"A man of honor, are you? I thought you had no regard for mercenaries. Mercenaries have no honor, you said. Remember?" Taunted Rhajit. Ephron's face went from surprise fading into an ugly scowl all in a few moments.
"My fight is not with you."
"If you strike him, or Rapheth, you had better believe it will be with me."
"So be it," said Ephron. Rapheth stepped in between them and faced Ephron.
"You want to fight? You want glory? You always talk of glory. Let us see who gets it tonight." Rapheth said quietly. "You would go against your own people?"
"I go where I will and not with evil, which this camp will bring to the land."
"Yet the sword does not bring evil, does it?"
"We have been through this before. I will not discuss it again," Ephron said.
"You would tell me what you will not discuss?"
"I just did. What are you going to do about it?" Rapheth measured his words carefully as the scene was attracting a lot of attention. He felt a cold fury rising in him and beneath that, an ache for a friend who had died right before his eyes. He had finally come to the hard decision.
"I will not willingly spill blood in an alien place. We do not know the laws here. Get away from this camp. You are dead to me. Take yours and leave this place. Now!" Commanded Rapheth. He no longer had his sword but he was not afraid. Ephron spat in the dirt in front of Rapheth and Rhajit and turned on his heel and left. The mercenaries who had traveled with him, laughing and jeering, left with him. It did not escape Rapheth's notice that all eyes in the caravanserai were now upon them and news would travel of this desert king who was coming to Hybron.
"He will get us all killed," whispered Shukala. "This was supposed to be secret."
"It may work in our favor. Nothing can stop Divine Purpose."
"But he has gone mad. Where in the red world is he going?" Asked Shukala.
"Into darkness," said Rapheth sadly, watching the figures retreat with their tents, goods and horses into the evening and out of the city.
. . .
Rapheth and his camp stayed in Lannvok for two more weeks before they moved out. Rapheth, though deeply hurt over the break of his friendship with Ephron felt a renewed purpose and energy. He felt the hand of God was finally upon him now that his attitude had changed. His mark had stopped growing. It had not improved but neither did it get worse. Throwing himself into long prayers each morning and night and meditation over the few scrolls of the Holy Aishanna they had brought with them kept him from despairing over the lost friendship and the hole in his soul the brand was burning. He had other things to think about. How would he keep that promise? It seemed just as things were coalescing and making more sense that they were also falling to pieces. He realized he had allowed place for the wicked one to put the brand there. It was a blackness eating at him, working on his weaknesses, causing him to be indecisive, proud and doubtful; he suspected that perhaps it worked its influence also by attacking his friendship. Some said Airend-Ur worked mysteriously but Rapheth did not see evidence for this. The unnamed one however did work in mysterious - and dangerous - ways that the wary did not imagine. He had not imagined this! Even with all the signs, the messenger in the forest, the Matriarch, the help they had all received, he had nearly allowed himself to be swallowed down alive by the wicked one.
They headed south to the Habad, the company apprehensive for the future and what it held now. The break in the company was a black portent to many but Rapheth would not discuss it, only to say that Ephron was now an enemy to the Divine Purpose.
Stopping at a small lake, they were a week away from the nearest town in the mountains. Red rams were calling to the ewes and grunting off in the distance. They stopped for camp. Rapheth decided to act now.
"Rhajit, come."
"Yes?"
"We are near. I have a plan." Rhajit's eyes brightened.
"What is your plan?"
"This journey has given me grave doubts about myself, Rhajit." Shukala was sitting nearby, digging in the dirt at his feet.
"Why do you say that?"
"I thought that being anointed would feel different. As if I would suddenly feel all powerful, full of life and complete utter pride and confidence. I thought I would be filled with honorable deeds and glorious things. Parso, remember Injep?"
"I remember."
"I thought on his ideas of honor and glory being inherent in a man. These are false. My own ways of looking at things have been scattered, deluded. I wish that Ilim was by my side."
"We all do. But nothing is as it seems Rapheth," said Parso.
"Right," said Rhajit. "If anything, we have been through fire and there will be more fire to come. I have been in the world a long time, Rapheth. There is no special feeling coming from yourself. You are who you are and your decisions are what make you. That is what makes a man who he is, not some supposed internal glory which none of us have. We are given glory by others and we achieve honor in our deeds. This has always been the way of men and it will always be. It is what is fundamental."
"We are not born with it we achieve it unless God Himself blesses us with a special gift. Even then, He can take it away if we are no longer worthy." Shukala added. "He has not forgotten us, Rapheth. Look, we are still alive and whole."
"And Ephron?" Asked Rhajit.
"He is his own man no matter the pain he causes us. He must follow his own path to its end. We cannot help him and we did not put him there," said Shukala. Rapheth's heart in the first time in months wanted to burst with pride and joy for his friends.
"I take courage. No matter such as this is ever done without some pain along the way. It is the way of things. If you were not up to the task you would have died before reaching here. We all would have," said Parso. "I believe in you and always have, Rapheth."
"So do we all." Said Rhajit.
