Chapter 15

After a good night’s sleep on the Gloriana, we headed down in a shuttle to Vimeaon and an audience with Princess Royal Jessin. We were directed away from Vimeaon Spaceport to the Royal Port in the grounds of the Adamantine Palace, the home of the Princess Royal, High Monarch of The Realm of Gershon, to give her full title ... or rather the general part, as she had a few other titles she could throw around if she wanted to.

There was an honour guard waiting for us as we left the shuttle and rode on a floating disc which carried us into the palace, which, despite its name, did not look terribly forbidding at all. We alighted after the disc stopped at the entrance to the High Court and the doors slid silently open. Amanda led the way as we moved up an aisle under the eyes of the senior Nobles of the Gershonian Realm and headed towards where Jessin sat on a throne carved out of a massive single crystal. Once Amanda had reached a distance of three pacemarks from Jessin, we all paused and gave the formal half bow of hand to chest that we would normally give a High Bureaucrat, following protocol to the letter for these occasions.

“Be welcome, Princess Royal Amanda of the Vreekoosian Empire,” Jessin greeted her in a clear, carrying voice.

“Thank you, your Royal Highness, Jessin of Gershon,” Amanda replied just as clearly. “It is a pleasure to be welcomed to the Court of the Empire’s oldest and most valued Ally.”

“Please accept the hospitality of the Court and Realm of Gershon,” Jessin nodded then rose and the two women embraced. “It’s good to see you, Amanda.”

“You too, Aunt Jessin. I hope you and the family are well?”

“We are, Jerra and Raisa will be delighted to see you again.”

“It will be good to see my favourite cousins again too,” Amanda replied with a beaming smile.

“Now, introduce me to your party and then I’ll introduce you to a few of my court.”

“Of course, Aunty,” Amanda nodded. “This is Dayyev, my boyfriend and intended, though nothing official has been announced.”

“Ah, the artist, as well as the naughty young man who seriously embarrassed that oaf Ramantilliar,” Jessin greeted me with a sunny smile.

“I had that honour, yes, Highness,” I chuckled.

“Well done indeed. He’s had something like that coming for a good long while.”

“So Viscount Perdevalion informed me, Highness.”

“He did? Good. I just wish I could persuade some of my other Nobles to be as well balanced as he is.”

Amanda introduced the rest of our party and then Jessin guided us to various Nobles of the Court and introduced us to them. In all this we kept to protocol, other than the personal greetings we got from Jessin herself.

“The signing of the new trade protocols will take place tomorrow,” Jessin then announced. “There will be a formal reception and ball tonight where we can be more informal with each other.”

“Thank you, Highness,” Amanda replied as we all took one step back, then turned as Amanda moved through our ranks to lead the way from the Court and to an escort who showed us to our rooms.

“Very much more formal than your mother’s High Court,” Verlig commented to Amanda.

“That’s because mother is very much in control of the Empire and the AIs will step in to deal with any hostile disrespect,” Amanda chuckled. “Jessin doesn’t have that sort of control. Hence all the protocols to keep her Nobles in check and aware of their place.”

“Yes, I do believe from what limited experience I have with them that familiarity will breed nothing but contempt in some of them,” I nodded.

“It’s all part of the balance Jessin maintains,” Amanda agreed. “It’s a case of ‘She’s the Princess Royal and don’t you Nobles forget it’.”

“Very much so,” a woman’s voice informed us as we entered the central chamber of our quarters. “Greetings Princess Amanda, I am Myrialis Amndaptro, Head of Gershonian Intelligence.”

“A pleasure to meet you, Myrialis,” Amanda replied as the two women warmly embraced.

“The pleasure is mine. It’s been a long time since I last saw you. You were barely two of your years old.”

“Sadly, I can’t really remember that,” Amanda admitted.

“I was keeping an eye on the Gershonian Ambassador’s valet. He was passing commercial information on to the Hiren Embassy, so we weren’t introduced and you were having more fun chasing the other kids with you around the Palace grounds,” Myrialis chuckled.

“Did Dad tell you our other reason for being here?”

“Yes. We’ve done some investigating. However, it’s all been on the legal side of things,” Myrialis replied. “They are certainly involved in something murky. However, outwardly they don’t appear to be breaking any of our laws.”

“Well, we’ll probably be ignoring legalities at some stage, though not being obvious or getting caught doing it.”

“No problem. Just don’t get caught, as neither Jessin nor I will be able to intervene.”

“We know this, but thank you for your forbearance.”

We entered our quarters to find Jessin had already got there before us and she greeted us warmly, introducing us to her husband, Duke Rassalio, and their son and daughter, Prince Jerra and Princess Raisa.

“It’s good to see you all again,” Amanda greeted them with hugs.

