Chapter Thirty-Three
The town gate, nearly broken down, was still barricaded shut against all outsiders, though the armies had left. A few scions had died, hit by arrows but there was victory for the citadel once again. Yet the mournful wails for the dead ones continued, a dirge that many of the scions and the people kept up all the night and into the morning. Anet no longer had any tears left to cry for the fallen. Like Lita.
Anet, Kaisha, Irtal and the other young ones lay huddled in their room. It was still overwhelming for them, even now that the battle was over and they were safe. Anet did not know how she would have fared if she had not prayed every hour of the day and night and through all her tears. Footsteps pattered down the hall outside their bedroom door. She had a burning desire in her, she needed to know something. Slowly she got up to leave the room.
“Where are you going?” Asked Kaisha.
“To see Mother Berenice. I have to ask her something important.” She said. Kaisha just nodded.
“Stay with them, Kaisha.” She left the room and climbed the stairs to Mother Berenice's study. The falling footsteps belonged to Mother Berenice.
“Mother! Mother!” Anet called. Mother Berenice stopped and turned around. Her face was drawn and colorless yet she looked serene.
“Yes, Anet?”
“Mother Berenice, my dreams. I want to know what they mean. I need to know.” Mother Berenice smiled.
“I wondered when you'd ask. Come child, tell me your dreams in full and we will pray on the matter and He will give us an answer as He has given us the victory.”
“Find him! This pestilent man! Oh! I am in a mood tonight!” She raged. “This false prophet who has been preaching against the city and raining down curses upon the land and the king! It is now a fact from the king's own lips, anyone harboring this man is no friend to the crown and is indeed a traitor! Why is it that he is cursing the peoples of Hybron? Is it that he desires the death of the peoples and of the king? He is a wicked man and anyone helping him must be put to death!” Cried the queen to Bakku. This was the first time in years that he had truly felt apprehensive about his plans and his schemes. A twinge of fear rose in him when he looked at the queen. Her eyes blazed bright with a weird fire. He sat with all of the letters of the king before him, new edicts to hunt for traitors, all those that it was noted who left the city around the time of the Festival of Firsts. He had the very will in his hand for the regency if the king died, which no one believed could happen. Many of the traitors had not returned but some had. There was a record made by the King's Guard at the East and West Gates. There were also the edicts for new stelae, one of his triumph, new buildings and a new, even more grand temple to Hec. The queen had gathered all of her men who came with her and her father out of Egi and in fact as of now, there were now more of them than there were of Hybronian warriors in the city. Some of the priests had complained of seeing so many foreign warriors patrolling the city to Bakku. They did not like it and secretly strove to recruit more men to their unofficial militia. The deeds they had seized from some of the low peoples, deeds to homes and businesses were now used as generous bribes for those interested in joining the Hatchet Men. Bakku told his brethren that they would soon jointly run the kingdom with the queen and this made them suspicious and now he had to contend with the more contentious ones on the priestly council, like Zarhaz.
Until the day came. The very day the queen was railing against Ilim. Everyone thought it good to follow her demands to have him executed and anyone who helped him. Yet, the armies had come back from the battle in Gamina with the news. It was Zarammelech and Aquillam and the king's closest attendants that brought back the news to the palace, to the queen and her ladies and assembled councilors, to their surprise. Among them was Bakku with the edicts and the will hidden in a bound, skin folder.
The king's men found her in the banquet hall of the King's House with her ladies and councilors, sitting by a fire in the brazier. They bowed slightly before her.
“My lords. Why do you look so distressed?”
“We came as soon as we could. The raiders in Beth-Ayin we killed, all of them and took their boats and the women they took and we brought them back, yet at Gamina, the king was killed.” Dead silence.
“The king was killed.” She stated as if dumbfounded.
“Do you remember just over nine days ago the first rain storm that came? It was a terrible storm from the gods! From Turok himself!”
“I remember, Zarammelech. There have been several more since that morning. It was an omen.” She well remembered it and did not see it the same way the people of Hybron did. In fact, she had wished it. The storms of wind and rain. The blood star spray during the birth of the child. It foretold her ascension to greatness. To godhood. Her face remained a mask.
“There is the matter of the regency, for your son, Your Greatness.” He said. She snapped her head up suddenly and looked at him as if he'd reminded her of something she'd long forgotten. She had not seen or sent for the child in over ten days. Yet, she thought she'd heard condescension in his voice. Aquillam glowered at her and at those assembled around her in suspicion.
“Yes, my lords. But let me mourn my husband and king. And please, I must see his body. You must bring it to me.” Her voice broke.
“I am truly sorry, Your Greatness. May he live forever.” Zarammelech said sadly.
“Perhaps a more fitting place for your mourning would be the Queen's Apartments.” Said Aquillam, his voice clipped and cold. She lowered her eyes and wept.
“Forgive me, my lords. I have been too forward in coming to the King's House. Allow me, please, to compose myself first.” They bowed to her and left for the king's study. As soon as their footsteps had receded she asked for all of the new written edicts, letters and the king's seals. Bakku handed her the bound folder and she carefully looked through all of the letters and the will. She took a long, thin knife and tore the will into pieces and threw them into the brazier. And then she gave the order. And before the king's generals, attendants and officials had gotten very far in the palace they were put to death by the sword in the king's throne room by the queen's chief officials and their warriors.
As soon as she had known that the king had died she rose up and she put everyone known to be loyal to the king to death. She also commanded and put all of the king's women, his concubines and all their children, all the king's sons and daughters to death and she ordered that the king's heir, her son be dashed to pieces but he had been concealed before she gave the order. Thus, it was that Queen Taliat began ruling as queen in Hybron and Egi.
- The Third Book of the Kings 20:1, Translations of The Holy Aishanna
End of Book One
APPENDIXES
Schisms Page 33
