36 Unequal Negotiations (1/2)
*The room certainly doesn't look like a prison.*
Those were the first words which popped into the crown prince's mind after the heavy oaken door had been slammed shut behind him. To the sound of scraping metal on metal from the other side of the gate, he observed his new cell. Dry, clean walls covered in plaster, clean wooden floor, an elevated bed... he even had a chair. Although the furnishing might be considered spartan by most standards, Corco was relieved. To put him in a room like this meant that his captors were treating him like a noble, so they should not be stupid enough to just kill him and damn the consequences. Relieved, Corco placed the chair opposite the bed. After he had taken a seat on the latter, he waited for his jailer to arrive.
After a good while of boredom, the prince once again heard the metal bolt's movement. Finally, he found the source of information he had been looking for since his landing. With a confident gait, a well-dressed man followed the in-swinging door into the room. He had a height of almost two meters, wore a yellow and red patterned silk tunic and was bedecked with rings, gauntlets and earrings in silver and gold all over.
Used to the feeling of superiority, the man's calm eyes looked down on Corco in a self-assured manner. While the gray streaks in his long black hair were proof of his age, his straight posture and elegant demeanor belied any impact the years might have had on his physique, just like they belied any dishonorable thoughts Corco's captor might have ever had. For a while, prisoner and jailer, quietly measuring their opposite. Finally, the first to open his mouth was the prisoner.
”How nice of you to join me. Please have a seat.”
As he moved towards the already prepared chair, Corco's captor said:
”Prince Corco, allow me to introduce myself. I am...”
”Quintus Apiliotus Saliena, lord of the Ceros Estate and Governor of the East. We've met. Seven years ago. I'm not surprised you don't remember. After all, who would waste his thoughts on a dead man?”
Despite Corco's harsh accusations, the captor didn't even twitch as he sat down on his chair.
”I am very glad prince is healthy. I hope my overzealous servant did no harm.”
Corco suppressed a small smile. After all, this was the exact same excuse he had predicted.
”You're a smart man, leaving your goons outside.” After a good few seconds of silence, Corco answered.
”Goons?” For the first time today, Lord Saliena raised his brows, surprised by the unfamiliar term.
”Your men.”
”I simply wanted Prince to feel safe,” a smile came back.
”True. Though this way, you can also make sure that nothing we say is overheard by anyone. So how about we cut the nonsense about overzealous servants and best intentions and whatever else you've got prepared and start talking straight instead.” For a while longer, Corco observed his opposite, until he had made sure that he hadn't offended the lord with his little outburst. Only then did he continue.
”So what's going on here? I'm dead, supposedly, just like the emperor. Meanwhile, with no ruler on the throne, someone is still making new laws in Arguna. What is happening in the capital and what happened to my father?”
”Ha ha, of course prince would not understand after being away for so long.” Saliena leaned back in his chair. ”As is customary, the elders of the ancestral hall will soon announce their nomination for the next emperor. The royal family has already called a noble assembly in the capital, to confirm their nomination. Unfortunately, I had to send my son to represent the Ceros Estate and House Saliena, as I still had business to attend to here. Prince should have noticed by now, since the business involves Prince himself. As for your father?”
Lips curled and raised, Saliena made no secret of his contempt.
”The emperor 'suddenly and mysteriously' died two seasons ago. While concrete details would not reach this far from the capital, the rumors of an illness and natural death are clear nonsense. No man with that many enemies dies a natural death. Especially enemies so close to him.”
In response Corco's eyes turned sharp as knives.
”You should be careful with what you say, or today you'll make another enemy yourself. I dare you to insult my family again.”
Despite Corco's best attempt at strength, his threat simply pearled off the accused's perfect smile.
”I apologize for my rudeness, Prince Corco. Truly. However, I remember Prince as a smart man. None of these insinuations should ring untrue.”
Without a doubt, Saliena implied an involvement of the royal family in the emperor's death. However, Corco wouldn't even consider a thought this monstrous. No matter how cheap some members of his family were, they were still his own blood after all.
”Nonsense. Who would it be? I know Spuria is kind of a bitch, but she begged her own father to become father's second wife. There's no way she'd kill her husband after having three of his kids.”
In return, the Lord of Ceros only offered a mysterious smile, so Corco decided to dig further. It was either that or a swift slap in the face. For now, talking seemed like the safer option.
”So what exactly was your plan here? Kill me to make sure I don't reach the capital and get nominated by the elders? Are you trying to imply that Spuria has you in her pocket? Or maybe it's my good brother Amautu, huh? That one was always pretty full of himself.”
