Clan and Crown (49 page)

Mumbles of assent greeted his words.
Clajak bowed his head in respect for Pwaldur’s clan. As he
reflected on the lives of too many ended to soon, he thought of
poor Narpok, still in a catatonic state of shock.

He wondered at his selfish turn in the
wake of the crash. True, he had lost his mother. He had nearly lost
one of his fathers. Yet Narpok had lost all but one parent ... and
she had seen the broken and bloodied bodies in the carnage of the
crash. What was his loss compared to hers? Still great, but nowhere
as horrific.

I must visit Narpok soon.
In fact, I must offer her my support this very day. She may not
hear me, but it is still my duty to my future Matara. I have no
excuse for abandoning her in this time of need.

His head felt the clearest it had in
many days. Perhaps he was not ready for the responsibilities of
ruling an empire, but Clajak knew it was time to take up the duties
he was capable of. He would not waste another second in
self-pity.

He straightened and addressed the
council. “None of our departed would have us wallow in our pain.
Most especially our empress would counsel that the Empire must
continue on even in the face of tragedy. Yet there is no doubt we
may move slowly for a time. With that in mind, I remind the Royal
Council that the vote for Head Councilman was to be taken today. Do
you still wish to cast your ballots on that matter?”

Oiteil nodded. “We have discussed the
matter in closed meetings, my prince, and whether it would be
unseemly to elect our new leader in the wake of this catastrophe.
However with the Imperial Clan attending to their grief and Emperor
Zarl’s injuries, we feel the post of Head Councilman must be filled
as soon as possible.”

“Very well. You the council have
nominated Dramok Onia and Dramok Pwaldur as your favored nominees
for the post. If you are of one mind to elect your leader, you may
vote now.”

Clajak sat down as the council took its
vote. It didn’t take long for the men to cast their ballots. When
they were tallied, no one seemed surprised that Pwaldur won the
election handily. Sympathy for the brash and outspoken councilman
ran high in the wake of his tremendous loss.

Clajak rose to his feet once more. “The
decision for Pwaldur as your Head Councilman has been determined.
So be it. We congratulate Head Councilman Pwaldur on his
appointment and hope to see him on this floor as soon as he is
ready to rejoin us.”

Clajak took his seat once more, his
work as Zarl’s stand-in completed. His energy flagged now that the
end of the meeting was in sight. He looked forward to getting out
of the chamber, which was beginning to feel
claustrophobic.

Yuder took over. “Is there any other
business that needs to be brought up during this
session?”

Clajak noted how Wagnox looked around
at the rest of the council, as if debating if he should renew his
call for a resolution to the incomplete clans running the Imperial
branch of the government. No one met his gaze, not even Pwaldur’s
usual gang of supporters. Wagnox remained quiet.

Yuder sounded as tired as Clajak felt.
“With no further business, this council meeting is hereby
adjourned. Honor and Empire, Kalquorians.”

Instead of filing out or hanging around
and talking as they usually did, the council rose to its feet and
remained standing without speaking. Those in the gallery also
waited silently as the emperors and princes descended from the dais
and exited the chamber.

The instant he was out of the public’s
sight, Clajak blew out a great breath. Yuder crooked a half-smile
in his direction, while Tidro and Egilka nodded in agreement. Every
one of the men was glad the ordeal was over.

* * * *

Clajak made good on his private vow to
visit Narpok. Egilka went with him.

They agreed afterward that seeing the
young woman had been awful. Narpok had been as blank as a doll as
she sat in a private room in the hospital’s psychiatric wing. She
gazed emptily at nothing, the steady rise and fall of her chest the
only acknowledgment of life left to her. Pwaldur, sitting in a
chair near her bed, was nearly as quiet. He responded to Clajak and
Egilka’s expressions of sympathy for his loss and congratulations
for being elected to Head Councilman with equal gravity.

“May I serve with honor in the names of
my late clan,” he said. “It is the best tribute I can grant
them.”

