Reign of Beasts

by Tansy Rayner Roberts

  ‘The bakery’s not here,’ said Velody, sounding almost relieved. ‘It’s different. It’s all different.’

  ‘What’s the point?’ Delphine demanded. ‘Who gives a flying frig about the city coming back if there are no people?’

  ‘A new beginning,’ said Macready, staring out across the locks and the canals that were pumping with fresh water. A new city, barely getting started. A man could make something of himself in a place like this.

  He closed his eyes and inhaled the scent of roses.

  Rhian breathed, and the city breathed with her. This was her body now. The canals were her veins, and every building an organ. Part of the whole. She could see out of her walls and doors and windows, but it wasn’t really seeing, nor feeling. She simply was.

  Her strength had followed her here. Her walls were tough and long lasting. She dug deep and stretched tall.

  She was beautiful.

  She watched — or listened — or felt — as Macready and Velody and Delphine discussed her like she was dead and gone, like they would never hear her voice again. Like she was something that had been lost.

  Roses grew everywhere, and she inhaled their scent. It would do. It was enough.

  Eventually, they left her, heading back towards the train station that had no name. She was going to have to do something about that. A city needed a name, and there was something of ill-luck about clinging to ‘Tierce’ or indeed to ‘Rhian’.

  Macready looked back more than once as he left, and she knew that he would return. Perhaps they could choose a new name together.

  On the seventh and final nox of Saturnalia, the winter solstice, only a handful of days before the turn of the year, Ashiol and Velody met on a rooftop. It was a hard habit to break.

  ‘You expected her to come back, didn’t you?’ he said, talking about Rhian.

  She nodded reluctantly. ‘Stupid. But we’ve lost too much, and I wanted …’ She shrugged. ‘I wanted her to come home.’

  ‘Understandable,’ he said.

  They were silent for a while.

  ‘My mother’s coming to visit Isangell,’ he told her. ‘When she returns, I’m going with her. Back to Diamagne.’

  Velody had expected it, or something like it, but it still hurt. ‘I didn’t think Diamagne was home for you. Are you sure this isn’t you running away again?’

  She would not beg him to stay. She would not.

  He gave a little hand gesture, somewhere between ‘frigged if I know’ and ‘of course not’. ‘Maybe it is,’ he said. ‘But I’ve been hiding from my family a long time. I owe them something. If I’m going to start again, it has to be there. Aufleur doesn’t make sense to me without the Creature Court in it.’

  There was another long silence, which Velody refused to fill.

  Ashiol said, finally, ‘You could come with me.’

  There it was, the offer, and it was a huge relief for Velody to realise how much she did not want it.

  ‘Aufleur without the Creature Court makes all kinds of sense to me,’ she said. ‘I have a life here, one that’s not hard to rebuild, and I want that life. This is my home.’

  Ashiol didn’t look particularly upset. Part of Velody wanted to crawl into his lap and demand to be kissed, and part of her wanted to push him off the roof.

  ‘You’ll go back to making dresses,’ he said, and was obviously trying hard not to make it sound like he thought it was a stupid idea.

  Velody felt inappropriate laughter bubble up inside her, and pushed it down. Ashiol had never really understood her.

  ‘Beautiful dresses,’ she said. ‘Spectacular dresses. Dresses that make the world a better place. It is possible, you know. To be spectacular without animor running through your veins.’

  ‘I hope that’s true,’ he said, and smiled, and her stomach squeezed hard, damn it, as it always did when he remembered to be charming. She was never going to be entirely immune to Ashiol Xandelian.

  It could have ended there, with them going their separate ways, not too many regrets, but then he reached a hand out to hers. Velody found herself bracing for the inevitable spark of his animor against hers, no longer there. His hand was warm and, oh yes, she grew warmer at his touch, but there was something missing. Perhaps, if they stayed together, the absence of animor would always be there, a visible scar that meant neither of them could move on with anything.

  ‘We could go somewhere else,’ he said, his fingers grazing along the back of her hand. ‘Find a city where we make sense.’

  They could, oh, they could.

  Velody smiled and drew her hand away. ‘Ashiol,’ she said, meaning every word she was about to say, ‘I don’t think there’s a city in the world where we make sense.’

