Orchestra of Treacheries: A Legends of Tivara Story (The Dragon Songs Saga Book 2)

by JC Kang

  Jie suppressed a cough. For a purportedly safe place guarded by the supposedly most powerful warriors in the land, there sure were a lot of rules.

  The crowds thinned and they came to a short stone wall crossing the road. It had an open gate large enough to allow a cart through. On the left stood a handsome young man, on the right an attractive young woman. Both wore the same white kurtas as the boy, though their high collars were embroidered in gold. Postures relaxed, their hands rested on the guardless hilts of curved naga swords hanging at their sides.

  Paladins. Jie eyed them. Had she not witnessed their fighting skills two years ago in Tokahia, she wouldn’t have believed their martial prowess. Then again, the Golden Scorpions she'd fought hadn’t impressed, and they supposedly underwent the same training as Paladins.

  The boy pressed his hands together and bowed his head. “This is the Cathayi lady who is allowed to enter.”

  The two saluted her with folded palms and stepped to the side.

  The princess nodded in response. Jie followed her and the boy past the checkpoint.

  “Welcome to the sacred inner city. The spiritual home of the Order of the Ayuri Paladins.” The boy waved his hand at the boulevard ahead, which looked just like the harbor side of the city. It continued toward the verdant hill, with two-story, flat-roofed buildings on either side. An occasional dome or spire or minaret topped a few buildings. There were less people here, and all were uniformly dressed in the garb of the Paladin Order.

  More evident was the change in sounds. The commotion of commerce gave way to orderly marching footsteps and the rhythmic pounding of metal—all woven into the rustling of the wind in the willowy paperwood trees and the song of the ocean behind them. It should’ve been a cacophony raucous enough to scare off evil spirits, but Jie found it oddly soothing.

  The princess wore a serene expression, perhaps for the first time since Zheng Ming’s betrayal. With those sharp ears of hers, she probably noticed the sounds, too.

  “You feel it, don’t you?” said a male voice from behind them.

  Jie’s stomach lurched into her chest. Someone had snuck up without her hearing. She whirled around, her hand instinctively reaching into the folds of her cloak for a biao throwing star. Before she could get her fingers around it, a hand pressed firmly on her elbow, pinning it down. Try as she might, she couldn’t free her arm.

  “Please, do not be alarmed.” The older man’s grandfatherly voice rippled through her, calming her nerves and relaxing her muscles.

  He had long, graying hair tied into a pony tail, and wore a white kurta with a gold-embroidered collar. Unlike the sentries at the wall, his shirt also had gold-embroidered cuffs.

  The boy bowed low, hands pressed together. With even the princess bowing, Jie followed suit.

  “Master Sabal,” the boy said. “I am taking the Cathayi lady to the guest house, as instructed by the Oracle.”

  The Paladin master waved the boy off. “Run along, young Gayan, back to your studies with the Oracle. I will take them from here.”

  Gayan pouted, but then pressed his hands together and skipped off down the boulevard toward the hill.

  “You.” Master Sabal’s focus locked on Jie. “Have you come back for more training?”

  More training? Jie’s brows scrunched up. “I’ve never been here before.”

  “You were here two years ago, spying on our training.” The Paladin master’s lips pursed.

  If only. Jie cast a sidelong glance at the princess, and then shook her head. “No, I’ve never set foot in Ayudra before.” She'd only seen it from a ship on the way to her mission in the North.

  “I see.” Master Sabal scratched his chin. “Perhaps my old eyes failed me. Still, there aren’t many half-elves in this world. Maybe you all look alike.”

  The nerve! Jie’s cheeks must have flushed an interesting shade of red.

  Turning from her, the master examined the princess, so different from the way any other man looked at her. “Young lady, for years I have been charged with identifying children who can feel what you feel right now: the vibrations of the world itself. It is a shame that our mandate only extends to the borders of Ayuri lands, for we will miss rare gems like you. Perhaps one of your parents is Ayuri?”

  The princess shook her head.

  “Please pull down your hood.”

