Chapter Ten: Albion

One week later, Abel and Astha took ship for Albion. The plan was to finish the autumn season in Albion, then travel to the Vatican within the first two weeks of winter. Astha would have liked not to rush things, but Abel said that if they weren't there within the first month of winter, they'd probably have to wait until summer. Astha wanted to know why. Abel grimaced and shrugged. "They have some very suspicious people in the Vatican, and winter is when the days get shorter. Plus, if we were to arrive in the middle of winter, we would arrive during their holy season. Christmas, Lent, Easter…and all the rest of those holidays. However they may feel about letting Methuselah in the Vatican during the normal year, it would take more than a few miracles for them to let us stay during the holy season."

Astha sighed. "Such a big deal over some dead guys. I really will never understand."

"Well, I do. Better than I used to, actually." Abel looked at his hands, and his face held a far away look. "They say that God's Son was born, then died for the world. I could never even be considered close to His perfection, but I can't help wondering. Did he ever feel the way I do? He committed no sins, and there are few I haven't committed but…I wonder how he felt, after he came back. If he was as confused and shaken as I am now." He shook his head slightly, then gave Astha his old smile. "Probably not, right? The Church would be fainting at my blasphemy if they heard me. But it does make me curious sometimes." Then he walked off. Astha watched him go, wondering about his words.

They landed in Albion a week after departure from the Empire. As they waited for the ship to dock, Astha noticed Abel's pensive expression. But whatever was on his mind, he didn't say anything, and she didn't ask. Whatever concerns Abel had were his business, unless he decided otherwise. By the time the ship set down and opened to release them, Abel had shaken off his thoughts and was staring straight ahead confidently.

They were met by a young man with shoulder length blond hair and piercing eyes. As they approached, the man bowed. "Greetings. My name is Virgil Walsh. And you…" His head raised. "You are the Emissaries from the Methuselah Empire, yes?"

Abel nodded. "I am August Constantine, First Ambassador of the Empire, and this is my attaché, Astharoshe Asran, Duchess of Kiev."

The young man bowed again. "It is a pleasure to meet you." He looked into Abel's face, and something flashed through his eyes. It was gone too fast for Astha to guess at what it was. "It is my privilege to have been appointed as your assistant during your stay here in Albion. While you are here, I will guide you wherever you need to go, and assist with all your needs." He held out a sheet of paper to Abel. "This is my information, should you need to contact me for something when I am not around. It also has the information of my personal aide, Mary Stewart, if I am unavailable for some reason." He noted the tenseness of Astha's frame. "You needn't fear for yourself or your superior, my lady. Like the Queen, both my aide and myself believe in co-existence between Terran and Methuselah. And now, I believe the Queen would like to meet with you at your earliest convenience."

'At your earliest convenience' was actually a few hours later. First, their things had to be unloaded. Then, they were escorted to the Londinium Palace, a huge stone and marble edifice that Astha had to admit would have satisfied most nobles. After that, Virgil led them to their rooms. He'd been very tactful about the selection. The rooms were right next door to each other, with a door between them, in case they felt like conferring without others following or listening. But the door also had a series of locks, in interest of propriety. The servants they were assigned were three young men for Abel, and three young women for Astha. All very neat and professional. As the young man left to allow them time to refresh themselves, saying he'd be back in an hour for them, Astha had to admit that, whatever else, these people knew how to treat foreign dignitaries.

An hour later, Virgil returned and led them through the palace. He finally stopped at what looked like an audience chamber. He put his hand on the door, then turned. "Her Majesty thought you might like to meet the members of the Albion Royal Council in a small, informal setting for today. Tomorrow we will have the formal introduction in front of the court, and the official introductions, but today, we thought you might appreciate a chance to exchange informal greetings and get a feel for things, before we get down to business."

Astha had no problem with that, and Abel nodded his assent as well. Still, as Virgil ushered them in and announced them, she could see a shiver run across Abel's shoulders. She wondered what was making him so nervous. Even if the young queen recognized him, their relationship had seemed friendly. Or was it that he feared her anger, having been gone so long?

Virgil stood aside and let them enter. "My lord Ambassador, my lady, may I present to you Her Majesty, Queen Esther, and the assembled Lords of the Council, including my self." And he bowed and gestured them forward.

