Ethian watched the court, and if his attention was focused on one member more than the others, he tried to keep it from showing. Lady Ragna Ambrosi was a stunning beauty in the upper court. She was twenty-three and was currently carving her way through the hearts of all the young – and not-so-young – courtiers. She teased, she flirted, she even outright promised everlasting affection. Then she broke their hearts because she felt they were all beneath her.
Ethian was just as smitten by her beauty as all the rest of the men. He was sensible enough not to act on it, however, because he knew she was playing games, and he didn’t want anything to do with that. “You are watching Lady Ragna again.” Fallon spoke quietly in his ear.
“Am I that obvious?” Ethian asked.
“Not to the usual observers we have on us, but to me, yes.” Fallon nudged him. “She is trouble, Ethian.”
“I know.” Ethian glanced at his brother out of the corner of his eye. “That is why I have not pursued her. I am not stupid, Fallon. She is simply someone worth watching.”
“Watch the rest of the court too, Ethian.” Fallon was amused. “We are trying to catch assassins, not inveterate flirts.”
Ethian snorted and resumed watching the court, finally turning his attention from Ragna. Karis glanced at his son. “Is there a young lady you are watching?”
“Like every young man, I am watching Lady Ragna.” Ethian decided to head off the inevitable before it became an issue. “Not because I am interested in her. Far from it. I am more amused by her antics. They are going to get her pregnant or killed, and I am not certain which one will happen first.”
“I think everyone in court is watching Ragna.” Karis’ wry tone was not lost on his son. “Even Sayana and I are keeping an eye on her. She is a source of trouble. Just do not let anyone see your interest or you could be the reason she gets killed.”
“I will keep that in mind.” Ethian wasn’t about to have that on his conscience.
An hour later, Karis and Sayana left. Ethian and Fallon withdrew as well. Ethian was grateful to be out of his formal clothing. He settled in to finish his paperwork before heading to bed. The next morning, he went out to the garden after the council meeting. The Imperial family had a private garden segmented off the public gardens. He decided to work on his paperwork out there.
It was late spring, and the scent of flowers made a pleasant counterpoint to the dull monotony of reading countless reports and petitions. He saw one from Jair asking for aid for one of the colony worlds who was having a horrifically wet spring. Crops were rotting in the fields.
This was the fifth year this had happened, and the planetary budget could not take another bad year. The crops they grew were exported and they used the profits from that to import food for the people. Five years in, their reserve funds were drying up, and they needed help. Ethian made his notes and sent the request to Metis and to Karis to see what they said.
He worked straight through until one his guards coughed to get his attention. “Your Imperial Highness, it’s almost time for lunch.”
“Ah, so it is. I needed a morning in the gardens, even if it was spent working. Let us go in now.” He saved his work and headed inside.
As he left the garden, a slender figure stepped in front of him. “Hello, Your Imperial Highness,” she said in a slightly breathless voice, peering up at him through her lashes.
“Lady Ragna.” Ethian kept his voice cool and his tone neutral.
His cold response threw her off. She was used to men reacting favorably to her. “Might I walk with you back to the palace, Your Imperial Highness?” She smiled coyly up at him.
“No, I do not think that would be a good idea.” Ethian turned her down.
Ragna pouted. “Why is that, Your Imperial Highness?”
“That would give people the wrong idea,” Ethian told her coldly. “I do not care to see you become the target for every assassin in the galaxy. Please excuse me, Lady Ragna. I am running late.” He turned and left her standing there, staring after him.
“I don’t think she liked your response, Your Imperial Highness,” one of the guards commented.
“I am not fond of perpetual flirts whose only purpose is to have as many conquests as they can get.” Ethian scowled.
“Her reputation is problematic,” a second guard agreed.
Ethian made his way back to his rooms, ate his lunch, and changed for the audiences. Audiences were as dull as usual and after they were over, Ethian returned to his rooms, changed, and got back to work. That night was a private dinner with his parents, and he was looking forward to that.
When he joined them, Karis looked at him with some concern. “I thought you were not going to speak to Ragna.” Ethian and Fallon sat down with them.
“I was not going to, but she waylaid me when I came out of the garden. I brushed her off as quickly as possible and left her standing very unhappily on her own before I came in for lunch.” Ethian frowned.
