Chapter 20

Devnum

Lucilla sat alone upon the Imperial throne, the majesty of her office all around her, structured to force audience seekers to look up slightly at the top of the dais. It was designed to put Lucilla in a position of power over those who came before her, and why she’d chosen to hold this particular meeting here today, instead of in her office or one of the quieter corners of the royal palace.

The room wasn’t exactly as it was during her normal audiences, however. Gone were the normal courtiers and attendants, petitioners and guards, all of whom filled the hall on audience days. The only other person in the room was Ramirus, who stood beside her chair silently, hands clasped behind his back, passive and serious as always.

Both of their eyes were fixed on the doors to the audience chamber as her guards pushed it open, admitting the former queen of Connacht, who was ushered in. Cool and collected as ever, she walked with her head up and shoulders back, like she was marching into war. Which for her, was probably true.

Lucilla couldn’t help but feel a pang of uneasiness as she watched Medb approach. The queen had shown herself capable and even, to a small degree, trustworthy over the last several months, but Lucilla knew she’d never shed her cunning and hunger for power. It made her simultaneously perfect for this assignment and a dangerous gamble.

Just the kind of duality Lucilla hated.

“Medb, thank you for coming,” Lucilla said as the former queen stopped in front of the dais, pointedly not kneeling or bowing, as was tradition.

“I’m not sure how much of a choice I had,” Medb said, subtly looking at the guards flanking her.

“I believe we sent a messenger with the request and not a guard. These gentlemen are here in a ceremonial capacity only. Thank you both, you may go,” Lucilla said to the two guards.

The men offered crisp bows before turning on their heels and marching back the way they came. Medb, for her part, didn’t even acknowledge they’d moved.

“I asked you here because I wanted to talk to you about the work you’ve been doing with Ramirus. He tells me you’ve done excellent work and are the person to thank for the Ulaid suddenly reversing their previous decision and agreeing to send men, even temporarily, to help ease our manpower situation in Italia. He has spoken highly of your efficiency and dedication in the matter.”

“I appreciate his support,” Medb said, her tone indicating she did nothing of the sort. “I only had to make a few well-placed suggestions, reminding certain members of the Ulaid delegation as to where their loyalties lie.”

“There are only the three of us here, Medb,” Lucilla said. “There’s no reason to continue playing word games. While Ramirus was right about Senator Fiacha’s curating of information to his king and double-dealing, I think your solution ended with better results than what would have happened if I had followed Ramirus’s original suggestion of alerting King Conchobar directly. While I’m not sure the end result is what I would have wanted either, it was effective. My only concern is that, in pressuring the Senator, you have potentially set up a situation that could come back and haunt us in the future. Conchobar might not have been pleased to learn what his servant has been doing, but I’m certain he’d be significantly less pleased to know that someone here has subverted him.”

“Which is the point I made to Ramirus. I’m not Roman, so the blame can’t lie with you or Rome.”

“That might work on paper, Medb, but Conchobar will see through that reasoning. He’s no fool, and treating him like one, assuming he won’t see Fiacha’s situation or decision to work with you, as anything other than what it is, is a mistake.”

“I’m not sure I’d agree about Conchobar, but what else would you have me do? If you think this is some kind of ploy, like Ramirus keeps hinting at, then run him directly, notify Conchobar, or do whatever else you feel is necessary.”

“I’m not suggesting any of those things. Like I said at the outset, both Ramirus and I are happy with how you’ve decided to handle the situation, and both agree things worked out well enough. I also know you like playing games, sometimes to your own detriment, and would like for you to keep in mind the larger picture at times like this.”

“Noted,” Medb said flatly.

“I didn’t ask you here to lecture you or quibble, Medb. I really do think you did a fantastic job, and I wanted to thank you personally for the excellent work,” Lucilla said, resisting the urge to yell at the woman for her stubbornness. “I also wanted to offer you a new challenge that I think you will find particularly appealing.”

“I live to serve,” Medb said, sarcastically curtsying.

