The Aeterna Empire

Chapter 10 - The Liberator

The knowledge that this damned empire blinded my dear nephew did not sit well with me and was yet another sin I would call down on the twice damned Emperor. The tower was a thousand floors reaching the sun, and my instinct was to walk it all to the top and spit in the man's face, but reason won out and kept me where I needed to be. So while I held the boy's hand and rooted myself, Koj busied himself with his herbs and concoctions.

The Mirrad-Blood brought out two cups for Aelius and set them by me. 

"What potions are these?" I wondered.

"Tea and red meat broth." He answered. I scoffed, amused. He positioned my nephew against him and started serving the boy the drinks. "Both stimulate the blood in their own ways and give the body what it lacks. The rest is up to him and sheer willpower."

"A witch doctor, you are not," I joked. "Who trained you?"

"All the chieftains, but mostly the chieftain of Ratvhin'Mirrad. All chieftains act as midwives, judges, and doctors for our clans."

I stared at him briefly, surprised. "So that makes you a-"

"Yes." He answered.

"What are you doing here and not back with your clan?" I asked.

"Story for another time, perhaps, if I let you in my confidence."

I nodded. Sounded like it was private or confidential. Whatever it was, it put his presence in a new light. He wasn't a random goon Caius bought, he was someone with responsibility and purpose. He was a chieftain.

Sip by sip, he finished giving Aelius breakfast and laid him down next to me to sleep. "His color is already starting to return, even if only a little," Koj said, approvingly. "He has a strong fire in him. Chances are good he will wake up somewhat sober today."

I clenched Aelius' hand.

xxx

"You missed some juicy events last night."

Bagon'Bilene'Kes, once high general of Kes, now governor of an Imperial region, stopped. Opposite of him, was another governor: Micuso'Yshe'Ire. Micuso kept his region of Yshe in the transition because the then-duke surrendered quickly. Bagon had the pleasure of knowing the man from Kes-Ire joint-training exercises and escorting his prince to Yshe for a hostage exchange.

Bagon shrugged, "I am sure it was eventful at Barjol's banquet, but I still think my time was better fulfilled elsewhere: Napping, planning, shopping." Bagon implied heavily.

"Ah, yes. How is that coming?" Micuso inquired.

"Like trying to hold the tide back with a bucket," Bagon sighed. "It doesn't help the nobles are catching on and raising prices as soon as they get a whiff of me."

"Well I think I might know who can help. There's a new player in the game and he made some big waves last night."

"Oh? Pray tell." Bagon asked, more out of politeness than interest.

"Someone appeared at the party calling himself 'The Successor of Adam'."

Bagon argued, "There are many people who make many claims. Doesn't mean its true."

"Yes but how many people with empty claims call out the party host boldly and then receive private audiences that are hush-hush and then are seen with the party host looking like a whipped dog at their heels? I have it on some very trustworthy gossip it involved Barjol's slave treatment because immediately the slaves from one of the warehouses were presented and 'New Adam' was unsatisfied with what he saw."

This gave Bagon pause, enough to inquire further. "And how much of this did you witness?"

"Exactly none of it." The duke said proudly.