Chapter 14: An emperor's fate
The wealth gathered by the men of the collection had grown over the years and Feng made sure that some of it got invested in manners which brought even more wealth as time passed by. Maglor and the others were capable of surrounding themselves with luxuries but they made sure that much of the money was returned to the city as gifts to the temples and help for the poor. Maglor had managed to maintain the network of informants Artemar had created and he had in fact expanded it so now they received news from all over the realm on a daily basis. Rumours said that the emperor had encountered problems, that some sort of war chief from up north had started to cause some damage and Mhoy Yan could neither confirm nor deny them. The collection was as always very busy and the performances kept evolving and transforming, Feng and the other teachers did their best to help the performers excel in every manner and Maglor was proud of them all.
Then some bright head came up with the idea of theatrical plays and it caught on, Feng was a bit reluctant at first but he sort of melted into the thought of it gradually and before long he was the most eager one. Plays were all the craze at court and he quickly got some famous writer to create some new ones. Most were sweet and romantic tales which included song and lots of dance and some were just slapstick humour of the very silly type. This of course meant that the performers had to train even harder than before and the training was also different. Feng made sure that they had at least one day off every now and then, just to relax and blow off some steam. Maglor found that he loved going for rides in the dessert around the city and if he dressed like the bedouins nobody could recognize him. Aodh often joined him and they explored the area rather thoroughly. The plays became very popular and it allowed them all to show off other talents than the ones most usually shown. Maglor found that he liked pretending to be someone very clumsy and Kherfem did make a huge success as a very menacing and mean old man. Everybody was thriving and none of them ever doubted that they were appreciated.
A couple of years went by and it was odd but Maglor was almost forgotten by the general public, they had sort of forgotten that the Sha'al had ever reigned over them and Mhoy Yan did his best to encourage this. They didn't need to be reminded of the darkness of the past but to look ahead towards brighter days. The city continued to grow and it had become much more complex than before. There were people there from every corner of the world and Maglor enjoyed learning new languages and hearing about places even further away from his home than this. It was from one of his informants that he heard that the mighty island nation of Numenor had fallen, that its last ruler had been seduced by the wickedness of his prisoner and Maglor knew that eru himself probably had been forced to react. The damage along the coasts had been enormous with huge waves reaching land and only a few ships had escaped the cataclysm. Maglor just knew it, the fallen maia had perhaps perished in the flood but most likely not and he would regain his strength. It was time to prepare, to make plans and see what he could do and he only prayed that he would have time enough to do what he could.
By now he could see that years had passed by since he came to this place, Aerhan was getting grey, the twins didn't look like tender youths anymore but adult men and Kherfem was wrinkled and his voice more hoarse. They were aging and still he was the same and it felt just wrong somehow. To him it was just a blink of an eye but to them a great part of their life. Feng had finished training them and he made a request of Mhoy Yan, he wanted to return to the emperor's court one last time and he wanted to bring Aodh and Maglor with him. The others would be welcome too of course and the emperor would probably be thrilled by the novelty of their performances. Mhoy Yan was thinking about it for a few days, the city had become rather hard to govern and he rarely had time for parties anymore. Often he would be busy with some administrative work while the performances were made and he felt that it was time to let go.
The decision was made, the collection was to be sent to the emperor, and even though it would be a long and hard journey most of them was looking forward to it. Days and weeks went by just to organize it, carriages had to be built and horses bought and their belongings had to be packed carefully. The collection didn't just include the performers anymore, now there were servants and helpers employed and all in all they now were more than hundred and fifty people in all. It was a huge caravan which left the city early one morning and it was escorted by three troops of the emperor's best warriors. Riders had been sent ahead to prepare the roadside inns for the guests and Maglor knew that the emperor was very smart since he had managed to create a way better system of roads than the Sha'al. And the inns were placed along the roads and with just thirty kilometres between and they were bound by law to have a certain amount of fresh horses available at any time.
Maglor did enjoy the first days of the journey, since he was a good rider he was allowed to travel on horseback but many of the others preferred the carriages. Maglor's cats occupied an entire wagon and some huge hounds he had gotten from an admirer did run by the carriages and provided some extra protection. At night they would rest and recover at the inns and there was a mood of almost festive relaxation among them. Feng was getting rather fragile now and he rarely left the carriage he travelled in, some servants were responsible for his well being and made sure that he always had everything he needed close at hand. The desert did create some unique problems, the roads had been marked and were taken care off by a small army of workers who made sure that nobody got lost by placing poles with flags on them at even intervals but it was still hot and dry and even though wells had been dug not all of them did provide enough water for such a huge group. The result was that some extra carriages had to be added, carrying huge ceramic bottles filled with water.