“What I’m about to tell you is not yet common knowledge, and hopefully will not become so before I return. I intend to leave Devnum, and Britannia as a whole soon, to travel to the continent and treat with the Germanic tribes there. Even with the release of more Ulaid warriors, we still desperately need more to reinforce the men already fighting in Italia,” Lucilla said, and then paused for a long moment to let her next words stand on their own. “I am planning on leaving you in charge in my absence.”

“Me?” Medb blurted out, her shell breaking for the first time ever, true surprise etched on her face.

Lucilla didn’t bother holding back a smile. The woman was so maddeningly in control all the time, it was nice to catch her off guard for once.

“Yes, you. You were a queen in your own right and have proven you have both the ability and cunning to handle the job. More importantly, even though you are technically a subject of the Ulaid crown, you have shown you are beholden to none of the three powers of Britannia. That is something my more high-placed subjects have had trouble understanding. I might be the ruler of Rome as well as Britannia, but when it comes to the Empire as a whole, I cannot simply side with my homeland. I have to make decisions that are for the good of the Empire as a whole. I’m not sure anyone else I could appoint would understand that, and I don’t know if our Empire would survive if they didn’t. I don’t think you will have the same dilemma.”

“When you say you will be leaving me in charge, what exactly do you expect me to do?” Medb asked, her surprise again disappearing behind a mask of control.

“You will manage the Empire as a whole. Ramirus and my advisors will manage Rome in my absence while you look to the needs of Britannia. You will handle audiences, manage the bureaucracy, and keep the Senate on track. You’ll intercede as needed and deal with any diplomatic needs that arise. I am leaving you with the full authority to make decisions as you see fit.”

“Thank you for putting your trust in me,” Medb said, all but vibrating as she struggled to hold back her obvious excitement.

“Don’t sound too eager too quickly,” Lucilla warned. “I know the thing you want, more than anything, is to rule once more. To sit upon a throne and wield power as you did before. While this opportunity does give you a taste of that responsibility and authority again, I need you to understand that it is temporary. I will be watching closely, as will others, and if we detect any attempt to overstep your bounds or try to gain more advantage than what I have granted, there will be consequences.”

Medb’s expression hardened at Lucilla’s words, but she remained silent.

“Both Faenius and Ramirus will have the authority to remove you, with force if necessary, if you resist or scheme against them. King Conchobar and King Talogren, along with Taenaris and Rotri, will be notified of the situation and will not tolerate any games or manipulation from you either. While Fiacha will also be notified, to keep up the fiction of his independence, I think you will understand that any use of him to counter concerns of the others will also trigger your immediate removal. Consider this yet another test, Medb. You now have a chance to participate more fully in the governance of this Empire, to have real responsibility and yes, even a measure of power. But it will only continue if you stay within the clearly defined bounds I have set. Should you decide to grasp for more, to overplay your hand, this opportunity and any future chances will disappear.”

Knowing that Medb was smart enough to read between the lines, Lucilla left it unsaid that her head could follow those chances if the offense was grievous enough.

“If, however, you serve faithfully and work for the good of Britannia, not just your personal interests, you will find me to be a generous and supportive patron, with the full might of Rome and the Empire behind you. The choice is yours, Medb. Tread carefully.”

“Don’t worry, Your Majesty, I’ll be a good girl,” she said condescendingly, bowing slightly.

“For your sake, I hope so.”

The former queen turned and walked out of the audience chamber. Lucilla watched her go, uncertain if this was a wise move to counter the other members of the Empire and those in her own government who might use this moment as an opportunity, or a foolhardy rationalization that would doom all of Britannia.

Hofstadir, Svealand Region, Scandia

Yrsa guided his horse along the winding dirt road, flanked on either side by dense birch forests, trying to push off the bad mood that had settled in days ago and refused to leave. He’d already been sent packing, making no progress, from the largest trading ports in the Agder and Rygjafylke regions, both of which were on the sea facing Britannia and did the most trade with the Empire. He’d hoped that would have meant they would be the most likely to hear out his argument, but that hadn’t been the case.