Enlightened Empire

Chapter 298

While the two fleets were having a standoff outside of Rascaopa's harbor, Tayali sat deep in thought within the Grand Hall of the Green Court. He watched the backs of Corco's messengers, who left after they had announced the arrival of the King of the South and his new queen.

“Some good news at last. I believe we should get ready to welcome the princess with the honor she deserves,” Phuyu said. The old man with the spindly figure stood to the left of the king's throne, while Tayali stood to its right. Although they had welcomed the foreign messengers in the Grand Hall – Rasacopa's throne room – as dictated by their status as equals and allies, the king's seat had remained empty throughout.

“Yes, we should,” a still absentminded Tayali said. His thoughts weren't on their guests at all. Rather, they were on what they represented.

“You're better at these things than me, so it's better you take care of it,” Tayali added. “The Lady of Green also needs to be informed. At least that much I can do.”

“In that case, I will excuse myself for now.” Without a bow, the old man left the room. As soon as he did, Tayali marched into the center of the hall and took a seat on the throne. The spot fit his body like it was natural, as if he had always belonged there.

“What do you think about those people?” he asked one of the warriors who lined the room on both sides. After many years of loyal service, his standing among Rasacopa's warriors had already been exceptional. However, since his return, he had been considered the only hero in their defeat, and he had also gained access to the island's treasury as its chief administrator. After several days of intense work, he had already managed to clear the ranks and placed guards loyal to him close to the center of power.

“King Tayali, won't those foreigners try to butt in during your succession?” the warrior asked.

“They better not, if they know what's good for them.”

“Should we prepare an ambush?” the warrior suggested in a low voice. “We can take them out, or at least show them who's in charge here, so they won't do anything stupid.”

For a second, Tayali considered the dangerous plan, before reason won him over.

“No, we still don't know how many men they've brought, and how determined they are to fight for power over the island. Rather, we don't know if that girl wants to be a ruler at all, now that she's queen elsewhere. For now, we'll continue to play our roles as loyal servants, and we'll probe them once they've come ashore. Pick some useful people. Tell them to create problems during the reception and give us an excuse to help them out. Make them owe me a favor. That's how we will start to conquer the kingdom.”

“As you wish, King Tayali.” After a bow, Tayali's warrior servant left the room. Satisfied, the king leaned back in his chair. He really enjoyed this kind of treatment, the kind that only true leaders deserved. Of course, he considered himself among their ranks, without question.

Princess Sumaci, eh? he mused to himself. For your own good, you would have been better off staying away. But now that you are here, let me make good use of you. Maybe you will be easier to handle than your stubborn mother. Surely trying won't hurt, will it?

The last time Corco had been to Rasacopa, he had met King Taoco in his private cultivation room, where they had discussed the futures of their respective countries. They had met there because Taoco had struggled with the proper diplomatic etiquette for receiving another king. Yet this time, their hosts had no such reservations.

After they had landed ashore, they had been welcomed by local warrior servants of the Hulpatec family. After they had exchanged some pleasantries, they had been brought into the inner parts of the Green Court. After his last meeting with the green king, Corco and his cousin Mayu had been led around most of the city by Sumaci over the following days. However, while they had seen many parts of the Green Court, this was an area the king had never been to before.

Unlike the more centralized castles and palaces of Medala, the Green Court was a sprawling arrangement of buildings. Some were hidden behind walls, while others were strewn all over the city of Rasacopa, sitting right between civilian houses. In line with the free-spirited nature of the Verdant Folk, the social classes of the island were far more intermingled than they would be in Medala. Even so, there were certain areas of the palace which were off-limits to the commoners.

For their official reception, they were brought into one such place, a large hall fit to welcome the most valued guests of the kingdom. The entire hall was elliptical, with a length of no less than twenty meters between the furthest points. Almost the entire ground was covered with a square, red carpet, showing off the island's wealth. Only the sides of the hall were uncovered, and instead showed off two ponds of water, a strange sight indoors.

Considering Corco's past track record with foreign welcomes, he half expected to run into an ambush again, but he was pleasantly surprised to see his allies keep with the common etiquette for once.

As soon as the king and his entourage entered the room, they were greeted by row upon row of warriors, who sat on bamboo mats all across the room. Only one central path was left for the guests to reach the other side. As Corco and his team were announced, the warriors all stood in unison to honor their guests. At the end of the room, the floor was raised up higher, to show the elevated status of those atop it.

There, far in the distance, sat an older noble lady and stared down on the warriors beneath her. This woman was someone Corco had met briefly during his last visit in Rasacopa, but even if he hadn't, he would have no problem identifying her. After all, Sumaci's looks took a great deal after her mother.

As soon as the warriors had all stood, the lady rose from her seat as well. With hurried steps, she came towards the new arrivals, her arms raised in welcome.

“Greetings, noble guest. This lady welcomes you into the Green Court, on behalf of her husband.”

“Mother!”

Before Corco had a chance to answer the lady's greeting, Sumaci threw off every pretense of etiquette and rushed forward. Of course Corco understood the reason for her outburst. All this time, she hadn't known the real fate of those in Rasacopa and had assumed the worst. Now that she saw her mother still healthy and still in a strong position at home, she let loose for just a second. With a childlike smile, she rushed towards her mother, ready to embrace her. However, before she could really act on her impulses, she stopped in her steps.

