A Bid for Power
an excerpt

Prologue: Roses

Snow was falling in Boarri, the capital city of the Jade Kingdom. While the winters were often cold enough to cause freezing rain and icy streets, snowfall of this magnitude wasn't a regular occurrence; the city nearly shut down while at first the cleaning crews attempted to clear it, and then gave up until the snow showed signs of at least slowing down. It blanketed the entire city to ankle-height already, slums and estates and markets and even the gardens of the Lily Palace alike, blurring the outlines of buildings and fences and seemingly covering all the unsightliness and intrigue the city housed.

Lady Shigeko took it as a sign.

She let the curtain fall back across the wide bedroom window and gently tugged on a bell pull, her thoughts soothed by the sight of the whitened city that seemed of one piece with the pearled sky. Within a minute, her maid Jun was at the door, bowing and suggesting various dresses for the coming day. Shigeko never did well with the cold, and her delicate constitution meant that she was very sensitive to changes in the weather and frequently took ill with a fainting spell or a chill. All her social calls would be canceled, and her husband would almost certainly be delayed at the Lily Palace for another day due to the weather; that, however, was no excuse to abandon her extensive toilette. She was the lady of the Akimoto estate, after all. She finally settled on a peach gown with dark green brocade at the slashed sleeves and underskirt and regarded herself in the mirror as Jun did up her honey-colored hair. The gown complimented her emerald eyes and creamy skin, and her hair's upswept style took the slight roundness from her face. A few finishing touches from the jars of scented powder and color to accentuate her lips, to darken her light lashes, to highlight her cheekbones, and she was done.

She dismissed her maid for a minute of silence before she addressed her most hated task of the day. When Shigeko was settled and calm, she swept down the wide hallway. Within a few minutes, she crossed the balcony over two wide staircases that connected the west and east wings of the estate, and finally came to a room flooded with the winter sunlight. Shelves of toys and games lined the brightly-colored walls, and some were strewn about the room, left where they had been discarded in the urgency of play. Under the watchful eye of a nanny, a young girl was seated on the carpet in the middle of the room, supplying the voices for a host of porcelain dolls and stuffed animals scattered in front of her. She was clad in a frilled ivory dress that made her beribboned crimson hair appear even brighter, her dark green eyes even more striking. Noticing the rustle of silk and scent that announced Shigeko, the child looked up excitedly.

"Mama, mama, the clouds are falling!" the girl exclaimed as she rushed forward.

Shigeko schooled her features into a smile at Akane's welcoming remark, and allowed the blush of shame that always colored her cheeks upon seeing the child be mistaken for one of pleasure as she forced a delicate laugh. Of course, after so many years of trying for an heir, the sole daughter of house Akimoto must be spoiled and cherished. Shigeko had to play the doting mother even in front of the servants: stooping to allow the horrid child to embrace her and plant a sticky kiss on her cheek, pretending to fawn over every scrawled drawing, feigning interest in the most inane comments. Four and a half years of it-- each day underscored by the nagging worry that her secret would be found out.

"It's called snow, darling," Shigeko said, tucking an errant strand of hair behind her daughter's ear and tickling her under the chin. "The snow's shut down almost the whole city, which means you'll get to spend the entire day with your mother."

Akane clapped her hands excitedly. "Can we go see it?"

"Of course," Shigeko replied, "but not for too long. Ir's very cold, and we don't want you to get sick. So make sure Rei bundles you up nice and warm, all right?" She looked up at the nanny, who bowed in assent. "I'll meet you by the garden door when you're ready." Akane nodded eagerly, her curled hair bouncing behind her, and Shigeko left the room.

Soon both were clad in smooth furs, standing near the thickly-paned glass doors that opened onto the covered porch and gardens. Shigeko dismissed their maids, saying she would relish the time alone with Akane, who squirmed in eagerness to be out in the snow. Shigeko opened the door, thick gloves not hampering her grace, and took Akane by the mittened hand to lead her outside. The woman seated herself on a wrought-metal chair as the girl bounded about in the garden, amazed and delighted in turns as she tried to catch snowflakes on her tongue, molded the snow into balls or other lumpy shapes, and shook it off the branches of the trees and bushes now devoid of leaves and flowers.

