1

Kindeller’s office looked ancient, like it had not been cleaned in decades. Only his desk, a large maple surface was clear and polished to a bright shine. The rest of the large rectangular room was cluttered with books, folders and papers, many of them covered in a fine layer of dust. Behind the desk were large bay windows that filled the room with light filtered through white gossamer curtains.

The walls were lined with shelves filled with aged notebooks and ledgers. To say that a large part of Verant history was contained in this room would be an understatement. This was the room of the Emperor’s right hand.

“I was the personal secretary for Emperor Septius the second and his sons,” Kindeller said casually. There were a couple of chairs in the room. They appeared sturdy and comfortable. Kindeller indicted to Elwin to sit down in one of them. He obeyed.

“I retired after Corrasus was murdered. Just before the war,” Kindeller told him. “I came out of retirement to help Xander run the Empire. He needed my experience.”

Elwin was caught off guard by the casual way he used the Emperor’s name. He did not use the formal title Emperor Xander or Imperial Majesty. Kindeller talked about him as if talking about his own son. Elwin gathered that the two had a complex relationship and had probably known him long before he became Emperor.

Kindeller went to his desk and started shuffling documents around. He was looking for something. He had a kind grandfatherly expression on his face that captured his gentle charisma. He wore a full-length toga of heavy fabric despite the heat. He looked comfortable and at ease. He seemed nimble and sharp witted considering his age.

“This was one of the few rooms that were left untouched by the Elves during the invasion,” Kindeller commented as he rifled around in a messy drawer. “It hasn’t been used much in the last few years. My old office was much smaller. The Emperor felt I should have something larger. What I really need in a maid. I mean, just look at this place!”

Normally Elwin would have appreciated such a jest, but right now he was not in the mood for small talk. He had just spent over an hour talking privately with the Emperor that had ended with his knighthood. This just seemed so surreal it was like he was in some kind of strange dream. His heart was still pounded even as he tried to will it to calm down. He shook slightly from the rush.

“Relax Elwin, it okay,” Kindeller said to him. His voice soothing. “I’ll explain it all to you. You look anxious. Just relax. You are in the presences of true power. This is the Imperial Palace, you’re here at the Emperor’s request. That’s a good thing. Tonight, will be enjoyable, trust me.”

“So, I’m a knight? That’s it?” He questioned. He felt like some rules were being bent in his favour. A special accommodation, he thought. Usually, to become a knight requires epic quests and great personal sacrifice. This did not feel right.

“That’s it!” Kindeller assured him.

“This doesn’t make any sense,” Elwin dared to say. “This isn’t how it happens in the stories and legends.”

Kindeller chuckled and said. “Life isn’t a story book, Elwin. We live in the real world. Where real heroes, save real lives. As the Emperor said, we’re in the business of producing true leaders, regardless of class. We need people in the field who can think independently and make important decisions without needing much direction. The Emperor has seen those qualities in you.”

“But he doesn’t really know me,” Elwin countered.

“We are known through our actions,” Kindeller explained. He was a man speaking from great wisdom. He had lived long and had seen much. He had been close to power for a long time. “There are other reasons as well, but it’s not my place to say…”

Kindeller had left that thought hanging. Elwin thought about his words and sat patiently.

Finally, Kindeller pulled out a parchment and a medallion from the drawer.

“I know there’s some confusion here and for that I apologise Elwin. Normally someone would be informed well in advance of a pending knighthood. But in your case, we had to make an acceptation. We need you back in the field as soon as possible. Trust me, being an agent of the Emperor is going to help you greatly. It opens doors that are normally closed to an adventurer from the farmlands,” Kindeller said with a kind smile.

He continued. “I’m going to explain what’s going on, just bear with me. The Emperor gives me the concept and then I’m left to fill in the details later. With that being said, I must also say that the Emperor is unlike any other that the Empire has ever had. The changes he has made already are astounding! Anyways, you may have heard a rumour that the Red Dragon Army was disbanded. This rumour is true, the reason is simple. They had become loyal to house of Thaine, not the Empire. Simple as that. They have been dismissed and replaced with the Order of the Red Dragon, of which you have just been made a member.”

“So, I’m part of an army now?” Elwin struggled to understand what this meant. He did not want to be a soldier in an army. He was an adventurer, that’s what he wanted to be. This new burden was not sounding like something he would really want.

“No, this is an Order. This isn’t a military unit, like a legion. The Emperor calls it his Special Forces.”

“What does that mean?” Elwin questioned.

“That means you’re an agent working for the Emperor in the field. Members of the Order receive instructions though a general. Those generals answer to me and as the Emperor told you himself, I am his right-hand man. However, we don’t have a general available right now for you, so you will answer directly to me instead. Is that understood?”

“Yes, my Lord,” Elwin replied stiffly.

