Saldur exchanged looks with Ethelred, confirming that the lore master had guessed correctly.
“But there is nothing to fear, gentlemen, for I’ve come to offer a solution.” Arcadius gave them his most disarming smile, which accentuated the laugh lines around his eyes and showed off his round cheeks, which he guessed were still rosy from his trip. “I am proposing that Modina already bore a child.”
“What?” Ethelred asked. He stood and his face showed a mixture of emotions. “Are you accusing my fiancée—the empress—of impropriety?”
“I am saying that if she had a child—a child born a few years ago and no longer dependant on the mother—it could make your lives a great deal easier. It would ensure the continued unification of the empire under the bloodline of Novron.”
“Speak plainly, man!” Ethelred erupted. “Are you suggesting such a child exists?”
“I am saying such a child could exist.” He looked at each of their faces before focusing back on Saldur. “Modina is no more the Heir of Novron than I am, but that is not relevant. The only thing that matters is what her subjects believe. If they accept she has a child, then the pretense of the heir can continue and the masses will be satisfied. After ensuring the line of succession, an unfortunate incident involving the empress would not be such a tragedy. Her people would certainly mourn her, but there would still be hope—hope in the form of a child who would one day take the throne.”
“You bring up an interesting point, Professor,” Ethelred said. “Modina has… been ill as of late, but I’m sure she could hang on long enough to bear a child, couldn’t she, Sauly?”
“I don’t see why not. Yes. We could arrange that.”
The lore master shook his head as if hearing an incorrect response from one of his students. “But what if she were to die in childbirth? It happens far too often and is too great a risk for something as important as this. Do you really wish to gamble all you are trying to accomplish? A child conceived before the empress even knew Ethelred would not reflect poorly on him. There are ways to present the child that would bolster the new emperor’s standing. He can profess that his love for Modina is boundless and agree to raise the child as if it were his own. Such sentiments would endear him to the people.”
Arcadius waited a minute before continuing. “Take a healthy child and educate it in philosophy, theology, poetry, history, and mathematics. Fill the vessel with training in civics, economics, and culture. Make the child the most learned leader the world has ever known. Picture the possibilities. Imagine the potential of an empire ruled by an intellectual giant rather than the thug with the biggest stick.
“If you want a better empire, you need to create a better ruler. I can provide this. I can bring you a child that I have already begun to educate and will continue to groom. I can raise the child at Sheridan, away from life at court. We don’t want a spoiled brat, pampered from birth, swinging little legs on the imperial throne. What we need is a strong, compassionate leader without ties to the nobility.”
“One you control,” Luis Guy accused.
Arcadius chuckled. “It is true that such a child might be fond of me, and while I know that I cut quite a dashing figure for someone my age, I’m a very old man. I will be dead soon. Most likely, I will pass on long before the child reaches coronation age, so you’ll not have to worry about my influence.
“I should point out that I don’t intend to be the child’s only tutor. Nor could I be in order to ensure success. A task of this magnitude would require historians, doctors, engineers, and even tradesmen. You can send as many of your own instructors as you wish. I would hope you, Regent Saldur, would be one of them. I suspect much of the vision of the New Empire comes from you, after all. Once the wedding is over and things are operating smoothly, you could join us at Sheridan. She will require training that you are uniquely qualified to teach.”
“She?” Ethelred said.
“Beg pardon?” Arcadius asked, peering over his glasses again.
“You said she. Are you speaking of a girl?”
“Well, yes. The child I am suggesting is a young orphan whom I have been taking care of for some time. She is extremely bright and at the age of five has already mastered letters. She is a delightful girl who shows great promise.”
“But—a girl?” Ethelred sneered. “What good is a girl?”
“I’m afraid my fellow regent is correct,” Saldur said. “The moment she married, her husband would rule, and all your education would be wasted. If it was a boy…”
“Well, there is no shortage of orphan boys,” Ethelred declared. “Find a handsome one and we can do the same with him.”
“My offer is for this girl only.”
“Why?” Guy asked.
Arcadius detected a tone in the question he did not like.
“Because I sense in her the makings of a magnificent ruler, the kind who could—”
“But she’s a girl,” Ethelred repeated.