Naked Empire

Opening his eyes, he fixed his gaze on the wide-eyed, common soldier whom he was about to kill. The man was dressed like many of the Imperial Order soldiers, at least the better-outfitted soldiers, with leather chest armor, a sleeve of protective mail on his right arm, and a number of leather straps and belts holding a variety of weapons from a short sword to a mace with a spiked metal head to knives. Despite how deadly all his gear appeared, the expression on his face was one of startled terror.

Nicholas puzzled for a moment at what such a meaningless man could possibly have to say that would be worth his life.

"What is it, you insipid fool?"

The man lifted an arm, then the hand, then a single finger in a manner that reminded Nicholas of nothing so much as a puppet having its strings pulled. The finger tipped to one side, then the other, then back again, the way someone might waggle a finger in admonition.

"Ah, ah, ah." The finger twitched side to side again. "Be polite. Be awfully polite."

The soldier, his eyes wide, seemed surprised by his own haughty words.

The voice sounded too deep-too mature-to belong to this young man.

The voice, in fact, sounded dangerous in the extreme.

"What is this?" Nicholas frowned at the soldier. "What's this about?"

The man started into the room, his legs moving in a most peculiar, stilted manner. In some ways it reminded Nicholas of how it must look when he used his own legs after not being in his body for a long spell. He stepped aside as the man walked woodenly into the center of the dim room and turned. Blood dripped from the hand that had been pounding against the door, but the man, his eyes still wide with fear, seemed not to notice what had to be painful injuries.

His voice, though, came out anything but afraid. "Where are they, Nicholas?"

Nicholas approached the man and cocked his head. "They?"

"You promised them to me, Nicholas. I don't like it when people don't keep their word. Where are they?"

Nicholas drew his brow down even farther, leaned in even more. "Who?"

"Richard Rahl and the Mother Confessor!" the soldier bellowed in unrestrained rage.

Nicholas backed away a few paces. He understood, now. He had heard the stories, heard that the man could do such things. Now he was seeing it for himself.

This was Emperor Jagang, the dream walker himself.

"Remarkable," Nicholas drawled. He approached the soldier who was not a soldier and tapped a finger against the side of the man's head. "That you in there, Your Excellency?" He tapped the man's temple again. "That's you, isn't it, Excellency."

"Where are they, Nicholas?" It was as dangerous-sounding a question as Nicholas had ever heard.

"I told you that you would have them, and you shall."

"I think you're lying to me, Nicholas," the voice growled. "I don't think you have them, as you promised you would."

Nicholas flipped a hand dismissively as he strolled off a few paces.

"Oh, foo. I have them by a string."

"I think otherwise. I have reason to believe that they aren't down here at all. I have reason to believe that the Mother Confessor herself is far to the north.. with her army."

Nicholas frowned as he approached the man, leaning in close, peering into the eyes. "Do you completely lose your senses when you go cavorting into another man's mind like that?"

"Are you saying it isn't so?"

Nicholas was losing patience. "I was just watching them when you barged in here to pester me. They were both there-Lord Rahl and the Mother Confessor."

"Are you sure?" came the deep gravelly voice out of the young soldier's mouth.

Nicholas planted his fists on his hips. "Are you questioning me? How dare you! I am Nicholas the Slide. I will not be questioned by anyone!"

The soldier took an aggressive step forward.

Nicholas held his ground and lifted a finger in warning. "If you want them, then you had better be awfully careful."

The soldier watched with wide eyes, but Nicholas could see more in those eyes: menace.

"Talk, then, before I lose my patience."

Nicholas screwed his mouth up in annoyance. "Whoever told you that they were to the north, that the Mother Confessor is with their army, either doesn't know what they're talking about or is lying to you. I've kept a careful eye on them."

"But have you seen them lately?"

The room was growing dark. Nicholas cast a hand toward the table, sending a small spark of his gift into three candles there, setting their wicks to flame.

"I told you, I was just watching them. They are in a city not far from here. Soon, they will be coming here, to me, and then I will have them. You don't have long to wait."

"What makes you think they're coming to you?"

"I know everything they do." Nicholas held his arms aloft, his black robes slipping up to his elbows, gesturing expansively as he walked around the man, speaking of what he alone knew. "I watch them. I have seen them lying together at night, the Mother Confessor tenderly holding her husband in her arms, holding his head to her shoulder, comforting his terrible pain.