see them wading on stumpy legs, delivering cheery waves with handless arms. Critics of the empire’s increasing decadence pointed to the fact that most people found this very amusing.
On chic lawns, small armies of doll-sized ice pixies waged war with icicle swords for well-wrapped dinner party guests. When struck a mortal blow, the pixies shattered into a thousand crystalline fragments-the wounded merely shed icy pearl tears.
Smart landaus passed, drawn by purple reindeer. Frostbarbs, hardy mountain cousins of the more familiar barbcats, appeared on leafy avenues, their usually white fur striped or polka-dotted. Patinas of unseasonable flowers broke out on the walls of mansions. Glamour archers loosed ghostly arrows that winged harmlessly through living targets. Geese sang, giants walked cobbled lanes, hoary stardust fell on heaving pavements.
But gaiety and hedonism didn’t hold sway in every part of the city. In the rundown quarters, elaborate magic was most often used as an instrument of control, or as state weaponry. Recent unrest added to the air of repression. Alive to the reality of a resistance movement previously thought negligible, and following the example set in the Bhealfan colony, the authorities were bent on rooting it out. This made swathes of Merakasa dangerous places to be.
At the centre of the city was an extensive enclave, sanctuary of the empire’s rulers. Flags bearing Gath Tampoor’s fire-breathing dragon emblem flew from its tallest towers. Its gates and lofty ramparts were heavily guarded by conventional forces and glamoured defences. It was a place outsiders were seldom invited to enter, and a summons to do so was rarely welcomed.
A woman stood on a high balcony. Her age would be hard to guess, beyond the fact that she was evidently very old. She tried to hide the fact with face paints, hair dyes and other artificial aids, but only succeeded in giving herself an appearance verging on the grotesque.
Empress Bethmilno, the twenty-fifth of her ancient line so named, wielded more power than anyone else in the whole of Gath Tampoor.
She shivered and came back into the stateroom. ‘I’m cold,’ she complained, moving towards a massive ornamented fireplace. ‘I remember a time when variations in temperature meant nothing to us, no matter how great.’
‘Things change, grandmother,’ her companion said. Like all members of her inner circle, he was a blood relation, though an impartial observer might think he looked curiously old to be one of her grandchildren.
‘Not always for the better,’ she replied tetchily, warming her hands at the blaze. ‘Look at the disorder that’s sweeping through our streets.’
‘Isn’t that simply the current expression of grievances that have always been with us?’
‘It’s change,’ the Empress insisted, ‘and for the worse. Not that long ago our subjects wouldn’t have dared bear arms against us.’
‘We can deal with it. Look at the success Laffon’s CIS and the paladins have had against these people on Bhealfa.’
‘How successful was it if a pack of them got away to that damned pleasure island? We’ve allowed them a stronghold from which to spread their contagion.’
‘Or neatly concentrated them. All the better to eradicate them.’
‘The sooner we do that, the happier I’ll be. We’ve allowed the rebels too much latitude as it is. It sets a bad example.’ She came away from the fireplace and seated herself. ‘But that’s not all that’s changed. Disruptions to the energy grid are growing more frequent and stronger. That really does worry me. Rebels we can put to the sword. What’s happening in the matrix isn’t so easily corrected, even if we knew what the defect was.’
‘I admit that’s a problem of a different order, grandmother. But surely with the expertise we’ve built up over so long-’
‘You’d think so, wouldn’t you? But there are few precedents. This isn’t the first time the matrix has been prone to disturbance, though the last was many years ago and we had some idea then of what caused it. There are no indications this time. I can’t help feeling that the current upheaval portends something.’
There was a knock on the door, followed by the entrance of a retainer who announced a guest. The Empress waved the servant away.
‘That will be Talgorian. You may set the timer, then leave us.’
A large hourglass sat on the mantelpiece. Her grandson upended it. The fine golden sand began to flow.
As he went out, a younger man was ushered in.
Andar Talgorian was of middle years. He was lean and vigorous, wore a stylishly barbered beard and dressed in the latest courtly attire. In keeping with his role as the Imperial Envoy to Bhealfa, he sported his air of diplomatic calm like a second skin. In truth, it wasn’t how he felt. He found it irksome to have been recalled to the capital so frequently in recent months, and his annoyance was heightened by the prospect of an audience with Bethmilno. Being in her presence always made him anxious.
‘Your journey here was comfortable?’ she began.
He gave a deep bow. ‘Tolerably, thank you, Excellency.’
She indicated a lower chair for him.
‘I trust I find you in good health, ma’am,’ Talgorian ventured, sinking into the cushions.
‘Tolerably.’
Her slightly mocking use of his word was discomfiting. He maintained a bland smile.
‘I’ll come straight to the point, Ambassador,’ the Empress continued. ‘Some of the recent developments in Bhealfa have been gratifying to us. The revolutionaries have suffered a severe blow, and inroads have been made in restoring proper respect for our authority.’
‘Thank you, Highness.’ He felt uneasy. Experience showed that a compliment often came before a fall.
‘However, certain aspects of what’s been happening in Bhealfa are less pleasing.’
‘Majesty?’
‘A number of the traitors were allowed to escape to other shores. And it appears that a hardcore of rebels is still entrenched in the principality. This is not satisfactory.’
‘With respect, Highness, the security forces, local and imperial, have responsibility in these matters.’
‘Be assured I’ll be making the point to them too, Ambassador. But the issue we’re discussing now is the diplomatic corps’ part in this. Your job is to convey our wishes to the relevant agencies. It seems there has been a lack of liaison in that respect.’
He thought this unjust, but refrained from voicing an opinion.
‘No efforts must be spared to eradicate these rebels,’ she went on. ‘You’ll work more closely with the CIS and the paladins on it. This is my will, as you’ll make clear to any who question the policy. Is that understood?’
‘It is, Majesty.’ If she believed the security forces were being too soft, Talgorian didn’t agree. Again, he held his peace. He valued his head too much.
‘Good. As for the so-called Diamond Isle…well, it leaves us with a mess to clear up.’
‘Indeed, ma’am.’
‘Though it may not fall entirely on Gath Tampoor’s shoulders.’
‘I beg your pardon, Excellency?’
‘We know that Rintarah’s been plagued by insurgency as much as we have, and some of their troublemakers fled to the Diamond Isle too. As they currently have more protectorates in that region than we do, they might feel compelled to act. We’d be content if they so decided.’
‘I’m…surprised, Majesty. We’ve always regarded Rintarah as being prime suspects in stirring up the insurgency.’
‘I now have reason to doubt they’re behind more than a small percentage of it. As are we, against them. Indications are that the Resistance is largely self-directed.’
Talgorian was adrift. ‘Not long since, you spoke of possible war with Rintarah, and-’
‘Nothing’s changed,’ the Empress returned sternly. ‘Our differences remain. I’m simply stating that our aims aren’t necessarily incompatible. We share a common interest in stamping out this canker.’
‘You’re suggesting some kind of cooperation might be possible, Majesty?’
‘I didn’t say that. My view is that, in the event, we wouldn’t stand in Rintarah’s way. The important thing is that the insurgents be eliminated. Particularly as we have reason to believe they might be aligned with a force that could…inconvenience us.’ He wanted to ask who, but she ploughed on. ‘We must be conscious of the greater picture. The empires have mutual interests beyond the rebels. Events should be seen in that context.’