“Demetrios says the court is buzzing with rumors that you were seen speaking to her, and that you are her latest conquest.” Sayana looked at him with the same concern Karis was showing.
“Not in the slightest.” Ethian shook his head.
“Keep it that way,” Karis told him.
“I plan to.” Ethian had no intention of encouraging the woman.
Ragna had other ideas. She constantly tried to waylay him no matter where he went. She would try to speak to him after council meetings, after the audiences, she would approach the high table during the nights when Ethian was at court. She would try to guess when he’d be in the gardens and ambush him there. She was determined to give the illusion that they were a couple to everyone who mattered, and Ethian grew concerned about her safety.
One morning, a few weeks after her campaign started, Ragna was found dead in the bathroom, an obvious case of murder. Everyone was talking about how devastated Ethian was going to be and seemed surprised that he was showing no signs of grief. That night at court, one lord came up to him. Ethian recognized one of the major power brokers. “Your Imperial Highness, you do not seem too broken up over the loss of your lady,” he began.
“Lady Ragna was not my lady, Lord Galenos.” Ethian spoke dismissively of the situation. “She was a very persistent young woman with a severe lack of regard for her own safety. I am sorry she is dead, but I did warn her that her constant attempts at pursuing me would lead to this.”
“She was not your lady, Your Imperial Highness?” Galenos asked. “You seemed to spend a great deal of time in her company.”
“Ragna was very good at finding ways of insinuating herself into Ethian’s day without his permission.” Fallon added his own observation to the conversation.
“I see.” Galenos bowed and walked off. Soon the gossip changed from how Ethian wasn’t showing grief to how Ragna had played herself and gotten killed in the process because she’d bitten off more than she could chew. Ragna’s family didn’t seem too happy about these rumors and tried to counter that Ethian really had loved Ragna, but when confronted with what the two princes had said, they fell silent and glowered at Ethian and Fallon from the side of the room.
“I hate sullying the lady’s memory, but it had to be done.” Ethian sighed.
“It did, and better the truth be known than you get a reputation for being uncaring.” Karis leaned back. “Fallon, did you really say that she was very good at finding ways of insinuating herself into your brother’s day without his permission? I missed part of your conversation with Galenos.”
“I did.” Fallon shrugged. “I thought it was the most diplomatic way of saying she was an unwanted pest who brought this on herself.”
Karis snorted though he kept his face straight. “Diplomatic but perhaps not the kindest thing you could have said.”
“I was not trying to be kind.” Fallon glanced at his father. “That is Ethian’s job. I am the one who balances Ethian out. I get to say the things he cannot.”
“I need someone like that.” Karis shook his head. “Sayana is reluctant to speak her mind openly so we just try to be as diplomatically neutral as we can.”
“I am diplomatic. I am just not always neutral or kind.” Fallon seemed almost proud of that fact.
“When we leave for the night, will you two please join us before going to bed?” Karis asked.
“Yes Father.” Ethian and Fallon both replied at the same time. Karis turned his attention back to the court. Ethian lowered his voice so only Fallon could hear him. “Are you trying to get us into trouble?”
“We are not in trouble. He has questions.” Fallon shrugged.
“I have questions.” Ethian looked at his brother. He kept his expression neutral, but he knew his eyes gave away his curiosity.
“After we talk to father I will come explain it to you.” Fallon hid his smile behind his wineglass.
“Thanks.” Ethian wanted to know a few things.
It wasn’t long after that when Karis and Sayana withdrew for the evening. Ethian and Fallon followed them to their rooms. “All right. When did you two decide that Fallon was going to be the less neutral of the two of you?” Karis asked.
“It was not anything we decided together.” Fallon looked thoughtful. “I do not think Ethian even realized that is what I was doing until you brought attention to it. I decided that Ethian has to be the diplomat. I am his aide and councilor. I need to be able to deliver blunt advice, and I have to do it without caring if it is not precisely what he wants to hear. I figured I would get some practice in by being the less approachable of the two of us. I am also the person you have to get through to get to Ethian.”
“I see.” Karis turned to his other son. “How do you feel about this, Ethian?”
“The in-person petitions have died down considerably over the past year.” Ethian tapped his fingers against one crossed leg. “I did not realize Fallon was the reason. I can focus on work rather than constantly having to tell lords no, or to go talk to you.”
