Dead Star Dockyards

338 Escort

The chair opposite. Len's intuition said occupying the seat opposite the Emperor would be received better than taking a seat next to him. Fortunately he received no sign of dissatisfaction from his mother, the only person capable of communicating such a folly without embarrassing him. She even gave him a little smile!"I ordered a meal for you in advance, Len. It'll take a few minutes for them to bring it up, but I hope you like it."

"Perfect for small talk."

"I would not call this talk 'small' father." Len's gut tightened further upon his suspicions being confirmed.

"That topic will wait until after he has finished his meal. Even I can engage in simple conversation, Linalee."

"Really?" If it had been Diana delivering that line with that tone, Len would not have questioned it as sarcasm. Coming from the mouth of the princess though? He hadn't been in her presence for long, but the light in her eyes and expression on her face suggested she might not be kidding. "I thought you just sat around all day looking serious while answering stupid questions."

". . . you wound me, oh daughter of mine." He said that, but the ever so slightly amused expression did not disappear. Either he was lying,  found the remark entertaining, or was simply very good at hiding his injured pride. "Anyways, Len, how did you find my Prime Minister's hospitality? I pray he wasn't too rough with you given the reason you were here."

"The . . . Prime Minister?" Len wracked his brain just in case, but he did not remember meeting anyone so important. "I don't think I met him."

"You didn't - he didn't tell you his title?"

"Wh-who?" 

"Brahn." The Emperor was pinching the bridge of his nose while the women present expressed their bemusement. Clearly his antics were a known quantity to them, but to Len this information was horrifying. How had someone of such status allowed him to act so uncouth towards him? "He was supposed to apologize on behalf of his son."

"He was?" 

"Of course he was, dear." Linarin maintained a smile, but there was a hint of irritation in her voice. "I wanted you to be a bit less stressed about the trial, but it looks like he didn't follow my script."

"What do you mean? Wouldn't that have backfired if it ended up going poorly?"

"Oh Len, do you really think I would have let you get convicted?" There it was, that annoying confidence that nobody cared to elaborate on. Why was everyone he talked to so convinced he would have walked free? "I told you to trust me, didn't I?"

"Why though? I mean, what could you have done? It's not like you were in the jury!"

"You're right dear, I wasn't the jury, I the jury. And the judge."

". . . what?" His mother covered her lips with her hand, but he could see her cheeks pulling back from either side. Could she really have been put on the jury? Would that have been allowed? "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Evidently he is unaware of your status in high society, Rin."

"A measure taken for his protection, at least at the time. I thought it better he remain ignorant, but my stance on the matter has changed." The mischief in her eyes faded into warmth. "If I am to truly be proud of him as my son, he deserves to know."

"Know what?" Their constant dodging of the point was getting irritating.

"Your mother is the public face of House Eraora, the family who handles the Empire's dirty laundry." The Emperor sipped from his glass with a smugness he had only ever seen in Diana. 

"We are a family of espionage specialists, Len. Where your father's lineage focuses on military matters and the Herd on service and protection of the imperial succession, we engage in skullduggery against enemies and raise the alarm on potential problems wherever they may arise." The hand dropped to reveal a smile less smug than Len anticipated. "I'd be disappointed in our capacities as the Empire's shadow if we couldn't rig a trial like this."

"Even if the effort wasn't needed." Princess Linalee made a jab at her aunt. "I told you the trial was inconsequential."

"I wouldn't call a prince interceding inconsequential."

"He didn't really lose anything by doing so though. Erzyl probably wasn't going to leave the castle for a while anyways."

"Regardless," the Emperor interrupted the budding spat so he may return to his intended conversation topic, "you should rest easy knowing you were never in danger to begin with. I will also be speaking with Brahn about his failure to notify you of his identity. Now, I feel inclined to ask, how has your experience at the academy been?"

"Pardon?" Len hadn't been prepared for an inquiry into his personal life, but then again he hadn't really been prepared for much of anything.

