This man who had been so abused and wronged who might have run away was here and a potential ally in Rhajit's desire for revenge. An odd but fortuitous turn of events that had turned and then turned again. Still in his favor. He thought fleetingly of Rapheth. Rapheth is strong. He can take care of himself. he thought. He felt a twinge of guilt. It seemed as if he was abandoning his duty. But I have business in Jhis.
He was resolute. Finally, he now had a reason, a purpose for living again.
Chapter Nineteen
She looked over the plans for the new palace for Rhe again. It would be even grander than the royal palace of Jhis. It would face the distant tip of the tall mountain spires of Egium to the west and the mountains of Galieh to the north. In the furthermost north wing would be built a shrine to her, which was facing the direction of the Holy Mountain. A new school, a college of art and sculpture would be built across from the new palace near Taliat lake. Why should Rhuctium only be known as a place of learning in Hybron? she thought. Where mostly males were allowed to attend school.
"I am satisfied. For now." She said and folded the blueprints and pushed them away. The court drafter took them up and put them away for her. She sighed and took up her jeweled fan of white peacock feathers and fanned herself.
"And now Bakku, for I rely on you heavily. What about the arrangements for the banquet in honor of the new shrine? What has been prepared so far?"
"First, the new image of the great Nimnet in jadeite stone has arrived and was set into her place at the head of the royal banquet hall, in the pedestal."
"And the kata flowers?"
"Yes. One thousand kata flowers made into wreaths have been made for her. As for the food:100 calves, 100 sheep, 200 rams, 100 gazelles, 5000 small birds, 1000 sea turtles, 1000 fish, 500 ducks, 500 cranes, 1000 eels, 5000 big jars of barley beer, 5000 jars of Zapulian wine and Gaminite wine, sealed, 10,000 eggs assorted, 5000 jars of rich blood, 5000 jars of scorpion wine, 1000 jars of snake wine, 500 wooden crates of vegetables, 10,000 beetles for the honey, 1000 jars of sheep's milk, 100 crates of cashews, 100 crates of exotic fruits from the South Lands and from Zapulia."
"And the perfumed oils?"
"Yes there is more than enough for the guests to wash and anoint themselves. Frankincense and myrrh."
"Would that I could get Balsam oil."
" One day, one day."
"What dishes?"
"Pickled vegetables, spiced fruit and sauces, honeyed fruits as well and 100 barrels of yogurt. The people in Galieh seem to love the awful stuff so dishes for that will be made."
"That is well. What of the drinking vessels? I want all of the new moon-shaped rhytons I ordered from the goldsmiths finished before the feast day or I will have them all impaled."
"As you say. Your Greatness." Bakku bowed.
"It is hard work, satisfying the needs of a goddess," she said wistfully.
"I know." Bakku said fawningly. She preened.
"Of course you would." The queen took up her goblet and sipped her regular potion. Her skin was slightly iridescent, especially in the moonlight. It pleased her greatly.
"Who has arrived?"
"All of the officials in Hybron of the jurisdictional districts and cities, the royal court of Zapulia, and the Egian officials. Except, ahem, the Lord-Chieftain." She gave him a dangerous look and her eyes lit up briefly with cold white light. She settled herself and drank down the rest of the elixir.
"Did he send my cousins?"
"No, Your Greatness. I am afraid his sons did not come either. He fears you, Your Greatness." So one opportunity to bring Teraht to heel quickly was gone. She would have seized the youths and forced them to stay in Hybron. But she did not truly expect Teraht to send them anyway. Perhaps the executions in Egi were not enough to control him. But she now had to focus on her ascension. Her entire reign hinged on that.
"He has disrespected me for the last time. The next time we meet I will kill him and his sons." She returned her attention to the banquet preparations and handed her fan to Setimet. "What of the poisons?"
"The king of Zapulia will be seated here," he pointed to the seating arrangements on paper, "where the poisoned goblet will be set."