  He accepted that, and they sat in comfortable silence, gazing out over the city of Aufleur, damaged but still beautiful under a nox sky that had nothing but stars in it.

  GLOSSARY

  Alexandrine Basilica — once the largest church in the known world, constructed by the fourth Duc d’Aufleur, mad old Ilexandros. His successor, Duc Giulio Gauget, declared the Basilica to be an unholy abomination and stripped its rich furnishings to ornament his own Palazzo. The hollowed-out and falling-down Basilica is now used as a marketplace, and a merchant’s lot here is worth a small fortune.

  Ammoria — a principality once consisting of three duchies: Silano (capital city: Bazeppe), Lattorio (capital city: Aufleur) and Reyenna (capital city: Tierce). When the city of Tierce vanished, Reyenna became one of the baronies of Lattorio.

  Animor — the energy/power contained within the bodies of all full members of the Creature Court. Seers and sentinels do not hold animor, though they are touched/contaminated by it, which gives them a status between the nox and daylight worlds.

  Ansouisette — a fashionable cocktail of aniseed and lemon liqueur.

  Arches, the — ruined city that exists below Aufleur, where the city’s inhabitants once lived after being forced underground during the old skywar. Now inhabited by the Creature Court. Also known as ‘the undercity’.

  Artorio Xandelian — former Ducomte d’Aufleur, son of Ynescho and Givette. Artorio refused to marry for much of his life, but at age thirty-three was prevailed upon by his father to marry nineteen-year-old Eglantine in order to produce an heir. A year later Isangell was born. Artorio died of the Silent Sleep when his daughter was thirteen.

  Ashiol Xandelian — Ducomte d’Aufleur; son of Augusta and Bruges, stepson of Diamagne. Cousin to Isangell, Duchessa d’Aufleur. Member of the Creature Court; rank: King; creature: black cat.

  Atulia — region to the north of Ammoria.

  Aufrey — one of the twelve Great Families of Aufleur.

  Aufleur — capital city of the duchy of Lattorio in the principality of Ammoria. Ruled by Isangell, the daylight Duchessa.

  Augusta Xandelian — second child of Duc Ynescho Xandelian and Duchessa Givette Camellie. Married Bruges Lanouvre and had one son, Ashiol. A year after Bruges’s death, Augusta married the Baronne di Diamagne and retired to his estate. She bore Diamagne four sons: Bryn, Keil, Jemmen and Zade, and then a daughter, Phage (Pip). Now widowed.

  Avleurine — one of the hill districts of Aufleur; location of the Temple of the Market Saints.

  Bridescake — ornate wedding cake traditionally covered in spring flowers.

  Bruges Lanouvre — late husband of Augusta Xandelian; father of Ashiol (died when Ashiol was seven years old).

  Burnplague — a spreading sky pattern of blisters that spit motes of light and acid.

  Camellie — one of the twelve Great Families of Aufleur.

  Camoise — country to the far east of Ammoria. One of many cultures that trades extensively with Aufleur. Providers of the exotic and expensive ‘real tea’, the best of which is Camoisean leaf.

  Carmentines — bright scarlet flowers with long stems.

  Cathedral of Ires — place of worship dedicated to the Crone Ires, who is venerated by the Irean Priestesses. Place where wills
are lodged for safekeeping. The priestesses guard the wills and provide public readings after the client’s death.

  Celeste — former Lord of the Creature Court who left with Lysandor during the tyrannical reign of Garnet as Power and Majesty.

  Centi opera stands — portable stalls featuring puppet shows. Sometimes a young female performer, an ingénue, performs among the puppets.

  Centrini — affluent mercantile district in the centre of Aufleur.

  Cheapside — part of the market district of Tierce, where Velody’s family own a bakery.

  Chimaera — a monstrous dark shadowy shape with claws, teeth and scales; an amalgam of every devil and forbidden creature imaginable. Only Creature Kings are able to take chimaera form; used in battle.

  Church Bridge — traditional starting point for festival parades; finishing point is the Forum. One of two city bridges across the River Verticordia, the other being the Marius Bridge.

  Ciocolate — a very expensive delicacy brought over from Nova Stella. Served as a fondant or as a hot, spicy drink called ciocolata.

