The Purple Emperor

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO

There were rows of Palace Guards standing in formation on the palace lawn. Pyrgus walked between them with as much dignity as he could muster. Blue was at his side. Mr Fogarty walked three ceremonial steps behind, his features set. They had all taken the short time allowed them to change into official robes, giving the whole nasty affair the feel of a State occasion.

Comma was standing by the main gates, smiling smugly. 'I don't want you to give me any trouble, dear half-brother,' he said as Pyrgus reached him. 'If you try to come back again or interfere in any way, Lord Hairstreak will insist I have you killed. I wouldn't want to, you know that, but it's only fair. We have a Realm to run and there can't be any interference. Besides, I shall be Emperor and any opposition to the Emperor's will is treason.'' The smile left his face and was replaced by a curious, almost sympathetic expression. He dropped his voice. 'You can keep all your money, Pyrgus, and if you need any more send word and I'll give you more. If you stay away and don't make any trouble, I'll let you come to my Coronation. Lord Hairstreak won't like it, but I shall overrule him.'

'You'll pay for this, Comma!' Blue hissed. Pyrgus said nothing.

'Escort them off the island!' Comma called grandly. 'Then have them transported to the Haleklind border. When they leave the Realm they must not return except on my invitation.' He tilted his head back and struck a pose, then added, 'In writing. And stamped with the Imperial Seal.'

'Where's Lord Hairstreak, Comma?' Mr Fogarty asked in a conversational tone. He managed to sound as if he was going for an afternoon's stroll.

'It's Prince Comma, Gatekeeper,' Comma told him crossly. 'And you aren't Gatekeeper any more. I've fired you. I'm going to appoint another Gatekeeper, a Faerie of the Night. Lord Hairstreak says that's more ecumenical.'

'I'm sorry, Prince Comma,' Mr Fogarty said mildly. 'I was just wondering where Lord Hairstreak was. After all, he's Regent now.'

'You'd best be glad Lord Hairstreak isn't here,' Comma said, 'otherwise you'd be in jail instead of leaving for a nice comfortable exile. But he's coming soon, once he finishes off some business or something. He'll be living in the palace from now on. With Father.'

'That's what I thought,' said Mr Fogarty.

'Well, you'd better hurry and get out before he does come, and get away while you still can.' Comma moved to one side and the escort fell in behind Pyrgus and his little party.

As Pyrgus stepped through the gate, he allowed himself a backward glance. He wasn't certain, but he thought he saw his father standing at an upper window of the palace.

'I'm going to kill him!' Blue hissed the moment they were all alone.

'He's only a child,' Mr Fogarty said unexpectedly. 'He thinks being Emperor will make him something special.'

'I'm worried Lord Hairstreak may kill him when he comes of age,' Pyrgus said, echoing an earlier thought. 'Hairstreak will never give up power once he becomes Regent.'

'He's already become Regent,' Blue said sourly. 'He's already put everything in place ready for the official announcement.'

Pyrgus shrugged. 'You know what I mean.'

They were seated together in one of the palace ouklos, an enormous golden carriage with plush purple seating. It floated at a stately pace that ate up miles with a deceptive speed. Through the window they could see the uniformed outriders on their individual floater pods – fiercely helmeted and armed men whose duty it was to ensure they left the Realm.

'This Haleklind,' Fogarty said. 'Have either of you ever been there?'

Pyrgus was staring out the window. 'I have. I lived there for a bit.'

'What's it like?'

'Hilly. Rocky. Barren. Quite primitive, really. There are parts of it where people still live in caves. But our father had excellent relations with the ruling House, so we should be given somewhere comfortable to stay.'

'We're not staying,' Blue said.

'No,' Pyrgus said. 'No, of course not.' His mind seemed on other things.

'Who is the ruling House?' Fogarty asked.

'Of the Halek? House Halek. There is only one House, really.'

'Would they help us take back the Realm?'

'I doubt it,' Pyrgus said. 'But even if they did, they'd be no match for the Imperial Army.'

'It's a backwater,' Blue put in. 'That's why Daddy never bothered bringing it into the Realm – not worth the trouble.'

'Why did you live there, Pyrgus?' Mr Fogarty asked.

'I wanted to get a Halek blade,' Pyrgus said a little sheepishly.

'It's a knife that always kills,' Blue explained to Mr Fogarty, with an expression on her face that suggested she had no time for knives that always killed.

'Couldn't you just buy one?'

Pyrgus said, 'Didn't have enough money. Besides, a Halek blade takes time to make. And you're dealing with Halek wizards. They're the best in the world, but they're tricky and they won't hurry for anybody.'

Mr Fogarty glanced at Blue. 'Could they help with our predicament?'

'The wizards?' Blue said. 'They might. Pyrgus is right – they have extremely powerful magical techniques. But we'd have to come up with a plan.'

Fogarty nodded, then sank back in his seat and closed his eyes.