The Crown of the Usurper (46 page)

  "Just be ready," said Luia. She left with more haste than dignity, before she changed her mind.

 

The smoke rising from the centre of Oorandia and the cheering mobs that greeted the king as he advanced through the suburbs of the city were testament to whatever it was Noran had done before leaving for Nemuria. On reaching the Brotherhood precinct he found the doors broken from their hinges and the slit windows blackened with soot. The smoke came from a fire at the centre of the square flanked by the precinct and the homes of the local worthies.

  Legionnaires held back small crowds at each of the intersections leading into the square and the shouts of the inhabitants continued to decry the Brotherhood.

  "Find out what they've been burning, and secure what's left of the precinct," Ullsaard told Meesiu, whose Third Legion was accompanying the king. Anasind and the rest of the army were forming a cordon around the city. "Try to find any intact records."

  The clamour from the protesting citizens was such that Ullsaard crossed the square to the nearest street and ordered his soldiers to let him through. The crowd was a few dozen strong and backed away as the captain leading the company holding the road barked for respect to be shown to the king.

  "Go back to your homes," Ullsaard said. "Announcements will be made in the morning."

  "What about our money?" one toothless old worker demanded, waving something at Ullsaard. "The precinct vault's all locked up."

  "What have you got?" said Ullsaard. He stepped forward and took the small piece of bronze the man was holding. At first he thought it was a coin, but not any denomination he had seen before. On one side was the image of a Brotherhood precinct, rising up on four tiers. It was then that Ullsaard recognised the markings on the other side – a tax token. They were used by legionnaires in lieu of real coin whilst in camp, and could be exchanged at Brotherhood precincts to claim pension every quarter-year. When a legionnaire was signed to retirement he was given enough tokens for ten years.

  "Where did you get this?" Ullsaard demanded, as the old man made a grasp for the token. "Who gave it to you?"

  "You did!" someone called from further into the crowd, followed by laughter.

  "A Brother gave it to me, as sure as you're standing here," said the old man. "Bounty of the king, he told us."

  "The Brothers weren't honouring it, and when one of them confessed that they had deposed the king, we took matters into our own hands," said a short woman who was elbowing her way to the front. She bobbed awkwardly in front of the king and looked up at him hopefully. "We're going to get our money, right?"

  The mood of the people was already starting to turn sour as Ullsaard looked over the crowd. They looked at him with a mixture of expectation, concern and surprise.

  "Yes, you'll get your money," Ullsaard told them, knowing that to say anything else was to invite a riot, which he had not the inclination to deal with. "I am here to administer the payments. Return to your homes and wait until you are called for. This is Greater Askhor, where we do things in timely and orderly fashion; I'll not have you scrabbling around like Salphorian pigs in shit."

  Though they were being told they would have to wait, the people received this speech with a ragged cheer and some clapping. Only an Askhan could take pride in bureaucracy if the alternative was to be considered a barbarian.

  Ullsaard handed the token back to the old man and sent him on his way with a smile and a slap on the shoulder.

  "Make sure they disperse," he told the watch captain as he returned to the square. He spied Anasind with Meesiu and strode over to the pair of officers. They fell silent at his approach.

  "What can you tell me about pension tokens?" the king asked his general. Anasind smiled and shrugged.

  "Noran said it was best not to bore you with the details. Anyway, we raided the Brotherhood stores in Parmia and had the camp forges make up some more. I gave Noran thirty men as couriers, heading all over the empire with the same story. The king has ordered a payment to every citizen in the empire. People are already worried about the removal of the governors, and this gives them more to get aggravated about. Noran thought this would make the people more inclined to believe the Brotherhood were the enemy." Anasind jabbed a thumb towards the soot-stained precinct. "Never stand between a citizen and his tax rebate."

  "He's a cunning fucker," said Ullsaard, smiling and shaking his head. "How many of these tokens are there?"

