The next few weeks passed, and the women settled into a life without Tekla. The emperor didn’t call for the women, so they just read and sat in the garden. It was another month before Arken came out and said, “Renate, the emperor called for you. You will go to him this evening.”

“Yes Lord Arken.” Renate stared at him anxiously. “Has he taken any precautions to prevent what happened to Tekla from happening to the rest of us?”

“He has.” Arken smiled at her reassuringly. “You will be escorted by more than one Imperial guard, and he is sweeping the corridors both before and after he is done with you.”

“We should be safe with those precautions.” Marin gave a relieved sigh.

“Well, you will be safer.” Arken exhibited signs of concern. “You will not be truly safe until the council and Vasco are permanently dealt with. That is not going to happen any time soon so you ladies will also have to be on your guard. Watch your surroundings closely. Do not hesitate to scream if you see something out of place. That could save your life.”

“Yes Lord Arken.” Renate regarded the other women solemnly.

It was obvious Renate was nervous as she went through her day. She left in the company of four of the Imperial guards and the ladies waited anxiously for her return. She returned at the usual time, much to the relief of the rest of the courtesans. “He was very kind tonight. He could see I was afraid when I came in and did a lot to help me relax as we talked. I was very nervous walking back, but he sent his guards out to sweep the corridors before I left, and I watched everything very closely. My guards stayed very close to me as well and we made it back here with no incidents.”

“That’s good to hear.” Marin set her pad to the side. “How was he?”

“He seemed very sad still.” Renate sat down and removed her veil. “He put that aside to coax me into a better mood, and in so doing he got himself into a better mood. But he’s still greatly disturbed by what happened with Tekla, I think.”

“He would be.” Sayana was pensive as she spoke. “He feels things very deeply, I’ve noticed. He is a compassionate man who doesn’t like to see anyone suffer, and here we are, suffering at the hands of his enemies.”

“This would never have happened if he hadn’t married Lynet.” Ji-Hye expressed her displeasure at the situation.

“Lord Vasco threatened to kill us if he didn’t marry Lynet,” Zarina reminded her. “And now he’s killing us because the emperor is neglecting Lynet. I don’t know why Lynet is so special that the council likes her so much.”

“She’s malleable, she’s easily controlled, and if they get her pregnant, they can kill the emperor and have someone as regent for the new emperor that will do as they wish.” Sayana ticked the points off on her fingers. “That’s why he won’t get her pregnant. He knows this as well and won’t put temptation in their path.”

“That’s a horrible way of looking at it, Sayana.” Renate was horrified at Sayana’s line of reasoning.

“It is probably very close to the truth.” Arken joined the women. “I would not put it past them to be plotting something like that. We know, though we have no proof, that they manufactured his father’s death to place him on the throne thinking he would be easy to control. A spineless empress and a malleable child would be a disaster for the empire.”

“If it would be so bad for the empire, why do these men and women, who swear they speak for the empire, wish to perpetuate something like this?” Ji-Hye was genuinely confused.

“Because they do not speak for the empire, Ji-Hye.” Arken shook his head. “They may have in their youth, but they have tasted power now and they do not wish to lose it. They do not care about the empire anymore, only themselves.”

“Why does the emperor allow them to remain in place then?” Ji-Hye persisted.

“He is working slowly to replace them. He has to be careful because they like their power and will not give it up easily. They are not averse to assassinating potential replacements. Vasco is not the only one who knows how to contact assassins, after all,” Arken reminded them all.

“We must be on our guard always then?” Zarina showed resignation in every fiber of her being.

“For now.” Arken smiled. “There will come a day when you will be safe again.”

“I hope it comes soon.” Renate’s dream was shared by them all.

“I do too.” Arken glanced at the chronometer. “Go to bed, ladies. It is getting late.”

“Yes Lord Arken.” The women all returned to their rooms.

Sayana called for her servants. “The court is buzzing again this evening, my lady,” Ardatha told her. “It’s said that the emperor sent Lynet away when she came to go to bed with him after Renate left. He told her he hadn’t called for her and he didn’t want her company. When she protested that she was his wife and deserved more consideration than his courtesans, he told her that she was his wife in name only and that he didn’t consider her anything more than an annoyance.”

“That can’t have gone over well.” Sayana thought about Lynet’s personality and shook her head.

“It didn’t,” Ardatha confirmed. “It’s said you could hear her shrieks halfway to the great hall. He had to have the Imperial guards drag her away. His servants were shocked by her behavior. They said she was utterly hysterical.”