Esther rose from her seat as they entered. Her eyes met Abel's and in that instant, Astha saw the shock hit her. She didn't know whether Esther recognized him in truth, or simply saw the similarity of feature, but there was no doubt about her surprise. However, she recovered herself well, and drew herself up as though a thing hadn't happened. "Please, be welcome in my kingdom, my lord, my lady. You honor us with your presence here. I look forward to our discussion together."

Abel bowed. "You honor us with your acceptance of our humble proposal. I assure you, we also look forward to our discussion with you, and hope for a fruitful alliance between us."

The formal greetings concluded, at least for today, Abel and Astha both moved into the room. Astha found herself standing beside Virgil Walsh, while the rest of the nobles gathered around Abel. She eyed him slightly. "So, you're a council member too? How'd you get assigned the duty of being our assistant? I'd have thought they'd send someone not attached to negotiations."

He smiled slightly. "Many of the things we need to discuss will fall under my area of expertise. Also, there will doubtless be things you wish to know about, which only I have authority to show you. Or at least, only myself or Her Majesty. It was the logical choice. Besides, I did request the assignment. I have an…interest in the Methuselah Empire." Astha might have questioned that, but he interrupted her. "Perhaps you could tell me something. I have never heard of an Imperial Ambassador. We get envoys sometimes, messengers, but no one like him, in the position you now hold. And he…he is no ordinary man. He moves as one accustomed to power, and yet utterly unconscious of it."

Astha shrugged. She wasn't going to give away too many of Abel's secrets all at once. "The Empress only recently created the post. There were…problems before, but they've been resolved recently. And my lord…was the best suited."

"Indeed. I can see that." Virgil's expression turned thoughtful. "August Constantine. I've never heard of any noble by that name. And yet…isn't the Empress of your land called Augustus Veradica?"

"If you're asking me if my lord and the Empress are related, the answer is yes. But even I don't know everything about it. I only know what I was told, and a lot of it I can't tell either. He's the Ambassador, that's all I can say for now."

Virgil nodded. "I understand. However, I have one other question. Your Empress…your lord, do they truly intend to have peace with us? True peace?"

The man certainly was direct. It irritated her for a moment, but then the frustration faded. She preferred people who were straightforward. And he was moderately polite about it. "Yes. And with others as well. You can rest easy on that score. It's peace they're after, and as far as I know, he plans to be as fair as he can. Certainly, he has a great deal of power to negotiate, and I believe he'll do his best. He's like that."

"Thank you." Virgil relaxed. He looked over the heads of the crowd surrounding Abel. "I believe the Queen would like a word with me. If you'll excuse me."

The little informal gathering went on for several hours. Eventually, dinner was served. Astha and Abel were seated on opposite sides of Queen Esther. As they sat down, Astha noticed that both of them were a little tense. There was something going on between them, and she wasn't sure what it was. Not that it mattered much. Both of them were doing very well, masking their discomfort. The only other person she thought might have recognized it was Virgil Walsh. He watched them the entire time.

After dinner was finished, Esther rose. "Thank you, my lords, for attending this meeting. However…" She directed a glance down the length of the table. "However, I would like to speak with our guests for a while alone. If you will excuse us."

Some of the nobles looked as if they'd like to protest. But the queen's word was the queen's word. Reluctantly, they all rose, bowed, and headed for the door. Virgil was the last to leave. He cast one glance back over his shoulder, then shut the door behind him.

In the silence, Esther and Abel stared at one another. Abel started to say something, but Esther put a hand to his lips. "They…Virgil introduced you as Constantine, of the Empire, but you…" She stopped for a moment, then looked desperately into his eyes. "You are Father Nightroad, aren't you? You are really…here?"

Abel nodded, took her hand from him. "It's been a long time, Miss Esther. You've grown into a fine Queen."

"Stop it." Esther looked away, and there were tears shining in her eyes. "Stop it. How can you speak like that, after everything I've done to you? How can you just be calm like this, after I…after I…." She stopped unable to speak the words.

Astha stared at the two. This was far from the first greeting she'd expected. As far as she knew, Esther and Abel had been close. He'd treated her as a parent would a beloved child, or as a man would something equally precious. And Astha knew Esther was deeply fond of the man she had known as Abel Nightroad. "I don't understand. What happened?"

