Chapter 16

Devnum

Medb waited in the Empress’s private garden, pacing among the blooming flowers, trying to ignore the luxury the Empress lived in, one that Medb herself had once enjoyed before her downfall. She knew herself and knew that if she let thoughts like that fester, she would start slipping back into old patterns. While she’d been able to indulge in those in her former life, she’d come too close to death to court it again so soon.

Besides, she was having fun for the first time since she’d been exiled to this godsforsaken place, and the last thing she wanted was to be caged again, kept in stately rooms to act as a princeling’s concubine instead.

Motion at the garden entrance drew her attention. She smiled slightly as she saw the Roman Senator Taenaris being ushered into the garden by one of the palace guards, pleased to see his annoyed expression as he realized who he was being brought to meet. She didn’t know the senator, beyond a few curt words, but she knew his type. Pompous, self-important, and utterly convinced of his own genius. Tweaking the noses of men like him always gave Medb a small amount of joy.

“What do you want, Medb?” Taenaris said in a gruff, almost bordering on rude, tone.

“That’s not a great way to start off with one of the Empress’s agents, doing the Empire’s business.”

“You’ll get over it, now what do you want from me?”

“I want your help,” she said.

Taenaris let out a bark of laughter, “Why on earth would I ever help someone like you?”

Medb shrugged, “I already told you I’m doing work directly for the Empress. For someone who holds such an important position, you really should try to pay more attention. But, since I know how distrusting you are, perhaps the fact that I’m in her private garden, with her guards bringing you to me should be evidence of that.” She paused, letting her words sink in before continuing, “If you still don’t believe me, after this you can check with Ramirus, whose minions have been scurrying around me constantly, watching me like a hawk.”

Taenaris glared at her, looking like he wanted to say something more biting, but held it back, giving a small nod, “Fine, but that doesn’t answer what you want help with, specifically.”

“I need some legislation introduced in the senate. Specifically, I need you to introduce a bill requiring wool production to be distributed equally across the Empire, with wool bought by the Empire and used in imperial factories to be bought in equal parts from each state.”

“Why do you care about wool production?” he asked, frowning in suspicion. “What are you trying to gain?”

“I’m not trying to gain anything. I don’t care if this bill is passed, I just need it introduced and it to be believable enough that anyone else looking at the legislation believes it to be genuine.”

For a moment, Taenaris didn’t say anything. She could see the wheels turning behind his eyes, trying to work out what exactly she was trying to do. She knew all of her protestations aside, he still wasn’t convinced this wasn’t some kind of scheme on her part to increase either her wealth or power. She didn’t blame him for that and was about to point out again that she was doing this on behalf of the Empress when he surprised her.

Instead of protesting again, or refusing, or calling her motives into doubt, he asked, “What is the current distribution?”

“At the moment, more than half the wool bought by the Empire comes from Ulaid, with Caledonia producing the second most and Rome making up maybe five percent of what is purchased.”

His brow creased further as she answered him. “You understand that would hurt Ulaid and the farmers of Ériu?”

“I do, but I don’t actually expect it to get voted on, let alone passed, since it would require both Caledonia and Ériu to take large cuts in their wool trade, purely for the benefit of Rome.”

“Could Rome even handle that increased production?”

“I have no idea, although I doubt it,” Medb answered. “It doesn’t matter. It won’t be the first time you lot passed laws that bore no relation to reality.”

Taenaris gave her a thin-lipped, humorless smile and said, “Funny. You understand the other senators will see this as some kind of power grab on my part, don’t you? It will anger them and make it harder for me to make deals with the other delegations in the future.”

“You’ll be shocked to hear how little I care about that,” Medb said.

He gave her another annoyed look and said, “Then why should I do this? You’re the one asking me for a favor, remember?”

“Because you’re a good dog who does what his Empress asks him to,” she said, and then rolled her eyes. “Fine, because it needs to be done. Some of your fellow senators have been up to things they shouldn’t, and are causing problems for the Empress and the war effort.”

