Or that was her plan until the most recent news Fricka had brought her. There would be an attack on the citadel and they would destroy it before moving on to Zapulia. Diti wept when she received this news but there was still the prophet Ilim to see about. He needed to flee the city before the king marched south.
“Fricka, I have one more message for you to send. I am imprisoned here and I see now that I shall die here but Ilim must escape and so must you.” She wrote a message for Ilim on a small piece of vellum, folded it many times and put her secret seal upon it and put it in Fricka's little pack that hung from her collar.
“You must go to the prophet Ilim, Fricka and give him this message. Then you must stay with him. You cannot come back.” She jingled the little ball on Fricka's collar then said a prayer for Fricka's journey and for Ilim. The cat mewled sadly at her mistress. Lady Diti finally pushed her away.
Fricka left by one of her secret passageways and made her way nimbly out of the palace. Ilim lived a long way from the palace and there would be many dangers along the way there. It was then that she caught the scent of something trailing her. It was getting closer. She was almost near the King's Lake when she realized what it was. The black cat, Vala. She had caught wind of Vala before on her own secret rounds but had always found ways to avoid her. Vala quickened her pace into a run, hissing at her. Fricka raised up her back, her fur fanning like a lion's mane and she hissed but she was trapped and unused to fighting. Vala lunged at her, revealing unnaturally long fangs. Fricka leaped to the side and batted her head away but not before Vala's fangs caught and punctured her left paw. Vala then came in for the attack and sunk her teeth into Fricka's back. Fricka yowled in pain and twisted around to get out of the corner. She lept and slapped Vala in the face with sharp little claws but this did nothing to deter the queen's cat. Fricka raced from the tunnel and out on to the grounds looking for a way out the palace gate with Vala fast on her heels. Vala lept upon her back again and grabbed hold of her collar with her fangs and they went tumbling across the steps and onto the grass below. It was not until a large vulture headed toward the Eternal Fires caught sight of them and thinking to grab a quick meal, swooped down and hopped toward the battling cats that the fight ended. The vulture lunged, flapping his wide wings at the two and Vala hissed and spat at the great bird, sprang away and ran back to the palace, disappearing into the secret tunnel beneath the underground lake while Fricka jumped into the lake itself. At this disappointing turn of events the bird lifted off and flew away. Fricka struggled onto a large lily pad, then swam, desperately looking for a way out of the water. A weak current carried her down past the palace and under the bridge until she was able to swim back to a low ledge. She struggled up the side, bedraggled and half drowned. She shook herself of water. The message ball around her collar was still intact. She had to find safety but did not think that Vala would follow her again. Thankfully. She was not used to such violence and it was unusual that she had to leave the palace. There were only two other times that she'd had to leave to send a message but mistress had conveyed that this was one of the most important messages of her life and it had to be sent. She fled for cover inside an empty stall and stayed there for a while, licking her wounds. It was only now that the fight was over that she began to feel the pain in her left paw. When the first moon was full she finally ventured from her hiding place. She waited in little hideouts along the way, in the shadows and under market stalls when she sensed danger might be on her tail. She climbed, with difficulty, over rooftops and limped over ledges, stopping periodically to mark the passage of the second moons which journeyed across the sky like floating paper lamps in a lake. As the night wore on she felt as if she had lost her way and sat forlorn, looking at the moon. Had she failed? Suddenly a strange, tiny red star appeared above. Her ears twitched as she heard in the great distance a city crier give the time of night. It was high night. The crier would cry no more until day break. Fricka's entire body felt alight, not in a painful way but on fire to move again. The star seemed to float along. Curious, she followed it through the city streets and finally the narrow streets started to look and smell familiar to her. She was finally nearing Ilim's house. She jumped upon the narrow window ledge. There sat an urn of water. She drank from it and then she looked up to gaze at the strange red star but it was gone. She scratched at the window for what seemingly felt like hours when finally someone got up. She heard the noises of shuffling around the window hanging and then footsteps coming to unlock the door. He had a lit oil lamp in his hand. Fricka jumped down from the window ledge and mewled at him plaintively, looking up.
