by Drew Wagar
Standing at the rear of the chariots were riders, braced against the cornering forces, leaning out to counteract the tilt. The innermost chariot began to tilt upwards, a wheel off the ground. The onlookers gasped as it started to slide outwards, clipping the other chariot as they raced on.
With a deft move the rider leant into the curve even further, clipping her head on the decorative poles that marked the middle of the course. A metal helmet spun away, black hair streamed out in the wind and the rider took the lead, widening their track and forcing their opponent to alter course.
The rider with the black hair crossed the finish line to tumultuous applause, the darling of the crowds.
Acolyte Kiri took another victory to screams, shouts and whistles of approval.
She joined the other charioteers as they paraded around the amphitheatre at a sedate pace, waving to the cheering throngs of people. Eventually the chariots pulled up, teams of workers took the hergs, untying them from the chariots and leading them away.
Kiri leapt down and walked amongst them, looking forward to a cooling drink and a rest after her exertions. She smiled and nodded at the other charioteers, waving at the servants who looked up at her in awe, bowing or curtseying hastily as she swept past.
Kiri moved beyond the last chariot in line where a servant was struggling to remove a buckle from one of the hergs. It snorted impatiently, trying to pull itself free, frustrating the servant’s efforts.
‘Here let me help,’ Kiri offered, steadying the herg.
The servant looked up gratefully. Kiri stared in shock and surprise, recognising her immediately.
‘Sahria? What are you doing here?’
The blonde hair was streaked with dirt, her face muddy, the previously immaculate eyebrows now grown normally, but the blue eyes and pretty face were still much the same, despite the tatty clothes. There was none of the confidence she recalled. Kiri remembered how envious she had been of Sahria’s looks and figure, yet now …
What happened?
Sahria looked away. ‘My name is Sara miss, you must be confusing me with someone else.’
‘Sahria, it’s me, it’s Kiri. We were at the temple …’
Sahria looked blank, there was nothing in her face that gave even the slightest hint she recognised Kiri.
‘No miss. Never been there. Not for the likes of me.’
She resumed pulling at the buckle. Kiri frowned and then instinctively reached out with her mind.
Sahria, what happened? You were in the choosing with me! They told me you weren’t chosen and had gone home, why are you here?
Sahria didn’t respond. There was nothing, no hint of the seeing. Kiri sensed nothing but emptiness; no recognition, no sense of awareness at all.
But she had the gift, maybe not so strong, but it was there …
The buckle came undone.
Sahria pulled the herg aside.
‘Thank you miss,’ she said, her voice bland and dull. ‘A pleasure to see you win today, was a spectacle and no mistake.’
She walked away with the herg in tow behind her, oblivious of Kiri’s confusion.
What did they do to her?
Nerina came out of the halls of healing, her expression unreadable. She gave a brief signal with her hands and the doors were closed behind her.
Merrin, Charis and a number of the other priestesses were waiting for her.
‘Well?’
Nerina looked up.
‘High Priestess Launa is dead. She named me high priestess in her place.’
Merrin, Charis and the others looked around briefly before kneeling before Nerina.
‘Command us, high priestess.’
‘For now, we mark Launa’s passing as is fitting. Please make the arrangements, Charis.’
‘It shall be done high priestess,’ Charis said and left with the others.
Nerina watched as the priestesses departed, whispering amongst themselves. She signalled to Merrin.
‘A moment.’
‘Yes, high priestess?’ Merrin asked.
Nerina leaned close and spoke closely to her.
‘Varda?’
‘Alas, Mira reports that a riot nearly took place today,’ Merrin replied. ‘It is most regrettable. They seem to be refusing the search.’
‘How disagreeable,’ Nerina replied with a smile. ‘We need to respond quickly. But there is another matter which needs to be dealt with first. It is time. Are they ready?’
‘She has trained for this, you know how hard all of them have worked.’
‘Good. Let’s see if your daughter is everything you believe she is. You know what to do.’
Merrin smiled. ‘It shall be done.’
