“Your Imperial Majesty still does not understand the proposal,” Otto began.

“I understand it very well.” Karis sighed wearily. “I am not changing the taxes on the colonies because they cannot afford it. I will tax the planets in the core systems that can afford it, if you would stop arguing with me every time I propose it.”

“Your Imperial Majesty, we have told you that the worlds in the core are already paying the taxes they can afford.” Vasco’s smooth voice grated on Karis’ nerves.

“There are worlds that can afford more, if we increase them slowly, Vasco.” Karis had made this same point several times already and none of his ministers seemed to pay attention to him.

“We simply must insist that you increase the colonies first, Your Imperial Majesty.” Otto folded his hands and looked smug, as if he thought he’d won.

“I am not increasing the colonies’ taxes.” Karis glared at the man. “That violates the terms of the treaties that we set up to create the colonies in the first place.”

“Then we are simply not going to agree to raise taxes, Your Imperial Majesty, and the budget is going to run at a deficit.” Vasco glared at Karis.

“I want to see where this deficit is coming from.” Karis startled everyone with his pronouncement.

“Your Imperial Majesty could not even begin to understand the complexity of the galactic budget,” Otto began.

“My father taught me how to understand it so I could keep track of it on my own if I needed to. I want to see where this deficit is. I want the full budget on my desk by the end of the day, or I will have you replaced.” Karis glared at the man.

“Your Imperial Majesty, please recall what happened the last time you tried to replace one of the ministers.” Vasco looked at him with a smug little smile. “Do you wish to have that happen again?”

“I will remove you from the council if it happens again, Vasco. You remember what happened the last time I did that, I trust?” Karis countered. The smile vanished and Vasco scowled.

“I will have a rundown of the budget on your desk by the end of the day.” Otto reached for his pad.

“Not a rundown. The entirety of the budget. I want to see where this deficit is coming from.” Karis fixed the man with the same cold stare he knew his father had given him more than once.

“Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.” Otto paled and made a note on his pad.

“Now, since we are not getting anywhere, I am adjourning this meeting.” Karis rose to his feet. “I trust you can all find your way back to your offices.” He looked at Otto. “Everything, my lord. I want it all.” He turned and walked out of the room.

Karis retreated to his suite and ran his fingers through his hair. He’d made a mistake in giving into Vasco’s suggestion that he keep his father’s council temporarily while he settled in. By the time he started finding replacements, Vasco and the other council members assassinated them so he couldn’t replace them. Vasco had made it clear they’d continue doing that until there was no one left the young emperor trusted unless Karis agreed to keep the council the same. To save lives, Karis had agreed.

The council was rapidly becoming a problem for Karis. They were constantly trying to pass laws without his approval, though they needed his signature on them to make them official. He’d signed a few in place early on and now they thought they could force him to sign them all. He refused and every day they tried to bully him even more.

Karis groaned in despair. He didn’t know what to do now. He couldn’t replace the council without having his chosen ministers assassinated, but he couldn’t keep up this daily fight without going mad. Or giving in and letting them have their way. But then he wouldn’t be the emperor, just a mouthpiece and that was the last thing his mother would have wanted him to become.

“I was too young, Mother,” Karis muttered into the silence of his chambers. “Too young and too inexperienced, and they took advantage of that. Starflare, I am still too young and inexperienced. I do not know what I am doing.”

He turned to Imre. “Your Imperial Majesty. How can I help you?”

“I am going to be busy with the budget this evening, Imre. Assuming my Minister of the Exchequer actually sends it to me. I will not be joining the court. Have the servants bring me up something from the kitchen later, will you?” Karis settled onto the couch and picked up his pad.

“Of course, Your Imperial Majesty.” Imre looked at him curiously. “What are your plans for lunch?”

“I would like to speak with Arken, if he is available.” Karis wanted an update on his courtesan wing, and he knew he’d be too busy that evening to get one.

“I will see if he’s free, Your Imperial Majesty. He already has two charges, and he may not feel comfortable leaving them for very long.” Imre waited to see if Karis had anything else to say.

“I can appreciate that. It does not need to be for the entire meal. I just want to talk to him. I need a status report on what I set in motion with him and Tremere, and I want to know how things are going with that.” Karis began reading through the paperwork in his inbox.

“Yes, Your Imperial Majesty. I will take care of it right away.” Imre was nothing if not efficient.