“That is what I do.” Fallon smiled. “If it is something Ethian can do something about, or if I think it will be better if he offers his support for it, I set an appointment. They have to convince me though and that is not easy.”
“That is why I have Imre.” Karis gestured to his valet, who smiled. “He keeps everyone away unless I tell him I am willing to speak to them. Usually, they just wait for the audiences, but I can see why they are approaching you two. You are more easily accessed than I am.”
“Fallon is doing you a great service, Ethian.” Sayana looked between the two princes.
“I know he is.” Ethian glanced at his brother. “I would not get half the work I do done without him.”
“This is why I decided to keep him here. I knew he would find a way to make himself useful as more than just your eventual advisor.” Karis nodded in satisfaction. “Have either of you heard much from Hanzo or Jair?”
“Nothing from Hanzo. He rarely ever contacts us for anything. You probably hear more about him from Lord Durden than we hear from him.” Ethian frowned. “You know what we know about Jair. Meinard reports in regularly, so you know how he is doing. Jair and Hanzo most likely will not be joining us for any of the high feasts this year. Meinard will be back for winter festival as usual.”
“All right, you two.” Karis glanced at Imre. “Do not stay up too late. Ethian, take your pills if you need help sleeping tonight.”
“I always do. I just had the doctors make me more of them.” Ethian hugged his parents. Fallon and Ethian headed out of the room and made their way to Ethian’s room.
The two princes were given glasses of something to drink by Timur – juice for Ethian, wine for Fallon – and left to talk. “All right, Ethian. What do you want to know?” Fallon asked.
“Fallon, what made you think what you are doing was a good idea?” Ethian asked. “I am not complaining. I appreciate the help. But this cannot be doing much for your reputation.”
“My reputation is that of someone who does not tolerate time wasters and fools.” Fallon sipped his wine. “I am considered more tough-minded than you. It is well known I defer to you in all things. I am for all intents and purposes your shadow. Yet I am also your gatekeeper and will not allow any disturbance in your day.”
“Do you know how people see me?” Ethian asked.
Fallon nodded. “You are similar to father, in what they know of you. You are compassionate and kind. You hold yourself reserved so they do not know you well.”
“I hope I am seen as someone who can follow in father’s footsteps.” Ethian was trying very hard to portray that.
“I do not think you have to worry about that, Ethian.” Fallon smiled.
“Thanks, Fallon.” They chatted for a few more minutes before Fallon headed to his room. Ethian called Timur. He got him ready for bed, Ethian took his sleeping pill, and he went to sleep.
The next day went exactly as usual in the morning. He had lunch and went to audiences. The first two bribed petitions were ordinary, and Karis took care of them. Then Lord Valerio Ambrosi appeared before them. “Lord Valerio, what is it you wish to ask of me?” Karis asked.
“I require Ragna to be buried in the Imperial crypt, Your Imperial Majesty,” Valerio demanded. “She was Ethian’s lady, and she deserves that honor.”
“She was never Ethian’s lady.” Karis dismissed the man’s claim. “She was a pest who would not take no for an answer and brought her fate upon herself.”
“Your Imperial Highness, please explain to your father that my daughter was your lady and deserves this honor.” Valerio turned to Ethian.
“I am sorry, Lord Valerio.” Ethian could understand why the man felt this way. “Ragna was never my lady. She was an extremely determined young woman who pursued me with a single-mindedness that I warned her repeatedly would get her killed. She did not listen to me, and it ended up costing her the very life I tried to save.”
“You lie. She told us you loved her and that you would spend every free moment with her,” Valerio snapped.
“Lord Valerio, I spent as little time with Ragna as humanly possible.” Ethian sighed inwardly. It seemed he was going to have to be rude, and he hated that. “Ragna followed me everywhere. She stalked me ceaselessly. She would wait outside the council chamber. The Imperial guards chased her off more than once, only for her to return to try to catch me when the meeting ended. When I went out to the gardens for some peace and quiet, she would ambush me as I left them to return to the palace. She would try to waylay me as we finished the audiences. Your daughter was a menace.”
Valerio’s face reddened as Ethian finished his recitation. “You are just trying to get out of honoring my daughter. You play with the heart of an innocent woman,” he began.
