Part III Equus niger

And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.

Chapter No. 33 Fatigare

Oh that I might have my request; and that God would grant me the thing that I long for!

Grimsley the Second sat on his throne as if he were bored. And, he was. He had spent the entire afternoon listening to petitions from various factions wanting this or that. He didn't really care what they wanted. He yearned for some recreation, some fun.

Everyone had departed now and he was alone with his thoughts, which were not on the business of the Empire. Just when he thought he could go to his quarters and relax in stomped his Minister of War, General Alisto. Alisto was a short man with an even shorter temper. He had arms that were bigger than Grimsy's legs. Stout of character as he was of girth, he elicited respect with his bombastic voice and threatening manner.

"I need a decision on the plans to attack Alon, my lord," he boomed as he strutted in.

Grimsy sighed. "What seems to be holding up the operation?"

"We have good word that the Lady Estard has been taken prisoner by the rebel faction. I think there's little doubt that she has informed the bastards of our plan."

"No doubt at all," Grimsy said. "She could never keep her mouth shut."

"Perhaps it would be wise to call off the attack," Alisto said.

Grimsy tapped a finger against his lips. "Perhaps not. The rebels will make the assumption that we will call off the attack. Let's surprise them by not doing it."

The General rubbed his short tough beard. "Yes. That is a good idea. I will begin the mission."

"Good," Grimsy said, sounding enthusiastic and giving him a salute.

The General stomped out and Grimsy got up, but before he could step down from the dais, the chamber door opened.  His face wearing an ornery grin, he watched a guard escort a barefooted young woman wearing a crudely made cotton frock across the expanse of marble that led up to his throne, her ankles chained together and her wrists manacled.

"Attach her manacles to the beam," Grimsy told the guard.

The guard pulled her arms up so that he could hook the chain between her wrist manacles onto a spike that stuck out of a cross beam suspended between two poles.

"You can go now," he ordered the guard. "I'll take care of this prisoner."

The guard bowed and left. Grimsy waited until he exited the chamber before he greeted his prisoner.
"Hello, Tara," he said with a coy grin.

"Why am I being treated like a common criminal?" she asked with anger showing on her sharp-featured face. "I thought I was guaranteed immunity from prosecution when I testified against your sister."

Grimsy held his finger up. "True, but that was my father's guarantee, not mine."

"That figures," she said with a disgusted voice. "Am I being accused of complicity in Taka's murder?"

"Not at all," he said, sitting back down in his throne. "You stand accused of high treason against the Empire."

"What? That's ridiculous."

He grinned. "True, but I have several witnesses who will confess to your treachery."

"Yes," she said, lowering his eyes. "They did their confessing in the Inquisition, no doubt."

"You never had the pleasure of being examined, did you?"

She swallowed. "No. I was . . . they came and took me away to your father before I was afforded the horrors of that insidious institution."

"Oh, you missed all the fun," he said with a mocking grin and clapping hands. "You would have provided them with great entertainment."

She shuddered, a reaction that made Grimsy smile.

"Am I going to be sent to the Inquisition?"

"You haven't heard, have you?"

"What?"

"We've done away with the Inquisition. It was too crude. Besides, it was a farce. I've done away with a good many of the excesses of my father's reign. Prisoners are either executed or given corporal punishment now. The courts make all the judgments, except in special cases."

"Who judges the special cases?" she asked with incredulous glints in her eyes.

Grimsy jammed a thumb into his chest. "Me."

"I suppose I'm a special case."

"Need you ask?"

She stared into his smiling eyes for a moment before she said. "What are you going to do to me?"

"I'm not sure. One thing I'm not going to do is throw you back in a dungeon. You will be afforded the same hospitality that you had been accustomed to, perhaps even more."

"And, what will this royal kindness cost me?"

He gave her a sly grin. "An occasional opportunity to entertain me."

"What if I don't like the idea of entertaining you, as you put it?"

"Would a scourging be more to your liking? I could have you beaten. I'm sure I would enjoy watching it, or perhaps I could do it myself."

He descended from his throne and began pulling on a chain attached to the beam, causing the beam to ascend toward the ceiling. Tara soon found that the only contact that she had with the floor was the tips of her toes.

"You're hurting me," she cried.

"I could raise the beam a bit further."

"Please don't. I beg you."

"Will you agree to my arrangement?"

She grimaced. "I guess I have no choice, considering that I have an uncontrolled fear of pain."

"Then, it's settled," Grimsy said.
He allowed the beam to lower, affording her full contact with the floor, after which he unhooked her manacle chain and then unlatched them.

She rubbed her sore wrists and breathed a relieved breath.

"By the way, your accusation of treason is not from a confession but from this letter we intercepted. It's addressed to you from my treasonous sister."

"To me?" she said, pointing to herself. "Oh, that I could read it."

"Here," he said, handing it to her. "Indulge yourself."

She consumed the letter like a ravenous cat. "She says that a female knight by the name of Mara found her on the Arkanon and escorted her back to the rebel enclave." She looked up at Grimsy with a puzzled expression. "A female knight?"

"A witch who uses magic and spells to kill. There is a sizable reward for her capture or death."

Tara read more of the letter. "She sounds like a normal female to me. Estard says that she and the commander's son are lovers."

"The poor lad has been bewitched. His fate is worse than death."

"I would love to meet this knighted witch."

That appeared to agitate Grimsy. He jumped up from his throne and gestured with spirited motions. "Come, let me escort you to your new accommodations."

Tara realized that she had committed a dangerous blunder. After handing the letter back to Grimsy, she gave him a pleasant nod, but she would have preferred to retch.