In Corco's opinion, the mother daughter reunion would have been a nice moment, but things were never so simple for a ruling family. Any faux-pas from the princess today could bring House Hulpatec endless trouble in the near future. After all, while everything seemed in order in Rasacopa, there could be all kinds of chaos hidden underneath this outward appearance.

If those with bad intentions were present today, mistakes like a lack of decorum could become excuses to call Sumaci unfit as ruler. Luckily, the young queen was smart enough to understand these issues as well, and soon reigned herself in. Quick-thinking, she didn't reach out to her mother for a hug, but instead fell on her knees in a melodramatic display of filial piety that would put even the ancestors to shame. It still showed her happiness, but no one would be able to criticize her for showing familial affection like this.

“Good girl, please do not embarrass mother and rise,” the Lady of Green said in a warm tone far beyond her formal speech from before.

Just as Sumaci hit the floor, her mother stepped forward and helped her off the ground again. Despite the burden of ritual, it still felt like a tender moment to Corco. However, it lasted for only a second. With her wits regained, Sumaci stepped back and to the side, to open her mother's view onto Corco.

“Mother, please let me formally introduce my husband.” Already, the coldness of the royal family had returned, but Corco still pretended to hear pride in her voice. “This is King Corcopaca Primu Titu Pluritac, King of the Medala Empire's Kingdom of the South and eldest member of the Medala Empire's Triumvirate. You have already met before, several years back when he visited Rasacopa to forge a lasting alliance with the Verdant Folk of the Green Island.”

Since it was so different from Sumaci's usual way of speech, Corco was surprised at the verbose introduction. With this many titles and this much fanfare, the princess clearly showed her backing, and brought herself into position to contend for her father's empty throne. Although Corco didn't quite know if Sumaci was just nervous or if she really planned to become queen, playing along for now would be the best option.

“This king is delighted to meet mother-in-law again, and to once again see the beautiful Rasacopa in all its glory. This king feels greatly pleased with the warm welcome from all his friends and allies of the Green Island. Please accept this present as a token of respect towards House Hulpatec and towards the Green Island of the Verdant Isles.”

Behind Corco, his warrior servants came forward to hand the lady an ornate box made of silver. It contained expensive jewelry from some Saniya's more recently joined craftsmen. Over the past year, the wealth in the city had begun to attract goldsmiths from Arguna, so Corco had commanded several of them to create a work worthy of his mother-in-law. Since so much of their jewelry had been outstanding, he had simply taken along all of it when they went on their way. However, when the Lady of Green's maidservant took over the box, the lady herself still hadn't moved. Ever since his introduction as Sumaci's husband, she had just given him a stunned look, with no further response.

Something's wrong here.

Clearly, this woman was surprised by her daugther's marriage, that much was obvious from her expression. However, his messengers made his arrival, as well as his status, abundantly clear when they announced them several hours earlier. Clearly, the messengers had arrived and the lady had been informed about the arrival of important guests. Why else would she be here? Yet somehow, Lady Sisa didn't seem to know the first thing about her son-in-law's existence.

Annoyed, he glanced around the room, to find out who was playing games. In the end, his view landed on the two figures the warriors seemed to subconsciously congregate around. One was a thin old man and the other a sturdy warrior in his prime.

These should be Captain Tayali and advisor Phuyu, huh? Did one of them intercept the message to embarrass their lady, or was it a spy from outside trying to create chaos?

All of a sudden, the warm atmosphere of the reception seemed hollow to Corco. Now that he was aware of the hidden daggers, he noticed that everyone in the room seemed a bit stiff. While they tried to act natural, all the mumbled chatter from the warriors was just a bit too loud, or too quiet. Maybe it was his own paranoia, but suddenly, Corco began to see the shadows of intrigue everywhere around him.

While the king was still considering the political minefield he had just stepped into, his mother-in-law regained her senses at last. To his surprise, she acted as if nothing had happened.

“Lady Sisa welcomes King Corcopaca in the name of her husband and the Green Island. As mother to Queen Sumaci, this elder greets son-in-law in the name of House Hulpatec, and wishes her daughter to find a safe harbor in son-in-law's home.”

“As you can see, mother, your daughter married King Corco, just like we discussed in our past letters with the approval of father.” Sumaci began to create a story to cover up her mother's earlier shock. “Thank you for supporting our union from the beginning, or it would have never come to pass. Saniya's court sent out an invitation and expected both mother and father during the marriage ceremony, but you never appeared.”

“The message must have gotten lost on its way here,” the lady pretended. “The waters around Rasacopa are very turbulent these days, and many men of bad intentions aim to muddle it further. While your father is no longer around to see you in this way, he will be glad to see his daughter marry the man he had chosen for her.”

“Why talk about sad things this early in the evening? Why don't we take a seat instead?” Corco tried to redirect the conversation away from their marriage. Mother and daughter could only make up stories for so long before they would get caught in contradictions, and Corco's feet were getting tired. Thus, the lady was more than happy to follow her new son-in-law's lead.

“Where are my manners?” she said with the same shallow, polite smile she had shown in the beginning. “Please, this way.”