Chapter Two
The
Month of Pin, 1700 A. T. V.
He carefully opened
the black resin boxes and examined the precious objects closely. All
three that he'd ordered were there. Exquisite in detail,
painstakingly beautiful etching of arcane spells. And deadly. It was
exciting to finally have these precious things, banned for so many
years, in his possession. The scorpions were made of lacquered shell
and copper. It had taken three years since their commission and they
were made by some of the finest craftsmen in Egium. He closed each of
the boxes carefully.
"Superb in
every detail. The queen will be well pleased with the gift."
Said Bakku. "But I must test them to see if they work. Bring me
one of the creatures there." He said to a manservant standing
nearby.
"Of course,
sire." Said the envoy-alchemists. A rat was handed to him from a
basket. He took one of the gleaming mechanical scorpions out of its
box and with a candle flame he lit its metal wicker on its side so
that it became red hot. He hung the rat by its tail in front of it,
dangling the squirming creature. It screeched and tried to bite his
hand. He slapped its head. Suddenly and without warning the
scorpion's tail lashed out and impaled the rat. Bakku jumped in fear
and surprised at its speed. The animal shuddered as the scorpion
continued to stab until it impaled its tail deep into the rat's
brain. The rat convulsed for a few moments more, blood trickling from
its mouth and then eventually it became still. He was satisfied. They
would be even more effective when those long, forceful stingers were
filled with poison, of which the queen kept a large collection.
"Are you well
pleased, sire?" Asked the envoy. He and his companion were
envoys of the Black Guild and in the employ of a powerful alchemist
named Erol, who it was said could create terrible things and that he
had the secret knowledge of the gods. All alchemical arts were banned
from Hybron but Bakku had ways of getting around this. So did others.
The queen had welcomed the idea of alchemists and their works in the
land, secretly, so long as they could serve her purposes and she had
specifically invited a man who it was rumored had a connection with
the Black Guild in Egi.
The envoy-alchemists
before him were dressed in their characteristic black garb. They did
not wear their cone-shaped hats or their metal symbols for fear of
arrest or attack while in the land.
"I am well
pleased. I have your fee and tell your master that I may have need of
his services again one day. These are not only effective but quite
beautiful. Impressive." The envoys both smiled slyly.
"A thing worth
doing is always worth doing well, sire. Our master would do no less.
We are happy to relay your message, sire." They bowed as he
handed them the fee, three hundred silver ingots in three plain
wooden carrying cases. He took away the flame and the scorpion died
down. He then placed the scorpion carefully back in its box and
poured himself a tall goblet of scorpion wine after the men left. If
the queen's astrologers, spies and huntsmen could not do what could
be done to find the boy, perhaps these could flush him out.
. . .
The air was cool but
it would be another hot day later on. As usual the sky was blindingly
clear. Not even the usual thin, wispy clouds that floated so high in
the sky appeared this day. A maid servant took away the tray with the
jeweled ewer and her silver goblet of the daily elixir. She savored
the taste. The sweetness of the drink gone, the bitterness now
settled in at the roof of her mouth. Thus it would be like this for
the transformation. She now ate only from silver plates or drank from
silver goblets for the metal of silver had healing properties. She
desired purification at all times even in the smallest things. Silver
was the element of purification. She sighed and lay back against the
balcony, stroking Vala. Vala purred softly. The queen's hair, nearly
to her knees now, was being combed, oiled and braided. If only she
could have the precious balsam oil to scent it. The most precious of
oils. Oil of the First One, it was said. She wanted it for its
healing and calming properties but it was exceedingly rare and hard
to come by, even for the privileged.
The queen was
lounging on her bedroom balcony, a massive space with a sprawling
garden now built into it. The trees planted in urns gave her shade
from the sun. In front of the palace across the way, sat the temple
to Nimnet, which was nearly finished. When that was complete her duty
to the gods would be finished and she would be richly rewarded for
all her hard work. It had been stressful but the prize more than
worth all the blood in the world. And much blood had been spilled and
more yet would be before the end of it. The edict she sent out before
her years ago after the king died, the edict to every temple, office
and every public space, that she and Khalit were to be acknowledged
as divine on earth and an offering was to be made of incense or an
oath given, especially in Jhis. Kahlit had died and in the minds of
the people had joined the gods but she would do something different.
The image to her that he wanted made had been diverted to Nimnet's
temple. It helped root out anyone who might pose a problem to her
plans later; execution for anyone who did not acknowledge the divine
couple. She had embarked on something never done before and it was
serious business. Divine business.
Yadua, finished with
oiling a thick section of hair until it shined like onyx, began to
braid it down. In the distance from where they were was The Forest.
The executed, impaled on high stakes for their crimes; stealing,
murder and other petty crimes and the worst offense of all: refusing
to acknowledge her divinity - or soon to be complete divine essence,
in any case. It included anyone who mentioned their belief of any
prophecy of the Aishanna-La. The stench of the corpses and the blood,
excrement and viscera that it produced had long been one that had
receded into the background of the other scents of Jhis and became
woven into the tapestry of its essence but on hotter days it was
brought forward before all other smells. The fragrant imported lemon
and orange trees of the palace gardens and the giant orchids and
irises and other imported flowers on her balcony garden usually
masked it.
"Please finish
up, Yadua. I do not have all day. Or I will have another of your
fingers cut off." She said, irritated. Yadua bowed and deftly
quickened her braiding pace, pinning the front braids together with
the jeweled pins and then affixed her silver diadem with the sapphire
gems. She gathered up the combs and the other accessories on a tray
and then bowed low. The queen waved her away and sat down on her
divan as Yadua left. Another servant cleared her throat.
