167 - That Much Part of Me?

Nadian looked around the outer room at every single one of the men who he knew were all plotting to become the next Queen bee... and a number of others, all staring around with venom in their eyes.  Their looks... from his brother Billiph to d’Molfe, from his own, to his wife’s implacable gaze as she held her place at the door, keeping them all out.  Keeping them all away from Diryish.

“Wife.  You will let me in.  It is proper that I attend my delicate mother in this dreadful time.”

“No, husband.  His Radiance called for certain people and wished everyone else kept out.”

He loomed over her as she sat, supremely calm, completely unmoved by his glaring down at her.  You WILL let me in, wife. But somehow the will he’d bent on her over their marriage just... ceased working... as if she were somehow suddenly shielded.  I’ll kill you if you thwart me, woman.

“Husband.  The Emperor did not call for you.” Some of the great hive lords were leaving quietly, withdrawing from the scene of their humiliation.  Others shrugged and sat down, either speaking softly to their friends or solitary on their gilded stools, like d’Molfe who merely sipped his raki.

Nadian’s eyes flickered up to lock with the Captain of the Rasheem who stood next to Shashi in perfect parade rest, hand on his sword hilt.  The man hadn’t moved but somehow Basserus knew he was a moment away from cutting him into collops. He stood, quivering, and that was the instant that a bee stung him.  He snapped, smashing it and a half-dozen others on his sleeve.  “FAKIN’ THING!” He whirled and stormed out, the swarms of bees rising up and away from him as he did.  I will kill the old man NOW.

**

*####c#nn#tion#### co###rom#### ########## A@em###d*

Make connection my little sisters.

*##Great...GRAN### da@@???*

*Attempting connection 45: Grandson.  Great Grandson.  Listen to the bees.  Let them establish... Let them in.  Without the bees we cannot connect.  Without the bees we are nothing*

*##GREATGRANDA??##*

*Excellent, boy.  You’ve made connection, at least partly.  Listen...I have left you recordings, files, memories, as much as I could.*

Diryish’s figure on his throne, was as still as if he were dead, his eyes open, his veil barely moving as he watched the parade step onto the entry bridge.  I sent my one great grandson to his funeral mountain.  Now you come back the other way.  Look up, boy.

His hand, clutching his staff trembled slightly, making the sun crystal quiver, throwing sparks of light everywhere.  The crowds, cheering, waved handkerchiefs and mirrors since most flowers that anyone could handle, or would want to wave, were dead in the deep Dry.  No one in their right mind wanted to wave eyebleed, or stalks of hearts-'n-spines. Their noise was distant in Diryish’s hearing.  It should have been overwhelming.  It was muffled and getting more and more distant.

He could see each clawed footfall bringing his heirs home to him.  The distant dot that had to be Dukir, in his guise as Amir, raised a mirror to swinghim a wave.  *Dukir. Acknowledge.  Well done, old friend. They seem good.  The Hive, so far, approves.  Shashi is magnificent.  I’ve managed to use my dying to swing things around in the court.* His eyes closed, showing the blank, gold-painted stare over his veil.

*Diryish, you son of a bitch, this is a lousy time to die.  These boys need you.*

*I cannot stop it this time, Dukir.  You will have to help them.*

*##Grand###### ####father!  Connection: ack###*

Another swarm of bees coursed out of the Great Hive and arrowed down to the parade and Kyrus’s armour and his bird quivered with them.  Ky didn’t dare move his arms and hands lest he be more stung than he already was. It didn’t hurt nearly as badly as when they’d first started. It was starting to feel warm though each new swarm was a new kind of pain.

In the middle of the bridge, he looked up, to see the winking light on the balcony so far above.  Just the length of the road.  So close. He wasn’t sure he wanted to meet the old man, but they needed him.

*Great Grandfather.  We... um... you see us.*

*I do.  Great Grandson. Sense of connection.*

*Why am I connected and father... isn’t managing?*

*Yet.  He is taking up a great deal more connections than you, Great Grandson, but he’s a strong man, hmmm?*

*The Emir-al said it could kill him. Worry.*

*It might.  It nearly killed me.  But I doubt it.*

*WHAT?* The emotional wave from young Kyrus disrupted the fragile new link.  When it was re-established it was much weaker than it had been before.

*...##trust our ##ost ###llent spymaster, Great...####son.*

*Wait! What? Great Grandfather!!!*

**

The whole Mandery school was in connection, through the Headmistress Amardad, standing next to Mother Thriti. The wall behind them and the ceiling above was covered in moving, shimmering, wings-quivering bees.  Sander Raghnall stood next to the two women. The zardukar ranged out on either side, with them. The Headmistress reached to support the Emperor who rallied enough to speak and to speak clearly.

“My court, behold the approach of my Kraghanz and his son, Siwion of all Lainz... I lea...” He exhaled and tried to breathe in. *### ##### ##### #### ### ###.... .... ....connection lost.*

**

Nadian ripped open the doors to his work-room, slammed them shut behind him, cutting off the surf-roar of the excited crowd. He profligately jabbed into his hand, smeared his own blood over the palm and fingers, set the bloody handprint onto his table.

He reached to flip open his spell book and at that moment felt the old man’s presence drain out of him like sand out of a shattered gourd, shocking him to his knees.  Endarkened endarkened he was that much a part of me?

**

Shashi rose from her chair in the doorway, came onto the balcony and gently reached out to touch His Radiance’s shoulder. Doctor Brienz stood on his other side, his hand on the old man’s pulse.  The two of them stood, breathing, listening to the silence hovering between them, listening to the silence despite all the distant noise outside, and then let him go.