Exhausted and her thoughts awhirl, Kiri shook the dust from her robes and stumbled away from the cheering crowds into the relative calm of the changing halls. It was cooler here away from the eternal sunlight of Lacaille. The chariot racing had been fun.
Charis wouldn’t approve. Maybe I should have chosen to be a warrior, it would have been more interesting!
The healing had also been enjoyable to start with. Kiri had enjoyed the rush of saving those badly injured, but much of her time had been taken up by people with minor injuries or vague complaints.
So many fools who should just toughen up and stop complaining. No wonder we can’t get anything done properly …
Flying dachs with the messengers and sparring at the temple was more rewarding. Kiri had quickly mastered what she’d been taught and she loved the practice. She knew she was as good as many of those who studied to be warriors. But the skill was pointless and empty, there was nothing to use it for. Rumours of bad news permeated the temple like a thin fog, always threatening doom and gloom, but never really amounting to much. Constant half-told stories of unrest in lands on the edge of the maps.
Few girls had arrived for the choosing, Kiri’s group of acolytes was by far the biggest. Few were chosen and the more recent girls had weak gifts, fit only for aspects of administration. The priestesses tried to hide it, but the crisis was obvious.
And Nerina. Did she arrange for that book to be in my room, or was it someone else?
The enigmatic priestess had made little contact with Kiri. Kiri had read the book, the sixth element. The book talked of using the seeing, but in ways that Kiri found so distasteful she felt sick reading them. Terrible, hostile and brutal ways of turning the gift of the priestesses into a weapon. It was no wonder the book was hidden. Some of the contents were horrific.
I wish I hadn’t read it now. I feel dirty and unclean. I am a healer, not a warrior. It’s my choice.
Unsure what to do with it, she had taken to carrying it about with her lest it fall into someone else’s hands.
Kiri had taken to the chariot racing for something else to do; another skill to learn. It was mostly a sport for the men, with no practical application that she could see. But there was danger, people did get killed. Charis had been furious, saying she was being reckless and a fool, but ultimately had been powerless to stop her. No one else from the temple took an interest, but she had become a popular competitor with the crowds. Few women took part, considering it gauche and below their station.
‘So this is where you hide.’
Kiri turned to see Rihanna enter the changing hall behind her. Kiri’s eyes narrowed as she spotted Rihanna was carrying her kai too.
‘What do you want?’
‘Just seeing where you slum folk like to go when you’re not trying to better yourselves.’
Kiri looked over at her. ‘After all this time you don’t have anything more original than that?’
‘Chariot racing with the men? Have you no standards? I suppose they need their entertainment between races. I’ll hand it to you, you must have stamina.’
Kiri rolled her eyes. ‘You know, you’re right. I am utterly depraved. You should try it, maybe you might find yourself good at something.’
Kiri was changed and ready to leave. She picked up her racing
gear, her kai and made to leave. As she walked towards the opposite doors they opened to reveal Jessie and Joyce. Both of them carried their kais too.
‘Going somewhere?’ Joyce asked.
Rihanna signalled to Jessie and Joyce, indicating they should stand guard at the doors Kiri had come through. There was no other way out of the room.
‘Things have changed slum,’ Rihanna mocked. ‘You’re no longer welcome.’
Kiri laughed. ‘I was welcome at some point, was I? I missed it, when was that exactly?’
‘Word is you’re studying things you shouldn’t.’
Kiri looked from one to the other, her eyes narrowing. ‘What are you talking about?’
‘You know what I’m talking about,’ Rihanna said, her smile broadening, walking towards her. Rihanna stepped towards Kiri’s clothes and the bag she used to carry them around in.
The book!
Before Kiri could reach her, Rihanna had tipped the contents all over the floor. She kicked the cloths aside. The book lay on the floor.
‘Leave that alone, it’s mine,’ Kiri said, making a snatch for it.
Rihanna held it out of her way, her eyes widening in surprise as she took in the title. Rihanna almost dropped it herself.
‘I don’t … this is forbidden! Where did you get it? Wait ‘til Nerina finds out about this.’
