Chapter 3: The New Leader of Alfard

As Lyude left the ward, the nurse met him outside.

"Is everything all right?" she asked kindly.

Lyude smiled as he tried to recall her name. Ah, yes… Lycoris. "Yes, it is. Thank you, Miss Lycoris," he said, bowing politely. "I was wondering… could you tell me where the graveyard is?"

Lycoris appeared flustered. "Of course, Sir Lyude, but… please, don't do that."

Lyude looked surprised. "Do what?"

"Bow! Sir Lyude, you bow to no one."

These words vibrated throughout his whole being, shook him to the core. For a while he could say nothing for fear of betraying his feelings. The nurse waited patiently until he spoke again.

"Please… show me to the graveyard."

"Of course, sir. This way." She inclined her head respectfully and dropped a curtsy, then turned around and led the way out. Lyude sighed and followed. Would everyone be this… this reverent? He felt awkward and uncomfortable. First the crowds, then Skeed, and now this… it was overwhelming.

"Here, sir. The graveyard is out back. I'll see to it that no one disturbs you." Lycoris gestured and began to curtsy again, but Lyude held a hand up to stop her, embarrassed.

"Please don't, Miss Lycoris. There's no need for formalities."

"If you wish, Sir-"

"And please, call me Lyude. Just Lyude." He smiled.

"Ah, all right, s- I mean, yes, Lyude." She blushed and gave him a small smile. "I'll be off then." She caught herself to stop a curtsy and walked away.

Lyude almost laughed out loud at the irony of the situation. Most of the people in Mintaka had treated him like scum, and now they were bowing and scraping to him. They had welcomed him back after he'd betrayed them and killed some of their own soldiers.

He didn't feel worthy.

His footsteps took him near the center of the graveyard. His golden boots and scarlet-and-black uniform seemed bright and out of place in contrast to the somber gray tombstones. A freshly fug grave, earth newly turned, caught his eye, and he walked over to read the headstone.

Commander Vallye, officer in the Imperial Army, leader of Airborne Division 16. May her soul soar as high as she did in life and find peace.

Lyude ran his hands gently over the finely carved stone. His fingers traced the inscription and the carvings of wings and soldiers on the sides. Unbidden, tears sprang to his eyes. He blinked, but a single drop, a solitary shining star, dropped onto the tombstone with a quiet splash.

"Farewell, Vallye," he whispered to the earth, stroking the dirt down. "I never got a chance to tell you… how much I still loved you." He stood up, brushing the soil from his knees, and walked slowly off.

He spent a time searching before he found the one he wanted. The grave was in the corner of the graveyard, its marker barely big enough to be seen. There was only one word carved into it, and Lyude had to brush off dry earth to see it:

ALMARDE

Lyude bowed his head. His eyes were dry now – he had no more tears left. Only an aching void in his soul, left empty, one that could never really be filled again.

"I'm so sorry, Almarde," he told the grass waving gently around the marker. "That bullet was meant for me. Sometimes I think… it is me who should be down there, and you here, alive to see the new Ocean and the defeat of evil. Oh, Almarde, you would love the ocean." He smiled as he recalled the sound of the waves, the smell of the sea, the light sparkling on the water. "It is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I want… I want so much for you to see it…" His voice broke and he halted, waited to compose himself.

"Please forgive Skeed and Vallye," he continued after a while. "I know now they really do love me… I think the Emperor controlled them as he did me. But now, Almarde, the Emperor is dead… gone forever. Alfard is free. You can rest in peace."

The wind whistled through the grass, seemed to be saying something. Lyude listened hard as the grass rustled in the breeze.

I love you, child.

Lyude smiled and gazed at the clear blue sky. "I love you too, Almarde. I know… you're always with me."

When Lyude returned from the graveyard, there was a boy waiting for him.

"Sir Lyude?" the boy asked respectfully. Lyude gazed at him, trying to remember where he'd seen the lad before. He looked so familiar…

The boy squirmed under his scrutiny. "I-I'm Panaway, sir. You might remember me from Mintaka… I… um…" His voice trailed off, and he looked at the ground in embarrassment. "I wanted to, um, apologize."

Suddenly Lyude remembered where he's seen Panaway. He was the boy who had so imperiously insulted his friends their first time in Alfard, when they were searching for the last End Magnus. Oddly, the thought made him smile. Panaway thought he was laughing at him.

