“At least the Monitors did not stay with him,” added StarWind. “Use the visit to your advantage. See what you can find out about the coup.”
“I will,” sighed Cherri as she struggled into the blue dress with StarWind’s help, “but I must be careful with this one. The Katana did not approve of his appointment and thought that someone was using him. If he is one of the conspirators and I sing the praises of the Katana, it could place me in danger.”
“You know more about this type of spying than I care to know,” StarWind said. “I trust your judgement. If something goes wrong, signal and we will do what we have to.”
“Just make sure that Malafar remains hidden and silent,” ordered Cherri. “We will all die if they find him here.”
Cherri saw StarWind nod in the mirror as she adjusted the dress and then headed downstairs. She slowed as she reached the lower portion of the stairs and acted as if she was not in a hurry as she entered the dining room.
“Minister Kapla,” Cherri smiled, “I wasn’t sure if you were still going to come or not.”
Kapla rose and gazed at the beautiful woman and flushed with embarrassment as he realized that he was staring at her. “I wouldn’t miss the opportunity to dine with you even if it was I who was to be the next Katana,” he blurted out.
“Perhaps you will be,” cooed Cherri as she allowed the Minister of Defense to seat her at the table.
Fisher appeared from nowhere and held the Minister’s chair out for him and Kapla sat down without a glance towards the servant. “Not this time,” Kapla smiled. “First Minister Alazar has been selected as the new Katana. He will do well for the nation.”
“Alazar?” Cherri mused. “I don’t believe that I ever actually met him and that is quite strange. I have met most of the Ministers at one time or another.”
Minister Kapla cocked his head as if contemplating some inarticulate thought and finally met Cherri’s gaze. “I do not believe that I have ever seen him in the company of a woman, now that you mention it,” he frowned. “He certainly has a flair for running the government though. I have heard that he has actually been running it for sometime now. The Katana merely okayed his decisions, so one step in the process has been eliminated.”
“Well I hope you are on good terms with the new Katana,” Cherri smiled. “You should be groomed as his replacement should anything happen to him.”
“I am on excellent terms with Alazar,” Kapla stated proudly. “In fact, it was I who nominated him, so I think he will look out for me.”
“Great,” grinned Cherri as Fisher poured wine for his Master and her guest. “Did they catch the assassin yet?”
Minister Kapla’s eyes shifted to watch Fisher before answering and Cherri understood his reluctance to speak. She waved Fisher away and explained, “There is no need to worry about him, poor lad. He is deaf. That is why I originally took him on as a servant. Sort of pity I guess, but he has turned into a most efficient servant. I wouldn’t think of letting him go now.”
“Ah,” nodded Kapla. “You are a very generous woman. Most employers would not accept less than perfection in their domestic servants.”
“Actually,” chuckled Cherri, “I find his inability to hear very beneficial at times.”
“I can imagine,” Kapla smiled with raised eyebrows. He sipped the wine and nodded. “Excellent wine, Cherri,” he declared as he placed his glass on the table. “I am afraid that the assassin is still at large, but he will be found soon. The whole city is sealed tight and the Monitors are helping the Imperial Guard with house-to-house searches.”
“Oh my,” inflected Cherri with surprise. “I imagine he will be found soon then. Who was it? How did it happen?”
“He is a Sakovan,” Kapla spat. “His name is Master Malafar and he is a renowned wizard. I was in the ballroom when it happened. I still shake when I think about it. Not with fear, you realize, but with astonishment. It was so quick that nobody had a chance to do anything except Alazar himself. He just walked into the ballroom and cast all sorts of nasty spells at the Katana before anyone knew what was going on. One minute the Katana was there, the next minute his body parts were flying all over the room. Alazar was quick and sent a flaming ball of fire into Malafar’s back, but then everything flared into brightness and we all went blind. The Sakovan must have been immune because he was gone when the Monitors arrived.”
“Wow,” sighed Cherri. “With magic like that, I’ll bet he is not even in the city anymore. He probably made himself invisible or walked right through the city wall or something. I can’t imagine how people can do magic like that.”
“Even if he did make it out of the city,” Kapla boasted, “he will not get far. The three largest armies are sealing off every entrance to the Sakova right now. Malafar will be caught, I promise you that.”
“Surrounding the Sakova? You mean we are going to be going to war?” asked Cherri.
The Minster of Defense twisted his neck and searched for servants before answering, “Not just yet, but soon. Alazar does not want to start the war until people are properly aroused, but it doesn't hurt to have the troops already in place, he grinned.
“You are a sly one,” chuckled Cherri as she signaled for Fisher to serve the dinner. “I told you that you would make a good Katana. I can tell, you know.”
Cherri’s mind reeled as Fisher served bowls of turtle soup, but she waited until he left before continuing her probe. “I guess we will be safe enough here in the city when the war comes,” she mused, “but I have property in the country as well. Do you think I should sell it before everyone finds out that we are going to war?”
Kapla stopped slurping his soup and looked up. “That depends,” he murmured, “on where it is. If it is along the coast it will be fine.”
“Actually I have more than one estate,” she grinned, “but one of them is in the mountains up north and not along the coast.”
“Where in the mountains?” Kapla asked as he wiped the soup off his chin with a napkin.
“Close to the Khadoran border,” Cherri stated. “It is not an area near the Sakova so I guess it will be all right.”
“I would sell it,” Kapla said while shaking his head. “You will be better off with the gold.”
“I hardly have a lack of gold,” laughed Cherri. “You don’t think the Sakovans will attack way up there do you?”
Minister Kapla laid his spoon down and pushed the empty bowl to one side. He sat there for a moment fondling his lower lip while Cherri nonchalantly finished her soup. Kapla’s eyes widened as Cherri finished her soup and looked up to meet his gaze. He started fidgeting with the dinner utensils and smiled boyishly.
“The Sakovans are not likely to cause trouble that far north,” admitted the Minister of Defense, “but the Khadorans might. I fear that there may be a war up there soon as well.”
“Oh my,” Cherri frowned. “I guess gold is looking better all the time, or maybe a new mansion on the beach instead. How much time do I have to get rid of it?”
“It’s not certain,” confided Kapla. “I would guess no more than two months. You must not repeat any of this Cherri,” he added with an apprehensive voice.
“Silly boy,” laughed Cherri. “Do you think I would want anyone to have the advantages that I have? I didn’t get all of my gold by spreading news around you know. I wouldn’t share this with anyone.”
Kapla sighed, obviously relieved, and Cherri signaled for the next dish. Fisher rolled out a cart loaded with vegetables and fruits and a large succulent meat roast in the center. He rolled the cart to Cherri first and she pointed to the section she desired and watched silently as Fisher carved the meat and set pieces on a plate for her. Fisher repeated his chore with the Minister and then set the plates of fruits and vegetables on the table and departed. Kapla poked at the meat and then cut a small portion and shoved it into his mouth.
“This is excellent!” he exclaimed. “Never tasted meat like this before. What is it?”
“It is not the meat that you savor,” grinned Cherri, “but the way it has been prepared. Another reason why I would never part with my servants. Anytime I find foreigners in town, I arrange for my servants to spend time with their cooks. They learn many delicious ways of preparing food and all about herbs and spices. I figure the day away from here is a sound investment.”