Empire of Avarice (10 page)

At least the room beyond was clean and dry, and a man
was seated being attended to by two others. The two attendees stepped back and
both Teduskis and Vosgaris could then see that the seated man was of middling
age, had a newly clipped white beard, a long nose and piercing blue eyes. He
looked up at the two men and raised a bushy eyebrow. “Am I acceptable,
gentlemen?”

Teduskis grunted without indicating yes or no, but
Vosgaris nodded his assent.

The man sighed and ran his fingers over his obviously
borrowed clothes. “Not a good fit and poor quality, but much better than what
I’ve been forced to endure these past couple of years. So the Koros are running
affairs are they? They’ll shake things up, I should say.”

“You’ll see for yourself soon enough,” Teduskis replied.
“Are you fit to walk?”

“Just about. Some frightful meal with little taste was
forced down me a short while ago. It was filling, I must say, but dreadfully
presented.”

Teduskis smothered a smile. Vosgaris made little
indication he was amused. “Glad we could free you, Counsel Sereth,” Vosgaris
said in a neutral voice.

Sereth cleared his throat, stood and peered down at the
captain. “Yes, but not as glad as I. I shall be making comments on the standard
of accommodation here in due course, mark my words, young man.”

Teduskis looked at Vosgaris and his lips twitched. Vosgaris’
expression remained neutral. As Sereth was led upstairs, he blinked as the
daylight hit his eyes. “If you will bear with me for a moment, I must get used
to the light once more.”

Teduskis clapped the younger man on the shoulder. “It
seems like you’ll have more than just your own desk to clear up in the coming sevendays.
Speak again soon; don’t keep the emperor waiting long, he hasn’t got much
patience, I should warn you.”

“Thank you,” Vosgaris replied, then stepped aside as
Sereth was led out into the street by the imperial guard captain.

“A counsel to the emperor, were you?” Teduskis asked as
they walked the few hundred paces to the palace.

“Amongst other duties, yes. Something I paid a heavy
price for, but not as heavy as some others.”

“I can guess. I’ll leave you with the major domo; he’ll
look after you until you see the emperor later today. I’ve got other things to
attend to.”

“Indeed?” Sereth’s eyebrow went up once more. “A man of
many hats?”

“I’m the emperor’s right hand man. He has plenty of
things to sort out and as he can’t be everywhere at once, he needs me to carry
out some of those tasks.”

“You’re a soldier.” Sereth examined Teduskis carefully. “I
would say these tasks are – unpleasant?”

“Perhaps,” Teduskis said evenly, holding the courtier’s
gaze, “but nothing I can’t handle. You may be of use to the emperor, Counsel
Sereth. Understand that if you wish to regain your former position you’ll have
to accept some unpleasant things must be done to sort out the mess we’ve
inherited.”

“Hmmm,” Sereth pursed his lips. “That is something to be
discussed at length.” They resumed their walk and fairly soon Sereth was handed
over to Pepil for further visible improvements and a change of wardrobe. Teduskis
retraced his steps and waved a finger at two men lounging by the entrance to
the palace delivery gates. These two men were the same who had assisted in the
arrest and interrogation of Mercos the evening before. Unlike Teduskis, they
hadn’t shaved and looked like street ruffians – which, Teduskis decided, was
quite appropriate for where they were headed.

The streets were full of people going about their
business, but more than one stepped aside or crossed the street when the three
men came marching purposefully in their direction. The constant changes of
regime meant that anyone could be on a mission from the emperor – or opposing
the new one. Either way, nobody wanted to be seen to be choosing sides. Too
many times in the last ten years, those who had made the wrong choice ended up
in prison, or simply vanished.