Abel shook his head softly. "It's nothing, really Astha."

"That's not true!" Esther whirled back to him, anguish in her eyes. "How can you say such a thing?! How can you say such a thing after I killed you?!" She stood tall and shaking. "I saw it, Father. I saw you die because of me. I saw that man kill you because you hesitated when you saw me. You died because I disobeyed your order to stay above in the Palace."

So that was it. Astha had no idea what to say. She was shocked that Esther had been there when Nightroad died. She was aware, on one level, how traumatic it had obviously been for the young woman. But on another level she was angry, she wasn't quite sure why. She didn't know what to say, whether to comfort the other woman or not.

Abel did though. He reached out, touched Esther's shoulder. "You couldn't be more wrong."

She looked at him through tear filled eyes. "I know what I saw."

"Yes, I know what you saw too. But please…listen to me. You did not cause my death." He took her other shoulder and turned the young queen gently to face him. "I want you to listen to me, very carefully. That man was not someone I could have defeated at that time, in that place and in that condition. At best, I could have achieved a stalemate, and fought him again later. That man….he was my brother, long ago before he was driven insane and became the Contra Mundi. I could not fight him, because he was my brother. Because of that, he killed me. It was not your fault."

Esther's eyes had opened wide at his confession. Astha wondered if she would condemn her former mentor for what he had done. But Esther apparently understood. She looked away again. "But I…I should have done something. Help you somehow. I…couldn't do anything, not even try to help you. I just watched you die. I couldn't do anything for you."

"That isn't true either." Abel shifted one hand from her shoulder to her face, and gently turned her to face him. "In fact you couldn't be more wrong. You did more for me in that time than I could ever even begin to thank you for."

"By watching you die?" The question was sharp and harsh.

"No. You, Miss Esther, helped me live." Abel's eyes went far away again. "When I fell, I thought perhaps I would seek peace. But the last thing I saw was your tearful face. The last thing I heard was you crying for me. I didn't want to leave you like that, grieving for me. So I didn't quite leave. That's why when Tres came for me, and gave me the things I needed to revive, I was still there, still able to respond."

Esther's eyes widened again, but not with grief. "When Virgil came for me, and told me I was the Queen, I thought I heard you, encouraging me somehow. But…I thought it was just my memories."

Abel sighed. "I don't know. I'm not really aware of what happened then, of anything until Tres came. But…I know I did not want you to grieve. And I know you saved me again, then."

"I saved you again?"

Abel nodded. "Tres gave me something that could revive my body. But I…have never been sure I wanted to pay the price of such a revival. And when Cain…that man came for me, I was not sure I could bear to fight him so soon. I had so little control." He smiled weakly. "I'm sure you saw that. But I heard you, I heard you fighting to defend me, and trying to protect my body from what Cain would have done to me. And I knew he would kill you, for getting in his way. And that was why I woke up. To protect you. And then..." He swallowed hard. "After the battle, I had to regain control of myself, regain my sanity." He looked into her eyes. "You helped me with that too, Miss Esther. I remembered you, how much I did not want you to see me as a monster, how much I hated having you see me like that. And because of that, I was able to do something my brother could not. I managed to remain Abel Nightroad." He bowed his head. "I owe you…everything from that time."

There was silence in the room for a time. Astha watched the slender young woman, staring at the bowed figure of a slender man. For her part, Astha was amazed with both of them. She could well imagine what courage it took for Esther to go forward, bearing that burden, and to face this man, with that weight. And she could imagine what it took for Abel to have confessed his own weakness. She felt like an outsider.

Finally, Abel raised his head and smiled at Esther again. "Don't worry, you helped a lot. And even if you think you were powerless, you have to remember that it doesn't matter to me. I told you before didn't I? I am your friend."

Esther's lip trembled. Astha was afraid for a moment that she really would start crying. But then Esther smiled as well. "You never really change." She bowed slightly. "You always know how to help me." She raised her head. "Thank you. I think, I can go ahead with these talks now, knowing it's you, knowing this."

Abel smiled. "That's good."