“Now, let me tell you about the benefits of being a member of the Order. First is rank. You are now a high-ranking officer in the command structure of this Empire. You don’t have to answer to any other knights, with the exception of Imperial Knights. You out rank any army soldier right up to, but not including generals. You also out rank city guards and mayors so don’t let them push you around either. However, you don’t out rank Earls or higher political office. If you are living in a new territory or an area without an Earl than you have the power of an Earl until one can be appointed,” Kindeller walked around his desk to where Elwin was sitting. He handed the parchment to Elwin. “This will explain more of the details about rank. The bottom line is that in terms of military, only generals and Imperial knights out rank you. In terms of politics, Earls out rank you unless there isn’t one than only the consuls and Imperial Council members out rank you. But most important is law and order.”

“Law and order?” Elwin questioned. It was all so overwhelming. He looked at the paper and saw different ranked position listed. He suddenly realized he had a lot to learn in a short period of time. He started paying closer attention to what Kindeller was telling him.

“Yes, this was something the Emperor wanted. Your whole Order has already been incorporated into the law code. You’re not in a military Order, you’re in an Imperial one. You can’t be tried by the civil or military courts. You work for the Emperor, so you are the law wherever you go. You have the power to arrest anyone caught committing a crime, except nobility. The houses are protected and off limits to you, so is anyone of a higher-ranking office. This is why you must be honest and true, understand? You have immense power in your hands now, which means great responsibility. Remember your oath, protect the weak and uphold the law! That’s what you must do, understand?”

Elwin nodded. Kindeller emphasis on this last point was very clear. It was the most important part of his orders.

“Do not let this power corrupt you,” Kindeller was very serious now. “Corruption will not be tolerated in any form. You don’t take bribes, you don’t blackmail people, people do not pay you for protection. You are not a warlord. And always be honest with me, no matter how bad it is.”

Elwin nodded. “I would never do such things. I raised to be an honest and law-abiding citizen of the Empire.”

“Here take this,” Kindeller handed him the medallion. It was about two inches across and hung on a thick gold chain. It was made of solid gold with the seal of a dragon upon it. The eyes were made of rubies. On the back it read ‘The Order of the Red Dragon’. “This is so no one doubts who you are. This is custom made. Only order members can wear one. Always wear it, keep it close. Anyone of lower rank tries to argue with you, pull it out and show them.”

Elwin put it around his neck. It felt heavy like the responsibilities that were attached to it. It would take a long time to feel comfortable wearing it. The obligations were escalating faster than he could understand them. He needed a lot more time to think about all of it. Was there a way out of this? He wondered. Could he simple talk to the Emperor and tell him that he did not want all of this responsibility? The Emperor did not strike him as someone who took no for an answer.

“Don’t worry Elwin,” Kindeller said dismissing his fears with a flick of his hand. “As a member of the Order, you receive a monthly allowance of one hundred in gold. Use the gold to hire whomever you need to assist you. We have ways to make more coin and your assignment is the most interesting of all. I feel that it has the most potential for riches.”

“You mean my first assignment is already picked out for me?” Elwin said. How did they know all of this already? What exactly had Jax told them when he brought the note back? And how do they know so much about him already? Elwin had more and more questions mounting, than answers.

“Oh yes, my dear boy!” He said to Elwin. “The Empire never rests, it can’t afford to. However, I must leave that to the Emperor to explain later. That isn’t my place.”

“This is all so… overwhelming,” Elwin said rubbing his temple with one hand while holding the parchment in the other. All this reading and thinking, he was quickly developing a headache.

“I know, I know, this isn’t how I would’ve liked to have handled things myself, but it’s not up to me or you, right? The Emperor is in charge. We all have our duties to perform. I admit that the Emperor tends to act impulsively. However, he is an excellent judge of character. What he lacks in experience, he more than makes up for in the people he surrounds himself with,” Kindeller said proudly. Kindeller sat upon the edge of the desk before Elwin. He looked down upon him, the red dying light of the sun casting an eerie shadow over the whole room. His voice lower and he became very serious. “The Emperor has seen something in you Elwin. I don’t know what it is myself, but he thinks you’re very special. You’re in a privileged position. This is a fantastic future you have before you. Don’t ever forget that!”

He handed Elwin another parchment. “That is your oath. Memorize it. It’s your guide to what is right and wrong.”

Elwin scanned the document and realized that it was an extended version of the oath that the Emperor had said to him when he was knighted. He folded up the parchments and tucked them away in his pants pocket.

2

There was a sudden knock at the door, even though it had been left wide open. Elwin turned to look and saw the young woman from earlier, Livilla, standing in the doorway.

“Dinner is being served my Lord,” She said in her sweet voice. “I am to escort Elwin to the great hall.”

Kindeller nodded to her and stood up. He smiled in that same grandfatherly way again. “Now Sir Elwin Birch, dinner is ready and I for one am starving. We don’t want to keep the Emperor waiting!”

Livilla locked he arm around Elwin’s a guided him gently in the right direction as Kindeller walked ahead of them. She was elegant and graceful, touching his arm in a feline-like way. Her wispy white dress accentuated her feminine curves and made her look very radiant.

Elwin could not help it. He had to gawk around at everything he saw as they made their way down the long hallways. Old corridors filled with large painting of various famous Emperors, generals and well-known family members of the House of Frey. Most of them were hundreds of years old and Elwin did not recognise any of them.

