London, Arkingvale, Spring, 1811
The creature’s mechanical brain whirred into life as the hooded figures filed into the room once more. Making use of the Extensive Analytical Engine it had recently had installed, the creature accessed the records of the last meeting.
An image formed behind the creature’s eyes.
“The Mission was a success” The robed figure stood in front the assembled League, it’s hood shifting as it looked at each person around the table. “We have removed Elizabeth Tudor from the timeline and have ascertained that it has not affected the current timeline adversely.”
The Red Hood nodded. “I expected this outcome. More research will be required. Make use of our Student’s abilities and explore who will affect the Queen the most.”
The figure bowed, it’s green edged hood billowing as it moved. The creature made note of a golden ring on the figure’s right pinkie finger in the shape of an octopus. “It shall be as the Imperator orders.”
“Also,” Red Hood said, “Our student must choose her first child’s father. Present her with the choices. She may marry or not as she wishes, but she must bear one child per suitor. Report back to us when you have news.”
The image shuddered to a halt as the creature realised that the room’s door had been shut and changed its mode from review to record.
The group was smaller than usual, the creature noted. The normal two leaders, Imperator in the Red edged hood and Alter Imperator in the Blue edged hood stood in the middle of the room, in front of the unlit fire with four green edged hooded attendees either side of them. Beside the door stood a yellow edged hooded figure.
In front of this horseshoe stood a young woman wearing a black cloak over a green and silver walking dress and another green edged hooded figure.
The Alter Imperator waved one hand and the green hood next to the young woman bowed. “I bring before you, our Student, Lady Elspeth. She has requested this interview.”
The young woman curtseyed.
“Welcome to the League of Time Correction, Lady Elspeth.” The Imperator said, his blue edged hood bowing slightly to her. “How may we aid you?”
“I received your mandate to marry. I’d like to ask why you feel it is necessary for me to do so this early in my life; I am scarcely eighteen.” She said in a clear voice.
“You are aware of the terms of your employment with the League are you not?” the blue hood swung to look at the green hood standing beside her, who nodded.
Lady Elspeth sighed and looked at the ceiling for a moment. “I read the contract your stooge presented to me. So yes, I am aware of the fact that you expect me to produce children for the league’s purposes.”
“And what is the problem? You signed it and therefore legally, your offspring are…” the Imperator said.
“My Offspring will be my own children and I shall educate them as I see fit. I will also choose my own husband as and when I wish.” She snapped. “I am not as naive as you gentlemen seem to think. Check your copy of the contract, sir.”
She spun on her heel and strode from the room, barely waiting for Yellow Hood to open it for her. The green hood seemed torn between staying in the room and following after his charge.
The Imperator waved a hand. “Follow. Keep her safe. Clearly we need a different approach.”
Blue hood cleared his throat. “If I may send for the contract from our files, Imperator?”
“Yes, this requires scrutiny.”
The Alter Imperator waved a hand at the yellow hood. “Fetch Lady Elspeth’s file.”
The yellow hood bowed and left the room.
“Shall we sit down, Imperator?” Blue hood waved a hand toward the table and chairs beside the window.
The Imperator nodded and moved to the head of the table. The Alter Imperator took the chair on his right and the eight green hoods ranged themselves below the blue hood at either side of the table.
Yellow hood returned, a stiff brown card folder in his hands. He took it straight to the Imperator, handed it over and resumed his position by the door.
The imperator leafed through the papers in the file. The room was silent except for the occasional throat clearing or the rustle of paper. Finally, the imperator reached the document he was looking for.
“Hmm. How long was this document in the possession of the young lady?” the imperator said.
“A week, I believe, Imperator.” Blue hood replied, turning to look at one of the green hoods. “Secretarius?”
The green hood at the furthest end of the table turned and looked at them. “I despatched it on the third day of April. I received the document in the file on the fifteenth day of April. So, factoring in the time taken for a messenger to go from London to Arking Vale and for it to be returned to us, it would have been at the Mansion for approximately seven days.”