“We wanted to be at the Audience,” Rassalio explained, “But damned bloody protocol got in the way when the Court got on its high horse over the inclusion of Jerra and Raisa as they hadn’t reached their majority yet.”

“Just showing off their power on minor things,” Jerra shrugged. “It’s pretty much all they have these days.”

“When will your majorities be?” I enquired as I began a sketch.

“Another planetary year, about twenty-five of your binary cycles,” Raisa replied.

“I expect you’ll then have all the issues of them trying to marry you off, either to themselves or one of their sons?” I chuckled.

“Already started with me,” she giggled. “Had three offers this year alone.”

“I’m lucky,” Jerra added. “Mum and Dad have to make the offers for me and so far, they’ve restrained themselves.”

“I’d rather you both married for love, as I finally did,” Jessin explained. “Oh my goodness, Dayyev! You are as good as the reports said. You’ve captured Raisa beautifully.”

“During the holiday break we’ll be taking I’ll do a full colour family portrait of you,” I offered.

“Thank you, it will kind of justify the extended stay,” Jessin chuckled.

“I can make you look all majestic, imposing and regal on it if you want to display it to your Nobles?” I chuckled.

“Thank you, I accept. There are some days like today when they need a reminder of who is actually in charge and not to play petty power games with my husband and children.”

“Why didn’t you attend, Rassalio?” Amanda asked.

“Playing silly games with them. As a Sector Duke I was entitled to be there as a matter of course, but when they blocked the kids, refusing to attend was my only way of letting my displeasure known. Jessin understood and approved as well.”

“Glad our High Court isn’t like yours,” Amanda replied with a wry smile.

“Amantil can discipline yours for rudeness. I’d just end up with another civil war if I tried it. Yes, I’d win, but it would just stir up resentment amongst the remainder and make ruling and guiding the Realm that much more difficult,” Jessin replied with a shrug.

“Any indications who the nuisance planetary raiders are?” Amanda asked.

“Edging towards the Diadem Republic acting for the Arconian Protectorate,” Myrialis answered for Jessin. “Haven’t got definitive proof yet though.”

“Understandable,” Verlig nodded. “Planetary raids just aren’t the Gullen’s style.”

“True, but there are a few Realms associated with the Gullen who do, so we can’t quite rule them out yet.”

“Either way, the Empire will assist should you want our aid if or when you decide to act. Mother assures me on this,” Amanda replied, letting Jessin know she had full Imperial support if she needed it.

“Only if it’s the Gullen. The Republic won’t really be a problem for us, though we’d notify you anyway as we’d have to cross the border and into the Imperium to reach either Realm,” Jessin acknowledged. “Doubt the Hegemony would object either; they frown on theft these days.”

“Not an issue. Our Alliance would permit you the use of Sanctify Station as a resupply point,” Amanda nodded.

“Again, thank you. This is why, in part, we’re meeting you here. There are far too many loose lips in the Court.”

“Tell me about it,” Myrialis chuckled. “They couldn’t keep a secret to save their lives. Still, they are useful when you do want something known.”

“They’re still blocking any attempt to ennoble you,” Jessin added.

“Like I care.”

“You may not, but I do, old friend. You’ve served this Realm well and the actions of petty men prevent you from being given a deserved reward.”

“Shame you can’t get past this primogeniture thing you have,” I added as I finished a sketch of the Duke and the kids.

“Work in progress,” Jessin replied with a smile.

“Really?”

“Oh yes, might take another fifteen planetary years, but I’m determined to get it through before I hand on the crown.”

“It’s why they never ratified you becoming Queen,” Rassalio sighed. “You’d have the power to enact such a ruling then, rather than spend years gathering support amongst the younger Nobles.”

“I’d still have another minor civil war if I tried it,” Jessin chuckled. “But it is a nice thought.”

“So, would Jerra become King, if you stood down?” Haelee asked.

“Difficult to say, I rather suspect the conservatives would try to prevent it,” Rassalio shrugged.

“Yes, the old ‘why should we change something that we don’t need to’ argument,” Jessin nodded.

“And I thought the Empire had issues with some Nobles,” I chuckled.

“True, though your Nobles are merely there to oversee the Bureaucracy and step in, if necessary. They have very little power otherwise,” Jessin noted.

“True, the only Nobles with any real power are Aunt Manny, Amanda and Vicki,” I nodded.

“We’re winning, just have to go cautiously,” Jessin sighed. “Still, I’m determined when Jerra is crowned, he’ll have a much easier time of it than I had.”

“Anything to really watch for at the reception tonight?” Torric asked. “Other than be damned careful what you say to a Noble, naturally.”

“Heh,” Rassalio chuckled. “Be careful of blandishments from young lady Nobles. A lot of them are head hunting and would construe an innocent remark into a marriage proposal that their family would insist on ... unless you pay your way out of it.”