Dynasty: The Glorious Strategist (Dynasty Saga Book 3) (33 page)

“She must have thought something was wrong,” Lymee said peeking around the corner to see who it was.

“Empress!” Lei cried out in surprise as she scrambled to stand up. “What are you doing here?”

“Following Kitsune,” Lymee said pointing at the fox at their feet. “And she found me a crying woman.”

“I’m sorry,” Lei said turning her back to Lymee and whipping her face with her hands. “I don’t mean to worry you.”

“Too late for that,” Lymee said. Lei had been crying. She was sure of that. But why? Had something happened? “What’s going on?” Lymee asked debating whether she should reach out a comforting hand or not. It was against protocol to touch another lord without their permission even if Lymee was the Empress and Lei was her vassal.

“I’m fine, Empress. There is no need to concern yourself,” Lei assured taking one last sniff before turning back around flashing a very weak smile.

“No you’re not,” Lymee said. “And I am concerned. Lei talk to me. What’s going on?”

Lei paused refusing to meet Lymee’s gaze. Kitsune starting pawing at Lei’s leg begging for attention. Lei smiled then crouching down and started scratching the fox behind her ears. Lymee crouched down as well running her hand down Kitsune’s back choosing to wait until Lei started talking.

“What if you knew that doing something was the right thing,” Lei stated. “But you also knew that everyone would disagree with you?”

“Well generally speaking the right thing is usually the thing most people disagree with,” Lymee stated. “In the end we are all accountable to our own conscious.”

“But what if either thing that you do is unbearable to live with?” Lei asked.

Lymee paused as she thought about what words she could actually say. “Where I am from there was this,” Lymee paused fixing her pronoun, “Woman.” People always seemed to not believe Lymee whenever she said that men were the ones doing things in her stories. “She is often considered the evilest woman to ever live in recent times. She started the largest war of our entire history causing millions of deaths, and sadly most of them were not soldiers. She went so far as to round up certain groups of her own people, tortured them, experimented on them, and eventually killed them.” Stalin was doing the same thing but that was neither here nor that at this point. 

Lei stared up at Lymee and listened intently as she spoke both of them still crouched down petting Kitsune.

“This woman then went on to nearly conquer the known world,” Lymee continued. “The atrocities that she committed were so great that people today question that they even really happened.” Lymee paused. “People often ask, how did someone so evil, and so destructive ever rose to power in the first place. The answer is sadly simplistic. Slowly and quietly. People around them knew that what was happening was wrong but it did not directly affect them so they did nothing. With every inch that this woman took there were less and less people able to stand up to her, and still people did nothing. Until eventually there was no one left to oppose her.”

Lymee, tired of crouching on her toes, sat all the way down all the way crossing her legs.

“I often wonder what might have happened if someone had spoken up at the very beginning,” Lymee said. “Not just spoken out but actually stood up to him, her,” Lymee corrected with a smile but Lei had not seemed to notice her slip up. “I am sure they were scared that people would mock and ridicule them, they might have even feared for their life. But what if they had spoken up, and then others had joined them? What if they had shouted at the top of their lungs that what she was doing was wrong?” Lymee shrugged. “Maybe at the end of the day nothing would have changed but then they could at least know that they did everything they could to stem the tide of evil. That they did not just sit back and let it happen.”

“So you think that even if everyone thinks you are wrong you should always do what you know is right?” Lei asked.

“There is no easy answer to that,” Lymee stated. “Lord knows that there are a lot of people who are going to think my decisions wrong. Ideas like equality of citizens and abolition of slaves is going to be met with a lot of hateful resistance. But that does not change what I know to be right. And I have to choose whether I do what is convenient and easy or taking the harder path and doing what I know to be right.”

Lymee paused as she leaned back looking up at the ceiling. “My dad would often say that if doing what was right was easy then everyone would do it.”

“What if we are too scared to do the right thing?” Lei asked.