Grimsy strolled down the long hall of the guest wing with an enthusiastic gate. This was his day off from official empire business and he was ready to have some fun. He stopped at the door to a guest chamber and knocked.

"Come in," a woman's tenuous voice said from inside.

He used his master key to unlock the door and entered.

"Dame Shoka," he greeted. "I trust that you are well."

"Yes," she said, getting up from her divan near a small window. "What brings you to my quarters?"

"I would like to begin your punishment," he said, trying not to crack a smile but failing miserably.

She turned away for a moment before making eye contact. "I am at your beckoning, my lord."

"Thank you."

Several silent moments passed.

"What are you going to do to me?" she asked with her eyes wide with dismay.

Grimsy allowed his smile to crack wide this time. "I thought we would try something simple for the first time."

"The first time?" she said in a higher pitched voice than normal. "How often am I to be punished?"

"Oh, I don't know. Until I'm satisfied that you've paid for your sins, I suppose."

She sighed.

"It won't be that bad," he said. "I won't make you suffer any more than you can bear."

"What did you have in mind for this first time?"

He stared at her for a few minutes before he said, "I think I'll paddle you."

Her eyes ballooned for an instant. "You mean on my . . . my bottom?"

He struggled to maintain composure. "On your bare bottom."

"You would treat me in such a disrespectful manner?"

Grimsy frowned. "I mean you no disrespect, but I feel that a paddling is a proper punishment for your crime. Consider this: no one will ever know that it happened, except me."

She bowed her head. "I am at your disposal."

"Good," he said with a grin. "Come with me."

He escorted her down the corridor to a staircase. After descending the stairs, he took her to a small room, which was empty except for a couple of benches. On one of the benches was a thin wooden paddle.

Grimsy closed the door and latched it. "I've given orders for no one to disturb us." He grinned again. "Or would you prefer an audience?"

Shoka eyed him with terror-stricken eyes. Fear wrinkled her brow and twisted her lips. "Please don't humiliate me in front of others. Please!"

He rubbed his jaw and swiveled his eyes, all in an attempt to prolong her dismay. "Ok, no audience," he finally said.

She blew a relived breath.

"Well," Grimsy said, acting anxious. "We may as well get started. Take off your clothing."

She swallowed hard. "Is that really necessary?"

"Of course it is. How else can you present your bare bottom to me for paddling?"

She shook her head and sighed deeply. "I am deeply dismayed by the prospects of baring my body."

It only made Grimsy chuckle. "Why? Surely you can't be that modest at your age."

"Modesty is a virtue that I subscribe to vigorously. Nudity leads to carnal pleasures."

Grimsy laughed. "You flatter yourself, madam. Your naked body will present no puerile interest to me. You're old enough to be my mother."

She flashed a disgusted look at him. "You mock me with wanton disrespect. I value my modesty because the virtue of modesty is the cornerstone of our society. You do not seem to value it as much or you would not demand that I disrobe."

Grimsy put on a more serious face. "You are correct in your judgment. However, as you may or may not know, criminals are not afforded the privilege of social values. When you committed your crime you lost the protection of respect."

She stared grim-faced into his eyes for several minutes before she sighed deeply. "I can not refute your argument, my lord. I will do as you have commanded me."

She began to unlatch her rather elaborate dress. He smiled and raised his hand like a traffic cop.

"You can stop. I accept your obedience of my order as payment of your first punishment."

Her eyes widened. "You're not going to paddle me?"

"No. But, perhaps one evening when I'm bored I may actually do it."

She nodded. "I pray that you will never be bored, my lord."

He laughed.

###

The night was still young and Grimsy still required amusement, and he knew just where to find it. He sauntered down a long corridor to a polished oak door, affixed a wide grin on his eager face, and knocked with aggressive force.

The door unlatched and cracked open just enough for him to behold a concerned female face.

"My lord, what brings you to my humble quarters?" She said it with a satirical lilt.

"Why Tara, I desire amusement."

She swung the door opened and gestured. "I am at your bidding, my lord."

He sashayed in and plopped down on a leather divan near a small window. She latched the door and shuffled cautiously over to him to stand at attention.

He flashed a mocking grin at her. "I'm surprised that you are not attired for bed at this late hour."

She bowed her head to avoid his solicitous eyes. "I have had trouble finding sleep of late."

"Why Tara, what seems to be the matter?"

She looked up at him, but only briefly before turning aside. "I loath uncertainty. It tugs at my soul."

Grimsy leaned back, crossing his legs. "Uncertainty is the spice of life. If everything were certain, it would be a most boring life."

"A little certainty now and then would be soothing, my lord, especially in these troubled times."

His face transformed with seriousness. "Troubled times seem to be the lot of this damnable Empire. My sister has escaped justice and the rebels have become a much more serious threat. Uncertainty reigns over us like a wild boar with a sore ass."

"Do you know where your sister has gone?" Tara was looking into his eyes now.

"She's in the hands of the rebels, no doubt, a traitor to the very fiber of her substance."

"Why do you hate her?"

He sat up, his face reflecting indignation. "I don't hate her. She is my sister no matter what her sins. It's just that she is a grievous threat to the Empire."

Tara shifted her stance. "Perhaps, you are judging her too harshly, my lord."

He calmed down. "I sincerely hope so. Her escape had been most vexing to me. I have had as much trouble finding slumber as you have."

Tara sighed. "I'm sorry to have upset you, my lord. It's just that I am as concerned about her as you are."

"I understand."

He stood up and moved toward the door, but paused to look back at her. "Try to get some sleep. Your lack of it is beginning to show."

She watched him leave and after he did, blew out a breath of relief.