"Hmm. Acerbinum, the slow dance, will take care of him. I am tired of his marriage proposals and I need to bring his daughter under my control. She will be key in my future conquest of Zapulia." The king's most recent proposal was really a threat if she did not marry him. Temuz was getting ready to make war again with Hybron and she would slap him down the way Khalit did but unlike her fool husband, she would finish the job. She finished her drink and chased it down with a glass goblet of iced water, then threw the goblet against a wall.
"Zapulia will be shattered and broken, like that glass. Then I shall turn my attention to Jura." She said. And when she did, she would be a goddess, fearsome and terrible to behold, towering above her armies when she sallied forth in battle. She looked toward the sky under the canopy of the hanging gardens on her balcony.
"I look forward to the season of Gasperat, when the moons are high in summer the bright half of the year. A great feast I shall give to them such as like no other."
"Blood shall run in the streets like rivers!" Said Setimet. The queen and Bakku laughed.
"Indeed." She said.
The banquet, five days later was grand, with many dignitaries there even from as far away as Asserak, a small kingdom in the South Lands. There was the playing of the lyre, the oud, the tambourines and the duduk, male singers and female singers, fire dancers and acrobatic dancers, snake charmers and poetry all under the eyes of Nimnet in jade with her serene eyes of pearl. Taliat laughed inwardly for her true form was in the grand temple. When the time came for the dead sun to pass across the sky again this summer she would reign with the queens of heaven over all, forever.
. . .
There were 10,000 guests at the banquet and they were feasting in the royal banquet hall of the sun god, originally dedicated to him, though a huge jade idol of Nimnet resided at the head of the room on an ivory pedestal. King Temuz, whose queen had died long ago, one of the most important personages there among the dignitaries had again mentioned the possibility of marriage and she again smile serenely and prevaricated, actually holding out the possibility as if she just might. He seemed satisfied as if he were a predator hunting down and finally cornering his prey. Little did he know that he would not live out the rest of the season. Bakku smiled but felt purpled with rage at the king's dogged wooing of her.
The royals, the princely families, governors and other officials, the most important men of the priesthood and the noble families had joined the banquet and gave gift offerings to Nimnet before sitting down to feast. Taliat lay back upon her chair and surveyed all in attendance. She turned to Bakku.
"Bakku, are all your brethren as faithful to me as you are?"
"The Golden Temple has always supported the interests of the throne."
"And what about my interests?"
"Your interests are the throne's interests." She smiled, her amber eyes were like smoldering coals.
"May Your Greatness's light shine upon us and upon the court like the light of Nimnet!" Cried one of the foreign princes.
"May she always be blessed and praised! Praise to Nimnet and Elyshe and Taliat, the queens of the heavens!" Everyone took up the boast. But the queen was not fully placated by this.
"Bakku, the day of the queens of heaven fast approaches. I want everyone to participate in their grand feast." She said coolly, fingering a date on her plate.
"You must make it an edict, my great queen so that all in the land shall observe it and all those who do not must be put to death." She studied him and then her courtiers and grandees at the tables around her.
"I shall." She rose up and raised her golden rhyton. Everyone was silent.
"In Egi, the great land of my people, we have a special day in high summer, a great sacrifice to the goddess moons for their protection of our land. it
is named Gasperat. To Elyshe the goddess of the night and slumber and creeping things and portents and darkness that covers the world and to Nimnet the goddess of war and blood and vengeance and destruction. They are the protectors of our land, ones of the mighty gods of old. To satisfy them we bring forth the first fruits of the womb to them and to those who would die, we give their blood to them. On this day there shall be celebration and in the arena all this season there will be great games. They have blessed my realm and all the land. I have commanded, and it is written, the sacred day of Gasperat shall be inaugurated in the land. All those living here in Jhis, the royal city shall be present on the sacred day." She turned to the Ainash priests sitting with their wives.
"The Golden Temple has always been a strong friend of the throne of Hybron. Might is what we need, always, and also support from those who commune with the gods. I ask that the priesthood do me the honor, to me and to the gods, to Elyshe, to Nimnet, to Hec, to Hetar and Heros. To Nisrok. And to Isetu."