“What’s wrong with being scared?” Lymee snorted. “Fear lets you know when you are in danger, keeps you alive. You just can’t let the fear control you. That is what courage is for. The difference between a madman and a courageous one is fear.”

“Did you father also tell you that?” Lei asked looking up at Lymee.

“Yeah,” Lymee smiled with a slight shrug.

Lei actually smiled at that, a glimmer of light seeming to return to her eyes. “He sounds like a very wise man,” she said her voice soft as she stroked Kitsune.

“Eh,” Lymee shrugged. “Socrates said that wisdom was the ability to admit that you did not know the answer. While my dad was far smarter than many gave him credit for he was also very prideful. He hated admitting that he was wrong and that he did not in fact know the answer. My mother on the other hand was the exact opposite. She would claim ignorance even when she did know the answer. ‘Better to have them think themselves smarter than you’ she would always say.”

“My mother was never so crafty,” Lei stated. “She is far more forward and direct in her approach to things. She believes strongly in not hiding anything and being upfront about everything.”

“There are merits to such thinking,” Lymee nodded. “People like that are far easier to trust.”

“Also easier to fool,” Lei stated.

“I don’t think so,” Lymee said. “Your mother is nobody’s fool.”

“Except maybe her own,” Lei smiled. Her gaze then drifted off like she was in some faraway place. “I have four sisters,” she said. “I’m the youngest. All my sisters are so strong. They would often spend their afternoons with my mother practicing their swordplay or horse riding. They were always so much better at me in everything that I eventually gave up. That is when I started reading.” Lei pursed her lips together lost in thought. Lymee was not even sure if she was still even talking to her. “She never said anything about it though.”

“Your mother?” Lymee asked.

Lei nodded her head. “She would encourage me to join the rest of my sisters in the training field but she never got mad at me when I refused. But I could tell that I had disappointed her. The Gon Family were warriors after all. Leave the scholarly things to the advisers and other nobles. It pains me to even think that the real reason she left me here with you was because she simply wished me gone.”

“If it’s any consolation I don’t think that’s the case,” Lymee stated.

“Why is that?” Lei asked.

“I honestly think she left you here because she knew you would be the best at it,” Lymee said simply. “She left you here not only to be a presence for Gon but also to influence me. Your mother wants her influence felt in the decisions that I make. She knew that your other sisters would not be suitable for that. That they were probably too brash and if anything would only annoy me.”

Lymee paused as she thought about it some more. “Did you ever think that maybe she was not disappointed in you so much as she was disappointed in herself?”

Lei frowned snapping her head to the side as she looked over at Lymee.

“As a mother being unable to relate to your child,” Lymee shook her head. “I could think of no greater suffering. Maybe she felt irrelevant or incapable. Your mother trusted you enough to bring you here during the campaign. She trusts you enough to leave you here with the Empress as one of her advisers. That does not sound like someone who is trying to get rid of you. At least not to me.”

Lei was quiet for a long time seeming to ponder on Lymee’s words. “Thank you, Empress” she said finally. “I needed to hear that. I would hate to think that my mother would die with me still thinking that I had failed her.”

“Anytime, Lord Lei,” Lymee smiled scooping Kitsune up in her arms a she got back to her feet.

“Chia,” Lei said.

“What?” Lymee asked looking back down at the woman.

“My true name is Chia,” Lei said her voice a bit louder. “I would like it if you were to call me by that.”

“I would be honored,” Lymee said bowing her head. Lymee smiled thinking that she would be a little mean. “Well I’ll be going then.” Lymee nodded and turned to leave

Chia let out a laugh as she leaned back on her hands.

Lymee stopped turning back around a warm smile on her face. “Please call me by my true name as well,” Lymee said.

“I don’t actually know your true name,” Chia stated looking up at Lymee.

“Really?” Lymee frowned. She would have thought that she would have heard it by now, but then maybe not. “It’s Lymee.”

“Lymee,” Chia said the name over and over again memorizing it. “Strange name. Is it foreign?”

