The Rise of the Omarlo Clan. Rosylan McCallum

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СКАЧАТЬ her mind, still a tear slid out as she thought, so sad, he had been such a lively, loving little boy.

      She remembered the many years ago when she found it so vexing that he cried, wanting his father and brothers. Where were they? It was the question he asked over and over. He did not understand why they were gone and did not take him. He was lonely. The servants tried to keep him amused, but more often than not, he would just go off by himself. Captain Nor returned a week after Lord Marlis’ ships had invaded Racine space. The agreement reached to end the siege, named her regent until her son’s maturity; and emissaries loyal to Lord Marlis were permanently assigned to keep watch over her activities. Before the ships left Racine, Lord Marlis’ agents replaced one-third of the Keep’s servant staff, and allowed her to pick a replacement for old Moham, who was sent to live out his remaining years with his family.

      As this was unexpected, Lady Tess consulted with the then Captain Nor, and he proposed Haiden Galton for the chancellor position. Haiden had turned out over the years to be an adequate advisor. As Nor’s man, one of the first things he had advised was the promotion of Nor from captain to general. Lady Tess understood the politics of this request but did not find a problem with it. So it was done.

      General Nor had taken over the operation of Moham’s spy network. He had used it extensively to track down any information that remained on Racine regarding the device, to no avail. Racine continued to keep its edge on the production of new technology; however, none seemed able to re-create or create anything close to the rumored device.

      Lady Tess had been thoroughly questioned as to the whereabouts of her twins and her husband’s right hand, General Drakar. It was the only time that her enemies saw emotion. Her responses were filled with hate directed at Imir. He had sent them away and died with the knowledge of where they were. She had for a short time been left with her oldest son. She explained that she had expected the twins to be brought back once Drakar received word that the danger to Racine was over. They never returned, and the years passed. She did not know if they were alive or dead. It was an open wound. If they were alive, they would be eighteen now.

      She should have been mother to sons whom she could have had influence over as they grew up. Instead, there is only a stranger who has arrived, showing no respect for her as regent or mother. She had thought to be able to influence him using motherly love. She did not feel it, and he looked as if he did not want it from her. She saw now that it was a mistake to have been persuaded by her father and uncle not to have any contact with her son. They had turned down over the years any suggestion that he visit Racine. They convinced her that they believed dissident supporters of Imir could influence the boy during such visits. The few times she went to Urus the boy was always away thus reason enough to cut short her visit. Over time she stopped going.

      She had underestimated her father’s manipulative schemes to control the future of Racine. She would not make the same mistake with Rarg. The love she bore the family, she lost long ago. Now whenever she thought about it that love paled to the love she bore for power. Imir at least understood this side of her. It was part of what attracted her to him. He was the only one who could anticipate and counter her will. That was what attracted him to her. It was their secret game, a game that had ended with his death.

      She had been an indifferent regent for fourteen years, ever mindful of her father’s watchdogs. The people of Racine, in turn, tolerated her reign. She knew they secretly believed that when her son came of age, changes would be made for the better. She believed that they naively based this hope on if the Omarlo blood would win over. They did not know her father. There would be a struggle between them over who would eventually gain complete control of the pawn Rarg. Either way, a Marlis would control Racine’s future, and they had better hope it turned out to be her.

      She anticipated her father’s complete control over her son. She had expected him to instill ideas, which would turn her son against her. But until today, even she had held out hope that it would not happen. Now she knew. But she was not one to depend on hope. She had put into place her own contingency plan. According to Racine’s doctrine, Rarg was required to marry within a month of his twenty-first year of birth. After the said marriage, there was to follow a ceremony crowning the new planet lord of Racine. She would step down as regent. He would become officially Lord Rarg Omarlo of the House of Omarlo. He is twenty, soon to be twenty-one and as regent, it was her duty to acquire an appropriate bride.

      The one that she handpicked had promising good looks but was known to be rather empty-headed. That fact alone suited Lady Tess for what she had in mind. She successfully negotiated with the girl’s parents and had her sent to Racine. She has been under her control for these last six years. It was Erin Omir, daughter of the House of Omir on planet Octone. Her father was one of the lords comprising the Group of 3.

      When Lord Marlis found out that she had selected the daughter of one of his cronies, it was too late for him to make any countermoves. If Lord Marlis had tried to take any action to have Erin replaced by someone of his choice, it would have been tantamount to a declaration of war against the House of Omir.

      She smiled, though her father controlled her son, she controlled the bride-to-be. Erin Omir was now eighteen, quiet, shy, and unassuming. Lady Tess had long since tired of trying to hold any kind of conversation with her. In the past when she had tried, all she got in return for her efforts were stutters, gulps, sighs, and apologies. She would have to give up the regency, but the game was far from over.

      As the meal progressed, Rarg only smiled when it was warranted. Otherwise, he sat at the table looking bored. This expression was something that those who had accompanied him to Racine saw often. The dignitaries from Racine were disappointed. He showed no interest in their presence at the table. Other than the Omarlo looks, which he had, they had expected to see something of Imir, a more commanding presence. They began to worry. They all knew he had been gone a long time and had been raised by Racine’s old enemy. They began to fear he would turn out to be nothing but a puppet ruler, something Racine had never had.

      In fact, Rarg was seething inside. So this was home, the heart of the House of Omarlo. One look was all it took, when he arrived, to see a silent, subjugated people. Some of what he had been told by his grandfather over the years was true. Lady Tess was indeed a beauty that cared more for her looks than the running of Racine. These greedy men and women sitting at his table have grown fat off Racine’s profits, which are the result of the labor of a populace that has seen little in return for their efforts. He continued to look down the table at them, noting how they tried to catch his eye with intents of ingratiating themselves before him. They did not know him. No one at the table knew him. Lady Tess would turn over the reins of power to him, and then changes would be made.

      Lady Tess would then be made to pay for the death of his father, his brothers, and the state of affairs on Racine. He saw the look of uncertainty she gave him as he passed her on the steps. To her misfortune, she does not know that he knows what had happened here. She would soon learn that he was not one to be influenced by her. He was not the weak, self-indulgent man that all thought him to be. It will take time, but he had that. All would pay—those who took him away, his mother for her deception and treachery, and any who thought to stand in his way. He had snubbed her for all to see and was glad that she chose to leave and lick her wounds in private. Rarg Omarlo smiled at no one in particular. The first round was his.

      When Rarg was eight, he was in his grandfather’s study when he found a letter from his mother among his grandfather’s papers. Lord Marlis had sent him there to retrieve his pipe. In the letter was an order directing Captain Nor to delay his return from quadrant five. He was to time his arrival to be late enough so that Imir would not survive the attack on the Keep. A regent would be named, as his heir was a minor. It further stated that arrangements had been made to ship Rarg to be fostered under the House of Marlis. No mention was made of his brothers. Lady Tess Omarlo had signed it.

      After reading it several times, he sought out his grandfather for СКАЧАТЬ