“Let him know I would save it for this evening, but if my minister follows through, I am going to be extremely busy.” Karis glanced up briefly before resuming his work.

“Of course, Your Imperial Majesty. Anything else?” Imre was always so patient with him. Karis was beginning to understand why a valet was so important for the sake of the emperor’s sanity as well as serving as his chief aide.

“Do I have any other appointments this morning?” Karis asked.

“Lord Vasco has requested an audience.” From the look on Imre’s face, he knew what Karis’ answer to that was going to be as Karis looked up at that request.

“I am done dealing with that man today. He can wait until tomorrow and see me in the council chamber.” Karis didn’t want to see any of his ministers, except perhaps the Minister of the Exchequer, for the rest of the day.

“Of course, Your Imperial Majesty. You have no other appointments this morning, but you do have the audiences this afternoon after lunch.” Imre seemed very sure of his schedule.

“I hate the audiences.” Karis grimaced. “Just so many people whining at me about what they want and not caring about what is good for the empire.”

“We could cancel them for today, if Your Imperial Majesty believes he will be too busy,” Imre suggested.

Karis sighed. “As tempting as that is, Imre, I cannot. It would upset too many people. Just make sure you are back here in time to help me dress for the confounded audiences after lunch.”

“Of course, Your Imperial Majesty.” Imre smiled. Even though he’d only been serving Karis for two years, the man understood his moods better than anyone and was willing to do what it took to take some of the stress off of Karis where he could. “I have sent the message to Lord Arken as you requested.”

“Thank you, Imre.” Karis got to work on some of the ever-present paperwork.

Lunch came and when the servants brought him his food, they also brought Arken with them. “Your Imperial Majesty.” Arken bowed.

“I am sorry to pull you away from your charges, Arken.” Karis smiled at the man in charge of his courtesans.

“They have already eaten and are entertaining themselves.” Arken smiled. “I can spare some time away from the wing. Davyd is in my office and if something truly goes wrong, he can handle it until a servant comes and gets me.”

“I am glad you have such able assistants.” Karis looked at him curiously. “Have you heard anything from Tremere?”

“He has found another one, Your Imperial Majesty.” Arken checked his pad. “In fact, he should be on his way to pick her up as we speak. He scouted another one, and has his eye on two more academies after he picks up the two he already scouted.”

“Is he bringing them in together?” Karis frowned. He didn’t know how large the courtesan wing’s private ship was, but he didn’t think it was that large.

“No, one at a time.” Arken confirmed Karis’ thoughts. “His ship is rather small, and it is easier to bring them in singly. I expect the next one in about four weeks. He is collecting her from Atania, I believe he said.”

“Atania? I have heard it has a terrible reputation.” Karis was more than a little concerned.

“It used to, Your Imperial Majesty.” Arken once again consulted his pad. “Over the past three decades, its reputation has improved drastically. It has gone from thirty seventh to tenth in the rankings, and Tremere thought since it was in the top twenty, he would check it out. He found one young lady there who fits what you were looking for. They were most reluctant to let him take her when he revealed who he was prospecting for, but as he pointed out, you cannot say no to the emperor, and they capitulated.”

“Did he say why they were reluctant?” Karis took a few bites of food.

“I think it is the nature of the position, Your Imperial Majesty.” Arken regarded him solemnly. “According to Tremere’s message, the young lady in question has some strong feelings about it and they knew she would not be pleased to be chosen.”

“I do not blame her.” Karis shook his head. “It is not an easy position to accept. I trust you will make her stay as comfortable and as pleasant as possible, given the circumstances of what her life and death are going to be.”

“I will do my utmost to take good care of her and the others,” Arken assured him.

“Did Tremere at least give you the names of the women he is bringing in?” Karis asked.

“Sayana is the one from Atania, Your Imperial Majesty.” Arken consulted his pad again. “And Zarina is the young lady from Nilewei.”

“Nilewei? Are they not one of the higher ranked academies?” Karis tried to remember what he’d read of the rankings.

“Ranked fifth this year, Your Imperial Majesty.” Arken turned his pad so Karis could see the list of rankings. “Their courtesans are quite popular. As I understand it from Tremere, you may find Sayana the better conversationalist out of the ladies he has found.”

“Why is that?” Karis looked at him curiously.

