Angels

right shoulder. Nine guards, as tradition dictated, supported him on either side of the passage, and between each man stood an identical candlestick, five feet in height, their own candles adding their light to that of the others.

  Two young pageboys waited patiently beside the doors at the far end of the corridor. Each wore the black and white striped ceremonial clothes of the Emperor's personal attendants, white lace showing at their wrists and neck and a black beret sat on their heads. The smirk on their faces told Draper all he needed to know; that they detested their uniforms and would do everything they could to take them off at the earliest opportunity. He shot them a look as they waited in silence near the open doors, and they lowered their heads, their faces becoming blank again. He took out his timepiece one more time and looked down to check the hands. It was eight of the clock, precisely.

  He signalled to the drummer to begin his beat, and at the cue, the soldier began his pattern, a single drum beat marking the passing of each second. As he kept time, a line of robed Lords entered the corridor from the room beyond, the procession passing Draper and on into the hall, making their way towards the boys at the far end.

  At the head of the column marched the Lord Chamberlain, his golden chain of office hanging around his neck, gleaming as it stood out against his black robes. Next to him walked Lord Godfrey Baldwin, the Governor of Westmoreland. The Governor wore similar robes, as did all the Governors, but around his neck he wore a chain of a different kind and fashioned of silver and gold. The remaining eight Governors stretched out behind them, each with their own version of the chains worn by the men at the head of the column, unique symbols of authority from their own provinces.

  Above the heads of the men, the high-vaulted ceiling, so typical of Imperial architecture, looked down on them. Hanging between the beams and midway between the ceiling and the floor, the lenses of three large crystal-glass chandeliers loaded with candles reflected their light around the hall. Stained glass windows occupied the right hand side of the corridor, sombre images of Emperors interacting with celestial beings and fantastical creatures, stretched across them in their blues, greens, reds, and golds.

  Just as the Lords reached the half way point of the corridor, a fork of lightening flashed across the sky outside the windows, illuminating the men in its harsh piercing light. Thunder followed almost instantly, rumbling around the hallway and drowning out the beat of the drum. Their Lordships continued on, paying no heed to the natural warfare that raged above their heads. The column of men approached the closed doors which were still flanked by the pageboys. They pulled on the handles, dragging them open at the last possible moment, and with perfect timing the Lords passed through into the chamber beyond.

  Imperial Guards had been stationed around the outside of the Audience Chamber, ready to leap to the defence of the Emperor should it ever be required. The vaulted ceilings continued above their heads and more crystal chandeliers hung down to provide light for the proceedings. Another fork of lightning streaked across the sky, lighting the windows high up on either side of the chamber. A moment later, thunder answered its call.

  Nine lecterns stood in the middle of the chamber, a semi-circle formed for their Lordships to occupy, an allotted place for each Governor, positioned in accordance with tradition before the steps leading up to a dais which had its own lectern shaped into the form of an eagle. The Chamberlain made his way to the bottom of the steps, waiting as the rest of the men settled into their own positions.

  In the corner of the chamber, away to the right, the Emperor's scribe waited, dressed in dark blue robes, his hair shorn in the traditional bowl shape of one of His Highness's administrators. He sat on his wooden stool before a small desk readied with its ink pot and parchment, his pen was poised as he waited to perform his duty.

  Draper smiled as he looked over the scene. Now, finally, he thought, all is ready.

  oOo

  Frederick gazed down at Kateryn, leaning forward to kiss her nose. They both laughed. No words were spoken but a thousand private messages flashed between them in a single glance as they enjoyed the fact that they were now back together.

  'But why do you have to have the meeting tonight, Frederick?' Kateryn asked. 'I wanted us to spend some time together. You've been away for such a long time.'

  'Did you miss me that much?'

  A glint of mischief flashed in her eyes. 'Not really,' she said, 'but the bed was cold and I needed someone to keep me warm.'

  'Oh?' he replied. 'Well you could have had Draper warm it for you. I am sure he would have loved to oblige you.'

  'Oh, he did, many times,' Kateryn said. 'It was good enough for the first few weeks, but I got bored with him soon enough. If you had been away any longer I would have looked for another bed-warmer.'

  'A wife of mine, taking another bed-warmer? That is scandalous.' He smirked.

  Kateryn smiled back. 'Well, then,' she said, 'you must take care that it doesn't happen, then.'

  Frederick kissed her forehead. 'You know,' he said, 'in the old days, Emperors would have cut off their wife's head for less than what you just said.' He could see that she was smiling at him, and in truth he enjoyed the way that she teased him. 'But, I have a feeling that even that might not shut you up!'

  There was a knock on the door to the chamber. It opened slowly and Draper popped his head around the edge of the door, an apologetic look on his face.

  'Sire,' he said, 'their Lordships are ready for you.' Draper looked over at Kateryn. 'Will Her Highness be requiring me to add a warming pan to her bed this evening?'

  Frederick and Kateryn looked at each other for a frozen moment and then burst out laughing. Draper looked bemused.

  'No, Lawrence,' Kateryn replied, 'but thank you for asking.'