The sunlight felt good after the long winter, and
Teduskis felt in fine health despite the lack of sleep. Winter campaigns in
Bragal weren’t for the delicate. They turned off the main street and plunged
into darker, narrower alleyways, forging deeper into the district many shunned.
The houses leaned closer here and refuse cluttered the sides of the narrow
streets. The smell of refuse was strong here. Felines and canines competed for
scraps of food here and there, and other denizens scuttled about as the men
tramped towards their destination, a large stone-faced building in the centre
of the area.

Men wearing dark clothing watched their approach, and
one slipped soundlessly into the building via a side entrance. These strangers
were not of this district and that meant trouble.

Teduskis stamped up the four wide slate-topped stone
steps in front of the building and banged on the door. After a moment it opened
and a wizened, rodent-like face stuck itself out. “What do you want?” it
demanded.

“Your master, little man.”

“Who’s asking?”

“I come from the palace. I bear a message from the
emperor.”

“So you say. Where is this message, then?”

Teduskis tapped his head. “In here. So hurry up and let
us in. Or do I ask my colleagues here to open it for me?”

Rodent-face looked at the two heavies and scowled. “You’ll
find no profit in doing that. Wait here.” He vanished and was gone for a few
minutes. The three men looked around and saw they had attracted a fair amount
of interest. People were looking out of doorways and windows, or alley
entrances, and a few were standing in the shadows of buildings on the street. It
would take but a few heart beats for them to rush the three, and the two
heavies nervously touched the hilts of their swords. “Easy, lads,” Teduskis
said quietly. “No silly moves.”

The door opened inwards once more and Rodent-face
beckoned the three in. They found themselves in a small ante-chamber with a
door in the opposite wall. Another man was in this room and he pointed at the
swords the three were wearing. “You’ll have to leave those here before you go
any further,” he said. “Together with any other weapons you may have.”

“And leave us defenceless?” Teduskis countered.

“House rules. We’ve had previous – incidents,” the man
ended with a death’s-head leer.

Teduskis scowled but unclipped his sword belt and passed
it over. The man hung it from a rack behind him set against the wall. The other
two followed suit, a little more reluctantly. Once this had been done, and the
small daggers they wore had also been handed over, they were allowed to follow
Rodent-face through the second door. Here was a huge hall with doors off to either
side and a staircase leading up to a second floor. Underneath this were more
doors; but they were led up the staircase, past a couple of curious occupants
to the landing and along to a door where two men were lounging. They
straightened and looked at the three with interest.

“Here to see the boss,” Rodent-face introduced them with
a jerk of his thumb, “on palace business. It’s been cleared with Riklar.”

The guards opened the door and two escorted the three
men into the chamber beyond. In contrast to the austere and stark decorations
and furnishings outside, this room was positively over decorated. Rich
tapestries hung from walls and cushioned chairs were scattered about the room
with the floor covered in a thick colourful rug that could only have come from
the west.

Behind a stout desk made of dark brown wood – probably
the jandak tree, Teduskis mused idly – a man was sitting. Dressed in leggings
and a jacket of rich red and blue velvet, he seemed dwarfed by his
surroundings. He stood up and gave the three newcomers a very thorough
examination. “I understand you have come from the palace?”

“That is so,” Teduskis nodded.

“These two – they are bodyguards.” It was a statement,
not a question. “They stay outside.”

Teduskis shrugged and nodded to his companions. They
allowed themselves, somewhat reluctantly, to be led out. One of the door guards
took up a position on the inside of the door, arms folded, staring at Teduskis.

“So what is it that the palace needs of me?” the man
said, sitting back down and clasping his hands together.

Teduskis thought he lacked quality. Even his mannerisms
were forced, as if he were in an unfamiliar place and trying to be something he
wasn’t. “The thieves’ guild has been implicated in a conspiracy against Emperor
Astiras. The emperor is keen to clear up any misunderstanding there may be.”

“This guild is implicated in what? A conspiracy?” the
guild leader frowned and leaned back. “Whatever gives the palace this misplaced
idea?”