Even plaques that explained some more important people were completely lost on him. He just did not understand enough about the history to appreciate it all. Much of the furnishings in the building were fairly new, maybe twenty years old at most and the sofas and chairs were some of the most lavish that he had ever seen. Elwin noticed that the floors were all tiled in strange red granite.

As they approached the dining hall, Livilla touched him gently on the arm once more and squeezed his muscles. It gave him goose bumps. He wanted to relax, but it was impossible. She smiled at him, but it was a bit unnerving the way she looked at him with such desire.

Upper-class dining was a completely different experience from regular dining. Everyone had a sofa on which to recline, but not fully. One end of the sofa was raised higher so that the person was not lying flat, but propped up on their side. The sofas were all arranged in circles. There was an inner circle where the Emperor and his closest advisors were already eating, drinking and laughing. The outer circle was where other invited guests were seated. Each sofa was accompanied by a small table that was covered with food. Fresh fruits and vegetables served raw with various sauces to tantalize the taste buds. There were roast beef and pork.

Servants brought around polished silver trays to each patron. They picked off what they wanted. The servant moved on to the next person. Then another servant would offer them something else.

Some people, like Elwin, were arriving late. Livilla directed him to an empty sofa. She took the one next to him. There were several other men reclined around them. A servant came over immediately and filled his pewter goblet to the brim with a blood red wine. It was dry, but fruity and complemented the food nicely.

Elwin did not realize just how hungry he was. He had not eaten since earlier that morning when he and Jax left for the city. He began sampling everything placed in front of him. The smoked trout was to die for, and the five-year-old Devonport cheese exceeded his expectations. Some of it was lost on him. The frogs’ legs tasted like chicken, and he would rather have his mother’s shortbread cookies then flaming custard any time.

After a while Elwin got bored of exotic foods whose names he could not pronounce, and he started to look around at the others in the room. He noticed that both Jax and Kindeller were dining with the Emperor that evening. He stared around at the room itself which was magnificently decorated. There were gilded mirrors hung on the walls. The room was decorated with gold crown moulding and chair rails with fancy designs.

All the furniture was cover in plush red velvet and ornately carved by expert craftsmen. The plates and other serving dishes were all silver or pewter and polished to a bright shine. Elwin had never seen such expense objects, but oddly it did not impress him.

He looked over at Livilla and she smiled back politely.

“More wine!” She snapped at one of the servants. Quickly her goblet was refilled. “And our guest!” She pointed at Elwin. Before he could protest his goblet was full again.

The dining experience continued like this for almost hour. According to the large grandfather clock standing in one corner, it was almost eight o’clock before it was over. Everyone had eaten their fill. The remaining food was taken away by the silent and scurrying servants.

The wine was replaced with fine brandy and whiskeys from foreign territories and kingdoms. The dinner turned into a party. The room was filling with noise and the alcohol was making people talk even louder.

Elwin sat up on his sofa and instantly Livilla was sitting next to him. She handed him a glass of brandy and clinked her glass against it. “Cheers!” She said with a wicked smile. He got a sinking feeling that she was like a lioness stalking her prey.

Elwin did not know what to say so he smiled back and sipped the brandy. It was sweet and very smooth. He had several glasses of wine already and it was rushing to his head. He was used to ale which people drank liberally in the pubs and taverns around the city. Wine and brandy were much stronger.

Livilla touched his arm gently in that same way that kept giving him chills. Elwin blushed at the attention that she was paying him. Or was it the wine? Elwin saw that she had the same liquor induced blush. He was certain that she was older than him by a few years.

Livilla tried desperately to make conversation.

“I have heard all about you! There’s a lot of gossip that goes around the palace,” Livilla said slyly. “I’m sure by now you know that people are calling you the Hero of Domara!”

“I think the Emperor may have mentioned it,” Elwin said acting casual.

“That’s right! You met him. How was it?” Livilla said excitedly.

If Elwin had to sum it up in a word, it would be intimidating. Instead, he told her it went well. The Emperor was enthusiastic about help the people. He was not sure what else to say.

“To have the Emperor as your patron is a great honour,” Livilla commented. She brushed a wisp of silvery-blonde hair from her perfect face and stared down at her glass. “There is no greater person you could serve.”

“You know from personal experience?” Elwin enquired. He was trying to figure out who she was and what her connection to the Emperor really was.

She looked away unsure what to say, how to answer. Finally, she spoke in a small voice. “I’m a servant, just like everyone else is here…”

“I’m sorry!” Elwin replied quickly trying to repair the situation. “I’m not trying to embarrass you…”

“Maybe I could introduce you to a few people. There are some men here who would love to meet you,” She said quickly trying to change the subject. She stood up and took him by the hand. She flashed him that smile again. That seemed to melt him inside.

Elwin looked all around and noticed the Emperor, Kindeller and his advisors were already gone. There were a couple of men standing by one of the windows that looked down onto the Imperial Gardens. The two moons were already rising up off the horizon, one in first quarter, the other in third, two crescents facing each other. A hunter’s night. The city that spread out around the palace was filled with dancing firelight in many of the windows.

