Post by Levorek on Feb 18, 2007 10:01:13 GMT -5
As one of the guards hurried out of the room and Krulmuk and the other guard started to follow him, Levorek said, "Krulmuk, wait!"
Krulmuk turned with a look of annoyance and impatience.
Levorek said to the guard, "Leave us," and the guard hurriedly left the room.
"Ever you delay me," Krulmuk said.
Levorek said, "I have an idea. Rubanya is claiming to be Imperial Regent. He doesn't have the right. The Imperial Council is supposed to elect a regent. He doesn't have a quorum of the council in Yishil, but we do."
"Not anymore. You lost that for us," Krulmuk said.
Levorek thought fast and suggested, "We could drag Baylo back here. He doesn't have to vote our way. We just need at least half the council present for a quorum, then a majority of those present could vote for me as Imperial Regent."
"Baylo is probably on his way to Yishil already."
"There's another councillor. Baland is here in Zekran. Technically he's still a member of the Imperial Council."
"He's a prisoner in the dungeon," Krulmuk said disparagingly.
Levorek said, "I know. That doesn't matter. If we have a quorum, even for if only for a moment, you and I would be a majority of the quorum. I could be elected Imperial Regent. Then we would have the law on our side. As regent, my first act would be to declare Rubanya a traitor for usurping the title of Imperial Regent."
Krulmuk said, "What does that get us? When the Emperor dies, Rubanya would still become Emperor. Your regency would end. We'd have nothing left."
"Unless we kill Rubanya for treason in the meantime!" Levorek said hurriedly, making it up as he went along.
"Then his son would become Emperor, you fool! Enough of this. Either you get the decree signed or you have nothing."
Levorek's eyes bulged out, then he blurted out, "I can't! He won't sign the damned thing!"
"Try harder," Krulmuk said.
"Try harder?! You don't know what you're talking about. I've tried everything. I've been trying for years. This is my life, there is nothing else for me but the decree and I have tried and tried and tried and nothing will move him. It cannot be done. He will go to his grave with it unsigned. He even said so."
Krulmuk said, "You're crying now? Are you a man or a baby? If I were you I'd make him sign the damned thing if I had to cut his hand off and hold the quill in his twitching fingers while I signed it for him in his own blood!"
With that, Krulmuk stormed out.
Levorek was alone in the meeting room now. He stood silently for a few moments with horrific image still his mind that Krulmuk's words had brought. He was shocked. He could hardly imagine doing such a thing to his kindly uncle. His kindly, but drunken uncle who liked to tease him with the idea that he just might sign the decree if Levorek pleased him enough. Levorek went over to the fallen table and picked up the papers that had fallen. They were the shattered remnants of his life's dream. As he saw the list of Ulors and the map of the Empire and the list of phalanxes that were to have fought to put him on the throne, a tear fell from his eye and landed on one of the scrolls. He wiped it off and the ink of the words "3rd Kantora Zekresh" smeared. More tears began to fall. He felt even more miserable to realize he felt exactly like the sort of sniveling coward that Krulmuk seemed to think he was. He gathered up the scrolls and hugged them to his chest like the dream he could not give up, but tears were running down his face. He sat in the corner alone and moaned and cried.
Outside, an Imperial Courier set off for Yishil with an urgent message.