‘What is it?’ Joyce demanded.
‘She’s been reading the sixth element,’ Rihanna said. Joyce and Jessie gasped in dismay. ‘Where did you get this slum? This was written for warriors so it’s said, not for the likes of you.’
Kiri fancied there was a note of jealousy in Rihanna’s tone. She made another snatch for it, but Rihanna pushed her back.
‘Give it here,’ Kiri said.
‘You want it, slum?’ Rihanna said. ‘You’ll have to fight me for it.’
‘I don’t want to fight you,’ Kiri answered, backing away. ‘We’re not supposed to fight, you know this. Peace, remember?’
‘That’s what the sixth element says is it?’
Kiri shook her head, she didn’t want to think about the contents of the book. They weren’t at all pleasant.
‘No. Charis said …’
‘Charis?’ Rihanna scoffed. ‘Charis is weak. Her talk of peace and calm is no longer a rule we need to follow now Launa has passed into the after.’
Kiri gasped.
Launa has passed? That must mean that Nerina … so what is this?
‘And you’re just a coward,’ Rihanna continued. ‘Time for the priestess-ship to be purged of those not worthy of it.’
‘And who says who’s worthy?’ Kiri snapped. ‘You?’
‘We do,’ Rihanna replied. Kiri could sense Jessie and Joyce closing from behind her.
Kiri paced back and forth for a moment like a caged animal, but there was no alternative. They’d all make the coming altercation out to be some kind of accident, like they always did.
The book is just an excuse, but how did they know? Someone has set me up, it must have been Merrin! Nerina said she knew about this …
Rihanna moved towards her, there was no more time to think.
Kiri was now proficient at the fighting arts, but Kiri knew Rihanna was more competent, trained as a warrior. She’d practised longer and harder and seemed to know moves that Kiri hadn’t seen demonstrated in any the practices.
And I’m tired too. They’ve timed this perfectly …
She shook her head.
If a beating is coming, so what? I’ve endured worse. They’ll go away as bruised as I can make them.
‘Don’t do this,’ Kiri said. ‘It will go worse for you.’
‘Think you can defeat me, healer slum?’ Rihanna crowed. ‘While you’ve been dressing wounds I’ve been learning how to kill, guttersnipe!’
Kiri’s lip curled in anger, she twirled her kai aggressively. ‘Come get me then, if you can.’
Rihanna swapped her kai from her left to her right hand, spun it expertly and strode purposefully forward, full of confidence. Kiri waited for Rihanna to advance. For a long moment they stared into each other’s eyes, the cold animosity between them flaring into something hot and dangerous.
‘You can still leave, slum, just go and never come back.’
‘I’m going nowhere.’
‘You’re right about that.’
Rihanna struck, Kiri blocked and they moved aside. The moves were repeated, practiced patterns that were so familiar they were automatic. Kiri spun, bringing her kai down at Rihanna’s head. That move was easily blocked and returned. Kiri parried and both stepped back, uneasily watching each other.
Something had happened between them. They were older now, fully grown, strong and fit from endless practice, athletes now at the peak of their fitness and proficiency. Deadly and dangerous fighters.
These blows were powerful now, not just the practice moves they had repeated for the last few passes. These had killing force; untempered, unleashed. Kiri could already feel her hands smarting from the impact of her own kai as she defended from the blows.
She means to kill me! I guess she always has.
‘Scared, slum?’ Rihanna taunted.
‘Of you?’ Kiri snapped back, swinging her kai around for another strike. It was a mistake. She’d been tempted into a precipitate attack. Rihanna flipped her kai into the opposite hand, freeing her leg. Too late, Kiri saw the attack coming.
The kick was impressive, high and powerful, knocking her backwards through the air. A scant moment later she hit the floor hard. Blood dripped into Kiri’s eyes. The pain in her temple was sharp and hot. Rihanna looked smugly down at her. Kiri heard laughter around her, humiliating her.
The realization came in the next moment; she was going to lose this. They all wanted to see her fail, to be reassured that a girl from the slums couldn’t become a priestess.
