by Ryan Kirk
Sen, as host, spoke first. “Welcome, Lord Akira.” He smiled and moved forward to hug Akira.
Akira let down his guard a little. They were lords first, but friends too. “Thank you, Lord Sen.”
They sat down on comfortable cushions while beautiful women brought them tea. Akira couldn’t help but let his eyes wander. He had been with his armies too long and hadn’t given women any attention for many moons. The women who served Sen were strong, and Akira suspected they were trained as guards in addition to serving staff. Akira found their obvious lithe strength appealing. It made him think of Ryuu’s partner, Moriko. He would never tell Ryuu, but he found her attractive. She was strong, and Akira loved that. He wondered if there were other nightblade women he might find.
Akira caught Sen’s slight smile, and he knew Sen had caught him glancing. He returned Sen’s smile and sipped at his tea. The quality was excellent. They sat in companionable silence and enjoyed the drink.
It was Sen who broke the silence, which surprised Akira. He had expected to be the more impatient of the two.
“You come in difficult times.”
Memories came flooding back to Akira. Sen was a traditionalist, a man who rarely said what he meant. He was subtle in a way Akira couldn’t manage.
“Yes.”
“It is a historic occasion, a Conclave called after six hundred cycles.”
Akira tried to grasp Sen’s meaning. Did he think Akira had been rash?
It was difficult to overstate the importance of the Conclave. The Three Kingdoms had been formed in the hope that one day they would be unified again as one kingdom. Akira wondered for the first time if he had gone too far. He was less interested in reunification and more interested in trapping Tanak. Perhaps he was taking the wrong action. Akira thought carefully, an effect Sen always had on him.
“The treaty has never been broken, not for almost a thousand cycles.”
“And you have been building up the strongest army the Three Kingdoms has ever seen, along with trade policies that have hurt the Western Kingdom.”
Akira processed this. Sen had realized his intentions, then. But Akira hadn’t acted on them. Tanak had broken the treaty, not him.
Akira wanted to tell Sen his plan. He wanted to let Sen know about Tanak’s collusion with a nightblade, but he couldn’t bring himself to trust. Everything depended on surprise.
Sen spoke again. “Have you considered, really, what you are going to do here? Are you prepared to do whatever is necessary?”
What was Sen referring to? Akira wished the old man wasn’t so cryptic. Did he mean reunification, or did he have some idea what Akira was planning? There wasn’t any way it was possible. Sen would have to be a mind reader.
Akira decided to change his tactics. “I worry the Three Kingdoms will be under threat from the Azarians soon.”
Sen’s eyes took in Akira, trying to decide if Akira was attempting to fool him. Akira noticed. So Sen hadn’t been expecting that news.
Sen stroked his beard, long and white on his face. “The Southern Kingdom has been under the threat of Azarian attack for over sixty cycles. You have held the pass well.”
His inference was clear. Sen didn’t consider the Azarians a threat, not to his kingdom, at least. They were far removed from the Three Sisters here.
“They have hunters. They’ve been in my kingdom.”
Even Sen wasn’t able to hide his surprise. He was well educated and would know about the legends of the hunters. Their presence changed everything.
“You have evidence?”
Akira nodded. “Weapons and jewelry.”
“Hardly a convincing argument.”
“You know I wouldn’t lie about this.”
Sen shook his head. “Once, maybe. We haven’t seen each other in many cycles, and I don’t see your motives anymore.”
Akira was hurt. It was surprising to him to learn how much Sen’s approval meant to him. It was a childish emotion, left from his days spent on Sen’s lap. He wanted the old man to trust him.
“Tanak won’t just endanger my kingdom. If I’m right about the Azarians, we’re all at risk.”
Sen nodded. “You’ve given me much to think about.”
Akira took Sen’s hint. The meeting was over. “Thank you for hosting this Conclave. It is a kindness.” Akira wasn’t being polite. Sen would be the deciding factor in the meetings to come.