“Who is it?” The man rasped warily, glancing around. He looked down. “Fricka. What brings you here at this hour?” He picked the cat up and brought her inside and set the lamp down. It cast dim shadows along the walls of the tiny house.
“You are injured, Fricka!” He wrapped her in a small blanket. She began licking her wounded paw in earnest. “Let us see what the queen has to tell me.” He took the message ball from her collar and opened it with some difficulty. The tiny paper in it was still dry. He unfolded it many times until he could lay it flat on the table. He read it and seemed to sit in thought for a long while.
“So the time as come. Once again. I knew it would but it seems Fricka that you must come with me. The queen commands it in order to save my life and yours. You are now my messenger cat, Fricka. I fear neither of us will look upon the queen again, may God protect her.”
He rubbed Fricka's back to comfort her, then he began packing his things. He did not know when he would come back to this city, or even if he would ever be back. In truth, he could not take Fricka with him. She would not be able to survive the open desert. He packed everything he would ever need, which was not much and he put the cat in a small pack on his back and set off for the High Quarter. The city was marshaling and soon he would not be able to come or go. Tensions were high and rage everywhere. Every day there was some new devilry and more riots as the people of Hec demanded retribution for the destruction of their temple and for their neighborhood. The king was furious with him and his denunciations and would soon order his death; the Lady, as he called her, urged for it. He had to find a way to warn the faithful that a time of trial and tribulation would begin if any chose to stay in the city. When he preached he new not when that would be the last day of his life but he was strengthened by God each night at Night Prayers at which he chose to pray at home. It was as if a fire ran through him and he was enlivened and enraged at the injustices he witnessed and the corruption at the temple and the city and his courage was resurrected anew each day to plague them. With his oil lamp he set off in the darkness and made his way to Priti-Vast House, Demostus's home, Demos's father, a wealthy textile merchant who married into a minor noble family. He was a good man who did many good works. He, like many wealthy Aishanna-La remained loyal to the priesthood, being that they were not seen as dirt by the priests and so felt no need to seek comfort outside of Jhis. But Demostus was friendly to Ilim, in secret. It was here that Ilim knew there would be little danger for Fricka. Messenger animals were valuable, used by a very few wealthy people or those of high governmental rank. Perhaps the Mistress of the house would like to have such an animal in her household. He would not stay, for he did not want to arouse trouble or suspicion for the family. It was then that he wondered about Demos. He'd heard that Demos had not been seen since the arena fights. Also, Teman had gone missing. Ilim had been careful to keep his ears low to the streets for any news. Teman and Demos's disappearances had given cause among the Ainash to terrorize the city. The Golden Temple sent out their Hatchet Men to question many and a few had been killed. But it wasn't until a reward was set for information on their whereabouts that any information showed up.
It showed up in the form of the woman Seena. It was known by some that a priest would go visiting her some nights and the fire happened in that district. It was suspected that he was dead. Seena confirmed it as she explained what happ
ened that night, seeking the reward money. At first they did not believe her and threatened to have her killed but she produced one of his striped robes and a jewel, a ring that he often wore and had given her. Then they accused her of stealing these from him and being a part of the murder, especially when she told them that it was Rhajit the Ram, their champion who did it, but the high priest cautioned them.
“My brothers, she may speak truth. Why should she lie about such a thing? Why steal a man's robe? She has one of his rings. How would such a woman get it unless he gave it to her? It is well known among some that he had a mistress. We will know if she lies or not by finding our so-called champion. Besides, the people of Hec are in a fury against us all, priesthood and common believer alike. If we harm this woman, who wears the eye of Hec painted upon her head there will be blood for it.” It was also noted the Rhajit had disappeared. The Hatchet Men were dispatched to find him but he could not be found anywhere in the city. No one knew where he had gone. Not even the guards at the Victor's House.
. . .
