Meronion waited impatiently, finding the meeting of the Kolonai slow and boring. The Kolonai was the highest council of the empire, where some of the most powerful people in the empire debated policy for the empire: the greatest patros, church leaders, military leaders, and bureaucrats collected in one room. Its power waxed or waned depending on how high-handed the Doukar was. Her father had left the Kolonai little power, making its role just to advise him, and usually ignoring that advice. Under Fornulus its influence had grown greatly as he left many duties to the council. Most of the time he didn't even bother to attend. She already missed the good old days when she could go to her father directly for a decision, without bothering with endless meetings and debates. This meeting, just like most of them, was chaotic with lots of people talking past each other. Listening to Cordelian go on and on every day was driving her mad.

The Doukar determined the membership of the council, which now meant she and Cordelian determined it. In her opinion, the council was too large, currently containing a few dozen members. She would have cut it down to a dozen if she could. The two most important people here were herself as Milem, and Cordelian as Eukrates. She oversaw all military matters, while Cordelian oversaw all economic and domestic policy. They were the only royal members, and that carried weight too.

The outer structure of the Kolonai Chamber itself had been built over three hundred years ago, during the time of Doukar Mekolos. It predated much of the rest of the Trigon Palace, which had swallowed it up. The interior, however, was Doukar Trigon’s work, and as luxurious as always with him. They sat at a large marble table in chairs, nearly thrones, beneath a pyramidal roof. Sunlight streamed in through cutout panels in the roof. Windows at the sides looked out onto the gardens. Occasionally a bird would get lost and fly into the room. Meronion always laughed when this happened since it infuriated Cordelian. Cordelian hated anything he couldn't control. Various tiled frescos surrounded the large stone table, depicting significant moments of the empire. Merionion liked to sit over the fresco celebrating the second Doukar Danrian the Conqueror, a woman after her own heart.

"I have an important matter to raise to the honored lords and ladies of the Kolonai," Cordelian announced. Not all of them were lords and ladies, but Cordelian only cared about those who were. "I believe it is time we fill the time-honored and vital military position of Decim."

This idea surprised many of the council members, and Meronion scowled. Although theoretically one of the most important roles in the empire, equal to the Milem or Eukrates, the position of Decim was often left empty. In contrast to her role as Milem, which focused on external enemies, the Decim oversaw policing of the provinces and the more peaceful borders of the empire. The portfolio naturally overlapped heavily with the Milem's duties. Doukar Tekremachus had created the position about two hundred years ago specifically to limit the power of a rebellious Milem. A strong Decim reduced the Milem from the supreme general to more of a strategist, since the Decim oversaw domestic logistics, limiting the options left open to the Milem. Most Milems tried to absorb the position into their own, as she, and her father when he had been Milem, had done.

Cordelian's motives were obvious: he sought, as several Eukrates had before him, to absorb the Decim's powers into his own role, weakening hers. No doubt he would place some puppet into the position.

"Are you saying that I'm not doing a good job as Milem?" She asked.

The members of the Kolonai went quiet. Cordelian waved her off.

"Not at all. I'm sure neither I nor anyone else here has the slightest hint of a complaint with your exemplary performance as Milem."

There were various murmurs of agreement in the chamber.

Cordelian continued. "The fact is, Milem, we have a new Doukar now, who has a... different manner of ruling than our father. He has delegated many additional responsibilities to you. Our father shouldered several military responsibilities himself, being a former Milem. Now, with His Exaltedness choosing a ruling style that better suits his nature, your burdens have no doubt increased greatly."

She had to admit this was true. Holophian had dealt with the more mundane duties of the Decim himself, leaving her free to focus on foreign excursions, as she preferred. She didn't mind getting rid of the boring crap like manning the walls and chasing thieves around, she just couldn't have Cordelian place his own tool in the role. She decided not to fight the suggestion itself; what was important was who got the job. If she could get the right person in the role, she could use it to make herself another ally on the Kolonai and weaken Cordelian.

"Who would it be?" She asked.

Cordelian gestured to a patros, a close ally of his, but Meronion cut him off before he could even begin.

"I won't accept it going outside the blood. We have capable siblings."

At this several of the military leaders and bureaucrats chimed in to agree. None of them wanted the patros to gobble up more power.

She couldn’t tell if Cordelian was annoyed or if this was exactly what he wanted. She'd never been able to figure out what went on in his head. She didn't care to.

"I see,” he said. “I can't imagine you would choose Princess Theodorian for the role, as she is not temperamentally suited to it. No doubt you are thinking of our younger brother, Prince Euphastolon?"

This time Meronion gave him a level look. He had put her in the slightly awkward position of having to reject her own full brother. Good thing she wasn't concerned with hurting feelings.

"He's not right for it. And he wouldn't accept the position even if you offered. You know how he feels about hard work."

Cordelian chuckled. "Well true, I can't deny that. Still, after rejecting my suggestion, perhaps it would be fair if you made one, Milem."

"I would suggest Nikolonium."

At this some of the patros objected, while several of the church leaders argued with them.

"The Fourth Prince is hostile to the leading families of this nation." One of the older patros said. "He wants to steal our property and give it to unwashed noumens who didn't work for it. He is unacceptable." Many other patros nodded.

