The Empire Drop of Honey Upon the Blade

[Khalid al-Hasan]

The midday sun gleamed off amber dyed steel. The scorpion circled around to protect a pair of bees upon their shields and cloaks. Faces covered by the cloth and masks of their helms. The way their armor was layered and with spears held high one might think these soldiers the very beasts themselves.

That had always been Khalid's image since he was a boy when looking upon the soldiers lined up along the palace gardens from the balcony of the king's study. Or perhaps he should call it the regent's study as the man listening to reports and reviews was not his father, the king. A date in hand dripping his honey as he bit into the sweet treat, his eyes drifted from those men no doubt baking in their shells towards the one trapped in regal duties. Tall. Broad. Muscular. A beard full and wild as the Seret Mountains that dominated the highlands. A nose broken once and reset before healing. A series of small scars made by the tip of a spear under his left eye. Rugged golden eyes upon tanned olive skin. His elder brother Harrim was the perfection of manhood for their people, and currently serving as regent by the grace of the noble's council.

Their father would be proud. Khalid, not as much. If only his brother's mind was as well honed and agile as his body. Being the embodiment of manhood did not make one well suited for governing nor administration. His brother could cleave any man in half, yet was struggling to even get a grasp on any of the problems held within the stacks of papers and scrolls before him.

A frustrated frown, a grunt, and a heavy wave of the regents hand. Khalid stood up as the servants scampered away with heads held low.

"How is the king's health dear regent?" Khalid asked in a whimsical tone.

"None of your games Khalid. Not right now." Harrim spoke as he leaned his head back with eyes closed. Fingers pinched the bridge between. "I know you are aware that father is beyond recovery. It is a matter of when his illness will take him."

"And how long we have to keep the jackals at bay." Khalid responded with a smile as he approached the documents. Idly he began to browse over them as a gruff grunt in affirmation came from the other man.

"I would behead them personally if I was not burdened to the point of immobility with this regency." Harrim snarled as he reached for a honey glazed date of his own.

"That is why they made you regent. You know the noble houses have always been a thorn in the side of the royal house since our founding. At least the games I play are entertaining. Their games always end in blood." Khalid said as he stopped to look over a particular document. "Are they still calling for my dismissal from the court?"

"Louder every day." Harrim said after licking his fingers clean.

"Good." Khalid looked over at his brother. "Dismiss me and begin looking for a proper replacement. Be very loud yourself and even more picky."

Harrim's eyes narrowed on his brother. Slowly with an edge to his tone, "Why?"

Khalid just smiled back. "To appease them and get them fighting amongst themselves to buy us some time." Harrim raised a brow and straightened up in his silence.

The amir held up the paper in his hand. "I will head South in search of the cure you could never find out of spite.... And perhaps make some new friends."

Harrim frowned in silence for some time. In the end he simply waved his approval dismissing his brother.

Khalid smiled as he bowed to the regent and left the study. A frown and frustration upon his face as he threw open the doors of the study. He yelled while shaking the documents as he hurried down the hall, "You will regret this Harrim! This slight will be repaid tenfold!"

Servants scattered before him in fear. Already the rumor of his shameful behavior after being dismissed was spreading about the palace.

Khalid needed to hurry. A request to meet this new Empire's regent needed to be sent to Ragash as he got himself and gifts for her ready for the journey.

Medja

 

[Medja]

"...Whom?"

Medja glanced up from her desk, quirking a brow at the attendant that had intereupted her work.

"Khalid al-Hasan of Nal'hla, Mistress. He says he has urgent matters to speak to you about."

The Vizier of Stars, regent of the Empire, tapped impatiently on the acacia wood desk.

"Indeed. His request made its way into my hands some days ago, did it not?" Medja recalled vaguely. She was ever busy these days, balancing her own ambitions with the responsibilities of her positions.

"Yes, Mistress."

"And I believe I told the young amir then, in reply, via message, that I would see him next week, did I not?" She asked, dragging a nail across the desk.

"You did, Mistress."

"Then why is he here now, Nara?" Medja asked pointedly.

"He said it was urgent, Mistress, I don't know anything else."

Medja sighed. So urgent that he felt entitled to time that the Empress-Regent had not allotted him, apparently. She pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Very well, send him in. Make it clear to him that my time is both incredibly limited and valuable, won't you?"

The attendant bowed her head and made her exit. The amir would have his audience.

 

[Khalid al-Hasan]

Ebony and gold adorned Khalid. Not the materials, although his attire did use gold thread, as that would prove a bit too impractical. Imagine what sort of person would wear wood known for being so heavy and dense it might as well be stone itself. No, they represented his people and designed to impress. Black for the iron their scorpion inspired coated themselves in. Gold for the honey and wealth their little bees provided them.

It was like this that Khalid waited for the reply of this Empire's current acting regent. His guards, servants, and gifts ready to move as soon as they were allowed in. Despite how swiftly he had made sure to travel, rumors that this regent was viewed more and more as the actual Empress were easy to hear due to the sheer volume of them all.

