Karis sat brooding in the evening, waiting for the courtesan he’d called for to arrive. He was growing particularly fond of this one. After all, she’d given him good advice if he’d bothered to take it. She was far wiser than he was in many ways, and in others she was as innocent as a child.

The door to his chambers opened and Sayana was ushered in by the usual Imperial guard escort. Tonight she was dressed in dark blue with her long hair twisted into a half knot with curls cascading down her back. Midnight sapphires winked in the light from ears and throat as she bowed deeply.

“Come in, Sayana.” Karis gestured to a chair.

Sayana sat down and, once the guard left the room, removed her veil. “Your Imperial Majesty.” Her voice was soft and lyrical and just hearing it improved his mood.

“Karis, Sayana.” Karis could see the shock on her face. “You can call me Karis. That is my name, after all.”

“Karis.” She seemed almost shy when she spoke his name.

“I get very tired of hearing my title. The last person to call me by name was my mother. My father never called me by my name. I was always ‘boy’ or ‘the crown prince.’ I would like to hear my name again, occasionally.” Karis sighed. If only he could hear it from his mother again.

“Then I shall call you Karis, if you wish.” She smiled at him.

“I do wish it. Tell me, Sayana, what have you been reading?” He turned his full attention on the beautiful woman in front of him.

“I’ve been reading a book on the history of the founding.” Sayana frowned and clasped her hands in her lap. “It’s rather dry and boring, actually, and I’m finding it hard to stay engaged with it. But I’m determined to finish it. I read a book on the life of the scientist and engineer Hadrion Tamar before I started this one, though, and that book was fascinating enough to keep me interested all the way through.”

“Really?” Karis perked up at that. He too had read a book on the same man some time ago. “Tell me what you learned about Hadrion Tamar.” With that, the conversation started. Sayana went on about what she’d learned about Hadrion Tamar, and they broadened it into other engineers she’d read about. She was very animated, her hands moving gracefully through the air as she emphasized the points she was making.

Karis leaned back on the couch and let her talk, content to just listen. He put in his own comments from time to time but let her do most of the rambling this time. He couldn’t help but realize just how beautiful she was. The other women were beautiful as well, but there was something about Sayana that made him want to simply look at her for the entire time they were together. Perhaps it was how animated she became during their discussions. Or perhaps it was the smile that split her face as she talked. He wasn’t sure. But whatever it was, she was even more beautiful than the others to him.

They talked until Imre brought Adem and a few others in. “It’s growing late, Your Imperial Majesty,” Imre said when Sayana paused to hastily pull her veil back on.

“So it is.” Karis glanced at the chronometer. “Time just rocketed by tonight.”

“I always lose track of time when we talk.” Sayana looked at the servants and back to Karis.

“It is easy to do.” Karis stood and held out his hand. “But now we have one last thing to do, and then I can send you back to the wing.”

Sayana took his hand, and he led her into his bedroom. The servants stripped them of their clothes and then left them in privacy. Sayana removed her veil again and they climbed into his bed. Karis brushed his hand across her cheek. He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers, then lowered his mouth to her throat. He heard her gasp and felt her hands against his skin.

Sayana was one of the more creative of his courtesans. There had been a little hesitancy in the beginning, as she stuck to only the techniques she’d learned at her academy. But as Karis grew bolder and tried different things each time, Sayana followed his lead and strayed from just her academy’s teachings into more adventurous actions. She and Marin were the only ones who had while the others played it safe and stuck with what they knew.

He found the right spot and soon Sayana was writhing and moaning, her sweet voice echoing in his bedroom. Karis felt her hands trembling and knew she was close to the edge. He pulled his fingers away and she whimpered. He didn’t want to end the night so soon.

He began teasing and tormenting her, drawing her out in other ways. She guided him with voice and touch, drawing him deeper into his own passion. Finally he knew he wouldn’t be able to control himself much longer and resumed his ministrations on that one particular spot.