“The other ladies specialized in their studies.” Arken frowned. “That is how Tremere put it. They focused on one topic and only that one topic. Sayana, it seems, has read widely and plans to continue to do so.”

“I may get a broader conversation with her than with the other women.” Karis thought about it for a moment. “She may be the more interesting of the ones he has found.”

“Yes, Your Imperial Majesty. At least that is how I am interpreting Tremere’s messages. He sends them encoded so Lord Vasco and the others cannot intercept them, and our code does not leave much room for explanation.” Arken chuckled. “The perils of trying to be secretive.”

“I appreciate the two of you working with me on this.” Karis sighed. “I so rarely get to hold a real conversation with someone, it will be nice to just talk to them.”

“I can understand that completely, Your Imperial Majesty.” Arken nodded sympathetically. “That is, after all, what courtesans are here for.”

“That first one though, the one that Geno brought in before I retired him for not listening, you think she is hopeless?” Karis rubbed his temples. All the old eunuchs should have retired with Valter, but Geno had been younger than the rest so had stayed on to help Arken. He should have retired him with the others.

“Completely, Your Imperial Majesty.” Arken shook his head with a frown. “I have told her if she wants to impress you, she should read. Angharad insists that she can entertain you just fine with what she already knows and has no need to read. Marin, the first of the ones Tremere brought in, seems to have taken to the studying quite well.”

“Well, at least one of them will be interesting to talk to.” Karis nodded with thanks. “I will not keep you from your charges any longer, Arken. Thank you for taking the time to speak with me.”

“Of course, Your Imperial Majesty. Any time you need an update on your ladies, let me know and I will be happy to speak with you.” Arken bowed and left the room.

Karis finished his lunch and checked his pad. The Minister of the Exchequer had surprisingly sent the entire budget to him with a note offering to go over the finer points of it with him that evening if Karis found it too difficult to understand. Karis wanted to dive into it, but he didn’t have time. Imre returned and it was time to get ready for the audiences.

Imre got Karis dressed in one of his formal outfits and Karis made his way to the throne room. He seated himself on the throne. People filed int. A delegation of courtesans moved forward and asked for permission to expand their academy on Esenov. It seemed they were prospering, and they needed more space. Karis gladly agreed to sign off on it and they moved on.

Several other petitions were dealt with from lords and other officials. When he felt he’d done enough for the day, he motioned to the seneschal and the man called an end to the audiences. Karis rose and left the throne room amidst the complaints that the emperor hadn’t yet heard the most important petitions. He snorted. They all thought their petitions were the most important. How little they truly mattered, though he was pleased to help the courtesans. Overcrowding in an academy was serious business, as far as he was concerned.

He returned to his suite where Imre was waiting for him. He changed from his formal attire into something a little more casual and settled in to work on some paperwork that needed to be done. He sent back several petitions to the council, telling them once again he would not be signing any of these into law. He reluctantly signed a few as he could not find any reason not to though he didn’t want to give in to them at all.

When he finished the rest of his paperwork, Karis sat down with the budget and opened it up. He began going over the figures carefully, making notes as he went. He was appalled by how poorly the budget had been kept up.

Dinner came and went and still Karis worked on the budget. It was midnight and Imre cleared his throat. “Your Imperial Majesty, it is midnight. You need to get some sleep.”

“Do me a favor, Imre. Cancel the council meeting this morning. I am still working on the budget. I have no idea how they let it get so out of hand. Well, I do know, and I am not happy about it. I need some more time to work on it, and I am not going to get it if I have to dance around the council.” Karis stared at the figures with some dismay.

“I’ll send the message as soon as you’re in bed, Your Imperial Majesty.” Karis recognized the tone of Imre’s voice.

Karis chuckled. “All right, Imre.” He saved his progress and his notes and put down the pad. “I will go to bed.”

Imre called for Adem and Lucan, the other young man who now helped Karis, and they got him changed into his sleep suit. Karis climbed into bed and put out the lights in his room while Imre put out the lights in the outer chambers. Karis curled up and went to sleep.

The next morning, he woke up at his usual time. He was still tired but didn’t feel like going back to sleep. He rose and wandered out into the main room. Imre was waiting for him, as were Adem and Lucan. Karis raised an eyebrow. “You two are early this morning.”

“Fashion has changed, Your Imperial Majesty.” Imre gestured to the two servants. “They’ve been helping me replace your clothing and just got back from recycling the old clothing.”

