The Dark Lord

Anastasia blinked, though she kept control of her expression. Noricum was a roughly rectangular—and the only remaining Roman—province on the further side of the Rhenus and the Danuvius. Rich and prosperous, the region was exposed to attack from north, east and west. Only the southern Alpine border was safe from raids. I have no idea what passes for thought in the minds of Duke Frigard or the Bulgar khan! How does he expect... The Duchess felt cold. Of course the Emperor expected her to know—hadn't she always known before?

'Lord and God,' she said, keeping her voice even. 'Reports from beyond the Danuvius are sparse, though our strength in Noricum is drawn down... If Ermanerich defeats the Draculis soundly, then the other tribes will mind their manners. If he fails, or is openly defeated, they will become bolder.'

'Very well.' Galen made a dismissive gesture. 'Gaius, what of Gaul and Britain?'

'More troubles, my lord,' the old Roman said. 'The Frankish lords in Gaul are upset by the confiscation of the coward Dagobert's estates and possessions. He was well regarded among them—it seems they do not believe he abandoned his command, or fled from battle.'

'What do they think?' Open anger flooded the Emperor's face. The abject failure of the Frankish lord Dagobert struck him hard—Galen had trusted the man and promoted his career.

'They think, my lord,' Gaius said, keeping his voice very calm, 'he was pushed aside so a Goth could command the army in the East. They think comes Alexandros stood higher in your favor than did Dagobert. The matter is complicated by Dagobert still being at large... he may even be back in Gaul, now, and I doubt he will admit to defeat and flight!'

The Emperor raised a thin eyebrow, and his eyes narrowed and swiveled towards Anastasia. 'Duchess? Have your agents found our missing general?'

The cold tickling in Anastasia's stomach got worse, and the impression of mounting irritation in the Emperor grated on her nerves.

'No, my lord.' Her own eyes narrowed, seeing an almost indefinable smugness on Gaius Julius' face. 'The Empire's eyes are in every port, every city, every temple. But he has not surfaced since fleeing the port of Perinthus in a commandeered Imperial galley. I have heard these rumors he returned to Gaul, but he has not appeared in public, and he did not contest the seizure of his lands and estates.'

'Where else would he go?' Gaius Julius leaned forward, expressing professional interest. 'The Goths and the Franks hate each other with a passion, so he won't have found refuge in the East. Italia would be equally hostile to him... this leaves only Spain and Gaul.'

'Unless he is dead.' Anastasia's voice was cool. 'But I fear he has survived, and is in hiding.'

'Would you like help finding him?' Gaius Julius smiled, though he did not show his teeth. 'I have some acquaintances among the merchant class who could keep an eye out for him.'

Yes, Anastasia thought bitterly, you are thick with the lords of crime and the underworld... and through them with every grain hauler, merchant ship, bordello and gambling den in Italy. 'That is very kind, Gaius Julius, but my own informants are already on the hunt.'

'Of course.' Gaius settled back in his chair. Nothing about him suggested anything but well-meaning intentions and a desire to perform his duties with dispatch and efficiency. 'So, Lord and God, even Gaul is unsettled while this matter remains unresolved. Now, when the Duchess' men find our wayward general, and he is brought to trial, and confesses his cowardice before his peers—then public sentiment will swing in our favor. But until then—and, Duchess, I hope you find him soon—Gaul is of concern to us.'

'And Britain?' Galen continued to sit stiffly upright in his chair, but his frown grew deeper with each word. 'I have seen the monthly reports—the efforts to dislodge the Scandians have failed?'

'Yes,' Gaius admitted and Anastasia took a pinch of solace from the glum look on his face. 'A collection of local militia, Imperial troops and auxiliaries from Germany made an effort three months ago to drive the Scandians out of their enclave at Branodunium. Unfortunately, the Imperial officer in command of the expedition—a veteran named Uthar—was ambushed and killed by Scandian raiders while observing the defenses of the port. His second- in-command failed to press the enemy vigorously. So things remain as they were.'