"Don't fall in the pond," Shigeko called. She normally enjoyed the gardens in the summer, when her rosebushes would bloom; delicate shades of palest pink, light gold, and even dark cerise always were the subject of compliments and envy from her guests. The snow lent a stark beauty to the barren gardens, in spite of Akane's footprints crisscrossing the paths.

Shigeko allowed her thoughts to wander as she half-watched the child's energetic tumblings. Her marriage into the Akimoto family was arranged for mutual benefit of the two families, not for some silly reason like love. Yutaka was a kind enough man, she supposed, but he saw his duty to Shigeko as just that-- duty. He cared more for his political fortunes, ingratiating himself to the king, and frequently leaving her to her own devices. She occupied her time with forging powerful friendships, soirées, dinners, and other such events. In a way, she had become as influential as her husband.

It was at one such party that she happened to make the acquaintance of an exceptionally charming man who had the power to make her heart beat faster with just a glance of his dark eyes. He was quite dashing, though he had crashed the party; he was one of the Zoramerin who lived by magic and sword, whose windships ruled the skies. The scholar-mages and warrior priests could use magic, but only in small amounts and with much preparation, so while Shigeko had witnessed magic before, she had never seen it used with such spontaneity and style and reckless abandon. Shigeko had known that it would be a tremendous scandal if anyone found out, but her skills in dabbling in political intrigue adapted well to concealing a lover from the eyes of the city. He left with the turn of the seasons, as such men are wont to do; but when he did so, neither realized that Shigeko carried his child.

Yutaka was overjoyed, and the Lord and Lady Akimoto simply said that Erumenae must have smiled upon their prayers and donations to his temple. Privately, Shigeko fretted throughout the entire nine months, worrying that the unborn child would betray her. Her servants scolded her, saying that if she continued in such a state, she would lose the child. Shigeko nearly hoped that she would.

When she was born, the child favored her mother in appearance, inheriting her mother's green eyes. slightly upturned nose, and rounded face; her red hair came from Shigeko's mother. Akane had her father's very pale skin, but that was easily remedied by dressing the child in certain colors or saying the child didn't get enough sunlight. Shigeko relaxed, to a point, but she still hated the sight of the child, the visible reminder of her own foolish mistake.

She watched the child brush the snow off a rosebush. Akane snapped off a small twig and cradled it in her mittens, head bent forward so her scarlet curls hid it from her view. After a minute, she ran towards Shigeko, mittens still cupped together, her movements awkward from the snow.

"And what do you have there?" Shigeko asked.

"Present," Akane said. She laughed, her cheeks flushed pink from the cold, and opened her hands.

The blood drained from Shigeko's face. Akane held a perfect white rose in her hands, which she tipped into her mother's gloved palm.

Shigeko sat frozen for a few moments as it sank in: Akane could use magic, naturally and strongly. No noble-born child of the Jade Kingdom should be able to do such a thing.

Akane would give her away.

"What's wrong, mama?" the child asked, peering up into her mother's stricken face.

"Nothing," she whispered automatically.

Shigeko's thoughts raced. She would have to get rid of the child. That was the only way to keep her secret. She could lose Akane in the market; it happened all the time with children in such a large city. Shigeko, the grief-stricken mother, would personally oversee the search effort, offer a considerable reward. . . and what a tragedy it would be when the child was never found.

It would have to be later, of course, once the city was back in full swing and the market streets were bustling again. The child's presence would be erased from Shigeko's life, her indiscretion permanently banished, her past to be once more as unblemished as the new-fallen snow.

Calmed as her mind began the familiar process of refining her plans, Shigeko exhaled and felt her features relax. "Nothing's wrong," she said again, and allowed herself a genuine smile at how neatly it would all play out. Assuaged, the child ran off to continue playing in the frosted garden, her laughter muffled by the snow-covered walls.