Regicide, part 1

“Regicide” By Harry Mathias My Twitter

    The city of Emperor’s Way had been in an uproar for the last week. The citizens took themselves to the streets, where they lit traditional bonfires to honor the dead. The two oldest of the emperor’s children had been killed in a tragic hunting accident that left the royal family scarred. The traditional mourning period of three months for the death royalty was still yet to be observed. The palace however stood, a dark contrast over the city, for while the citizens mourned and rioted the palace wept.

    Alexander Yuptav, assistant to Captain Simus of the Royal Guard, sat on a wooden fence next to the palace stables. He was eating a berry tart and tried to rest his right arm. Earlier Alexander had taken a beating from one of the stable boys in a sword match. Among the youth of the guard few could best Alexander, except the stable boys. The hours they practiced jousting toughened them to such an extent even the older members of the guard struggled in matches against them.

    The death of the princes troubled Alexander. Eight months ago the queen was taken by a sickness and confined to her room. The emperor rarely left his study, the few times he would leave the palace were to seek the upper senate for guidance about the state of the nation. Alexander considered himself luck, since his position as assistant to Simus allowed to eat at the emperor’s table, yet that table has been empty for months now.

    The courtyard of the palace always seemed to be the center of activity. All assortments of people and supplies normally passed through its gate. The garrison drilled in the yard, farmers directly sold their produce to the kitchen, and all manner of craftsmen set up workstations for the constant maintenance the palace required. Now the courtyard seemed empty. A lone mason worked on a broken wall, two older guards practiced in the very center, and stable boys gave the horses their daily groom. Never before had it been this empty.

    Simus strode out of the servant passage and ordered Alexander to follow him. So Alexander dropped his tart and followed the man into the corridor. The insides of the palace seemed worse, with the smell of candle smoke and the servants always kept their heads low, the corridors seemed almost empty. Simus pulled an iron chain along the wall and the stones moved outward, one of the many entrances to the service passages. Alexander followed Simus into the main hall and through another passage, where the they ascended a round staircase and entered the quarters of the Royal Guard.

    Alexander lived in what used to be a closet off of Simus’s room, that served both as his bedroom and study. Their part of the palace was considered superior due to its high elevation and windows the looked over the city. Alexander loved the view from Simus’s room. It gave a perfect look over most of the city and you could see the College of the Magi in the distance on another hill. The great market sat between Castle Hill, where the place was built, and the hill where Mage’s college sat.

    Simus designed his room to be the most ornate of all of the Royal Guard’s quarters. The back wall had a large window with a small balcony, where Simus placed a small collection of plants. A large framed map of the known world hung on the right wall. He decorated the left wall with  large rack of muskets and swords that hung over a chest filled with a collection of ancient books and weapons. The room was divided by a small raised platform in the back by the window where Simus’s bed was. The cobblestone walls contrasted well with the wooden floors.

    Simus sat on his desk and motioned for Alexander to take a seat. “Listen,” he said. “I’m very concerned with all of what’s happened recently. The queen is still sick and the emperor seems to be slipping deeper into a depression. Last week I received a letter from the college telling me that they’ve tracked a werewolf to the outskirts of the city and a coven has established itself down in the Middle Quarter. I can handle these things and the garrison is keeping the city under control. Yet, today I’ve received another letter, this time from the Emperor’s cousins telling me that they’re visiting. Now most of the palace is not yet informed, I want the Master Cedric to inform the servants, yet now I’ve got added security risks and I’m limited to the 500 members of the Royal Guard here. I’m going to be needing your help with the preparations and I don’t want anything going wrong. Especially since they’re opening the western wing to handle all these new guests.”

    “You seem very stressed,” Alexander replied. “Normally, you would find this easy. We’ve handled large crowds before. The college can handle anything supernatural. I can’t fathom why you’re so stressed.”

    “It’s the fact that all of this is happening now. Normally I would have the Crown Prince Nicolas or his brother Mellum to assist me, only now they’re dead. Septim might be able to handle this, except he’s only fourteen. His sister is away in the country and the queen’s sick. I don’t want to add stress to the emperor, except I’m also preoccupied with other matters which I may need tell you about later. Right now, I need you down in the kitchens to check on the staff, dinner will be served soon and I want you to keep an eye on the recent arrivals,” Simus fell down on his chair and rubbed his head. “I might need to visit an apothecary, so my damn headaches won’t keep me from sleeping at night. Oh, and since the Emperor’s cousins will arrive in two days, you’ll be attending the emperor. I’m too preoccupied with other matters at the moment.”

    “Really, I don’t understand,” Alexander pleaded. “I can’t wait on the Emperor. That’s your job. Also, why does he need to be guarded anyway?”

    “You know perfectly well why you need to guard the emperor,” Simus scolded. “Whenever visitors enter the palace, no matter what their relations may be to the royal family, they must be guarded at all times, just as the royal family must be guarded. I’ll be busy with matters his Majesty has personally entrusted with me. Your job won’t be difficult, all you’ll be doing is following the Emperor and assisting him with his tasks. You’ll never leave his side until your replacement arrives. It will be easy as you’ll be nothing more than a servant.”

    “If you think that task is easy, why are avoiding my eyes? I know you’re lying,”  Alexander said.