'That is not acceptable,' Galen snapped, right hand clenching unconsciously into a fist. 'Find another general, a competent one, and dispatch him to clean up this mess.'

Gaius Julius nodded, but—wisely—said nothing. The Emperor stared out one of the windows for a moment, his expression forbidding. Anastasia waited patiently, as did the others. Beside her, Martina started to fidget and the Duchess touched her hand softly, shaking her head in warning. Out of the corner of her eye, Anastasia saw a sour look cross the young Empress' face, but the girl hunched her shoulders and stopped tapping her foot against the table leg.

—|—

After a seemingly endless moment, Galen's nostrils flared and his breath hissed out. Pursing his lips, he looked around the table. The Emperor did not seem pleased. 'We have no reserves to send Aurelian in Egypt, until either Ermanerich settles this Draculis matter, or Alexandros reclaims Constantinople from the Persians. My brother will have to make do with what he has.'

Gaius Julius and Anastasia nodded, reluctantly. The Emperor's expression did not improve.

'Lord and God?' Anastasia's throat felt tight, but remaining silent would not improve her situation. Risk was necessary, as was forward motion. 'We are stretched thin, and faced with many challenges. Despite the best efforts of our networks of agents and informers, we still know too little about the dispositions and maneuvers of our enemies. Therefore...'

She paused, feeling her stomach roil. An acid taste bit her tongue. What did I just say to Thyatis? What would she say to me, now? She stifled a bitter laugh, then managed to continue speaking: 'Princeps, may I have use of the device that sits in the Imperial Library?'

The Emperor frowned, brows furrowing, but then his face cleared and he looked at her with frank approval. 'An excellent idea,' he said. 'With such long eyes you will be able to fill in the gaps in our too-poor knowledge of the enemy.'

Anastasia inclined her head in thanks and out of the corner of her eye, saw Gaius Julius' lips twitch and then a disagreeable expression settle over his face. Ha! Gloated Anastasia, he didn't think of the power the telecast might grant, to those willing to use the duradarshan to its fullest.

'Thank you, my lord,' she said, smiling at the Emperor. 'We will not stint our labors. It is my hope that, by means of such swift and immediate news, we may be able to derive the work of many Legions from those few we own.'

'Good.' The weight on the Emperor seemed to have lifted, a little. 'Good. Now—yes, Maxian?'

The prince stirred himself and Anastasia thought his attention had been far away, as if roused from some waking dream. Maxian rubbed his eyes and focused, slowly, on his brother.

'Before the Duchess has her way with the telecast,' the prince said, 'I think we should use the device to find the Persian sorcerer. We must devise a means of defeating him if we are to win.'

Galen frowned, shaking his head. 'Are you ready to face him? The matter of the Persian fleet and the disposition of their armies is far more urgent.'

'How can that be?' Maxian sat up straight in his chair, staring at his brother in concern. 'While the sorcerer is free to act against us, the Empire is in immediate danger! This creature is more powerful than armies, deadlier than fleets!'

'Is he?' Galen returned Maxian's puzzled expression with his own. 'The Persian mage is only one man, true? He cannot hold cities, or provinces, or exact taxes or tribute by himself. While Shahr-Baraz has a fleet and powerful armies, we are in danger, whether this sorcerer is present or no.'

'What?' Maxian's face screwed up in astonishment. 'Don't you grasp his power?'

The Emperor's eyes narrowed and Anastasia shrank back a little in her chair. The others drew away from the prince as well, but Maxian did not seem to notice.

'This Persian,' the prince continued, voice rising, 'shattered the walls of Constantinople—the most formidable city in the entire Empire! He smashed the Eastern fleet to kindling! He nearly killed me, never having faced me before in a test of wills.'

'Yet,' Galen interjected, his voice cold, 'you fought him to a draw, all unprepared. Yet, when he broke down the walls of the Eastern Capital, it was Persian soldiers who entered the city, who hold the city. If he scattered the