Camels did pull some of the carriages and they too soon proved to be a problem for a camel is not like a horse, they are stubborn and rather mean tempered and they would often delay them with several hours when they refused to move. Maglor was fascinated by the odd animals at first but even his elven skills didn't seem to matter to these beasts, they grunted and complained and tried to bite you whoever you were. Slowly the desert changed, it became rockier and the sand dunes were replaced by huge stretches of bare rock, flat and scoured by some unknown force. Here and there bizarre rock formations could be seen and Maglor made sure that he found the time to draw some of the most weird looking ones. Here and there they saw bones embedded in the rock, and they were not from any animal Maglor knew of, the locals believed that they had been demons some angry god had destroyed ages ago.
Then the sandy rocky desert gave way to savannah with trees and grasses and huge herds of animals. The warriors did hunt and bring fresh meat and Maglor saw many animals he never had seen before or even heard of. They had to cross rivers here and there and far from everyone of them had bridges so they had to find the best spot to cross and that wasn't always easy. Some rivers were rather wide but shallow and others were both wide and deep and the servants had to fell trees and build rafts on a couple of occasions. Maglor loved to help out with the work and after some weeks they turned northwards again and the terrain shifted into green hills covered with dense forest and small farming communities. Here it wasn't so warm and the air was damp and they all enjoyed bathing in the rivers and trading things with the locals. Maglor tried to stay as anonymous as he could not to trigger any sorts of fear among the local people, but he enjoyed watching how the culture changed as they travelled further and further into the realm.
Since they travelled so slowly the journey took two months in all, and it didn't go any faster when they reached the roads of the inner realm. Here the roads were paved and wide and very well made but they were crowded all day long. Hundreds and hundreds of travellers were heading to and fro the great cities and by now the warriors became useful. They had to guard the carriages for many would try to beg or even steal and the traffic could be completely jammed for hours if someone had a mishap with a wheel or something like that. There were people there making a living out of selling water and food to travellers who had gotten stuck and some of them were as hard to get rid of as crabs. Aerhan often jumped out of the carriage he rode in when someone didn't accept no for an answer, the tall black man scared the living daylights out of the locals since they never had seen anyone that dark before and Aodh too managed to chase off a few overly eager salesmen. He was so tall and exotic looking they probably thought he was some sort of deity.
Harbal and his servants had a wagon all to themselves and they spent the days training and perfecting their skills. Harbal had discovered a new type of makeup which enabled him to create very realistic looking wounds and injuries and some of his experiments almost drove poor Feng mad since he believed it to be real and not fake. But now they were approaching the inner realm and there were villages and cities everywhere, the rivers were forced into canals and the land covered with fields and orchards. It was very beautiful and reminded Maglor of Tirion although this was man made and lacked the finesse elves would create. The cities were all surrounded by a tall wall and the gates were guarded well, the houses built in a peculiar style with saddle shaped roofs and he saw something new every day. Feng would explain how the huge realm was being organized, there were people responsible for keeping law and order in every town and the hierarchy of power was very strict. To be given the responsibility of controlling a settlement was seen as a huge honour but it did of course mean that the person in question also carried a large burden on his shoulders.
Feng spent the time telling them of famous mayors who had failed monumentally at their task and the emperor was always reacting very fast if someone tried to step outside of the boundaries they had been given. The worst crime was in fact corruption and the emperor did strike at that with an iron fist, it could threaten the stability of the entire system and Maglor understood this. Many had been executed for this crime or sent away and many claimed that the emperor had spies in his service just working to uncover such filth.
The capital was enormous, a city of a size Maglor barely was able to fathom, many millions called it home and it was densely populated but not at all like the city of the Sha'al, or at least the way it had been. It was clean and open and there were large parks at certain intervals. Garbage and manure was removed twice a day and there was a huge guild of people who had the not so enviable job of emptying the latrines, both the public ones and the ones in people's homes. The rule was that no public latrine ought to be left unemptied for more than three days and no private one for more than five. The streets were swept and kept tidy and if you wanted to sell things from a cart or a stand you had to get a permit which lasted for no more than a week at a time. The elf was stunned by the level of organization and the neatness of everything, with that many people present it was needed and the discipline was strict too. Everyone took great pride in the task they were given and Maglor didn't see any people there who were visibly starved or sick. Most looked rather happy and the shops seemed to be filled with goods.
