Hello, I’m Lucius Beauchamp and I’ve written a fast-paced fantasy novel, called ‘Beyond Atlantis: An Epic Of The Ancient Americas’. Right now, I’m talking about blackmail.
Excerpt:
“They nodded, and Galen gestured toward the emeralds. The men clutched the beautiful gems.
Galen smiled. ‘My friends, you’re men without ties; well-travelled. I admire men who dare to explore.’
Light flickered, revealing a closed chest on another pedestal. Opening the box, Galen dipped his hand in and brought out a dozen prize pearls. He let them fall back. ‘In the Far World, pearls are almost emeralds.’
‘My lord?’
‘What you see before you is a king’s treasure. A hundred times your agreed payment.’ But the men looked worried. ‘You doubt my word?’
‘Never, mist maker.’ ‘Good! A man would be a fool to prefer a little gold over becoming a prince.’ Galen smiled, ‘I wonder if I’ll ever see the Sphinx of our ancestors.’
Galen’s knuckle briefly touched his lips. ‘Now, a warning.’ He paused. They all stood, paused, the hairs on the heads of the two messengers stood on end. ‘The curse I put on the emeralds can only be broken if…”
Blackmail, in all its forms, seems to be one of the few things whose power really lasts. Historical examples abound. During the reign of England’s King Charles 2nd, the crown jewels were stolen from the Tower of London. Dressed as a parson Thomas Blood, and two friends,
stole the crown, sceptre and the sovereign’s orbs. When captured, Blood asked for an audience with King Charles. Surprisingly, the king agreed. Even more surprising, Blood was pardoned. Not only that, Blood was given a rather nice estate in Ireland with an annual income of 500 pounds. So, what did Blood have on King Charles? It must have been big; and like the best blackmail we’re still guessing at the secret.
Excerpt:
“Eten’s slow smile was a drawn dagger. ‘And you won’t find any in your apartment.’
Sucking in his breath, Peregrine’s eyes darted up and to the right. ‘I moved your package.’ His feet shuffled of their own accord. Eten soothed, ‘You’ve been very clever Peregrine, don’t stop now.’”
Blackmail one of the reasons the Roman Empress Livia had so much control, and Cicero certainly wasn’t above a soupcon of well-judged protection. Countries all over the world, as ever, still apply a little trading pressure to each other when they think it appropriate. To blackmail, nor not to blackmail, that’s the question for many a powerful entity. In murder mysteries, blackmail is often a reason for a killing; even in ‘The Chrysalids’ by John Wyndham. Blackmail is evocative of powerful emotions, all of them negative. How do we, in our super-civilised 21st Century, feel about the ancient’s and the old American Wild West’s answers to blackmail?
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