Act 2 Chapter 104
JAYLAH
The Kalingi wanted Jaylah's head on a pike. The delegates from the Southern Isles had reached their homeland, and word got back to Jaylah that their people were furious. Well, the Kalingi were always filled with fury where Oceana was concerned, only this slight was a spark thrown into a vat of oil. They only needed a push to get their people riled for another war, and Jaylah had given it to them on a silver platter.
The threat of a third Kalingi war had hung over her head ever since she was born. Her father sent her to the Navrikan lines as a young child to gain military experience for the inevitable attack. It was coming, they just never knew when.
But Jaylah did not want war. She saw what it had done to the returning veterans, to Alexander, to the thousands of orphans scattered along the coast. It had been the nail in the coffin of her father's violent insanity. She could not follow in his footsteps. She needed a contingency plan.
Her first step was sending in spies that would infiltrate the Kalingi capital, as well as several military cities near the coast. They had the necessary paperwork and identification to help them remain covert for as long as they needed. She had also rooted out traitors to the Kalingi crown and made sure they would be the ones to intercept her spies to let them in. Once they were there, their main objective was to move up the Kalingi ranks, to become more and more integral to their allotted operations. They would regularly send her information on the Kalingi advancements in weaponry, their soldiers' training regimens, the moves their leader planned to make. And once she had what she wanted, they were going to wreak as much havoc as they could, aiming to implode the entire system.
They were already gone, having set sail for Fas Kaling first thing that morning. It did little to ease her worry. She needed more than an alarm to blare when the Kalingi took to arms at last. She needed enough firepower to force them away from her land forever.
That was why she and Klymene rode through the city that same afternoon to a contact of Klymene's who she knew as a former student from the university. "Vaso has one of the most brilliant minds I have ever seen," she promised. "If anyone will do the trick, it is him."
Wanting to arrive before the sun started to set, Jaylah urged Thyros to a canter. Given her hectic schedule, she was able to ride barely once a week, and the stable hands had to sedate him when they took him out for exercise. He threw back his head in glee, dark mane tossed to the air. His heavy hooves thundered over the stones of a bridge, overriding the rush of the river below.
They were at the easternmost corner of Naxaros, which was populated by waterways that smelled of the ocean. Small skiffs rolled gently down the torrents between city blocks. Beyond them stood huge series of arches descending from a massive military academy that boasted countless flapping slate banners. The higher they went, the more the city expanded into a leisurely downward slope. It was such a beautiful bone white with random blue accents that matched the sea not far past.
At last, they reached the home of Vaso Fotelis, which was of decent size and was perched on one of the steepest roads Jaylah had ever ridden on. Nevertheless, Thyros remained eager enough that she had to hold him back to keep pace with Klymene and her soldiers' steeds. She gave him a pat on the neck after dismounting, then left to enter the home.
Vaso stood in the doorway to greet them, his enigmatic dark eyes betraying no shock at seeing the Queen on his doorstep. But something in his face softened when he beheld Klymene standing beside her. "Hello, old friend," she said in greeting. He returned it, then moved aside and outstretched an arm to his home. Jaylah ordered her men to remain posted at the front door before obliging.
"Klymene tells me you were a very gifted student," Jaylah said as Fotelis whisked open his back doors to prepare them seats on the patio. "A master architect with a mind for mechanics."
"Flattery," Fotelis said, pulling out a seat for Jaylah, which she accepted. "But true nonetheless."
"I want new weaponry." There was no use in skirting around the subject. "And I need someone to formulate select designs that will put Oceana at the forefront of technological innovation. Is that something you would be willing to do?"
"You are thinking of the possibility of war with Fas Kaling, I presume?" She nodded. "Then we will need to upgrade all current major weaponry, as they are more than familiar with our cannons and mortars, and therefore have the means to successfully combat them. I also believe they have made improvements to the crossbow with inspiration from the handguns of the west, which would also put us at a disadvantage." He leaned back, eyes on the sky as he imagined it all. "We will need time and money, but I believe I can do it."
