“Father must have meant southern in their ways, sister. Backward people, backward. Their women put their men’s things in the mouth.”
Sogolon look up, expecting murmurs and chuckles from the crowd, and that is just what she hear.
“They want to know why we’re assembling armies near the Blood Swamp. I told him nobody is assembling anything. That the drill is custom. If anything, we’re protecting the east coast from pirates.”
“Is that what we doing?”
“No. We assembling armies.”
“Devious, sister. Look at my sister the warmonger.”
“Everybody leave.”
“What? But I have not seen such old friends since . . . yesterday,” he say. Then sigh and say, “Yes, you all bore me, leave.”
Everybody leave but the Aesi. Sogolon step out but stay by the door. The courtesans and their chatter fade down the hallways and then in the quiet, the voices from back within the chamber come to her. This is the first time she do it. Usually when the wind wish, it blow all talk to her ears. This time, Sogolon close her eyes and think about the wind carrying voices to her. Soon, a cool breeze blow past her ear.
“Brother, stop performing. The audience is gone.”
“When there’s a crown princess and I’m the one fucking a title-less prince you can give me orders. Though there have been rumors, sister. Rumors of unsatisfaction. Frustra—”
“Our spies say the southern King looking to invade Kalindar by sea. Wakadishu either giving them help, or their armies safe passage,” Emini say.
This seem to stagger him. He take so long to reply that Sogolon crack the door and peek inside to see why.
“You have proof?” Likud ask.
“I just said we have spies. Drums in the North and especially in the South telling everyone the King is about his business,” she say.
“So, the King is about his business.”
“The King has been confined to bed for ten and two moons. Everybody knows what busy means, brother.”
“Then we fortify Kalindar and crush Wakadishu for betraying us. Send a sign to the whole empire.”
“Nobody betray us yet,” the Aesi say.
“We need to send a message, not so? A message needs to be sent. Crush Wakadishu.”
“No reason to crush—”
“And set an example, sister. I hear the South King is going mad. Kind of thing happens when your mother is your sister.”
“Diplomacy is clearly your gift, brother.”
“But sarcasm is not yours. Every time we say the King is about his business they hear the King is weak. Then the ambassador comes to court and find he has to deal with a woman, so of course he take step with you.”
“I only filling a seat you supposed to take, but watch it now, brother. You are on the throne, so rule. Rule, brother.”
“No, sister. This still looking like your time. Running out, but still yours.”
“The King is still busy. Also before we send out swords and spears, you should know that war don’t pay for itself,” Emini say.
“Condescension also not one of your gifts. Tax the people. Ha, tax Kalindar. They should pay for their protection.”
“We should consult the elders and the—”
“Only thing those elders have is age. And . . .”
Sogolon lose what the prince say next. She lean in closer, right to the edge of the door, when a black hand grab the back of her neck and yank her all the way up to the ceiling. She scream. The ceiling walker. The darkchild. He giggle and shriek at the same time, while Sogolon keep screaming. He swinging her like a doll and they scramble from vault to vault to the throne, and Sogolon can feel herself slipping out of her own dress. The darkchild scrambling now, and in Sogolon’s eyes the whole room blur.
“Stop,” the Aesi say.
“Chancellor. Did I ever tell you how much I appreciate these gifts you gave me?”
“Gifts to your father, Highness.”
“And I am the crown prince. My point, dear Aesi, is that once you have given a gift, it is no longer yours. I tell him when to stop, not you. Right now it seems he found a new toy.”
“Tell him to stop,” the princess say. The prince laugh as the darkchild let Sogolon drop a little, then catch her. The floor rushing toward her and then jerking back away as she scream and scream.
“Likud!” she say.
The prince nod, and the darkchild lower her a little, then let go. She fall on the ground when he say, “Who is this? A southern spy? Kill her.”
“She’s a gift.”
“Stand, girl. A gift? Looks more like scraps. Kill her still.”
“I said she is a gift, brother.”
“To who? To me?”
“To the kitchen. She brings uncommon skills from the Malakal cookhouses.”
“Then how is she not in my palace? I see, you wanted to try her out first. My sister, up to her crafts again. Aesi, is my sister not crafty?”
“If you say so, Lord.”
“Fuck the gods, for making the two of you so tiresome.”
Wind, rising outside and starting to blow wild inside.
“From where comes this gale?” Prince Likud say. The Aesi looking like he wondering too. Two servants rush in to close the windows and get a fight from the force of wind. The prince almost look at Sogolon when he say, “Aesi, am I to inspect the guards today?”
“It is your duty, Prince.”
“My sister loves duty. Let her do it.”
He goes to leave but stops by Sogolon, who bow her head.
“And such a stick. How do I trust a cook who doesn’t eat?” Likud say.
The redhead girl leave last, tasting the air with her fork tongue. Sogolon still on the floor, not sure if she should stand, sit, or kneel, desperate to make herself smaller.
“I never seen a man so want to be King, but so don’t want to rule,” Princess Emini say.
“Sangomin are turning into a distraction, Highness,” say the Aesi.
“You’re the one who brought them here, and can’t even control them. Talking about saving the King,” the princess say.
“Protecting the King, Highness. Save, I never said.”
“So you think he is beyond saving.”
“That is not my answer.”
“I didn’t ask a question. What is your purpose here, Aesi, other than to tell me things I already know? Advise on things that need only good sense? Give wisdom that we already have elders for? Between you and my father, all the elders have been sent away, but your counsel is no wiser. All the healers have been sent away, but my father is no better.”
“You father is safe from—”
“Witches, yes safe. And every day brings a new kind of witch. Yet my father is dying and my brother has nine new pets. You can’t control them and he won’t.”
“My lady, Wakadishu.”
“You’re dismissed, Aesi.”
He stand there for a while before he go. The wind die down as soon as he start walking, and the whistling through the windows stop. Sogolon notice that he notice. The princess is back to the throne.
“Stand up, girl,” she say. “Come here.”
Sogolon stand right before the throne steps, not looking up at her. The princess step down and slap her hard across her face. Sogolon stagger but don’t shout. She feel the tear coming and bite down on her lips to stop it, but that fail.