79 - Scented handshakes and Roasted Bees

General de Molfe rose to offer a scented handshake to Nadian as he entered the greeting hall of the Kupirado Loggia. Nadian took the hand but hid his revulsion. “Good day, General. Thank you for coming to our little fete.”

He smiled and Nadian had to restain himself from recoiling. Vile man. You think I can’t smell you?” The General smiled. 

“Hive Lord. You are most gracious to open your home to me.”

Nadian had to restrain the cringe in his body. The energy radiating off the general made him sick. “General. You are most welcome. How could we not laud a hero of the last war?”

“Please let us welcome you,” His wife was properly demure inside her veils of honour and curtseyed deeply.

“Thank you, Shashi,” Nadian brushed in between her and the General, even though he had no worries that the General might be interested in her. De ‘Molfe had no idea that his sexual tastes were as obvious as they were. "Why don't you go on ahead of us men, hmmm?"

"Oh, of course, husband."  With a rustle and a whisper of silks she headed down into the ball-room, already full of most of the court.

“So... Hive-lord.” The General came right to the point, not bothering to mitigate the blow. “The Emperor is not well?”

“Oh, General. One might say that the Emperor is somewhat under the weather but he is still firmly in control of the Lainz.”  It is the line being trotted out by everyone. de Molfe raised an eyebrow as they descended the wide tavertine stairs.

“But a man might find that the old Emperor is... perhaps... less than vital?”

Nadian stopped where he stood, on the steps, looking down at the vile little man. “Oh.” This man might consider supporting me should the old Radiance die without naming an heir? “The esteemed General is considering what should happen when the old man passes on to his ancestors?”

It was harsh and blunt. But the old man still refused to name an Heir, a proper Siwion. The General hesitated a moment before stepping through to the ball-room. “Indeed?” He turned to face Nadian. “Perhaps we should speak of this more... intimately... Hive lord.”

Nadian couldn’t help but be snide. “Indeed.”

He offered the General his arm to escort him down the stairs into the ballroom of his own loggia. “Indeed, we should, General.” Don’t think you will be able to touch me, you pervert. I would no more look at your skinny, wrinkled ass than I would look at my own bird’s cloaca. But he might indeed be able to assist him taking the throne, once the old man died.

**

Diryish leaned back against his cushions, watching the court. He was so tired. He wanted so much to let go, to rest. But he could not. He took a deep breath and sat upright. Shashi and Mariush both closed in to support him on either side.

“Women. Are you two doing this for your Mother?” Of course Thriti has them keeping an eye on me, what kind of silly thought is that old man, actually asking out loud?

Mariush looked shyly at Shashi who spoke up for both of them. “We are doing it for you, Radiance.”

“I should have made her my Empress.” His words were quiet, meant only for their ears. They dutifully ignored them.

“Are you all right, Radiance?” Shashi asked. The Vizier hovered, just out of direct earshot, and beyond him people waited to pay their respects to Diryish... and to hang ideas on his ears.

“I’m all right, girl. Look at them. Ninety percent of them drones who could care less what happens to their hive.”

“Yes, Radiance.”

“Do you two realize? We need more people, more people who are willing to think and to take us to a point where we can defend people. One day we will need to defend our culture and our hard-won independence against overwhelming odds.”

“Radiance. We will. Trust us.”

He looked at her with compassion. “Mariush. Ask your mother. We need to bring everyone to a similar level, a similar place of knowledge.”

“I will, Radiance. I promise.”

He snorted. “Mariush. You will need to study much more... even to bring that little larva to full adult. Please. Learn everything you can. Please.”

“I will, Radiance.” She looked grim. “But you are not going to die immediately. Stop talking like that.”

He snorted laughter. “Of course, my dear. Of course. How is your young man?”

She looked away as if she could ignore his crudeness. 

“Mariush... I know.” His breathing was hollow and rattling. “I know. I’m glad your Mother has you in hand and I’m glad you found a young man to think that child is his.” He smiled, wiped his lips with a cloth and nodded at the court in front of them. “I don’t think any of those men are worth one of Emir-al Raghnall’s farts.” He coughed and continued. 

“They’ve arranged wars that I did not want, killed men who did not deserve it.”

“Then why leave them in any power at all?” Shashi snapped even as she offered a bland, sweet smile to His Radiance.

“They show up in any culture, child.” He pointed his chin toward a conversation across the room. “Shashi, your husband is sliming up to General de’Molfe.” She looked down, no other sign that she was ashamed of being associated with him.

“Are you sure that our mystery assassin is targeting him?”

“No, Radiance.” She took a deep breath. “Is it possible he is one of our conspirators?”

“I don’t know. You should find out. For your father’s sake. For Lainz.”

She set her teeth behind the veils she wore. “Radiance, do you suspect my husband?”

“I suspect all Hive Lords, child.”

“I think he is a horrible man, Radiance but I never thought he might be a traitor.”

He took up a roasted bee on a skewer and crunched it between straight white teeth. “We are all set against the Owners and against the elements.”

“Naser?” Shashi curtseyed down deep as if he’d chastised her. 

“Shall I investigate my husband?”

“Yes, dear.” He ate four more skewers of bees and threw off the blanket and stood up from his throne. “They will not pull me down yet.” He wobbled a moment and then he steadied and put out a demanding hand. “Let us walk among my lions and cheetahs and moas.”

Shashi swallowed hard and offered her hand for his dry, wrinkled old grasp. Daddy, you are so much better than I at this kind of thing.