Feng also told them of the social hierarchy within the city, among the commoners the priests and healers were the most revered, then salesmen, fishermen, farmers and other workers except from those who worked with metals who were ranked among the priests. Maglor was stunned to see that prostitutes were seen as very respectable and almost revered in some manners. Here only the prettiest girls could get into that business and they were guarded and taken well care off in every way. The courtesans were trained as entertainers and some didn't offer any sexual favours at all, they were simply bringing glory to a festive occasion by being present and thus bring good fortune. Feng warned them that there were common whores available too but they could be infected with diseases and they were cheap and unskilled and usually rather unattractive. If their belts were tied off in front it usually indicated that this was a woman who was for sale for anyone and they weren't that respected at all.
The city was so huge it took a whole day just travelling from the gate to the emperor's palace and they had to pass twelve huge walls on the way, and five golden gates. The houses got more elaborate as they got closer and the gardens more spectacular and by now there were guards surrounding them all the time. The etiquette of the court did dictate almost every little thing people did, and it was a good thing they weren't noble men but performers. The long list of things to do or not to do was enough to drive anyone insane. Just the seemingly easy task of bowing to someone had to be done in a certain manner depending on who you were bowing for, but as commoners they were excused from this and could bow anyway they liked.
It was dark as the carriages pulled into a large courtyard and huge lamps did provide enough light for them to see that they were surrounded by tall buildings made from a very light stone. It was a beautiful architecture and Feng grinned and raised his hands. "Welcome my friends to the palace of a thousand joys. Here the royal entertainers do dwell and it will be your home too. Rooms are prepared for your arrival"
Maglor felt a tinge of anticipation, this ought to be interesting to say the least. Servants wearing very beautiful uniforms came to lead the way and Maglor did discover that their quarters were organized very much like the ones back at the palace they had left. A huge central hall and then many private rooms attached to it. There was a pool and a small park and everything else they would need and Maglor liked the place right away. He and Aodh had gotten a large room with a bed so huge it could have roomed ten people easily and he felt that the luxury he had been used to would be dwarfed by this. Everybody settled in and got a warm meal made from rice and vegetables and some meat and then they all returned to their rooms. Their personal belongings had been brought into them as they ate and Maglor's cats had sort of laid claim to most of the bed. It was clear that the servants were unaccustomed to cats for they showed great curiosity and Maglor learned that cats were very rare in this country and that only a few very rich people owned one.
He and Aodh were tired and they went to bed feeling rather at ease, here things were very different from what they had been used to and they hoped that the emperor would appreciate their work. The next morning some giggling young servants woke them up for a bath and a meal and Harbal gathered them all in the great hall. They were to be presented to the emperor and his closest court that evening and everything had to be perfect. That meant hours of careful preparations and when they were finished they all looked stunning. Maglor felt rather certain that this court never had seen anything quite like them before and the performance they were to give was to be a short one, but it had to be impressive still the same.
The palace was a city in itself with streets and parks and all sorts of buildings. The dwellings of the emperor and his family were placed behind a very thick wall with just one gate and the collection was driven there in a large carriage pulled by twelve snow white horses. The skills of a good driver were highly appreciated there and being able to handle horses the key to a secure job. Feng had told them that this inner palace was home to hundreds of people, servants, some slaves, guards and cooks and gardeners. The kings concubines, his wives and their children and his brothers and sisters and their families. Maglor did notice something rather odd, the higher on the social ladder people where the more elaborate clothes they wore but only until a certain level. The most high ranking members of court dressed very simply with little jewellery and finery. The cloth was expensive and had gorgeous colours but the cut was modest and almost anonymous.
Feng explained that the royal family and their closest of kin showed their status in other manners than through their clothing, Only when something special was happening would they dress up in their best costumes and then everyone else was supposed to go for a more modest style. They were lead ahead through a wide corridor adorned with beautiful ornaments and gorgeous paintings and now Feng insisted on walking on his own, two servants had carried him this far. They had to wait in front of a wide door for a while and the place was very quiet, and clean too. Maglor couldn't see dust anywhere and Feng whispered that servants washed the entire building at night, so nobody of noble blood had to watch it happen.