Esther looked at him a moment. "By the way Father, if I may ask, how did you become an ambassador for the Empire?"

Abel shrugged sheepishly. "Well, I couldn't return to the Vatican. Actually, I'm mostly considered deceased so I'm not technically a priest. But I had some things to deal with anyway. And after I dealt with them, I wasn't too well, and I wound up going to my sister. She's in the Empire. And she made got me this position."

"Your sister?"

Abel looked at Astha. She nodded. It was probably safe to tell Esther. She was a friend to the Empress after all. Abel grinned sheepishly at Esther again. "Well, it's kind of complicated and hard to explain, and it relates to…to that, but basically, Seth is my sister. And she's also the Empress…"

Ester was certainly astonished. "Seth…your sister? But I never, I mean you never…how did you manage to hide it so well? The Vatican should have caught you!" The young queen sat down abruptly. Astha bit back a snicker at the look on her face. She remembered that feeling, but it was nice to see she wasn't the only one.

Abel shrugged. "Not really. The truth is, Seth and I were separated just before the founding of the Empire. It wasn't until shortly before you arrived that she received verification of my existence. And while I suspected she was the one on the throne, I had no proof, and no way to get it. We didn't actually communicate first hand until that meeting in the Empire. After so long apart, with so much at stake, we managed to keep our relationship a secret."

"You didn't talk to each other? For nine hundred years?" Esther was appalled. "Why? Why would you do such a thing?"

"Because we couldn't face each other." Abel sighed. "I'm sorry, but this isn't something I can go into right now. No, this isn't a matter of just keeping secrets…" Abel held up a hand to stop Esther's protests. "I'm simply…there's too much to say, and I can't say it properly right now. I'm asking you to wait until I can. Or until you can meet Seth again and ask her. Please."

Esther nodded. "I understand, Father." She sighed and rose to leave. "I had better get some rest. I will see you tomorrow evening, for the formal meeting and setting the schedule of our talks. Until then, go well. Feel free to walk the castle, and ask Lord Walsh if there is anything you need." And she was gone. After a few moments, the two Methuselah returned silently to their quarters.

The first few days were difficult for Astha. Not only did she have to learn and remember the names of the Queen's advisors, but scheduling the talks was something of an issue. Constantine could meet anywhere, any time, but Astha was restricted to the night. By contrast, the lords of Albion were used to meeting during the day, and business of the kingdom could not be put on hold simply for the envoys. It was finally decided to hold meetings for the first three to five hours after dusk. That would give the nobles time to do things during daylight, while the emissaries from the Empire took care of their business after hours.

Astha had half expected their new assistant, Lord Walsh, to have problems adjusting. More to the point, she'd been wondering when he would sleep. But he seemed to adjust with no problems, and after two days of setting schedules and so forth, negotiations got underway.

The first items were relatively simple things to discuss. Trade was first and foremost. Imperial advances in this technology for Albion advances in that. Constantine had requested a digital map and information device, and the Albion government requested some computer digital tracing technology. There were also the inevitable textile and raw goods trade. Queen Esther had brought some of her favorite spices from the Earl of Memphis, and there was a long, three day discussion about various spice trades and textile imports. Astha argued particularly hard for some of the dye works, knowing that she and her fellow Methuselah would love the colors. And there was one noble who produced some fantastic leather work.

Then it got down to the serious stuff. Ship designs. Computer technology. The kind of stuff that could cause trouble if it fell into the wrong hands. And it was in these negotiations, that Astha came to have an entirely new respect for her fellow liaison, and for the man that had been assigned to assist them.

As soon as the technology questions began to arise, almost the entire Albion court ceded the floor to Virgil Walsh. Within an hour of negotiations, she knew why. He knew the ins and outs of his societies production and standards down to a hair, and she had a feeling that he could recite them in his sleep. The technical jargon he used lost her halfway through the first explanation. But Abel appeared to understand him perfectly. They spent the rest of that council session, and the majority of the next three, talking back and forth, interrupted only when one of the other councilors had a question, or when the actual trading came up.

At the end of the last of the trade discussions, Astha purposely left the hall with Walsh. They walked along for a few moments, when Walsh spoke softly. "Your lord and Imperial Ambassador is as fair as you led me to believe. And yet, how does a diplomat become so knowledgeable about technology? He's quite impressive."