  To Jie’s shocked disapproval, the princess did as requested.

  The old Paladin sucked in his breath. “By the Sun and Moons, I have never seen such a perfect face. Perhaps it is a good thing we never found you. We are still dealing with the repercussions of a beauty who threw an entire class of Paladin students into chaos.”

  Enough of the princess’ beauty, already. It wasn’t like Tian hadn’t raved about it all the time, even before she was actually pretty. Jie tried not to roll her eyes. “How did you know what my hand was doing?”

  “We learn to surrender our conscious thought and let the vibrations of the world guide our actions and amplify our own abilities beyond normal physical limitations. My hand moved to stop you from reaching your weapon, even before I consciously recognized the threat.” The man smiled disarmingly.

  She would have to try again, though maybe not on a master the next time.

  “In any case,” he continued, “follow me to your lodgings. You will find your answers...or perhaps just more questions...when you visit the Oracle yourself.”

  He brought them a little further down the boulevard, where they came to one of the ubiquitous two-story mud-brick buildings. Unlike the other structures, the guest house had a metallic domed roof that reflected the swirling colors of the iridescent moon, now waxing to its half phase. The sun hung low in the sky, gilding the Ayudra hilltop in gold.

  The princess’ stomach rumbles joined the other harmonized sounds. Her cheeks flushed red in the late afternoon sun.

  “There is food, and a hot bath.” Master Sabal opened the door and gestured for them to enter. “Rest well tonight. If you are so inclined, come to the temple before dawn tomorrow to join our morning meditation.” With a bow, he bid them farewell.

  Jie followed the princess into the two-story foyer, overlooked by a second floor balcony wrapping around three sides. Her feet sank into the wool Ayuri carpet, intricately woven in patterns of red, cream, and gold. She walked under a glass chandelier of light baubles that hung from the ceiling, illuminating the room.

  Twirling in a circle, she took in the cloying scent of incense. The bright light brought out the colors in two large paintings of pre-Hellstorm Ayudra, which hung on either side of an arched opening.

  An older boy, wearing a simple cotton kurta, emerged from the opposite archway, between a pair of golden banners with a twenty-one-pointed black sun. He bounded up the flight of steps at the far end of the foyer and beckoned them. “Follow me, mistresses.”

  When they reached the landing, he motioned to a door with an open hand. “That will be your room for the night. Please let me know if you need anything. We are serving dinner right now on the first-floor room to the left. There is a communal bath off of the room to the right.”

  Jie looked at the princess. An internal struggled played in her expression. In all likelihood, the hot bath after a long journey would win out over the aroma of roasted chicken wafting out of the dining room.

  The princess’ eyes drifted to the bathing area, then back to Jie.

  If she thought Jie would help her bathe like a real handmaiden, she was in for a surprise.

  CHAPTER 23:

  What Happens in the Floating World

  Minister Hong Jianbin’s hands sweated, though not from the warm moisture billowing off the baths and percolating through the halls. The bathhouse was one of many in the Floating World, nestled among gambling dens, theatres, brothels, and teahouses. The district was secret in theory only, providing a haven for those who might seek temporary escape from the rigors of daily life.

  Floating and ephemeral, like a waking dream. Commoner and noble alik
e visited, anonymously brushing shoulders on their way to enjoy pleasures for every budget. While the Tianzi’s law ostensibly extended into the Floating World, it was more governed by convention and custom. As long as nothing spilled into the real world, and the businesses continued paying taxes, the authorities left well enough alone. What happened in the Floating World, stayed in the Floating World.

  Or so the maxim said.

  The effects of what would happen here tonight would ripple throughout Hua and usher in a new era of greatness. At least, that’s what Hong told himself. Again.

  His gaze returned to the dressing room’s full-length mirror. His old skin glowed pink from a young woman’s vigorous scrubbing. Yet no matter how much dirt and dead skin came off, the blackness of his soul reflected in that mirror. Were power and prestige worth betraying a friend? A friend who had helped him rise through the ranks?

  Yes.