They were let inn by a huge guard and Feng walked in with his head held up and a firm expression upon his face. He had dressed in white as always and looked as fragile as dandelion puff. The room they entered was grand, not overly large but impressive with gold, black and red colors. Thick columns carried the roof and between them hung delicately painted silk banners and elaborately carved wooden panels. The scent was spicy and warm and Maglor knew that nothing in this room was left to chance. The room ended in an open area with no columns and at the end was a sort of dais with several wide steps. There were people on every level and also guards and the top level was dominated by a low throne and a number of uniformly dressed men. The emperor sat on the throne and he wore a grey silk robe with exquisite and yet discrete details and his face was covered by a sort of veil made from hundreds of tiny strings hanging from a sort of head dress Maglor never had seen before. It did look odd but he supposed that this was the custom of this court. A couple of females stood in the background, both wore the same rather odd makeup and they did look like dolls.
Feng walked forth in a peculiar stiff manner and he made a very deep bow in front of the dais, it did look extremely theatrical and Maglor realized that everything here was some sort of show. The men standing behind the dais had to be high ranking officials, his counsellors and others with great power and they did look as if they were carved from stone. Not a facial muscle did move.
Feng kept bowing and he started reciting a very long list of different names used for the emperor, divine son of light was one of them and Maglor would have found it comical hadn't it been so obviously serious. Nothing could be forgotten, that would be an insult. Feng finished by swearing his everlasting loyalty to the emperor and then he got up from the very awkward position and raised his hands. "From afar I have brought you this treasure of beauty, lo and behold the pride of the vanquished Sha'al, his most prized possessions"
One of the officials on the lower level of the dais raised a hand and Feng nodded to Demetry and the twins, they were to perform first. Maglor did see it now, how the two lads had become bulkier and not as lithe as before but they were still lovely and Demetry too had matured into a very strong and yet elegant man. Now they did perform a very intricate dance and the crowd watched in absolute silence. Noolar and Nhaan and Rishu did dance too, wearing their beautiful saris and lots of jewellery and Aerhan and Kherfem did juggle. Artenais did a very slow bellydance routine and then Maglor and Aodh did their sword dance. Nobody moved as they did their best and even though it was clear that everybody watched very intently nobody made a sound until Feng bowed and declared the show as finished. Then the emperor got up from his seat and clapped five times, slowly and with power and that set loose a flood of clapping and cheers, suddenly everyone was trying to show more enthusiasm than their neighbour and it lasted until the emperor tapped on the armrest of the throne with a finger, then everybody fell silent yet again.
One of the officials wearing grey stepped forth and bowed deeply. "Our great master and beloved leader is very pleased with this, it delights his heart to see such grace and beauty and you are all most welcome. You will be treasured among his most valuable possessions and soon songs will be sung in your honour all over the realm."
Feng bowed even deeper. "We are grateful beyond words to hear this oh enlightened one, our love for our emperor is like a mother's for her firstborn son, our hearts will ache until we yet again can gaze upon his might and splendour"
Feng did back away from the dais still bowing and Rial and Kenar had a hard time trying to stay serious, it looked absolutely ridiculous. They were escorted out by some guards who did smile and nod as soon as the doors were closed, they too had liked the performance but they weren't allowed to show any emotion while being in the same room as the emperor. Maglor did pity them, the Sha'als court had been an orgy of excesses and everything had been legal, here things were the absolute opposite, at least in public. The carriage drive back to the huge building which from now on was their home was spent asking questions, lots and lots of them too. Noolar wanted to know if every woman in this realm had to wear that dreadful white makeup and paint her lips into tiny rosebuds and Aerhan wanted to know just how much power the officials had. Feng tried to answer as much as he could but he was tired and Maglor realized that the old man in fact was extremely old now and heading for his grave. He probably had only months left if he lasted that long and it made the elf feel rather sad.
Everybody was giddy with adrenaline, and servants brought them a meal and lots of wine too. Before long the atmosphere was one of relaxed joy and Harbal told them he was extremely proud of them all, they had done very well. Maglor had seen some rather unusual instruments stacked away in a side room and he was dying to test them out and he did sing a little to entertain the others. Now he sang of hope and joy and he knew that his friends were safe. It was a good thing and it gave him some peace of mind. They went to their rooms to rest and Aodh was rather eager, he wanted Maglor's attention and got it too and they both fell asleep after a couple of hours, entangled and pleased.
