Chapter 6: The Morning Discussion
Kai did not sleep well, with his father's death and the coming of Queen Levana, he stayed awake until four in the morning. Finally sleep had come and so he wasn't entirely exhausted when he rose. Just mostly. It would have to be enough for his discussion with Torin.
Kai had his breakfast sent to the private counsel chamber and just finished the rice and fish just as Torin came in. He dismissed the chamberlain with his dishes and leaned back ever so slightly in his seat. Torin looked better than he had last night though the light shadows under his eyes show Kai that he didn't sleep well either. When the door closed, Torin started to speak.
"I have had a team put together an announcement for your father's passing and for Queen Levana's arrival. I only need you to look over and approve it for the press conference." The table before Kai lighted up as its built in netscreen activated. Words scrolled in front of Kai, words he knew described what was happening, but didn't express what he felt or what the people would feel soon enough. However, Kai could see no wrong in it and he was eager to get to actual discussion, so he signed off.
"So I wasn't having a nightmare last night, she's really coming?" He asked.
"I'm afraid so Your Highness. Her thaumaturge had the palace staff start the removal of mirrors from the East Wing late last night. They are nearly finished now." Torin returned.
"The East Wing!" Kai cried. "That's preposterous! Even she cannot expect to have an entire wing to herself!"
"I believe she will not, Prince Kai." Torin corrected. "She is taking only the largest of the guest quarters. The mirrors have been removed from the rest of the wing for her 'ease of movement' about the palace."
Kai ground his teeth. He doubt that was the sole reason, though if the mirror theories were true, it was a convenient one. However, Kai suspected it was another sign from Levana that that she was in control. His thoughts turned in a new direction.
"What kind of disturbance are we expected to see when everyone knows she's coming?" He dreaded the answer but he had to know.
"Analysts are predicting general agitation among the city's population. It will probably cause a few riots in the less fortunate neighborhoods from the onset, though we expect the wealthier regions to remain quiet. Nevertheless, we are expecting a large organized protest to arrive at the palace soon after the Queen's arrival early in the afternoon."
"I suppose that could become a problem." Kai speculated.
"I believe so Your Highness." Torin agreed. "Though I'm sure Queen Levana is expecting it as well, and will take advantage of the opportunity it provides."
"You think she's going to show off her magic?" Kai asked. "Show us how powerless we are?"
"That," Torin replied. "is what I believe."
"I'll probably be rendered a drooling idiot when she comes." Kai mused darkly. "I wonder if she will have me propose on the landing pad or will she wait for a romantic dinner?"
"She will not act so directly, Your Highness." Torin disagreed. "It would be too obvious and she is too exposed. If she were to try that, the other Earthen nations would intercede. They are carefully watching, and although they are reluctant to go to war, they may if they feel the Queen is taking too much advantage over you. Such a disaster would in the end be to Queen Levana's benefit, but at a huge cost and she'd be risking her life. No, she will use her power, but only to weaken you, she will try other, more conventional means to break you. Resisting her will be difficult though."
Kai studied Torin's expression. It was hard, resolute, but with a touch of fatalism, Kai may have imagined that last one. Resisting a lunar, according to tales, was like walk upstream in a fast flowing river. Fight all you want, the current takes you with it anyway. Kai decided to take the conversation in a new direction.
"So how does the Doge's offer fit into all this?" Kai's anger had cooled during the night, and in light of the Lunar Queen's imminent arrival. Fulfilling his father's dying wish wasn't looking so bad now. Even if he had to live with the fact his father-in-law had killed his father, it wasn't like the Doge was in the same league of evil as Levana.
Torin sighed before he responded. "At first, the arrangement your father agreed to before he died, at least what we know of it, seems to be the solution to our difficulties with the Lunar Queen at least in terms of the balance of power. However, on closer inspection it is an illusion for two reasons.
"First is the fact that the Belt Confederacy is a crown republic like its member states. Though a Grand Doge is the sovereign ruler for life, he is elected and can be disposed by an opposing political movement with enough votes of the Grand Assembly. Nor will his daughter inherit his throne, not unless she was to be elected in his stead, which is unlikely.