"You were pretty impressive yourself. All Imperial nobles get a thorough education in technology, but you seem… uniquely well informed."

Walsh smiled. "Yes, well, the technology of Albion is one of my two main areas of expertise. The other…we'll cover that soon, I suspect. But I would still say the Ambassador may be a touch beyond me."

"Yeah, well he's a skilled man. In the Empire, only the Empress knows everything he's capable of." Actually, Astha wasn't sure that even Seth knew everything.

"I understand." Walsh hesitated. "I have a question for you. What we negotiate after this will be far more delicate than mere trade. A peace treaty is far more difficult to cement. How much can you and your superior authorize?" He saw Astha's expression. "I simply wish to know where there are likely to be questions. Those points will have to be brought up carefully, and with the proper timing, so that you can ask about them without having awkward breaks in our meetings. That's all Queen Esther and I are concerned with."

"I see. Well, you'll have to ask my Lord Constantine."

"Ask me what?" Both of them jumped. Abel was standing behind them.

Astha bowed hastily. "Forgive me. Lord Walsh was requesting information on our authority for the peace talks. He wishes to know where the limits of it are so that we can avoid unnecessary embarrassment."

"I can't negotiate surrender or transfer of sovereignty. I cannot and will not negotiate a bargain which puts either side at a severe disadvantage to the other. Beyond those terms, I have my Empress' permission to negotiate as I see fit, as long as I keep her and the Imperial Council up to date on the details." Abel touched a pocket of his outfit. "I have written orders to that regard, if you wish to see them."

"It isn't necessary." Walsh nodded. "Thank you for clarifying, my lord." He smiled slightly. "Your assistant is right. You are a very skilled man. If you'll excuse me, I shall report to the Queen." Then he strode off, leaving the two of them in the corridor.

Abel blinked. "I wonder what he meant by that." He sighed. "That man…I only hope I don't get myself in trouble with him."

"Because he's our aide, and an advisor to the queen?"

"Somewhat. But really, from what I heard, he's the queen's main and most trusted advisor, not just one of the council." Abel sighed. "I only wish I was sure of what he knew. That man was the one who identified Esther. He also has access to technology that has been hidden for a long time. And that's not even the most worrisome part. He was here in Londinium the last time I was, when I died. He's certain to have seen me. He doesn't give any indication of recognition, or show any hostility, but still…I wish I were certain whether or not he'd identified me."

Astha could see his point. "Well, that could be a problem. But the queen already knows."

"It isn't that. I never got a feel for him, last time. I was too busy. Besides, I think…he's said some things about the technology here. If he has access to some of the things I did when I first lived in Londinium, or when I helped Lilith here…he might know more than my identity as Father Nightroad. And history…can be very dangerous."

Astha started to say something, but then Abel shrugged and smiled wryly. "Ah well, it's not important now. I suppose I'll just have to deal with him as it is."

Astha nodded. She didn't like uncertainties, but then, dealing with this man, her life was awash with them.

The trade talks finally wound down about two nights later. A tentative agreement for various trades were drawn up, and a possible schedule of delivery and production written out. The next night, they met with a very different air. Astha could feel the nervousness in the council. It wasn't a surprise. After all, they were negotiating with the Empire. Not only were her people powerful, but she understood enough about politics to know their own side might condemn them for this. They could find themselves in big trouble. In that light, she wondered why they were going ahead with this.

As Constantine and Astha entered the room, the air stilled. Constantine walked forward to the throne, bowed, then raised his head and spoke. "Your Majesty, I am pleased to inform you that, thus far, the trade agreement we sent has met with a favorable view. They are, of course, still discussing it, but the Empress seemed very pleased."

"It's good to hear. But that isn't the only message you have come with tonight is it? Please, speak your piece."

"Very well. Her Majesty, Empress of the Methuselah Empire, would like to know if peace talks can begin at this time. We are aware that only a week and a half remains in our time in your court, however, she would like us to begin now. It is her reasoning that trade will flow much more smoothly if it backed by peace."

