The Baby and the Battlefield

Chapter Seventy-Five: Answers (Part I)

The great doors swung open, revealing a large, beautifully decorated room. The room was wider than it was long, but it was long enough that five or six of the great tables from an inn would fit in along its length. At the far end a man sat on a velvet chair. A woman stood beside the chair, and on the man's lap was a baby. The man was the old man who had helped to rescue them. He was now dressed more luxuriously, in furs and purple silk. The woman was the tall Flora who Tsuga and Salix had both called Althaea, and she was dressed in her usual outfit. The child on the man's lap was Marcus' Aurelia, and he gasped and called her name.

The baby turned and pointed, calling, "Mar!" at exactly the same moment as Salix and Tsuga bowed. Vitus and Petro quickly followed suit. Mulberry fell to her knees when she realised what was happening. Cinnamon prostrated himself completely, not daring to look up at the great man, now that he was on his throne. Marcus alone was left standing, staring at his baby daughter, until Mulberry took hold of the hem of Marcus' tunic and pulled, hard.

"Don't you see?" she hissed. Marcus looked around in confusion, and Tsuga mouthed, "We're in the presence of the Emperor"

Only then did Marcus blush, the red heat blooming on his cheeks like a flower, and he too bowed as low as he could manage. The Emperor looked up at Flora Althaea, and nodded. She took two steps forward, and spoke

"The Emperor bids you welcome, and thanks you for your assistance. Please approach."

Nervously, they approached the throne. Marcus helped Mulberry to her feet and they walked right to the small set of stairs that lead up to the dias upon which the Emperor's simple throne sat.

The Emperor himself spoke, then, his voice deep and resonant, almost musical.

"I wish to thank each of you for returning to me my daughter," he said.