Read Online Weapon of Fear by Chris A. Jackson, Anne L. McMillen-Jackson - Free Book Online Page A

is to protect me, nothing more.  There is to be no offensive action. 
The constabulary will deal with any unrest.  Any questions?”
    A
single cricket would have seemed loud in the ensuing silence.  Surprise
wreathed every face, guard and knight alike.  Their reactions brought a smile
to Arbuckle.  They were used to being ordered to action, with no questions
allowed.  They were learning that he was not his father.
    “Very
good.”  He gestured to the towering doors that led to the palace foyer and the
courtyard beyond.  “Let us proceed.”
    The
clatter of metal echoed through the Great Hall as the troops parted to allow
the crown prince passage, then followed him outside.  Arbuckle boarded his
carriage and settled into the soft seat, his scribe tucking into the opposite
corner.  The carriage shifted as his blademasters leapt into place with the
driver, atop, and on the rear.  Within minutes all were ready, and the carriage
lurched into motion.
    Arbuckle
peered out the window, but could see little beyond steel and horseflesh.  A
cordon of knights and squires rode around his carriage, and the Imperial Guard
marched behind.  Arbuckle had envisioned a more discreet contingent.
    It’s
like an invading army …
    Arbuckle
slouched into his seat, disgruntled at the thought.  He despised his father’s
brutal policies, and had tried to dissociate himself from them whenever he
could.  As crown prince, he had stood beside Tynean Tsing II during audiences
and attended social functions he couldn’t get out of, though he refused at
every opportunity.  The emperor had long ago stopped trying to instruct his
only son and heir in governance and statecraft.  Arbuckle had tried instead to
learn his duty from books, gleaning what he could from historical successes and
failures.  But reading was no substitute for experience, and he felt
ill-prepared to rule the vast empire.
    I
thought I’d have more time…
    After
what seemed an interminable duration, but was probably less than an hour, the
procession halted, and Arbuckle’s mood brightened.  It was time for the people
to meet their future emperor, time for them to learn that he was not his
father.  A buzz rose over the clatter of hooves and armor, the voices of the commoners
gathered in the plaza.
    “We’ve
reached the Imperial Plaza, Milord Prince!”  Captain Otar opened the carriage
door.  “There’s quite a crowd.  I’ll say again that I don’t think this is a
wise thing to do.”
    “Then
I’ll go down in history as Arbuckle the Unwise, Captain.  This plaza epitomizes
my father’s injustice.  This is where I need to be.”  He swallowed hard and
stepped from the carriage, pausing a moment in the door.
    The
Imperial Plaza was as horrific as he remembered. Rows of pillories and whipping
posts surrounded a cluster of gallows, an appalling number of them occupied. 
Above it all, the imperial flags snapped in the breeze.  The deep-blue crested
banner fluttered upside-down, proclaiming a death within the imperial family.  Constables
and mounted lancers girded the perimeter punishment area in a solid wall of
steel.
    The
buzz of voices rose as the crowd caught sight of Arbuckle.  Commoners by the
thousands craned their necks to see him.  Though notice of the gathering had
been last minute, it seemed as if half of the city’s population had attended.
    “Milord
Prince!”  Chief Constable Dreyfus approached with a squad of constables, grim
men and women in tarnished mail with hands on swords.  He waited until Arbuckle’s
blademasters allowed him through their protective cordon.  Bowing, Dreyfus got
right to the point.  “This is a dangerous place.  This rabble could go off at
any moment!”
    “This rabble , as you call them, Chief Constable, look fairly calm to me.”
    “For
the moment, yes, Milord Prince, but so does a tinderbox before it goes up in
flames.” He looked around, obviously nervous.  “Trust me.  They’re like curs. 
Toss