Interesting.

A fact that could be useful, but not much so. Ambition was easy to find within the sands of Amol-kalit and as readily available as the rumors were she no doubt had already grown tired of the jackals in her own lands looking to suckle at her teets or claw her off her throne. Better to avoid appearing as just another one of the fleas jumping about.

When word finally arrived that they may enter it came with a bit of news. Seemed he had missed the messenger on the way South carrying word that their meeting was to be next week. Wayward souls passing unknowing in the night. A miscalculation, but one he could work with. At least he was now aware of his circumstances and wouldn't be entering blind.

As he was being thoroughly scolded and informed (or rather warned) of how his demand for an earlier meeting disturbed her Empress' schedule with more chaos, Khalid just smiled and nodded. Once it was over he waved his head servant over. He whispered into the elderly man's ear. "Inform everyone to treat Medja as if she were a member of the royal family."

The man nodded and swift even for a younger man went about making sure the new order was known.

======================

Khalid had not expected the meeting to be in Medja's study. A more intimate meeting than the formal affair he had expected. Today was proving to be so full of surprises. The door was opened up for him and he entered with a pair of servants flanking either side of him with heads held low. In their hands held out before them was ornate chests. Sadly he had to leave most of his party and gifts behind for security reasons. He and his brother would have done the same.

A wide smile crossed his lips as he held his arms out. His servants lowered themselves quickly to the floor and bowed deeply as both chest and head touched the floor. Khalid lowered his head, but did not bow any further.

As his eyes came back up, he said in his honey laced voice, "My deepest thanks Imperial Regent Medja for allowing our meeting to be held so much sooner! The matter that brings me to your most beautiful of cities and even more beautiful self is a dire emergency."

He snapped his fingers as he said, "But first I owe you gifts for your generosity at providing me this meeting. And more importantly the sight of you."

The servants rose while keeping their eyes averted down. The chests of goods were moved closer so Medja might see them better and then opened after a moment. The right one contained beautifully decorated jars packed as full as could be. The left one contained rich fabrics of silk and linen with a bulging pouch.

Khalid lifted one of the jars out of the right chest. "The pride and lifeblood of Nal'hla: honey. The highest of quality as they all come from the royal hives."

Then he lifted up the pouch from the left chest. "Gems from our mines. Precious few are ever found. Our land is filled with iron and salt. But their quality is all the greater for it I promise you."

Both were personally placed before her by Khalid. Inside the pouch she would find a surprisingly mixed number of gems. Mostly lesser gems such as aquamarine or amethyst, but a couple of higher quality gems like rubies and emeralds existed as well.

Khalid stepped back. His hands placed behind his back as he continued to smile. Hopefully this bought some good favor after the misunderstandings.

Medja

 

[Medja]

Short notice was short notice, and Medja had not the time nor the desire to relocate to the throne room. Her office would serve, just as it had for decades in her time as Vizier, courtier, and businesswoman before.

Sometimes Medja received an odd reminder that she was an honest, de jure part of the nobility rather than just a de facto one. While luxury was something that she was more than familiar with and the decorum of leadership and politics was like a second skin to her by now, a random dignitary popping into her office to lavish her with gifts for the mere act of granting him an audience was amusing. Poor, dear Gerra, having to deal with being treated as such merely for existing. She smirked.

"You know, generally when someone is throwing such fine extravagances at my feet it is because they are groveling for mercy or a favor." The regent mused as she rested her chin in her hand, smiling as she looked over the fineries that Khalid and his servants laid out. She plucked the pouch up and began to gently preen through its contents, admiring the quality of the gems.

Satisfied, she glanced to the man, at the least entertained by his flatteries.
"So...which is it you seek, young Amir Khalid al-Hasan?" Medja queried, a sly smile on her mien.

​

 

[Khalid al-Hasan]

A sharp tongue and figure of curves. This woman was the embodiment of a dagger. Best to keep her before his eyes so he might admire her least he find himself run through the moment he turned his back.

"Must I choose only one? I am a man of great appetite. Present me a fine feast and I will gladly devour all laid out before me."

Khalid smirked as he spoke. A bit too playful. He needed to pull himself back and show more restraint least he no longer be amusing.

"I am here seeking aid. My father, divine graced ruler of Nah'hla, has fallen ill. Rumors suggest a cure might be found here within this young Empire. As the Imperial Regent, I thought it best to speak with you on this matter first. As a royal it would be a great insult not to and you would be the most knowledgeable about what your land and her people can provide."

The official reason for this visit was now stated. A mission of mercy and favor. One that would make her royal Empress look better in the eyes of her people and those beyond her reach. There was no cure for his father. It was a fatal disease and his brother would officially take the throne. But she did not need to know that just yet. A pretext into the true reason of forming an alliance and gaining aid to remove the rot from their court with minimal bloodshed. He just needed for her to continue their game long enough for each other to reveal their hands and roll their dice.