  It would have never come to this, had the opportunity not fallen into his hands. The impossible aligning of so many circumstances could not have happened unless Heaven willed it.

  Years ago, when he was still a minor palace official, he had recommended a new maid for Chief Minister Tan as a favor to an old hometown acquaintance. Little did he know how much the grateful girl would overhear: a plot to start war, in order to rectify the Chief Minister’s past mistakes. With the maid as his eyes and ears in the Tan household, Hong knew almost everything.

  At the same time, his father’s former business connection told him of an exotic weed surreptitiously imported from Ayuri lands, delivered in small amounts to Lord Peng Kai-Long’s Huajing estate.

  Through a little investigating, Hong found out that the weed rendered a man’s seed sterile. He would have exposed Lord Peng’s treason right then and reaped a small reward, had he not met Leina. She inadvertently convinced him to keep the knowledge for himself and wait for a more opportune time to reveal it.

  Up to now, he had just ridden on the wave of plots and plans, positioning himself to benefit when it crashed. He would have waited even longer, had the bumbling Young Lord Zheng not begun closing in on Tan’s treachery.

  Hong took in a deep whiff of the flowery air, which did little to cover the stink of betrayal. Peng and Tan were neck deep in seditious moves, with plenty of evidence waiting to incriminate them. Meanwhile, Hong’s only treason was testing an herb interaction on the Tianzi’s brother and nephews two years ago. Nothing linked him to those deaths.

  Hong draped a thin robe over his frail body and approached the sliding doors. A scantily clad young woman opened them for him. He banished thoughts of his own treachery and walked across the wooden floors. The hall was empty. In an effort to protect the anonymity of her patrons, the proprietress always ensured that only one customer was in a passage at any given time.

  Another door opened ahead of him and he turned and entered a private bath room. Chief Minister Tan was already soaking up to his chest in an enormous wooden tub, two beautiful young women sitting naked on either side of him. The water level tantalizingly hinted at the cleft between their breasts.

  “Little Hong,” the Chief Minister said, “thank you for inviting me.”

  “It is always my pleasure, Elder Brother.” Hong addressed the Chief Minister as he always had in the many years they had known each other. He removed his own robe and settled into the hot water. One of the women waded across the tub, keeping her soft curves provocatively submerged, and sidled up next to him.

  Tan draped an arm over the girl beside him. “It has been years since we enjoyed a bath together with such lovely ladies. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

  “I want in.” Hong eschewed all secrecy—they could discuss classified affairs of state here, since the ladies of the bathhouse were sworn to confidentiality. What happened in the Floating World, stayed in the Floating World.

  Tan yawned. “What exactly do you want?”

  Hong leaned forward, out of the arms of the beauty, and kept all hint of accusation out of his voice. “I know Xie Shimin visited you in secret before his unlikely assassination attempt.”

  “Yes, he did,” Tan answered casually, without even a trace of worry or concern. “I suppose my maid told you? What of it?”

  So he knew about the maid. “Just that I know. And I support you in your work to punish Madura. I was a part of that trade mission thirty-two years ago, too, and bear the same responsibility for Ankira’s occupation. I want to help you.”

  “You already have.” Tan disentangled his arm from the girl and leaned forward, hands steepled to his chin. “Did you ever wonder why so many of the attacks on the Tai-Ming occurred after their meetings with you?”

  Hong paused, thinking back to each of the attacks.

  “It is because you always informed me whom you were meeting with,” Tan continued. “But given the circumstances, it certainly does not look good for you.”

  Blood rushed from Hong’s face. Minister Tan had been setting him up to take the blame in the event his plot failed! But why?

  Tan grinned. “Do not worry, my old friend. I withheld this piece of information from investigators. I merely wanted to let you know, to ensure your good behavior.”

  “Of course.” Relief washed over Hong. “I only share your vision of Hua’s prosperity.”

  “Good. Because the prerequisite for being a part of my plan is dedication to our great nation.” Tan shook his head. “I am sad I had to go to such great lengths, but the Tianzi will not change his ways in his old age, at least not without significant provocation.”