"The academy. It has been a while since I've been to the Sanctum for any reason, much less the academy. Has there been anything interesting in your time there? Actually, no, just tell me everything from start to finish. I think we have more than enough time."

- - - - -

"Fascinating. To think a ship of metal can be made to fly!" Len finished his recount of his time with the Terrans, the tale having slowed in pace after his meal was delivered. Chance mouthfuls of the entree were ingested whenever he needed a moment to organize his thoughts or the Emperor had a question, while he snuck sips of his beverage between breaths. 

"I don't think that's possible, father. There may be many mysteries in this world, but a vessel of iron soaring through the skies is beyond imagination." 

"Then I suppose you can determine the truth of Len's words at a later date." The Emperor's place had long since been cleared of dinnerware, freeing the space before him for his elbows - upon which he was propping up his head. In all honesty Len felt the level of intrigue the Emperor had was far beyond what it deserved given how little ended up happening, but compared to his normal duties Len's mishaps at the side of his acquaintances might have been the most interesting thing he'd heard of in years. No doubt some part of him was reliving his glorious days of freedom through this recounting. "Ahem. I hope you don't mind if I interrupt your meal here, young man, but I am still a busy man."

"O-oh, sorry."  Disappointment seeped into Len's heart as he put down the utensils. The dish might not have been his new favorite - that honor belonged to a dessert, but it was up there in terms of enjoyment. Having to set it aside before he could tear into it was a shame.

"Linarin?"

"I will leave the final decision to Len."

"Very well. Len, I understand you have spent the last half hour or so talking about them, but I would like to hear an earnest assessment of their character from you. What do you think of the Terrans?"

"Huh?"

"Their characters. For the sake of simplicity, let us start with Diana. Would you trust her to take care of your child?"

"I, uh, don't have a kid?"

"Imagine you did. Would you feel comfortable leaving it with her for a few months?"

"Um." For a moment Len considered questioning this hypothetical further, only to realize this was something similar to Donovan's thought experiments. "I guess? If it was a baby then definitely, but it would get a little bit questionable in my eyes if  they were older because, well -"

"She's a bit unorthodox?" 

"- and I'm still sort of in that age range, so it's a bit awkward to imagine a scenario where I'd need to entrust someone my age to her, especially if that person is to be my child, you know?"

"An understandable reason. Let's switch the charge and say you needed to, I don't know, leave an injured family member in her care? Perhaps someone unruly, like your sister. Would they be properly supervised and kept out of trouble?"

"Certainly. She might be a bit too busy at times to devote her full attention, but she'd make sure the bare minimum of attention is maintained at all times."

"Would she potentially grant access to those trying to curry favor with your injured sister if they offered a sufficient compensation?"

"Um, no? At least, not if she thinks they'll be a threat somehow."

"So Diana would let others meet her?"

"Probably friends and such, but if I told her not to leave anyone in a room alone with my injured sister I'm sure she'd follow that instruction." Diana was fairly diligent when it came to following established rules. She might forget every now and again if her guard was down, but Len would be comfortable leaving Linarin in her care. "Is this a precaution about screening potential assassins?"

"An astute observation, but there's more to it than that. How about Donovan?"

"So long as he's given his word, I'd trust him with anything."

"Despite his claims to abhor honorable conduct?"

The retort had Len tilting his head. He couldn't remember his exact verbiage when describing some of Donovan's actions or how accurate his quoting of the man was, but he never intended to paint Donovan as some dishonorable louse. Sure, he might not adhere to a strict code of chivalry, but when it came to honoring agreements and upholding his end of a deal Donovan was far better than most.

"I think you might have misunderstood something, your Majesty. I don't think I'd say Donovan acts dishonorably."

"Did you not say he said honor meant nothing on the field of battle?"

"Certainly, but that's a battlefield. Donovan is someone who thinks a lot about the consequences of his actions, so he doesn't like honor on the battlefield because adhering to it might get him and his men killed without something of equal or greater value. Outside of that he's pretty strict about honoring agreements, probably because he understands that violating those agreements for an immediate benefit would harm his ability to make such agreements in the future. If he gives me his word that he'd keep my 'injured sister' safe from assassins, I'd trust him to do so to the best of his ability."

