advantage, but if they have no desire to win, they are useless.’
‘Intent?’ the woman said with disbelief. ‘How can you choose such a lowly thing? My scholars and philosophisers would laugh. More harm is done in the name of good intent than good.’
‘All the other attributes you care to mention can be made redundant by another. With ultimate speed or strength or another such physical attribute, one could perhaps be the victor, but what would be achieved withoutthewisdom to direct such power? With ultimate wisdom or knowledge alone, one would never act, for suchattributesare useless without direction. Victory is meaningless to true scholars and they would not bother with such hollow pursuits, knowing its pointlessness over time.
‘Intent is pure,for it is without magnitude. There is no greater or lesser intent, only intent in some particular act and,if one can truly perform in unity with his intent, then anything can be accomplished, even with a little of those other traits.’
‘But what if that intent is wrong or simply misplaced?’
‘What is right or wrong, Your Highness? A desire can be a blessing for one and a curse for another, but it can still be achieved by both.’
‘So you say that my war against theWest is wellfounded, even if my armies slaughter your own?’
‘If your intent is pure, then it is wellfounded for you, Your Majesty. Is it really your intent to create a paradise for your people in theWest?’
‘Of course,’ she said.
‘Then if you know your own mind so clearly, you are already halfway to victory.’
‘You magicians speak in the same riddles and nonsense as my confounded wizards. Tell me then, Samuel, what is your intent?’
‘I have already told you, Your Highness. I have come to save a child.’
‘Such a pure ambition! Then one more question for you, Magician. If you believe our reasons are so important, what about those great things we achieve via mishap or circumstance? How do these things fit into your plan?’
‘Don’t you know?’ Samuel said with feigned exaggeration. ‘Nothing happens by accident. Victories such as these are the intent of the gods.’
‘Now I know you are fooling me, Samuel. We both know gods are only the dreams of common people.’
‘I beg to differ,’ said Samuel with a mischievous smile. ‘Common people are only the dreams of gods.’
‘So you invest your values in intent, meaning and reason, Samuel, over other things. It shows you are a man of morals over outcomes-an idealist-and such people can be unpredictable and dangerous. I must say, I cannot agree with your philosophy. We have very different ideas.’
‘Perhaps that is why you are the Queen and I am the prisoner.’
She smiled at this, and he marvelled at the perfect dimensions of her features. Men would probably throw themselves to their deaths just to catch a glimpse of such beauty.
‘You know, Samuel, the war is as good as over. Your quest to return the Empress and her child are pointless. Even if I released them to you now, the Empire would already be fallen by the time you return. Nearly every one of the Turian cities has surrendered in peace. Only Cintar stubbornly remains, bristling with weapons to defy me, and my soldiers will wipe that city from the earth within months. Your little success at Ghant delayed my forces, but they will reach your city eventually. It cannot be any other way.’
‘Even if Cintar falls, the Empire will live through the young Emperor.’
‘Of course. Then I see you realise I can never allowhimto live.’
‘I do,’ Samuel told her.
‘So why, then, do you continue your infernal charade to have me releasehim and his mother?’
‘Because I live in hope. If I can convince you to give up on this war, you will have no reason to kill them and I will have no reason to kill you.’
The Paatin Queen laughed aloud. ‘Oh, you are amusing, Samuel. Am I really forging such a place in your heart that you can speak so openly? Is it love or hate that drives your words? I sometimes get the two confused. But you really are naive, Samuel, and perhaps that’s why I find you so intriguing. Why do you think I would want to end this war when I already have it won? Soon, there will be no Empire to remember and everyone in Amandia will be nurtured beneath my bosom. After a few generations, there will be no memories of the Empire and no one will be interested in the descendants of a long dead Emperor.’
‘True,’ Samuel admitted. ‘But I still cannot condone the death of an innocent woman and child when I have vowed to return them to safety.’
‘Then I will keep them safely, Samuel. How does that sound? I will let them live out their days in luxury in my city and they will not suffer or miss their old lives. The war is over and I have won. Taking Cintar is only a matter of time. I have heard much about the virtues of your Order and I know your duty as a magician is to all the people of Amandia, Samuel, no matter which flag or banner may be raised at the time.’
‘Are you suggesting that I abandon my ties to the Empire and serve you?’
‘I will not command you, Samuel, for I respect your individuality and your value for life. It is something that few of my wizards possess. I only hope you will serve the good of the land. You know much about magic and I know you are much stronger than you have yet shown. My spies have reports on you more detailed than you could imagine. A magician of your unique properties can do wondrous things. I can give you your own Order, free to direct as you choose.’
‘And you would free the Empress and her son, and give them homes in your city?’
‘They are already free, although restricted by walls as you are restricted to the palace. They will be as royalty and never want of anything, I promise, but I can never allow them total freedom. Given the choice, I am sure they will not mind choosing a limited freedom to death.’
Samuel considered the proposition. ‘Then I agree. I will stay and assist you however I can. I only have one condition.’
‘What is it?’
‘I need you to free the rest of my friends.’
‘I would like to grant your wish, but I cannot risk having rogue magicians roaming my palace. Om-rah would tear my city apart if he even suspected that I was keeping Balten hidden away from him. That infernal man has an unfortunate history with my people, so I’m afraid he will need to stay where he is for a while longer-at least until he learns his lesson-and he may die before that. I’m actually surprised that he dared to come back here, knowing full well what awaited him. Your injured friend, too, will need to have patience. He is faring much better than poor Balten, but I need him kept where he can’t get up to any mischief. He has been quite vocal in his cell and he is too powerful to be released until he becomes a little more…manageable. Don’t worry, my healers are taking care of him and he is not suffering. The others, however, will be freed as you desire. The one called Ferse and the Koian, Canyon, will be released and restricted to the palace, on similar termsasyou and the Koian woman. I expect you to speak to them and care for them as Utik’cah has for you. I can’t expect him to spend all his time chasing after you all. He has my armies to command and much other business to attend to.’
‘Very well. But if you don’t want magicians causing trouble, why do you let me roam free? Aren’t you afraid of what I might do?’
‘Oh, Samuel,’ she said, amused by his comments, and she leaned over andpattedhis cheek, much to his chagrin. ‘You look so cute when you say such silly things.’
Their barge had now cleared the city and was idling along in the middle of the river at the beckand callof the current. The oarsmen had ceased rowing and stood stiffly in their places, awaiting further command. At this point, the river had grown wide and shallow, so that Samuel could see the bottom not far beneath their vessel.
‘Follow me,’ Alahativa said and stood, offering her hand to Samuel. He took it and she led him to the side of the barge, where she leaned upon the handrail with her slender fingers and looked out upon her fields.
‘This was once a barren land. I brought the river from the stones andmadefields from the sand. I made life where there was none, and from this spring of life came my people, almost as if from my own womb. I have never had children of my own, but I love each and every one of my people, and they love me. How do you think that feels, Samuel, to be the mother of so many? I must care for them always,beeternally worried for them,remainever mindful of their every suffering. I did not go to war wantonly. The desert sands have begun to devour my pastures and there is no force that can prevent that from happening. I have built this Empire from nothing but sand and I will not see it return to that. I sought a treaty with your Emperor long ago, but he treated my diplomats with contempt and