“I apologize for not visiting sooner,”
Clajak said. “It is unforgiveable that I have not attended my
betrothed and her father.”

“I too must beg forgiveness,” Egilka
chimed in.

Pwaldur gave them a look that was
initially suspicious. In the end, he shrugged his broad shoulders.
“You came. Despite our frequently being at odds, you came. It says
much about your characters, my princes.”

He settled into quietness again, a
strange state for a man whose voice rang often and
loudly.

Clajak and Egilka went to the young
woman with the empty face. Clajak bent to look into her distant
eyes.

“I am so terribly sorry for your
losses, Narpok. I hope you will soon feel better. Know that Egilka
and I are ready to do whatever we can to make things right for
you.” Clajak knew the lameness of the platitudes, but he meant
them. At least he had an inkling of what his betrothed was going
through. She had descended into that bottomless pit where nothing
hurt. Only time would tell if she found a reason to climb back out
as Clajak had.

After an hour the princes said their
goodbyes and left. Quiet after the depressing visit with Narpok,
Clajak and Egilka went to Zarl’s room.

It lifted Clajak’s heart to see his
father smile at him. After Narpok’s lifelessness, seeing even that
weak tilt of Zarl’s lips was a blessing. Clajak gave him an awkward
hug, the barrier of the medi-panels making the embrace
clumsy.

“You’re looking better all the time,”
Clajak asserted.

Zarl’s brow shot up. “Better than what?
A plate of Tragoom shit?”

Tidro and Yuder were there, and they
laughed along with the princes. Clajak felt almost giddy. Zarl had
a long road ahead of him yet on his way to recovery, but his
ability to joke was a good sign. Even with his broken body, the
Dramok emperor was worlds ahead of Narpok’s condition.

After the snickers subsided, Zarl’s
expression sobered. “I hear Oiteil’s speech for Irdis was well
done.”

Egilka nodded. “It was beautiful, my
emperor. Nothing could ever truly express how wonderful our empress
was, but Oiteil made a good effort. I’ll have the recording of
today’s meeting sent to you.”

“Thank you, my son.” Zarl sighed,
sadness flickering over his features. He motioned to his clanmates.
“We have been discussing if it is best for the Empire to have her
funeral soon, before I am well enough to attend. I confess my
selfish heart begs to wait and keep her body in stasis. I want to
say goodbye in the manner Irdis deserves.”

Clajak gently squeezed his father’s
shoulder. “No one can fault you for that. Everything is still so
raw and painful. Why not wait?”

Tidro paced. “Some need the closure. I
am sure the public at large would benefit from an earlier service.
I myself am torn between that and the bitter agony of acknowledging
my Matara’s passing. Saying that final goodbye–” he sighed and
shook his head. He seemed unable to speak another word.

Yuder kept his demeanor matter-of-fact.
“I vote we give it another week and see how we feel then. We do not
need to rush this, especially with the investigation into the
accident ongoing.”

Egilka seized on the safest part of the
conversation. “No word on that yet?”

Yuder scowled, his irritation showing.
“So far, forensic technicians have found no evidence of tampering
to the shuttle or its systems. There are people out there who could
pull such a thing off without leaving traces of sabotage
behind.”

Tidro left off his morose
considerations to remind the Nobek, “Very, very few people would
have that ability, however.”

“Still, the possibility exists.” Yuder
wagged a finger at Clajak and Egilka. “Watch yourselves, my sons,
and be mindful of your surroundings at all times. If it was
sabotage, it could have been aimed at Clajak since he was supposed
to be in that vessel.”

Tidro rolled his eyes. “So
suspicious.”

“Always.” Yuder glared at nothing in
particular since there was no one to take his frustration out
on.

Zarl gave Clajak a knowing look. “If we
can move beyond the pain of the situation, there is another
consideration to address. Irdis’ eventual funeral will renew calls
for you to take up my duties and perhaps clan a Nobek to succeed
me.”

It was Clajak’s turn to glower at
nothing. “You will return to the throne. I do not doubt it for a
second. Kalquor needs you and you will answer that
need.”