It didn’t take long and Sayana cried out as her body was rocked by her climax. As her head reeled he slipped inside her and began moving. He was close enough it didn’t take long for his own climax to hit. For a moment he forgot to breathe as pure pleasure washed over him. Karis collapsed beside her, breathing hard, as she turned her head and looked at him with her luminous green eyes.

He held her for a few minutes, not wanting the night to end, before sighing and summoning his servants back again. They helped her dress. “Good night, Karis.” She slipped her veil over her face. Her voice was soft and there was a lingering hint of something in her tone.

“Good night, Sayana.” Karis’ voice was just as soft. Her eyes crinkled as she smiled and then she was gone.

Imre and the others came into the room and helped him dress for bed. Karis felt more than a little melancholy. He was lonely. The courtesans provided such a brief respite from the bitter loneliness of his life as emperor. He had no friends he could turn to. He didn’t dare have any. They’d be subverted or killed by his council. Was this why his father had been such a cold and cruel man? To deal with the solitude of his position?

“Is something wrong, Your Imperial Majesty?” Imre gave him a concerned look.

“Nothing that can be remedied.” Karis rubbed his face with his hands. “At least not right now.” Imre continued staring at him. “It is truly nothing for you to worry about, Imre. I am just feeling sorry for myself tonight. I need to get some sleep and forget about it.”

“Might I suggest taking one of your sleeping pills then, Your Imperial Majesty?” Imre suggested. “Or else you’ll be up all night thinking about this.”

“I was planning on it, Imre.” Karis smiled. “If you could bring me a glass of water, please?”

“Of course, Your Imperial Majesty.” Imre left but returned a moment later with a glass of water. Karis took one of his sleeping pills and gave the glass back to Imre before laying down. He closed his eyes. He tried not to think about anything, but Sayana’s face popped up into his mind. He focused on that until the pill kicked in and he dropped into sleep.

The next morning, Karis awoke to find his servants in turmoil. “What is going on here?”

“Imre’s been hurt, Your Imperial Majesty.” Adem was very agitated. “Lord Vasco came and demanded to speak to you before you were even awake. Imre refused to wake you, and Lord Vasco attacked him. The Imperial guard escorted Lord Vasco out of the room, but Imre was bleeding, and the doctors took him away. We don’t know how bad he was hurt.”

Karis scrambled out of bed. “Adem, you have served me long enough that you know what I need in the morning. I am grabbing a quick shower and then I will want the gray and blue outfit this morning. I will reach out to the doctors after I am dressed to find out how Imre is doing.”

“Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.” Adem set to work.

Karis bathed and dressed. He sent Lucan away but kept Adem with him. “Adem, was it Imperial doctors? Or just the usual court doctors who took Imre away?”

“I don’t know, Your Imperial Majesty.” Adem gave him a guilty look. “I wasn’t paying attention.”

Karis opened his door and called for his guards. “This morning there was an altercation in my rooms. My valet Imre was injured. Which doctors took him away?”

“The Imperial doctors, Your Imperial Majesty,” one of the guards replied promptly. “We wouldn’t let anyone else touch him.”

“Thank you.” Karis closed his door and grabbed his pad. He sent a message to the head of the Imperial doctors. He got a reply almost instantly. “Imre is in stable condition. He is on regenerators for a broken nose and has been doused with the bruise salve for a black eye. He should be back here in the next couple of hours.”

Adem sighed with relief. “It wasn’t that serious then.”

“No, but I will not tolerate an attack on my household. Vasco overstepped his bounds again and needs to be brought up short.” He sent a message to Vasco, banishing him from the council again and telling him that if he couldn’t contain himself and refrain from injuring members of the Imperial household, he could very well stay off the council.

Vasco was nothing if not predictable. He showed up at Karis’ door thirty minutes later. Karis was just finishing his breakfast. He let Vasco stew while he finished, and then had Adem let him in. “Your Imperial Majesty cannot be serious about banishing me from the council again,” Vasco began hotly.