Livilla made some introductions. “Sir Elwin Birch, allow me to introduce you to Sir Cambaro Ellis and Sir Avanti Vero.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you!” Avanti Vero said in a lower deep voice. He clutched his brandy glass and a smoking pipe in his one hand while shaking Elwin’s hand with the other. His grip was firm and strong. He was a bulky muscular looking man in his mid twenties. Still youthful, but a long scar on his arm revealed he was battle hardened. His light brown cotton shirt was tight around his barrel like chest. Elwin figured him to be a war veteran most likely.

“Yes, we have heard all about the Hero of Domara,” Cambaro Ellis added as Elwin shook his hand next. He could not have been more opposite with a small thin frame. His pale blue robe looked like wizard’s attire. His thinning hair made him appear to be middle-aged.

“I don’t know why everyone is making such a big fuss over me!” Elwin confessed with honesty. He did not feel as brave as everyone kept telling him he was. What was a hero supposed to feel like? He gave his patriotic answer. The philosophy that drove him. “I did what any great Verantian citizen would have done.”

“Nonsense!” Avanti said his voice booming. “You put yourself in danger in order to help others! That’s the most extraordinary thing. Don’t sell yourself short! Great action is the forge of great legend!”

Elwin recognised the quote from history books written by Cedric “the Bard”, who turned the quote into a catchphrase that he used often in his books. These two were not uneducated militia.

“If anyone deserves to be a member of the Order of the Red Dragon it’s you. We’re both Order members ourselves,” Cambaro said quietly. He pointed out his own medallion that looked just like the one Elwin was given.

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Elwin noticed that Avanti also wore one. “How long have you been a member?”

“Oh, not long! The Order was only created about six months ago. We both fought for the Emperor during the war. I was a major in the twenty-third legion,” Avanti replied.

“I was a personal assistant to Corrasus when he was Co-Emperor,” Cambaro replied. “I was made a city councilman during the Mob Rule period of the war. I’ve always been a trusted ally of the Frey family.

They both seemed like educated and capable men who held powerful positions. What was he doing amidst their company?

“How many members of the Order are there?” Elwin questioned.

“There will be a hundred in all,” Cambaro replied. “But only about fifty people have been inducted so far.”

“Yes, the Emperor has left a lot of room to fill in with brave leaders such as young Elwin here,” Avanti said to his friend. He drank the rest of his glass and signalled a servant for a refill. “Ah, the finest brandy that Repton has to offer!”

“This is all so overwhelming,” Elwin said. But he thought it had more to do with the amount he had to drink. One minute I’m an adventurer of little importance and now I am a knight. This just seems so mazy!

“The important thing to remember is that the Order is a brotherhood. When you’re in trouble, you can call upon your fellow members to help out. Now that we are going into the new frontier, we need to rely on each other,” Cambaro said.

“I don’t quite understand. What do you mean by new frontier?” Elwin questioned.

“The Emperor hasn’t told him yet!” Livilla spoke up. She had a strange look of concern on her face.

“We shouldn’t say any more,” Cambaro cautioned. “It’s not our place. The Emperor will explain it later, I’m sure.”

“Your right!” Avanti said. He snatched a glass of some liquor from a passing waiter. “We’re in the Imperial Palace tonight so let’s live like it.”

Some time later in the conversation, Elwin noticed that they both had tattoos on their arms. Avanti rolled up his sleeve and showed him a small simple tattoo that was three stylized letters ORD outlined in black and then filled in with red ink.

“Order of the Red Dragon, that’s what letters stand for. You show this to anyone who tries to challenge you and watch how quickly they melt,” Avanti said with a laugh. “You get one and you can use it to your advantage! I can arrange for you to meet the artist! He’s staying here tonight.”

“I don’t think this is a good idea,” Livilla warned them.

“Nonsense!” Avanti roared. “Elwin’s a member of the order now. He should have one and wear it proudly. Seize the day, right Elwin?”

Before Elwin had a chance to reply, a servant came into the room and shouted loud enough to grab everyone attention. “Attention please!” He bellowed until everyone fell silent. “The Emperor has requested that all of you go to the Grand Hall for a special performance tonight.”

Livilla became very excited and spoke in a high whimsical pitch. “Oh, the Lord High Wizard is here tonight! I hope we get a picture show. That would be extraordinary indeed! Come along Sir Elwin,” She said tugging him by the shirt sleeve. “You don’t want to miss this show!”

Three glasses of wine and a couple glasses of brandy were having an affect on Elwin. Walking was becoming more of a challenge, but Livilla guided him faithfully to the right place. His mind was a bit foggy. His vision was not entirely clear, yet he still marvelled when he saw the Grand Hall.

It was an immense room two stories high. Gigantic wrought iron chandeliers hung down from the ceiling illuminating the room. The floor was all polished marble of various colours that created a pattern. As Elwin looked closer at it, he noticed that the marble was carved very specifically and laid out in such a way that it created a massive map of the Verant Empire over fifty feet across. Famous cities were marked off with rubies and gold lettering imbedded into the stone. It was the most incredible work of art that he had ever seen in his life.

3

“Elwin!” It was the Emperor looking larger than life in his long flowing purple velvet robes. He wore the simple gold crown askew, like a rogue might. “I want you to meet someone!”

