Chapter Twenty-Eight
And the word of Airend-Ur occurred to the prophet Ilim in the days of King Khalit the king of Hybron in the twenty-second year of his reign. And the prophet Ilim did not hold back from prophesying the word of God and to the king. And each day he would station himself at the foregate of the Golden Temple to make his pronouncements and denunciations.
- Book of Prophets II 1:1, Translations of The Holy Aishanna
“Hear the word of Airend-Ur all you families and peoples in Jhis for this is what He has said: You keep doing what is wicked in the eyes of God and you priests of Airend-Ur, you Ainash! You have long left the God of the temple, you have rebelled against him in your hearts. Why do you keep saying God is great? It is for nothing because he sees your hearts. Why do you keep doing the prayers? The tithing and the mumblings of many prayers and the sacrifices at the festivals? It is all refuse to Him for you have not kept his ways. You have abused the people. You keep putting them in darkness and you keep deceiving the peoples. Turn back from your ways you Ainash for the brunt of these denunciations will come to you and you will have to be stripped naked and humiliated and you will have to come down from your high pedestals and eat dust and sand.
The people all over Hybron will stare in amazement at you and will whistle at your humiliation. You have lied and cheated and you talk falsehoods! Stop doing that way and turn back and you shall receive my blessing. If you do not I will cut you off and remove you like a butcher cuts the meat from the bone and puts it in the cooking pot. And I shall become heated up against you and in my rage I shall have to bring you to death. Put away your ill-gotten riches, your golden chains and your silver chains, your jeweled rings and your fanciful arm bands. Stop slavering for the copper and gold coins in your coffers. Turn them out to the poor for they have been stolen from them. I will not accept your tithes or your gift offering because you have defiled my name and my temple and your worship is unacceptable. Stop mixing the worship of Hec and the goddesses of the night with me for I have no part in them. Read the holy writings and humble yourselves and come back to me in repentance. If you do not, this is what I shall do, I shall allow your enemies to destroy you, all you Ainash and all who follow after you and admire you and your wickedness.”
Because he seemed to emanate light from his face the king left him alone. However, lately, Ilim began denouncing the king and the queen.
“You, oh king, the word of God occurred to me and He said: you have left the path of good to follow after other gods, you who have within you the seed of the king. You have cast aside the one giving you strength and teaching you the way in which you should walk and you have brought within your bosom rats from the temple and a snake from Egi. The Lady has inclined your heart to wickedness. Protect your son from her! Cast her aside and turn back from your folly and your wickedness and the Lord of the Heavens will bless you. If you do not, oh king, you will suffer defeat from your enemies and there will be no god to strengthen your arm when you go rearing up like a lion and you will have to be shot down with many arrows like a great beast during the hunt.”
The king was disturbed. He had come back early from a great hunting party because of reports from the southern border. Yet, the queen had just given birth to a healthy baby son. He had thought to at least come home to see the queen in a good mood but the queen was in a dark mood. Immediately when he had come she begged to see him. He came to her and found her holding their newborn child.
“My son! My little Rafka! Finally!” His face lit up and he took up the bundle in his arms.
“Have you heard what this prophet is saying?” She cried.
“This again?” He frowned at her.
“He is speaking against the king, Your Greatness!”
“My great lady, what is it that he has said this time?”
“That you are wicked and that you shall be destroyed by his god for turning away from his god and for choosing me as queen. It would seem that you have married a snake, Khalit. How like you that?” The king's face darkened.
“I like it not.”
“He even said to protect our son from me! From me, Khalit! I am a mother like any mother who loves her child and especially this child, your precious son! I only wanted to give you what would make you happy, Khalit.” Tears fell from her eyes. She began to weep profusely. Khalit turned to the nursemaid, Zigal who took the baby from him, bowed and left the room.
“Is this so? He has spoken against me! Even me? He has gone too far! I have had enough of this people of that accursed citadel! Even Bakku has warned me of them, repeatedly! I should have listened! They are worse than the Ainash!”
“There is something brewing among the low peoples, else why would they speak thus against you, my love? Temples burning and riots in the streets and this man who speaks abominations against you and the whole kingdom! They plan your ruin, Khalit! You must act to protect your name and your house! This is a strange thing that all these omens have crowded so upon you. Who knows what the witches in the desert have said against you to him. I hear he has been having dealings with them since he was thrown out of the temple. They are against you, Khalit! I do not trust them and I believe Ilim is their instrument sent to cause more havoc in the city. Perhaps they use him as a distraction while they plot treason! What good does it do to have a son when your very subjects seek to destroy the security and foundation of the kingdom? Did you not take the cities and the land away from the city fathers only some years ago? And now look, your own subjects have forgotten their oppression, their rescue from the Kushigyar and they seek to do the same to you. If you are to leave the kingdom to our son it must be secure. Which means traitors must be dealt with. Else, he will have to fight not only his brothers for the kingdom but his subjects as well. Do you want that for your son?”
“I will not have it. Guards!” He shouted. The doors swung wide open and several came.
“Yes, Your Greatness?”
“Ilim the prophet has been speaking treason! Seize him and bring him to me. And for those who are protesting, those of the Aishanna-La found in the streets protesting, you have orders to put to death!” They bowed and left quickly. Khalit was in a fury. Half his city was burned and there was unrest in the streets and the disrespect heaped upon him from enemies on all sides was too much to bear.
“Attendant! Call my counselors. There will be war against King Kufun, against King Temuz and against the witches of the citadel. You and Bakku were right all along. It is those witches behind this evil and now they have beguiled Ilim, who used to be my friend. I will finally put the matter to rest!”
