The next afternoon Vicca nervously walked back to her personal chambers from the Doukar's main audience chamber. They were annoyingly far apart. Fornulus had called the court together to announce the death of Cordelian's little brat, and it hadn’t gone as smoothly as she’d imagined. She'd received disapproving looks from many people. Meronion and Euphastolon in particular, and even Ophelion looked upset. She couldn't tell what Theo thought, although she kept looking at her friend's face for some hint.

Most concerning of all, Cordelian hadn't been there. She'd never known him to miss a gathering of the court. A few years ago he had been seriously ill and had still shown up, coughing and sweating while the old Doukar looked on approvingly. She'd imagined...well what, exactly, she didn't know. That he'd seem defeated somehow, or maybe attack her publicly and give her an excuse to strip him of the title of Eukrates. Silence was just unnerving. Where was he? Somehow he must have found out even before the announcement.

Her news had shocked Fornulus too, and he'd asked her if she'd truly needed to kill the boy. She'd bowled him over with anger, reminding him of their previous fights. He quickly dropped his concerns once she made some noises about wanting to meet with the trollop, about wanting to get along. The idiot. Still, it pleased her to use Cordelian's schemes to her own advantage. Killing the boy had been the right move. It put Cordelian in his place and secured her husband's safety. Cordelian wouldn't dare challenge them again. He was probably hiding in his chambers, too scared now to face her directly. She just wasn't used to having so many people be angry with her.

She heard some stomping behind her and turned to see Meronion limping past. She inclined her head just slightly, as befitted an Empress, but Meronion didn't acknowledge her, and kept walking. As Meronion passed Vicca, she muttered "stupid woman", loudly enough to clearly audible. Vicca's jaw dropped – the princess had meant for her to hear that! She thought about calling the Milem back, but it would make her look petty, and acknowledge the insult. She agonized over it for a moment, but the princess was feet away already and by then it was too awkward to make a scene.

Once she made it back to her chambers, she looked to her daughter. Her sons had been taken straight from the audience chamber by their tutor to continue the day's studies, so it was just the two of them here. She took the baby from the wet nurse and cooed over it. Everything she did was to protect her life and the lives of her children. She'd had some trouble sleeping last night. She kept seeing the boy's scared face when she closed her eyes. It was the first time she'd ever sent someone to their death.

After some time spent stewing over today and yesterday's events, an attendant announced Theo's arrival, and she perked up. But even Theo had the same kind of look she'd seen at court. They sat in silence across from each other, not even touching their wine. Finally Theo spoke.

"Why did you have Agathio killed?"

"You heard why. He was in the process of committing treason."

"Do you really believe that?" Theo asked. Vicca didn’t reply. "He was so young."

"He was a man. He grew up already, he wasn't the boy you remember." Vicca made her voice cold.

"Cordelian loved him," Theo said.

"It's unfortunate, but the law must be followed."

"I love you, but I also love my brother, Vicca. You've hurt my brother deeply. He won't let even me see him; he's locked in his chambers."

"Fornulus ordered it, not me." Vicca said, lying to her best friend and feeling incredibly self-conscious about it. She knew Theo wasn't fooled. What she didn't say was that she was glad Cordelian had locked himself away.

"Are you on Cordelian's side, Theo, is that what you're telling me?"

"Why do you..." Theo trailed off, seemingly blinking back tears. "Why do I have to choose? Why can't we be a family?"

"Look at what your father did, back when he was a prince, to his siblings. This was never going to be a normal family."

They sat in silence for some time while Vicca wondered if she'd lost her only true friend in the whole of Trigon. She decided to confront it head on, just as she had done with Cordelian.

"Are you still my friend, Theo?"

Theo looked up at her, wiping her eyes. She said nothing for a few long moments before nodding.

"I’m your friend, but I feel caught in the middle of a fight I didn’t ask for. I’m also his sister, and I don't want either one of you drag me into this."

"I am sorry Theo. I never wanted to upset you."

"I know. Since I’m your friend I'll say this: it was a mistake."

"I know you don't approve, but-"

Theo shook her head. "I mean it wasn't the smart move. If you think this will cow Cordelian, you're wrong. When somebody hurts him, he finds a way to hurt them back. He doesn't forget a slight. He's always been that way, ever since he started his schemes to get back at Braxalus for bullying him when we were children."