One of the church patriarchs spoke up in defense of the young prince. "He is following the faith, as all good Dardanians should. He has the support of the church."

"Nobody ever gave me anything," said a patros from a family which had been wealthy for generations. "What right does some lazy beggar have to take my hard-earned money?"

"All children of Oma have the right to food and shelter." Another church figure replied.

Cordelian called them to order.

"Milem, surely you can see that Prince Nikolonium is a divisive choice?"

Merion grunted. She knew damn well why Cordelian didn't want Nikolonium to get the job, as the two of them hated each other. This was exactly why she'd suggested the little fop. If she had to have a Decim hanging around her neck, better to have someone who hated Cordelian. But it was clear she wasn't going to be able to get the Kolonai on board.

"Who then?" She asked.

Cordelian thought for a moment and then said, "well, if we've rejected two of our brothers, what about the remaining one, Prince Pelagius?"

"Pelagius? He's little more than a child."

"Everyone must learn at some point."

She mulled it over. The rest of the Kolonai talked amongst themselves about the choice. Nobody had any great problem with Pelagius being given the role. He was too young to have made a name for himself, so while he had no staunch allies, he had no enemies either.

He wasn't a bad choice. The boy was intelligent, and he'd recently begun to come to her for advice. He was friendly with Cordelian too, she knew, but then, it was proper of him to maintain good relations with all his family. He was no creature of Cordelian's anyway. He was strong-willed under his mild exterior and didn’t allow himself to be used. Yes, he could be acceptable to her.

"I guess I don't have a problem with him. He's young, so I think we should only appoint him to the role for half a year to begin with, then we should meet again to discuss how he is doing."

That would give her another chance to get rid of him, if he turned out to be a liability.

"Excellent. Perhaps you should let him know? Then we can begin the appropriate elevation ceremonies. I'll inform the Majesters to begin the preparations for them."

Cordelian was too pleased for her liking. Better keep her eye on him.

When he'd heard the news about Pel's promotion, Nik had gone to see his little brother in his chambers. Helastus was in the library, and Ophelion was on her way back from a party so it was just the two brothers for the moment.

The chambers Pelagius and Helastus shared were reasonably plain affairs; they weren't humble, but they also weren’t flashy in the way they used to be when their mother, Empress Trisogius had lived here. She'd filled these chambers with all the art and luxury she could, sensitive about her status as Fifth Empress and her family's impoverished background. Trisogius was from the finest stock, her great-grandfather being a younger brother to Doukar Trigon the Builder, who had rebuilt and expanded the royal palace, giving his name to it. Since then the family had descended greatly, inheriting Trigon's profligacy but not his resources. Holophian had married her primarily due to her beauty, although her royal blood had helped. Trisogius always strived to bring her family back to their former heights. Now that she had moved out along with the other former empresses, her children had redecorated – or rather, undecorated. Apparently, they felt they had nothing to prove.

He and Pel sat in the now tastefully understated sitting room, sharing a bottle of honeyed wine.

"Congratulations once again, little brother."

Nik smiled, although he couldn't help but feel slighted. He was the older sibling, yet as the Decim Pelagius now had the higher position. By rights, it should have been his. Pelagius didn't even care about advancing himself. None of this was Pel’s fault, however.

Pel smiled back. "It's thanks to you I have this position, I know. You asked Meronion to give it to me, didn't you?"

Nik scratched his head uncomfortably. Oma was clear about lying, but on the other hand, it was embarrassing to admit to Pel that he had no influence on such matters. Pel did look up to him so.

"I'm sure Meronion made the decision on her own," he said at last.

Pel, laughing, accused him of false modesty, which made him feel guilty, so he quickly redirected the subject.

"Well, it's mostly a thankless job, but still, you're in charge of a lot of people now Pel. Any ideas on how to best serve our glorious empire?"

"I do. I have another idea too, you know."

"What's that?"

Pel leant closer to him and lowered his voice, although they were alone. Well, except for the slaves and guards.

"I'll be in many meetings now, with lots of important people. Cordelian, for example. Cordelian has always liked me – for some reason he thinks I like him too. Probably his pride. I could help you, tell you what I hear from him. He might tell me something you can use."

Nik raised his eyebrows in surprise. "I didn't think you wanted me to involve you in our rivalry."

"Fornulus is weak, so somebody's going to rule for him. I'd rather you than Cordelian." Pel was casual, as if he was discussing the weather.

It was hard for Nik to conceal his delight. He'd always known, of course, that Pelagius was on his side, but he hadn't expected such an active ally.

"I'm glad to have you on the right side, little brother. Perhaps I could also interest you in some suggestions for how to help the noumens. All too often bored guards prey on innocent subjects. As Decim you’ll be able to put a stop to that."

Pel smiled and agreed, before a servant announced the arrival of Ophelion. Both brothers stood to greet her. She ran excitedly into Pelagius' arms giving him a sisterly hug and congratulations, skipping the formalities.

After a moment she turned to Nik. "Oh, you're here too." For him, Nik noticed, she quickly ran through the formal greetings. He felt flattered that he was worth the formality Pel wasn't, but then, to Ophelion, Pel was only a brother.