“We arrested one of the conspirators last night as he
left the meeting that one of your members attended. The prisoner confessed
under interrogation that one of this guild was indeed there and that there may
have been a contract made to murder the emperor’s son, currently on campaign.”

“This man is lying,” the guild leader dismissed the
charge with a wave of his hand. “A fabrication designed to put this guild in a
bad light with the new regime. We welcome the new emperor and hope his reign
will be a long and fruitful one.”

Teduskis didn’t believe the man for a moment. “I’ll
inform the emperor of your wishes. He’ll be pleased. However, we do have good
reason to believe the prisoner was telling the truth. I myself saw this man
leave the meeting and he did make his way in this direction.”

“But you never saw where he went,” the guild leader
finished. “He could have ended up in any one of hundreds of locations.”

“Possible.”

“Absolutely certain. There is no evidence to implicate
our involvement in any – conspiracy. I myself would be horrified if such a
thing was suggested. I’m a loyal citizen of Kastania.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” Teduskis said, looking round at
the plush surroundings. “An impressive collection of furniture. Business must
be good.”

“We – manage.” The guild leader smiled in a way Teduskis
didn’t care for.

“Tell me, thief, do you authorise every action the guild
takes part in or are some of your members autonomous and carry out freelance
work?”

“That is guild business,” the leader steepled his
fingers. “What goes on behind these doors is our affair and no one else’s. I’m
sure you understand.”

Teduskis nodded. “Very well. I’ll be on my way. However,
we are aware there is some involvement in a conspiracy with this guild, whether
you are aware of it or not. Should anything happen my men will return and burn
this shit-hole to the ground with all its occupants inside it. Good day.”

The guild leader’s face froze and angry eyes bored into
the back of Teduskis as he left. He sat motionless for a few moments, then
opened a drawer and pulled out a sheet of parchment. He flicked open an ink
well and picked up a quill, then began to write hurriedly in a language nobody
but a guild member would recognise. When he had finished he beckoned to the
guard who had remained in the room. “Take this to our man in Niake. He’ll need
to pass it on to our agent who’s on their way to Lodria.”

Astiras was glad of the lunchtime break. That morning
had been a full-on session of poring over paperwork and figures, something he
most certainly was not comfortable with. Frendicus and his cohorts helped
enormously, and after a while they had thrashed out at least the beginnings of
a coherent policy. The emperor had left for his second appointment of the day,
facing some searching questions from merchants and traders wanting to know what
tax policies and concession would be forthcoming. News that the laws passed by
the previous emperor were up for review and likely to be scrapped had raced
around the capital, causing much anxiety and outrage.

Astiras had reiterated the position; that the treasury
could no longer afford such over generous and foolish fiscal policies and that
traders would no longer enjoy tax free privileges. They would have to pay just
like the next man. This had caused some loud voices to declare they would take
their trade away from the empire, which Astiras had encouraged them to do; he
had no place in the empire, he told them, for those who no longer wished to be
part of it. Their places would be filled by new, eager people within days.

That had effectively shut them up.

Mentally tired, Astiras slumped in his chair and waited
for the servants to place on his platter the meal his stomach was growling for.
A beautifully attired servant arrived, platter in hand, and placed it
reverently on the table in front of him. Isbel, Amne, Teduskis, Theros and
Pepil waited impatiently as the lid was raised and a steaming pile of……
something….. was revealed.

Astiras leaned forward and stared at a pile of thin,
pale coloured meats greeted his eyes. Around the edge were small watery pale
yellow vegetables. “What in the name of Kastan is this?” he asked the servant.

“Goroch meat, sire, and kelle vegetables.”

“Goroch? You mean those animals that wallow in mud on
river banks?”

“Indeed, your majesty. It’s a delicacy. Cut carefully
from their loins, this is the prized delicacy of Kastan’s royal households.”

“I’m supposed to eat ugly creatures’ loins.” Astiras
looked at his wife. “I don’t want this – what about you?”