Chapter 68

A full moon cycle after the first meeting, the second council gathering took place in the White Citadel. The state guests from the allied Kingdom of Ibanee were once again invited and this time even Queen Nahseyra participated personally, as well as her mother Irja. After welcoming everyone, the resigned Emperor Dharos of Tunapor officially opened the second session of the Imperial Alorian Crown Council.

“My dear friends and allies,” Dharos addressed everyone present. “Only a bit more than a month has passed since I first heard that a daughter of Callandrea Rossano’Shenta survived the massacre of her family two decades ago. I cannot truly convey to you all of the joy and hope I felt when Sybelien was crowned as Empress of Aloria. Today, a month later, I want to hear from you, the members of this council, if you believe my hope for the future is justified.”

Vamon Silass’Brah took the floor. “After such an emotional opening, I think someone like me should be the first responding to the question,” he said with a placid expression. “I am the Lord of the Bone Dice Association. It’s an imaginative sounding title but hopeful visions of a better future play no part in my business. I’m a dull bean-counter; I count beans earned, not beans hoped for.”

“So tell us, Vamon,” the Warlord of the Strong Arm prompted, “How has the bean business evolved since Sybelien’s coronation?”

“People will always play and I’ll always win,” Silass’Brah’s answered soberly. “Desperate people bring me copper because they hope to win gold. Happy people bet silver and don’t care when they lose.” Then a grin split his face. “In Katerra they bet imperial gold coins nowadays.”

“Yes,” Dolberd Bars’Wolma confirmed. “An astonishing new influx of wealth is taking place. Not only food and living necessities are bought, but also luxury goods, which formerly only passed through Katerra, are sold on our markets in great amounts. It’s mainly clothes and jewelry at the moment but the new prosperity is spreading. New cargo ships have been ordered in Katerra’s docks and the city’s cartwrights are building new wagons for new merchant caravans. Buildings and storages, vacated for decades, are being bought and renovated. There are new jobs for many people - workers, craftsmen, even artists - and everyone is paid well and promptly. People no longer leave Katerra because of its poverty. They are returning for the new wealth.”

“I think we all know whom we have to thank for this new influx of wealth,” Thar’Haghanosh remarked, smiling at Rhaseris.

“Doesn’t the origin of this new wealth appear suspicious to the people?” Irja asked.

“Why should people be suspicious?” Silass’Brah asked in return. “Of course, they notice Princess Rhaseris’ spending spree but she’s buying wares, not souls, and all she buys she pays with solid gold, not with pious phrases or the promise of a better afterlife.”

“So you think you were successful in preventing the religious uproar you feared would happen?” Irja enquired, the wrinkles in her brow expressively conveying her doubts.

“There is no religious upheaval but we don’t have any reason to feel successful,” Lady Onessa answered. “A victorious war, a new Empress, and new wealth,” she listed. “The message is loud and clear. A new Alorian Empire is arising. The lands and metropolis of the old Alorian Empire were annexed by the neighboring kingdoms but the vast majority of the people living there are still Alorians. They remember they once were the masters of these lands and not just second-class citizens, living in foreign countries. In the last few days, people in Sinterra, Rakimar, and Lanessa hoisted the Imperial banner. In Perritess they did as well and they rebelled when Hakkarian soldiers pulled the banners down again. Hundreds died during the following riot.”

Ermin Dabas’Lohross shook his head and sighed. “And many thousands will die in the future. The Alorians want to be Alorians again. They want to come home,” the Warlord of the Strong Arm stated.

“We were worried about a religious civil war but we forgot most of our homeland is occupied by foreign nations,” Thar’Haghanosh agreed.

“Just when I was starting to believe the future looks rosy,” Jorsha Sammon bemoaned.

“Why don’t you feel successful?” Rhaseris asked. “A victorious war, a new Empress, new wealth, a new rising Alorian Empire and only a very few people know a new god ascended the Alorian heaven. You should be proud of all your accomplishments.”

“Obviously, we also accomplished to ignite the ire of this new god’s First Priestess,” Dabas’Lohross remarked.

“As fearsome as Princess Rhaseris’ ire is, I’m even more concerned we also enraged her god,” Lady Onessa said.

“You’ve been quiet so far, grandchild,” Dharos redirected the council’s attention. “What are the thoughts of the Alorian Empress?”

“I listened to Vamon’s report about Katerra’s current financial upswing and Dolberd’s positive prediction for the city’s future development,” Sybelien calmly replied, then she looked at Onessa. “Your concerns about stirring Jabbit’s anger come too late and thus aren’t useful to me.” Next, she regarded Rhaseris. “Do you demand a big celebration in honor of Jabbit before you’ll continue to do what our boss told you to do?”

Rhaseris grumbled something unintelligible in response.

“I can’t hear you, First Priestess,” Sybelien prompted.

“I said I’ll continue to serve my god,” Rhaseris hissed. “As you know I always will.”