As Akira stood to bow out, Sen smiled at him, a weary smile. “It is good to see you again, Lord Akira.” Akira looked at Sen and knew it wasn’t just polite talk either. Sen meant it. Akira’s heart was light as he left the audience.
Akira hardly slept that night. Over and over, he thought about how he should proceed. Sen’s tone haunted him, made him wonder if he was abusing his power as a lord.
Tanak didn’t know what Akira was planning, but he would come because of the solemnity of the Conclave. Any other attempt to meet would have been rebuffed, and Akira admitted he would do the same if he was in Tanak’s place. Akira knew the war wasn’t over, but he couldn’t deny Tanak’s forces had momentum, and if they weren’t stopped, his kingdom’s days would be numbered. Akira wondered what Sen would do if the Southern Kingdom fell. He knew the old man’s wish for reunification was strong. Would he give up his kingdom? Akira had to admit he could see it happening. Perhaps he wanted Akira to fall.
Akira’s strategy wasn’t complex. The power of the Conclave was that it was public, as required by the treaty. He would reveal knowledge of Tanak’s nightblade. Akira knew Renzo was in the city with Tanak. Then Renzo would be tested by the monks, and it would be known that Tanak had worked with a nightblade. Tanak’s rule would be broken, and Stonekeep would mark his grave.
Akira wasn’t sure what would happen after, but he hoped there could be talk of reunification. There would be chaos, but perhaps out of the chaos the One Kingdom would emerge. Akira had to hope. It would make the sacrifice of his people worth it.
When the morning came, Akira dressed in simple robes of the finest fabric he possessed. He wanted his appearance to be noble but not lavish. He walked with quiet, determined steps towards the dining hall, where the Conclave would be held.
When he opened the door, he surveyed the room before stepping in. As the one who had called the Conclave, tradition demanded he be the last to arrive. He saw Sen and Tanak seated around a small round table. His anger rose when he saw Tanak, the man who had broken the treaty and killed thousands of his men. He bowed, which was matched evenly by both Tanak and Sen. Around the room he could hear the pens of the nine scribes sitting around the Conclave, writing everything they observed.
The Conclave may be public, but the founders had believed it should not be directly observed. Logic demanded an audience that would not be swayed by the arguments of their lords. It would be a recipe for violence. Instead, three scribes from each kingdom transcribed the meeting, and the accounts would be bound together in a book to be spread throughout the Three Kingdoms. This method would ensure the complete proceedings were documented for all.
Akira took a deep breath and took a seat at the table. Sen served the tea himself and tasted it first to prove it wasn’t poisoned. It was a kind gesture, but one that meant little to Akira. None of them would try anything of the sort at a Conclave. If any of them were to die mysteriously here, chaos wouldn’t begin to describe the consequences.
Sen began. “We are here today because Lord Akira has called a Conclave, a chance for the three lords to discuss the events that have recently moved the Three Kingdoms, and perhaps finally bring peace to us all.”
Akira nodded. It was well spoken. It told the truth and hinted at reunification. The scribes wrote faster.
Sen continued. “Lord Akira, why have you called this Conclave?”
It was the moment Akira had been waiting for since the spy had come to his tent almost a moon ago. “I come to the Conclave today to announce the treaty has been broken.” He paused and glanced around the table.
Sen was watching him with rapt attention and Tanak looked like he thought he had wasted his time by coming. Tanak spoke up, disgust evident in his voice.
“Of course the treaty has been broken. It’s not like my invasion of your land is a secret here.”
Akira looked at Tanak with hatred in his eyes. He suppressed the desire to grin. “I don’t speak of your invasion, but of your cooperation with nightblades.”
Akira took in the reactions of both Tanak and Sen. Sen was surprised at the twist, but Tanak looked afraid. He tried to hide his reaction, but Akira could see the fear in his eyes. Akira had him. “I would like to call your adviser Renzo to the Conclave, along with three monks, one from each kingdom.”
Tanak’s eyes widened, and Akira tasted the victory on his lips.
Sen glanced at the soldiers stationed around the perimeter. “Make it so.”
