"And you have mine. Always. No matter what."
Dalain cleared his throat, and they looked to see the gates opening.
Tyrus started forward, moving his horse close enough to discreetly squeeze her leg. Then they returned to their places as the gates swung open and Emperor Tatsu walked out.
Everyone dismounted as the emperor approached. Most of the retinue bowed deeply. Tyrus, Moria, and Gavril got to their knees and bent until their heads touched the ground, in what had once been the customary greeting for an emperor but had fallen out of favor, except in circumstances where mere bowing seemed insufficient. This qualified.
They stayed like that, heads touching the road, eyes on the cobblestones, waiting for permission to rise. Moria could hear the click of the emperor's shoes until they came to rest just before them. Then he stood there, saying nothing. Moria cast a glance Tyrus's way at the same time he looked hers, and he truly did seem about to vomit, his face shiny with sweat, his eyes bright with fear.
"Rise," Emperor Tatsu said.
They did, as gracefully as they could manage. The emperor looked from one to the other, his expression unreadable. Moria recalled her words to Tyrus, reassuring him that if his father acted harshly, it was as emperor, not as father. But in that moment, seeing him so stone-faced, panic darted through Moria.
What if I was wrong? What if I misjudged? What if . . . ?
What if.
She glanced at Tyrus. He had his speech planned, but now he seemed frozen with his lips slightly parted, her own panic reflected in his eyes. As soon as she looked at him, though, it was as if she'd kicked him instead, and the words came, strong and true, ringing out over the silent crowd.
"Father, I return to you. I return to my empire and to my city to offer my sword and my body and my spirit, in any way you see fit to use them. I failed you at Riverside. My men were massacred. I survived. That is unacceptable, and I will accept any punishment for that with no words in my defense except these: you trusted me and I failed."
"Why did you fail?" The emperor's words came soft but rang as clearly as Tyrus's.
"It does not matter. I failed."
Emperor Tatsu turned to Moria. "Keeper. Tell me why he failed."
The panic in her gut crystalized into terror. Do not put this on me, she wanted to say. But what did that mean? That Tyrus ought to bear the brunt of the blame? No. She would answer truthfully, no matter how much trouble this might cause.
"He was too young for the charge you gave him, your imperial majesty. You misjudged the situation, and he was forced into a position a seasoned general could not have handled."
Anger and outrage rippled through the crowd. Tyrus looked over sharply, but she refused to glance his way.
"Continue, Keeper," the emperor said. "Tell me everything that happened."
"The people of Fairview were dead. Tyrus and the counselors knew Alvar's men would march on another town, and there was no time to return to the city for reinforcements. Tyrus chose Riverside as the most likely target. The counselors supported him. We came upon a man who claimed to have seen shadow stalkers marching on Riverside, which appeared to seal the matter. When we drew near, we found a camp of Alvar's men--a force twice the size of ours. Tyrus sent for the local warlord. Lord Jorojumo came and seemed to fight with us. Then he turned on us. Our forces were overwhelmed. I was taken, and Tyrus was poisoned and left for dead, rescued and returned to life by my sister and
her guard."
"I take responsibility--" Tyrus began.
"Keeper? Your assessment?"
"I am not an impartial judge. Nor am I a martial expert. Tyrus did the best with the information he had. His biggest mistake was trusting Lord Jorojumo, but he had no reason not to, and your imperial majesty knows that if his son has a flaw, it is trust. He will not make that mistake again. On the battlefield, he fought better than any man there, which is how he survived. He left the field, not by choice, but because he was taken from it, poisoned and unconscious. Neither the counselors nor warriors questioned his choices at any point. His failure comes down to one thing: his youth."
"And an emperor who misjudged the situation."
"I said that once. It seems unwise to repeat it."
Emperor Tatsu's laugh rang out, startling everyone. He walked to Moria and embraced her, saying loud enough for all to hear, "I cannot count on you for manners, child, but I can count on you for the truth."
He stepped back, sobering. "Now, tell me what I asked of you."
When she hesitated, he said, "I met up with you after you escaped from Alvar Kitsune with my son's help. And then I asked you to do what?"
"Return to Alvar Kitsune's camp," she said, her voice low, in case he expected her to lie.
"Louder, child."