The Emperor waved over a beautiful woman. Her long red hair cascaded down like waves. She looked strange wearing a toga as a man would. The Emperor then got engaged in another conversation.

As the woman strolled over to them, he heard Livilla curse under her breath.

“So, this is the infamous Hero of Domara?” The woman said in a seductive voice that also oozed sarcasms. To Livilla she asked. “Where are your manners, servant girl? Aren’t you going to introduce us?”

“Sir Elwin Birch, this is the Cinnamon Snap,” Livilla replied with a bit of sarcasm of her own.

“Good help is so hard to find!” Cinnamon Snap replied with a fake smile. “I guess it helps to be the Emperor’s personal pet, doesn’t it?”

Livilla put on her own fake smile, but it was half-hearted. “You are an expert on the Emperor’s pets.”

“Well now, what Livilla has failed to mention is that I am a newly elected senator, thus the toga,” Cinnamon Snap said pointing out her attire. “I am an honour guest here tonight as are you I hear.”

“Well, now is everything alright?” The Emperor said intruding on the conversation.

“Of course, they are darling!” Cinnamon Snap said affectionately to the Emperor. She was shocking in her brazenness. “I was just about to tell our young hero here, that I’m used to riding stallions, not ponies. Sorry Elwin, I’m afraid I would break you in half if I was given the chance so I must decline!”

Elwin nearly took a step back in shock. The woman knew how to talk in a frank and unlady-like fashion that left him totally helpless. The Emperor laughed as if it was all a joke.

“When you’re finished with this little amusement here,” Cinnamon Snap said pointing at Livilla. “You can come down to my tavern and experience a real woman. I’ll put you on the guess list and you can have any woman in the club. It’s called the Leather & Lace. You’ll find it in the Public Quarter.”

“Bitch!” Elwin could hear Livilla hiss under her breath.

“Thank you for the offer,” Elwin said eloquently, and it was eloquent. He forced himself not to slur his speak and thought out each word before speaking. “But I can judge a real woman for myself I think.”

Cinnamon Snap was unfazed and laughed off the comment. She and the Emperor stepped up the series of deep shallow steps covered in pillows where others were already finding places to recline.

As soon as they were out of hearing range Livilla talked freely. “I hate that woman! Can you believe the people of this city elected her to the senate? Are they mad? She’s a former slave who runs a whorehouse!”

“And what are you that so much better?” He questioned. Cinnamon Snap had called her the Emperor’s little pet. What did that mean? Was Livilla a slave of some kind?

She quickly changed the subject. “Ah, let’s just find a place to sit down and relax before they’re all gone.” She pulled him roughly to a set of pillows large enough to recline upon. Between the massive dark red columns that held up the ceiling were plush pillows scattered about. People pulled up pillows and built little nests for themselves.

Without really knowing how, Elwin found himself with a fresh glass of brandy in his hand and Livilla lying next to him. Her white dress spread out around her. Her cheeks were rosy in colour. She had somehow applied fresh lip colouring of a deep ruby red without him noticing. She held his free hand delicately. When he met her earlier that day, he had noted how beautiful she looked. Now he thought she was positively glowing. She looked at him and smiled that same sweet smile. He was reminded of someone else he had recently met, someone who was not human.

“You’re so beautiful,” Elwin commented. All the drinks had loosened his inhibitions. He spoke with a free tongue.

“Please, my Lord. How you embarrass me so!” Livilla replied fanning herself and squirmed a bit. She blushed and asked a passing servant for another drink.

The great hall was hot despite its size and a servant had handed out fans made from reeds to all of the female guests. Elwin looked around and noticed that the Emperor sat a few feet behind them on a raised platform. Several women were crowded around him including Cinnamon Snap. Elwin wondered if they were all of his wives. As Elwin had heard the Emperor had three of them.

“Are those the Emperor’s wives?” Elwin asked Livilla when she saw him looking up at them.

Livilla nodded. “The woman sitting next to him is his first wife, Atta of Aquitaine.”

Now where had he heard the name Aquitaine before? That right! He thought. The woman that Emerson was interested in, the one for the Crassidio! “Do you know the ruling families very well?” He asked.

Livilla shrugged. “As well as any servant living in the palace. We see them all the time around here, especially the Aquitaine family, they are very closely allied with Emperor Xander. Atta is the younger sister of Rubico Aquitaine, one of Xander’s generals and his right-hand man during the war. Most people say that Xander wouldn’t be Emperor without his support. The Emperor has showered his family with gold and gifts.”

“We met this woman at the Crassidio many weeks ago,” Elwin said. “I think she said her name was Quinn of Aquitaine.”

“What? Rubico’s eldest daughter?” Livilla questioned. The information came as a surprise to Elwin. Livilla revelled in the gossip. “She was at the Crassidio? What a scandal that is! And against her father’s wishes no doubt. No wondered she tried to get into the Order of Red Dragon. She probably wants to be out from under her father’s roof!”

“Quinn tried to get into the order?” Elwin questioned. Livilla was proving to be a fountain of information.

