nothing of this rebellion? It has been months since you brought me anything of value, Arcas. I wonder if you have lost your ability to be useful,” Jonah murmured, the threat veiled but unmistakable.

“I did hear something in the last few days,” Arcas admitted nervously. “But my lord Jonah, they were babbling women. I did not think it was of any importance.”

“It is not up to you to decide what is important or unimportant,” Jonah said angrily. “You are in my employ to gather information.
Everything
you hear. I will make the decision if it is important or unimportant. Now tell me what you heard, you useless fool!”

Arcas, who had formerly been a Coastal King and was now exiled from that province, served Jonah as a gatherer of information. Some of that information Jonah passed on to his master, the emperor. But some of it he did not. Arcas suspected that Jonah planned one day to overthrow Gaius Prospero or at least make an attempt. But he had no proof at all that the man known as the emperor’s right hand was disloyal and until he did he dared not speak out. “Recently,” he began, quickly gathering his thoughts, “I have heard women speaking of their dissatisfaction with the emperor’s plans to pursue another war. They say he does it to enrich himself and the magnates. They complain that the ordinary folk gain nothing from these wars. Rather they lose husbands, fathers and sons. That more poor are created by Gaius Prospero’s wars as the women of Hetar and their children are left without their men to support them and protect them. They say that it is time the women of Hetar stood up for their families and told Gaius Prospero that they will not let their men be killed and crippled by his blind ambition and greed.” Arcas stopped a moment to see if Jonah was pleased by his tidings.

Obviously Jonah was, for he said, “What else?”

“They gossip that Terah is no danger to Hetar. That Gaius Prospero lies when he says that they are,” Arcas replied. “They say that in the few years since they learned of Terah’s existence it has remained as it was before. Invisible.”

“Do they mention the faerie woman, Lara?” Jonah wanted to know.

“They do not believe her powers are strong enough to harm Hetar. Besides, she is Hetarian-born,” Arcas answered. “Even I who am her enemy know she would not harm Hetar.”

“Do they not remember her part in the Winter War?” Jonah asked.

“They know the Winter War was won by the Outland clan families by better tactics, not by magic,” Arcas said. “As I told you, my lord, foolish chatter.”

“That foolish chatter brought over a thousand women to the emperor’s palace,” Jonah said softly. “From this moment on you will report to me daily and tell me what you have overheard. As I have told you, it is not up to you to decided what is relevant and what is not. Leave me now.” Jonah impatiently waved his minion away.

Alone he began to consider how this turn of events might play into his hands. He did not believe for one moment that Hetar’s docile women had considered the advantages and disadvantages of war. Someone had planted the idea in their heads, but who? The emperor was eager to arrest the lady Gillian, but Jonah thought not. This burgeoning movement was too volatile right now and it wasn’t just Gillian who was leading it. Besides, her influence would soon wane as his mother, Lady Farah, became the new headmistress of the Pleasure Guild.

Jonah wondered if a war could be avoided. If this women’s conspiracy were allowed to grow, could it be used to topple Gaius Prospero from his seat? He needed to know more and he needed his wife’s counsel. Vilia was a clever creature. She would look at this situation from a completely different point of view. He left the palace and walked the short distance to his own home. Vilia had insisted when they married that they have their own house. While living in the emperor’s palace had been convenient, he understood his wife’s desire to be away from her former husband and his girlish new wife.

He found Vilia in her bath and she invited him to join her, dismissing the bath attendants. Jonah was always surprised at her ability to arouse him so easily. Long ago, when she was still Gaius Prospero’s wife, he had planned to seduce her. She had seduced him instead and while he was still able to detach himself from his lust for her when he was away, it was impossible to do so when she slipped her arms about his neck and pressed her lush body against him, smiling up into his cold eyes.

“I have missed you today,” she purred at him. Her teeth nibbled the lobe of his ear. “You are tense, my lord, and appear weighed down with your duties. Let me help you to relax, my darling Jonah.” Reaching down into the water she cupped his seed sac in the palm of her hand. Her tongue ran about the outline of his mouth.

He felt her hand holding him but she did not fondle him. The simple subtlety of it was the catalyst for his arousal. Jonah kissed his wife a long slow kiss as his manhood burgeoned. He pressed it against her belly, his hands on her buttocks pulling her closer to him. Reaching out he pinched first one nipple and then the other. Vilia gave a little squeal of excitement. He kissed her again, his tongue pushing into her mouth to play with her tongue. “I want your ass,” he growled at her, and he turned her about, helping her to brace herself upon the steps that led into the bathing pool, her bottom just out of the warm water.

Jonah reached out and with one hand lifted the lid from a jar that held a pure white cream. “Open!” he said, and reaching back Vilia drew the cheeks of her buttocks apart for him. He rubbed the white cream generously in and around the puckered flesh, grazing it seductively, pressing his thumb against it, feeling it give beneath the pressure. Removing his hand he directed his manhood to the same spot and patiently pressed against it until he felt it giving way to allow him entry. Slowly, carefully, he sheathed himself fully within her rear channel.

Vilia moaned. “I can feel you throbbing,” she murmured to him. “It is so exciting, my love!” Then she gasped as his hand reached beneath her to play with her love bud. “Ohh, Jonah!” she sobbed as he brought her once, twice and a third time to perfect pleasure while his pulsing manhood beat a tattoo within her. Then he moved, just two strokes, and groaned as Vilia felt his juices being released. “Such a waste, my darling,” she sighed.

He withdrew from her saying, “This is no time for you to give me a child, Vilia. Soon, but not yet. Now let us get out of our tub, for I have need of your wisdom, Wife.”

They dried each other off with thick toweling, then donning simple cotton robes over their heads, they exited the bath and entered their bedchamber. At once a servant came forward, and Vilia told her to see that the evening meal was served in the dayroom.

“Let us eat first,” Vilia suggested. “Then we will talk.”

“When the meal is served, dismiss the servants and we will speak over our food,” he countered. “We have decisions to make, Wife. And time is of the essence.”