“I am deadly serious, Vasco.” Karis held up his hand. “You barged into my rooms well before I am usually awake and demanded my servants wake me. When Imre refused, you assaulted him. You had to be dragged out of here by the Imperial guard. I do not serve at your leisure, Vasco. You serve at mine. It seems I need to remind you of that fact. I let you back on the council because I had your assurance you would act in a manner befitting your position. You have not. You are banished from the council. If you have something urgent that you needed to discuss with me, you can send it to one of your constituents on the council and have them bring it up at the council meeting today.”

Vasco glared at Karis, but Karis remained calm and silent. “You will regret this, Your Imperial Majesty.”

“Threaten me again, and you will go straight to the executioner for treason and not back to your wife,” Karis snapped. “I am tired of you, Vasco. I should have been rid of you long ago.” Vasco stalked rigidly from the room. Karis looked at Adem, who’d witnessed the entire episode. “Adem, call Tamas. I think it is time a more concerted effort was made in discovering Vasco’s secrets.”

“Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.” Adem sent the message and then Karis dismissed him. An hour later, the head of the investigation bureau arrived.

“You wished to see me?” Tamas asked, bowing.

“Tamas, I have something dangerous I want you to do.” Karis knew, with how limited his resources were in the investigation bureau, this was very risky. He also knew with his current council, he’d never be able to expand it beyond its current state.

“What is that?” Tamas was concerned.

“I believe Vasco is guilty of treason.” Karis saw the look on his face. They both knew he was though they couldn’t yet prove it. “I know he is guilty of assassinating several key members of the court, though I have no proof. I want that proof. I want to be able to eliminate him once and for all. Find it for me.”

“This will take time, Your Imperial Majesty.” Tamas was cautious, Karis would give him that. “Vasco is a dangerous opponent. His agents are very good, and I’ve lost a few when I’ve tried spying on him before. I will have to be very careful in who I send and how they approach this.”

“I understand, Tamas.” Karis had known it wasn’t going to be as simple as walking into Vasco’s house and stealing his pad. “I would like to eliminate him some time in the next year if at all possible.”

“I can work with that time frame, Your Imperial Majesty.” Tamas gave him a relieved smile. “So long as you weren’t trying to get rid of him by the winter festival.”

“Even I know it will take you longer than that, Tamas.” Karis nodded reassuringly. “He is a slippery bastard who has been at this longer than I have been alive. He is very good, and we are going to have to be even better to catch him at it.”

“Then I’ll get started right away, Your Imperial Majesty. With your permission?” Karis nodded and Tamas left.

Karis had put it off as long as possible. He got up and made his way to the council chamber. The other ministers were already there. “Your Imperial Majesty, we were wondering if you were joining us,” Ananya said.

“I was taking care of some other business.” Karis sat down. “Shall we begin?”

“Should we not wait for Vasco?” Hovan looked askance at the empty chair.

“I have banished him from the council for the time being.” Karis looked at his ministers. “He will not be a part of our deliberations until he learns to control himself a little better.”

“I see. And you do not see anything wrong with banishing your chief advisor?” Hovan frowned at him.

“He is not my chief advisor.” Karis returned the frown. “You have all let him bully, blackmail, or assassinate enough people to become head of this council when he holds no position in the government and has no claim to that position other than he wanted it, so he took it. I see no need to have him present, so either let us begin or we will dismiss the council, and I will deal with the running of my empire without you.”

“You could not hope to run the empire without us, Your Imperial Majesty.” Maaike smirked at him.

“I could and I will if you do not cease whining about Vasco not being present,” Karis warned.

“Yes, Your Imperial Majesty,” Rhema murmured.

“Your Imperial Majesty, I have a motion here.” Zefram stood. And the work started. Karis blocked most of what the council wanted to do because it was a detriment to the empire, but he did allow a few things through. He pushed for a few of his own ideas to be approved, but the council wouldn’t hear of it without getting Vasco’s opinions on the matter. Karis argued with them, but they refused to budge.