“Oh my, yes!” Livilla said excitedly. “She practically begged to join the order, but Xander refused. At her father’s request, I’m sure.”

Wow! Elwin thought. He looked back at the Emperor again. He and his wives were being fanned by servants with a large array of giant feathers. “Who’s the stern-looking woman on the other side of him?”

“That’s his second wife Messalina Byzantia,” Livilla commented. “I’m sure she not that bad of a person. It’s just hard to be the second wife, I guess. They were married a few years ago, but she’s forty now and hasn’t bore any children for him. Maybe that’s why she always seems bitter and cold.”

“What about his third wife?” Elwin asked.

“Oh, she not there with him tonight,” Livilla said. “She bore him a son a few months ago so she’s probably nursing. We don’t see her much since the birth.”

The Emperor stood up and a hush fell on the room. He gave a brief speech. “Ladies and gentlemen, we have a wonderful troupe of dancers that shall perform for us tonight! This will be followed by a show given by the Lord High Wizard!”

There was shouting and applause as the Emperor took his seat again. Suddenly the room filled with a hypnotic tribal rhythm and Elwin realized that on the opposite side of the room were a group of musicians who were performing. The center of the room that had been cleared and Elwin could see the map of the Empire. Suddenly the floor was filled with prancing dancers of both sexes who swarmed in and whirled about. They were dressed in skin-tight clothes and near see-through dresses that twirled upwards as they dance, leaping and spinning in time to the music. Elwin was mesmerized by the highly charged erotic performance.

If this was how the rich and powerful lived, it was intoxicating! Elwin thought. He watched the dancers who came right in close as they followed their routine. They were well practice. If they made mistakes, he took no notice.

Elwin had no idea how long the dancing went on like this, but eventually it ended. The crowd applauded vigorously. The dancers took a bow before leaving. The crowd began to murmur excitedly. Elwin did not know what was going to happen next. What did the Emperor mean when he said the Lord High Wizard would put on a show? Was it some kind of magic demonstration?

Suddenly, the Emperor got up and walked past them and out on to the floor before everyone. He laughed heartedly. “A lovely group of performers, aren’t they?” He said as people in the crowd cheered. “Now I ask that the Lord High Wizard join me.”

An older man came walking out into the center of the floor. He had long greasy grey hair and waxy skin. He wore long pale robes and carried a gnarled wooden staff. He had a bushy beard that was a streaked mixture of white and grey. He wore a wide brimmed hat. Elwin shuttered, reminded of the old wizard Vask and the dead boy.

“Now as you all know, my champion has been fighting in the coliseum with great success,” as the Emperor spoke, there was an enthusiastic cheer that swept through the crowd. He waited for the noise to die down. “Lucius Bestia, my champion, has now fought in one-on-one combat and won sixteen times. This is a new coliseum record which he set yesterday afternoon.”

Again, the room erupted with cheering and excited talk.

“They’re going to show the match!” Livilla said eagerly. She sat up and gripped Elwin’s hand with surprising force. She was shaking with excitement. “Wait until you see what the wizard can do!”

Elwin did not understand what she meant, and it was not the drink this time. What did she mean by showing the match? It took place yesterday according to the Emperor. How can they show it to them now? Was it some kind of re-enactment? He wondered.

But he did not have to wonder very long.

The Emperor continued. “Tonight, I am declaring that if Lucius can continue to win the next four matches to make twenty in total. He can retire a free man and I will grant him a thousand gold coins for his retirement. Lucius, can you come out and take a bow.”

The crowd was surprised and applauded again as Lucius came out of a side corridor and on to the floor. The Emperor went back to his seat. Lucius was huge and covered in large, corded muscles that could not be hidden, even by his loose-fitting purple and white toga. His face was rough as if chisels from solid stone, he had sharp angled features.

Elwin saw him once in the coliseum, but that was from a distance. Up close he was frightening and formidable. Lucius had taken on an imposing warrior from Devonport and defeated him with ease and skill that had not been seen before.

Emerson had lost two gold coins betting against him, which Elwin had said was foolish of him. Elwin was right of course. The Emperor’s champion was so good that he had never lost a match. But as Selby had told him once, you don’t earn coin betting on the favorite.

“My Imperial Majesty, I thank you for this glorious opportunity!” He proclaimed as he bowed to the Emperor. The wizard who was standing next to him imploded him to take a seat with everyone else.

Emperors often had champions that fought in the arena for them. That was quite common practice among the ruling family. So, it was no surprise that they were often slaves owned by the Emperor himself and Lucius was no exception. For an Emperor to offer freedom as a prize for winning was also quite common. But twenty victories? It was unheard, it had never been done! As it stood now, Lucius already held the record for wins, as the Emperor had said himself. But a thousand gold was coin, enough to by a large farm and some livestock or to live out the rest of one’s life in a private cottage on a lake. There was so much that could be done with that much gold. The possibilities were endless.

The wizard raised his staff and slammed the point down to the floor, the sound echoed across the room. He said some magical words and sprinkled some dust before him with his free hand. Suddenly light emanated from the tip of the staff and projected out against the far wall above the musicians. The light swirled against the blank white plaster wall until a smoky image began to form. It was the coliseum from a distance and the image began to draw in until it was showing the cheering crowd and the sandy ground of the gladiator arena.

