i have patience for centuries in me and will live as though my time were very big
In the wake of the uprising, several things change. The emperor, feigning cowardice, flatly refuses to come out of the clearly far safer home of the Elene castle, and remains there only with the moat kept full and the drawbridge raised, accompanied by his family (all of his family). His ministers, accustomed to arranging his every movement, are ( Read more... )
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"What a thing to say, your Excellency," Ehlana protests, in Tamul. She turns toward Emperor Sarabian, who is twirling a string across the floor for the sake of entertaining Mmrr, the cat, who is in and out of Maryani's lap--she sees nothing wrong with sprawling on the floor by the Emperor and queen's chairs, either, much like an overgrown cat her own self. "Have I stolen you, Sarabian?" Ehlana inquires.
"Oh, absolutely, Ehlana," Sarabian responds, in Elenic, "I'm utterly in thrall to you."
"Has someone opened a school for modern languages on the grounds while I've been gone, Oscagne?" Norkan asks.
"I thought you might say that," the minister replies, "His Majesty's proficiency in Elenic predates Queen Ehlana's visit, however. Our revered emperor's been keeping secrets from us."
"Is he allowed to do that? I thought he was supposed to be just a stuffed toy that we trotted out on ceremonial occasions."
Sarabian bursts out laughing. Maryani giggles behind her hand.
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"I've missed you, Norkan," Sarabian declares. "Have you had the chance to get to know our excellent Norkan, Ehlana?"
"I sampled his wit in Atana, Sarabian," the queen smiles. "His observations always seem so--ah--unexpected."
"That they are," Sarbian laughs again, rising to his feet. He swears briefly as the rapier at his side catches behind the leg of his chair. He has a great deal of difficulty with that thing. The conversation meanders through a recounting of Norkan's unfortunate disagreement with the emperor's sister and a brief threat of making them marry--blessedly an idle one--and then to more serious matters: "What are you doing back here in Matherion, Norkan?"
The ambassador's eyebrow shoots up. "Things have changed, haven't they, Oscagne? Are we supposed to tell him to his face what's really going on?"
"Emperor Sarabian's decided to take charge of his own government, my friend."
"Isn't that against the law?"
"Afraid not, old boy."
"Would you consider accepting my resignation?"
"No, not really."
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Norkan expresses his unwillingness to see the empire collapse due to what he terms Sarabian "meddling", and Sarabian sends a commiserating look Ehlana's way. They express mutual disdain for people checking their power, and Sarabian efficiently continues on his way--Maryani thinks he's progressing quite well, actually ( ... )
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It's not until later that day that there's much indication of what it might have been Sparhawk slipped away to address ( ... )
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