Karis returned to his chambers, angry and bitter to find Imre had called for a sumptuous lunch for him. “Thank you, Imre.”

“You’re not eating enough again, Your Imperial Majesty.” Imre poured him a glass of wine.

“I eat plenty,” Karis snapped. “I am not active enough anymore to eat this much food and not get fat. I do not have the time for training sessions with Narin anymore and haven’t for two years. I cannot afford to eat a lot.”

“Make time, Your Imperial Majesty. You’re going to make yourself sick if you don’t eat enough.” Imre looked at him sternly. “The doctors are concerned.”

“Starflare, is this their doing? They are a bunch of meddlesome busybodies.” Karis glowered at the table.

“Eat, Your Imperial Majesty.” Imre was implacable. “And train with Trainer Wil this afternoon after your audiences.”

“Send her a message, will you?” Karis picked up his fork. “See if she is free?”

“I will, Your Imperial Majesty.” Imre pulled out his pad.

Karis ate and went to his audiences. They were as boring as usual, and he went back to his chambers feeling like he was just wasting his time holding them. But they were a tradition dating back to the founding and stars help him if he tried to do away with them.

Imre was waiting for him. “Trainer Wil is waiting for you in your usual training room, Your Imperial Majesty.”

“I need to change clothes first, Imre.” Karis tugged on the elegant shirt. “I cannot train in this outfit.”

“Of course, Your Imperial Majesty.” They got Karis changed into a sparring outfit and Karis made his way to the small training room he’d spent so much time in since first leaving the courtesan wing as a boy.

Narin was standing there, grinning at him. “Decided you wanted a workout, Your Imperial Majesty? You know I’m going to make you run and do your stretches first.”

“I would expect no less, Narin.” Karis laughed. He set off at full speed, running around the room ten times. He had to slow down once, proving to himself he was out of shape, but his endurance was still high. He did his stretches and immediately got attacked. Narin was ruthless as always, and Karis found himself enjoying their sparring match. It ended when Narin pinned him to the ground.

“Not bad, Your Imperial Majesty. You’re not leaving your left side open like you used to.” Narin helped him off the ground. “You’re a little slow, but that’s from lack of practice. You should make time to come spar with me more often. That will sharpen you back up in no time.”

“I needed this workout.” Karis mopped the sweat from his face with a towel sitting on the bench in the corner of the room. Narin was doing the same thing. “I think I will make more of an effort to come visit you.”

“How are you holding up, Your Imperial Majesty? I only hear the gossip, and that’s not always very flattering.” She was watching him out of the corner of her eye.

“It is probably all true though.” Karis let the bitterness spill out. Narin was one of the few people he did trust. “I am being bullied by my father’s council because I was stupid enough to leave them in place after he died. It was all so chaotic those first few months and I thought it was a sensible thing to do not to make too many changes right away. I should have known better. And when I was ready to make those changes, they assassinated the ones I planned to replace them with. I am trapped in a hell of my own making, and I do not know how to get out of it.”

“Be subversive, Your Imperial Majesty.” Narin turned to look at him. “Like you were when you were the Imperial prince. You never let your father dictate what you did or thought. You forged your own path. You’ll have to be a little more circumspect than you were as crown prince, so you don’t get people killed. But cultivate their replacements. Then, one by one, replace them until you have your own council and not your father’s.”

“I have managed to keep my replacement for the Minister of the Exchequer from being subverted or assassinated.” Karis looked at her thoughtfully. “He is almost ready to take over. He just needed to clean up some personal business so Vasco could not use it against him on the council.”

“You see? You’re already making plans.” Narin nodded approvingly. “Follow through with them. Do it carefully. But you can do this, Your Imperial Majesty. Treat the council like you did your father and go around them to get what you want. You’re the emperor, not the prince. You have ultimate authority, not them.”

“You are right, Narin.” Karis smiled. “Thank you.”

