Death and the Emperor

Book 1 Chapter XV: What's in a Name?

...it's no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then. -- Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

The date was set for Kilan's coronation. The royal tailors were at work making his coronation clothes. Everything was being arranged... except, unfortunately for Kilan, the question of an heir.

"But I don't want to get married!" he protested, thinking this was less likely to raise awkward questions than "But I'm already married!"

"No one cares what you want," said Chief Counsellor Dilves, frowning at him over her glasses. "The good of the Empire is all that matters. You will choose a lady of noble blood and a good reputation -- preferably a lady from one of the more discontented provinces; that should stop their whining for a while -- and you will marry her and have at least two children with her."

"I can't," Kilan insisted.

"And why not? Are you an invert? Or a eunuch?"

"Of course not!" He turned bright red.

"Then there is no possible reason you should not marry."

Except my wife, he thought, feeling that only-too-familiar-nowadays urge to hit his head against a wall. "Can it at least wait until after the coronation?"

The Chief Counsellor scowled. "It would be much better for everyone if we knew who our Empress was going to be."

"I disagree, and since I am soon to be the Emperor, my word is final."

She had no choice but to give in, but she didn't look happy about it. "What about your regnal name?"

"Regnal name?" Kilan repeated blankly. 

"You do know what that is, don't you?"

Her condescending tone nettled him. He knew perfectly well what a regnal name was. It was a name an Emperor or Empress took upon ascending to the throne, if for some reason they didn't want to keep their birth name. His uncle, Emperor Vretiel, had taken one; his birth name, Arásy had said once, was Amnollud. What Kilan couldn't understand was why the Chief Counsellor thought Kilan would take one.

"Of course I know what it is," he said waspishly. "But I won't take one. My name is Kilan. I won't be called anything else."

"It is traditional." Her sour expression became, if possible, even sourer. "And considering the circumstances in which your reign will begin, it would be wise to be as traditional as possible."

~~~~

The Council's insistence on a regnal name was ultimately unimportant except to his pride. The Council's insistence on a marriage, on the other hand... By the time Death came to him that night, Kilan had wracked his brains for some way of avoiding marriage without revealing he was already married. All his efforts had been in vain.

An Emperor needed an heir. That was plain common sense. He was unlikely to have any children with Death. That was also common sense. Even if they did somehow have a child, considering Death's other children that child would likely be the personification of something unpleasant. Hardly what the Carann Empire needed in an Emperor or Empress.

"What's wrong with you?" Death asked, sitting on the windowsill and staring at him in surprise. "You look even worse than you usually do."

Kilan got the impression there was an insult buried somewhere in that sentence, but couldn't be bothered to think about it.

"They want me to get married."

Death blinked slowly. "I beg your pardon?"

"The High Council! They want me to marry and produce an heir."