Her Reputation (The Empire: Book 1) Read online

CHAPTER 4

  Phoenix waited behind the velvet curtain to be announced into the feast. The strangers and their entourage were already seated, and were being introduced to every courtier in the city. Everyone wanted an invitation to tonight’s event.

  Finally, her name was called, and she swept the curtain aside to find her seat at the table. She would be placed on her mother’s right as heir and next to one of the visitors. Herald Siajan was directly next to her, and he nodded genially as she sat.

  Once everyone had finally been announced and seated, the feast began. The many doors that led to the kitchen area opened and servants swarmed in carrying steaming dishes of meats and breads. Delicious aromas permeated the room, and Phoenix’s mouth began to water. Questions that she had for the visitors were put on hold as she piled her plate with the meal, pausing to explain what a dish was every now and then to the strangers.

  When everyone had food in front of them, Queen Layna began the conversation.

  “How long of a voyage was it to get here?” She directed the question towards the two heralds.

  Herald Siajan was the one who answered. “We did not come directly here, not knowing that your country existed.” He looked thoughtful for a few moments. “Mayhap two weeks had it been direct?” He looked to Kedum for acknowledgement and the other man nodded.

  “A wonder that we have not encountered one another before,” Phoenix’s mother responded.

  “As you probably have noticed,” Herald Kedum said, “the storms over the sea have been lessening in recent years, allowing us to explore farther.”

  Her mother did not comment. She was not as interested in the sea and boating as was her husband, King Gryffon. He spoke up, “There have been changes to the weather systems all around here. We’ve been contemplating that it may have something to do with the taming of the wild magics to our north.”

  “Wild magics?” Siajan asked, his voice tightening.

  “Indeed, the power all around us has been tamed into the natural rivers it now runs in. But in the north, it is chaotic, following random patterns and making it difficult to control.”

  “Do you still touch the power here?” Herald Siajan asked. His face suddenly went pale, and he gripped his goblet so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

  “We do,” her mother replied, looking as curious at his reaction as Phoenix felt. Seeing as how the man looked terrified, she did not think that pressing him further on this subject would lead to productive results. She cut off her mother’s next question by asking about the weather of his homeland. He grasped the subject with ferocity, telling her with extreme excitement the exact temperatures for hours during the day. Her mother gave her a slight nod, indicating that she understood that more information would have to wait. Phoenix was gratified by her mother’s trust in her instincts. Once Herald Siajan had regained his relaxation, she ventured another question about the magic in their lands.

  “Pardon my boldness,” Phoenix implored, “but I can’t help but notice all the various bottles and vials that adorn your clothing and your person. May I inquire as to their purpose? Or are they simply ornamental?”

  Though her mother kept up her conversation with the courtier she was currently engaged with, Phoenix could feel her attention suddenly shift to the stranger next to her.

  “No need for an apology.” He waved a hand in the air. “That is why we are here: to learn about one another.” He moved aside his cloak to show her the array of bottles along his belt. “These are all potions. The Alchemist makes them and Her Royal Excellency distributes them. Any citizen may also go directly to the Alchemist to make a request for a particular potion, but he always requires a task in return to prove that the person is in need and worthy of what they are asking. Otherwise he’d be up to his ears in requests. The Exalted One ensures that all citizens have enough so that there is no longer any threat of plagues or diseases. No one is hungry as potions are distributed to ensure healthy crops, and we are all protected by Her Excellency’s Favor.”

  “That sounds amazing,” Phoenix said.

  Her mother had ended her other conversation and was now totally focused on this one.

  “Do you prefer potions over reaching for the power?” Queen Layna asked.

  The man looked disturbed again, but he quickly covered the emotion. The previous question and respite from it in between seemed to have prepared him to answer. “Oh,” he exclaimed, “we don’t dare touch the power. Only Her Favor protects us from the consequences of being born with the ability to do so and from others who can. Potions are the only safe way to use magic in our land.” He fingered a chain around his neck.

  “I see,” Phoenix replied, though she didn’t really see at all.

  She made a mental note to discuss the subject with her mother in private later. She didn’t understand the intricacies of using the power to understand the difference between what her mother did and what this man was describing.

  Herald Kedum cut into the conversation. “Do you have many people here who are able to ‘touch the power’, as you say?”

  “A fair number,” King Gryffon answered, “though we have less now than in ancient times.”

  “Why is that?”

  Her father answered this question with one of his own. “Do you worship the Three or the dragons in your land?”

  “Worship the dragons? No. We have histories of them bringing us here, and living with us for a time. But they have not been around for many generations. I have never before heard reference to this ‘Three’. Why do you ask?”

