‘How so?’ I asked, fearing that I already knew the story.
‘Imagine if a nation could successfully rule itself without a king once again. Imagine how that would be received in nations close by. If Detrata can do it, why not Maristan? Vispasia is a Royal Union, after all, and even the Sun Chamber depends upon the blessings of royal blood. How will the continent organize itself without royal rulers? This is not to say it can’t, but such issues have been preoccupying my mind of late. Needless to say, many of us in the Sun Chamber will remain in Tryum for the time being, for diplomatic reasons. It’s probably for the best if you’re kept away for a while. But let it be known far and wide that your actions here have been of exceptional quality. I would say that your father would be proud, but that doesn’t quite seem to possess the same meaning any more.’
‘Not especially.’ The guilt of what might happen to Vispasia was already starting to churn inside me.
‘Don’t boast about this,’ she cautioned. ‘Your work is to be commended but, as I say, people might not appreciate all you’ve done in the long run. You might not appreciate it yourself in a few years, but at least you’ve done the right thing.’
Senator Veron barged into the study with a jug of wine in one hand and a cup in the other. ‘Don’t boast about it?’ he declared, grinning. ‘The man’s famous. Think of all the parties you’ll be invited to! Think of the women and men who will fall at your feet. People will speak about this for years to come. Now both of you, none of this whispering, not tonight. Vispasia can wait another evening. Come and join the celebrations. I’ve at least a dozen senators who want to shake your hand, Drakenfeld, and I promised them I could make that happen. One of them is a powerful lady, recently divorced, if you find yourself in the mood for climbing social ladders.’
‘Celebrations?’ Tibus asked, rising up from her chair. ‘Is the death of a king a time to celebrate?’
‘That depends who you ask, my dear commissioner. Many have come tonight to celebrate a liberation, of sorts. Judges, senators, clerics, even the city censor, they’re all here. The republicans are jubilant. We’ll need to organize a consul for the short term. I might run for such a position myself, come to think of it. That’s worth a drink or two, surely?’
Tibus gave a heavy sigh and smiled. ‘And so it goes…’
I did not have the heart to tell Veron I would be leaving the city, not just yet, so instead I took his jug of wine, poured myself a cup and, with his arm around me, joined the others.
The following morning Leana and I readied to leave Tryum. Veron seemed genuinely distraught that I was going and I had to admit I felt sad myself. In a short period of time I’d grown fond of him, even though there was much about his character that I hoped I might change. I said I’d try to visit or, at the very least, write to him. There and then he wrote me a credit note and a down payment in coin for my property – a sum that I felt was more than it was worth, but he waved away my efforts to negotiate him down. He said a pleasant goodbye to Leana and for the first time there was no hint of lust in his manner.
Commissioner Tibus and the entourage of Sun Chamber officials gave us something resembling a sending off, lining up in Veron’s ornamental gardens to bid us farewell. In front of the others, Tibus handed over to me an exquisite leather wristband, the kind given to victorious generals by their kings or queens. On one side was a golden head of Polla and on the other the burning star of the Sun Chamber.
‘A token for your efforts,’ Tibus declared.
‘Breathtaking craftsmanship, commissioner. I don’t know what to say.’
‘And those horses, over there, are for the road.’ She indicated the two handsome brown mares standing outside the gate. ‘Head to Bathylan, on the border of Detrata and Koton. I’ll see to it that you receive more instructions soon, and we’ll send on your salary.’
Tibus called for Leana, surprisingly. Leana stepped forward, only to receive a similar leather bracelet to mine. Instead of Polla’s head, the silver detailing on it was completely different. ‘For assisting young Drakenfeld in this whole debacle, and for helping to capture Licintius,’ Tibus said.
Leana seemed genuinely shocked and gratefully received the wristband. ‘Where did you find this?’
‘One of our men asked a few questions and ran to locate an Atrewen craftsman first thing this morning, to reset it with Atrewen icons. Drakenfeld told me of your background, so Polla would be of little use to you. Not much in the way of a reward, forcing our gods upon you, is it? I’m sure Polla would think of it that way.’
Leana smiled and thanked her once again.
And that was that, no grand ceremony, no big parade. We gathered what possessions we had and walked down the long path of Veron’s gardens.
We stopped off to visit Lillus, and to see if Bellona was there and coping well. She already had her stall out selling all sorts of pastries and delights. When she saw us she seemed overwhelmed with joy and ran around the front of her stall to embrace me.
She stepped back all of a sudden, full of apologies for being so forward.
‘Don’t worry,’ I laughed. ‘I’m happy to see you again.’
Lillus stepped outside at that point and I said to Bellona, ‘Is this man looking after you?’
‘Looking after her? Already she is looking after me!’ Lillus rubbed his stomach. I knew exactly what he meant. ‘Besides, she is doing a much better trade than that nonsense fabric seller. People want to eat while they wait, not fondle cloth.’
I had a private word with Lillus, thanking him for his efforts, and he congratulated me on the case.
‘It is a shame about your father,’ he added, shaking his head. ‘Sad that I did not know such things myself. I knew he was a different person, yet still, yet still . . .’
‘It was hidden from everyone in the city, bar Lacanta and Licintius,’ I replied. ‘One other thing – I don’t suppose you know where my brother went when he left the city, do you?’
‘No, sadly. Why?’
‘I’d like to track him down eventually, to see what’s become of him. But it’s not important.’
‘Lucan, there is one final thing,’ Lillus said. ‘I have only heard this through… my usual networks… but the republicans are going to run the nation for a while.’
‘That’s right.’
Lillus nodded, in the way that said he knew far more than me.
‘Go on…’
‘My sources have heard many things overnight. The glories of Mauland have inspired a significant number of senators. There has been talk in taverns, between dozens of them, that they wish to expand our borders, to give more land to the army, and to—’
‘Reclaim the glories of old,’ I replied, repeating only what had echoed in the city during my short time.
Lillus gave a sad smile. ‘It will happen sooner than you think, too. The humiliation of being surrounded by an army has only worsened things. They are hungry for foreign blood and they want out of the Union.’
‘How many senators are involved?’
‘More than one hundred. This might be the end of Detrata being part of the Union.’
‘Is it my fault?’ I asked. ‘By removing Licintius, have I made it easier? Have I wrecked the Vispasian Royal Union?’
‘Do not burden yourself with these questions. You let a nation make its own mind up on the treatment of their king. You merely provided justice for the dead. This militaristic streak is nothing new. It has always been here, and it may have happened eventually anyway. Who can say, for that path has now been closed.’
My time in this city was over; we had to move on.