From now on life fell into a predictable rhythm, the performances were planned weeks ahead and they had plenty of time to prepare and polish their skills. Maglor and the others got to know the staff and the huge palace and they sort of learned to appreciate the routines and rules. The meals were served at certain intervals and if they wanted something to eat outside of that they would have to make special orders. The food was something they had more problems getting used to, it contained a lot of spices and a few of the dishes made them cringe. Maglor had never had raw squid before, or fried giant rats and when the servants brought in a huge snake, carefully prepared and seasoned Aerhan almost lost it since he was terrified of snakes. Feng had warned them that here everything which moved could be eaten and it was obviously true too.
The servants had been nervous around them in the beginning and since few of them yet spoke the language it was hard to break the ice but after a couple of weeks they got used to the silent and elegant people scooting in and out of the rooms, fixing the beds and bringing them food and whatever else they needed. Their own servants were occupied preparing the stuff they needed for the performances and so it was welcome but Maglor often felt that they were being regarded as something so exotic they were barely human. But now the servants had thawed and would laugh and smile and try to explain things and some even flirted a bit, even though very discretely. Feng told them that the servants were free people, not slaves. They could decide for themselves what they wanted to do and nobody would be punished for bedding anyone of the males in the collection. It just had to be very discrete, and hidden.
Here discretion was a virtue and Aerhan told Maglor that he had been visited by a couple of the maids who usually was cleaning the rooms. They had been very curious about him and he had gladly complied, after all, it was a long time since he could bed someone only because he wanted to and not because he had to. Feng told them that the emperor sometimes would reward his favourites with concubines from his own harem, these women were highly trained and extremely sought after and receiving one was seen as a great honour. Some of the officials there had their own concubines and the nobles had many since it was seen as a sign of wealth and status.
The performances were long now, lasted for hours and the atmosphere was much more relaxed than at the first introduction. Now the crowd gathered would clap and cheer and show their appreciation openly and if the emperor was present they were even more eager to cheer than otherwise. It was a lot of drinking going on but nobody lost their composure in spite of it and the music and the food was always exquisite. Maglor started learning to use the different stringed instruments he had seen and liked them all but they were rather different from the lyre and harp he had been used to before. The emperor had other entertainers there as well, in fact hundreds of them and thus they didn't have to perform that often and Maglor was pleased with this. He sort of immersed himself in the culture of the realm and had a scribe coming over rather frequently, reading out loud and explaining everything he wanted to learn. He knew he needed to learn as much as possible if he was to prepare for the future. Slowly he gained a greater understanding of the dynamics within this court, the emperor had several wives and the two favourite ones had been the two at display at the reception. He also had about a hundred concubines who were his personal ones and all were chosen following strict guidelines. They had to be born on a specific date and year and in perfect physical condition. Everything was done according to the stars and planets and Maglor found that a bit silly but here astrology was seen as a science.
The emperor had plenty of offspring, his sons were being trained as officers and they had to serve for at least twenty years before they could even think of following in their father's footsteps. One had to learn how to serve and be humble before one could be put to rule. His other family members also had important positions and many of his daughters were married off to high ranking noble men. Everything was calculated and thoroughly planned and it was impressive but seemed a bit inhumane somehow, the people were taken out of the equation and treated like commodities.
The performances were a huge hit, many came to watch and the novelty of these strangers proved to be very alluring. Suddenly gifts arrived yet again but the letters which followed were quite different from before. There were no lewd suggestions or barely concealed offers, just heartfelt admiration and some rather lovely poems. Feng explained that here it was seen as noble and honourable to pine for someone out of reach. Sending letters with poems was as far as anyone could go without losing respect. It was believed to purge the spirit and open one's mind, and in special young females were encouraged to keep their true feelings hidden and admire their idols from afar. The gifts they received weren't as opulent as before, it was smaller things, of a more personal nature and when Aodh one day received a very beautiful gold comb with rubies and amethysts Feng sniggered like mad. It was a sign of very strong desire for the comb was certainly the personal comb of the one who sent it and something that intimate was almost sacred. The women of court would rather wear another woman's used underwear than wear someone else's hair ornaments.
Maglor did notice that hair seemed to be of immense importance, even among the men. They all wore it long but it was braided or pulled up into extremely elaborate hairdo's which had to take hours to complete. Kherfem did some asking and told the others that going bald here was seen as a sign of sin. The women wore huge combs and clasps and there was an entire guild which only worked with hair. Since everyone was dark haired Demetry and Aodh received a lot of attention and so did Artenais too. Many tried to touch their hair to see if it was real and in some plays Gods and Goddesses were portrayed as being blond or red headed. Wig makers payed huge sums of money for blonde hair.