“I do not share your certainty, but I
hope to not grow roots to my bed either. I am not happy about
certain members of the council pushing to force you into clanship.
If your parents aren’t pushing for a particular Nobek, why should
they be allowed to?”

“I appreciate you letting me choose for
myself.”

Yuder had a rare flash of humor. “Even
if we did get the one match right?” He gave Egilka a half-smile.
The Imdiko’s return grin was smug as he elbowed Clajak’s
ribs.

Zarl wasn’t to be distracted. “It is
one thing for your parent clan to arrange matches. It is quite
another for a political body to do so.”

Clajak thought he could settle his
father’s mind on at least this one subject. “They won’t have to.
Egilka and I have chosen the Nobek for our clan.”

His fathers’ jolted in surprise. Zarl
said, “You have? Do I dare ask for a name?”

Recovering quickly, Tidro beamed. “I’m
sure I can hazard a guess. High Commander Bevau?”

Clajak nodded. “No other. He has been
of great support to us during this awful time. Egilka and I know we
can count on him. I trust him, my fathers.” After a moment’s
hesitation, he added, “And more.”

Yes, Clajak had gone beyond trust and
reliance. He’d fallen in love with Bevau. He thought Egilka had
too.

Zarl’s gaze turned suspicious. “Is this
the dual breed? The one who is half Imdiko?”

Egilka tried not to look uncertain in
the face of Zarl’s lack of approval. “Yes, my emperor.”

Zarl frowned. “I’m not sure of the
wisdom of such a choice. I know you’ve attested to his abilities as
a protector before, but there are those who will not look kindly on
someone like this Bevau as your Nobek.”

Tidro tut-tutted. “I’ve had the
opportunity to speak with the young man. I like him. From all I’ve
been able to tell, he’s got his head on straight and has a great
deal of common sense.”

Before Zarl could continue his protest,
Yuder spoke up. “I like Bevau too ... as a clanmate to Clajak and
future emperor.”

It was Clajak’s turn to be startled.
He’d thought the greatest resistance to Bevau being made a crown
prince would come from Yuder.

Zarl blinked at his Nobek clanmate.
“How do you figure that, Yuder?”

“I had the feeling Clajak and Egilka
were becoming attached to him, so I delved into his records. They
are spotless, by the way. When it comes to fighting and keeping his
men in line, Bevau does so quite handily. He takes no disrespect
and gives no quarter when it comes to battle. There is no trace of
Imdiko when he must be a protector and warrior.”

“So you don’t think the Imdiko
tendencies make him weak in any way? We are talking the protection
of our Empire, after all.”

Yuder snapped his head up and down,
leaving no doubt as to his feelings on the matter. “Bevau fights if
he must, make no mistake. Yet being half Imdiko allows him to keep
a cooler head than many of my breed. He does not see weakness in
finding peaceful solutions to problems first. The nurturing part of
his personality tempers but does not endanger the warrior aspect.
It is a most compelling quality ... one worthy of future
rulership.”

Zarl took only a moment to consider.
“If my fierce Nobek says this young man is worthy, then I must
concede to his insight. Yuder has never given compliments lightly.”
To Clajak and Egilka he said, “If Nobek Bevau is your choice, make
him your clanmate with our blessing.”

Clajak was delighted. He grinned at
Egilka, feeling the stretch of muscles in his face that had almost
forgotten what it was to look happy.

Egilka returned the smile. “Now we all
we have to do is convince our would-be third.” He told Zarl, “Bevau
is concerned being our clanmate will be met with more opposition
than it’s worth. He has staunchly refused to be
considered.”

Tidro’s voice rang with approval. “More
points in his favor. Those who want to rule most are the least
worthy of the honor.”

Zarl nodded. “Good luck with your suit,
my sons.”

With the parental hurdle crossed,
Clajak’s mind began to formulate a plan on how to change Bevau’s
mind. He had the suspicion that it would take a lot of convincing
... and most likely involve heavy bruising.