Elements of Deceit

Sabotage

Early Julian, 793 EY.

Dazansus, Capitol of Vassicus.

Kamau

The contrast between the edge of the world and the seat of civilization was always startling enough to cause Kamau to pause. He had been touring various outposts and camps on his way back to the royal city, so he had seen a gradual change from the frontier towns filled with tired wooden buildings to the glittering metropolis with broad paved streets and palaces of marble and gold.

Dismounting in front of a side door to the Regent's palace, he paused to take off his helmet and breathe in the scent of flowering fruit trees while the babble of fountains sang to him. Just out of sight, he could hear the Royal Guard going through their drills, probably more enthusiastically since he had ridden by.

"General Itri." A soft voice intoned, drawing him to glance to where a light-skinned youth was waiting for him. With the loose flowing robes of the clerks covering most of the individual's body, it was impossible to tell if they were male or female.

Not that it mattered. People worked at jobs they were skilled at, or that their families were known to be skilled at. He had been to places where gender mattered, on the far off borders with other empires. Though it had been a while since he had patrolled or fought in those edges of their world.

Kamau smirked as the clerk offered him a shallow bow, then nodded and pulled off his helmet, following them up the stairs to the doorway. Although this entrance was for business and soldiers, the marble stairs were wide enough to admit five fully armoured horses abreast. And the doors weren't much smaller, taking two muscled servants to pull them open as he approached.

"The Prince is waiting for you in the Regent's offices." The clerk murmured in explanation, though they led him through the arched doorways and vaulted hallways. Everything gleamed, from the white marble floors to the stone pillars and gold gilding on the doors and ceiling.

He found that the largest contrast was how much plenty there was here, to build, to eat, and to live, when so many people struggled on that far edge of the empire. Those towns held on to civilization, they said. Myth and superstition said that as people moved toward the lush green fields, the desolation of the wastes would follow them. So those unnamed and unloved towns were what held the death and barren lawlessness at bay, if you believed old wive's tales.

It was a strong enough belief that the empire put money in to buying goods from so far out. Not a lot of money, but enough that people could eke out a living, as far away from those who enjoyed luxury as possible.

Kamau paused in front of the door as the clerk knocked, then stepped in at the command to enter. He strode forward, the prescribed five and a half steps, before bowing deeply. "Illustrious Highness."

"General Itri." Came the deep baritone, signalling for him to straighten up again.

In front of him Prince Lysone sat at his desk, a stack of papers forgotten as he regarded Kamau. The man was the Guardian to the young Queen and remained the executive power until the girl reached the age of majority.

He was broad and muscled, having trained as a warrior as all secondary siblings to the Regent do before becoming a paper pusher and then guardian upon losing his sister. Like the rest of the royal family, the Prince's skin was a dark chestnut, though his hair was greying at the temples and in wisps in his beard.

Kamau stopped himself from even thinking about the world 'if' in relation to the Queen. His Regent would live. "I have just returned, I received word and hastened back here. Things have changed?"