“My pleasure, Your Imperial Majesty.” Narin grinned. “Now, get down here for another sparring match as soon as possible.”

“I will. I promise.” He turned and headed back to his rooms.

Winter set in with a vengeance. The first snowstorms were brutal, as they usually were, and dropped almost two meters of snow on the Throne World in the span of a week. Karis sent out his road crews and soon life was back to normal. Over the past few months, he’d achieved quite a bit with his council, but he couldn’t keep Vasco off it forever and finally, under much pressure, he finally let the man back on.

One day, Vasco greeted the emperor coldly as he entered the council chamber. “Your Imperial Majesty has been lying to us.”

“Oh? What about?” Karis seated himself in his usual spot.

“Your courtesans.” Vasco regarded him coldly.

“What about my courtesans?” Karis felt a cold lump form in the pit of his stomach. What had the council learned about his ladies?

“Your courtesans are not ordinary women, are they, Your Imperial Majesty?” Vasco asked. “They are all well educated women, a fact that you have kept concealed from us.”

“So what if they are?” Karis kept his expression neutral. “I enjoy a good scholarly conversation, and as I do not regularly get it from my court, I sought it elsewhere.”

“That cannot be allowed, Your Imperial Majesty.” Ananya took up the thread of the conversation. “We have selected two women we feel are more appropriate for you. You will dispatch Lord Tremere to fetch them for you, and we will expect you to call for these women frequently.”

“I will do no such thing.” Karis glared at his council. “I am happy with my current courtesans and see no need to add to them, nor will I call for two women chosen by the council as I am sure they will not meet my specifications. Besides, you do not get a say in how I run my household. My courtesans are a part of my household and are therefore not under the council’s jurisdiction.”

“Then I move that the emperor’s courtesans be taken out of his household and be put into the purview of the council.” Vasco looked around at the other ministers for support.

“We cannot do that, Vasco.” Otto shook his head. “His Imperial Majesty’s household is set up to afford the courtesans. We cannot move the money in the budget to pay for them.”

“Not to mention that is a tradition that goes back to the founding.” Maaike gestured to Karis. “We cannot just change it like that. No one would accept it.”

“Your Imperial Majesty, you will accept these two new courtesans into your household, or we will kill your current courtesans.” Vasco turned back to Karis. “I will see to it that they all die, and you will have no courtesans.”

“Very well.” Karis saw no way around their request. “I will accept these two new courtesans into my household.”

“You will have to call for them as well, Your Imperial Majesty.” Zefram was no fool. He knew what Karis would do.

“I will call for them as often as I feel the need for their company.” Karis was not going to play their game any more than he had to. He’d take the damn women into the wing. He wouldn’t call for them unless he absolutely had to.

“I move that we pass a law that says the emperor has to call for all of his courtesans equally.” Vasco could see where Karis was going with his statement.

“You cannot pass a law dictating what I do with my own household, Vasco.” Karis smirked at the man. “It is my household so I can run it as I see fit.”

“Then perhaps we should do away with courtesans at court altogether,” Vasco shot back.

“Forget it, Vasco.” Zefram shook his head. “That will not work.” Considering the man frequently contracted courtesans because his wife refused to sleep with him, Karis knew that kind of law would never be popular with him.

“There are too many of us who have courtesans that would refuse that law if it were passed.” Ananya glared at Vasco. That was news to Karis. He didn’t know she had a courtesan. Then again, how many of his ministers were married for anything other than political gain?

“Leave it alone, Vasco. He has agreed to take them. He will call for them eventually. That is all we can do.” Rhema didn’t look happy, but even she was resigned to agree to Karis’ terms.

Vasco subsided, but he glared at Karis every time he looked at the young emperor. Karis ignored him and finished his business. He got the information on the two new courtesans from the council and sent it to Arken, asking him to have Tremere retrieve the young ladies. He returned to his chambers for lunch and then went to the audiences. It was going to be a long day.