“Good,” Sybelien tersely replied and proceeded. “I also listened to Onessa’s report about the ramifications of the rise of the new Alorian Empire and the effects it will continue to have on our neighboring countries, specifically in regards to occupied Alorian territory and its population. As I see it, I can either support the revolts or ignore them. If I support them, I need to assess my opponents’ reaction and decide how far I’m willing to go.”

Anseyla kissed Sybelien’s cheek. “I’m so proud of you, my snuggle bunny.”

Sybelien groaned and then waited until the council members were finished clearing their throats or whatever else they did to cover their chuckles. “After my consort successfully undermined my authority, maybe now someone else would like to contribute something useful?”

“I’ve recruited five-thousand men and women in the last few weeks,” the Warlord of the Strong Arm announced. “Their training progresses reasonably well and the armorers I hired are working day and night to equip them but I don’t recommend sending them into a war for six more months, at the least.”

Sybelien nodded. “I’ll need a bigger army. Recruit more people.”

“Now you sound just like Eva,” Anseyla criticized.

“I’ll need Eva as well,” Sybelien confirmed.

“Korbar, Isostres, Hakkar and even Barrakhur are reinforcing their armies, too,” Lady Onessa commented. “After King Aerathon and the Lords of Barthobar returned to their homelands they immediately started reinforcing their armies. Every nation near the lands of the Ewu prepares for war.”

“The traders passing the Garossa Sea on their way to Katerra are talking about the increasing number of Ibanee war galleys patrolling the delta of the Ewu,” Dolberd Bars’Wolma added, looking at the council guests. “During the last two weeks, I’ve also heard the Ibanee are now extorting taxes from cargo ships headed for Katerra.”

Queen Nahseyra looked down at her lap. “It’s not my fault. I didn’t tell them to do that,” she quietly defended herself.

Sybelien smiled at the little queen. “I know that. You’ll always be my friend and ally.”

“Uncle Hassunabi is testing the waters,” Agon var Dosha assessed. “He didn’t forget what happened when we went to war against a god but he’s slowly increasing the pressure to see whether Jabbit still protects Sybelien and Katerra.”

The old King Dharos heaved a deep sigh. “I know you said it’s too late and it doesn’t help to regret what’s already done, Sybelien, but I still want to apologize to you. Princess Rhaseris is right, we, especially I, angered a god. I am responsible for the terrible situation you are facing.”

“Do you want to say something yourself, First Priestess, or would you allow me to lighten the guilt King Dharos burdens?” Anjatta asked politely.

Rhaseris rolled her eyes. “Just go ahead, Anja. While kings and their nations have to face war as a repercussion for their failures, you’ll only face prolonged kitchen duty.”

“Thank you, First Priestess,” Anjatta replied before she turned to Dharos. “I sincerely doubt anything that you did has angered my god. Apart from a few wiser relatives, my family used every opportunity available, to lie to, threaten, betray, or even murder my god and I don’t believe even we succeeded in angering him. Jabbit may wage a new war; he may raise another plague or another natural disaster; he may kill millions and erase entire nations, or maybe he will not. But whatever he does or doesn’t do, we’ll never know his reasons.”

“He may or he may not, “ Sybelien repeated, grumbling. “I thought Anja is an oracle.”

“I think to be an oracle only means you see some things but can’t understand what you’ve seen before it actually happens,” Anseyla mused.

“You are as helpful as the oracle,” Sybelien murmured and then loudly addressed one of her Ibanee state guests. “Agon! Before this discussion drifted off into useless contemplations, you said your uncle will increase the pressure on Katerra. How far do you think he’ll go if we do nothing to stop him?”

“If we don’t stop my uncle, he will increase the pressure until you surrender to him,” Agon answered. “His next step will be the total blockade of the sea passage to the Garossa Sea, which effectively means the beginning of the siege on Katerra. I’m sorry, but I don’t know how we can stop him. We would need a fleet to oppose Hassunabi and we don’t have a fleet.”

“No,” Nahseyra intervened, “I am the Queen of Ibanee and I will stop uncle Hassunabi.”

The little girl climbed a bit awkwardly off her too tall chair and had tears in her eyes as she walked to the door but she held her head high.

The red dragoness surged down from the sky. She spread her wings wide to slow her descent. Her claws scratched the glib stone surface as she slithered across the little plateau and over the edge.

“That was much better!” Evanis shouted after the dragoness while she watched her plummeting into the depth. “But you’re still coming in too fast.”

Neesa giggled. “You should ask for wings of your own. Then you could show them how to land properly.”

“I didn’t climb this bloody mountain to teach Grub and Folly how to fly,” Evanis groused.

Neesa laughed even louder. “Their names are Grishon and Nieferitie, not Grub and Folly.”

“Hey Grub, you don’t mind I call you Grub, do you?” Evanis asked.

The black dragon, lying on the opposite edge of the plateau, didn’t reply.

“See? Grub doesn’t mind his nickname.”

“Poor Grishon,” Neesa sympathized. “His landings always end at that rock.”