  Hong hid his scoff. Chief Minister Tan, as one of the Tianzi’s favorites, probably believed he would be awarded a fief and Yu-Ming status if new lands came under Hua rule. “If I may ask, why did you want to assassinate the Tarkothi prince? It does not seem to have any relevance to our goals of expanding the nation, and if anything, would make Hua look very bad in the eyes of our trading partners. And there are those, such as Lord Peng, who wanted to ally with Tarkoth.”

  Tan waved his hand dismissively. “He was simply a necessary casualty, an expendable target that would not needlessly kill one of our own lords. We needed to create the appearance that nobody was safe; that Madura, Rotuvi, and their allies were meddling in our affairs. That is why we have tried to implicate Madura time and time again.”

  “Which explains why you had the Golden Phoenix’s water barrels sabotaged.” Hong feigned sudden epiphany. “To keep Princess Kaiya from travelling to Vyara City. As soon as she talked to the Madurans, she would find out they had nothing to do with our own internal problems.”

  “Exactly!” Tan said, beaming. “I should have recruited you earlier, since you seem to have an eye for conspiracy.”

  More than Tan realized. Hong raised an eyebrow. “And all of the attacks on the lords? Your doing?”

  Tan shrugged. “All but the debacle in Lord Peng’s compound that night. None of my planned attacks, save the attempt on Lord Han, were meant to be fatal; just enough to scare the Tai-Ming into pushing for punitive action against Madura. I was worried when you began to propose troop movements, especially away from the borders, since that is where we will eventually launch our expansion.”

  Sweat beaded on Hong’s head. It was hot, and not just because of the steam. “How were you able to recruit the insurgents?”

  “Insurgents?” Tan’s brow furrowed. “I had nothing to do with them. I procured the services of patriots. There are enough former Hua soldiers who are tired of hiring themselves out to foreign armies, who share our vision of Hua’s greatness. All it took was the recruitment of one of the Tianzi’s agents, a real Moquan, I believe. He did the rest.”

  Moquan? Hong’s forehead scrunched. Tan really believed they existed.

  The girl massaging Tan’s neck paused momentarily and Tan smirked. “Do not worry, my sweet, you have nothing to fear from the Moquan. They only kidnap babies. And do the Tianzi’s dirty work.”

  The girl smiled nervously and returned to her kneading.

&n
bsp; Hong lifted his hand, letting the warm water slither off. “So there really is no foreign threat, is there?”

  Tan scowled for a split second. “There is no imminent foreign threat. However, our neighbors covet our wealth. Mark my words, it will only be a matter of time before the Teleri Empire and its satellites pressure us. We must expand our buffer territory, to protect the Hua heartland from their machinations.”

  “Certainly you have shared your concerns with the Tianzi? He is a reasonable man.”

  Tan sighed. “I have. But he has become too tentative with age. He will not budge in his mindset without significant pressure from the hereditary lords. His sons are too weak-willed to do anything. The realm will stagnate and fall to ruin under them.”

  “But if the princess negotiates a lasting peace with the Madurans—”

  “She will not.” Tan slapped his hand down on the water’s surface. “She has been ill for two days, and the Golden Phoenix would not sail even if she were well.”

  Ill! Hong’s chest tightened. His ultimate prize, sick.

  Tan continued, “I have many ways to keep the ship anchored. If we do not show for our meeting with the Madurans, they may take offense. Perhaps they will attack us first.”

  “When do you plan on pushing Expansionism? The Tianzi dismissed the notion at the last Tai-Ming Council.”

  Tan leveled his stare. “The next council meeting, in three months. By then, all of my pieces will have fallen in place, and I will remonstrate the Tianzi to come to a resolution.”

  Hong grinned. Tan had effectively incriminated himself, and it was time to deliver the coup-de-grace. “I would like to remonstrate the Tianzi.”

  “That is not your place as Household Minister.” Tan glowered at him.

  Hong’s grin curved into a toothy smirk. “But it would be, if I were Chief Minister.”