"Your
Greatness, the huntsman is here."
"Bring him to
me."
"The queen will
see you now." She heard the woman say, farther inside the
bedroom. She heard his soft footfalls approaching. She sighed in
exasperation. Why did things happen so slowly? When her father
was alive if something needed to be done it seemed it was done
instantly. Vala continued to purr and did not stir but Taliat knew
the cat was attentive to everything. But this was not work for a
palace pet. The man dropped to one knee and bowed before her. She was
impatient.
"And what have
you found?"
"I sent men to
Rhuctium on information I have, to find boys of fifteen years who
have your likeness. Surely though, this is difficult work Your
Greatness. This could be any boy in the land and there is no proof
the boy may be your relation."
"My priestess
has given me incontrovertible proof of the boy's looks. He looks like
myself I am told. He is my very image and he has eyes like mine and
my father's."
"It may very
well be that we will have to haul in half the boys in the kingdom to
the palace."
"You will, if
it comes to that. This prophecy of Ilim's assures me that the boy is
alive and well."
"You really do
believe him?" The man questioned.
"If only to
crush it because it competes with another prophecy, one that is
blessed by the gods of Hybron and Egi: "The serpent is
rising". Prophecies compete just like men do in a ring.
Which will get the mastery? It is up to me to choose which one will
prevail. So, you heard rumors near Rhuctium? What of Rhuctium?"
"The men I sent
there said they may have found one who fits the high-priestess's
description exactly. The description as you say, she saw in her
visions. Last I heard from them, they were moving in to take him and
bring him here. Then a few days ago I got a letter by falcon from one
of your sources there saying they had found dead Hatchet Men in the
city and gave a description of the bodies. Those men were working for
me, whom I sent to bring back the boy they'd found. They had been
killed in what looked like a street brawl." The queen frowned.
"These were
Hatchet Men, you say?'" She asked. The huntsman nodded.
"I wonder who
but seasoned warriors could kill a Hatchet Man, much less a group of
them. In any case, this discovery leads me to believe that the boy
may very well be in Rhuctium."
"I suspect this
as well."
"Good. Pull
your resources towards that city for a more concentrated search."
"Your
Greatness, if I may. The boy is of the age to attend one of the great
schools down there. Perhaps sending your honored guest that just
arrived from Egium there would be a good idea. Perhaps he may turn
something up if my men do not." He countered. The queen's eyes
lit up with cold, bright flame.
"Ah! What an
excellent idea! I will have you speak with him on the matter of the
boy. Inform him that I shall send him on to Rhuctium at once!"
He bowed again.
"Oh, and
huntsman, my dreams and the visions of the high-priestess have the
face of Ilim the false prophet, along with this boy. The false
prophet is connected with this treasonous outrage against me. While
in Rhuctium, search for him as well."
"We have not
heard word about him for a few years."
"I know and
that is well. It would be even more well if you found him and brought
him here. I have not forgotten him. He is a man with great powers. In
my last hours as I am now I will need such a man. His powers, anyway.
Increase the reward for the boy. Any man who can find him will be
paid the boy's weight in silver."
"Certainly,
Your Greatness."
"I do realize
these things take time and I am patient huntsman, but do not tarry
too much. The great day of the sun god has passed. It is late spring.
My ascension is nearing." He bowed again and left quickly. She
saw another manservant coming.
"The royal
barge is ready." He said. She turned to Setimet.
"Take care of
my serpent. It seems he grows larger every month."
"Is it time for
him to feed again, Your Greatness?" She asked eagerly. The queen
laughed lightly.
"It is. If any
of the new serving girls displeases you Setimet, feed her to him. You
have my blessing." Setimet's eyes brightened. She picked up the
cat left the room.
Things were moving
along. More slowly than she liked, but moving. Her spies were nearly
everywhere. Even within the Ainash's Hatchet Men she had infiltrated
them. Her chosen serving women followed her in a train behind as she
left her personal apartments and descended the steps. She was on her
way the tomb of kings to do two very controversial things which had
forced her to imprison a few people for daring to dispute her. She
was dedicating a school in Egium for noblewomen, the first college if
its kind for teaching religious training and intellectual pursuits.
That had been difficult enough, but she'd push it through even with
the sly machinations and sneaky obstructions against it from her
uncle. Secondly, she would dig up Khalit's bones. Many thought it
sacrilege, those who did not worship as Egians did. However, he had
been deified and now she needed them. She would need all the holy
things she could find. Those outside of the palace thought it evil
and did not understand. They did not understand that prophecy drove
her to do this, impelled her, like their own prophecies drove them to
believe this or that. But only one web of prophecies could be allowed
to survive.
When she finally
reached the palace gate her chariot was waiting. The sun seemed
blinding and overbearing even though it was still early morning and
the air slightly cool. A maidservant covered her head with a thin
silver veil and she climbed in, clutching her sacred flail and staff
to her breast. How she wished for the night and its coolness. All
eyes as always were on her and for these last few years it tired her,
made her suspicious. She felt exposed and violated, outside and under
the sun. She had not counted on her feelings and emotions over being
exposed and seen by so many people when she became queen. She was
raised in hidden rooms, luxuriant, hidden chambers, a daughter of
secret rites. She worshiped goddesses of the night. It tired her and
sometimes angered her. She would be glad of night again. And when she
finally ascended, night would last forever. She would make it so.
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