"I have run away and hidden myself long enough. I feel the air in the land has changed. And we have an advantage. We can hide out in the desert. The tribal people will aid me. They have sought for my rule for a long time. I no longer fear. We must be strong now." In that, I have failed all along. I must show the example now.
"Rhajit, I want you to go, take a few men with you and go up before the towns, cities and villages through the mountains." He pulled the erdu horn out of a bag to the surprise of the men.
"This was given to me by the great yaryebu, the Matriarch. You must blow it to call those who would come to me and my cause in the land. I perceive the people are ready. Call throughout the land that the Red King has come. Through the north and through the east the word must go." Rapheth blew into it. It lit up like fire and the hearts of the men who heard it were buoyed by it. Rhajit laughed heartily at the sound. Rapheth closed his eyes. Ellah Kaifah. Then he opened them. "Go!" He commanded. Rhajit took Luz and five men with him on horses and they continued into the mountains to proclaim that the true king had come back to Hybron.
Chapter Twenty-One
The king, at the royal palace in Egium, got to hear of it and bade the crown prince to mount a small army together to put an end to the desert king.
"There are reports of him being alive."
"I thought him dead. How can you be sure it is him, Your Greatness?" Said Prince Alin.
"My astrologers tell me as much. I had wondered when he would surface."
"Well, he has come back. The people of the land say it," said Himmut, one of the royal scribes and the chief palace official.
"Can luti and ignorant low peoples be believed? This desert king is probably an old tale women tell their children," complained the prince.
"It is not a tale. The desert king is the Red King."
"I thought you were the Red King, Your Greatness?" Said the prince dryly.
"I am when it suits me. By the way, this is for you to deal with. You have sat around drinking, feasting, gaming and running with harlots long enough. Prove yourself a prince to me."
"Am I not a prince, Your Greatness?" He
said lightly. The king threw him a contemptuous look, then continued.
"He has no army. Bring him to me dead or alive. Reports say he is in the north. And you must also attend to Jhis until I return."
"But I have Galieh. I have not even been able to rebuild the burned temple!"
"I do not care to hear your problems there. Deal with it. Your brother would never look askance at such an honor. He would jump to be lord of Jhis and he would do my will without complaint nor would he moan like a dolong cow over his responsibilities,” said the king in disgust. “Why do you always disappoint me? Why do you not act like a true prince of the realm? Your brother would find a way to solve it. I wonder whether it was he who should have come out of his mother's womb first instead of you."
"It will not be necessary to bring him into it. I shall rule Jhis as I rule Galieh. I just mention it because I need gold to rebuild the temple, Your Greatness." Alin lowered his voice in subjection. The king ignored the request for gold.
"You are my vassal. My word is your word and my word is law. Go! And bring me him whole or bring me his head." I am merely waiting until the strongest serpent emerges victorious. You or your brother.
"Of course I was only having a jest, Your Greatness."
"You jest too much. Dangerous in this family. Fulfill your duty to me and we will see about the gold. You may go, honored son," he said coldly. Alin bowed before the king, turned and left to make his way back to Galieh. Himmut turned to the king.
"It would be a good thing to build up the faith and morale of the Galiehites to rebuild the temple and dedicate it to Heros."
"Except, I do not believe that is what it is for. Alin has enough wealth in that city to take care of this if he wanted to. He is a decent enough warrior on the battlefield but he does not govern well. He hands out gold and jewels to harlots and sycophants like candied dates. There is no end to his carousing. Either that or he is doing something else with it."
"His brother, then?"
"His brother seems more capable than he. But we will see."
Prince Alin was glad to be away from the eye of his hawk-like father. He was taking the hot and dusty journey back to Hybron. Where he could conduct his own business out of sight. May you burn in the dark fires of Helus. You do not know me, old man.
. . .
Cardith had not counted on coming back to Egi so soon. The king left his household in Jhis on the journey but brought along his new bride, her ladies, his astrologers and the royal alchemist. Lord Erol Motudar made his skin crawl as if it were inhabited by fire ants. The king was open and ruthless in his support of the man. Or monster. Almost any man who wanted to stay out of the crocodile pits or the Black Crypt, the alchemist's laboratory, did not go against Lord Erol. Though it was not common knowledge among the people, in the palace it had become a well known fact that Lord Erol took prisoners, prostitutes and other poor souls who had no power to resist or family to oppose him and used them for his most revolting experiments. The king gave his full support to the man and Erol was slowly building a reputation for being a terror in Jhis. The black terror that no one knew, or saw for Erol had a way of not being seen when he did not want to be seen. He was soft spoken, intense and always studying, studying, studying people. Nothing escaped him. Cardith hated even being in the same room with him. And he trailed the king like a foul shadow.
Once they had arrived in Egium Cardith was dispatched to deal with the revolt in the cities. The next day he took some men to find the heads of this revolt. He questioned the city guard and found out that several of them were hiding in an opium den. He raided it and all found within were brought before the king.
"I do not like this. Handing them over to that alchemist sorcerer," said Jalon one day.
