Enlightened Empire

No matter how much she may wish to belong, her own nature would always betray her.

Even though Tama had tried her best to fit in with Corco’s staff, the distrust still hit her from all sides. However, she just couldn’t choose the easiest option to dissipate the suspicion. Never would her nature allow herself to open up to others, not after what had happened to her family. Still, for now her personal problems could be ignored. All that mattered were Corco’s orders. At least in this respect, her argument with Atau had been a great success. Once more focused on her task, Tama turned to the short warrior in her front.

"Quato, you organize the ghosts. Blend into the crowd and make sure everyone is in position for the start of the duel. As soon as there is any sign of trouble, you step in as fast as you can. Remember: We need to make sure that young master Epunamo is not harmed in the slightest. If you can, it would be good to step in at the last moment, since a close shave will make him more thankful. However, you should always prioritize his safety at any cost. Oh, not that it needs to be said: You can stay back if the bandit is in trouble."

"Understood, lady Tama," the young warrior replied. Ever since her father had died, Quato had been Tama’s closest aide. Throughout the days in the capital, he had supported her as she tried to organize whatever had remained of Emperor Titu’s men, alongside her mother and her sisters. As a result, she was more than happy to leave these practical matters in his capable hands. After all, as a weak woman, she knew her limits well. All she could do was stay in the shadows and organize the men to do their work, to the best of their abilities.

With a light sigh, the spy master walked a few steps and sat down at an unoccupied table, the place abandoned by its former masters in favor of the central arena’s blood and excitement. On any other day, Tama would have loved to join in on the fun herself. After all, ever since she got stuck in this backwards town, she would gobble up any piece of entertainment she could find. In fact, this had been her biggest problem with her assignment to Saniya. How could a vibrant young girl like herself stand the dull, stale air of the countryside?

If it hadn’t been for Corco, she would have never found her way here. With her thumb and middle finger, Tama held onto a piece of marinated meat and brought it up to her mouth, her fingers as fast as a thief’s. After all, one could never know who was watching, and she would never want to appear unladylike. Soon her interest in the outside world faded away. Smokey, sweet and salty, a whole bouquet of tastes spread across her palate as the meat melted in her mouth. At least in terms of food, Saniya had much more to offer than she had expected. Plus, if Corco’s own virtuosity with the koto was any indication, there was good reason to assume that the arts would soon follow his culinary achievements. Now if only she could get him to play some music for herself as well.

*Wouldn’t that be nice,* she thought with another sigh and a look over to her master. As soon as her eyes hell onto the young king, her mouth turned up into a smile. The way the great King of the South was slumped in his chair, annoyed and bored out of his mind, was really too funny. Although he was far more serious than she remembered from his youth, sometimes Corco still had these moments of child-like innocence. Really, she could have watched all day. For now though, she would have to pretend to be busy. Even though there wasn’t much for her to do now that she had given her orders to Quato, it was still best to walk around a bit. Considering just how much Corco himself worked every day to improve his territory, Tama was sure that he wouldn’t like a lazy girl.

*What a waste of good food.*

Annoyed with her own obsession, Tama gave the meat one last look of longing, before she stood up and walked towards the edge of the garden. Her steps led her through an archway and into the outer hallways of Rapra Castle. Although she wasn’t quite sure what important mission would await her here, she was sure to come up with an excuse if Corco ever asked her. Wasn’t this her specialty after all? Maybe she could pretend to patrol the outer perimeter in case some enemy warriors tried to break in.

"I’ve seen someone suspicious go in there a moment ago."

"That would work," Tama mumbled, before she realized that the suggestion had in fact not come from inside her own head. With a spin that made her frilly silk dress flutter around her waist, Tama turned to face a dark-skinned young woman who had come dressed in a much more practical attire. Now confronted with a stranger, she put on her usual polite smile.

"You are young Princess Sumaci of the Verdant Isles, are you not?" she asked the guest. Of course the question was rhetorical. As the head of Corco’s ghost warriors, Tama knew the names and faces of every noble who had entered Rapra Castle today. Still, at least the barbarian girl could have made an attempt at a proper reply, beyond a simple nod of her head.

"You are with the king, right? I’ve seen you stand around him all evening."

Unfazed by the rude attitude, Tama answered with a small bow.

"This servant’s name is Tamaya di Pluritac, official within King Corcopaca’s court. How may this servant help young lady?"

With a pout, the young verdant princess pressed her left hand into her hip and stood at a slant.

"As I said, I saw someone suspicious go into this tower a bit ago. I think they have no business inside. Maybe you ought to do something about this?"

"Is that so," Tama answered, still confused by the girl’s attitude. "This specific doorway leads to one of Rapra Castle’s defense towers. It is staffed by King Corco’s own warriors. Even though they may seem frightening due to their foreign appearance, they are very much allowed inside."

"I may be young, but I am no fool. The man who entered the room was Medalan and did not wear the clothes of the king’s warriors. It is the very reason I mentioned it."

In an instant, Tama’s smile broke and was replaced by a frown. For a few seconds, she only stared at the princess, in an attempt to ascertain her motivations.

"Truly?" she asked.

"Why would I lie about this? See, if there is some sort of assassination on that king of yours, I want to help prevent it. I still have many questions."

