Chapter 3
The guard went inside and told the emperor and the Directrix, who were having their morning court session, about the clerics, and they were allowed in. The clerics came in their serious mood while the court looked at them oddly. After all, here in the baroque world of the palace few clerics came by unannounced like this. In silence they sat as the clerics made their case.
"We are here to make a very serious request," the chief cleric said.
"One of our students, the young man here, is seeking the only copy of the oldest history of humanity, which happens to be in a very dangerous place, one you know well," the thesis advisor said.
"I am writing about the human identity of the mages, and the book I need happens to be in the Viceroy's palace area," Wilfred said. The court was stricken silent.
"You want to go to my old palace," the emperor said. He stared into the far off distance. This was not one of his better days.
"Yes, I do," Wilfred said solemnly.
"And you just want this one book from my old library in trust of the mages?" the emperor said.
"Yes," Wilfred said.
"And you are willing to go into terrorist held territory to find this book so your research may be complete?" the emperor asked.
"Yes, I am," Wilfred said seriously.
"You must be a fellow Bravian," Natonito said with a wry smile.
"Yes, yes I am. I am from the town of Cork," Wilfred said smiling.
"I knew it," Natonito said, wrinkling his nose.
"Bravians, they are wonderfully stubborn. Sometimes they are wonderful, and sometimes they are stubborn," the emperor said to no one in particular.
"So what do you want to do about it?" Natonito asked the fellow Bravian.
"Well, I would just like transit there to the island where the palace is, so I can make my way up to the palace to find the book," Wilfred said.
"The place is a war zone," the emperor said gravely.
"I am aware of that," Wilfred said.
"And you are willing to risk your life for a history book?" the emperor asked incredulously.
"Yes, I am," Wilfred replied.
"Well, a Bravian is a Bravian. I hope this is an important book. Since the clerics have all come over this must have been a big deal. Tomorrow morning you will leave on a fishing boat out of the river port here, and then you will go to the northern shore of the island under a flag of truce. Once you are there you will have to deal with your return on your own. If you can communicate with us, then we might send out a ship. Otherwise you must depend on your own cleverness," the emperor said.
"I wish you luck on your thesis," the advisor said.
"I wish you luck on your journey. A Bravian may suffer through danger many times in life, but always comes out on top in the end," Natonito said with a wink.
"Wise words, Directrix," Wilfred said, smiling.
After that the clerics and Beth, who had been silently by Wilfred's side all this time, left the palace, and the conversation returned to more superficial subjects. While the emperor and the Directrix were bored by this kind of simple conversation, it served the purpose of keeping the courtiers too busy to cause trouble in the court. That was the whole purpose of the idle chatter, to keep the minds of the courtiers from overthrowing the dynasty. Indeed, imperial courts provided a great way to keep nobles under control, by rewarding people for obeying every intricate rule of politeness, so that the nobles may get over their insurrection and may learn to become servants of the rulers. Such was how the upper three percent understood life.
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