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Authors: Scott Rhine
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Zanzibos, the Patawash clan.”
Pagaose smiled as he approached the man. “What were your qualifications for being head zoo caretaker?”
Seeing the tall man with six fingers, the keeper turned pale. “Sire?”
“Your qualifications?”
“I’m skilled in tracking and subduing wild animals,” he whispered, head bowed.
“I’m only going to ask this once: how much did you steal?”
“My cut was eighty silver hours per week plus twenty to care for the animals. I let my boy handle that.”
“You have spared your life; now you’ll determine how the rest of that life will be spent. Who else received a share of your spoils?”
Sweating, the man recited a long list of names, some high-placed government officials. When he finished, Pagaose ordered, “Place him in a comfortable dungeon cell, but make his son responsible for his daily feeding and that of the otters.”
“Sire, a word,” said the large man. “You have been just, but is there a chance for mercy? Despite my appearance, I’m not a sedentary man by nature. The inactivity drove me to drinking, and the alcohol led me into debt. That is my shame. Not only am I the best in the world at hunting, but I’m also a water-diviner like my mother.”
“If an opportunity arises that demands your unique skill set, you shall be given the chance to volunteer. With war on our doorstep, I expect opportunities to abound. There is hope.”
When the man left, the emperor ordered, “Round up the other offenders and we’ll have a discussion, one at a time. Save Lord Vapordoom for last. If we’re to impeach him, we must have several witnesses.”
“Very good, sire,” said Niftkin.
When Anna returned, the guard summarized for her. “In the end, three of the embezzlers confessed, gave testimony, and were placed in the dungeon. The list of names implicated matched almost perfectly. Only Lord Vapordoom couldn’t be confirmed. The other three, who claimed innocence, were turned over to the court system for execution.
“Death?” she gasped. “Isn’t there another way?”
“He gave them all a chance to come clean first,” said Niftkin. “He hates death sentences, but if the emperor doesn’t draw a line from the beginning, everyone will steal from him.”
“What good does it do?”
“The emperor recovered enough funds to pay this week’s salaries for the palace workers, and he’s selling the zoo property a parcel at a time so his chamberlain doesn’t have to buy our food. Scribbles is managing the transactions, showing nobles the location and whatnot.”
“Where’s Pagaose?”
“In his room meditating, but please don’t go in there unless you can be positive.”
Anna went into his parlor, head bowed. “Highness, am I permitted to cry for the condemned?”
“Yes,” he said, his voice choking slightly. Then she wept. He wanted so badly to hold her, to comfort her, but she was pledged to another.
****
Holyday morning, Pagaose had circles under his eyes from lack of sleep. “Myron generated a lot of laws. I searched through half of them last night to find some way I could mitigate the punishments. Nothing.”
Anna patted his hand. “That’s why I’m going to the pleasure dome ahead of you.”
Niftkin objected. “Only the emperor and his lovers may enter. Even I, his head guard, am not permitted.”
She replied, “If I enter first, I might convince wrongdoers to repent before the consequences are severe.”
“There will be rumors,” the guard insisted.
“Rumors about my virtue are a small price to pay to save a life.”
“Lady Anna, you still need a royal invitation.”
She glanced at the emperor, and he responded, “She may enter any chamber I own. She is my herald.”
Satisfied, she raised her nose and strode from the room.
“Does she know what you meant by that?” asked Niftkin as they followed her through the palace maze.
“No. Please don’t embarrass her.”
As they waited outside the marble columns to the royal
Pagaose smiled as he approached the man. “What were your qualifications for being head zoo caretaker?”
Seeing the tall man with six fingers, the keeper turned pale. “Sire?”
“Your qualifications?”
“I’m skilled in tracking and subduing wild animals,” he whispered, head bowed.
“I’m only going to ask this once: how much did you steal?”
“My cut was eighty silver hours per week plus twenty to care for the animals. I let my boy handle that.”
“You have spared your life; now you’ll determine how the rest of that life will be spent. Who else received a share of your spoils?”
Sweating, the man recited a long list of names, some high-placed government officials. When he finished, Pagaose ordered, “Place him in a comfortable dungeon cell, but make his son responsible for his daily feeding and that of the otters.”
“Sire, a word,” said the large man. “You have been just, but is there a chance for mercy? Despite my appearance, I’m not a sedentary man by nature. The inactivity drove me to drinking, and the alcohol led me into debt. That is my shame. Not only am I the best in the world at hunting, but I’m also a water-diviner like my mother.”
“If an opportunity arises that demands your unique skill set, you shall be given the chance to volunteer. With war on our doorstep, I expect opportunities to abound. There is hope.”
When the man left, the emperor ordered, “Round up the other offenders and we’ll have a discussion, one at a time. Save Lord Vapordoom for last. If we’re to impeach him, we must have several witnesses.”
“Very good, sire,” said Niftkin.
When Anna returned, the guard summarized for her. “In the end, three of the embezzlers confessed, gave testimony, and were placed in the dungeon. The list of names implicated matched almost perfectly. Only Lord Vapordoom couldn’t be confirmed. The other three, who claimed innocence, were turned over to the court system for execution.
“Death?” she gasped. “Isn’t there another way?”
“He gave them all a chance to come clean first,” said Niftkin. “He hates death sentences, but if the emperor doesn’t draw a line from the beginning, everyone will steal from him.”
“What good does it do?”
“The emperor recovered enough funds to pay this week’s salaries for the palace workers, and he’s selling the zoo property a parcel at a time so his chamberlain doesn’t have to buy our food. Scribbles is managing the transactions, showing nobles the location and whatnot.”
“Where’s Pagaose?”
“In his room meditating, but please don’t go in there unless you can be positive.”
Anna went into his parlor, head bowed. “Highness, am I permitted to cry for the condemned?”
“Yes,” he said, his voice choking slightly. Then she wept. He wanted so badly to hold her, to comfort her, but she was pledged to another.
****
Holyday morning, Pagaose had circles under his eyes from lack of sleep. “Myron generated a lot of laws. I searched through half of them last night to find some way I could mitigate the punishments. Nothing.”
Anna patted his hand. “That’s why I’m going to the pleasure dome ahead of you.”
Niftkin objected. “Only the emperor and his lovers may enter. Even I, his head guard, am not permitted.”
She replied, “If I enter first, I might convince wrongdoers to repent before the consequences are severe.”
“There will be rumors,” the guard insisted.
“Rumors about my virtue are a small price to pay to save a life.”
“Lady Anna, you still need a royal invitation.”
She glanced at the emperor, and he responded, “She may enter any chamber I own. She is my herald.”
Satisfied, she raised her nose and strode from the room.
“Does she know what you meant by that?” asked Niftkin as they followed her through the palace maze.
“No. Please don’t embarrass her.”
As they waited outside the marble columns to the royal
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