"I'm sorry… sir… I shouldn't have been so, um, rude… and-"

Lyude put a hand up to stop him, still smiling. "Don't worry about it, Panaway."

The boy brightened. "Really?"

"Yep."

Panaway smiled, his face lighting up. The effect was pleasant – he looked kinder and much less spoiled. "Okay, sir!"

"And call me Lyude."

"No problem, Lyude." Panaway thought a moment. "I'm supposed to tell you to come to Imperial Headquarters. Those guys – Ayme and Folon – are waiting for you. Oh, and the nurse wants to give you a checkup. Something about making sure you're healthy after coming back from fighting Malpercio."

Lyude grinned. "I'll be right there." He followed Panaway out of the city and towards the shining palace that was the headquarters of the Imperial Army.

"Glad you finally made it," drawled Folon as Lyude walked into the planning chamber. Besides Ayme and Folon, there were several other Imperial officers there. Lyude recognized Admiral Bagnost (the soldiers jokingly called him "Old Bags"), who oversaw most of the elite units. Bagnost was an older man, still quite fit, but his black beard was peppered with gray and white, and his hair had mostly gone to silver. His dark eyes were still fiercely intelligent and aware of everything around him. Lyude saw also Commander Davies (formerly Lieutenant, at least when Lyude had known him), who had been part of the Mad Wolf unit. Davies was a slender man, with dirty blonde hair, twinkling blue eyes, and a mischievous grin. He was surprised to see they'd promoted Davies. Last he'd known him, the man had been a hothead, lively and irrepressible, but hardly command material. Davies started to rise from his chair, but cast a glance at the other admirals and captains, who were not making any moves. Awkwardly, he tried to disguise this as shifting for a more comfortable position and coughed embarrassedly. Catching Lyude's eye, he rolled his eyes in a meaningful way at the Imperial top brass. They didn't seem to notice or, if they did, pretended not to.

"Ambassador Lyude," began Admiral Bagnost formally. His eyes were cold, and Lyude felt his heart sink. He knew it had been too good to be true. Here was the punishment he'd been waiting for.

"We have been informed of your actions outside Alfard, including treason, murder of Imperial soldiers, destruction of Imperial property, assassination of His Eminence Emperor Geldoblame, and murder of Malpercio. And direct disobedience of orders," he added, almost as an afterthought. Those dark eyes held a chill unrivaled by the fiercest winter storm.

Lyude waited for the hammer's blow to fall.

"Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

"No, sir." His voice was clear and steady.

"Then it seems we have no choice." Admiral Bagnost looked down at a piece of paper in front of him. "By order of the High Command of the Imperial Army, Ambassador Lyude is to be reinstated into the ranks of the Imperial Army, pardoned his crimes, and given decoration such as befitting his status as war hero."

Lyude's jaw dropped before he could help himself. Davies winked at him, and Admiral Bagnost's eyes twinkled suddenly.

"You didn't think we'd prosecute you after you saved the world, did you, my boy?" the admiral asked kindly, chuckling slightly.

"I… I don't know what to say," said Lyude incredulously.

"I think a 'thank you' will do," Ayme told him.

"Oh! Thank you very much, sirs. I am forgetting my manners." He stood up and bowed low to his superiors. As he did so, he noticed that the rest of the commanders were still stony-faced.

"There is one other thing," said Bagnost.

"Yes, sir?"

"We will not be able to get out of headquarters unless you speak to the crowd around the gates." Smiling slightly, he gestured to the security screen in front of him. Puzzled, Lyude walked over and peered at it.

A large group of people milled about the entrance, chatting excitedly and watching the doors, which were guarded by several soldiers. There was no violence, however, just people waiting.

Waiting for him.

"I guess you'll just have to go out there, Commander." Folon grinned wickedly. "I don't know about you, but I'd appreciate being able to reach Mintaka again."

"Then… then I will. Admiral." Lyude saluted his superiors, trying and failing to hide his astonishment at his new title, and took his leave. He left the room, his head spinning with the enormousness of it all. Too much. Too much, all at once.

But it was wonderful.

As he approached the doors, Lyude hesitated for a moment. What on earth would he say to these people? What did they want?

There was nothing to do but find out.