Everyone was approving of this, even the priests. Lord Igun Tybbl-Awat raised his rhyton to the queen. He was so old and decrepit that he could barely stand. He turned and whispered something into his son's ear. Silam then stood up and he bowed low with great flourish. His rich robes swept through the air like eagle's wings. He then raised his own rhyton and drank to the queen's health and in acknowledgment to her toast.
"I speak for all of the Golden Temple when I say with every good thing and every good gift does come from you and the gods. We do bow before you and the queens of heaven. Let no man say that the gods should not be worshiped and given the honor, for with you they reside and this city is their city and all those who oppose them must die. Oh great queen of Hybron and Egi, may you always be blessed by the gods!" He said and then he bowed low again. The queen whispered to Bakku when the feasting resumed. Bakku stood up and smoothed his long, stringy beard out over his silken and brocade robes.
"The queen has captured the scourge of Hybron, Ilim the prophet! I present him to you now!" He announced. Ilim was dragged in, bound, and it was clear that he had been beaten. He was in fetters, tied to ropes and a man dressed as a desert ass dragged him across the tiled floor to the laughter and amusement of the guests. Some even threw food at him.
"This is Ilim, the great prophet of Hybron!" She mocked him.
"Speak to us you prophet of the desert!" Mocked an official.
"Yes, prophesy! Can he not prophesy?" Shouted a noblewoman.
"His god has left him." Said Bakku, who spat on him. He bent down near him and jerked Ilim's head around to face him.
"Where is God now? Where? You are not so proud anymore, are you? Not so mighty and holy now! I will make you regret your insolence and disrespect toward me. You will sorely regret your airs, apostate!" He spat in his face again. Ilim closed his eyes and remained silent. Bakku rose. The laughter and ridicule was deafening.
"In Zapulia false prophets are put to death." Said King Temuz.
"Do not worry on that account, Most Majestic One." Said Bakku. He gathered his robes and went back to his seat by the queen.
"Speak now, prophet! What have you to say?" Demanded the queen. "It is a funny thing. When you were out in the desert you were a storm of words. Now you are mute?"
"Because he was free to defame and speak treason against you in the desert, fomenting rebellion among the luti as well." Said Lord Igun Tybbl-Awat. "Now that he will see correction for his error, he is not so bold."
"You are speaking right, father. I am sorry and please forgive us, Your Greatness, for not executing him when we threw him out of the temple. We thought his separation from the Golden Temple would end his wickedness and impudence. I see now that we were lenient." Said the high priest.
"There is no need to apologize, my lords. I too, did not see the true danger in this false prophet at first. Come now, Ilim! Have you no vision for us? No wise sayings from your god?" She laughed.
"His god is weak. It is Nimnet and Elyshe who are now strong in the land." Said Caullas.
They humiliated him this way for hours. Then the master torturer was called in, who stripped him naked, and he brought in his little monkeys who, using hot pincers from the fire, poked and pinched Ilim. He winced and cried out several times and then made no more sounds but prayed silently, only his lips moving. It seemed to all in the banqueting hall that he had gone mad. Finally, he was led back down to his prison cell. Queen Taliat then revealed her ultimate purpose for the banquet.
"I shall have an edict written up. A document of loyalty. It is good to see my princes, lords and vassals and officials here to celebrate with me but I desire absolute loyalty. In writing." Said the queen when the music began again.
"Right away, Your Greatness. I shall see that it is done."
"I know it has not escaped the notice of others that the Lord Chieftain of Egi is not here. And Lord and Lady Hazad are not here either."
"Oh, he has fallen terribly ill and could not make the trip. Something about the flux having taken hold in the northern cities again. Lord Hasor's constitution, from what Lady Ketmal Hazad has told me, has always been weak. She apologized for his absence in advance as soon as she arrived a few days ago."
"The flux, you say? Very well. I shall excuse his absence this once."
"His mother and his sisters are here. A pretty girl, that young one. Betal is her name. She is to be married soon."
"A pity. Marriage is a prison." Queen Taliat's face darkened into a cold mask of lovely serenity as she stared at the girl.
