reflective, as if choosing his words carefully, then softly added, “I am about to tell you something that no one outside my family knows—not our closest allies, not even cousins and uncles.”
Miranda said nothing.
“When my grandfather had been on the throne for a short while, after his father returned from your world, the great Lady Mara took Emperor Justin aside and told him a secret. He shared that secret only with his son, my father; then when I was almost a man, my father shared it with me.” The Emperor stood, and as Miranda started to rise, he waved her back into her seat. “No need for formality, Miranda: I am about to share with you the single most closely guarded secret in the history of Tsuranuanni.” He moved to a chest carved from a blond hardwood, its design intricate and ornate. It had been polished to a gleam and there was something about it that now caught Miranda’s attention.
“It’s magic,” she said softly.
“Yes,” said the Emperor. “I have been told it would bring instant death to any but myself or my blood kin even to touch it—one good thing about absolute authority is that no servant has even attempted to dust it.” He paused for a brief second.
“Though it never seems to need dusting.’ He slowly reached out, pausing as his fingers almost touched wood. “Each time I open this, I must admit to a moment of concern.” Then he gripped the top and removed it. It came off easily and the Emperor put the lid to one side. He then reached in and removed a parchment.
Miranda felt a sinking sensation in her stomach. She had seen that parchment’s like before.
Without a word the Emperor handed the parchment to her. She unrolled it and read it. Then she let it fall from her hands, closed her eyes, and slumped down in the chair.
After a moment of silence the Emperor Sezu said, “Apparently you understand what this means?”
She nodded. Rising, she said, “If I may, Majesty, I need to consult with a few of my colleagues on my home world. I must seek other wise counsel before I begin to interpret this; its true meaning may be eluding me.”
“The box has been in my family’s care for over a century,” said the Emperor, ignoring formality and kneeling to pick up the fallen parchment. He rolled it up and returned it to Miranda. “A few more days will have little bearing on what we do next. No matter what you decide this means, we must still mobilize.”
“Now I understand why you put the nations on a formal war footing.”
A look of sadness came over the young man. “No one must suspect what we are going to attempt until I am ready to order the nations to act. That is vital. My High Council is composed of very privileged rulers who will instantly obey like any good Tsurani soldier…until they’re given time to think. At that moment a civil war would be born.”
“Alenca and some of the Great Ones need to be alerted.”
“As few as you can, only the most trustworthy, and no one else, not until the precise moment I give the order.”
Miranda nodded. “Very well, Majesty, but first I must return home immediately. If this is going to be your course of action, I have a great deal of preparation that must be started, as well as some very difficult people who are going to need convincing. Then I will return to speak with Alenca and the others.”
“I shall leave word that you are to be permitted access to me at any time of the day or night, Lady Miranda. I shall provide you with whatever I may on this side of the rift.”
Miranda said, “Farewell, Majesty, and might I suggest there is one thing we can both do: pray.”
The Emperor was suddenly left looking at an empty chair,for Miranda had vanished from sight. He glanced at the four guards in the room, but they were motionless, as they always were, their eyes locked forward, unmoved by the sight of a woman vanishing before them. Sezu, First of that Name, and Ruler of All the Nations of Tsuranuanni, sat down in his chair
Miranda said nothing.
“When my grandfather had been on the throne for a short while, after his father returned from your world, the great Lady Mara took Emperor Justin aside and told him a secret. He shared that secret only with his son, my father; then when I was almost a man, my father shared it with me.” The Emperor stood, and as Miranda started to rise, he waved her back into her seat. “No need for formality, Miranda: I am about to share with you the single most closely guarded secret in the history of Tsuranuanni.” He moved to a chest carved from a blond hardwood, its design intricate and ornate. It had been polished to a gleam and there was something about it that now caught Miranda’s attention.
“It’s magic,” she said softly.
“Yes,” said the Emperor. “I have been told it would bring instant death to any but myself or my blood kin even to touch it—one good thing about absolute authority is that no servant has even attempted to dust it.” He paused for a brief second.
“Though it never seems to need dusting.’ He slowly reached out, pausing as his fingers almost touched wood. “Each time I open this, I must admit to a moment of concern.” Then he gripped the top and removed it. It came off easily and the Emperor put the lid to one side. He then reached in and removed a parchment.
Miranda felt a sinking sensation in her stomach. She had seen that parchment’s like before.
Without a word the Emperor handed the parchment to her. She unrolled it and read it. Then she let it fall from her hands, closed her eyes, and slumped down in the chair.
After a moment of silence the Emperor Sezu said, “Apparently you understand what this means?”
She nodded. Rising, she said, “If I may, Majesty, I need to consult with a few of my colleagues on my home world. I must seek other wise counsel before I begin to interpret this; its true meaning may be eluding me.”
“The box has been in my family’s care for over a century,” said the Emperor, ignoring formality and kneeling to pick up the fallen parchment. He rolled it up and returned it to Miranda. “A few more days will have little bearing on what we do next. No matter what you decide this means, we must still mobilize.”
“Now I understand why you put the nations on a formal war footing.”
A look of sadness came over the young man. “No one must suspect what we are going to attempt until I am ready to order the nations to act. That is vital. My High Council is composed of very privileged rulers who will instantly obey like any good Tsurani soldier…until they’re given time to think. At that moment a civil war would be born.”
“Alenca and some of the Great Ones need to be alerted.”
“As few as you can, only the most trustworthy, and no one else, not until the precise moment I give the order.”
Miranda nodded. “Very well, Majesty, but first I must return home immediately. If this is going to be your course of action, I have a great deal of preparation that must be started, as well as some very difficult people who are going to need convincing. Then I will return to speak with Alenca and the others.”
“I shall leave word that you are to be permitted access to me at any time of the day or night, Lady Miranda. I shall provide you with whatever I may on this side of the rift.”
Miranda said, “Farewell, Majesty, and might I suggest there is one thing we can both do: pray.”
The Emperor was suddenly left looking at an empty chair,for Miranda had vanished from sight. He glanced at the four guards in the room, but they were motionless, as they always were, their eyes locked forward, unmoved by the sight of a woman vanishing before them. Sezu, First of that Name, and Ruler of All the Nations of Tsuranuanni, sat down in his chair
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