46 To Cancel Out the Double Negative (1/2)
On the morning after the assassination, the entire castle was in an uproar. Although the sun hadn't crossed the horizon in full yet, the small court was filled with people. Normally, the court would handle all internal affairs of the imperial family and this time, it had assembled to find out just how to deal with the second death of Prince Corco. All the actors of the play had already taken their positions around the dais and the backless throne on top, the court's centerpiece. To the right of the throne, the empire's prime minister Chaupic watched the proceedings in total silence. To its left sat the former concubine and current empress mother, Spuria Ichilia. Finally, in front of the throne, the second prince of the empire, Amautu Titu Pluritac, faced the two in a defiant stance.
”However, this Empress was informed that Prince Amautu should have been the last to see Prince Corco?”
”Which proves nothing! This Prince wonders, however, about the prime minister's servants who were guiding Prince Corco last night. Wouldn't they have been around brother later than myself?”
The spear point aimed at himself, the prime minister finally awoke from the hibernation he had held since the start of the proceedings.
”Prince Amautu, this old man is merely a servant himself. Those three men were also servants of the imperial family and would never listen to a lower official like this one.”
With practiced calm, Chaupic lowered his head and put his hands together in apology.
”So where are these men then? This prince will question them himself!”
”Unfortunately, after their heinous betrayal, the lowly beasts attempted escape and were put to death by patrol guards on patrol.”
”How convenient that is for some.”
At Amautu's remark, and before he could take further aim at the old politician, the empress mother chimed in once again.
”It is unfortunate, but this Empress has heard news from Prime Minister Chaupic. Last night, the minister was sent away by Prince Amautu himself on an excuse as he tried to guarantee the prince would reach his sleeping quarters safely.”
”A blatant lie! I did no such thing!” Amautu stepped forward, but saw the guards tighten their hands around their weapons. Frustrated, he stepped back, into the spot of the accused.
”Then why would Prince Amautu spend the time drinking with his brother in the garden? As prince's mother, this empress should know her children best and was always saddened by the estranged relationship between the princes. It broke her heart to see the two in constant quarrels, but never would this empress have expected her own son to hedge such cruel plans! This empress hopes that, as her son, Prince Amautu will be able to prove his innocence, but the evidence appears irrefutable.”
”As the ancients say, a true scholar is always forthright in his motives and true in his actions. I would never stab my brother in the back! There are many in this city who can attest to my impeccable moral conduct, unlike some others in this room.” Amautu once again made uncomfortable suggestions toward his two accusers, but the small court had come prepared.
”What is Prince trying to say?!”
”Even for a royal prince, this is unacceptable!”
”Outrageous!”
As if planned in advance, some of the waiting officials on the sides of the room sprang into action and recreated the chaos of the previous night's storm within the small court. Their bluster drowned out all criticism, valid or not.
Within all that courtly mess, the front door sprang open and with a sudden bang flew against it's stopper. The door stopped as much as the proceedings, all eyes of the court bored themselves into the breathless guard who had caused the interruption.
”Empress Mother, it's, this is-”
”Sorry to disappoint everyone, but this prince has always been pretty lousy at dying.”
Although his left arm rested in a sling, the dead Prince Corco and his attendant strode in front of the throne, to the stunned silence of the crowd. On any other day, Corco would relish in the reactions, but today his eyes were glued to the immovable smile of the prime minister.
”Remember what I said to you yesterday, old man? I wasn't joking.”
With a smile of his own, Corco gave out a death threat, but the old minister was even calmer.
”This old man is beside himself with joy that Prince is still healthy,” he said, immovable like a statue.
”Right. So those servants of yours are dead then?”
”Prince Corco, should you not greet your imperial mother?”
The empress mother butted in on Corco's fun, but he was not in any mood to play along.
”So who died and made you my mother? Oh, yeah, I remember.”
”How dare he! Not even a prince can ignore royal etiquette!”
At her official's faked outrage, The queen tried to appear magnanimous in the face of her official's faked outrage, and so she raised her hand to silence her henchman's accusation. However, her narrowed eyes and clenched jaws attested to her true nature.
”Prince Corco has been away for quite some time and would not be aware of these details. In fact, this humble woman has been elevated to the status of empress mother a full four months ago.”
Only by a hair did Corco manage to stifle a derisive laugh, though his smile grew even wider.
”So then that would have been after my father died? How exactly did that work, becoming empress without an emperor?”
Under Corco's probing tone, Spuria's fists clenched and her eyes widened as she stared at him in frustration. Corco was confused. Had the vain woman really thought he would just play pretend like everyone else, just because some old geezers had decided to take bribes? Meanwhile, he felt another round of accusations coming his way from the sidelines, and so he rushed back to the issue at hand before he would be droned out like his brother had been.
”So no one has been arrested so far? Let's say some maid or warrior with a weird accent and a lot of knives?”
As thought back to the events from last night, he asked not only about the Arcavian assassin, but also about his accomplice. He hadn't forgotten just what kind of danger he had gotten that girl into with his intrusion.
”So far, the only known subjects are the two dead servants. It is quite unfortunate,” Chaupic answered.
”Since those servants are dead already, who killed them? Their death is pretty convenient for whoever planned last night's attack, don't you think? I would like to have the names of those guards and a chance to question them. As the murder victim, I feel like I should at least be involved in the process.”
”Of course, Prince Corco.” If Chaupic was worried, he didn't show it on his face.
”And what about the two guards who were at my door last night?”
”Who might Prince be talking about?”
”During last night's assassination attempts, two sipiy warriors were outside my room and let in the killer. I have heard their voices and seen their faces. Shouldn't they be easy to identify?”
”Crown Prince might think so, but a real sipiy would never betray the imperial family. Surely they were fakes placed there in advance by the attacker's machinations.”
Like a man with machinations, Chaupic spat out answers as if he had predicted every single question long ago. However, Corco had come prepared as well.
”Okay, so then who looks after the sipiy equipment? He is either involved or he can't even count his own uniforms, in which case he is so incompetent that he shouldn't be anywhere near a position of power.”
”That's...”
With the prime minister finally off balance, Corco followed up with a second push.
”What about the palace's guard captain? Those two warriors stood outside my room for an entire night and no one noticed that they didn't belong? There is only one way to explain last night's attack: Many men in the palace were either bought or they didn't do their jobs. To prevent accidents in the future, I think we should do some proper cleaning.”