"Then, even if she were to become the Grand Dogaressa and married you her people would never allow her to live on Earth, though it would be Commonwealth custom. If we know anything about the Belters is that they fiercely value their independence, and because their borders have been closed for years to anything but strict material trade we can discern that their obsession for autonomy from Earth is still strong. Thus marrying into the Doge's family could provoke unrest in the Confederacy, from which Queen Levana could take advantage.
"Lastly, the Belt Confederacy's military is not as formidable as people think."
"But I thought the Confederacy's fleet was the largest in the solar system?" Kai interrupted. Torin took in a deep breath.
"Yes," He conceded. "They do technically field the largest fleet. However most of their ships are short range, only really effective in a regional defense role. As for the ships that are capable of making the necessary voyage to Earth, they are spread out among the Belt. It would take them months to mobilize for war and then there is the distance to Earth. The journey of at least one and a half A.U. would take two months at best."
Kai pondered this for a moment. He soon found a historical comparison. "This scenario is just like the Russo-Japanese War from the Second Age!"
Torin nodded in agreement to Kai's frustration. "Indeed."
"Then why would he offer his daughter's hand to me if it would amount to nothing!" Kai lifted himself out of his seat forceful as he spoke, knocking his chair down in his irritation.
"I am afraid that the best explanation for his rash offer is to put Queen Levana on the defensive. He's hoping that the Queen wouldn't be able to see through his bluff."
"Which of course is crazy." Kai pointed out. "If we can see all the holes in this plan, then surely Levana could." Kai didn't go into his suspicions about Lunar spies, Torin would only shoot him down again. "Is it possible that the Doge has some angle that we haven't considered?"
"That is possible, but unlikely. I have had the combine resources of both the Office of Intelligence and the Diplomatic Service looking into this to no avail."
"But he's the Grand Doge, the 'Diplomatic Prodigy,' and we still don't know exactly how he could unite most of the Belt." Torin considered Kai's anxiety.
"I suppose it is possible." Torin conceded. "If he had been planning this for a long time, he could have removed the obstacles without anyone knowing. But Your Highness, I would not trust to that, his reign is still shaky and he has yet to display the level of shrewdness of his youth, this notion is simply too fantastic to be reliable."
"Not that it matters." Kai grumbled as he remember the events of the previous day. He turned away. "He's probably half way back to the Belt by now."
"Actually," Torin rolled his tongue. "He never left New Beijing."
Kai's gaze bolted back to Torin's eyes. "What!" He cried, a pulse of angry swelled in him. "I ordered him to leave the Commonwealth! I even threatened to execute him!"
"Yes you did." Torin's continence took on an admonishing tone. "And he technically complied."
"Complied? But you said that he was still in New Beijing!" Kai was confused.
"He is." Torin confirmed. "He has an established embassy in the in the Takada District, thus he is legally on Belt Confederacy soil." Kai delved into his brain. The Takada District, also called the Diplomat's Village, was the section of New Beijing dedicated to foreign embassies as well as many of the rich citizens of other nations. He had no idea that the news caused Kai's mood to brighten some.
"He's staying. He does have something up his sleeve!" He could help smiling. "Do you know what this could mean?"
"It means," Torin became stern. "That he is arrogant, whether he has good reason to be arrogant remains to be seen."
"Is his daughter at the embassy too?" Kai asked, becoming curious.
"There has been no indication to suggest that she is." Torin replied. "I will grant that his Grace, the Grand Doge hasn't divulged so much as her name, but I can say for certain that no special accommodations were arranged for any other than the Doge himself."
"No name!" Kai raised an eyebrow. "Does he expect me to marry her via radio?" He laughed at his own weak joke, then got serious. "Do you think he is trying to protect her? I mean if he is serious about this marriage, Levana probably wouldn't like it. May he's afraid that she will assassinate his daughter."
"That, Your Highness, is a very dangerous conclusion." Torin spoke slowly. "Though not entirely unfounded, I suggest you not speak of it to anyone while the Lunar Queen is here." After that, the discussion continued to a few lesser matters before they concluded and left the room.
Kai's shoulders slumped as he felt the weight of this new obstacle. He didn't know this girl. He had only met her father, but as far as he could see she was his best, his only way, out of the noose that Queen Levana was tightening around his neck. She couldn't be worse than the witch queen, but if he was going to use her as an excuse, as his shield to protect his country, he needed to get to know her. How am I suppose to court this girl if I don't even know her name?