"Noted, but you make it sound like there's some possibility of failure."

"With all due respect, would you expect someone to swing four swords with two hands?" Len met the Emperor's gaze while shrugging. "He was an incredibly busy person during my time with him, to the point Diana had to find excuses to make him take a break. He'd be up and working well before any of us, and would fall asleep later. He didn't take part in any leisure activities or breaks from his work outside of meals, dates with Diana, and the occasional minute to relax in the bath. He's got a lot on his plate as is, what with trying to evacuate the Nekh and colonize a planet, so if something falls through the cracks . . ." Len's mention of a 'plate' drew his attention back towards his meal.

"It would only be natural. I understand." The Emperor closed his eyes and nodded.

"Still, I think he would figure out how to squeeze care for my sister into his schedule if it was necessary." Having only just placed a limit on Donovan's capabilities, Len felt justified in defending his 'brother'. "The staff at the barracks were all quite fond of him, and he has some degree of influence with the Holifanians, so I'm sure he could delegate some level of oversight and security to them. It's not like I'd expect him to be a babysitter after all."

"Of course, of course. I wouldn't ask a baron to devote that much attention to the matter, much less a fellow sovereign." Finally the Emperor sat back in his chair, the relaxed and aloof position fitting Len's expectations of an Emperor much better. "Linalee?"

"I have no objections."

"Very well. Len, I would like to appoint you as my daughter's escort during her time at the Sanctum."

The room descended into silence, or rather the silence of the room finally made itself apparent to Len. He could hear nothing but the rushing of blood out of his pulsing heart as he stared blankly at the sovereign across from him. The request registered in his mind, in theory it was simple to understand, however he could not process why a duty so important would be entrusted to him of all people. He was hardly good enough to protect himself, how could he be expected to protect the princess?

"C-could you repeat that?" Failing a proper logical justification, Len could only assume he misheard something. Perhaps the Emperor just coughed in the middle of his sentence or something?

"No matter. I would like to appoint you as my daughter's escort during her time at the Sanctum." Len continued to stare blankly at the  Emperor, still convinced he was hearing something incorrectly. "You needn't accept if it will be a burden. I'm sure there will be many others willing to accept the offer."

"Why?" Len had so much more he wanted to ask, but could only piece together a single word. 

"It would be a lie to say your mother had no part in this, however I must admit I thought having her accompanied by the adopted son of House Arre would keep her out of reach of the battle of wills happening between her brothers. Your house is sworn to neutrality in matters of succession after all, and I got the feeling from Satie's report that having her around the Terrans wouldn't be a terrible idea." The Emperor's attention turned to his daughter, silently sipping a cup of tea with her eyes closed. "She has much to learn, and judging from your testimony there seems to be no limit to what they can teach."

"Personally, I'm just glad to have a bit of freedom."

"Freedom? I suppose 'liberty' will be in short supply once she returns, won't it Linarin?"

"She'll be continuing her training to become head of the household under my guidance, yes." Len's mother giggled, a devilish glint flashing in her eyes. "Though, I think I'd be willing to lighten her workload if she returned with a partner."

Len caught the princess flinch, a dribble of tea making its way to her chin as a result of the jolt.

"A partner? Hmm, though it would be a shame to lose leverage I think its about time for new blood in the upper castes. Do let me know if you find a man you fancy."

"Dad . . ."

"Oh! How about Len?" The comment was enough to make her recoil physically, the tea sloshing out of her cup in earnest, drenching her dress with the amber fluid. 

"W-what?"

"You were telling me all about how cute he was on the way here and how you couldn't wait to introduce yourself to him." Len flinched this time around, though he hadn't any tea to spill. What did she mean he was cute? "I didn't think you'd be so shy though. You just sat there all night with your eyes closed!"

"A-aunt Rin, that's too far." And why was she blushing?

"I have to agree. There's no way my little girl could ever call a boy cute."

"DAD!"