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The public announcement spread throughout the Empire and the many kingdoms. There was an immediate uproar. All discussion of crowning Hanoree was dropped by the Council of Nobles, and they argued over what this could mean for the Empire.
Hanoree’s face loomed in Sayeri’s communication screen. The conversation was also shown on another screen where Arturon, Houston, Tegani, and Ninallia watched unseen.
Hanoree began, “Of course, we will welcome the baby if he is proven to be the legitimate heir. I will be happy to serve him. I am astounded you have waited to inform us you have been hosting the baby and his mother.”
“Lord Hanoree, given the deaths of the late empress and emperor, it cannot be surprising. Have you solved their murders?” Sayeri smiled into the screen.
Red rose to Hanoree’s cheeks. “I can guarantee we are doing everything to apprehend those responsible, and as guardian and regent pro-tem, safety will be my first concern.”
No trace of shock or dismay shown on Sayeri’s face, though she was feeling both. How could those stupid Nobles have been reckless enough to let Hanoree protect the child? Having Hanoree serve as the guardian was as good as signing the child’s death warrant. There would be nothing traceable.
An accident or illness would befall the child. “Congratulations Hanoree, I had not heard of your appointment.”
“You’ve long distanced yourself from court, Sayeri. You cannot be current of what is happening here.”
Sayeri raised one elegant eyebrow. “What do you propose as guardian?”
“I decree you should bring the heir to the Imperial Palace at once, where I can oversee his safety.” Hanoree smiled benignly.
“I will see your suggestion is taken into consideration,” Sayeri answered, lowering her eyes demurely.
“Taken into consideration by whom?” demanded Hanoree.
She was astounded at his cluelessness. “To his mother’s consideration, of course, Hanoree. She has custodial rights and control of the infant for the first eighteen months. I have been away from court but I know the law.”
“The girl is no Dowager Empress! The empress died with her husband.” Hanoree virtually exploded.
She sighed and continued, her tone chiding, trying to explain to a reluctant school boy. “Hanoree, has your education been lacking? The Dowager Empress is defined as the mother of an emperor. The emperor’s mother is here and well. I will consult her and present your position.”
Hanoree sputtered and huffily ended the call.
Sayeri, who made her own recording of the communication, laughed and turned away. It was a small victory.
“Let’s keep him wondering a bit longer. I’m sure he is researching the qualifications for a Dowager Empress. There has never been a surrogate mother in the royal line. Technically Ninallia is the biological mother, as the empress did not have a viable egg for fertilization,” Arturon said. “I can use that when I present her to the council as his regent.”
They put Hanoree off for three days. Ignoring his fuming and demands that they turn over the infant emperor. They agreed for a conversation between Hanoree and Ninallia to take place. Sayeri altered one of her finest dresses to fit Ninallia for the transmission. Her hairdresser was brought in and soon Ninallia was almost unrecognizable. She looked like an elegant vision in lace, diamonds, and pearls. She was every inch the empress in her splendor. The girl’s court posture and manner, practiced for months was on display, her bearing regal.
~ * ~
Hanoree was stunned when he was greeted by Ninallia. She looked nothing like a girl from the slums who sold her body as a surrogate. Still, he bowed. “We have been awaiting your decision. I must tell you it is for the safety of the child I am concerned. “When can we expect you to turn him over?”
Ninallia brought one finely manicured hand to her breast. “I will not turn over my child to anyone. I will accompany him to the Imperial Palace.”
“Of course, we await your arrival.” Hanoree smiled.
“As you wish. When will my escort arrive?”
“Escort?” What was she up to?
“Is it customary for an emperor to travel without an Imperial escort?”
Hanoree recovered. “Of course, I shall arrange to travel to meet you.”
“I prefer to choose my own escort. The First Minister and Lord Nebron will be sufficient. You need not exert yourself. I am sure you will be too busy conducting matters of the Empire.”
At this nod to his authority, Hanoree smiled. The girl wasn’t going to dispute his guardianship beyond insisting she get a chance to live in the Imperial Palace for a bit. Perhaps he could even marry her to his son after the baby met its inevitable accident. Perhaps he would make her his mistress.
“As you wish, I will arrange the escort as soon as the First Minister and Lord Nebron are available.”
“Thank you, Lord Hanoree.” Ninallia inclined her head in a small bow.
It was the bow one extended to an inferior at court. If he responded with an equally small bow he would be seen as assuming too much. He hesitated then gave a deeper bow.
~ * ~
When the communication ended, Tegani and Sayeri congratulated Ninallia on her performance.
“Now if the paternity test will just come in.” Tegani was worried. If Hanoree could use his private army to surround the Temple City, he could destroy a report. How long would it take?
She and the others gave a collective sigh of relief when a messenger arrived carrying the results the next day. He explained there was no safe way to send the results electronically, so he volunteered to deliver them by hand. The results were on a data chip, and the certification was both digital and hard copy.
Arturon did the honors of opening and reading the results. No one doubted the results would be positive, but seeing the official proof was exhilarating.
Ninallia’s eyes filled with tears. Tegani was happy Madama had not lied to her. Her son, Hiroto, was the true emperor. A small part of Tegani wished it wasn’t so. Any chance of a normal childhood for them was gone. Their lives would belong to the Empire.
“Courage, child, life at court will not be all bad.” Sayeri put her hand on Ninallia’s shoulder “There will be parties, and the palace is grand.”
“I think we should do a family history on Ninallia. There are those at court who will be doing one as soon as her identity is revealed. The historians will do the research,” said Arturon. “You can be sure others will seek anything on her ancestry they can use to challenge her authority as regent.”
Ninallia laughed. “I grew up hearing my mother say we were almost Nobles. Her family came from the eastern province of the Empire, like the empress.”
“It was the reason Madama Ector chose you. You have the same coloring as the empress.” Arturon replied. He found the communication terminal and began to key in information.
Ninallia gave him her parents’ names and her grandparents’ names and even one great-grandmother she recalled meeting as a very small child. The biological wars that occurred twice in the last two hundred years made genetic and hereditary information vital, and genetic data bases were extensive.
Soon Arturon whistled. “I never imagined we would find this.”
He told them that in the last century, the Emperor Hapirion ruled the Empire during a time of great expansion. He was something of a womanizer, having several mistresses, including one Noble lady in the Eastern province. She was a young widow and never lived at court. She bore a child long after her husband died, and there were rumors he was the emperor’s bastard son. He received royal favors until the emperor died. When the emperor died, and his heir took the throne, the young man’s fortunes took a turn for the worse, and he was soon almost penniless.
“What does that mean?” Ninallia asked.
“It means your mother carried the emperor’s blood. And she was also related to the empress.”
Tegani laughed. Sometimes life took twists and turns. The many times great-granddaughter of a royal bastard was now a Dowager Empress. “So, when do we release this?”
Hiroto began to cry in the next room. Without a nursemaid, Ninallia and Sayeri scampered to tend him.
Tegani smiled. Hiroto was a handsome child with Ninallia’s eyes and his father’s strong features.