“Thank you for your… detail, Secretarius.” The imperator licked his lips. “Did you check the document you received back? Compare it with the copy that we would have on file here?”
“I gave it a cursory glance, Imperator. All seemed to be in order.” Secretarius said.
The imperator thumped his fist down on the table, making the thick slab of oak shiver. “She has changed it. These are not the terms that I dictated and while it would seem that we have her under legal control, in reality this document puts us at her beck and call.”
The Secretarius stood up sharply. “Might I examine the document?”
“You should have done so properly the first time. Legisperitus, take this for examination. See if you can change the contract in such a way that we have control over Lady Elspeth and her heirs.” The imperator put the contract back in the folder and passed it to the Alter Imperator who handed it to the green hood beside him.
The Legisperitus bowed to the imperator from the waist. “honour to serve, Imperator.” He placed the file on the table in front of him. The Secretarius stared at it, his hands flat on the table and flexing his fingers against the wood.
“On to our next topic of discussion.” The imperator waved one hand and the Alter Imperator stood.
“We have determined, through the auspices of Lady Elspeth’s talent, that the best queens to remove would be Judith of Wessex, Matilda Plantagenet, Jane Grey, Sophia of Hanover and Charlotte, the current queen’s mother.” He stated.
“Any suggestions as to method and why these particular queens?”
One of the green hoods raised a hand.
The Imperator looked at him. “Yes, Historicus?”
The Historicus stood. “Matilda is the easiest. We just need to remove the king before she is ready to rule and then persuade the council to support Stephen her cousin.”
“I see. But why her?” the imperator frowned.
“If Henry is allowed to educate her fully, then she will be much stronger than her cousin. He is weak in mind and easily controlled.” The Historicus waved one hand toward his head.
“And the others?”
“For varying reasons. If we take these women out of the timeline, the male heirs will ascend instead and it should shift things in favour of Male Primacy.” The Historicus tilted his head, allowing what little light there was to highlight his long, pointed nose. “All the detail is in my report, Lord Imperator.”
The Imperator nodded and looked at the Alter Imperator. “I will assume that the report he mentions will be on my desk this afternoon?”
The blue hood nodded.
“Excellent. I shall declare this meeting adjourned until further notice then.” The Imperator stood and left the room.
The yellow hood and several of the green hoods followed and the creature began to relax. Then it realised that the Alter Imperator, Secretarius, Legisperitus and Historicus hadn’t left.
“He’s bent on this course of action then.” Historicus said.
“The Imperator is very… stubborn. He conceived the League as a way of returning our country to glory after that little American skirmish remember.” The Alter Imperator sighed and moved over to the window, pulling back the dark, heavy curtain.
Sunlight flooded the room and the other three men blinked as their eyesight adjusted.
“He’ll ruin the world if he continues on this path.” Historicus snapped. “Who knows what will happen to the timeline if he succeeds.”
The alter imperator turned to face them, pulling back his hood from his face slightly. “I do. That’s why I came back.” An almost featureless, pale porcelain mask with a pair of bright eyes peering out through the eye holes caught the sunlight. One was blue, the other green. “If we don’t succeed in stopping him, our world will go up in flames.” He ran one hand across the mask, fiddling with the strap that passed just above his ear on one side.
“Why don’t you do it then?” the Legisperitus asked, fingering the edges of the folder he’d been given.
“Because he jumped back over a thousand years. It is well known that travelling that far in time is a risk, it drains your energy almost to the point of death.” The Secretarius said. “In our time, the only T’tee that was capable of any jump close to that size was Lady Louisa and we lost our chance with her when we followed the Imperator’s insistence that she be married and have children before she commenced her work for us.”
The four men dropped into silence. A long, moment passed for the creature.
“We not only lost her to childbirth, but we lost her sons and her daughter to his bungled attempts to get the children to join us.” Secretarius said, wiping his nose with his sleeve.
“So you know what you must do?” the Alter imperator straightened and pulled his hood back again.
The other three nodded.
“Excellent. Make it happen, gentlemen, or our world is lost.”
Comments (0)
See all