All has changed.
All is chaos.
This morning, I sighted a fast courier boat, the same one that had brought the news of the emperor’s death. This time there was no bunting, no banners.
The message it carried was even more shocking than the first.
Laish Tenedos is alive. Alive and free.
He’d prepared a clever spell or potion in his island prison that gave him the semblance of death, enough to fool chirurgeons and the sorcerers set to guard him.
His dying request was to be carried to his native island of Palmeras and his family permitted to hold funeral rites. This was granted, provided no stone was raised to his memory, no memorial built as a rallying point for malcontents.
Somehow the coffin vanished, and Tenedos reappeared in his native town, alive as ever.
At first no one believed it wasn’t a ghost, or an impostor. The Peace Guardian detachment on Palmeras sent soldiers and their most skilled wizard to investigate and end the nonsense.
The wizard died horribly, as did the soldiers.
The man claiming to be Tenedos vanished.
A week later, he reappeared on the mainland, in the capital of Hermonassa Province.
He cast certain spells, said certain words, and there was no more foolishness about him being an impostor.
Hermonassa revolted against Barthou and Scopas, and declared for Tenedos. Two Guard Corps were sent to Hermonassa, and they also mutinied and swore the old imperial oath to Tenedos.
No one on my prison isle knew what to make of it, but I noted with cold amusement that my warders began calling me sir.
The day passed in a haze of bewilderment and questions.
At nightfall I stood on the gray stone battlements, not feeling the cold wind and rain batter my face.
The emperor still lived.
I know he will summon me, whether to punish me or use me once more to retake his empire.
The oath I swore rings through my mind:
We Hold True.