“It is,” Lymee sighed. “And yes it was strange even where I am from. I know it had something to do with the two names my parents wanted to name be or the Kanji symbols or something,” Lymee waved her hand in the air. “They couldn’t have just named me Sarah, or Jean.”

“If it’s any consolation,” Chia looked up at Lymee with a smile. “I like the name. I think it suites you far better than those others.”

“You say that because you never had to go to kindergarten,” Lymee snorted and walked off.

CHAPTER 12

Lymee took a deep breath as she tried her best to shift her weight without letting anyone notice. The weather was nice at least. Lymee glanced up at the clear blue sky. It had rained the day before and they feared they would have to move the coronation ceremony inside the Palace meaning they would have to limit the attendance to only a few thousand people, Lymee was sure.

Looking out Lymee saw the huge crowd that had gathered in the palace courtyard. They were packed together so tightly that if anyone was to trip and fall Lymee was sure they would take everyone else with them. And the people that she could see were only the nobles, soldiers, and other wealthy people. That did not include everyone else who was as equally crammed together in the streets outside the Palace walls.

Should have sold tickets.
Lymee thought.

Behind Lymee stood all her friends who had been able to come. Both Yoni and Keo stood to her right while General Shu stood to Lymee’s left. Chia stood next to her mother further down the stage next to the other Dynasty Lords who had come to attend. Lord Voy and Yung were among them.

Lord Yung gave Lymee a bit of pause. She seemed almost smug as she stood there watching Priestess Ling give her speech offering her prayers to The Heavens asking for their blessing and guidance. Keo was convinced that considering how quiet she had been up until this point that Lord Yung was going to try something during the coronation. And Lymee tended to agree. The problem was that they did not know what she was going to try.

Lymee had stationed soldiers in the crowd dressed in normal clothes so they would go unnoticed ready to act if someone in the crowd tried anything. As well as posting sentries at every single vantage point where an archer might be able to get a shot off. Lymee would have probably done that one anyway, regardless if she had thought Yung would try something. She impulsively rotated her shoulder where the assassin’s arrow had scratched her.

Other than the extra security Keo had done the best that she could to prep Lymee from any kind of verbal assault. Their greatest fear was that Yung was going to try and call Lymee out in front of everyone and either humiliate her or make some kind of claim as to why Lymee should not be the Empress. Either situation, if not handled right, would shake the faith people had in here. What little there already was anyway.

Lymee took a deep calming breath. She was as ready as she would ever be. She was not going to let Yung do anything to stop her. Lymee had committed everything she had into being the Empress and she was not going to let someone else swoop in and try and take it away from her. She owed everyone that much at least. She owed Alia that much.

“Lord Sun,” Ling called out turning around to face Lymee.

Lymee raised her chin not moving from her spot as Ling approached. Ling held out her hand and Yunna quickly crossed the podium holding a pillow in her hands with an ornate piece of head jewelry in it. Lymee flashed her ever the briefest of smiles as she passed and Yoni returned it with a single look.

“Head of the Su family and Lord of the Su Dynasty,” Ling continued speaking in a loud booming voice as she reached out and picked up the head piece. “In front of the people gathered here and under the watchful eye of The Heavens I hereby recognize you as Empress Sun Su ruler of the Xia Kingdom and all its lords.”

Lymee did not bend over as the headpiece was slipped over her forehead and the pins in the back were pushed into her done up hair.

“Please,” Ling said stepping back. “Address your people and affirm to them your oath.”

Lymee had practiced this one almost nonstop over the past month. After Lymee’s infamous debacle at her adoption ceremony, where she had completely blanked and had forgotten the words, she wanted to make sure that did not happen again. Especially with Lord Yung present, who was no doubt looking for the slightest mistake.    

Stepping forward Lymee slid her hands into her sleeve and held them out at the appropriate distance just liked she had practiced as she peered out at the crowd. All of them stood in silence as they gazed up at Lymee.