    “I’m not lying,” Simus said as he wiped his face with a handkerchief. “I’m merely not telling you everything. There are things which you’ll soon learn, except I can’t trust you with them. I really can’t trust anyone with that information. Is your seal acting up?”
    “No,” Alexander answered. “It’s been fine.”
    “That’s alright, mine seems to be acting up whenever I feel uneasy. It’s probably nothing to worry about,” Simus said, after which he dismissed Alexander.
    Every member of the royal guard was branded with a seal, designed by the Arch Mage Timus at the Mage’s College over two hundred years ago, that involved very complex magic. The seal prevented any member of the guard from harming any immediate member of the royal family. Alexander received his seal when he arrived seven years ago, when his parents sent him to join the guard, a common practice among the lesser nobility to gain favor from the royal family. The seals served other purposes as well, many however were lost when Timus died.
    The kitchens were located in the far end of the palace, near the grand ballroom and gardens. The sweet scent of caramelized meats always lingered in the air around them, as the cooking never stopped. The palace employed over a thousand men and women in its service. You would never see them, as the labyrinth of passages allowed them to move unnoticed, as they cleaned rooms and replaced candles. Alexander entered a service passage the quickly led him to the garden, from there he entered the main kitchen where he noticed an unusual sight.
    The kitchen staff seemed to have been doubled. New chefs and serving girls scurried like rats over the older staff. Alexander recognized the majority of the previous staff, yet these new faces happened to unsettle him. They didn’t seem to know what their jobs were. They collected in corners and scurried, while attempted to find something to work on. Yet, their mingling annoyed the usual staff, who struggled to work with this new mess.
    Alexander searched for Amria Tlevichi, the head chef. Amria was a strong woman who demanded absolute devotion from her assistants. A daughter of some sea-lord she had served in the palace since she turned seven. Now Amria would celebrate her fiftieth birthday in two months, this would make her the oldest member of the kitchen staff.
    “Alexander,” screamed Amria at him. “Oh, thank the divine. Finally, I can get some work done without those inbred pricks stopping my kitchens. Yes I mean you,” She yelled towards some of the new staff members. “Can you please help some of the kitchen boys bring up some flower from the larder. Those inbreds haven’t made any bread and yet still have managed to waste an entire week’s supply of flour.”
    “You know I can’t help you anymore,” Alexander answered. “ I’m only here to check on the new kitchen staff and the servers. I can’t help you carry flour anymore. That stopped two years ago.”
    Amria pulled him off to the side of the kitchen and away from the crowds of servants, as they worked to prepare tonight’s meal. Amria pulled him close and put her hand over his mouth. “Listen, I’m stuck with twice the staff I’m used to. Half aren’t doing their jobs and my normal staff is working half the pace because of the crowding”
    “Why then are there so many extra member of the staff? It doesn’t make any sense,” Alexander asked.
    “The new staff were sent over by the Emperor’s cousins. They wanted to send help for their welcoming feasts in two days. Yet, most of these new workers have never seen an oven in their life. Those ones over there aren’t even the majority of them, the rest are watching the stable boys practice jousting. I don’t trust them. The Emperor’s cousin and head of his family, has always held a grudge against our Emperor. The bastard even changed his family name to Brakreage, instead of continuing his family dynasty. He was second in line to the throne before the Emperor’s first child was born. He hasn't visited since the Emperor’s wedding ceremony, nearly thirty years ago. Now the bastard sends a letter to the Emperor announcing his uninvited visit, that will last a whole for a whole two months.”
    “Are you finished?” Alexander asked.
    “Not in the slightest boy,” Amria temperament had become that of a rabid dog. “Brakreage sends an incompetent staff to help us, that of which you’ve already seen is only slowing down my kitchens. It would be better if they return to his damn palace, yet he insists, with great urgency, that they are needed to help my staff. I’ve prepared for banquets and festivals three times this size. Your master is right, there’s trouble in the nation and we’re only seeing the beginning. Now go tell him I have everything under control, unless he wants to alert these men by sending down his guards.”
    She pushed Alexander away from the servants and into the passageway. Alexander scuttled through servants, as they prepared tonights meal. Men prepared the appetizers on silver platters and carried them through the passages to the grand hall. Normally emperors would eat in their studies, the same applied to the high staff, of which Simus was a member. So Alexander collected his and Simus’s meal and ordered a young serving boy to assist him. They carried the food through the back passages, attempting to avoid the more public areas of the palace.
    When Alexander reached his quarters he unlocked the door and entered. Simus stood in the back with a washing bowl, trying to scrub his clothes. Alexander had the servant place the meal on the desk then ordered him to leave.  He tried to help Simus wash his clothes, but the old man pushed him away. The clothes were stained with blood and fluids. Little chunks of flesh were stuck to the clothes that gave him appearance of a butcher.
    “Damn it boy let me finish washing in peace,” Simus scolded Alexander.
    “Why are your clothes all bloody?” Alexander said startled. “Where were you. Oh dear gods.”
    “No, no!” he relied, after he placed his hand over Alexander’s mouth. “It’s not what you think. I happened to be taking care of urgent, personal matter. I wasn’t allowed to reveal to anyone. If all goes well you’ll discover in two days. Gods I hope in two days. If everything goes well.”
    A great silence came over the room as the sun set on the horizon. A moment passed before Simus spoke up. “Let’s have our dinner. Tomorrow I’ll be very busy and the day after Brakreage will no doubt arrive. Then if all goes well I’ll explain everything. I promise that to you.”
    They finished their meal in silence, then Alexander waited for Simus to sleep before putting out the lights.
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