"Why would I want to do that?" Tabaea was honestly baffled. She could smell that Arl was telling the truth; his tension had decreased as he spoke, rather than increasing, and liars didn't do that.
Chancellor Arl shrugged. "I couldn't say, Your Majesty."
"What other reasons did they give?"
"Well, some said they were happy where they were, that they enjoyed living in the open-there are a few people who are like that, Your Majesty…"
"I know." She cut him off with a wave of her hand. "I never understood why they stay in the city, instead of out in the wilderness somewhere, if that's what they want, but I've met them. What else?"
"A few said they wouldn't bother moving because they didn't think… uh… they said that it wouldn't last, they'd just have to go back in a few days…"
He was getting nervous again. "Why?" the Empress demanded. "Do they think I'm going to change my mind and throw everyone out again?"
"That, or that you… urn… won't remain in power."
"Oh." Tabaea frowned. "Well, they're wrong about that, anyway. The overlord's run for his life and isn't coming back, and I 'm going to stay right here."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Tabaea turned back to the crowd, then asked her chancellor one final question. "How many are there, here?"
"I have no idea, Your Majesty," Arl admitted unhappily. "I didn't think to count them."
Tabaea nodded, then addressed the crowd. "People of Ethshar!" she said, "welcome to my palace!"
A halfhearted cheer rose, then died.
"I am Tabaea the First, Empress of Ethshar, your new ruler!" Tabaea continued. "The days of oppression are at an end, and the cruel descendants of Anaran driven from us! All the people of Ethshar of the Sands are now free and equal-there shall be no more nobility to lord it over us, no more slaves to suffer unjustly!"
She paused for more applause, and after an uncertain beginning, she received a satisfactory ovation.
"No citizen of my city need cower in the Wall Street Field for fear of the overlord's guards and tax collectors," Tabaea said. "Those who have no homes of their own will now have a home here, with me, in the palace built by the sweat of slaves…"
The chancellor cleared his throat and looked up at the dome- the dome which every educated person in Ethshar knew had been built mostly by magic, not by muscle. Tabaea carried on, ignoring him.
"… a palace far larger than any conceivable government might need, built entirely for the ostentatious display of power and wealth! You may all stay here as long as you wish, and in exchange I ask only that you help clean and maintain the palace, that you run those errands I and my aides might ask of you, and that you stand with me against any misguided fools who might try to restore the foul Ederd to my throne. What do you say?" The applause was not all that Tabaea had hoped for-several of her listeners were unenthusiastic about those unspecified errands and the call to help defend the palace-but she decided it would do.
When the crowd had quieted-which really, Tabaea thought, happened a little too quickly-the empress raised her arms for silence, and continued.
"As some of you probably know," she said, "much of the former overlord's city guard has not yet accepted my authority. I ordered them to turn in their swords, as a sign that they would no longer rule through fear, and many have refused to do so." In fact, fewer than a hundred had handed in swords, and she knew that there were supposed to be ten thousand men in the city guard. "Some of these renegades have scattered among the people, abandoning their posts; others have gone into hiding, where they seem to have maintained a semblance of organization, in defiance of my orders. While I, since I am no oppressing tyrant, have no need for the large numbers of thugs and parasites my predecessor retained, still, there are some tasks appropriate to soldiers that yet need doing-searching the city for slaveowners who ignore my order to free their prisoners, for one. If any of you would like to volunteer to help with this glorious liberation, report to my new and loyal general, Derneth, formerly Derneth the Fence, at the northeast door of the palace today at midday. And all of you are free to come and go as you please-this palace is home to all my people, from this day forward!"
The applause was a little better this time, Tabaea thought. She smiled and waved, then stepped back and sat down on her throne.
The crowd dissipated slowly as Tabaea sat and watched, her smile gradually growing rigid and fixed. She had expected it all to vanish rather quickly, as her guests went about their business, but it didn't; some stubbornly refused to vanish at all, quickly or otherwise. Some of the people simply stood, watching her nervously, and gave no sign of leaving; a few approached the dais cautiously, then stopped, or changed their minds and retreated.
"You haven't told them what to do," Arl whispered.
"They can do what they like," Tabaea snapped, the pretense of a smile disappearing instantly.
"But some of them don't know what that is, Your Majesty," her chancellor explained. "Not everyone in the Wall Street Field was there through simple misfortune, you know; some were there because they didn't fit anywhere else-they're mad, or simpleminded, or blind, or deaf, or crippled, or deranged in various other ways."
"So what?" Tabaea demanded. "They're still people!"
"Yes, of course, Your Majesty," Arl agreed hastily. "But some of them aren't entirely capable of thinking for themselves; they don't know what to do unless someone tells them." He looked out at the few dozen people who still lingered. "And I think some of these people have favors to ask of you, but don't know how to go about it."
Tabaea glared up at Arl, then at the waiting citizens. A handful, noting her expression, headed for the stairs, but the others remained; at least one smiled tentatively at her.
"All right, Arl," Tabaea said, "have them form a line, and I'll hear them. I suppose an empress has to do some work to earn her keep, like any other honest citizen."
"Yes, Your Majesty." Arl bowed hesitantly; he had never been in the palace before Tabaea's conquest the night before last, had never formally learned anything of court etiquette, and in any case Tabaea's rules might well differ from what had gone before-if Tabaea had any rules-but he had seen a few plays, had seen the overlord's visits to the Arena and how he was treated there, and thought that a bow was appropriate at this point.
Then he stepped to the front of the dais, where he paused for a moment to think how to word what he wanted to say. When he thought he had it worked out, he took a deep breath and announced, "Her Imperial Majesty, Tabaea the First, Empress of Ethshar of the Sands, will now hold audience. Those who wish to address the emp… address Her Majesty may form a line." He pointed to a spot just before his own feet.
He had the feeling that a true chancellor, or chamberlain- wasn't this something a chamberlain would do?-would have made that sound better, somehow. Until two days ago, Arl had been a beggar and swindler, not a courtier; he had used fancy words, all right, but for persuasion, not formal announcements. It was a different sort of skill.
Of course, it was his old skill, carefully applied to his "old friend" Tabaea, that had gotten him his impressive title and powerful position in the first place.
People were lining up, just the way they were supposed to; Arl was pleased with himself. Without waiting for everyone to settle into place, he took the first one, an old woman, by the hand and led her up onto the dais. After a moment's hesitation, he turned and sent her on her way to the throne, but did not accompany her.