Schisms

by V. A. Jeffrey

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Demos rummaged around at Eliaz's writing desk, through tablets, scrolls and papers expertly organized. He had no idea what the book looked like. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm himself. Then he looked through Eliaz's study room, again, for the Book of Nagilla. All this time he had thought it was a fable. There was a wooden box under the desk that for some reason he had ignored. He got down on the ground and pulled it out. It did not seem to have a lid or an opening. He frowned. There was a small indentation of a thumb print in the wood. He pushed it and he heard the box click and the lid slid open. In it was a book bound in dark red leather. He lifted it out and ran his hand over the cover. It's grain was rich. He opened the book carefully. The first vellum leaf page said: The Book of Nagilla. Ah. He thought. He looked in the box again and there was a small wooden box in it. He set the book aside and took the box out and opened it. In it was a family seal carved in lapis lazuli and ivory, a silver ring set with a black pearl and a white pearl and there was a fired clay tablet, the deed of a house. The seal symbol was of a kata flower wound around a pole and the initials of the owner and the seal was stamped on the tablet as well. On the tablet he saw names: Ific na Kuyin, Anetaliat na Seht. House of Kuyin. It was a noble family name from what it looked like. He closed the small box and put the book and the small box in a sack. He was afraid to go home and stay there. What if they suspected him and Eliaz of stealing the letter? Eliaz was dead and had no worries but Demos was afraid to go back and he no longer wanted to work under the corrupt scribes and priests at the temple. He had some money. He decided he would set off south to Rhuctium. Rhuctium was renowned for its schools. Surely he could find good work there as a scribe at a school or in a noble household or even for a merchant! He could not stay here too long. A dead man's house would eventually pass to the family or in case of Eliaz, it would become the property of the temple. He would stay here for the night, hide the book and the box in his family's garden early in the morning and set off. He would be free of Jhis. He was very proud of his plan. Finally, Demos felt as if he were setting off to find his own way in the world, even if the circumstances were not ideal.

  It certainly was not ideal. It had been weeks since the fire. Demos, unaccustomed to anything but the creature comforts of city life had found a rude awakening after he'd left Jhis. He wondered why he'd left. Perhaps he could have found room with Zephyros. He was afraid to go home but it made no sense staying out here. He was sun-burnt, cold at night, hungry, thirsty and dirty. He hated dirt! It was nearly sunrise and he had hidden out in a cave somewhere between the small village he had left yesterday and Rhuctium. In fact, he was only a few days away from the city, according to his crudely drawn map and he could certainly find work there. All he needed was patience and time to think. Yes. He was an educated man and Rhuctium was a great city of learning. It was decided then. Rhuctium. Perhaps he would rise and become a man of his own. He did not want to go back to the Golden Temple. He had long lost respect for the priesthood but there was no question of not working there if he went back home. His family would demand it and he had no wish to cross his father. Rhuctium, then. Yes. He hated that he vacillated so much. He was used to others giving him instructions. Demos got up and climbed on his ass, stolen from his father's stable and continued on his way further south. He'd only traveled an hour when he heard someone hail him. He turned to look for the sound of the voice. There were men on horseback, wild men by the look of them, approaching. One was dressed in a rough looking fur-lined cloak. He became immediately wary and spurred his donkey forward.

  “Wait! I must ask you a question!” Called the one in the cloak. They hurried to catch up with him.

  “What is it?” He asked suspiciously, feeling nervous as they approached. He guessed that they must be a westerly tribe from the horses, for they were certainly not warriors of the king. The man who spoke got down from his horse and lead it behind him, approaching Demos. Demos felt a little less nervous.

  “Ahaifa! We are trying to get to Rhuctium and we are not sure of where we are. Would you happen to know which direction it is?” The man asked. He had long, shaggy black hair with bold strips of gray running through it and a long, thick beard with copper ringlets tied within with hard, black eyes. Demos could not quite place his accent.

  “I believe it is further south, my friend.” The man bowed and clasped his hands together. He did not seem so bad after all. Demos spoke up again.

  “I am going that way. You may follow me.”

  “Thank you, my son! Come, men. This man knows the way to the city.” The man grinned at him, calling to his companions.