They had been there for almost six months when Maglor one day was approached by one of the officials, the man was scrawny and thin and he wore his hair spun around his head like a turban. "Honoured one, our great father wishes to speak to you, in private"
Maglor almost gaped, the emperor wanted to speak to him? That was quite a shock and he just stood there blinking for a few seconds before he managed to pull himself together and get something done. He bowed deeply and felt how his heart was racing in his chest, this was not like meeting the Sha'al. The Sha'al had been a mad hyena, the emperor was someone with true power and wisdom and he felt nervous. "Of course"
The official smiled, a rather gentle smile. People were much less stiff in private and could be rather outgoing too. "Worry not, I am sure he wants to praise your skills"
Maglor had in fact been singing a little and he knew that he still had it in him, at least everybody had seemed deeply moved by his music. "I am honoured"
The man took him by the elbow and nodded. "Follow me, I know of a short cut"
Maglor followed him through some doors he hadn't seen in use before and they entered a very narrow long corridor. "There are servant corridors everywhere, they are hidden but you can reach any part of the entire palace from them. Some even go underground."
Maglor realized that the palace you saw was a façade, the real life went on behind closed doors and double walls and he felt a bit nervous, what if someone managed to get inside with evil intent? The man almost ran and they kept going for a long time, after what had to be almost an hour the man stopped by an anonymous looking door and he bowed deeply yet again. "Our great emperor awaits you"
Maglor took a deep breath and pushed the door open, he had no idea of what he was to encounter. It was a small room dominated by a fireplace and it was obviously a private room for there were papers left all over a desk in the corner and items of clothing lay on a chair. A man stood by the fireplace, wearing a light dark robe and holding a glass of wine. Maglor stared, he had seen him before, among the officials. What was this?
The man grinned, he did look like a very friendly and somewhat tired elderly man and he waved a hand towards a chair. "Do sit down fair one, worry not. Etiquette is forgotten within these rooms."
Maglor just stared, was this the emperor? The man grinned even wider. "Oh I see your confusion, it is a deception. A way to protect my person. My officials switch playing the role as emperor, the face veil is such a great invention don't you think?"
Maglor took a deep breath. "That is very clever"
The man nodded and sat down in a couch by the fireplace, he emptied the wine. "Being emperor is not a title coveted by many, yet there are those who believe that someone else ought to be left in charge and I always try to think one step ahead of them"
Maglor swallowed and found it hard to believe that this kind of ordinarily looking man was the mighty emperor. "There have been attempts at murdering you?"
The emperor smiled, a joyless smile. "Of course there have been attempts at putting me in an early grave, officially we have no dissidents within this realm but that is a sweet lie."
Maglor was a bit confused. "Why? Everybody seems to be happy?"
The emperor tilted his head. "You are ancient aren't you, born before even the sun had risen from the east. I bet you know the hazards of being a ruler of many?"
Maglor frowned. "Uh, yes, I do?"
He didn't know where the emperor was going with this and the man sighed and stretched his legs. "I do my outmost to ensure the safety and happiness of my subjects, I strive to transform them into a nation of wise and understanding people, people with compassion, culture and wealth. But sometimes sacrifices has to be made and to some, well, they refuse to see the greater picture."
Maglor found a better position, he found the chair way too soft for his liking. "I see, any reason in particular?"
The emperor sighed again, a deep sigh and he rolled his eyes. "The most common reason for all ignorance, religion. All the attacks on my person has been triggered by religion, and one particular one in special."
Maglor hadn't really seen any signs of religious belief anywhere when he was thinking of it, people seemed to be very private about such matters. "Your realm is a secular one?"
The emperor nodded sternly. "Yes, everybody has the right to worship as they wish as long as it doesn't interfere with their everyday duties, and sacrifices and such nonsense is of course forbidden. Once the temples gathered insane amounts of wealth and gained way too much power. The result was horrible and the commoners lived in constant fear of deities which were just clever constructions conjured up by greedy men hungry for power. My father razed the temples and I have continued his work. Now reason and science rules over superstition but some don't like that. They have lost their grip on people and of course a source to an endless amount of gold. I bet that hurts the most"
Maglor bit his lower lip. "So, what sort of religion are we talking about?"
The emperor looked a bit glum all of a sudden. "An ancient one, honouring what they refer to as the lord of fire, the bringer of eternal life, the one above all others"
Maglor had to take a deep breath. "Oh Eru, did it come from the west?"
