***
Mahntra' Bhu appeared to be wandering aimlessly through the city. That was far from the truth. He was wandering because of his watchers. Why they were following him? His guess was it had something to do with his inquiries regarding the princess and his daughter. Tranthra' Joh must be behind it. The chamberlain had certainly delivered his request for a meeting and more, probably. If Mahntra had suspected something was wrong before, now he was certain.
Surrepticiously he'd visited several of the nobles with whom he'd always maintained a close relationship. They were missing too. Representatives of the palace had told their families they'd been called away on important city business.
Mahntra grimaced, remembering how nervous the families had been. After careful pressing and assuring them that he, the former Keeper, certainly could be trusted they finally answered his questions. The families had been told they must not tell anyone their fathers were gone or it could endanger their lives.
How absurd! Mahntra had thought. Then he recognized the inherent threat in such instructions; both to the nobles and their families. This was worse than he'd feared.
It was shortly after that Mahntra began to notice he was being followed. He'd kept seeing three familiar faces wherever he went. Not all at once, but at different times like they were switching off. The main give away had been their posture. You can put a soldier in normal clothing but you can't hide the way he walks, the way he stands.
Normally he wouldn't have paid such close attention to those around him. Events had heightened his senses.
The question was what to do about it. There definitely was trouble; and growing worse with the Conservator announcing new security procedures in the city.
In a carefully crafted speech the Conservator had announced the princess had entrusted him with the defense of the city. There was evidence a Time of Trouble lay ahead. The new measures were for the city's protection and the princess had given her full support. Of course the orders weren't signed by the princess. They were issued nonetheless.
People were disturbed, but went along. What else could they do? They trusted that everything was fine. Yet there were softly voiced questions as to why the princess hadn't made the announcement.
Most people knew a Conservator was not to make new laws or edicts no matter how important, without the direct consent of the princess. The Conservator was to simply insure the government continued to function as it had until the succession was completed.
Mahntra knew the princess hadn't given Tranthra' Joh any such leeway as he claimed. She wasn't even in the city. And still there was no mention of it. People were starting to notice. They hadn't seen her in days. It wasn't like her. Was she sick like her mother? The low voices were starting to spread. Mahntra smiled to himself as he walked. I planted most of those questions myself. I should have been a dissident.
Mahntra wished he dared speak out more publicly, but what would be the consequences? What would happen to the princess . . . to his daughter? And what if Tranthra' Joh's story were actually true? What if the Princess was on a special envoy with the missing nobles? He thought that story was all a fabrication. Still, he must think about it more before doing anything.
His mind made up, he turned back toward his house, keeping the same casual pace as if out taking exercise. I must keep my shadows ignorant I know of them. If they suspected he knew they’d be changed. It’d take time to identify them again. It was better to have a shadow you knew. Mahntra had a feeling he was going to need all the advantage he could get.