Indenuel could not go back to sleep, even as Tolomon reported the lonely son was still high in the sky. Tolomon didn’t keep him chained, and instead Indenuel sat on the table, going over everything he learned from Martin. Tolomon eventually took him out of the dungeon and rode with him back to his home in the pre-dawn sky to get him something to eat. Indenuel doubted he would eat anything, but Tolomon was there to make sure he had some sort of sustenance in his stomach.
Pablo walked into the dining hall, holding a paper. “The Empress is waiting in the Cathedral of the Savior’s Coming. Whenever you are ready, sir.”
Indenuel glanced out the window. The sun was coming over the horizon. He honestly didn’t expect this until midmorning, but maybe this was better. Perhaps the Empress was an early riser as well.
Tolomon would not let him leave until he had one more scoop of potatoes in his mouth before they both climbed into the carriage and headed to the Cathedral. Indenuel was squirming in his seat, trying to go over everything that might happen, but realizing that wasn’t the best course of action.
The cathedral’s beauty managed to take him off guard again. Somehow, despite how much he did not like being around the High Elders, there was some majesty to this building that still filled him with a sense of awe.
Martin joined his side. “Did you sleep well, my boy?”
“No,” Indenuel said as he walked up the stone steps. “You?”
“In some ways better, in other ways worse. The first day of negotiating is always the hardest.” Indenuel nodded, trying not to think about how many days this would take. “We have set up the room we had your trial in for the negotiations. You will have the Cathedral to yourselves.”
The guards opened the door and Indenuel walked inside. The Empress was behind the Savior’s golden throne, looking at the stained-glass window of the Kiam twins. Martin patted his back before staying near the door. Indenuel and Tolomon approached the Empress. Her bodyguard was there, giving them a bow of acknowledgement. Indenuel and Tolomon bowed in return. At this movement, the Empress turned, studying Indenuel closely before bowing. She said something quickly in Kiamese.
“My Empress is curious about this depiction of the Kiamese gentlemen you have in your Cathedral,” her bodyguard said.
“All these windows depict the Divine Ages,” Indenuel said, too exhausted to think of a lie. “In this one, a prophet foretold how Kiam twins will bring great peace to the world by defeating the devil for a season. This Cathedral was built before the discovery of Kiam, so it affirmed people’s faiths when your country was discovered that these Divine Ages were real.”
The Empress looked again at the stained-glass window as the bodyguard translated that to her. She nodded, then said something else.
“Our religion has myths and legends of a time when we lived as one people on one land. We thought it odd to preach of people with blue, brown, violet, and green eyes as well as our grey. We thought they simply died out. We received a shock as well when we discovered they were in fact still alive. The stories seemed so strange to the Empress as a young girl, and yet they must have had a seed of truth, since you are standing before her with green eyes.”
Indenuel smiled, looking up at the Kiam twins, simply praying they would have better luck pushing the devil back than he had.
“This must be you, then,” the bodyguard said, pointing to the first window. Indenuel stared at the saintly portrait, hoovering over the battlefield, and the fatigue that came from little sleep slammed into him.
“It is,” Indenuel said, distracting himself by looking at the Dengrian prophet. The man he’d met in his strange clothes. The man, too, felt the weight of the calling. “Do you think all our people might ever live as one again?” Indenuel asked.
The Empress smiled at the translation before giving her reply. “The Gods and Goddesses of the past did not have an easy life, but they certainly tried to work together.”
“A noble goal,” Indenuel said, because he wasn’t sure what else he should say. “Shall we begin the negotiations?”
The Empress waited for the translation before nodding, picking up her deep blue skirts as she followed Indenuel into the room where he had stood trial not that many weeks ago. There were two tables set up to keep them separated, both with refreshments.
Indenuel sat down, feeling far too nervous to eat anything. “May I ask why it was me you wished to discuss these negotiations with?”
The Empress paused as she settled herself into her chair. She listened to the translation, even though Indenuel could tell by now it was for show. Tolomon remained standing behind Indenuel, folding his arms as the Empress gave her reply.
“The Empress wanted to meet you. She heard of the fabled Warrior and was curious to meet an individual who had all four powers,” the translator said.
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“You met me at the banquet. Negotiations are a different thing entirely,” Indenuel said.
Again, there was a pause for translation. The Empress said something as she poured herself a glass of wine. “She is not against bringing in your High Elders for further negotiations if needed, but there were things about you she wanted to find out first.”
The mark. If she thinks I’m not marked, she will negotiate with the High Elders. If she finds out I am…
“Also, the Empress begs forgiveness if this seems like she does not trust you, but she always has me try her food first,” the translator said.
“Oh, no offense taken. In fact, I do it too,” Indenuel said as he poured himself some wine and held it up for Tolomon to taste. Tolomon did so. “I also have been worried there might be small things or gestures I might do which might cause offense because I am not as familiar with your culture. Please show me some mercy.”
The Empress received the glass of wine back as she heard the translation. She smiled at Indenuel and said something back. “The Empress hopes you can show her the same mercy.”