The image was a bit grainy, but it was obvious what was going on. Lucius was standing before another warrior. They both wore helmets and armour. They were armed with polished long swords. Elwin was astonished by the sight of the moving images. The warriors circled each other for a few seconds before their swords clashed and the fight began in earnest. The light gleaming off of the swords flickered as they swung and slashed against each other.

Elwin was hypnotised by the spectacle. He had never seen magic used in such a way. He had been unaware that it was possible to recreate a scene like this one. He wanted to know how they did it. Was the wizard there? Was this recreated from the wizard’s memory? Or someone else’s?

The patrons around him were on the edge of their pillows cheering on Lucius with enthusiasm as if they themselves were actually there. Elwin found himself doing the same thing without even realizing he was doing it.

“I told you!” Livilla squeaked next to him. “This is powerful magic!”

After a few minutes of fighting, Lucius gained the upper hand and knocked his opponent to the ground. He came down with the thrust, but his opponent rolled away narrowly escaping and then countering. Lucius blocked the counter and then disarmed him. Stepping onto the man’s hand, Lucius held the point of his sword against the throat.

He paused and looked up into the stands to the Emperor’s box. The Emperor stood up and with a scowl, he gave a thumb down. Without hesitating further, the sword point was thrust into his opponent’s throat killing him instantly, blood spilling out onto the sand. Lucius stood and bowed to the Emperor’s box.

The image suddenly flickered and then disappeared completely. The whole show had lasted less than a quarter of an hour.

“That is all my friends!” The wizard said with a low bow to the Emperor. “Enjoy the rest of the evening, my Lords and Ladies!”

The wizard walked out of the Great Hall. The crowd began talking loudly about what they had just witnessed.

The Emperor laughed and got up. As he walked past Elwin he said. “I hope you enjoyed the show!”

The Emperor moved on before Elwin could respond. Other people were surrounding him as he walked out of the hall. Each one was clamouring for his attention.

4

Elwin was approached by Avanti who had a glass and bottle of Elvin wine with him. He was already drunk himself as was Cambaro who seemed to follow the big man around.

“You must try this Elwin!” He insisted pouring a glass of it straight. Normally humans drink Elvin wine after it had been mixed with sugar and watered down. It was considered very strong when compared to human wines.

“I’m supposed to entertain him tonight!” Livilla said bitterly. “Don’t ruin him now!”

Avanti scowled at her. “Relax Livilla, you’ll have your fun after we have ours. We’ll return him in one piece, not to worry!”

Livilla sat back in her pillow and fold her arms. Elwin saw that she fumed in silence.

“Ah sorry, but I’m not interested!” Elwin tried to protest, but it was useless. Avanti was larger and he would not take no for an answer.

“Stop being a woman!” Avanti complained. “We want you to meet someone, but you have to drink this first.”

The small glass filled with a murky green liquid and force up against his lips. Elwin had too much to drink already and simply could not put up a proper resistance. He drank down the contents and tossed the glass aside. “Satisfied?” He exclaimed. His throat burned, but it did not last long.

“Now that’s the adventurous spirit my boy!” Avanti said laughing. He clasped Elwin on the back with a firm meaty hand. “Come up to the third-floor guest wing with us. You must meet this friend of ours!”

Elwin looked over to Livilla who was sulking with her head down and arms folded. She just shook her head at him and grimaced.

Cambaro and Avanti grabbed him and hoisted him up to his feet, but he was having trouble standing on his own. The room was spinning and his head was feeling so light it was like he was floating. The Elvin wine gave him visions, he saw various colours and shapes flash before his eyes and everything he could see seem smoky as if seen through old, warped glass window stained with age.

He did not know what was going on. He was being carried, then he was in a room meeting a short older man who had various needles and inks. He asked Elwin all kind of questions in a strange accent, but Elwin could not recall any of the details. The next hour or two was a complete blur of images and snatches of conversation. He remembered laughing hardily as Avanti and Cambaro told bawdy jokes and funny anecdotes from their own lives. Elwin felt a painful needling on his arm, but the pain faded quickly and soon it felt like his whole body was numb. He remembered telling the short man VFLF, but he had trouble recollecting why exactly.

He also recalled seeing Livilla’s worried face in the background while all of this was happening. She stood with her arms folded across her breast. She scolded the men for being so foolish with the Emperor’s new toy as she put it. Avanti kept telling her to shut her mouth. At one point he even told her to be a good little slave and stay out of the way!

Cambaro told Elwin that he was tough and gutsy. This was his initiation into the Order of the Red Dragon.

“Elwin, you are a real man now!” Avanti assured him. “Put away childish thought of adventure. You’re destined for bigger things now. Things others only dream about!”

“Your friends will be envious, jealous. They won’t understand the power you wield now!” Cambaro added. “How can they!”

The two men went on like this for along while pumping up Elwin’s self image.