"These will not be handed over to him. They will be executed immediately. I will see to that." And indeed, when all in the den were interrogated and the slave revolt leaders in the group were found out the rest were let go and this first group of revolt leaders were executed three days later. They had at least been saved from a worse fate.
It happened one day that as Cardith was planning on how to sniff out more of these troublesome slaves that there was a knock on his door.
"Come!" He said thinking it was one of his attendants. It was Lord Erol Motudar.
"If I may speak with you." Cardith raised a suspicious brow. His stomach churned but he remained stone faced.
"Lord Erol."
"I will be brief, as you are busy on the king's business." His own attendants were waiting by the door, silent, watching. "I have information that might be useful to you."
"And what is that?"
"My sources in the guilds here say that Senetta's House in Yilphaeus is a den for rebels." His ears burned.
"That is the Black Quarter, is it not?"
"It is."
"It surprises me that such a woman with her power would have anything to do with such rabble."
"It is surprising. But the whole world is changing and so are the people in it. In any case, I simply wanted to pass on the information. I know the king is eager to have all rebels rooted out. This being your responsibility."
"I know my responsibilities. If I see fit, I will have men investigate it." Cardith could not keep from bristling. Erol smiled slyly.
"By and by. Good day," he said and nodded curtly. Erol left. Cardith relaxed slightly. He wondered what in the red world that was all about. He is up to something. And he is using me to do it. Perhaps he has some unsettled business with Senetta? It was not a small matter to get on Lord Erol's bad side but Cardith was not beholden to him either. The court was rife with suspicious people, poisoned by King Teraht, the most suspicious creature of all. He had to admit even he had become more suspicious over the months.
A decree was given throughout Egi: All subjects who know or suspect anyone of helping these slaves, now criminals, who abuse and disobey their masters and the natural laws of the land of Egi must be reported to the palace and the royal guard.
General Cardith was in charge of this task and though he took it most seriously he saw the whole matter as a black mark on his soul.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Kaisha crumpled up the letter. Her hands were shaking slightly. Try as she might to stop them it was no use. Lili noticed everything.
"What is the matter, my lady?"
"That man again! The effrontery! And after I have escaped!"
"You do not want to be married ever again?" Lili asked. Kaisha sucked her teeth.
"After what you have seen me go through with Lord Hazad you would ask me that?"
"Not all men are like him. And there are some who are worse."
"This one might be worse. At least in the beginning Hasor loved me. And at least Hasor was handsome! This man I perceive is after money and is as handsome looking as regurgitated camel cud!" Lili laughed out loud at this.
"Well. There is something very unpleasant about him. His beady eyes. I do not like him either," she said, braiding a section of Kaisha's hair.
"He thinks to force the issue of marriage by being belligerent. This letter, for instance. He couches his words in terms of love and endearment but there is a threat hidden here. I have already told him I do not want any trysts, meetings or any affair. Yet he persists!"
"What does it say, my lady?"
"He warns me of the king's decree. The effrontery!" She spat, disgusted.
"What of the king's decree? I do not like this." Lili set the polished bone comb down. Kaisha turned toward her.
"In it he says that some people suspect my house of being a runaway den. They suspect me of hiding slaves. Who these people are he does not say but he must suspect something to even mention it. But he says that he can protect me because of his influence with the royal family." The color drained from Lili's face. Kaisha was extra sensitive to any news or gossip in connection to the rebels in the streets, in the marketplaces, anywhere for the current group of runaways staying with her were not yet able to move t
o the mountains. And there was the baby. If they were found out the baby would be taken from them and possibly given to the Black Guild. It sickened her.
"What shall we do?"
"I will warn Diwa." She had to get them out of danger. What if this nobleman showed up at the house? She could turn him away but that might just drive his suspicions further. Even so, when they left she would miss her alchemy lessons from Ioltoslav if he left. And the cooing and playful sounds of the new baby. Lili immediately went to her writing table and brought the box of inks and stylus and some leaves of paper. Kaisha wrote to Diwa of her plight.
The runaways, having heard of Kaisha's problem offered prayers to various gods for her, to which she was thankful.
"He threatens to tell everyone you are a rebel supporter then?"
"Do not worry. I will not let anything happen to any of you. With my life I will defend you."
"I mean, will you need help?" Ioltoslav asked pointedly.
"It has been a long time since I have made any attempt to go back to the old ways I was brought up in but. . .I shall trust in my god. He will help me."
Later he spoke of the uses of poisons as healing remedies. It was a revelation to her for Kaisha never knew that certain poisons could do the opposite of taking life. The topic changed to the letter that had cast a fearful pall over the household.
"I will protect all of you," she said again, full of innocent conviction. "I shall appeal to the king that this man has acted presumptuously. That he has tried to humiliate me in my own house." Ioltoslav narrowed his eyes and leaned back on the stool.
"Or someone could kill him."
"Kill?"
"Let me be plain. Many will laugh at such a complaint. Find it naive, even if you are a noblewoman of the realm. However, if he disappeared one day. . ." suggested Ioltoslav.
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