The emperor nodded. "Indeed it did, and that is why I have summoned you here my friend. You know of this don't you? My astrologist have seen a rising darkness from the northwest, a terrible scourge arising and his words brought me great fear. I think that these men can be used by whoever that is, and I fear for the stability of my realm"
Maglor looked down. "The one they worship was named Melkor, one of the original deities, a dark and twisted one. The one to rise is called Sauron, he is just as bad"
The emperor got up, poured another glass of wine and found one more and filled it too, gave it to Maglor. "Tell me my friend, tell me everything you know about these deities. If they have followers among my people I want to know how they can be vanquished, before it is too late"
Maglor took a sip of wine, it was sweet and tasty and very nice and he had to control himself not to drain the glass completely. So Morgoth had worshipers still, probably descendants of those who had betrayed their kin back in the days of the great war, the ones who brought doom upon mankind. Maglor took a deep breath. "I can start by telling you that the first worshippers of this deity we call Morgoth is the reason why man doesn't live for more than a handful of decades. Their betrayal caused Eru, the one, to determine that man no longer can decide when to die. Death claims you when it wishes to"
The emperor looked shocked. "So much for the bringer of eternal life hu? Rather the opposite, well, begin with the start, I have much time at hand. My stand in is in a meeting, deciding what to do with this year's crop of peaches."
Maglor started telling and he didn't hide anything, he told of Morgoth and his war with the other valar, the fortresses and the death of so many and the emperor sat there and listened intently. The man was obviously capable of handling a great deal of information in a short time. When Maglor finished hours had passed by and the emperor hadn't even yawned once, he had the stamina of an ox or so it seemed. He sighed and leaned back against the couch. "My friend, you have given me much to consider. I now know of the origin of this cult, and it is disturbing"
Maglor wetted his lips. "Are they many?"
The emperor shook his head. "No, maybe a few hundred, but they are not afraid of anything and do willingly die for their cause. That is the most terrible thing about them for a man who doesn't fear death is unstoppable."
Maglor looked down, feeling uneasy" What will you do your grace?"
The emperor waved a hand. "Oh for goodness sake, put those "your grace" things aside when you are here. Here I am just a man, flesh and blood, weakness and flaws just like every body else. They may call me the a son of heaven or a child of dragons but my father was flesh and so was his father too. It is all a show, and sometimes a rather lousy one too but it does give me the opportunity to keep an eye on things."
Maglor had to grin. " I was a king, for a short while. I didn't want it, but it happened nonetheless"
The emperor grinned, his dark eyes and elegant features made him look rather handsome in spite of his obvious age. "Oh I know that fate so well my friend. I wasn't given much of a choice neither, I was the one most suited for the job and it has been a sacrifice but one I haven't truly regretted, yet!"
Maglor smiled, he reminded the elf of his grandfather. Finwë too had had this somewhat melancholic and yet accepting view upon his situation. "It is a lonely life?"
The emperor nodded and emptied his wine. "Very lonely, being put on a pedestal gives you a great view but it is windy at the top, and you are exposed. I have wives and children and I am surrounded by people all day long but still? I am a prisoner, imprisoned by my title and my duty and I cannot escape in any manner. To my death I will remain emperor and only on the other side will I find freedom"
Maglor felt sad somehow. "I am sorry"
The emperor smiled slowly. "And you mean it too, you do not speak hollow words. I like that, there are plenty of spit lickers here at court and half of the nobles are so inbred I wonder if they are able to tie their own shoelaces. I bet most of them need a servant for that too."
Maglor sort of scoffed, the man had a sense of humour and it seemed to be of the dark type. The emperor tilted his head. "My daughter believed that she would be able to become powerful, to rule a realm all of her own. I wouldn't have stood in her way hadn't she acted like an idiot. Sparkling flower was raised by her mother and is a shining example of why royal children has to be raised by servants. Power corrupts you see, and none of my offspring have any real power until I know for sure that they can handle it, without flipping over like she did"
Maglor nodded "I wondered about that, she held orgies and acted like a monster"
The emperor looked down. "Yes, she was a menace here too, and yet I loved her. Her mother was given to me as a gift, a very beautiful woman from a realm to the southeast of here, but unfortunately she poisoned the girls mind from the very start. When women are given no rights and no real power they become dangerous and even self destructive. She is a prime example of that."
