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Chapter 10:

Caira

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A river of people, cheering and clapping, crowded the sidewalks. Sunny, crisps skies made the day perfect for a celebration in the Midaharian capital, Ras Almal. It was the emperor's sixty-ninth birthday. The only thing louder than the enthusiastic crowd was six blaring curved trumpets. It was a tradition for the trumpets to sound the same number of times as the age of the emperor. The trumpeters had twenty-five more notes to go.

Emperor Taimoor had been in power for half his life. The lavish marble homes around every corner of the capital reflected decades of prosperity. Under his rule poverty has nearly been eradicated across Midaharia. As far as the average Midaharian was concerned, Taimoor was a ruler for the people. Outside of the country’s expanding territory, others formulated a different opinion of the man.

Mounted on proud steeds, Badr and Lahan, two of Midaharia’s esteemed generals, rounded a corner. As they do every year the two led the mile-long procession. Despite the celebratory atmosphere, both generals were dressed top to bottom in black and silver armor. Children were especially excited to see them. Each year the leading generals would toss bags worth of fruity treats to the crowd. This year was no exception.

The emperor wasn’t far behind the generals. Gold chains hung from the necks of the four colts pulling Emperor Taimoor's decorated carriage. He waved to the crowd, energizing the people’s excitement. Though his gold attire reflected royalty, Taimoor didn’t wear a crown of precious metal. Instead, he styled his dense, dark hair into a crown by cutting some of it sideways, and towards the middle. The rest of his hair grew into an elaborate half-circle six inches in height. It was more than a unique hairstyle for the king. It was his assurance that no one could take his crown from him so easily.

Two armored flag bearers brought up the rear of the parade as it slowly progressed through downtown Ras Almal. The emperor’s birthday was a week-long holiday. Some shops and businesses across the capital remained closed for the week. A few others sought to take advantage of the massive crowds by offering major markdowns and souvenirs for the celebration.

Covering over a billion and a half square miles, the continent of Midaharia was the largest on the planet. Its territory spread well beyond official borders. As the emperor’s birthday caravan progressed through the capital, his plans for expansion carried on out of the public’s eye.

A three-day ride from the capital city rises the city of Iltasha. It’s one of many unincorporated provinces in Midahara. Most notable for its bountiful supply of fruits and nuts, trade flows freely between Iltasha and its neighbors. Families often send their children to Ras Almal for higher learning, while residents from the capital sometimes visit Iltasha’s coastal resorts. Despite the holiday celebration, it was business as usual for Iltasha’s young governess, Caira.

She stood in the middle of a large auditorium surrounded by rows of empty seats. Her head was covered under a bright yellow head wrap. The only exposed portion of her hair was a frizzy ball protruding neatly from the top. She wore a matching button-down blouse with a hem that met the tiled floor. Caira minded her posture as she shifted through the papers in her hands.

“Tell me how this one sounds,” she said. She cleared her throat. “Ladies and gentlemen of Iltasha. It makes me happy to see that you all accepted my invitation and agreed to hear my qualms. As you may or may not have heard, the emperor of Midaharia has declared war with the Ahrmania Empire.”

“There have been reports of territorial conflicts between the two in other lands. It is only a matter of time before the emperor’s lust for power and domination reaches our door. Iltasha is but a small nation in comparison. This is why I propose that we begin building our own army. Not to challenge either capital, but to defend ourselves if and when needed.”

She flips a page. “Keeping Iltasha independent is important to our economy and livelihood. We should never allow ourselves to be swallowed up in needless bloodshed. It’s going to take time to build the type of defenses Iltasha deserves, which is why I....this is why I have taken the first step. I have enlisted the aid of mercenaries who hunt Rebirths, the same runes the larger nations use for power and protection. As your governess, it is incumbent of me to protect the citizens of Iltasha by any means necessary. Thank you.”

Caira exhaled. “Well?”

“It was good,” a man said. His was the only occupied seat in the auditorium. “You might want to drop mercenaries, though. Just call them what they are.”

“Right, you’re right,” Caira agreed, marking the paper with a pen. “Anything else?”

“Are you sure you want to do this? Having a Rebirth will definitely put more than one bullseye on Iltasha.”

“Only if the emperor knows we have one,” Caira winked.

“You know what? You should keep that part out of the speech altogether,” the man said, lifting a loaded wooden toolbox from the floor.

“You think so?”

“Definitely. I’m starting to regret the fact that I heard you say it.”

“Are you that afraid of the emperor’s wrath, Ibn?”

“Yes, ma’am, I am. Anyway, my break is over. I should get back to work.”

“Have you thought about becoming my advisor?”

“Caira, you know I am willing to help you whenever you need me, but I hate politics. It’s not good for anyone’s health around here.”

Caira frowned. “You’re talking about my parents, aren't you?”

“Both of them die from the same ‘illness’ within 30 minutes of each other. That’s highly suspicious to me. Highly suspicious. And I'm not the only one that thinks so.” Ibn opened the door for Caira and stepped aside. “Madam governor.”

“Thank you,” Caira smiled. “I question the nature of my parent's death, as well. I can't allow myself to believe the Emporer would approve of such a thing. Anyway, I’ll speak to you later. I have an audience with an emissary from the capital.”

“Sounds dangerous,” Ibn said as the two parted ways. "Don't let them pour you any drinks, Caira. I'm serious."

Caira turned around and smiled. "If you were my official advisor I'd be more inclined to listen to you."