Deathstalker 06 - Deathstalker Legacy

and it was some time before the day's business was finally over and they were all free to go their separate ways, and consider the day's ramifications. Lewis walked the narrow corridors alone, the heavy scowl on his ugly face enough to keep pretty much everyone at a distance. Even those who just wanted to congratulate him on the day's heroism thought better of it, and kept on walking. Lewis didn't notice. He never did.
    And then a large and blocky figure moved deliberately out of the shadows to block his path. Lewis had to stop or walk right through him. Lewis opened his mouth, and then closed it again, as he recognized the man standing patiently before him. Michel du Bois, Member for his own home planet of Virimonde.
    Lewis nodded politely, and du Bois nodded politely back.
    "You did well today, Deathstalker. Credit to you reflects well upon your home. And I really like the new outfit."
    "Don't you start," said Lewis. "What do you want, du Bois? And why do I just know I'm not going to like it?"
    "We need to talk, Deathstalker," said du Bois. "And you've been avoiding me ever since the Coronation."
    "That's because I was hoping to avoid just such conversations as this," growled Lewis. "We have talked in the past, du Bois, and neither of us enjoyed it. Nothing has changed. I am not going to trade on my friendship and position with the King to plead for special favors and attention for Virimonde."
    "Why not?" du Bois said reasonably. "Everyone trades favors here, even though we're not supposed to.
    A little of this, for a little of that. Everyone makes deals. That's how the system works. Up until now,
    Virimonde has been very much the poor relation at the House. We've never had anything or anyone to trade with. So all the best trade deals and economic grants ended up going to other worlds that needed them less than we do. When we bring our begging bowl to the House, we stand alone, with no friend or ally at our side. You could change all that. People would flock to the world that had the ear of the King.
    You talk to the King, he talks to the subcommittees, everyone gets something they want, everyone's happy. What's so bad about that? I'm not asking for anything for myself, Deathstalker; only for my world.
    Your world. Your home."
    "Wouldn't do any harm to your chances for reelection, though, would it?" said Lewis. "I do know a few things about how politics work. You have to deliver, or they'll replace you with someone else who might.
    Understand me very clearly, du Bois; I am not going to do anything that might compromise Douglas's position. It's important to him and to me that the first Imperial Champion in two hundred years is seen to be utterly impartial. Or no one will trust him or me."
    "How soon they forget," said du Bois, and there was new iron in his voice. "How ungrateful the son can be, once he's distanced himself from his family. Who was it that supported you all these years on Logres, added to your meager salary, so you could play the part of the honest Paragon? Your wages didn't allow you to live as other Paragons did, and your own family couldn't support you."
    "I never asked for that money! You came to me, said it was important that Virimonde's Paragon didn't appear to be a poor relation at Court!"
    "You took the money," said du Bois. "Did you never think that one day there would be a reckoning? The people of Virimonde put up a lot of money on your behalf, went without so you could live in comfort in the greatest city in the Empire. They're entitled to get something back for that."
    "They do," said Lewis, meeting du Bois's angry gaze unflinchingly. "They get a Champion they can be proud of. My responsibility to them is the same now as it always was; to be the best, most honorable representative of my world that I am capable of being. To be honest and true, and incorruptible. An honorable man, from an honorable world."
    "Words," said the Member for Virimonde. "Just words. You have a lot to learn, young Deathstalker, about how the Empire really works."
    "Oh, I'm learning," said Lewis. "Trust me, du Bois; I'm learning. Douglas chose me to be his Champion, rather than the more obvious choice of the Durandal, because he trusted me to be my own man. And so I am. Stop my money, if you want. If you can. I will not compromise my beliefs; beliefs my Clan has held to for hundreds of years. I am a Deathstalker; and don't you ever forget it. From now on, du Bois, I think we should meet only on public occasions. We