“Dear people,” Lymee boomed making sure her voice projected as far as she could. “I stand before you know as the Empress of Xia. Under the gaze of The Heavens I pledge to rule over you with justice and benevolence. I promise to punish the wicked and glorify the good. I shall give you my all and ask for your all in return. Never shall my obligations wain or my loyalties falter. I ask that each and every one of you now promise me the same. In in return we shall take our Kingdom to new heights as we enter into a glorious new age.”

Lymee let out a breath as she finished her oath. Simultaneous everyone in the crowd fell to their knees and pressed their faces to the ground their hands out in front of them their fingertips touching. Lymee stood there looking over all of them doing her best to be dignified.

After a few seconds had passed Lymee turned to Niimu. The two of them had agreed that Lymee would let her address the crowd. It would seem that she planned on easing any doubts and alleviate any remaining fears that people might have concerning Lymee simply being a puppet empress. Lymee hoped it was one heck of a speech as she was sure that a lot of people would feel that way regardless of what Niimu said.

“Lord Niimu,” Lymee called out. “It is my understanding that you have a message that you would like to give.”

“That’s right, my Empress,” Niimu said coming to attention than giving a deep bow.

Lymee noticed Yung’s demeanor shift slightly as Niimu stepped forward. It would seem that they were playing into her plan after all. That was alright. They had planned for this contingency after all. It was actually somewhat relieving. It meant that Yung was doing something they had anticipated and was not about to throw a wild card out. But Lymee could not relax just yet. Even knowing what she was planning she was still dangerous.

The people rose back to their feet as Niimu took center stage.

“Everyone,” Niimu called out standing beside Lymee.

Unlike many of the other lords Niimu was dressed in her military garb, with sword and armor. Not unlike what she had been wearing at the Council of Lords or what Gea wore when she was in her dress outfit.

“I know that many of you think that the Empress is knowingly or unknowingly under my influence,” Niimu called out. “That it was I who placed her in power so that I could rule this Kingdom through her as my proxy. I am here now to tell you that this is not the truth. I support our Empress. I believe that she will truly lead us into a new age.”

Niimu looked over at Lymee with a smile bowing her head respectively. Lymee returned the bow ever so slightly a pleased smile on her face. Even if no one believed her it was still nice to hear. But there was something in her look that seemed off to Lymee.

It took Lymee a second to even notice it and even a second longer to see the beads of sweat across Niimu’s forehead. Sure it was hot and Lymee was sure that she was nervous. So was Lymee. But this was different and it made Lymee feel uneasy.

Lymee tensed up as she braced herself. She had no clue what was coming but she knew she would not like it. Remembering the sight of Chia crying in the hallways Lymee changed a glance over in her direction.

Chi was standing there absolutely rigid. More than that she was clutching tightly to her dress her gaze focused solely on her mother.

“But I understand your concerns,” Niimu continued looking back at the crowd. “I understand that nothing that I saw will convince you otherwise. What we say does not matter, only what we do. So let my actions speak louder than any words that I have. And may my actions cleanse any and all doubts you may have in your minds about my intentions and my beliefs.”

In a single motion Niimu grabbed her sword and drew it from her sheath. Lymee did not think in that moment, she only reacted. Fearing that Niimu was about to attack her Lymee lunged back grabbing the small dagger that was hidden inside her sleeve.

But Niimu did not swing at Lymee. Instead Niimu spun the blade in her hand readjusting her grip so the tip of the blade was pointed at her own throat.

Too late did Lymee realize what Niimu was going to do. If Lymee had lunged forward instead of back she might have been able to stop her in time but now she was too far away to do anything.

With a single thrust Niimu rammed the blade into her throat only stopping once the hilt reached her skin. Niimu’s eyes looked at Lymee as she gargled blood. In those eyes were all the words she wished to say. And the promise that she wished for Lymee to fulfil. And all Lymee could do was stand there frozen in shock as the life faded from Niimu’s eyes and her body collapsed to the ground.