Indenuel nodded. “Of course.” He took a sip of his wine because he had poured himself some and it would be weird not to drink any.
The Empress began talking, taking things onto her plate that her bodyguard tasted. Indenuel tried to keep to etiquette, waiting for the translator. “She has grown weary of the war. There have been many people on both sides who have died. She wants what is best for her country.”
“I agree,” Indenuel said, placing his arms on the table. “I want the killing to stop.”
“She has heard of your recent attack on our people, one that created water that killed a thousand of my countrymen,” the translator said.
Indenuel swallowed, meeting the Empress’ eyes. “Yes. That was me.”
The Empress said something, watching Indenuel carefully. The bodyguard nodded before speaking. “This kind of power was granted to one of our Gods in the time when the world was one. She is curious to know how you were able to do such a thing when no mortal has ever been granted that ability.”
“I was…” Indenuel kept his voice steady, kept himself from squirming, tried his best to keep eye contact. “It was a form of weather control. I am assuming you and your people are familiar with the four gifts of God, or whatever you choose to call them by.”
“Indeed,” the translator spoke for her. “They are the powers granted to us when the Gods and Goddesses were driven from our world.”
Indenuel paused, long enough to decide whether or not he wanted to press that. There was a lot about Kiam’s religion they did not know, but he reminded himself if the negotiations went well, he’d have all the time in the world to ask questions about their religion. “Right. Well, the one that controls the weather I… I was under a lot of stress so I made so much fog it simply turned into water.”
Indenuel waited for the translation to happen. He fiddled with the bottom of his wine glass. It was mostly true, except the fact that it wasn’t through any good power that he did this.
“The God of Water from our myths and legends said nothing about His ability to create from nothing. That is why the Empress is so curious about it. The God of Water could breathe under it, could control it, but He could not create from nothing. None of the Gods or Goddesses could,” the translator said.
“I was just as shocked I could do that too,” Indenuel admitted. “I doubt… I doubt I could do that again.” He was being honest, though he figured it wasn’t wise to admit something like that to the Empress.
The Empress smiled at his honesty as she said something to the translator. “You are different than the Empress envisioned.”
“If I may ask, what did you envision?” Indenuel asked.
She said something, and the translator nodded. “Cold. Heartless. A killer.”
Indenuel couldn’t help it and looked down at his wine glass he hardly touched. “I didn’t want to kill anyone. I just wanted to protect my country that I love.”
The Empress watched him carefully, then said something else. “And she’d like to protect hers. But she fears what this situation has done. If she backs down from the war, the High Elders, the true threat to Kiam, will force their religion onto us.”
“No,” Indenuel said, looking up at her again. “I would never allow that to happen. Anything I’ve ever heard from the High Elders, as well as the soldiers who have fought in the war, is that we have been discovered by each other and must learn to coexist.”
“Coexist with Santollia being the world power,” the translator said for the Empress. Indenuel didn’t know what to say to that. He again studied the woman before him. “You seem to be honest with the Empress, so she will be honest with you. She does not trust the High Elders.”
Indenuel nodded slowly, then turned to see Tolomon. A man who was bound by duty to reveal everything they had said, but an idea was starting to form in his mind. “Your Majesty, er, Empress, ma’am…” Indenuel winced.
“Empress Minai is her name,” the translator said.
“Empress Min…” Indenuel wet his lips, realizing messing up someone’s name could be detrimental. “Min-eye?” The Empress nodded at the pronunciation. “There are some things I would like to discuss with you, but I do not feel comfortable doing so in the presence of our bodyguards.”
The translator spoke to her, and Empress Minai said something else. “She needs me to translate, so it would be impossible for both bodyguards to leave.”
“We both know you don’t need him to translate,” Indenuel said, staring at her right in the face.
Tolomon had proved himself yet again. Empress Minai raised an eyebrow at Indenuel. The translator almost said something, but she held up her hand and stopped him. “Very well,” she said in perfect Santollian. “I shall speak your language in front of you.”
“You speak Santollian well,” Indenuel said.
She smiled. “Thank you. Your language is quite beautiful.”
“Many thanks,” Indenuel said.
Her smile grew, though her eyes still held a distrustful gleam. “I still do not wish to be without my bodyguard. He is well trained on taking down men such as yourself.”
Men who might be marked, was the phrase that was left unsaid.
“This matter will be brief,” Indenuel said. “Something I would like to confirm to you, but cannot with two extra people in the room, as the nature of the information is sensitive.”
“I would trust my bodyguard with my life. Do you not trust yours?” Empress Minai asked.
Indenuel paused, then glanced at Tolomon. Tolomon remained standing, his frame relaxed, open, and non-threatening. He must have practiced that pose a lot.
“I do. Which is why I know he cannot be present. And I cannot ask him to leave me while you have your own bodyguard.”
“This is all strange, Warrior. Whatever this information is, I don’t know if I-”
“If our bodyguards leave right now, I will take off my shirt,” Indenuel said before he could stop himself.