New Rome

71. A Pawn on the Board

Sextus sat at his desk, a complacent smile on his smug face. He picked at a box of chocolates, licking his fingers between each sweet morsel. Life as the top dog was sumptuous. As the sole Consul of Rome, he had first pick at every tasty treat on offer. He thought about his bank account and laughed spontaneously. By the end of this year, he was going to be wealthier than the Imperator!

Sextus licked his fingers once more and fixed his beady eyes on the framed picture of Princess Arly, set in place of pride on his desk. His little child-bride was going to be the sweetest reward of all. And once he'd married and bedded her, he'd be in the Imperator's clan. One day, Sextus determined, he was going to rule New Rome. With his little wife sat obediently and silently at his side.

Still looking at her smiling picture, Sextus sticky fingers rummaged beneath his robes – fondling his manhood. Just thinking about his young wife-to-be was getting him excited. Everything he wanted was going to be his, everything.

The light on his door lock flashed green and Sextus sat bolt upright – flustered. He was sure he'd set it to 'Privacy', meaning that nobody could enter. He only had a moment to readjust to robes, and hide his erection, before the office door slid open.

"What the devil do you-" But Sextus stopped his prim blustering, this wasn't one of his secretaries. "My eyes do not recognise you, friend." Sextus observed, his gaze narrowing as he took in the young man's appearance. "How did you slip past security?"

Moving subtly, Sextus pressed the hidden alarm beneath his arm-rest. It would only take a minute or two for security to rush in. Then this ruffian could be promptly dealt with, Sextus reassured himself. 

But then the young man started to laugh.

"Apologies, Consul. But I'm afraid no one is coming to help you tonight." The man spoke in New Roman but with a strong Amenian accent.

"What do you want?"

"My master sends his regards."

With cold professionalism, the Wise Frog put a device to his lips and puffed out sharply. The poisoned dart shot out and pierced Sextus' leg. In an instant, the consul's body spasmed and he slouched down in his chair – dead as a doornail.

The Wise Frog crossed the office and retrieved his dart. Other than a pinprick mark on the consul's knee, no trace would be left behind. The coroner would deem that Consul Sextus had died of a heart attack. And security footage would be suitably doctored to fit this story.

The court of Amen might be thousands of miles away, but it had plenty of spiders in New Rome.

The Wise Frog swept silently from the Consul's office, taking the photograph of Arly with him.

**

                               Never tired, the Imperator was up at dawn and was in his office in the Castle of Red when the news broke. Wasting no time, he broadcast a message to the people of New Rome.

"The death of Consul Sextus is a sad, sad blow. Sextus was an old friend and colleague and I shall miss him, dearly. To those who knew him well, like myself, he will be most fondly remembered as a good listener, a caring friend and a true devoted servant of New Rome."

The broadcast flashed up pictures of Sextus, selected from various events covering the decades of his career.

Behind the scenes, the Imperator sent messages to his government.

In the absence of a consul, and lacking the ability to hold a fair election so suddenly, the Imperator of New Rome would be willing to act as Consul. For the good of New Rome. 

Graesen struggled not to break into a grin as events developed. It was completely natural for him to step into the vacant position of Consul in a time of crisis. And in doing so, the single restraint on his power was cut loose. He could now rule New Rome without any obstacle.

Amen had unwittingly, done him a huge service. Just as he'd hoped.

**

                                Kaze awoke in a clean hospital bed. Looking up he saw a blank white ceiling and next to him was a fluid IV drip. The curtains were abruptly pulled aside and a nurse smiled at him, pleased to see him awake. Kaze breathed a sigh of relief. He was finally back in New Rome.

The hospital was busy and crowded, but the constant sound of chattering and machine beeping was much better than the sounds of bombs being dropped. For Kaze, his hospital bed felt soft as a cloud. Looking down at he scrubbed clean hands, he could have wept with happiness. The remnants of hell had been washed away.

                       He'd been in hospital for several days before finally receiving a visitor sent from the Castle of Red.

"Greetings, my name is Pallas."

"I know who you are." Kaze interjected, he'd seen the Imperator's secretary plenty of times at family events – though Pallas had always been in the shadows. "Am I being discharged?"

"About that, the Imperator bid me give you these documents." Pallas handed over to him two slim binders. "You are to chose one."

Kaze opened the first binder and his blood turned cold.

"These are papers ordering my direct return to the front."

"Indeed." Pallas' face was emotionless. With trembling hands, Kaze opened the other binder and gasped.

"A marriage certificate?"

"Your marriage certificate. If you chose this future, then you and the young lady mentioned will be legally married. Immediately."

Kaze stared down in horror at the document that would bind him to Layala of House Ferno. "I believe you are acquainted with the lady."

"Indeed."

Kaze's thoughts were on Arly. What was she going to think if she heard that he'd married Layala? How could he convince her that he'd had no other choice?

"If you make this selection then, instead of being taken back to the Frontline, you will travel instead to the House of Ferno. There, your new father-in-law will teach you the family business and will name you as his heir." Pallas ended his explanation and stood back, his face blank. 

Kaze clenched tightly onto the binder, staring down at his future.

They'd planned it all for him. Where he would live, who he would marry, what his career would be... He was just a pawn, being placed at the back of the board. Out of harms way.

Kaze grit his teeth. Arly was the piece they wanted to navigate across the board.

And Kaze needed to get to her side. He sighed heavily. Play the game.

If he could gain his family's trust, they'd stop spying on him. All he needed was a little bit of freedom, and the moment he had it – he'd get on a ship to Amen. Arly would understand, once he explained the situation to her. She'd forgive him. He only hoped that she waited long enough.

"Fine. I'll marry Layala."

"Then I bid you farwell, Kaze of House Ferno. Your father-in-law has arranged a shuttle-chariot to pick you up this afternoon. I wish you a swift recovery."

Kaze glared at the secretary.

"The surgeons had to amputate my leg." He growled, pointing down at the absent limb. Pallas smiled politely.

"Well, at least you won't miss it in a desk job."