"So he really does think that you'll make him a god?"
"Oh yes. Perfectly convinced. But then it's an old delusion for him, having reality match his madness for once is probably quite a relief."
"And are you going to make him a god?"
He gave her a long look, but she held his gaze. "You know something about the artefact. Something I didn't tell you. What did you find out?" His eyes felt as though they were burning into her mind, and Leto was afraid that she would be unable to look away if she tried. "What did the Doctor tell you?"
She felt her mouth go dry. "Please, don't."
"Answer me."
Leto stopped fighting, and said, "I saw the symbols on the artefact. I showed them to him. He understood them: kingmaker."
He looked away from her. "Typical. He can't even complete a simple translation without some elementary error."
"God, not king then."
"Yes," confirmed the Master. He stood up and took two short steps towards her. She turned her head away, but he caught her chin with his hand and forced her to look up at him. Her eyes were steady, but he could see her fighting behind them to remain calm. "So you assisted my enemy?"
"I thought I was going to be trapped on Earth." Her voice was barely a whisper.
"And you were afraid?"
"Yes."
"Are you afraid now?"
She nodded. "Yes."
"If I give you my word I will allow no harm to come to you, will you trust that?" He waited, but she did not trust herself to answer. "I've never lied to you, Leto."
After a moment, she said, "I know. And I know that the only reason I'm still alive is because I'm useful to you."
"On your late lamented homeworld, perhaps. But, as I recall, if I hadn't taken you away, you would have flung yourself from the fifth floor of the Senate."
"That wasn't altruism; I had little choice but to go with you."
"But I did give you that choice." He let her go then, turned away to face the window. "You'd better leave. The Chancellor seemed less than pleased at our arrival and I would like to know how much support she carries in the Court."
Leto left without saying another word, and he heard the door click shut behind her.
-+-
Chancellor Casta found herself trapped in a dilemma.
There was no way that she could act against the King's new favourite with inciting his wrath, but the very presence of one who said he could fulfil Peron's mad ambitions was a threat to her and could destabilise everything that she had worked for. The Cerons were a fickle people and such an unambiguous sign of prophesy being fulfilled would sow doubts among even her most ardent supporters.
She could see no clear path ahead, and was frustrated that her best option was still to do nothing and see how this thing played out.
So caught up in her thoughts, Casta almost missed the faint rumble in the walls; a sound so very similar to one she had heard only a few hours ago.
She stopped and whirled around, racing through the corridors, following the sound as it became louder.
It stopped suddenly, and she was afraid she would never be able to find it, but her fears flew when she reached the central stairway of the east wing and saw the incongruous blue box sitting at their summit.
She punched her comm bracelet. "This is the Chancellor. I require a detachment at my current location immediately." She wasn't armed, but still she approached the box exercising as much caution as she was able.
The door opened and two people stepped out. Both strangers: a middle-aged man and a young woman.
"Hello," said the man, greeting her quite casually.
Casta scowled. "Another messenger from the gods, I assume?"
He looked at his companion - she shrugged - then back at Casta. "I'm sorry, you seem to have me mistaken for someone else. I'm the Doctor and this is Jo Grant."
"I am Chancellor Casta III, the people's representative in the Royal Court of Ceros." His expression didn't change. She sighed, then said, "And what do you want here, Doctor?"
"Ah, now that might be a little difficult to explain. You see, I'm here about an artefact; stolen by a criminal from another world and, well, brought here."
Casta nodded. "I'm quite familiar with interstellar flight, thank you." She spoke curtly, but her hopes were soaring. "Another arrived today, in a manner very similar to you, claiming he spoke for our gods."
"Did he indeed?"
"So you know him?"
"Yes, madam, I'm afraid that I do."
"He is a criminal?" The Doctor nodded. "And you are authorised to arrest him?"
"In a manner of speaking."
Casta closed her eyes, tried not to show her relief. Behind her she heard the Guard arrive, but waved them back before they could threaten these new arrivals. She moved closer to them, spoke in a low voice so only they could here. "Doctor, my people are ruled by a mad man. They are suffering and they are dying but I can do little to help them; the King's authority is absolute." She dropped her voice further. "There is a movement against him, but it is in a most precarious situation. The arrival of this...this one who claims to speak for the Pantheon has frightened many, made them doubt in the King's madness. Please, Doctor, will you help us?"
He frowned, his expression serious. "I don't know if I can."
"To take this Master from us would be enough." Casta was disgusted with her tone, almost pleading, but she could not let this chance slip away. "Surely that is amenable to you?"
The Doctor nodded. "It is, madam."
"Then I will give you my countenance in the palace, Doctor. But go carefully; the king has his spies."
-+-
Below stairs was a much warmer atmosphere; talk was less guarded and people freer with their opinions. With the palace's population being so high, it was easy enough for Leto to slip in without attracting too much attention.
She passed through long undecorated corridors, well-lit but grey; round the stuffy kitchens, with their heavy spice scents, and through the vegetable gardens running along the lower levels outside before making her way back to the upper floors.
These were not the corridors of power, but this was where much of the work was done and where the information made it from one corner of the palace to another. It was a familiar pattern and the unofficial channels of information in her Senate had been much the same.
It was, she discovered, not the simple despotism she had assumed, and none she met felt entirely content with the King's rule. Still it wouldn't matter to the Master one way or the other who held the most support, so long as Peron could maintain his hold on power for the duration of their stay. She had felt the word Godmaker echo through the rooms, and resisted examining those thoughts further.
As Leto neared the guest quarters, she sensed the guards approaching before she saw them and melted into the wall, casting her eyes to the ground until they had passed.
But as they drew level a familiar voice engaged in conversation caused her to glance up: the Doctor, and Jo Grant.
She wasn't sure if either of them noticed her - she was clothed in the native dress and they seemed to be in a hurry - but as soon as they were out of sight she sped away to her own quarters, not looking forward to the Master's reaction when she told him who had arrived.