  “Are you traders? Why do you not go to Jhis?”

  “Jhis is too fiery these days. You look as if you come from there. Do you not know?” Asked the man, climbing back upon his horse.

  “Know what?” Asked Demos. He felt himself break out in a sweat, even against the cool air. The men looked at each other, then at him, like hungry wolves.

  “There is an edict, a new one from the king from what we have heard. There are many people leaving there that went to Gamina instead of the Golden Temple.” The first man said. “Then there was the burning of the sun god's temple. Riots. Of course you know, I am sure. The edict is this: any man or woman leaving Jhis for Gamina for a festival or holy day is suspected of harboring treasonous rebels or being rebels themselves. Such ones will be questioned and everyone coming back to the city now will be suspect.” Demos's heart hammered in his chest. He looked from one man to the other. Their expressions suddenly went hard and menacing.

  “I see. That is really too. . .too bad. Well, I am going to Rhuctium.” He said weakly.

  “No, my son. You are not going there.” The man in the furs said and suddenly Demos was very afraid. One of them brandished a long knife. Demos spurred his donkey on and tried to outrun them. He did not get far when the poor beast was shot down with arrows from under him. The donkey wailed, rolled over, breaking a leg and nearly crushed him. He heard one of the men cursing even as Demos cried out in agony.

  “You fool! He will be of no use to us damaged!”

  “He looks like a scribe or someone with some education. He will not be put in the pits. We can still get a good price for him.” Said another.

  “With a broken leg he could die on us before we get there!”

  “He is wearing very fine, warm robes. He won't need them where he is going. We can sell or trade those too.” He felt rough hands pick him up and tie him in strong cloth bands. Someone stuffed a rag in his mouth and they rolled him up in thick cloths to hide him so that he looked like a rolled carpet. He could smell a faint, acrid scent – and he began to drift off into blackness.

  The king was at the front gates of the palace and was too busy to pay much attention to her - and she would have it that way. Things were moving exactly in the right direction. Which left her only one more problem to deal with. She called for her guard.

  “I would speak with the Most Honored Lady Diti. Bring her here.” She stepped out of the hot pool, dripping wet, her hair heavy with water, creating a fat trail of bathwater along the polished stone-tiled floor. A maidservant covered her with a large silken, diaphanous wrap and she lounged upon a divan to receive one of her many daily massages. The air, heavy with steam, was perfumed with olive and kata flower oils. And the slight scent of myrrh. Vala sat on her tiny divan, licking her paws. She stopped and stretched lazily as her mistress rubbed her back. Her collar of sapphires and silver glistened with droplets of steam.

  “Vala. You have done well but you failed in your last task. Still, we shall take care of this loose end once and for all.” The maidservant massaged her with oils as another squeezed out her hair and began to oil it and comb it. Eventually it was announced that the Lady Diti had arrived.

  “Come.” Said the queen. A guard brought her in. Lady Diti bowed slightly, her eyes taking a flick across the room. The corners were obscured by steam.

  “Y
ou bring me to your bathhouse, Your Greatness?”

  “You will speak when spoken to. I will forgive the insult because you were once a queen. I called you here because there is a problem, Lady Diti and I believe that together we can solve it.”

  “What problem, Your Greatness?”

  “The problem of things falling into the wrong hands and being heard by the wrong ears. You see, I love the king very much and now that I have born him a healthy son,” she paused at this, stared pointedly at Lady Diti, then went on, “I am especially afraid. This Jhis is a wild and dangerous place. Would you not agree?” Lady Diti was not sure what she could divine from this so she kept silent and gave her a curt nod.

  “Oh, I am so sorry. Please, sit down and relax yourself.” The queen motioned toward a divan and a small marble table across from her. A slender blue glass ewer of wine and a few glass goblets sat on the table. Diti noted the beauty in the intricate, delicate Egian glass work. Probably laced with poison.

  “I have no need of food or drink. Thank you, Your Greatness.” Lady Diti smoothed her robes slowly and sat down, gazing levelly at the queen. The queen smiled but her gaze was hard as iron.