"I am the Empress, he can't hurt me. Fornulus would have him executed." Vicca said, but she was feeling increasingly anxious. Yesterday she had felt so confident, so secure in her position. But in the cold light of day, the more she thought about it, the less certain she felt. Cordelian had so much influence among the patros, so many friends, a powerful family behind him, and all she had was her husband. Her blood was far away. If Fornulus abandoned her, Cordelian's minions would tear her apart.

Theo looked worried. "Vicca, be careful. Cordelian's going to react to this. I don't know how, but it won't be good. He'll think you've crossed a line. And, well, you have."

Vicca swallowed. "I'll take a short trip out of the capital and wait for things to settle down. I'll say I want to tour the surroundings of the capital and check on the grain allowance."

Theo nodded. "You should take the children too."

Vicca realized Theo was thinking Cordelian wouldn't hurt the children, that she should use her own children as a shield. What a loathsome family this was.

While she tried to keep calm, Vicca asked, "Theo, do you know anything about Pelagius and Cordelian?"

"Pelagius? Not really. Everybody likes Pelagius, but I don't think he and Cordelian are especially close. Why?"

"We need to be careful around him too." Vicca took a sip of wine she could barely get down given how her stomach was aching. Theo just looked at her, concerned.

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Euphastolon entered the Cordelian's personal chambers more cautiously than usual after being announced. Nobody had seen Cordelian in the days since Fornulus had announced Agathio's death. That made him nervous. At least Cordelian had told his strigulos to let him in this time, unlike the day before. Usually he'd just kick the door open and stride in all arrogant like, just to wind Cordelian up, but he knew the man was in no mood for it. As much as he liked to bluster around Cordelian, when it came down to it, he had no intention of truly pissing his older brother off. Doing so was a good way to die young, as several patros who had died "accidentally" could have told you if they weren’t, you know, dead.

Cordelian was standing in the main chamber, facing away from him, in just a simple linen robe. The room was darker than usual as the window shutters were closed, trapping the air in and making it uncomfortably hot in the room. Euphastolon quietly slid over to one side. Cordelian was worrying a piece of fabric in his hands, maybe something of Agathio's. It looked like he hadn't changed his clothes in a while.

"Euphastolon. What do you want?" Cordelian's usually mild, inoffensive tone was gone, replaced by a harsh, almost hostile one. No time for formal greetings either.

"I've been looking for you. I tried to come by yesterday, but your lot wouldn't let me in." Euphastolon did his best to sound inoffensive. "I thought you might want to do something about Agathio. I thought you might need me."

Cordelian chuckled emptily. "I should have listened to you. If I had done it your way from the start, Agathio would still be alive."

He spun around to face his younger brother. "Agathio was an innocent in all this, he was only doing what I asked him to do."

Euphastolon said nothing as Cordelian continued, getting increasingly angry. "Plotting against the Empress? He was bringing Pelagius to talk about some fucking fish!"

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Euphastolon took a step back. He had never heard Cordelian swear like this before. He kept quiet, not wanting to draw that anger onto himself.

"He was just a boy. What did he ever do to anyone? All the blame for anything he did was mine, not his. With his dying breath Agapion entrusted his son to me to keep him safe in the court, to teach him and raise him like my own brother, and I swore I would. I swore it and I meant it! Now Agathio's dead too, the last thing I had left to remember Agapion by..." Cordelian trailed off.

"I was too kind." he said, after a moment. Cordelian still wasn't facing Euphastolon, and he figured it was best to keep quiet until he did.

After a moment Cordelian picked up a chair from the table and hurled it across the room. It clattered against the wall and bounced off, undamaged. That was the problem with being angry as a royal: they gave you well-made furniture. Couldn't smash it even if you tried. The moment of violence passed as quickly as it had begun.

Cordelian turned towards him. "Where is the Empress? She didn't even have the decency to tell me to my face about Agathio's death. I had to hear about it from Pelagius, who saw her arrest him."

Cordelian must not be talking to anyone if he'd not heard about the leaving ceremonies.

"She's run out of the city, like a coward, taking her children with her," Euphastolon said. "I guess she thinks you might do something to her. She must want to wait around for a bit until you've calmed down."

"I am calm."

Euphastolon spread his hands in a placating gesture. "I'm just telling you what she's doing."

"She's a fool. She's much safer here in the city than out there."

Euphastolon nodded eagerly. "All kinds of bandits and robbers out there. Wolves, lions, and bears too. Who knows what could happen?"

"I know what will happen," Cordelian said. "She will be accosted by some bandits, and killed. Her children will go missing."

