'Amethus? Dead?'
Thermon nodded. 'Yes, Prince.'
Balthus stared at the body for a moment. 'When did this happen?'
'Shortly after the end of the banquet.'
Cato coughed.'We don't know that yet. Prince Amethus left before the banquet was over. His killer could have been waiting for him outside, or it might have been one of the guests who left shortly afterwards.'
'I see.' Balthus turned his gaze towards his father. Vabathus was sitting on a stool beside the body, staring at the still face. Dull unblinking eyes stared back at him. The old king lifted his hand and gently stroked the hair of his dead son, teasing it away from the forehead. One of the locks slid back into place the moment his father's hand passed over it. King Vabathus smiled fondly. 'He always did have unruly hair, even as a small boy… My son, my little boy.'
He leaned forward and kissed his son's forehead, then pressed his cheek against Amethus' head as the first tears trickled down his creased and weathered face.
No one else spoke.They stood quite still and watched as Vabathus grieved for his son. At length, Balthus knelt down opposite his father and hesitantly reached over the table to put his hand on his father's shoulder.
'Father. I'm so sorry.'
Vabathus continued weeping, his chest heaving convulsively, quite oblivious of those standing around him. Even as august a figure as a king was reduced to a mere man, and a father, before the body of his son. Cato wanted to offer some comfort, some help, but knew that even now, in this most intimate of situations, there were boundaries of rank that he must not cross. He felt someone's hand slip into his and glanced round as Julia looked up at him, and he saw that she shared his feelings, and sense of powerlessness.
Eventually, Thermon cleared his throat and spoke softly. 'Your Majesty… Is there something I can do?'
When there was no response, Thermon leaned closer to his king and spoke again. 'Would you like us to leave you alone for the present?'
Vabathus blinked away the tears and sat up. Prince Balthus leaned back and rose to his feet. The king frowned and looked round at the others, as if they were complete strangers, until his eyes fixed on Thermon.
'Who did this?'
'We do not know,Your Majesty. We only just discovered the body.'
'Who found him?'
Cato swallowed nervously. 'I did.'
'And I,' Julia added at once. 'Just inside the signal tower, Your Majesty.'
Vabathus looked from one to the other.'Was he still alive when you found him?'
Cato shook his head solemnly. 'He was already dead. We could not have saved him.'
Vabathus glanced down at the body and then looked at Thermon. 'I want the killer found. I don't care how you do it. I don't care how many suspects you have to torture. Find the killer.'
'Yes,Your Majesty. I'll see to it.'
'You had better. Someone will suffer for this!'Vabathus spat out. 'They'll die for it. If you can't find the killer, then you'll be put to death in their place.'
'Sir?' The chamberlain was startled, and drew back nervously before his master's vehemence.
Sempronius shook his head. 'That isn't right, Your Majesty. This man is blameless. I must protest that you should threaten him so.'
'Protest all you like, Roman,' Vabathus responded. 'This is my kingdom. My will is law here. Thermon will do as he is told, or pay the price. Just as my son has paid the price.' Vabathus' voice faltered as he glanced down again. 'I never said farewell to him. We parted on such bad terms, and he will never know that I loved him. How can a father endure that? I have lost him. Lost him for ever.' Vabathus lowered his head and his chest shook as more tears came.
Balthus drew a deep breath and spoke. 'Father, you still have me. I am still here, at your side.'
Vabathus looked up sharply. 'You? You are worthless to me. The one son who is incapable of responsibly ruling my kingdom is all that is left to me.'
Balthus froze, his lips pressing together in a thin line as his expression hardened into bitter hatred. 'I am responsible, Father. I had to fight my way here to your side. Have I not proved myself worthy of some respect, some affection?'
Vabathus stared at him for a moment and then shook his head sourly. 'You just want my throne when I am gone. Amethus would have been king, until… this.' He gestured at the body, wincing as he saw the torn flesh of his son's throat. 'Now he's gone. I imagine that you are gratified by this state of affairs, Balthus.You can't wait to have my crown. I can see it in your eyes.'
'Father, you have lost a son, and I have lost a brother. Can you not at least let me share your grief?' Prince Balthus warily extended his arms towards the king. 'Father?'
For a moment Vabathus gazed at his son with a pained expression. Then his eyes narrowed and he slapped Balthus' embrace aside and shrank back. 'Viper, how dare you? For all I know you are the one behind this. You and these Roman friends of yours.'
'Roman friends?' Balthus shook his head. 'Father, do you accuse me of this murder? My own brother? Flesh of my flesh? How could I?'
'I know you. I know your ambition.You desire nothing more than my throne.' The king's gaze flickered towards the ambassador and the other Romans in the room and Cato saw the fear in his eyes as he continued, 'Enemies. I'm surrounded by enemies.'
Sempronius shook his head. 'Your Majesty, I assure you that we are your loyal allies.We had nothing to do with the death of your son.'
Vabathus stared at him, unmoving, and Sempronius gestured towards Macro and Cato. 'Is not the presence of these two officers and their men proof of our good faith towards your kingdom? We are not your enemies. On the life of my daughter, whom I love above all things, I swear it.'
King Vabathus was still for a moment and then his shoulders sagged as he looked down at the body again. 'Leave me. All of you, leave me alone.'
Sempronius made to speak again but Thermon caught his eye and shook his head firmly, gesturing towards the door.The ambassador hesitated a moment, glancing towards the king, before he backed away slowly and quietly opened the door, ushering the two officers and his daughter outside. Thermon waited a moment before he whispered to Balthus.
'My prince?'
Balthus turned to him quickly and stepped in between the chamberlain and the king. 'You heard my father. Get out.'
'But…' Thermon tried to step round the prince but Balthus blocked him.
'Out!'
The king stirred and looked up. He drew a deep breath and shouted, 'Go! Both of you! Get out of my sight!'
Balthus turned round, mouth open to protest, but his father stabbed his finger towards the door. 'Go!'
Thermon hurried out, and then a moment later Balthus followed him, taking one last glance at his father before he closed the door.
Outside in the large open courtyard by the main gate the others waited and there was an awkward silence before Balthus spat with contempt. 'I know what you're thinking. You think I had Amethus killed.'
'Well, did you?' asked Cato.
'Does it matter what I say? You already know what you believe.'
Cato shook his head. 'Not yet. I want to hear it from your own lips. Did you kill him?'
'No,' Balthus replied immediately. 'There. Satisfied?'
Macro snorted with derision. 'Well, that proves nothing, friend. If you, or one of your retinue, didn't kill him, then who did?'
'Why not a Roman?' Balthus smiled faintly. 'You, perhaps.'
Macro slapped a hand to his chest. 'Me?'
'If the king has no heirs then Rome will find it easier to annex Palmyra when my father dies. That's motive enough. Of course, that means that you will have to make sure that I am killed as well.'
'And you have nothing to gain from your brother's death, I suppose,' Macro countered.'Other than the fact that he was your only rival for the crown.'