  “Well, one of the dragons, Nuko, was punished by the others and forced to stay here imprisoned. Unfortunately, he was not as confined as his peers believed. Twice he manipulated the minds of men in our history. Because of his influence, we lost many who would have otherwise added to our numbers.”

  Phoenix watched their reactions. She was rather surprised that her father had given them so much information so soon, but this admission only served to put them more at ease. When tensions were running high between Gelendan and Treymayne before her mother reunited them, talk of which side yielded more magical power was a topic of a great deal of heated conversation. Since the Empire was clearly wielded magic strong enough to communicate and transport people over distances, she doubted that they were overly concerned about Elaeld taking over the Empire. Phoenix would have at least expected the admission of weakened power to elicit a competitive response, however, but their only emotion seemed to be relief. The thought of people touching the power genuinely seemed to concern them.

  “And the Three?” Siajan asked.

  “Three of the dragons – Cliodhna, Kai, and Naoise – were chosen to leave behind their essences in the form of Kiani Stones. Through these they were able to leave behind enough of themselves to keep guiding us even when they departed our world.” Queen Layna spoke of them as though they were old friends. Phoenix understood that for a time their essences had actually been transferred into her head. “We forgot for a time that they were really beings that once walked among us, so they were considered gods – the Three. Even now, many still consider them to be so.”

  “Interesting,” Herald Kedum nodded thoughtfully.

  Siajan wore a curious expression. Their attention was torn in another direction, and Phoenix was forced to speak with another lady at the far end of the table. She caught snippets of the conversation with the strangers though she tried hard not to appear rude to the woman with whom she was speaking. One of the royal mages was currently explaining the use of magic to a horrified Siajan. She saw Kedum give his companion a stern look, and Siajan squared his jaw and nodded impassively to the mage’s information. As they spoke, Siajan appeared to gradually become more comfortable speaking about the mage’s role in the kingdom.

  “How can you put so much wealth into decorating your ships? Don’t they fall off?” a noble nearby rose his voice to inquire. His words slurred s
lightly and Phoenix winced at the rudeness of his inquiry. He had clearly had one too many glasses of wine already.

  Siajan smiled, luckily only looking relived at having been pulled away from the conversation with the mage. “As I mentioned, the empire flourishes. We are able to display some of this on Her Excellency’s ships. Also, many of the stones I have come to realize you hold in great value are not such to us.”

  “How do you mean?” Phoenix asked.

  Siajan explained indulgently. “I have just been made aware that several of those we simply think of as pretty are used by your – mages – “ he said the word hesitantly, “to help harness and store the – the power.” He stumbled over his words, obviously still a bit upset by the casual use of magic. He glanced at the mage with whom he’d been speaking and the mage nodded encouragingly at him. “Therefore, while they are valuable to us for their looks, they are not necessarily otherwise useful to us and none used as decoration are particularly rare.”

  “Really,” the mage said greedily.

  Herald Kedum spoke up. “Perhaps this could open up the possibility of trade.”

  Queen Layna looked very interested in this prospect. “I am curious what we could possibly offer you when your land is so prosperous on its own,” she said, with genuine curiosity and no hint of anything malicious.

  Herald Kedum still looked slightly put-out despite her lack of intended disrespect, but luckily, Siajan answered for him. “I am sure that your wonderful country has much to offer, Your Highness. Why, just the knowledge of these Three you speak of is sure to incite much interest.”

  As the food dwindled on people’s plates, Phoenix’s mother and father rose to make the proper welcome speeches, and the time for talk disappeared. Phoenix listened politely and clapped along with the other people while her parents spoke. When they had finished, the two heralds rose to thank them for their kind words. Siajan motioned for one of their servants to come forward, and the young man presented an elaborately decorated box to the King and Queen.

  “Please accept these tokens of friendship from Her Excellency on behalf of the entire Empire of Tyekath. She had them custom-designed in the empire and used a specially-commissioned potion to send them here for this welcome feast.”

  The King and Queen looked at each other and the Queen reached a hand out to open the box. Siajan’s awed tone made it clear that the Empress had gone to great lengths to get the gifts to them. Silence spread over the room in anticipation as the Queen lifted the lid. She admired the contents for a moment, an eyebrow raised. Then she picked something up and handed it to King Gryffon and reached in again to pick up another for herself. They held out their gifts for the waiting people to see. Siajan beamed as gasps rang out through the crowd. The King’s was a jewel-encrusted cloak pin, set with the green eye that seemed to be a symbol of the empire. The Queen held out a similarly impressive ring, once again featuring a center stone of the green eye.

  “The Empress wishes to bestow upon you Her Favor,” Herald Siajan told them, urging them to put on their new gifts. Their Majesties did so, and stood proudly before the room as all those below them burst into cheers.