As to the letter, she had written:
Good Master Ilim, I am writing to you for the last time. The king, persuaded by the foul Bakku who is apart of the queen's faction, is calling for war. He has found evidence of a future alliance of Zapulia and Jura and plans to run the raiders off his southern borders and to make war upon Zapulia. He also plans through the urging of the priesthood to purge the city of so-called traitors to the kingdom. This is to mean those that do not follow the demands of the priesthood among the faithful. Those who have left the city to celebrate the Festival of Firsts instead of at the temple will come under scrutiny. Letters, decrees, orders have been written, sealed official letters of the king. There will be a purging soon. The king and his forces in a few days will go south toward the coast. He will also move eastward to destroy the citadel and all those in it before heading to retake Zapulia. His plan has been brewing to retake Zapulia for some time and to deal with the raiders in the south but this planned attack on the citadel is a new thing. Your prophesying has marked you as a traitor and the king is in a furious rage against you and all those perceived to be in league with the citadel. You know what this means. The king's wrath means death.
Your friend,
Lady Diti.
Ilim left the city before dawn, just as the king was getting ready to send the order to have him arrested. He found through his preaching those willing to listen and help him when in need. So, he found a way out of the city and he was back into the high desert with Fricka safely residing in her new home. Under cover of night with the help of a merchant family and guards at the West Gate, Ilim once again went into hiding.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Demos rummaged around at Eliaz's writing desk, through tablets, scrolls and papers expertly organized. He had no idea what the book looked like. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm himself. Then he looked through Eliaz's study room, again, for the Book of Nagilla. All this time he had thought it was a fable. There was a wooden box under the desk that for some reason he had ignored. He got down on the ground and pulled it out. It did not seem to have a lid or an opening. He frowned. There was a small indentation of a thumb print in the wood. He pushed it and he heard the box click and the lid slid open. In it was a book bound in dark red leather. He lifted it out and ran his hand over the cover. It's grain was rich. He opened the book carefully. The first vellum leaf page said: The Book of Nagilla. Ah. He thought. He looked in the box again and there was a small wooden box in it. He set the book aside and took the box out and opened it. In it was a family seal carved in lapis lazuli and ivory, a silver ring set with a black pearl and a white pearl and there was a fired clay tablet, the deed of a house. The seal symbol was of a kata flower wound around a pole and the initials of the owner and the seal was stamped on the tablet as well. On the tablet he saw names: Ific na Kuyin, Anetaliat na Seht. House of Kuyin. It was a noble family name from what it looked like. He closed the small box and put the book and the small box in a sack. He was afraid to go home and stay there. What if they suspected him and Eliaz of stealing the letter? Eliaz was dead and had no worries but Demos was afraid to go back and he no longer wanted to work under the corrupt scribes and priests at the temple. He had some money. He decided he would set off south to Rhuctium. Rhuctium was renowned for its schools. Surely he could find good work there as a scribe at a school or in a noble household or even for a merchant! He could not stay here too long. A dead man's house would eventually pass to the family or in case of Eliaz, it would become the property of the temple. He would stay here for the night, hide the book and the box in his family's garden early in the morning and set off. He would be free of Jhis. He was very proud of his plan. Finally, Demos felt as if he were setting off to find his own way in the world, even if the circumstances were not ideal.
It certainly was not ideal. It had been weeks since the fire. Demos, unaccustomed to anything but the creature comforts of city life had found a rude awakening after he'd left Jhis. He wondered why he'd left. Perhaps he could have found room with Zephyros. He was afraid to go home but it made no sense staying out here. He was sun-burnt, cold at night, hungry, thirsty and dirty. He hated dirt! It was nearly sunrise and he had hidden out in a cave somewhere between the small village he had left yesterday and Rhuctium. In fact, he was only a few days away from the city, according to his crudely drawn map and he could certainly find work there. All he needed was patience and time to think. Yes. He was an educated man and Rhuctium was a great city of learning. It was decided then. Rhuctium. Perhaps he would rise and become a man of his own. He did not want to go back to the Golden Temple. He had long lost respect for the priesthood but there was no question of not working there if he went back home. His family would demand it and he had no wish to cross his father. Rhuctium, then. Yes. He hated that he vacillated so much. He was used to others giving him instructions. Demos got up and climbed on his ass, stolen from his father's stable and continued on his way further south. He'd only traveled an hour when he heard someone hail him. He turned to look for the sound of the voice. There were men on horseback, wild men by the look of them, approaching. One was dressed in a rough looking fur-lined cloak. He became immediately wary and spurred his donkey forward.