Time started flowing normally again at that point as the Royal Guards rushed forward and stood between Lymee and Niimu ushering her back trying to lead her off the stage and back into the Palace. But there was no need. Lymee was in no danger, never was.

“Wait,” Lymee held up her hand signaling the Royal Guards to stop. Pushing past them she stood at the front of the stage and looked out at the gasping people in front of her. They were all frozen in place by shock unable to believe what they just witnessed. But they needed to believe.

“Everyone,” Lymee called out. “I abhor what Lord Niimu has done,” she tried her best not to look at the dead body that lay next to her as she spoke. “But I do not chastise the spirit that it was done in. Lord Niimu was willing to give her own life to me in order for me to rule without implication of corruption.” Lymee then turned to the other Dynasty Lords particularly at Yung. “Will any of you be willing to do the same?” she let the question sink in. “Let her blood be all the blood that needs to be spilt in order for my rule to be acknowledged. I do not wish to fight with my lords or my people. I wish only peace. Let Lord Niimu’s blood cleanse us of our doubts and our misgivings and allow us to continue on from here as one nation one kingdom under one ruler. And let us truly enter into a new era.”

Not waiting to see what kind of reaction her words would get Lymee turned and under the escort of the Royal Guards was lead off the podium back into the Palace. Once she was sure that she was out of sight and earshot of everyone outside Lymee finally broke down and lost it.

Her knees gave first followed by her stomach. The guards did nothing to help Lymee as she collapsed onto the floor. Instead they turned around watching for others making sure no one else saw Lymee in such a state.

Using the back of her sleeve Lymee wiped her mouth leaving a horrible after taste left in its wake. Getting back to her feet Lymee straightened herself up and walked on.

***  

“What the hell, Chia!” Lymee snapped storming into the room where Chia waited. “What the actual hell!”

The two of them were alone as per Lymee’s orders. She would have liked it if Keo or Yoni were also present but Lymee did not want them to hear her chew Chia out. She knew she was probably going to say some things that she was going to regret later and would prefer it stay between the two of them.

“Did you know that she was going to do that?” Lymee asked still practically yelling but her voice had calmed down a bit now that she had shouted her initial outrage.

“I did,” Chia admitted. “My mother asked for my consultation on the matter when she arrived here last week with the Priestess.”

“And you didn’t try to talk her out of it?” Lymee gasped.

“Of course I did!” Chia snapped. “She’s my mother. The last thing I wished was for her to take her own life.” They were both breathing heavily now as they stared each other down.

“Then why didn’t you come to me?” Lymee asked.

“Because you would have stopped her,” Chia declared.

“You’re damn right I would have,” Lymee said. “What was she thinking?”

“She was thinking of you!” Chia snapped glaring at Lymee. “She was always thinking of you. She knew that you were the best hope not only for her Dynasty but for the entire Kingdom. If our kingdom was thrown into civil war thousands no hundreds of thousands of people would have died. And not just soldiers, but helpless villagers whose fields would have been burned and villages raised. Starvation and disease would have enveloped the land as war refugees fled to cities unable to support and care for them.”

“And this,” Lymee pointed at the door behind her gesturing to the scene outside the Palace. “This was your solution?”

“It was her solution,” Chia stated. “But it was the right one none the less. One life.” She held up her finger. “One life willingly given to save thousands. That was the right thing to do.” She paused as she looked at Lymee. “And I do not care if you think it was the right thing. For I know what we did was right and my mother had the courage to do it.” She took a breath puffing out her chest.

Lymee closed her eyes as she suddenly realized what Chia had been truly asking when Lymee had found her crying in the hallway. She had no doubt just finished discussing this over with her mother and was conflicted on what she should do. And Lymee had all but told her that she should go through with it regardless of what other people thought.

“Jesus Christ,” Lymee gasped turning away rubbing the front of her face with her hand. She could care less if she smeared her makeup at this point. She held her hand in front of her mouth as she started to feel sick once more.