85 - Time For a New Radiance

Shashi yawned and kissed her husband good night. He was still up, still reading. It was the one thing he did diligently that she approved of with a whole heart. “May I draw you to bed, husband?”

He smiled up at her, distracted. “No, no, my dear. Do go on. I shall be in, later.” She padded to bed in her house-slippers. The bed was actually part of a stone column warmed by liquid wax on the other side, so it was almost hot to the touch and she opened the window in the wall over her pillow just a fraction. Nadian would be in late. He usually was.

She hung her veils up and went down the hall to check on the children. She looked in and the night nurse turned to her, the night light turning the nursery into a warm, safe honey-coloured cell. “They’re both sleeping safe, Nasera,” she whispered.

“Thank you, Roshni.” Despite the nurse’s reassurance Shashi padded over and kissed both her girls, careful not to wake them. “Sleep well my little honey-bees,” she whispered, running her hands carefully over their soft curls. Their eyelashes against their cheeks are a beautiful miracle to me every time I see them.

“I think you can sleep now, Roshni. They’ll be up early.”

“Yes, Nasera. Good night.”

Eredat, the newly assigned zardukar to Nadian waited on his side of the bed. “I give you good evening my sister, how sits the baby?” she said.

Shashi settled onto her side of the bed, her hand on the curve of her belly. “The baby sits perfectly. I, however, feel bloated, thick ankled, and full bladdered, with my heart burning for the day of birth!”

Eredat laughed. “Until he comes then, shall I massage your feet for you?”

“I would be forever in your debt.”

“Silly woman,” Eredat rose gracefully and came around to kneel by the bed. “I hate to tell my sister distressing news but the most gracious General de’Molfe called again, today. I believe he is courting your husband for the day our Radiance goes to join the Hive of the Sun.”

“Oooh, that feels so good, Eri. Really? Or is my husband courting him?”

The other zardukar looked thoughtful, her fingers working Shashi’s instep. “You think so?”

“Oooh. Yes, yes... um.  To answer your question... oh don’t stop... I don’t know but I suspect everyone the good General approaches, and my esteemed brother-by-marriage as well.  Even if de’Molfe did fling his body between assassins’ knives and His Radiance once.”

“How does the queen bee?”

Shashi sighed sharply, nothing to do with the ministrations of her zardukar sister’s strong fingers. “Badly. He’s holding on with strength alone, I think.”

**

Nadian closed his book a short time after his wife went off to bed. He really couldn’t stand the way she looked when she was this gravid. It was enough to turn his stomach, even with the magnificent new woman that the Zar school had graciously honoured him with.

Even Eredat’s almond eyes and pert, young, and decidedly pre-child-bearing breasts couldn’t help him perform with Shashi in the bed as well. She was probably throwing another girl. If she’d been less well connected, and any less in the Emperor’s favour he would have divorced her with the first female child.

He walked over to his study and walked down to his pristine stone table. The doors would not open for anyone else after a certain time of night. He had managed that ‘cline well enough.

It was so annoying.  So frustrating. The old man was just hovering on the edge of the Dark and simply would not take the final step.

It’s like he’s got his feet jammed in the sill and his hands locked on either door jamb and won’t leave the loggia. And as long as he’s alive there will be no more wars of conquest. We have all these treaties and agreements that are obsolete and terribly humiliating for a country of our power, our stature.

It truly was time for a new Radiance to shine across the desert lands, and perhaps all the way south, to the sea of dust, or over the mountains to the arsenic grass plains beyond. The Empire of Lainz needed more land, more conquest, more slaves and goods and gold. Why couldn’t the old man see that? Why did he insist that the EnDarkened peace treaties and trade agreements made more sense?

Without war, Lainz would stagnate and fall into decline. He snorted at the thought and pulled a book towards himself. He had nothing new to secretly attack the man with. It was time for more research. He would have another of the old ‘cliners exhumed, clandestinely of course. Perhaps this time he would find the spell that would open the way perfectly for him to take the High seat.