“Then such courtesy cannot be extended to you,” Malini said. She tried not to look into Priya’s eyes. She looked over her head instead, at the men watching the both of them. “But I believe the punishment meted out to a highborn ruler is usually financial in nature, rather than physically inflicted. Is that not so?” Malini asked, turning her gaze on one of her officials. He stammered something incoherent, wetted his lips, then nodded.
“Financial redress has not been codified into law, Empress, and is not—ah—in line withtradition, but it is—a choice often made. In the past.”
That sounded very much like tradition to Malini, but there was little point in arguing semantics.
“Prince Ashutosh,” she said instead.
“Yes, Empress?”
“Only you can decide what would provide you redress.” It was a risk, a gamble, but better this way. Better, to place the choice in his hands rather than allow her loyalties to be laid out openly before her council. “But a trade may be worth your consideration.”
“There is only one thing Ahiranya trades in,” one of the soldiers muttered. There was a snicker from one of the other men; a twitch of lips, here and there, among their watchers.
Ashutosh did not reprimand them.
“Prince Ashutosh,” Malini said, in rebuke.
“My men only speak truth, Empress,” he replied.
How stupid. Whatever he believed—whatever any one of them believed—they had seen how Malini’s face had lit up when Priya had first arrived and kneeled, right there in the golden sun-burnt dirt of their war camp. Malini had felt the light sweeping into her face: the tug of her own lips wanting to form a smile, the joyful breathlessness of her lungs. How could he have seen her react so, and then say this?
Another test, perhaps. Of course it was a test.
Again, the thought came to her, uselessly, that if she were Emperor Aditya, and someone had spoken in such a manner about Rao, why—she could have had them killed, and no man in the circle surrounding her would have murmured a word of protest. When would she have the power to do as she willed—to grind laughing, spiteful men under her heel, and walk on steady ground?
Would such a time ever come?
“Prince Ashutosh,” Malini said. “A number of your men suffer from the rot.”
He swallowed, face pinched. He was insulted, perhaps, to have this taint on his loyal liegemen aired before an audience of his peers. Or he had not known thatsheknew. “Yes, Empress.”
“Are they still camped with us?”
She knew the answer, of course. But he nodded jerkily and said, “Yes, Empress,” once more. Then: “I do not abandon my men. Many of them have trained alongside me since we were mere boys.”
“Elder Priya possesses the ability to save mortal lives from the rot,” said Malini. “Men, and land. That is what Ahiranya trades, in my service. If your men require services of another kind, they may wish to consider what offense they may cause their empress, to speak so before her.” A pause. Then, when she judged that the weight of it had crushed at least a little of the spiteful spirit from the sweating liegemen, who had bowed their heads and could not seem to meet her eyes, she said, “Out of respect for the loss my fellow highborn has suffered, I will allow him to choose the form of redress he prefers: caning, or the survival of his men. The decision lies with you, Prince Ashutosh.”
All eyes turned on the prince, then.
She knew what he would say even before he opened his mouth.
“Their lives,” he bit out.
“Elder Priya will save their lives, then,” Malini agreed. “That will be redress enough, and the end of this. Yes?”
Priya bowed her head in acknowledgment. Ashutosh did the same, his shoulders stiff, his expression even stiffer. Whether he had learned anything from this would remain to be seen.
“One last matter, Prince Ashutosh,” Malini said. He paused and waited. “I have been informed that one of your men began the matter. Have him whipped. He should not have attempted to begin a diplomatic incident. I’m sure you agree.”
“Empress,” Ashutosh said, face shuttered.
“Well, then,” said Malini. “Elder Priya will attend upon your men tomorrow. Remove her chains, and you may go.”
With the air of scolded children, the liegemen removed the manacles and stepped away, following their prince in bowing and swiftly exiting the tent. Priya remained.
“Elder,” said Malini.
Priya raised her head. “Yes, Empress?”