“Wait! I must ask you a question!” Called the one in the cloak. They hurried to catch up with him.
“What is it?” He asked suspiciously, feeling nervous as they approached. He guessed that they must be a westerly tribe from the horses, for they were certainly not warriors of the king. The man who spoke got down from his horse and lead it behind him, approaching Demos. Demos felt a little less nervous.
“Ahaifa! We are trying to get to Rhuctium and we are not sure of where we are. Would you happen to know which direction it is?” The man asked. He had long, shaggy black hair with bold strips of gray running through it and a long, thick beard with copper ringlets tied within with hard, black eyes. Demos could not quite place his accent.
“I believe it is further south, my friend.” The man bowed and clasped his hands together. He did not seem so bad after all. Demos spoke up again.
“I am going that way. You may follow me.”
“Thank you, my son! Come, men. This man knows the way to the city.” The man grinned at him, calling to his companions.
“Are you traders? Why do you not go to Jhis?”
“Jhis is too fiery these days. You look as if you come from there. Do you not know?” Asked the man, climbing back upon his horse.
“Know what?” Asked Demos. He felt himself break out in a sweat, even against the cool air. The men looked at each other, then at him, like hungry wolves.
“There is an edict, a new one from the king from what we have heard. There are many people leaving there that went to Gamina instead of the Golden Temple.” The first man said. “Then there was the burning of the sun god's temple. Riots. Of course you know, I am sure. The edict is this: any man or woman leaving Jhis for Gamina for a festival or
holy day is suspected of harboring treasonous rebels or being rebels themselves. Such ones will be questioned and everyone coming back to the city now will be suspect.” Demos's heart hammered in his chest. He looked from one man to the other. Their expressions suddenly went hard and menacing.
“I see. That is really too. . .too bad. Well, I am going to Rhuctium.” He said weakly.
“No, my son. You are not going there.” The man in the furs said and suddenly Demos was very afraid. One of them brandished a long knife. Demos spurred his donkey on and tried to outrun them. He did not get far when the poor beast was shot down with arrows from under him. The donkey wailed, rolled over, breaking a leg and nearly crushed him. He heard one of the men cursing even as Demos cried out in agony.
“You fool! He will be of no use to us damaged!”
“He looks like a scribe or someone with some education. He will not be put in the pits. We can still get a good price for him.” Said another.
“With a broken leg he could die on us before we get there!”
“He is wearing very fine, warm robes. He won't need them where he is going. We can sell or trade those too.” He felt rough hands pick him up and tie him in strong cloth bands. Someone stuffed a rag in his mouth and they rolled him up in thick cloths to hide him so that he looked like a rolled carpet. He could smell a faint, acrid scent – and he began to drift off into blackness.
The king was at the front gates of the palace and was too busy to pay much attention to her - and she would have it that way. Things were moving exactly in the right direction. Which left her only one more problem to deal with. She called for her guard.
“I would speak with the Most Honored Lady Diti. Bring her here.” She stepped out of the hot pool, dripping wet, her hair heavy with water, creating a fat trail of bathwater along the polished stone-tiled floor. A maidservant covered her with a large silken, diaphanous wrap and she lounged upon a divan to receive one of her many daily massages. The air, heavy with steam, was perfumed with olive and kata flower oils. And the slight scent of myrrh. Vala sat on her tiny divan, licking her paws. She stopped and stretched lazily as her mistress rubbed her back. Her collar of sapphires and silver glistened with droplets of steam.
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