The three rulers sat in awkward silence as Akira’s wish was granted. Akira risked a smile at Tanak. The Lord of the Western Kingdom was fidgeting back and forth, barely able to sit still. Akira savored the moment. Perhaps Tanak’s fall would bring some peace to all the men who had perished in this invasion.
Renzo was brought in first to join the small group in the dining room. He looked inquisitively at Tanak. Tanak replied. “Lord Akira believes you are a nightblade. You are to be tested by the monks.”
Akira replied. “I think it only fair that all of us be tested in the room, so there is no room for error or accusations of bias.”
Renzo bowed to Akira. “It is a wise decision, Lord.”
Akira studied Renzo carefully. The man wore loose robes which hid his body well. He was tall, but Akira couldn’t tell by looking at him if he was a nightblade. A warning went off in his head—Renzo didn’t seem concerned at all. Could he hide his ability? Akira had heard this was a skill Ryuu’s partner, Moriko, possessed, but he also remembered hearing that the skill was rare. Ryuu had also said the monks would be able to sense anyone’s skill when they touched a person. There was no way to hide from a monk’s touch. Akira relaxed. Perhaps Renzo could contain his emotions better than Tanak, but he would be found out. Akira would ensure it.
Three monks came in. Akira recognized one as being the monk who traveled with his own party. Akira tried to remember his name, but couldn’t. He did remember the monk had been at Perseverance when Ryuu had killed their Abbot. That was good. He would have no love lost for a nightblade. The other two he didn’t recognize, but it made no difference.
Sen motioned to Akira to proceed.
“To all of you, thank you for being here. The Three Kingdoms requires your assistance. Would you please test everyone in this room to see if anyone here is sense-gifted? Do not speak your results, but test us all, by touch if you would. When you are done, we will have a guard escort you out so you can’t speak to anyone.”
Akira had thought the test through carefully. There had to be no collusion possible, none at all, not for a test this important.
The three lords waited as the monks each walked around and tested every person in the room. They tested the lords, the guards, even the scribes. No one was spared, and Akira made sure all three monks tested Renzo. He smiled, his victory almost complete.
Afterwards, the three monks left and were summoned back in one at a time. Akira couldn’t wait. He called in the monk from the Western Kingdom first. If one would lie, it would be him. The monasteries were supposed to stay out of political affairs, but Akira knew it wasn’t as true as it should have been.
Akira asked the question. “Sir, is anyone in here sense-gifted?”
The monk spoke without hesitation. “No, Lord.”
Akira nodded, allowing himself to remain expressionless. So the western monasteries were cooperating with Tanak. It was a problem to be dealt with later. He called in the second monk, the one from the Northern Kingdom, and repeated the question.
The second monk also spoke without hesitation. “No, Lord.”
Akira glanced at Sen, who was watching the proceedings with interest. He couldn’t read Sen at all. Had he stumbled onto a conspiracy?
Akira dismissed the monk with a wave of his hand. It wouldn’t look good to have only the monk from the Southern Kingdom speak against Renzo, but Akira could beg for another test.
The monk from Perseverance came in, and for the third time, Akira asked the question.
“No, my lord. No one here is sense-gifted.”
The floor fell out from under Akira. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Renzo was a nightblade, but none of the monks sensed him. His head spun as he checked his facts. What was happening? He couldn’t process everything fast enough. He could hear Tanak speaking, but everything was jumbled in his head. When he was finally able to focus, the monk was gone and Tanak was denouncing the proceedings. “I didn’t come here to be accused of cooperating with nightblades! I came here to speak about reunification.”
Akira tried to wrap his head around where Tanak was going.
Tanak continued. "Let's not mince words while we are here. This is a Conclave, and the people have been hoping for a reunification for almost a thousand cycles. We have all been trying to figure out a way to force reunification. Each of us have desired the title of King. Do either of you deny it?"
Akira couldn't, but he was surprised that Sen didn't speak out. Every assumption he had made was wrong.