Maglor remembered his cousin Galadriel and her ambitions, he wondered what had happened to her, was she still alive somewhere in middle earth? Was she happy? He just nodded and the emperor looked at the wall with a distant gaze. " I am the ruler of millions Maglor, the one to decide the fate of thousands of souls and yet my own fate is out of my control. Isn't it ironic? I cannot even protect my own daughter from her own short comings"
Maglor tried to smile. "I am sure you did whatever you could"
The emperor snorted. "Bha, and that was not much, just giving in when she asked to be sent to the Sha'al. I hoped that she would prove to be mature enough to understand what sort of responsibility I had placed upon her but no, she only sought her own enjoyment."
Maglor remembered hearing of other cases like that, the Sha'al was the one which sprang to mind first. Ironically the Sha'al and his young queen had been rather alike. The emperor took a deep breath. "I am not a young man anymore, and yet the demands I face each day haven't diminished at all. I must always be strong, always be in charge of my own feelings. When my astrologer tells me to bed some concubine in order to conceive a son I have to oblige, or else my power will be questioned. When my army is showed off I have to ride in front, so everybody can see my might and splendour. I wear a mask all the time and only in here am I truly me, truly Ayjun. This room elf, is more sacred to me than any temple and only a handful of people does know of its existence. "
Maglor bowed his head. "I hear you, I will not speak of it to anyone"
Ayjun smiled gently. "I trust you, and now to the real reason I summoned you here, and the answer to your question of what I will do. I will live for perhaps a few decades more, then age will claim me. I will choose a son to follow me on the throne but I wish to make sure that this realm is kept safe. You are immortal, you can prepare us and strengthen us for the future, make sure my legacy never will fall into the hands of darkness. I will entrust you with this task, make my realm strong"
Maglor swallowed hard. "I will do my best, but how?"
Ayjun tilted his head. "From the shadows my friend, from behind the façade. Nobody must know of your true intentions, of your assignment but you will spread awareness and influence people a little at a time. A small trickle of water may fill an ocean given enough time, you must be that trickle"
The elf nodded, he felt a bit overwhelmed but he had been prepared for this, at least partly. "So who am I to be?"
The emperor closed his eyes. "The one closest to the ruler, a personal counsellor, camouflaged as an exotic servant, as a precious pet. A protector and a bringer of advice, one to ensure that none of my descendants stray from the path of light. You have seen darkness my friend, make sure this realm never becomes its tool"
Maglor filled his lungs. "I will do as you bid, for as long as needed"
Ayjun grinned widely and petted the elf on the arm. "Good, from now on you will be a teacher for my children among other things, and you will tell me which of my sons I ought to choose as my heir. The people will not know of your true nature, only the court and they will keep their tongues behind their teeth if they value their influence."
Maglor frowned. "Are you sure?"
The emperor nodded and there was steel in his eyes. "I haven't ruled this realm for more than thirty years without learning which buttons I need to press to achieve what I wish. Worry not, nobody outside of the palace will know I have an elf in my service"
Maglor bowed his head. "Alright, the Sha'al believed I could keep him young forever."
Ayjun snickered. "Oh what a glorious fool, craving what the Gods have denied you is never wise, and futile at its best. I have no such foolish ideas. You are safe here, but beware, even here many lust for more power and the moment you become important people will do whatever they can to remove you from my favour"
Maglor had to laugh. "I know, the courts I have visited did also work like that. Lots of backstabbing, both metaphorically and quite literal."
Ayjun put down his glass. "You will soon receive a gift from me, to show how grateful I am of your skills. In reality she is one of Feng's trained girls, and she will be a second set of eyes and ears."
Maglor blushed. "I do not need a concubine"
Ayjun laughed, "Of course not, you have that gorgeous blonde of yours, but I will gift him with one too, just to make it seem natural. Worry not, they will become useful, believe me"
Maglor had to sigh, that too!
Ayjun got up. "I have to return to my wretched duties, but you have given me some hours of information and things to consider. I thank you for this"
Maglor blushed lightly. "It was an honour"
Ayjun bowed his head. "I will summon you again later, I wish to hear more of the firstborn, and the past. "
The elf blushed even deeper. "Gladly my lord, I will come when called"
Ayjun nodded and rang a tiny bell. "Good, now, return to your quarters with Hushru here and I will soon arrange the formalities."
Maglor bowed deeply and the door opened, he saw that same man as before waiting and he followed him back to their building. His mind was reeling, but he felt that fate itself had intervened. He was where he was supposed to be, where the powers wanted him to be. Now he would have to see if he truly could protect this realm from the powers of the dark maia and its followers.