"Um," Euphastolon said dumbly. He wasn't sure what he should say. Did Cordelian mean he should kill her?

Cordelian gave him a cold look. "Do you have a problem with carrying this out for me, Euphastolon?"

Euphastolon was genuinely shocked. Cordelian was not himself today. Cordelian had only ever asked him to kill people in a mealy mouthed, oblique way, "wouldn't it be a shame if something unfortunate were to happen?", that kind of thing. He'd never so bluntly told him to go out and kill anyone before, and certainly not someone like an empress.

He grinned. "Now we’re talking, brother. That bitch has got to go."

"Yes. I never harmed anyone close to her. I only tried to push her aside. I was willing to let her retire to her inbred little island. She's brought this on herself. Kill Vicca for me little brother."

Euphastolon was getting excited. It wasn't every day you got to kill an empress. "Certainly. I'll do the lot of them with pleasure."

"No Euphastolon, do not kill the children."

Brought up short, Euphastolon asked, "are you sure, Cordelian? They'll be a threat to you while still alive."

"They are of Doukar's blood, and we must not shed our own blood. Make it so the boys cannot have heirs, and then make them disappear. Sell them to some slavers or whatever you see fit, I don't need to know."

"Yeah, I can do that." Well, it wasn't like Euphastolon had anything against the brats. No trouble to him if they got to live, so long as they couldn't point a finger his way.

"Bring the little girl back to me."

"Why? That will be dangerous."

"She is just an infant, and we cannot make her unable to have children. I want to keep her some place where I can keep an eye on her, to make sure she doesn't become aware of her heritage. I already have someone else here who can help me with her."

Another ally? One willing to talk about treason openly with Cordelian too: he doubted even Tokropos would go so far. Interesting, who could it be? One of his family members most likely. Euphastolon knew better than to ask. Cordelian would never tell him, which was just fine with him. He didn't want Cordelian telling someone about him, after all.

Cordelian turned back to his desk and rummaged around for a moment before stopping and speaking again without turning back to him.

"Well? Why are you still here?"

Euphastolon clucked his tongue quietly in irritation, but it didn't last. He was grateful to his brother for such a fine opportunity. He'd hated Vicca for years, and he couldn't wait to see Fornulus cry. Time to go round up some of his worst best friends.

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Nik wasn't sure how to feel about Agathio's execution. On the one hand, any setback for Cordelian was good news. On the other, the injustice of a man dying because of obviously trumped up charges couldn’t be ignored. Nobody believed Agathio had been plotting to assassinate the Empress. Vicca had lost a lot of support in the court with this move. Nobody wanted a return to the bad old days of tyrants like Zecorates or Xeros, Doukars who'd done whatever they wanted and killed any who dared complain. Things were different now, even Doukars had to follow the law. The grumbling which had begun with the crowns seizing patros owned tin mines had gotten louder now that she had crossed Cordelian. The patros felt safe being more open with their hostility.

Nik sat in the Trigon library deep in thought, a couple of history scrolls carefully unrolled on the desk in front of him, but he was staring out of the window out into a tiled courtyard, where the odd slave hurried past. As a royal, he had the right to examine whatever works the library held, and even remove many of them to his own personal chambers. Others had to wait for months to get permission to study some of the rare scrolls found here, and that was only if they had a powerful sponsor. There were quite a few scholars scattered throughout the library studying, most of them though not lucky (or important) enough to find a seat near a window, like him. No open flames were allowed in the library, which meant a lot of squinting in the dim light if you couldn't get a window seat. Guards paced around, both to protect important visitors and valuable works: everything here was the property of the Doukar. Theft was punishable by death.

He'd been studying all the turbulent times, like Mellonor's purges, how Doukar the Great had overthrown Queen Leandoria, the internal Gisean wars, and so on. He hoped to get some ideas on how to move against Cordelian. He'd been too passive, Pel was right, and events were moving on without him. He needed to assert himself to change the course of the empire. Cordelian hadn't been seen in the last few days, but Nik was no under no illusions. The man would be back and twice as dangerous.

With Vicca increasingly isolated in the court, she must be thinking of making new allies. He might be able to use that opening to insert himself nearer to her, and by extension, Fornulus. He was not well acquainted with the Empress, but his dislike for Cordelian was no secret, which would give her a reason to listen to him. The Empress was also reasonably devout in the true faith, so their way of looking at the world should not be too dissimilar. However, even if he could get close to Vicca, he wasn't sure he should do once he had. He didn't know how to advise an Empress. He had no experience in ruling. He needed to have something to offer her if he intended to gain influence, some knowledge or wisdom she couldn't get elsewhere. The support of some of the church fathers perhaps.