It was all very scripted, a formal dance of words that Astha understood only too well. The young Queen gave her gracious approval, and asked the counselors for theirs. Astha thought that one or two of them, the conservatives in the bunch, might oppose it, but they held silent. One of them twitched, and glared. Two others, she noticed, were absent. Oh well. Better absent than causing problems.

Astha was jerked back to her place when Constantine spoke again. "Thank you. I have a list with me of things my Empress would like discussed. Lady Astha?" He held out his hand.

Astha quickly pulled out an electronic pad. 'Yes, my lord. I have all the questions here. Do you wish to read them, or shall I?" Constantine gave her a slight nod. "Very well."

Astha took a step forward, to be even with her partner as she addressed the council. She hoped no one saw her swallow nervously. She had to read these so that they sounded sincere, reasonable, and absolutely unthreatening. But also very forceful. Not an easy task by her standards. "Her Majesty, the Empress Augusta Veradica, has indicated these things as questions that must be raised. First, the issue of boundaries of travel between our countries. It is our hope, as we are allies in business, that peace will include some travel between the nations by both nobles and ordinary citizens as well as traders. However, we should discuss provisions for such travel. Naturally, the nobles of the Empire will have certain requirements that need to be met, and it is assumed that the peoples of Albion may have similar requirements. There is also the question of travel arrangements, since neither formal courier ships or traders is reasonable. Also, means of identifying visitors from each country need to be established, as well as envoy houses. Also, any necessary limits to visitations. Second, there is the question of enforcement of each countries laws, rules and customs must be understood. It is certain that there are differences in protocol and responses. We of the Empire wish to know these differences, and establish guidelines for appropriate behavior on both sides. In addition, should a problem arise, we should identify appropriate paths to handle the issue. And should a felony occur on either side, we must decide who will handle the correction of the matter…." The list continued in that vein. Relationships had to be carefully thought out. Everything had to be dealt with in it's proper place, from minor transport arrangements to law and customs negotiations. Just reading about all the things a peace talk entailed made Astha feel a little dizzy. She wondered how her partner was going to handle all this.

At the end of the list of discussion questions, Esther rose. "This is a very important discussion. We appreciate all the points you have raised and we will certainly consider all of them most carefully. However, if it is agreeable to both you and Lord August Constantine, there is something I would have you see. It is certain to have some bearing on these discussions. In light of that, I would propose that we adjourn this meeting, so that Lord Walsh can introduce you to this facet of negotiations."

Astha turned to look at her companion. Abel was watching Esther and Lord Walsh. After a moment, he inclined his head. "I understand. I am perfectly willing to look at anything which you deem to have relevance. I await your convenience."

Queen Esther nodded back, and then raised her hands to end the session. As the nobles began to file out, Astha looked at her companion. "You know what it is, don't you?"

Abel shrugged. "I have my suspicions. Walsh did say he had two areas of expertise. But I won't know for sure until he actually shows us. And my information is probably out of date."

Virgil Walsh walked over and bowed slightly. "My Lord, my lady, if you would be so kind as to follow me?" With that, he began leading them through the halls, to the very heart of the palace. Astha recognized the central corridor. She'd passed through it numerous times, but she'd never seen any offices or anything. The only things were two sets of large double doors. Walsh stopped at one and gestured them forward. "If you please."

The doors opened onto a spacious elevator. It was well decorated, as befitted a Palace structure, but it still retained an element of use, and was obviously more practical than decorative. Walsh stepped in behind them, then pressed a panel. The doors shut and they began to descend.

It was a long ride. Within seconds, Astha knew they were passing the ground floors, and even the basement of the main palace. Curious, she spoke up. "If you don't mind my asking, where exactly are we going?"

Walsh smiled thinly. "It has a number of different names, my lady. The official one is the Technology Center. However, some of the more disillusioned inhabitants call it the ghetto. It is, simply put, an underground living facility."

Astha raised an eyebrow. "Underground facility? An interesting establishment to have."

Walsh nodded. "I know what questions you are likely to have. The truth is, this facility, it's origins, and the purpose for it's existence…these are some of the best kept secrets of Albion. The management and keeping of those secrets has been entrusted to my family for generations. However, I believe that these things are important to trade and peace between our peoples." His eyes turned to Abel. "Before I go into all these things, I should like to ask a favor of you, my lord."