Karis shook his head. “What is the style this time? Something outlandish as usual, I am certain.”

“Nothing of the sort, Your Imperial Majesty.” Imre led the way into the bedroom. “See for yourself.”

Karis opened his closets and surveyed the clothing inside. “Well, it is not as bad as I was expecting. I need a shower and then you can get me dressed. Something not too brightly colored today, Imre. I am not in the mood.”

“Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.” Imre began surveying the casual outfits while Karis went into the bathroom. He showered, shaved, dried off, and wrapped in a robe. He came out to find that Imre had chosen a warm brown outfit.

“That will do nicely, Imre.” He let his Imre help him dress.

“Lord Vasco is most insistent on speaking with you this morning.” Imre tugged the clothing into place as he spoke.

“I am not seeing anyone from the council until I have finished going over the budget.” Karis scowled. He didn’t want to see anyone, least of all Vasco.

“He made some reference to a young man at court that Your Imperial Majesty seems to be spending some time with, a Lord Tamerlan. He was very insistent that I inform you that if you did not see him, he could not guarantee a terrible accident wouldn’t befall the young man.” Imre’s tone was neutral, but it was clear that he understood the implied threat as well as Karis did.

Karis swore under his breath. Tamerlan was the mathematical genius he intended to replace the current Minister of the Exchequer with when the opportunity arose. He couldn’t afford to have him killed like all the others. “Very well. Tell Vasco I will see him after breakfast, but he had better keep his remarks brief. I have no patience for him this morning.”

“I will so inform him, Your Imperial Majesty.” Imre finished helping Karis dress before heading out of the room.

The servants brought Karis his breakfast. He ate as he worked. He saved his progress and looked at Imre. “Inform Vasco I have time to see him, if he hurries. I am very busy and do not have much time to spare him this morning.”

“I will so inform him, Your Imperial Majesty.” Imre sent the message.

Twenty minutes later, Vasco entered the emperor’s chambers. He bowed. “Your Imperial Majesty, how goes it with the budget?”

“Quite well, actually.” Karis kept his tone cool and his expression neutral.

“You have no questions?” Vasco seemed puzzled by this.

“Plenty for the Minister of the Exchequer. None that you need to worry about, however. I have found some discrepancies I do not like and will be requiring a full accounting from him on them.” Karis picked up his pad and gave every indication of looking busy.

“Perhaps Your Imperial Majesty just does not understand the way the budget is structured.” Vasco was trying to pry, and Karis knew it.

“My father taught me very well, Vasco. I know what the budget is supposed to look like. This is not it.” Karis fixed the man with a cold stare.

“I see. I was merely wondering if you were having trouble with the budget and came to offer my assistance with understanding it. But it seems you have it well in hand.” Vasco seemed more than a little disturbed by the fact that Karis knew how to process the budget, and it made Karis very curious as to why.

“My father saw to it that I was fully trained, Vasco. That way if something happened to him, I could step in and take over at any point. The fact that I was only nineteen when he died was mere chance.” Karis didn’t hide the fact that he suspected Vasco of being behind that incident.

“Of course, Your Imperial Majesty. Well then, if you do not need my help, I will let you get back to your work.” Vasco bowed again and left the room. Karis shook his head and returned to work.

He only paused in his work to deal with the audiences. They were as dull as they usually were, but they were a break from the budget. Karis returned to his quarters and resumed work on the budget. He finished with it just as his servants brought in his dinner.

“I felt Your Imperial Majesty would not want dinner with the court this evening, given how hard you’ve been working today.” Imre brought him a glass of wine.

“No, I did not want to go have dinner with my court this evening.” Karis sipped the wine. “Though I am going to be fielding questions about my health for the next several days as I have taken two nights off in a row. I swear, my court thinks I am dying any time I miss a meal with them.”

“Is that not the nature of the court though, Your Imperial Majesty?” Imre’s lips twitched and Karis felt his own amusement bubbling to the surface. “To turn everything into the worst-case scenario?”

“It is. Imre, please let the Minister of the Exchequer know I want to speak with him this evening. I have some things to go over with him before the council session tomorrow.” Karis turned his attention to his meal.

“Of course, Your Imperial Majesty. I will see to it at once.” Karis finished eating and let the servants clear the dishes away. He prepared his notes and steeled himself. This was going to be a long night, and it was going to end with the Minister of the Exchequer answering some hard questions.