Chapter 7.4: Surfacing Memories
You took a careful, measured look at the Emperor and Thania, keeping your face impassive, and stepped backwards, closing the door behind you. Then, you waited. When the satisfied Emperor came out and clapped you on the back, you did not smile, but merely bowed your head. It was important that he remembered your conduct. You stepped into your chambers after the Emperor had strolled off.
Thania was huddled on your bed, tears sliding down her face. You silently grabbed a towel and walked over to her. As you hand it to her, she grabs your hand, and starts apologizing. She should’ve run. She should’ve fought harder. She was sorry. She was so scared. Stay with her. You look down where her fingers met yours, and an uncharacteristic twinge arises in your chest. Did you need to go this far? Do you need to go further?
But you were already committed to the plan. Now there was nothing to it, but to see it through to the end, and maximize your opportunity. She was a valuable piece, but she had to be sacrificed for your eventual victory. With just the right balance of pity and disgust, you shake your hand free of her grip, and leave wordlessly, not sparing her a second glance.
She hangs herself a week later, leaving behind a note full of self-recrimination.
After you confirmed that the Emperor knew about it, you burn the note.
***
The Emperor may be licentious, but he was not without a shred of humanity. To have your father, and then your betrothed, kill themselves one after the other was surely more than any man could handle. Though the remorseful monarch could not apologize to you directly, he sent Prince Runikylos to the funeral in his stead. The service itself had been messy – House Unata was convinced that you caused her death. Thankfully, no one believed them. Why would they? You were the head of Camna, the House that hosted the Emperor himself, and they were just a little family living off your good graces. You brushed aside their wild allegations, and told them, slightly tearfully, that they would not want for anything as long as they lived, for they were the parents of your most beloved Thania. In the end, though, the guards still had to drag the upset parents from the temple.
“I… I don’t know what to say, Sir Camna.” The prince was in your study, after the funeral service had ended. “All of this… I could’ve stopped all of this. I am so sorry.”
“Don’t blame yourself, Your Highness. I was the one who insisted that you stay and enjoy the feast. I thought I could’ve… I… I couldn’t. I couldn’t.” you whisper, adding a bit of acidity and self-reproach into your tone. The prince shook his head sadly.
“Don’t stand on ceremony, Sir Camna. I’ll have none of this ‘Your Highness’ or ‘my Prince’ business. Call me just by my name, Runikylos. You are after all part of the family, and you will be closer from now on.”
Ah, could it be? Did your plot pay off? He turned to look at you directly. “My father… He really is remorseful about this whole thing – he claims it’s the alcohol. I never heard of him forcing his attentions, but I suppose he’s gotten too carried away with no one every turning him down.” Runikylos sighs, and then continues. “He’s offered you my sister, Princess Kyriesca’s hand in marriage.”
You resist the urge to let out a whistle – this was far more than you expected.
“Sir Camna, this must feel like an insult to your feelings for Lady Thania, but I assure you it isn’t meant to be. Father is just trying to make amends, however poorly thought out his actions are. I know this is too soon.”
It was too soon. Immediately marrying a princess when your fiancée’s body had not yet cooled would invite even more rumours. Some people might even start giving legitimacy to House Unata’s claims. You weren’t about to paint a target on your back.
“Sir Camna?”
“My close friends and family call me Dio. Please, I ask of you to do the same. I was just overwhelmed at the Emperor’s magnanimity, and struck senseless for a while.”
“I understand if you want to call off the engagement, Dio. Father will too – if he doesn’t, I will make him understand. We can find some other way to amend. This isn’t how the Imperial family should be.”
“No… I do accept the offer, Runikylos. After all, what other woman would want me?” You grin painfully. “It’s just that I can’t go through with it, just after…”
“I understand. I’ll inform father about this, and we will keep the betrothal in secret and on hold until you are ready, Dio. In fact, that might be better – given the proclivities of nobles in our empire, making it public so soon would only attract unwanted attention. It’s a disgusting state of affairs, but nonetheless, we must be prudent.”
“The empire is full of backstabbing politicians,” you agree. “I do find it hard to stomach.”