  City Fathers — the members of the city council, who meet in the Curia: this group is made up of the Duc’s Ministers, a Proctor for each of the city districts, and the three senior priests who between them form the ruling body of the city, under the hand of the Duc or Duchessa. The three senior priests are the Matrona Irea of the Irean Priestesses (the only woman allowed to be a city father), Brother Typhisus of the Silver Brethren, and the Master of Saints.

  Coinage — the coins of Aufleur are divided into gold ducs, silver ducs, copper shilleins and copper centi.

  Courtesi (courteso: male; courtesa: female) — the lowest rank of the Creature Court; must ally themselves with a particular Lord for protection. Too vulnerable to exist alone.

  Crane — youngest of the surviving sentinels. Weapons: blue-hilted daggers and swords.

  Creature Court — the courtesi, Lords and Kings who hold animor within their bodies, belong to the nox and have the ability to fight the sky. Ruled by the Power and Majesty, the highest ranked of their Kings. Peripheral members of the Court include the sentinels and the Seer, but they often consider themselves separate from the Court.

  Crossroads — any part of the city where two streets meet is considered sacred to the protective spirits or household gods of Aufleur. Casual sacrifices (eg chickens or honey cakes) are often made here for greater effect.

  Curia — slope-roofed building in the Forum that houses meetings of the city council.

  Cyniver — brother of Rhian and lover of Velody; lost when Tierce was swallowed by the sky.

  Damascine Virgins — an order of priestesses in service to Damascus the war-angel. They sacrifice to him on the 11th day of Martial.

  Dame — appropriate form of address for a respectable matron, diminutive of ‘madame’

  Delphine — friend to Velody and Rhian; ribboner and garland-maker.

  Demoiselle — unmarried girl; ‘demme’ for short.

  Duc/Duchessa d’Aufleur — ruler of the city of Aufleur.

  Dhynar — member of the Creature Court; rank: Lord; creature: ferax.

  Diamagne — farming and wine region south of Aufleur; part of Lattorio. Also the name of the Baronne di Diamagne (now deceased), who married Ducomtessa Augusta Xandelian (Ashiol’s mother) a year after the death of her first husband, Bruges.

  Donagan — reputed to be the finest tailor in Aufleur, a master craftsman.

  Dottores — medical practitioners, mostly male. The only women allowed to practise in Aufleur as dottores are those registered as midwives, although many of them dispense other forms of medical advice on the side.

  Edore — region to the north of Ammoria and Atulia.

  Floralia — six-day festival commemorating the glory of spring and the fertility of the coming summer that begins in Aphrodal and ends in Floralis. Honours maidens, sweethearts, brides, household gods, passion and abundance, each on a different day. The first day (maidens) is celebrated with a public parade by the Spring Queen (the highest-ranking female in the city) and her Spring Consort, both dressed in pink and white.

  Flame-and-gin — common bar drink.

  Florister — artisan who works with plants and flowers; often works in conjunction with a ribboner or garland-maker to make festival garlands.

  Fornacalia — festival on the 6 to 17 of Lupercal in honour of the harvest saints, so that the baking of the corn is successful. Citizens wear ceremonial baking aprons for the rituals. Overlaps with the Parentalia, Quirinalia and Lupercalia.

  Forum — the public centre of Aufleur, a large area lined with temples and public buildings such as the Alexandrine Basilica and the Curia. The city market is held here every nine days, events such as the apprentice fairs are held here, and this is the traditional climax of most public parades and pageants. The Duchessa’s Avenue connects the Forum to the Lake of Follies. Other cities, such as Tierce, also have a Forum, though the Forum of Aufleur is unusually large.

  Gardens of Trajus Alysaundre — large gardens covering one side of the Lucretine Hill in the centre of Aufleur; built over the top of the decadent public baths established in honour of the third Duc d’Aufleur, Trajus Alysaundre. The gardens face on to the Lake of Follies and the Forum.

  Garnet — member of the Creature Court; rank: Power and Majesty; creature: gattopardo (mountain cat). He is the son of the cook and the groundskeeper on the Diamagne estate, and was Ashiol’s boyhood friend.

  Giacosa — bustling merchant district at the southern end of Aufleur.

  Giulio Gauget — fifth Duc d’Aufleur. Known for excessive modesty and piety in contrast to his predecessor, mad old Ilexandros Alysaundre.

