Opting to shut herself off in her study soon after the remarkably-quiet dinner, Mama Viper likewise took this time to unwind by pouring herself some more herbal tea. Thoughtfully sipping it, the queen pondered on what her next moves could be like.
"So then," she whispered, having laid back in her seat, "what's it gonna be from here on, Mirani? Proceed with bringing death to the full-blown traitor Yasnar, who dares fancy himself 'Prime Vazir' still... or, pause to make peace with yer own rascal of a child? Agents and informers, some hundreds of 'em, are still at yer beck n' call, mind; plus considerable influence to boot... Ya need but to give the word."
Mama Viper briefly closed her eyes. "I don't wanna 'ave to spend the rest o' my days gleefully plottin' someone's doom, dammit; I don't wanna let my stinkin' name tarnish my kids' future. I'd proven 'nough simply by surviving under such war-induced wretchedness, and done so on my own frickin'-back! Yasnar will most likely be my last prey, and after that..."
Here again she was silent. Come the day the so-called 'withered nutcase' would finally be down and gone... what then? Her entire network had been built up, all those years, solely to provide a bulwark against Urdin and his minions; Yasnar included. She was finding, to her disquiet, that she had not given proper thought of what to do, nor where to head next, in the wake of said network's all-too-probable dismemberment.
"In any case, havin' peace with Zal would help ease things quite a bit... If she decided to take it, that is; which she might not."
Three knocks occurred on her door just then, and her heart almost skipped a beat.
"Zal..? Nah, she won't be knockin' that way..."
Two more knocks. Mira now looked on with dawning trepidation, still not having mustered enough courage to get up nor bid entrance. Whoever could be behind that door now, when she had expressly told not to be disturbed, could only mean to bring her yet more distress... One of Yasnar's agents? But how-
At length, the door was opened inwards and the queen got ready to scream for the guards--only to find Vestra's firstborn peering in, as if he were playing hide-and-seek.
"Mustafa..?!"
"Mirani," he greeted with a slight smirk, as she breathed a huge sigh of relief. "Good evening. You did not answer the door, how rare."
"I... hadn't thought there would still be visitors, given the late hour. Sit, if ya wish." He took the offer. "Tea?" He nodded again, watching as she poured.
"To what do I owe this, er... visit?" the hostess began.
"No traps after all, huh?"
"...I beg yer pardon?"
"That's what my sister was so worried about, just now."
Mira's countenance lightened up a little. "Ya came on Zal's behalf?"
"She would deny that. In style."
"No doubt. Did she... speak of accepting my apology at any point?"
"You really think a simple apology by word is enough?"
"What would give, then?"
Mu stared at her. "By and by... Was it not by your order that my maids were slain, that night?"
YOU ARE READING
Internal: Viperpath (volume 1)
Historical FictionAlmost two decades have passed since the establishment of the Amirate centred on Elbar. By now it has reached its near-highest extent, and things would probably have remained tranquil... were it not for that nocturnal attempt against the Amir's two...