Akira's misery wasn't over. Tanak continued. "I propose we discuss the reunification of the Three Kingdoms. It has been almost a thousand cycles, and the time has come."
Akira couldn’t recover fast enough for his thoughts to catch up to reality. One Kingdom?
"With my invasion, I recognize the balance of power has changed forever. There is no going back to the borders of the Three Kingdoms, so our only question here today is to decide how we want to move forward. We all want reunification, so why not make it happen right here, right now?"
If Akira hadn't been sitting he would have collapsed. He could see where this was going. Everything he had worked for, everything he had lived for, had been a failure. He straightened his back with a strong effort of will.
Tanak’s monologue continued. "I now control over half of the Three Kingdoms. It makes sense for me to become first king."
Akira heard the words as though he were underwater. He knew they were being said, but he couldn't think fast enough around this. His kingdom, his people, had been victimized by this man, and he was brazen enough to ask for the crown? This wasn't justice, but a crime of the highest order. It sparked a bright, intense fire in his stomach that brought him back to focus.
Akira looked to Sen for support. Sen would recognize the unjustness of the action.
Sen returned his gaze calmly before responding to Tanak. Akira felt his spirits lift. He could trust Sen.
"As Lord of the Northern Kingdom, I would be willing to abdicate, conditionally, to re-create the Kingdom."
Akira felt like he would throw up. Sen’s words hit him like a punch to the stomach, and he almost doubled up in pain. Tanak and Sen had to have been allies all along. How had he missed it?
His anger flared again at the betrayal he felt. "I will not abdicate to a man who has invaded my kingdom and killed my people. It will never happen."
Tanak looked to speak, but Sen held up his hand, and the older lord commanded respect.
"Lord Akira, I urge you to consider. I recognize the anger and emotion you must feel, but think about your people, think about all our people. You yourself have indicated the threats your land faces. Although it is not what you have envisioned, the outcome remains the same. We can be one kingdom again."
Akira couldn't believe that Sen would turn the Azarian threat against him in this way. No swords were allowed at the Conclave, and this was for the best. He would have murdered the lords in his anger.
Tanak spoke next, focusing Akira's anger on him. "Lord Akira, you would have a place at my side. You have managed your kingdom well and your people are content and well fed. I wo
uld welcome your advice."
Akira raged. He would never advise a man like Tanak. He was about to speak when Sen’s voice cut through the anger clouding his mind.
“I see our discussion here will be ruled by emotion, not by logic. I propose we delay this discussion until tomorrow morning, when we have all had the benefit of a good night’s sleep.”
Tanak agreed, and the meeting was over. The two lords bowed out of the room, and Akira was left alone with his anger and confusion.
That evening, Akira was still trying to process what had happened. Sen had been right. He needed time to think through the events of the day. His shadow had been so sure Renzo was a nightblade. But he had been tested by three monks, and Akira had designed the test himself. He could come up with all types of conspiracy theories, but the simplest explanation was that Renzo wasn’t a nightblade. But Tanak had looked so worried. There was something else happening, something he didn’t understand.
Akira forced the thoughts out of his mind. He had larger problems than proving Tanak had a nightblade as an adviser. He was being asked to give up his kingdom. Sen was willing to abdicate, leaving the decision entirely on Akira’s shoulders. Akira still couldn’t believe what had transpired. He thought he had come to the Conclave knowing what to expect, prepared for anything they might try, but he had been wrong.
His thoughts went round and round as he tried to figure out what was true. He didn’t know who was allied with whom or what forces were arrayed against him. Perhaps he should abdicate to Tanak, should watch as the dreams of so many lords before him were realized. It would end the war.
Akira’s thoughts were interrupted when there was a knock on the door. It was a messenger. Akira couldn’t contain his nervousness when he realized what the message was. The day had become so chaotic, he had forgotten entirely about the battle being fought to the south. It was a message from Makoto. The Second and the Third had crushed Tanak’s Second army in battle. Their results had been everything Akira needed to hear. Casualties had been light, but they had eliminated Tanak’s Second as a functioning unit. It was beautiful news.