“Please my lord, do not be too hard on the people of the city for they have been deceived by witches. And this man Ilim is their tool planted in the city to stir up violence and evil against my lord the king and his heir. Once their influence is gone the evil that permeates the minds of the innocent and gullible will be no more and there will be no need to punish them.” She said, watching him closely.
“No, Taliat but all treason must be addressed within and without. It has spread across my kingdom like poison! I will deal with the outside and when I come back I will search out all traitors! All of the communities of the Aishanna-La will be searched and questioned. I do not trust them.” He stormed out of the queen's bedchamber and to his council chamber, calling for his scribes, messengers, tartans and top palace officials to hold council.
Bakku was the first to appear. He bowed low to the ground.
“Your Greatness!” He said unctuously.
“Bakku! You were right about this situation. I have allowed it to go on for too long. Little did I realize the designs those witches in Gamina had on the kingdom and this Ilim has been controlled by them, sent as a devilish messenger to confuse the people!” Bakku bowed deeply, smiling with great pleasure inwardly. Anything to divert the king's hostility toward the Golden Temple was most welcome. Things were working in their favor!
“Your Greatness, I am so very glad that you have seen
fit to deal with this evil in the kingdom. Righteousness is always with you, my king.”
“I had reports while I was out hunting that have disturbed me greatly. That the raids in the south have gone closer inland. That they are more violent than before. That they have attacked the town of Beth-Ayin.”
“That is only a few leagues from Rhuctium, my lord king!”
“Indeed! And now I hear reports that there may be a marriage alliance between Zapulia and Jura. Not if I have a say, and I will have my say.”
“And you shall win back Zapulia which was stolen from you years ago by Temuz the invader!”
“And I shall silence his tongue, no, I will get hold of him and cut it out of his head and tear out his heart and feed it to his own god upon his own temple mount!” He slammed his fists on the table so hard that the goblets toppled over. A fervor was building in him, his eyes blazed. The men around him became agitated and roused.
“My lord king, long have we waited for this moment, to exact vengeance against these foreign kings!” Said Aquillam, one of the tartans.
“We will smash Kufun's raiding ships and move on toward Zapulia and I will make war with Temuz. And along the way we shall enter Gamina and raze the witches' citadel to the ground.”
“Yes. Get rid of the witches.” Said one of the officials. Which roused them even further.
“But why these women?” Asked one of the tartans, Zarammelech.
“Because it is they that are behind this mess in the city. Did you not see the red omen in the skies just days ago? Their black witchcraft has led to this, to the burning of the temple of Hec and the burning of the city and the deaths of thousands! I have allowed them to stay there too long, not thinking of their danger to me and to my kingdom! Many look at the actions of enemy kings as the greatest threat and pay little heed to those who divine and squawk of visions by demons! Where is my seal and my secretary? Where are my messengers? Bakku, send for them all! There will be war!”
And letters were written, letters with orders from the king to search out those within the Aishanna-La community and any other community that might be responsible for working with the witches in Gamina. The messengers and guards were dismissed while the king sat with his officials to plan out a strategy.
“But how shall we know or carry this out?” Asked one of the King's Guard later in Bakku's study.
“You must start with those that went to Gamina for the Festival of Firsts instead of coming to the Golden Temple. They may either be involved in rebellion or they may know someone who is. Start with them. There were many who were persuaded to go to the witches of the citadel instead of here. The witches wish to bring down the kingdom and they wish all to be under their influence. This so-called Red King prophecy, it is a fable. They wish to set up their own puppet king to control the kingdom. Why, they would even make an attack on Hec! These witches have grand plans.” Said Bakku.
“I have no issue with killing any raider from Jura found in the south or a war with the king of Zapulia but the women of the citadel saved my boy from leprosy. I see no evil from them.”
“I know it is difficult to exact punishment when we do not see evil acts committed openly but much that is evil is hidden from innocent eyes, my friend. Still, it must be rooted out and dealt with. The gods demand it.”
“Did not the gods demand the deaths of the Ainash priests in the arena?” Bakku stiffened suddenly. He drew himself up.
“We are still here, are we not, sir? Evidently not. It was treachery, treachery that your captain of the King's Guard and others of your ilk have known. Do not speak of it, for it is not your place to question the king's desires or his orders. Look at the foul things that have happened to this city because we have allowed it to fester in the kingdom! Many who pretend to be good hide behind good works. So your boy was cured of leprosy, was he? What about the children that died in the fires?You would do well to remember that we are commanded by the king.” The guard regarded him skeptically but said nothing. Bakku watched him closely as the guard left. He made a note of his name and station.
The next three days found the king marshaling his forces. The city was abloom with the warriors of Hybron and Egi; foot soldiers, charioteers and cavalry at the palace gate. Fricka made her way frantically back to the House of Mourning after the second war council had adjourned.
“So it begins. I feared this day would come, Fricka. But we have more work to do just yet.” Diti's household had been greatly reduced and even her most trusted servant Zigal had been taken from her, who now worked as a nursemaid to the queen's newborn son, a thing that had actually worked toward Diti's purpose. Her dreams of the new queen of late frightened her. She'd made Zigal swear an oath to her that she would protect the child the day the her maidservant was taken away. She remembered Zigal's stricken look, but it was all for the grand purpose. She had to believe it. She'd managed to hide Fricka but she wouldn't be able to hide the cat forever. Khalit had indeed gathered a snake into their midst and his rage against the Scions of the Desert Mothers meant that her own life now hung in the balance. She had completely fallen from favor. In fact, there were times when she was only allowed a meal once a day but at least she still had her own quarters. Zigal had sent a message that the new queen hated the fact that she still had her own apartments and would work to change that. Diti would have to find a way out of the city and back to the citadel.
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 wat
er. 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 happened 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.
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