Bakku knew that look. It was deadly. It signaled hidden displeasure. The queen was accustomed to being regarded as the most beautiful woman in the land and she would keep it that way forever. But there were many right here in the palace this evening that nearly rivaled her in beauty and one day when she woke up and imagined herself old she would be an even worse terror than she was now. He both loved and feared her. He imagined he would do anything for her and she had done well by him. He was committed to her reign and could not turn back, pulled along by a silk web of strings that hid iron hooks.
The dancers were circling around the tables while everyone was having a good time. Bakku felt more powerful now than he ever had in his entire life and it was intoxicating. Soft flesh, hiding iron chains like the iron fire in her eyes. They were all caught up in her sphere, like moons around her star. He glanced at Lord Silam Tybbl-Awat, the powerful and influential high priest. Bakku was arguable more powerful than even him now. Once, he had only dreamed of reaching such heights. It was now reality. Silam raised his golden rhyton of wine and drank it down. He reminded Bakku very much of the queen for one never truly knew what was on his mind. Silam caught him staring and smiled pleasantly at him. Bakku returned the smile. Silam then took his first wife's richly ringed hand and kissed it and called for a servant to pour more wine for her. He whispered something in her ear. Empty, sweet nothings, no doubt. All for show. Bakku thought. Yes, Silam was constantly scheming, his calm, regal exterior hid the countenance of a hungry, back-stabbing snake. Bakku was glad of the announcement. He had sensed the priesthood's distance from him for some time. They were slippery as eels, always looking for an opportunity to be next to the central source of power. The queen will continue to keep a close eye on them. he thought proudly. A very close eye. Everyone's loyalty must be laid bare whether by winsome words or by threat of impalement.
There was room for only one serpent in Hybron and Egi. His queen.
Chapter Twenty
The smell! He had almost forgotten. Here it was assaulting him again, an intimate violation of his soul. The faint acrid stench of death, smoke and fire. He hoped he would not see the eternal fires burning. The fires! The fires! Oh, the gods! He caught the giant staring at him, perplexed. His emotions betrayed him.
"This city brings back memories. Of a sort." The giant grunted in understanding and did not breach the subject with him.
He was dressed in good leather, bronze and iron armor plate, the best iron
in the land - Galiehite armor - and a good iron sword. He nearly felt like an official warrior. Respectable. Even in its sickness Jhis had flourished since he'd last been here. The temple to Hec had been rebuilt, the quarter that burned down was rebuilt and the main street through the city to the royal palace, the Processional Way, was widened since King Khalit had first laid it down. A large school had been built. He'd heard it was for young girls from nobility built by the queen. It was a school for religious and scribal studies, language, literature and poetry. He had never heard of such a thing and did not know what to think, other than that it was shocking and offensive to quite a few people. Especially to the priesthood of the Golden Temple. Perhaps it is a good thing then.
They passed the small, newly built fortress near the Golden Temple. This was where many of the temple guard resided. They policed the neighborhoods of the supporters of the temple and extracted ladre or intimidated merchants and other businessmen in the city. Jumped-up good-for-nothing bandits made "official" by the priesthood. They would always be Hatchet Men as far as Rhajit was concerned, but he was now one of them. But only to accomplish a very specific purpose. This was the first time in his life that he felt both sure of and apprehensive of his destiny. He had thought he would be headed for great things, for glory. The young fool Ephron was always pontificating about glory and honor, but now he saw great uncertainty around this mission, as if he was running off into the dark. Strengthen yourself, man. You have a mission to carry out.
Upon reaching the High Quarter, nearing the palatial main house of the high priest, Rhajit gasped in disgust at the size and luxury of what must lay behind the walls of the homes of the wealthy and noble families.
"Do not become wrathful, Rhajit. One day they will cry and wail and throw their silver and gold into the very streets. You will see, eventually." Said Injol. Rhajit said nothing. Reaching the foregate of the high priest's estate, they all climbed down from their horses as servants came out to attend them. Injol, clad in a large cloak to hide his arms and his other deadly weapons, ushered him into the house.
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