“And how does a bill on wool purchases help you with that? Seems kind of mundane and unconnected.”

“The bill is just a tool. I need to pull some of the senators into the open, so we can apply the right leverage to them. Think of it as a fishing expedition.”

“Which senators?” he asked, his eyes narrowing as he started going through the relatively small list in his head.

“I’m not going to tell you.”

“Why?” he said, sounding genuinely surprised.

“Because you lack subtlety. You have a bad habit of too easily letting people know what you’re thinking, and this requires a softer touch.”

“Calling me incompetent will hardly persuade me to assist you.”

“I’m sure you’ll get over it. Besides, I didn’t call you incompetent, I said you weren’t subtle. I’m sure you’re very good at your job and the Empress thinks highly of you, but you’re too noble and honest for your own good. As to why you’ll do it, as humorless and pompous as you are, you’re also a patriot. You’ll think about it, check with Ramirus, who’ll confirm what I’m doing is on his and the Empress’s orders, and realize that, with Ramirus involved, it’s more than just some simple jockeying for position.

“And why would the Empress ask you to do this? Why would you be working so hard for the Empress after scheming so hard to discredit her?”

“The Empress asked me to because I’m equally good at what I do, and she has this high-minded idea to give people second chances. While I doubt I would do it in her position, since I’m benefiting from it now, I can’t exactly fault her for it. This is my trial run to show I won’t be ... difficult, if she gives me bigger jobs. As to why I’m doing it, that’s none of your business. Assume it’s because I’m bored and want something to do. Now, are you going to do this or not?”

Taenaris stared at her hard, considering. For a moment, she wondered if she’d pushed him too hard. She knew he’d be distrustful of any attempt at friendly persuasion, which is why she chose the tack with him she had, but perhaps she misjudged his motivations.

If she had to, she could go to Ramirus or the Empress and have them make the request on her behalf, forcing the issue, but she didn’t want to do that. Part of this challenge was to prove she could get things done and, as distasteful as working for the Britannians was, it was better than the alternative, at the moment.

Finally, he sighed and said, “Fine, I’ll introduce your bill.”

“Good,” she said, allowing him a friendly smile for the first time since he’d entered the garden. “I’m glad you listened to reason.”

Taenaris scowled. “Don’t get too cocky, Medb. I’m doing this because the Empress wouldn’t have given you this task without a reason, not because I believe you’re in any way reformed. If I find that you are using me for some personal scheme, I promise there will be consequences.”

“Whatever,” she said, patting him condescendingly on the cheek. “As long as you do it, I don’t care what your reasons are.”

She left him standing there, fuming at her back as she walked away, allowing herself a genuine smile.

Yes, this really could be fun sometimes.

The Port of Kalb, Hispania

Cormac leaned against the windowsill of the commander’s office, overlooking the busy wharf, watching the sun sparkling off the water as ships, by the dozen, jockeyed for position coming and going. Even with the majority of the port’s faculties at least nominally in place now, the speed at which the port moved was breathtaking, dwarfing Cormac’s previous experiences in Ulaid before the coming of the Romans. Even Devnum, with its larger ports and more massive facilities, didn’t seem to move at nearly the breakneck speed that it did here.

“I must apologize again for the delay, my lord,” Commander Niall said, sitting at a desk next to where Cormac stood, shuffling through stacks of papers. “The requests from Admiral Valdar have increased exponentially in the last few weeks and are starting to put a strain on our ability to maintain sufficient supplies.”

“Think nothing of it, Commander,” Cormac replied, turning from the window. “I know a little something of pressures from those above you and their unrelenting expectations.”

In truth, two years ago, Cormac might not have said that, having generally only his father to give him orders. These last few years, however, had done much to show Cormac just how much under the thumbs of superiors he was; although the layers above him were still a great deal smaller than the ones above the commander.