He stepped through the door, and the sunlight blinded him. A moment later, the accompanying cheers deafened him as well. When he was able to see, he scanned the crowd. Most of these people he knew from one time or another – there was Scalla and her mother, there was Panaway – and… were those Azhans he saw?

Lyude raised a hand, and the crowd fell silent at once. Suddenly he realized he would have to speak, and he had no idea how to begin.

"Fellow citizens of the Empire-" No! That sounded stupid. Quickly he changed it. "-People of Alfard. This is… such an honor for you to gather here for me. I don't – I don't deserve your trust and your worship." He bowed his head. At these words, a shabbily dressed man stepped forward from the crowd. He took a beaten and weatherworn leather hat off his head and bowed to him. Lyude realized he was from Azha, and he noted with pleasure the respect the Mintakans – far better clothed – gave him.

"Sir Lyude," the man began. "Only a while ago, I could not be here. Azhans and Imperials have a distrust of one another, and we are not accepted by Mintakans." Grudging nods from the crowd followed this. The man looked directly at Lyude, and there was happiness in his deep, gentle brown eyes. "But when you overthrew Geldoblame and Malpercio, things began to change. Everything was chaos, but we bonded together to survive. It was no longer Azha or Mintaka or Imperial – just Alfard." A rousing cheer came at these words. "Sir Lyude, you have unified Alfard. That is why we want you to be the new Emperor." He knelt, and slowly, the rest of the crowd knelt, some more quickly than others.

"W-what?" Lyude was so shocked, he began stammering. "No! No, please." They looked up at him. "I couldn't possibly…" He stopped. Suddenly an idea came to him, and he smiled. This was perfect. "Thank you for your gracious invitation, but I don't want to be Emperor." Murmurs rose, and he held up a hand to silence them. "I don't want you to give me absolute power over everyone. For that is what Emperor Geldoblame had, and look where it led Alfard." He gazed steadily at them. "A few benefited while many more suffered." The Azhans nodded knowledgably. A few Mintakans looked uncomfortable.

"That is why I propose we abolish the office of Emperor and set up a new system of leadership, one in which everyone has a say." People began to stare in wonder. Lyude's voice gained conviction. "No longer will the government be allowed to do with its citizens as it pleases! There, people will be able to trust their government to serve their needs and interests instead of its own! The needs of the many will rule, rather than the needs of the few."

There was stunned silence for a moment. The Azhan who had spoken before rose again. "Then, Sir Lyude, my vote goes to you." He began clapping his hands.

Soon other joined in, then all at once the entire crowd was on its feet, clapping loudly, but not cheering. The looks in their eyes said it all.

Lyude bowed his head to hide his face, suddenly overcome with emotion. Xelha and the others had been right. For once, he could do this.

The council of Imperial leaders watched the entire thing through the security screens. Most wore dark frowns on their faces. Only Folon, Ayme, and Davies were grinning.

"Well, Admiral," Folon drawled. "He's got the support of Alfard. What are you going to do know?"

Admiral Bagnost's frown disappeared, and he looked contemplative. "Give them what they want."

A thin and wiry commander, Commander Ikarin, objected darkly. "Rule like this can only lead to anarchy."

"On the contrary," began Davies heatedly. "The people will cooperate because they know that if they do, they will benefit! You graybeards are just afraid that…"

"Thank you, Davies, that will be all," said Bagnost sharply. "You are dismissed."

Davies glowered at him for a moment. Bagnost stared back mildly, and Davies dropped his gaze, saluted, and exited the room.

"In answer to your concern, Ikarin… it is entirely possible," said Bagnost thoughtfully. "But I believe we should proceed. Long ago, if you look back in the history books before the Emperors of Alfard, you will find that rulers once held the title of Speaker. Lyude shall hereby be known as the Voice of Alfard, Speaker of the Empire."

He listened to the voices outside, and smiled slightly. "They will probably call him the Red Flame of Alfard, to the White Flame of Diadem. He is young. You will not find the job difficult."

The other commanders stared at him dubiously. Admiral Bagnost raised his eyebrows, and one by one they stood, bowed, and filed out. Behind Bagnost, the last out were Folon and Ayme.

"What kind of chance do you reckon Lyude stands?" whispered Ayme.

Folon laughed. "A lot more than these geezers seem to think he does…"