“Lynet is discovering that what she thought her life was going to be like is nothing like the reality.” Sayana spoke as the women dressed her for bed and took down the simple hairstyle she usually wore when she wasn’t summoned to the emperor. “She is not the favored, pampered creature she was expecting to be. She is as much of an outcast now as she was in the wing. The problem is she’s in the public eye more now than she was as a courtesan, so she has the entire court laughing at her. That is not a comfortable position for her to be in.”

“Surely you don’t feel sorry for her.” Ardatha was appalled at the idea.

“Not really.” Sayana shrugged. “She is doing this to herself. If she’d bothered being pleasant to any of us, I might have a bit more sympathy for her. Since she was nothing but entirely unpleasant, was very disrespectful on the day we laid Tekla to rest, and is in general a miserable human being, I consider this her just reward.”

“The ones I feel sorry for are her servants. They have to put up with her abuse when she doesn’t get her way. They’ve been asking for a transfer for weeks now. The seneschal won’t do it because he says they’re used to her, and he doesn’t wish to inflict her on anyone else. They don’t think it’s fair that they have to deal with the abuse. They’re thinking about lodging a complaint with the oversight board because of her horrible treatment of them.” Faviola brushed Sayana’s hair as she spoke.

“No one should be treated poorly just because she can’t get her way.” Sayana closed her eyes and tried to relax under her servant’s ministrations. “I hope they do file a complaint with the oversight board.”

“Nothing will come of it most likely.” Faviola sounded disgruntled. “Other than a written warning delivered to Lynet, which she’ll probably just ignore.”

“That’s the stars’ own truth.” Even Ardatha didn’t sound happy. “The oversight board doesn’t do much of anything when it comes to the really wealthy families and the Imperial family. It’s only servants in lesser households that get any kind of justice.”

“That doesn’t seem fair.” Sayana opened her eyes and regarded her servants with some surprise. “The oversight board is there to protect everyone.”

“Yes, but the oversight board doesn’t want to offend those with excessive wealth because that’s who funds them.” Ardatha gave a resigned sigh. “It’s not fair, but it’s how it is.”

“Are they the same servants who served her while she was a courtesan?” Sayana asked.

“They are, and they were unhappy with her even when she was here in the wing.” Ardatha scowled. “She wasn’t as bad, so they didn’t mind it as much. But now that she’s the empress they say she’s become impossible to deal with.”

“I wish there was something we could do to help them.” Sayana hated hearing of someone suffering under Lynet’s cruelty. “No one should have to deal with being abused.”

“Thank you, my lady.” Ardatha laid a hand on her shoulder. “If there ever is something you can do, we’ll let you know.”

“Please do.” Sayana looked at the women. “Is there anything else you think I should know about?”

“No one has seen Lord Vasco for a few days.” Ardatha started tidying up Sayana’s hair pins. “He’s been locked away with his private secretary. His wife still hasn’t restored his access to the family fortune because the emperor refuses to allow him back on the council. No one thinks he’s up to any good so please be on the lookout for trouble from him.”

“I’ll warn Lord Arken and the ladies in the morning.” Sayana pursed her lips. “There’s not much we can do tonight.” Once she was ready for bed, she sent her servants away. She fell into a deep sleep and was untroubled by dreams, though her thoughts before dozing off were dark and troubling.

The next morning, she relayed everything Ardatha had told her to Arken and the other women. She included the warning about Vasco at the end. “I will have a word with the emperor. If the seneschal will not do anything about Lynet abusing her servants, perhaps he can speak with the man and that will move things along in a more positive way.” Arken made a note on his pad. “And I will warn him to watch Vasco closely. I do not trust him not to cause more trouble, especially if he is locked away with that man.” He paused. “Marin, I almost forgot. The emperor has called for you this evening.”

“After Lynet’s performance last night, I’m surprised he wants one of us again so soon.” Marin was startled. “Shouldn’t he at least have dinner with his court a few times before he calls us again?”

“I don’t think he is that concerned about Lynet’s performance last night.” Arken smiled. “I would not worry too much about her. She cannot do anything to you. As for the court, he is as tired of them as he is of the council. They can deal with him on his schedule.”

“All right.” Marin gazed up at him hopefully. “Is it a nice enough day we can go to the garden?”

“It is.” Arken made a shooing motion with his hands. “Finish your breakfast and go on out. I will send the message to the emperor.”

They followed their usual morning routine and then headed out to the garden. Sayana drifted off to her favorite corner and sat down. The bush was growing nicely, though it was still too cold at night for it to be in bloom yet. She listened to the wind chimes and just sat and enjoyed the sunshine.

“Even when they are not in bloom, you favor this spot,” a familiar voice commented with some amusement.

“Hello Karis.” Sayana looked up and smiled at him. “Escaping from your council again?”