A gruff voice broke into his thoughts. "I heard you were here."

He looked up, surprised to see his one-eyed sister, Meronion, looming over him. He rose and greeted her properly, before inviting her to sit down. He didn't recall Meronion ever seeking him out before. She only had her female attendant with her today, not the large hulk of a man.

She sat down in one of the uncomfortable wooden chairs with a grunt, the chair cracking under her, which made her look at it disconcertedly.

Nik smiled. "They do that. They're old, but solid."

She acknowledged his reply before gazing around the library. She probably hadn't been here for years.

"It's unusual for you to come looking for me, Meronion." He had to break the ice, which was also unlike her. Usually she was so forward.

She eyed him. "You're something of a mystery to me, so I often don't know what to say to you."

Him, a mystery? "I think I'm pretty straightforward. Simple, even."

"I don't know what you want, Nikolonium. Cordelian, Euphastolon, Fornulus, Ophelion, Theodorian, all of them are obvious in what they want, whether that's power, disorder, luxury, love, or just to be left alone. But you, I don't know."

She was feeling him out, but why?

She seemed to understand what he was thinking. "Cordelian and the Empress' squabble is becoming worse. Where do you stand?"

"I don't think it's any secret that I don't like our older brother."

She smiled. "No, everybody knows. Why don't you like him?"

Nik wasn't sure he wanted a heart to heart with Meronion. Still, she was a powerful force in the empire, and she'd sought him out. This could be an opportunity. Why did he dislike Cordelian, anyway? The dislike was so old and so ingrained he found it hard to remember how it had begun.

"I suppose," he said, "our personalities and values just clash. Cordelian is a dishonest person. He doesn't take morality or duty seriously. He’s always condescending and flippant when I try to talk to him about what really matters. He doesn't care about the faith or making a difference."

"He's a pragmatist," Meronion said. “You’re an idealist.”

"That's a generous way of looking at it."

Meronion shook her head. "I don't mean it to be. He thinks in terms of what use he can make of a thing. Or person. He believes principles get in the way. But he's wrong, we both agree on that, don't we?"

Nik nodded. "Yes, he's not like us. I think faith will serve the empire in the long term, and you think the old ways are important to keep our society functioning."

Meronion thought for a moment. "I don't think it's bad to be pragmatic, but I don't like someone who's only pragmatic. Cordelian is an excellent Eukrates, provided someone with principles is holding his reins."

"Like you?"

"Yes." Well, you couldn't accuse Meronion of false modesty. "But you didn't answer my question, Nikolonium. What do you want?"

"Peace, order, faith, compassion. I want to improve the lot of the average subject. We forget about anybody who isn't at the top of our society. But the little people are people just the same as us," he said.

"It's not often that one of us cares about the noumens."

"I try not to be like most of us."

She glanced over the scrolls in front of him. "Pelagius often looks at this sort of thing, Ophelion tells me. History, politics, wars."

"He gave me some pointers." Pelagius knew a tremendous amount, but had no ambition to do anything with it.

"Do you want a position, Nikolonium?"

The sudden change of subject took him by surprise.

"What sort of position?"

She shrugged. "I don't have anything in mind right now, but it's your duty to make yourself of use to the empire. It would need to be something Cordelian wouldn't block. I suggested you as Decim, but he wouldn't have it." She had? That surprised, and pleased, him.

"Perhaps a Majester position," she continued. "Eventually we'll send you off as Primus of somewhere or other, just like most of the spare royals, so some experience would be good."

He nodded. "I would like to help people. Something that works with the people. I don't care about rank, provided I can help people."

She stood. "I'll see what there is and bring it up at the Kolonai. Now, do you know where Helastus is? I want to speak to her as well."

Nik did, and pointed her off in the right direction. He wondered if Meronion was talking to all of them, or only the siblings she didn't usually talk to. If he could become closer to Meronion as well as Vicca, he might be able to stand up to Cordelian.

As she was leaving, Meronion suddenly turned and growled one last thing at him. "Visit your damn nieces once in a while, be a good uncle! Bring a present and play with them."

"Sorry, I will!" Nik said. He was ashamed to admit he hadn't visited Meronion's daughters in some time.

"This family is worthless," Meronion grumbled as she stomped off.