Laughter met those words from the rest of the court gathered there, turning Valerio even redder. “Your daughter was hardly an innocent woman, Lord Valerio.” Karis told the man coldly. “She was a notorious player who broke hearts left and right. She bit off more than she could chew when she set her sights on my son. Her ambitions killed her. See that yours do not do the same to you.” Karis waved his hand and Valerio bowed stiffly and left.
“He is going to be trouble,” Sayana murmured.
“I will have Demetrios keep watch on him and his family,” Karis murmured back. He motioned to the seneschal, and the next petitioner came forward.
“Do not let him get to you, Ethian.” Fallon spoke softly in his ear. “He is a grieving father who thought the universe of his child.”
Ethian nodded slightly and focused on the task at hand. After the audiences were over, Karis caught Ethian. “Come to my rooms after you get changed.”
“Yes Father.” Ethian went to his rooms and changed into something more comfortable. Then he went to the Imperial suite. He was let in immediately.
“Have some juice, Ethian.” Sayana offered him a glass of purple liquid. “You look like you need something to drink.”
“If you drank alcohol, I would say you needed something stronger.” Karis sipped a glass of wine.
“Actually, can I have a glass of wine?” Ethian asked. “I think I need the alcohol, as much as I hate the stuff.”
Karis and Sayana exchanged looks, but Sayana fetched him a glass of wine. “If you do not drink it all, your father will finish it off.” She smiled.
“Thank you, Mother.” Ethian took a drink. It still tasted nasty, but he didn’t care. It was the alcohol he wanted.
“Sit down, Ethian.” Karis gestured and Ethian sat down. “That was, by far, the rudest I have ever heard you speak to anyone. It had to be done though, and I am glad you spoke up. It had to come from you and not from your brother.”
“I know.” Ethian sighed. “Fallon would have spoken up if I had not, but it would not have been as well received if he had said it. I was the one being challenged directly, so it had to be me who answered it. It was unpleasant and uncomfortable, but I knew it had to be done.”
“Sometimes we have to do things that we do not like in order to make a point.” Karis ran his fingers through his hair and grimaced. “Valerio was not going to listen to anything that painted his daughter in any light but as an innocent victim who deserved the honor he was requesting. When you challenged that, he felt he was being insulted. When the court laughed at his view of his daughter, he knew he was in the wrong but could not admit it.”
“Is he going to be a problem?” Ethian asked.
“I have Demetrios watching him and his family.” Karis shook his head. “I doubt it though. They are not high lords, they are not power brokers, they are not even all that wealthy. They are first generation upper court nobles, having been elevated from the lower court by Valerio’s father. That is a mark against them in many of my old money upper court nobles’ eyes.”
“I did not realize Ragna’s grandparents were lower court nobles.” Ethian was startled by that fact.
“They made an exorbitant amount of money, for lower court nobles at least, and bought their way into the upper court. Valerio has been working on expanding the family’s wealth. He has done a very good job of it.” Karis seemed impressed by the man. “He was hoping to marry Ragna to a more highly respected lord to increase their reputation. He has two other daughters who he hopes to do the same thing to. Ragna was causing problems for him with her constant flirting, but when she set her sights on you, he was ecstatic. He truly thought you returned her interest and that if he could get you to marry her it would bring him into the ranks of the high lords.”
“He does not have the wealth to compete with the high lords.” Sayana shook her head. “I have spoken to Arken about that, more because I was curious than because of this situation. The gateway to becoming a high lord is having over a hundred and fifty million credits. Valerio certainly cannot match that.”
Ethian chatted with his parents for a few more minutes and then headed back to his rooms to finish up some paperwork before the inevitable court. Fallon was waiting for him. “I thought you would be here.”
“Father wanted to talk to me.” Ethian shrugged.
“Are you all right?” Fallon asked.
“I had half a glass of wine.” Ethian sat down, feeling slightly buzzed. He hated wine so he usually drank as little as possible. The effects always hit him harder than it hit his brothers.
“No, you are not all right.” Fallon was concerned.
“I am now,” Ethian reassured him. “Talking to them helped. It usually does.”
“Good.” Fallon nodded in relief. “Do you need my help with anything?”
“No, I just need to finish this damned paperwork before court so I can go to bed at a reasonable hour tonight.” Ethian picked up his pad and scowled at it.
“Same. I will see you later then.” Fallon turned and headed back to his rooms. Ethian got to work.
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