‘Time to stop dancing around, slum,’ Rihanna gloated, her red hair whipping about her face as she turned to scowl at Kiri. She kicked Kiri’s kai out of reach and threw her own to the side. Kiri glared up at her as she got back to her feet, not deigning to answer. She resumed her ready stance, fists clenched.
Rihanna came at her immediately, not giving her time to plan, punching fast, powerfully and smoothly. Kiri blocked and ducked, rolling out of the way.
‘You can’t run forever,’ Rihanna snarled at her.
‘Watch me,’ Kiri said, ducking another punch and then returning to the offensive, kicking at her. Rihanna blocked easily and moved towards Kiri, looking to end it, sensing Kiri was tiring. One punch came close to Kiri’s head, the other acolytes gasped, thinking it was over. In her over confidence Rihanna had overreached. Kiri rolled aside, pivoting on one hand, swinging her legs around.
She caught Rihanna below the knee, knocking her to the floor.
‘Not so confident now?’ Kiri preened. ‘Can’t defeat a mere girl from the slums?’
Rihanna snarled, almost animal-like and leapt back to her feet. Kiri noted Rihanna was sweating and breathing hard.
Not as easy as you thought, eh?
Kiri didn’t move as Rihanna approached, but dropped her guard slightly, letting her shoulders droop, staggering slightly to one side, shaking her head. Rihanna feinted with her left hand and then punched at Kiri with her right.
Yet Kiri wasn’t there.
For a moment Rihanna caught a glimpse of Kiri’s face, her eyes bright and sharp.
Kiri grabbed her outstretched arm, pushed it up, brought her elbow crashing into Rihanna’s kidneys. As Rihanna doubled over Kiri brought up her fist backwards and sideways. She hit Rihanna straight between the eyes. She went down like a sack of melps, flat on her back, stunned on the hard surface. Kiri was flung aside too, sprawled on her side
Kiri knew she had the advantage in speed and agility, if not outright strength. She’d been paying attention in the training. She’d been canny at hiding how proficient she’d become. That had been well played, but Rihanna wouldn’t underestimate her aga
in.
They both scrambled to their feet. Rihanna closed on Kiri.
Kiri tried to backpedal, but it was too late.
They wrestled. Rihanna caught Kiri’s arm, pulled, twisted and wrenched it up behind her back. Kiri cried out in in pain as her shoulder was locked. Next moment she was thrown to the floor. Rihanna kicked at her, but Kiri rolled away, jumping to her feet.
Before she could recover her stance, Kiri felt her wrist grabbed. She was pulled off balance and another deft twist followed. Rihanna had her arm at an unnatural angle, wrist bent over and elbow turned. Rihanna twisted just slightly more and pain shocked up into Kiri’s forearm. She cried out in surprise. Rihanna twisted again, forcing Kiri to her knees.
A kick followed, catching her in the temple again, knocking her to the floor. This time Kiri didn’t recover immediately. She felt dizzy and sick, her arm numb, her shoulder aching as she climbed unsteadily to her feet.
‘Thought you were doing well, did you?’ Rihanna sneered ‘Only just started, slum.’
Kiri struck out angrily, but it was clumsy and ill-timed, Rihanna sidestepped the punch easily. Another twist followed. Kiri anticipated it and stepped back, punching again, but Rihanna blocked it, stepped in close and swept Kiri off her feet. She hit the ground hard a third time and lay there for a moment, dazed.
Before she could recover Rihanna punched straight down into her unprotected stomach, twice and then a third time.
Kiri gasped and rolled up in agony, winded and gasping for breath. She tried to uncurl herself, but she could hardly breathe for the pain in her midriff. Her breath rattled unnaturally in her throat as she struggled to draw air into herself.
Kiri heard a scraping sound. Rihanna had retrieved her kai.
No …
‘Rihanna, you’ve beaten her,’ one of the others called. ‘No need to …’
Rihanna ignored the comment, striding around Kiri’s fallen form.