Although Tama was unsure what Princess Sumaci meant by ’questions’, the girl’s eyes were as firm as her voice. At least checking on the warriors inside the towers couldn’t hurt, could it? As a result, both Tama and Sumaci marched towards the tower’s entry. Once arrived, Tama knocked on the heavy wooden door. It was a practiced knock, with a secret rhythm. However, after a few seconds without reply, Tama pressed her hand against the wood, to surprising results. Without any resistance, the secure doorway slid open as easy as a paper window. Large-eyed, the girl entered the lower floor of the tower. This was one of the many turrets which had been outfitted with one of the cannons Captain Atau had brought with him from his fleet. Any breech in security here could lead to catastrophic results.

With only a glance at her surroundings, Tama’s worst fears were confirmed. To her feet, she found one of Corco’s mercenaries, motionless and his hands and feet tied with rope. With movements as smooth and quiet as silk, the girl stepped up and held her hands in front of the warrior’s nose.

*Unconscious,* she thought.

This was terrible. In the confusion of the impending duel, someone had breached one of the towers. For now, she would have to get back for some reinforcements. All alone, there was nothing she could do against the intruder, and her top priority would be to get Corco out of harms way in case a cannon was fired. However, her plans were foiled again, once more by the same annoying princess. By the time Tama looked back up from the unconscious mercenary, she saw the little girl step up the stairs, towards the upper floor.

*What is the idiot girl doing?*

Even when every inch of her body screamed in silent agony at the girl’s recklessness, her mouth alone couldn’t shout and risk an alert intruder up above. Incapable of any reaction beyond an angry stare, Tama rushed after the princess. If Corco’s first alliance with outside forces fell through because of her own negligence, it would be a disaster. Even though Tama did her best to catch up, her fancy dress slowed her steps far too much, and by the time she had reached the little brat, they had already crossed the top of the stairs.

What was presented in their front was the image the spy master had feared the most. To the feet of the tower’s cannon lay the second mercenary, bound just the same as the first one, and just as unconscious. Above him stood one of the few men in Rapra whose name Tama didn’t know. Nevertheless, she recognized his face. Somehow, Epunamo Villca’s warrior servant had sneaked away from the duel and overwhelmed the warriors within the cannon tower. Even worse, the cannon itself had been turned around to aim into the encampment itself.

*Damn it, how did any of this happen?*

Annoyed at her own lack of care, Tama’s mind went into overdrive, desperate to prevent more damage. Not only had the cannon been turned around, it even seemed loaded, with a lute attached to the barrel already. Despite his flustered appearance, the intruder still held the lit torch in his hand, the one destined to light the fuse and fire the cannon.

"Halt!" the little princess screamed, with much more strength in her voice than Tama had expected. In panic, the spy master looked over to find that the girl had produced a short-barreled gun from who-knew-where within her own dress. Whatever the case, the girl’s stance seemed as confident as her voice as she took half a step forward, the weapon’s muzzle between her line of sight and her target.

However, all the confidence would be for naught. No matter how determined the princess looked to Tama, no matter how tense the air felt, all the warrior could see before him were two helpless little girls. Soon he recovered from his shock, and a grin spread all over his face. Without a care in the world, he looked out of the opened window to take aim, before he lowered his torch to start the deadly countdown.

At the same time, a roar of thunder exploded within the small room to strip Tama of her hearing. A cone of ice pierced her body, up her spine and into her head, as it made the connection between the explosion, the cannon and Corco’s position across the courtyard, only to find the cannon sit still in place.

Confused, she ignored the ringing in her ears to look towards the side again. At the side of the cannon, the man’s grin was no more, the warrior slumped on the ground and half-covered by the barrel. When Tama turned further, she found the princess, covered in a cloud of smoke.

*Safe!* Tama thought, before her panicked mind came back to speed. Maybe the warrior was dead, maybe he was injured, but the man didn’t matter at this point. All that mattered was the cannon which was still aimed into the yard, together with the deadly timer which could tick down any moment.

Once more Tama focused on what was important. Once more her eyes grew large, and blood rushed all throughout her body. Had she been conscious, had she found time to think, Tama would have looked for a million solutions, for a million ways to solve her crisis with words and trickery. And yet, in her panic, her body reacted all on its own. Before she understood, large strides had brought her over to the window, always focused on the small caliber cannon before her. She could feel her delicate cloth rip around her legs, strained from her own rush.

*No matter! Need to get there.*

One more jump and Tama had reached the deadly barrel. Her hands touched the cold brass. Again, she reacted on instinct. With all the force in her delicate body, Tama pressed her feet into the wooden floor boards and pushed against the weapon.

*No, move!*

Deeper and deeper she pressed herself into the floor, but the metal wouldn’t give! At last, a jolt rippled throughout her body and forced the muzzle away. Mere centimeters here would mean meters down the line. And not a second too early. A violent eruption rang through the brass as a three pound ball of solid iron was propelled through the barrel and into the yard. All throughout her hands and arms, she could feel the force of the weapon, and then she couldn’t feel anything. Exhausted and off balance, the girl sank to the ground.

For now she couldn’t hear, maybe she had gone deaf. She couldn’t feel her hands, maybe they were broken, or burnt to a crisp. She didn’t know where the cannon ball would land, maybe she had killed someone.

However, none of it mattered.

At least she had done her duty; at least her master was safe.