  Givette Camellie — the old Duchessa, wife of Duc Ynescho, mother of Artorio and Augusta, grandmother of Isangell and Ashiol. Became Regenta when her late husband was mentally incapacitated; pre-deceased him after a long illness.

  Gleamspray — a rare and lethal element of the skybattles which is known for killing daylight folk; victims appear to succumb to the ‘silent Sleep’.

  Great Families — the twelve Great Families of Aufleur: Xandelian (ducal), Leorgette, Lanouvre, Gauget, Paucini, Aufrey, Alysaundre, Vittorio, Giuliano, Camellie, Delgardie, Octaviano.

  Halberk — member of the Creature Court; courteso to Poet; creature: bear.

  Haymarket — located in the Arches. Formerly a packing and storage facility; now a large space where the Power and Majesty resides. A canal runs water from the River Verticordia right through the Haymarket and down through the Arches, emerging at the Lock in the side of the Lucretine Hill, which is the main entrance to the Arches.

  Heliora — member of the Creature Court; rank: Seer. Joined Court as a sentinel; became Seer during Ortheus’s reign as Power and Majesty.

  Ilexandros Alysaundre — fourth Duc d’Aufleur; also known as ‘mad old Ilexandros’. Built the Alexandrine Basilica, largest church in the known world, in the Forum of Aufleur.

  Irean Priestesses — powerful priestesses who venerate Ires the Crone, otherwise known as Saint Grandmere. The priestesses wear white and are said to have communion with the dead. Wills are lodged with them for safekeeping. Their chief priestess is the Matrona Irea, one of the three priests included in the City Fathers.

  Ires — the Crone, or Saint Grandmere, worshipped in the Cathedral of Ires and venerated by the Irean Priestesses.

  Isangell — Duchessa d’Aufleur (full name/title: Duchessa Isangell Xandelian d’Aufleur, First Lady of the Silver Seal); daughter of Artorio Xandelian and Eglantine; granddaughter of previous Duc d’Aufleur, Ynescho Xandelian, and his Regenta, the Duchessa Givette.

  Isharo — an island country to the Far East, a trading partner with Aufleur, particularly for flowers and fabrics.

  Janvier — member of the Creature Court; courteso to Livilla; creature: raven.

  Kelpie — sentinel. Refers to her swords as her ‘sisters’ and her daggers as her ‘nieces’: hilts are wrapped in dark leather.


  Lanouvre — one of the Twelve Great Families of Aufleur.

  Lemuria — festival during Floralis to placate the shades of dead ancestors and lost loves.

  Lennoc — member of the Creature Court; courteso to Dhynar (formerly courteso to Lief); creature: white brighthound.

  Leorgette — one of the twelve Great Families of Aufleur.

  Librarion — Aufleur’s city library.

  Lictors — honour guard that protects ranks of Duc, Duchessa, Ducomte or Ducomtessa, as well as select City Fathers, priests of high status and the Chief Minister. Lictors travel in multiples of three, carry ceremonial rods of state, are armed with axes and wear black and scarlet.

  Lief — deceased member of the Creature Court; rank: Lord; creature: greathound.

  Livilla — member of the Creature Court; rank: Lord; creature: wolf.

  Lucian — one of the districts of Aufleur, known as the theatre district.

  Ludi Aufleuris — fifteen-day series of games held during the first month of autumn, Ludi. Women traditionally wear scarlet shawls when attending these games and wave the corners of the shawls to favoured gladiators and performers.

  Ludi Megalensia — Games of the Great Mother, held in month of Aphrodal. Unlike other Ludii, there are no fights, animals or mock battles; instead, the games feature theatrical performances.

  Ludi Sacris — Sacred Games, held in month of Cerialis. On the chief day of sacrifice (day four), everyone in the city makes a sacrifice to their chosen saints or gods.

  Ludi Victoriae — Victory Games, held in month of Cerialis, in which favourite historical battles are enacted in the Circus Verdigris by gladiators and actors.

  Lupercalia — one-day festival in Lupercal during which men carouse in the streets wearing goatskins, goat masks and fake phalluses. Not unheard of for their real phalluses to hang out, in the name of veracity.

  Lysandor — member of the Creature Court; rank: Lord. Fled with Celeste during Garnet’s tyrannical reign as Power and Majesty.