  "Each man we sent out had about three thousand, give or take," said Anasind. "Noran thought that once word started to spread, folks wouldn't wait for the tokens. Across every province, the Brotherhood are about to become everybody's target."

  "And did Noran suggest how we would fulfil the promise he made? The same mob that turned on the Brotherhood will be coming for us if we don't settle up."

  "He said if your coffers were too shallow to hold the balance, at this time of the year every Brotherhood precinct should be bulging with the half-year taxes."

  "Excuse me, my king," said Meesiu. "If there's some money to be handed out, my legion hasn't been paid since we left Salphoria."

  Ullsaard turned back to Anasind, brow creased.

  "The men haven't had their coin since the winter? Did you forget or something?"

  "There is little coin to give," said the general. "You left me in the middle of Salphoria with winter closing in. I cannot create tin or silver from thin air."

  "You risked desertion and mutiny all the way to Askh. I know that a legionnaire will march if he is waiting for his pay, but how did you get them to follow you for so long?"

  "I made them a promise in your name," said Anasind. He drew himself up and met the king's gaze without wavering. "I gave the men rights to final campaign."

  "You offered them all pension rights at the end of the fighting?" It was another of Askhos's old strategies to wean the legions away from their original tribal commanders; to offer all pay and privileges of a pensioned soldier at the end of the current campaign, regardless of time served. It was a drastic measure that meant whole legions would retire at the same time, and one Ullsaard was sure he would regret.

  "It is amazing what men will do, what they will face," continued Anasins, "if they think the biggest payday they have ever seen is at the end of it."

  "We can't lose," said Meesiu, earning himself a scowl from the king. "Look at it this way, king. If we beat Urikh and those spirit-monsters, you'll be more than happy to reward the men who did it for you. And if you lose, you're not going to be around to suffer the consequences."

 

Opening his eyes, Ullsaard heard voices at the entrance to the pavilion. Lying on his cot he listened as the sentries explained that the king was asleep and should not be disturbed. He heard Anasind claim that Ullsaard would wish to be woken, and the legionnaires submitted to the general's will. Pushing himself from the bed, Ullsaard wrapped his kilt around his waist and belted it before stepping through the curtained doorway into the main chamber.

  Anasind was just entering and stopped as he saw the king emerge from the bedchamber.

  "A visitor for you," said the general, stepping aside to allow another to enter.

  It was Allenya, a dark blue shawl around her shoulders and head, followed swiftly by two legionnaires hauling a travelling chest between them.

  "Husband," she said formally.

  "Wife," Ullsaard replied, his happiness at seeing her punctured by her cold demeanour.

  They said nothing more as the legionnaires placed the chest in one of the side chambers and left. Anasind darted a worried glance at his king, sensing that this was not the reunion hoped for when Ullsaard had despatched a company to Apili to bring Allenya to the army. Ullsaard nodded his gratitude and the general departed.

  "We have much to talk about," said Allenya.

  "Let me get you a drink," said Ullsaard, moving to a table of jugs and cups alongside one side of the chamber. "Wine? Or I can have something hot brought from the kitchens."

  "I am not thirsty."

  When Ullsaard had left Apili he had been destined for Askh and a confrontation with Urikh. He had hoped to send for Allenya to join him at the capital once the matter had been dealt with. He had also hoped that the distance that had come between them following Erlaan's attack would have been narrowed by separation, but it appeared that this was not the case.

  "It is safer for you to be with the army," Ullsaard said, wanting to breaking the silence. He had said as much in the letter he had sent with the soldiers. "If Erlaan returned or Lakhyri learnt of your whereabouts it would be dangerous at Apili."

  "Your concern for my wellbeing is welcome," said Allenya. "I am tired."

  Despite her words, Allenya made no move from where she was standing just a few paces from the pavilion entrance. Ullsaard guessed her meaning.

  "I shall have another cot brought in, if you do not wish to share my bed tonight," he said, heart heavy.

  "I would not wish to inconvenience you," said Allenya. Her flat tone was infuriating, but Ullsaard kept his temper in check, knowing that harsh words would not help to close the gulf that had opened between them.