Elwin just laughed, nodded and slurred his speech when he tried to talk. He had the feeling of lying down and could not get up if he tried. The two men laughed and told him stories about all the times they had been very drunk. Avanti told him not to worry, that Livilla was going to have her fun with him soon enough. He laughed deeply when told Elwin this.

5

Elwin vaguely remembered a clock chiming an hour past midnight in some distant hallway. The men were gone. The short man said he was done. Elwin found that he had been reclining on a sofa the whole time. The room had stopped spinning and the visions were fading, but he was still very drunk he tried to stand up but had trouble getting to his feet.

Livilla was suddenly by his side helping him up. She guided him down the hallway to a set of vast stairs that went up and down. They ascended to the top floor of the palace. Livilla kept cursing the other men for being so foolish and drunken. She complained that they were acting irresponsible with someone so young and naïve!

Eventually they came to a large wooden door. She struggled to open the door while still holding Elwin up. He merely laughed in his own drunkenness. They went inside. The room was lavishly decorated and was dominated by a large four posted bed covered in a gossamer canopy. It was the best guest room that the Imperial Palace had to offer. Livilla propped Elwin up against the wall while she closed and locked the door behind them.

“Are you a slave?” Elwin eventually blurted out. Despite the slur in his speech, Livilla clearly understood him.

Livilla blushed and looked at the floor. She took a moment to answer. “Yes, the Emperor is my master,” She confessed. She would not look him in the eye.

“Did the Emperor tell you to spend the night with me?” He asked boldly. The drunkenness was speaking for him now. It was like someone else was talking instead of him. He liked to think the real Elwin was a little more tactful than this, although Anna would probably disagree with that notion.

“Well… he just said to entertain you…” She replied squirming from Elwin’s scrutiny. “He didn’t say how, exactly.”

“What if I refused you?” He questioned. He would not of course, but he wanted to play around a little with her.

She looked into his eyes pleadingly. “My Lord! Surely you wouldn’t insult me like that!”

“Insult you?” Elwin looked confused.

“Am I not pleasing to your eye? You don’t like me?” She questioned her voice breaking with suppressed emotion. She stood back and gave a slight curtsy to show that she was still very much a Lady at heart.

“Oh, I’m very please,” Elwin replied. “I have no experience with slaves. I don’t want to force you to do something that you don’t want to do. I don’t want you to be here because you are under orders.”

It made him uncomfortable to think that she was only here because she was told to be by the Emperor. He did not have experience with aggressive women like Livilla. Women were not like this where he came from. Livilla had training and poise that most common women lacked. She also had a cunning. He was just beginning to learn how to read people, but he knew she had a slyness to her.

“My Lord!” She said breathlessly as tears stained her eyes. “I’ve been waiting all day for this moment. I want to be here with you. I want to please you!”

“Really?” Elwin questioned. “This just doesn’t seem real.”

He was instantly silenced. All doubt was forced from his mind. Livilla put her arms around his neck and gave him a deep wet kiss on the lips. He could taste the brandy. Her perfume clouded his senses.

She whispered in his ear. “When I first saw you, my heart leapt. You were so handsome and roguish. It was like a dream for me. You have kept me excited all day thinking about this moment.”

His heart pounded, his stomach burned, the room seemed to shift. He could feel her heart beating as her body pressed in close against his own. She began kissing him all over the face, then his neck. She unbuttoned his shirt as she kissed him all the way down his stomach. He began to sweat and his loins were aching. He had never experienced anything like it before.

Livilla was on her knees unbuckling his belt. His sword felt onto the floor behind him.

“Oh, by the Gods!” Elwin said breathlessly as she loosened his breeches. She kept kissing him all around his groin. She took his manhood in her hand and began caressing it. No woman had ever done something like this for him. He was speechless, his breath coming in ragged gasps.

She looked up at him.

“The bed is much more comfortable!” She suggested batting her deep blue eyes at him.

Elwin struggled to the bed, fighting with the curtains along the way. They clung to him like cobwebs. Livilla laughed as she helped to untangle him. She climbed in beside him after stopping to disrobe. Her pale white body radiated the moonlight that streamed through a high up series of windows.

Elwin sank into the soft feather bed. Livilla wasted no time in undressed him. He did not resist her. She began kissing him again all over his body, her stiff nipples brushing against his flesh.

“I must confess something else to you Sir Elwin,” she said between kisses. “I am a priestess of Al-Morah. I treat this like a sacred ritual.”

Elwin thought about it for a moment. Al-Morah was the goddess of love, lust and sex wasn’t she? Livilla’s words echoed inside his head. She was more than just some slave, he thought. She had skills and talents beyond a normal slave or even a pleasure slave. This was going to be an experience he would never forget. Wisely, he said nothing, but instead let Livilla work her magic upon him.

His manhood was tight and hard. Livilla caressed it with her delicate feminine fingers.

“You see Elwin, this is my altar,” She said. She kissed his manhood, from head all the way down. “And I shall show you how I pray!”

In one smooth motion she raised herself above him. Her curvy frame silhouetted against the weak light. She straddled him and slowly lowered herself down onto his rigid sex. Their mixed cries of ecstasy and loving sighs of passion filled the large room.

It was a night unlike any other that Elwin had ever experienced.