Finally, the jailer showed a reaction to his prisoner's probe. Angered, he narrowed his eyes just the smallest amount. Even so, his face had returned to normal moments later, before his answer had even begun.
”The Lord of Ceros is in no one's pocket, boy. And why would I be. There is ample reason for me to hold you here. It is in my own family's interests, after all. No, instead, you should worry about your own family's integrity. The outsiders from the east and the west have come and talked to your brothers. Not only have they spoken, they have also brought ample gifts. Prince Amautu now supports the western Chutwa Empire and your Prince Pachacutec supports the eastern barbarians of Arcavia. They are the ones fighting for the throne... and I know quite a few of the eastern houses hate the outsiders, or any change, with a passion, but House Saliena, and the Governor of the East, think farther.”
Out of nowhere, the governor stood up and walked over to the tiny window in Corco's cell.
”Just look at Porcero, the former pearl of the east. After years of nothing but tradition and honor we have been reduced to a run-down fishing village, nothing more. The supposed center of the eastern kingdom and yet the mansions in the inner city stand abandoned by the noble houses which used to call them their homes. Once one of your brothers takes the silver crown, any of them, really, all those outsiders will want to do trade through Medala. Whether that is Chutwa to Arcavia or the other way round will not matter. They will all come here, the greatest port of the east. And they will bring their goods and their wealth with them. Like it once was half a millennium ago, Ceros Castle will once again become the center of Yakuallpa; and House Saliena will return to its rightful status.”
”And leave the country to the outsiders in return?” Corco sneered.
”Who cares about outsiders? Our own ancestors came from the eastern lands, from Arcavia.” Still calm, Saliena turned back around and returned to his seat. However, Corco wouldn't let his cheap excuse go.
”Yeah, those ancestors came here because they were being hunted by the same fucking people you're inviting in now. It sure is convenient for you to forget that, or all that Yaku blood you and everyone else in this place has.”
Confronted with two taboos at once, the lord began to shuffle in his chair, uncomfortable for the first time. Even so, Corco wasn't done yet.
”And unless you forget: I've been there, in Arcavia. I know the people your servants call 'honored guests'. Once those zealots with their crazy doctrine have sunk their hooks into the empire, they'll devour it whole, and your little fishing village with it. At that point, there will be no way back. You had a nice plan going, but it won't happen. You can't kill me, not anymore. Since there were witnesses from other estates to see my arrest, everyone in this city already knows I'm in here, and soon everyone in the east will. That means you can't touch me unless you want to oppose every noble family in the empire.”
Confronted with Corco's claim, the lord only smiled, calm again now that he didn't have to consider his own heritage anymore. ”Indeed. However, I can hold Prince Corco however long I wish for, as an honored guest of course. Once Prince Amautu or Prince Pachacutec become emperor, your status will cease to matter, as will your life.”
”So you have it all planned out then.” Corco's reply was curt, mostly out of disinterest, but Saliena seemed to interpret his lack of reaction as an admission of defeat.
”There is no need to be in low spirits, Prince Corco. As soon as Prince set foot on Porcero's piers, there really was not much to be done. This is my land after all. Prince never had a chance.”
”Then why did you even come here to my cell, jailer? You wanna show off?”
”Simple curiosity I suppose. For example:” Lord Saliena reached into his long sleeve and extracted a small, metallic box. ”By all the stars in the sky I cannot fathom what might be the use of this utensil. Would prince enlighten me?”
With a sly smile, Corco took the box from Lord Saliena, amused by Saliena's unintentional joke. With flourish, the prince pushed open the top of the box and placed his thumb on the revealed metallic wheel at the top.
”It's a lighter,” Corco explained. ”Kerosene as fuel and a wheel lock mechanism as ignition. An upgrade on flint and steel if you will. I haven't tried selling them yet, just thought it was nice and fitting. Me bearing fire as I return home.”
Focused on the contraption rather than his audience, the prince pressed down his thumb to spin the wheel and open the valve. Sparks flew from the wheel's friction against the pyrite and ignited the released kerosene in an instant. Thus, a flame had started to burn between the two men.
”I bring with me much more than just my birthright. I have ships filled with men and materials. We have acquired knowledge and ideas far beyond your understanding. With them, we will create a paradise in these lands, like no place before and no place thereafter. As Medala becomes the center of the world, we will bring forth a golden age that will make every man, woman and child on it merry, wealthy, learned and free beyond your wildest dreams.”
Just for a moment, Corco paused his speech for effect. He had practiced it more than enough times when he was at sea after all.
”Of course that includes you, Lord Quintus Saliena. What do you think?”
With nothing but a short puff of air, Saliena put out the flame in his front.