  "There is nothing I can say that I have not already said." Ullsaard moved to his large campaign chair and sat down. He gestured to one of the smaller chairs beside it. "Please, come and sit and talk to me like a wife to a husband."

  "If that is your wish," she said, taking a few steps forwards. "You are my husband and king, after all."

  "Stop it," said Ullsaard, unable to bear the accusation in her eyes any longer. "Tell me what is wrong and I will attempt to make it up to you."

  "You really do not know?" Allenya dropped the veil of enforced formality and clenched her fists at her sides. "I spoke to you of being abandoned and hopeless, and what was your response? You left Apili without me. You promised I would never be from your side again and yet only a day passed before you were gone. What am I to think of that?"

  "I did not know that we would be apart for long," Ullsaard replied, leaning towards her in the chair. "You heard what happened at Askh? I am glad you were not there to see such a thing."

  "Glad?" Allenya's voice rose in anger, causing Ullsaard to wince at his choice of words.

  "I brought you here, didn't I? To be with me."

  "An afterthought, I am sure. To keep me safe and ensure that your enemies do not use me against you."

  "Not at all," said Ullsaard. The accusation stung because there was some truth to it, but Ullsaard knew that it was desire for his wife's companionship and concern for her safety that had moved him to act. He stood up and approached Allenya with arms open, palms held up in pleading. "I need you with me, my love."

  "Once more your words and deeds say different things." Allenya took a step back, away from the advancing king. "When dawn comes and your lust has been satisfied, will your whim change? Will you decide that an army on the march is no place for a queen?"

  "No!" Ullsaard took quick steps and grabbed Allenya's arm as she tried to avoid his embrace. The shawl slipped to the floor from her shoulders. "This is my final campaign and I need you beside me."

  "What do you mean?" Allenya ceased struggling against his iron grip. "Why would this be your last campaign?"

  "Because I don't expect to win," Ullsaard answered, his voice a whisper. Speaking the words brought clarity to the fear that had been gnawing at him since the catastrophe at Askh. "Even if I defeat Urikh and the foul monsters he has enslaved himself to, I cannot be king any longer."

  "If you lose, it will be because you are dead," said Allenya. A tear slid down her cheek and she raised a hand to his face. "I cannot bear the thought of it."

  Ullsaard lifted his hand and rested it on her cheek. He bowed his head and placed his brow against hers as she stepped into his embrace.

  "I need you," he said. "I have never been so afraid; afraid for you, afraid for the empire and all of us."

  "But you are still the king, and the strongest of us all," said Allenya. "I am sorry. I thought to quash fear with coldness, but I cannot sit in judgement for your deeds. It is the thought that I will lose you that keeps me awake at night, not dreams of the empire burning. The empire will lose only a king, I will lose a husband. You do not have to be king. I am sure we could slip away, perhaps head coldwards or duskwards, far from the evil of Lakhyri."

  "If I were such a man, you would not love me," said Ullsaard. Allenya sobbed and buried her face against his bare chest. "Fuck the rest of the empire, but I have friends and family that will be killed or made slaves if I fail."

  Pulling back, Allenya smiled through her tears. She stroked a hand down Ullsaard's arm and looked at him with an affection he had not known for some time.

  "Let us sleep," she said. "Tomorrow brings its own challenges, but so does every dawn bring new hope."

  "All I can do now is wait," said Ullsaard. "I have set a fire in the empire to burn down the Brotherhood, but I don't know if the flames will spread. For the moment, there is nothing else I can do."

  "What is your intent?"

  "Urikh and Lakhyri will know where I am soon enough, and they will come for me."

  "Then we should move on."

  "No, I want them to come. I will draw them onto me and spare the rest of the empire their cruelty while they seek to dispose of me. In fact, I'm counting on it."

  "You offer yourself up as bait? Is that wise, my love? Do not look for death, even though you are prepared for it."