“You see it too!” exclaimed the prince. “The Shinar Empire is rotten. The thirst for power has consumed most of the people that should be governing instead of trying to one up one another in petty schemes and tricks. There are so many problems to deal with nowadays – the Ean cults, the worsening weather, and the ever-present issues with the Concordiat and the Indus Empire, but they don’t see it – or worse, they see it as tools to advance their own standing.”
“Rotten,” you echo. “I never had much taste for it. That’s why I didn’t take up a position in Ankida back when I graduated. It makes me ill – as nobles we have an obligation to the empire, not to ourselves. That obligation encompasses everything that makes the empire strong, and what makes an empire strong is its people. Letting this rot grow so far will only invite disaster. Now we might still seem fine, but rot works from within. When the nobles begin to care so much more for themselves rather than this empire, it will fall apart.”
You did not care for a word of what you just said, but you could see that the prince did, apparently pleased at having found a noble that understood his point of view. It looks like he had designs on being a political reformer. From what you know of his intellect and popularity, he could probably pull it off.
Prince Runikylos – he would be an obstacle.
***
That night, the masked man visits you again, a sickly sweet scent about him.
“Bravo. You are a masterful piece of work, Diogenes Camna.”
“What do you want? I am tired.” This was the truth, for once. It had been a long day.
“I thought you would be more grateful.”
“I am, but this is not the best time to talk.”
“Grieving over your fiancée?” The man laughs. “Ah, but it was a brilliant move. Not many nobles have women so devoted, and those that do tend to repay that devotion by… well… not making them a pawn in their games. Man is a sentimental creature.”
“I was perfectly placed to play this move, so I did. It would be a waste not to. Truth be told, I was inspired by the story you set up for my father’s death.”
“I’m glad I could be of service. Anyway, you have proved yourself worthy, Diogenes Camna. This is why we chose you.”
“Why did you choose me again?”
“It is a long story. Have you heard of the Emperor cults that are springing up all over the empire? Each of them is led by a person claiming to be the First Emperor, Ean.”
You have, but you did not see what that had anything to do with this.
“They are right, you know. The Emperor will return, and soon. But they are all led by falsehood. They are but pretenders to the Shinar Throne.”
“And?’ You were weary of this talk. These pretenders could be useful to you, but it was something you can plan for in the future, not tonight.
“You are the real thing,” said the masked man simply.
“Ha, you really are a good jokester, o masked man.”
“Do you remember your birth parents? Do you remember what happened before you were adopted?”
You didn’t, and you do not reply.
“You are the real Ean, and your actions have proven yourself to be smart and ruthless enough to retake your mantle. You are worthy of our aid.”
“I am not going to be sidetracked by stupid bedtime stories. I am willing to work with you as long as it benefits me, but we will only deal in concrete facts.”
The masked man appears to shrug. The sickly sweet smell got stronger as he did so, as it wafted its way into your nose.
“Look here.”
As you do so, a bright light flashes into your eyes, and you know no more.
***
In the weeks that passed, as you prepared for your move to Ankida, you began to get flashes of someone else’s memory. Pitched battles in the desert. Dark labyrinths. They were definitely not your memories, that much you knew. You had never been to the desert. In addition to the memories, there were other changes – you felt your body had become stronger, faster, and your senses became clearer and sharper.
You wonder if what the man said wasn’t true, after all, but you had more important things to take care of. As long as these memories don’t get in your way, you don’t really care. If you were the real Ean, it means you would become all-powerful. That was good. If you weren't, well, the tricks of a dead man can do you no harm. The masked man doesn’t return to meet you after that, but you knew that sooner or later you would see him again.
When you arrived in Ankida, there were two letters awaiting you. It seems that Prince Runikylos was impressed – and remorseful, perhaps – enough that he had decided to offer you a position in his staff. You hear that he has been gathering like-minded people in an effort to begin slowly changing the empire.
***
A. You take Runikylos’s offer of being his aide. Not only is it a marvelous opportunity for advancement, being in his confidence puts you in a good position to find ways to deal with the noble prince.
B. It was best not to stand out too much. You stick with your posting in the Office of Foreign Affairs, where you can quietly work your plots and schemes amongst the petty nobles.
