Ah, power.
A lovely thing. He could do as he liked, whenever. It was far more seductive than women, which might be why he had never married. After all, an Empress had power, too. Enough to even override an Emperor's.
He turned over in his luxurious bed. There were, of course, some problems. He wanted a reason to justify executions. It made good impressions on peace delegations, too. He did have to conceal some actions. After all, if the entirety of Tortall, Tyra and Yamani Isles united, he might just have some problems.
So, Arram. What he could accuse his old, now renounced friend? The possibilities were endless. Treason against the crown was enough to earn an immediate execution. But he preferred something more painful, something that even the thick-skulled, book-bound idiot would remember in the Black God's realm.
Only this morning had he discovered an enormous weak point in his armor. With Arram's father dead, mother only rarely in his mind, there had really been no one weak enough to hurt him with. But this morning, in the bird enclosure, he had found the soft spot.
It was Daine.
Of course, he didn't want to kill Daine—after all, his birds had gotten much better. There were ways, he thought to himself with grim humor, ways that Arram would think his 'student' killed or captured or kidnapped or tortured….Possibilities rang through his head. He could set Daine up as a Duchess, change her face and name and bind her to his empire.
Oh, yes, there were ways. Arram—and now Daine—would not escape him again. Never again. He had been careless and had not expected Arram to stop using his Gift. And Arram had gotten away. He opened speaking spell to summon a servant.
"Get me dreamrose. I don't care if you have to import it from Tyra. I want it within three days." The slave bowed submissively and retreated.
Power.
A quick note: Believe me, I love Numair and Daine. As it is told form Ozorne's point of view, though, I don't think it comes out so well. Please tell me what you think!
Disclaimer: I'd like to thank Tamora Pierce for the wonderful playground of a story she has allowed me to play in.