"I have the funds necessary for the research and production of new artillery. Time...I am not sure. Stalling for more will only last so long, but I will do my best."
Klymene pushed a leather-bound notebook toward Fotelis, saying, "These are all the ideas we have brainstormed, along with a few vague sketches. We are hoping you add your intellect to the most superior ones to make them a reality."
"I am eager to see what you came up with." He took it and began flipping through the pages. "Bombs that, when dropped, would chemically ravage the land. I see we are taking cues from our enemies themselves." He flipped another. "Armored carriages that would transport supplies on their own through the power of steam, inspired by the steamboats the Tilanic are still developing." He shut it. "I like it. These are technologically ambitious ideas, but I never expected anything less from you." He spoke to Jaylah but his eyes strayed to Klymene. She was already looking, her hands clenched in her lap. Jaylah was aware of a tension between them and wondered if they had ever wanted to be more than classmates.
"You were correct to take advice from Miss Lykaios, Your Majesty. I will get working on this project immediately."
"Good." Jaylah stood. "Thank you for your hospitality. We will be in contact."
"Take care," Klymene said to Fotelis, which made his dark eyes become a little gentler. She acted as though she did not notice, though Jaylah knew she did.
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Jaylah excused herself from the table after dinner was finished, but Ermalai stood to catch her before she left. "Your Majesty, may I speak with you a moment?"
Adrik shot Jaylah a curious look, wondering what she had done to earn his father's disapproval. "I am a busy woman. You may say whatever it is you want before I go."
"Oh, but I believe it must be in private." He gave her that sheepish smile that made her want to scream.
"Fine." She tried not to spat the word. "We will go into the hallway." She did not bother meeting Adrik's eyes before they left him behind.
"I have a couple things to bring to your attention," Ermalai said when they were alone. "The first is that I have seen your personal maids in my quarters several times. My policy on staff is that no single group of servants should be stationed in my room. I prefer a cycle of different servants, as it makes me more comfortable that there will be no eavesdroppers."
She had never sent her maids directly into Ermalai's quarters because of its riskiness. He was lying to intimidate her with his suspicions. "I apologize for any discomfort," she said, holding her tongue against other select comments she wished to make. "It was my understanding that you accepted nothing below the best level of service, and I expected as Czar you would like to share my personal servants. It was my mistake."
"A simple mistake." He bobbed his head, which made his scalp shine through his thinning hair. "I thought so. I just wanted to warn you."
Something dark and uneasy had settled into the abandoned hallway. "Warn me?"
"Well, I would be simply beside myself if any of your maids were in the wrong place at the wrong time and had to be removed. I know you care for your staff, and I admire you for it."
The translation was crystal clear: if she send her spies after him again, he would kill every single one.
Never mind that he had done the exact same thing to her through Alexander. If she had the mercenary killed, Ermalai would rain all hell down on her. If Ermalai had her spies killed, she would have to remain silent and take the loss. If he got revenge he was lauded for taking authority. If she got revenge, she was bloodthirsty. She had partially done it to herself by making them fear for her sanity in the first place. But there was still that one glaring difference between them that no one could change.
The Kalingi were going to come for her. She could not lose this alliance.
"I see." There was a bit of a waver in her voice and even she could not decide if it was purposeful. "Duly noted."
"Then there is the second matter. I noticed that you have become friendly with Mr. Khan."
A sensation like tiny pinpricks spread down the back of Jaylah's neck. "He is somewhat of an enjoyable presence."
"How delightful that Her Majesty is making foreign friends. I am glad to see it. I only wanted to make you aware of the way the court may perceive things. You know how vicious they can be. And a story about the Empress's unfaithfulness to her poor betrothed will spread like wildfire."
Ermalai's eyes were clear as he put a fatherly hand to her shoulder. "Do not give them any more reason for them to think you are a whore."