Empire In Flames

Chapter One

Edgar skipped from street to street, barely noticing the trains, coaches and people that frequently hustled, lurched or jumped around him.

He lived in the Imperial Capitol, the Emperor’s city, and enjoyed its protection, if not it’s climate, as it was the impregnable stronghold of the empire. Situated in the Northern Sea, the city could best be described as an island fortress and since the capital moved there 800 years or so ago it had never been successfully assaulted. It was an ice covered, deathly place to live, surrounded constantly by ships carrying either troops or merchants. The city was full of sailors, the docks covered in troop garrisons; just in case, and the seat of the Emperor was in the middle of the city in a vast domed labyrinth. The only people allowed in the palace were imperial agents and that included Edgar.

Edgar was, or was soon to be, the Chief Imperial Genealogist. His trip was to confirm this, largely unimportant, position with an audience with the Emperor himself. Dressed in all his Imperial finery, Edgar looked out of place in the harsh weather. Most people preferred bear skin jackets, but Edgar was wearing nothing more than his finest suit. Made of a very dark blue material, so dark it looked like black at a distance and low light. Edgar himself might have been anonymous except for his incredible dress. His face was hidden by a small well-kept beard, slightly off colour compared to his brown hair, and a pair of black-rimmed spectacles. A small brown cane, which doubled as a sheath for an equally small sword, rounded off the outfit.

Edgar enjoyed his work. He was skilled at record keeping and maintaining his section of the Imperial Library. Of course today he would be allowed to visit the restricted sections of the ancient library, to view the most holy and revered texts in the imperial canon. It was this prospect that excited Edgar the most.

‘Imperial Scum!’ A voice shouted as Edgar walked past, shattering his daydream. A large group of ‘loyal’ dissidents had gathered outside the palace to debate or rather debunk, the imperial myth. Edgar wasn’t surprised by the crowds; ever since the war with the wolf cultists people had doubted the imperial godhood. The legend was very specific in it’s claims. The Emperor had the ability to see into the future. He could have easily seen the start of the Wolf Cult’s machinations and prepared for it. The academic world was split down the middle as to whether the Emperor saw the sneak attack, which destroyed the four imperial settlements on the continent, and thus roused the sleeping Imperial Army, or whether the Emperor saw nothing at all, and was simply a good propagandist.

Edgar knew, as a genealogist, that Emperor Luther Figo was rightfully descended from the first emperor. He had seen so many family trees and tables that he could tell you exactly how many steps removed Figo was from the original emperor and what names his predecessors had. Edgar believed that the kindly gentleman he was about to see sacrificed the four towns of Lutherian, Pitol, Grest and Otol to guarantee an Imperial victory in the war. Edgar knew that the Emperor was a God.

Slipping past the crowds, through the barricades and military protection Edgar entered the palace. He was still cold and couldn’t expect to get much warmer until he reached the central sections of the palace. The entire first four circles of the palace were a vast maze designed to keep intruders guessing long enough for the occupants to escape. As such they were mostly empty or at best filled with ancillary staff to fool interlopers. Of course no army had ever reached the palace so the defences had never been fully tested.

Pressing switches and dialling dials Edgar calmly opened the door into the palace proper. His eyes were greeted with a vast open hallway, a reception to the most finely decorated building in all the Empire, and probably, Edgar thought, the world. Crystalline pillars held up the painted ceiling, with images of the Emperor throughout the ages, healing the sick, fighting great wars against other Gods, all extinct now, and dealing with the problems of the Empire. Chandeliers were made of gold and gems and came to the centre of the hallway and poured light into every crevice into which was usually placed another artefact of the past; suits of finely embellished armour, chairs made from platinum and silver, weapons blessed by Device himself and paintings by the empires finest, all of the past Emperors, hung delicately on the walls. The only shadows seemed to be under the lowest chairs and people’s feet.

‘Hello Edgar,’ Edgar whirled around at the sound.

‘Hello Stark,’ he replied. Stark was a civil servant, like Edgar, but he worked in the Imperial Defence Department. How he became an imperial servant at all bemused Edgar. Stark was a flighty character and could barely finish a conversation without forgetting where he started; never mind the Imperial entrance exams. Edgar and Stark had been in the same school and were close, although Edgar was slightly older.

Edgar looked Stark up and down. He was dressed formally in a blue waistcoat and black trousers. His tie was loose around his neck and was tucked into a white shirt. He needed a shave.

‘How’s Helga?’ Edgar asked.

‘Well to tell you the truth,’ said Stark, ‘she probably is looking to kill me right now.’ He looked a little sheepish but Edgar knew this meant he had been seeing someone else, and he probably loved the attention he got from both women. Although Edgar never understood why Stark was popular with women, he had to admit he managed it somehow.

‘You haven’t found another Love-of-your-life?’ Stark had a curious ability to regard every new women in his life as the most important of his existence only to be convinced by the end of the week that he had found the actual object of his affection in someone else.

‘Don’t patronise me Edgar. Just because you already have a wife and family doesn’t mean to say that I might not find true happiness,’ Stark almost looked hurt but he didn’t stay that way for long. ‘Are you ready for your meeting with the Emperor?’

‘I was. Until I saw you,’ Edgar replied.

‘Oh don’t be like that. I hear he is a fairly relaxed chap. For a god, that is,’ Stark laughed. Edgar didn’t quite understand why. ‘Anyway he will probably look favourably on you. After all you do guard his true identity.’

Edgar looked nervously around the room. His eyes darted from person to person trying to gauge if anyone had heard Stark.

‘You know if anyone hears you, and believes you, I am going to be killed, and that’s after some healthy torture thrown in for good measure.’

‘I’m only joking,’ said Stark, ‘and anyway who would believe me. I can’t even lie to you. You should stop taking things so seriously. You’ll have to do a lot worse than that to be thrown in jail. I mean, look at all those protestors outside. They’re still free and chant heresy even Finn would be proud of.’

‘I suppose you’re right. But I didn’t want to spoil today by having some special meeting with some imperial bully boys, thank you.’

No one was looking at Stark and Edgar. The palace moved in its curious way and governed in quiet acceptance.

‘I have to go,’ said Edgar, ‘I need to be ready to see his Excellency.’

‘Of course. If you need anything I am just down the hall. Chatting to Elaine. Just don’t tell Helga.’

‘I won’t,’ Edgar was already heading towards his office and with a quick flick of his hand Stark was moving towards his own. A few more circles inside and Edgar reached his destination. He closed the door behind him and savoured the silence.

Edgar’s office had the curious ability to be very messy and utterly organised at the same time. The vast numbers of scrolls, parchments and books meant that they all had to be piled, often dangerously high, on the floor, on desks, chairs and shelves. Each parchment had its place, but it looked like chaos. Given some time Edgar might have considered revising his system so that others could use it but not today. Edgar swept a few scrolls from his large leather chair and sat down. His feet rested comfortably on a pile of books and he finally relaxed. His meeting with the Emperor was in one hour.