Free Temple of the Traveler: Empress of Dreams by Scott Rhine Page A

college.”
    “So some of you are going to follow me everywhere I go?”
    “We’ll mingle with the crowd,” said Duwara.
    “Crowd?”
    “This week everyone knows you’ll be at the courts. The gallery is standing-room-only already.”
    “Why would people care?”
    “Rumor has it you give a good speech and miracles happen around you.”
    “I’m hard-pressed to think of a miracle that might occur in the courthouse.”
    The old soldier shrugged. “The anti-Myronists are flocking to your banner due to recent comments. Some nobles wish to join your entourage, and many of these wear decorative dots on their foreheads to match you. Violet, Lady Anna, and Nightglow have been telling all the ladies what a gentleman you are. The enrollment for the Dance at the spring festival has never been so high—over thirty women so far.”
    “Ah . . . I’ll see you all there,” he said, regretting his new alliances.
    ****
    The courtroom was overflowing. People spilled out into the halls, watching through open doors. The bailiff pounded his staff on the floor, demanding silence. Three judges flowed in through the side door, taking their seats high above the room. Pagaose was standing inside a ring of circular railing directly below them, in the box of the accused. His position was elevated about a stride above the spectators.
    The judge in the center intoned, “Do you have any questions before we begin the examination?”
    Pagaose smiled. “What is civilization?”
    “Why?” asked the judge.
    “I enjoy conducting dialogues. Bear with me. There’s no right answer.”
    The three senior justices took turns suggesting answers. “Limiting weapons to those willing to bear responsibly and protect the weak.”
    “Safety from robbers.”
    “Roads.”
    “Mail.”
    “Schools.”
    Someone from the crowd shouted out, “Beer.”
    When the laughter calmed down, Pagaose explained, “As emperor, my job is to preside over my empire, the apex of civilization.”
    Several judges and members of the crowd nodded. The chief justice in the center amended, “ If we offer our vote.”
    “Agreed, but listen to what I have to offer before you ask anything,” Pagaose said. He left the box and strolled to the accuser’s table. “When listing the necessities in the empire, I notice that none of you said more personal laws from the emperor.” One of the judges, the youngest on the left, cracked a smile. “There are too many laws in code Myron. I would make it the cornerstone of my reign to simplify our Imperial law around a few basic precepts, primarily to limit the reach of the emperor.”
    The crowd murmured in surprise. The judges were speechless as he continued. “My first principle shall be: no one is above the law, even the emperor.”
    The youngest judge, in saffron robes, said, “H-how do you plan to enact this?”
    “I will begin, with your expert guidance, to prune code Myron. Together, we shall rescind the rules that we all agree to be arbitrary or without merit.”
    “Such as?” demanded the chief magistrate.
    “About a quarter of the code,” he replied calmly. “Chiefly those that attempt to contravene existing laws for some desire of the moment. For example, in the rule of first night, the emperor reserved the right to bed each man’s wife first. This is an abomination. Marriage is a sacred bond between the bride and groom. If any other man intruded at sword point, you’d rightly call it rape. Wearing a crown shouldn’t make it right.”
    Husbands covered their wives’ ears to shield them from the scandalous speech, but the women present nodded in agreement.
    The magistrate to the right, in thick glasses, blustered, “This is unheard of.”
    “But not unwelcome,” whispered the youngest magistrate.
    Pagaose raised a hand. “I can see there’ll be controversy. Therefore, I want to hold our discourses in private, so none of us will be embarrassed. I’ll endeavor to neither issue or receive correction in public. If