  Frederick looked back at his wife. 'I must go,' he said. 'I'll be back as soon as I can.'

  'I'll be fine,' Kateryn replied. 'Don't worry about me whilst you're off playing politics. I've ordered something light from the kitchen, so I will eat that first, and then the ladies are meeting me to talk about,' she paused, 'well, you, actually.'

  Frederick smiled and then released her. He made his was over to the door, and as he left the room he looked back at Kateryn blowing her a kiss. She looked back at him with a glint in her eye and poked out her tongue. Frederick waved her away, shaking his head, as he closed the door behind him.

  Draper led the way as they made their way along the short journey to the stairs leading down to the Reception Hall at the front of the Palace. Beyond the Hall they would find the back corridor which joined the Audience Chamber. Guards had been stationed periodically along the journey, although as usual they might easily have been mistaken for statues, had it not been for the colours of their uniforms.

  'She really is a handful,' Frederick said. 'Don't you agree, Draper?'

  'I'm sure I wouldn't know, Sire.'

  Frederick found the response so typical of the man. He had not a single bad word to say about anyone, but he pushed the question further. 'I don't know how you must have coped whilst I was away.' He glanced across to the valet but Draper continued to stare ahead as they walked onward. 'I bet she ran you in circles.'

  Draper's face remained empty. 'I'm sure that I need not remind His Highness that I consider it an honour to serve this House.'

  Frederick shook his head. 'I knew you'd say that,' he said. 'You are allowed to share your feelings sometimes.'

  'I don't believe that I ever have feelings, Sire, but even if I did, then there are some feelings that it would be most inappropriate to share with their Highnesses.'

  'But you have to admit that Kateryn can be hard work.' Frederick looked across at Draper again, seeking just a hint of a reaction. 'Go on, admit it. It's not as if I'll have you flogged.'

  'Very well, Sire,' Draper replied, 'since His Highness insists on a comment, then one will go so far as to admit that Her Highness certainly knows how to keep one on one's toes.'

  Frederick chuckled. 'That's all I'm going t
o get out of you, isn't it, Lawrence?'

  'I believe so, Sire.'

  Up ahead was the door into the Audience Chamber, and one of the young pages stepped forward to open it for them.

  'One moment, Your Highness,' Draper said. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small silver-handled brush. He reached across and flicked it around Frederick's tunic, barely touching the cloth.

  Frederick wasn't clear where there might have been any dust, but he nodded his thanks anyway as the the page opened the door. He composed himself for a few seconds, taking a deep breath, before marching into the room heading directly for the dais, well aware that all of the Governors, without exception, followed him with their eyes.

  He climbed the steps and took his place behind the lectern. His scribe had placed his notes, and a cup of water, in position for him. He would have to thank Master de Malyns on the way out after the meeting.

  Frederick raised his eyes from his notes, meeting the gaze of each Governor in turn, moving along the line in recognition of each. Their faces seemed full of eager anticipation. Well, he thought, lets give them what they've come to hear.

  'My Lords,' he said, 'may I first begin by welcoming you all once again to the Palace.'

  As he spoke his introduction, a flash of lightening flared across the sky, lighting the chamber. The rumble of thunder followed close behind, and Frederick looked up to the windows high above.

  'On such a lovely evening!' he added. He looked around the expectant faces but judging by their frozen looks, it seemed to him that the men were not going to be responsive to extended pleasantries.

  'It has been too long since I welcomed you all, my friends,' he said. 'Many of you have travelled far, and I am grateful that you were able to answer this request for summit at such short notice. It has been a long and full day and I will, therefore, get straight to the point.

  'You will all, no doubt, be aware of the attacks that have taken place over the border into the Commonwealth by what, at the moment, I will call unknown assailants.' He looked along the line. There was no reaction to his words up to this point, but he considered that what he would have to say next might be the provocation that livened up events somewhat. 'The Queen seems to believe that I, for reasons of Imperial expansionism, may have authorised these attacks. This is, of course, nonsense. During my meetings with her, I gave assurances that no such orders had been made by anyone in authority within the Empire.

  'I deemed it of vital importance that Her Majesty should be able to look me in the eye as I gave the assurances that she sought. Despite many meetings, however, over a period of several weeks, the Queen was not wholly appeased.'

  Frederick quickly glanced at his notes taking a deep breath before continuing, his heart racing as he built to the whole point of the meeting. 'My Lords,' he said, 'it would seem that the Queen is hell bent on building up the number of her troops on the other side of the border, in defence of her realm. Ysabel says, of course, that she has a responsibility to her people to protect them, irrespective of the source of the attacks.' He paused for breath. 'Any reasonable observer would have to agree that Her Majesty does have a valid point in that regard.'

  Frederick took a sip of water. Words similar to those he would now speak had not been heard in the Palace for a very long time and he did not look forward to uttering them.

  'Queen Ysabel has decreed, that if the attacks on the sovereign lands of the Commonwealth do not cease for a full period of three months...then war will be declared on the Empire.'

  The Governors reacted at this statement, their raised voices reverberating around the hall. Several waved their hands in the air, trying to attract the Emperor's gaze so that he