Medja

 

[Medja]

"Hmm...I would take care that your gluttony doesn't find you under circumstances where reparation is your only choice, young amir." She hummed her thinly veiled warning, a polite smile upon her mien that threatened to curdle into annoyance if he continued to beat around the ever withering bush. Gifts and flattery were all well and good, but the hours in the day were finite and precious.

The regent quirked a brow as the nobleman spoke his plight. The fingers of one hand rapped against the top of her desk consecutively, chin still at rest in the other.
"You have my condolences, of course; it is a tragedy for one's ruler to fall ill so, much more if he should also be your parent," She spoke, unflinching but apologetic. She had no parental ties herself, but that was trauma long since dealt with and she was more than capable of understanding and sympathizing with the encroaching loss of a loved one. It was the context around the young man's story that didn't add up. "But you thought to seek me out rather than an apothecary first? Either you are quite the odd buzzard, Amir al-Hasan, or there is subtext to this matter that I am not yet aware of."

 

[Khalid al-Hasan]

There was a disconnect in the conversation. This Regent was not understanding something so fundamental in the diplomacy of his part of Amol-Kalit. She asked him why he had come to her instead of seek an apothecary first. The answer seemed so obvious to him, but for her it seemed it was not. It would appear his typical approach back home did not have a similar result in this Empire.

Khalid bowed his head down slightly as he spoke. "My apologies. It would seem we have a misunderstanding. We have already spoken with our healers. They are unable to cure my father. So I traveled into your lands in search of one. My speaking with you first is a courtesy. Informing you of my presence and purpose within your lands as I am a member of royalty in my own. I highly doubt you would wish for a foreign prince to be questioning your people and making demands as if it was his own."

The Amir paused so that too much was not being said at once. Too much chatter was annoying even if all of the words needed to be said. But it did make him wonder what the customs were within the Empire between various rulers and members of royalty. This was an introduction after all and it seemed strange to him that the concept of not saying everything was suspicious. Did they not take their time and enjoy the game?

"I also came to you first so that I might ask for the names of your trusted and respected healers. Who is more knowledgeable or can quickly gather it more than the sovereign of the land?"

Khalid smiled to Medja. "And yes I do have other matters I wished to discuss with you. But I assumed it best to wait till we had a chance to understand one another more deeply first.... If your Imperial Regent does not wish to wait and finds the suggestion suitable then perhaps we could discuss these other matters tonight over a meal?"

And it was now her choice. Her chance to invite him even if his suggestion. Hopefully this part of the game was practiced here as well and not another difference in the steps of their dance.

Medja

 

[Medja]

Medja sank back in her chair and let out a quiet, discontented sigh, a hand drawing up to cover her face. Of course; the Amir was like her, albeit a much younger version. He wished to play the game, something Medja had not the time nor the energy for beyond brief instances since becoming regent. Perhaps she'd become more blind to the social and political dances she once partook of in the last year or two. Ugh, how dreary.

"Yes, yes, of course...I am a purveyor of intelligence first and foremost, I suppose. That information can be easily gathered, Amir al-Hasan, but as for dinner, I have another meeting with a Cortosi dignitary this evening that cannot be--"

"Actually, Mistress, an emissary arrived to express condolences on the ambassador's behalf; he has fallen ill and had to reschedule," Nara interjected in the most matter-of-fact fashion possible.

Medja pursed her lips and chewed on the bottom one as she shot a glare at her assistant. The two of them would have words later.

"...Very well, young amir, you will have your dinner. Unless you might find some reason to protest, I suggest you arrive at the Emerald Tower of the Palace of Ragash at dusk this evening. Satisfied?"

 

[Khalid al-Hasan]

This dance was proving to be rather difficult. Unfamiliar steps leading to the stepping of toes. Shameful display on his part. Here he was attempting to play the game yet had not learned the rules in advance. He was better than that. It was not a surprise then to see how she had at first attempted to politely dodge his suggestion of dinner. Her assistant was not as attentive and no doubt would find no favor won with her ruler.

But it had won him a dinner with the Regent. Once more a silver lining.

A smile never once dropping from his face, Khalid bowed his head to Medja. "A great honor bestowed upon me! Yes, I indeed am satisfied.... For now." A smirk crossed his lips momentarily. She knew that those in their position could never sit upon their heels or long. "I will arrive upon the twilight. Is there any customs I need follow? I do not wish to insult as beautiful and powerful of a ruler as yourself because of my ignorance again."

The Amir would listen and then excuse himself. His servants allowed in would depart, leaving behind the gifts brought with them. Once they had exited Khalid began making preparations. He needed to adapt following this encounter. The Empress was not one in the mood for those hollow pleasantries, gifts, and flattery. The gifts he was unable to present in their more intimate meeting needed to be left with one of her officials. New attire procured for this evening. And decisions on just how much truth to share. No lies. No doubt those would only see him buried neck deep in sand before leaving his fate up to the moon and sun.

Medja