“Yes.” Karis shook his head. “They started out by chastising me for humiliating Lynet last night. I told them she humiliated herself. If she cannot control herself better it is on her, not me. When they wanted to focus on that, I got up and left. If they cannot put that aside and work on the more important matters, I do not want to deal with them.”

“Can you leave those matters without dealing with them?” Sayana was concerned.

“I have been dealing with most of them on my own without them anyway.” Karis gave every indication of being confident. “I just go to their aides and get what is going on in their bureaus from them instead of dealing with the ministers directly because half the time they do not present me with the more important issues anyway. Things get accomplished whether the council likes it or not.”

“I’m glad.” Sayana gave him an anxious look. “What are you going to do for an heir? Lynet is your wife, but if she gets pregnant the council will be free and clear to kill you and name her regent for her child.”

“I do not plan on getting Lynet pregnant. I am going to use you ladies to produce my heirs, like my father and grandfather did.” Karis kept his gaze on the rosebush. “My grandfather and his wife did not get along either, so he turned to his courtesans. He had three daughters and one son with them, that son being my father. My father did not marry but instead had me with his favorite courtesan and I was named heir. I have no brothers or sisters, so they cannot reach out to a cadet branch of the family to replace me.”

“What about those three daughters your grandfather had? Your aunts? What happened to them?” Sayana was curious what had happened to Karis’ aunts.

“They were sent back to the academies their mothers came from and trained to be courtesans themselves. I do not know what happened to them after that. I presume they had long, profitable careers and retired comfortably. At least I always assumed they did. After hearing your story, I worry a little that they ended up like your mother.” Karis grew pale as he considered the story she’d told him.

“I’ve been told all my life that my mother’s story is an oddity,” Sayana reassured him. “That it isn’t normal for courtesans to end up in that kind of situation. There is a good chance your aunts retired and are teaching at their academies now.”

“I would like to think that is what happened to them.” Karis smiled wistfully. “It gives me some peace to know that they are living good lives.”

“I’m sure they are.” Sayana had no real reason to doubt that either. She changed the subject. “You’re planning on using us to get your heir?”

“Yes.” Karis nodded. “I have started withholding the drugs that keep you from getting pregnant. It means you might start having a monthly cycle again, which we will have to work around. But I will call for each of you until all of you are pregnant. We shall see what happens when you have your children. If any of them are sons, that will mean those are my potential heirs.”

“That’s an interesting plan.” Sayana gazed at the rosebush in thought. “What will you do if none of us have sons?”

“I will try again until we get sons.” Karis shrugged. “Daughters I will let you send back to your academies to be trained as courtesans. Sons you will have with you until they are twelve, and then they will be taken to train as Imperial princes.”

“Is that what happened to you?” Sayana wondered about his life before he became emperor.

“It is. The difference is I am going to be a more active father and a more hands-on person in their lives than my father was in mine. I do not want my sons to grow up to resent me as I did him.” The expression on Karis’ face told her that there was still a great deal of resentment built up towards his father, and she didn’t want her son – if she had one – to feel the same about Karis.

“An excellent plan.” Personally, she didn’t want any daughters of hers to become courtesans. Then again, what kind of life could she offer them stuck in the courtesan wing? They would never see anything of the world. At least training as a courtesan would give them something to do with their lives. Atania wasn’t a bad academy either, so any daughter she had would be in good hands. Head Matron Dushana, and later Matron Hannelore, would take good care of them.

“I am starting with Marin. I will keep calling for her until the doctors confirm she is pregnant and then I will move on. I do not know who I will call next. I have not decided. But we will see how long it takes to get each of you pregnant.” Karis stared silently into space, his face gone unreadable.

“Hopefully it won’t take long.” Sayana secretly wished it would take a while for her to become pregnant. She wanted to spend as much time with him as possible.

“That is my hope.” Karis smiled at her. “Now I should go tell the other women what my plans are, so they know what is going on.” He brushed his fingers down her cheek before sauntering off.

Sayana felt a little thrill of excitement. This was a chance to spend more time with the emperor than she normally would, and to have a child with him. She never thought she would have children, but to have one with Karis would be one of the happiest days of her life. Even if she never married him, she’d have something of him in her life.

For a short time, at least. Her daughter would be sent off at eight, her son at twelve. But it would be worth it if it meant doing something to help him thwart the council. She shivered. Vasco and the rest of the council were not going to like his plan. They were committed to him having a child with Lynet so they could take control of the empire through her. He was circumventing that. The women would be in even more danger than before, as would their children. Some of her joy faded as she thought of the trouble this was going to cause.