  “Suit yourself. Bring me a drink.” She looked at one of her servants who immediately went to the table and poured wine and handed one of the goblets to her. Lady Diti could detect the faint scent of poison in the goblet. A snake venom. One she had been trained to detect by Instructress Matha before she was even married. She then realized the true danger in this woman before her, who could drink poison. To her wonder the queen swallowed it down before speaking again, as if to make a point. She threw the goblet aside, smashing it against the stone on the floor. Then she continued. Their eyes never left each other.

  “Would you not agree, Lady Diti?” The queen's smooth voice was now laced with an iron edge. Vala hopped onto the queen's divan and settled herself around her feet, ears twitching.

  “I would agree, Your Greatness. It is a dangerous place.” She finally said.

  “Far more dangerous than your high citadel in Gamina. A queen must have her ways of finding out about things around her. You have done the same, I see. We live in a world created by and for men, do we not? The only way we survive and thrive is by the best way a woman can. Through her own wiles and wit. You understand that two queens cannot live under one roof.”

  “There is only one queen, Your Greatness. Only and ever has there been one queen in Hybron, at a time.”

  “You think so? Ah, but you see, there is always more than one side to everything. More than one thing in any situation. A thing that is seen and a thing that is hidden. Sometimes this is good and sometimes it is not.”

  “Say what you mean.”

  “I mean this: I cannot be queen while you are here.”

  “But Your Greatness is queen already. There is no one but the king who can change that.”

  “Not so. You have more power than I do. You see, many of the people here still regard you as queen over me. We both know this. Do not be coy with me, Lady Diti. We both have our means of finding out what we need. I have gathered enough knowledge to know that there can only be one of us in all the land of Hybron. Right now there are two. To be queen I must not only wear the crown but I must have their hearts.”

  “And what makes Her Greatness feel as if she does not? When Her Greatness first arrived in Jhis she came in all fanfare and pomp and everyone has fallen in love with her.”

  “But it is such a fleeting thing, Lady Diti. So fleeting. Now that the bloom of that has worn off we still have two queens who sit in Hybron, one in name and the other in hearts and minds. The hearts and minds of those who would go against their king. Who would rise up against his person and persecute even the people who worship the great god Hec. Who burn his temple, who would create mayhem at the behest of their beloved queen who was put away, who did not bear her king an heir. How is it that there were riots in the street before my coming? Who caused the people to do this? Was it on their own that they rioted in the street before the king's royal wedding? Or was it at your behest? Such power you have. More than the Ainash or the king himself realizes or will acknowledge. Let me be plain. I did not simply arrive in Jhis as a maiden who has not seen the light of day, coddled behind walls and palace caves but one who has come into the world through darkness and sees the world through darkness. I arrived with an army. I arrived with the intent to have a son and I brought forth a son. I arrived in power and I shall keep it from everyone. From you, especially. You are right. You do not wear the crown. But you rule here though many do not see it. I see it and I will have none of it. Your movements are restricted already. I ask you to restrict them once more. I will give you the dignity to do this on your own. The king is gone. You have no friends here in the palace. You were once a queen and I wish to give you your dignity as a gift. But if you cannot see my meaning it will go ill with you.” Lady Diti pulled in a sharp breath. The queen's gaze was unblinking and cold, her complexion, even in the hot steam was cold and bloodless. Lady Diti felt the blood draining from her face. After a long silence between them:

  “May I go, Your Greatness?” Queen Taliat waved her hand. Her face was impassive and her dark eyes glinting with red lights. The cat was attentive, it's long tail curled around her mistress's feet. They stared at her, cold and menacing like shades in a dream she'd once had. But a thought came to her before she left.

  “You speak of hearts and minds, Your Greatness. But the hearts and minds of the people are not taken by force. They are earned. They must love you and respect you. Not fear you.” Queen Taliat was silent and unmoved. Lady Diti gathered her voluminous robes and left the bathhouse. She new the queen's meaning. But she still had something left to do. A dream that had come to her for years that finally needed to be brought to life and born out in truth.

  The eunuch of the women was brought to her later that day at her request. The king was only now just leaving the city. Lady Diti stared out of her window facing south. There were a forest of standards bobbing as they set off in a great cloud for war, hundreds on horses and thousands on foot. No such great gathering of men had she ever seen since her own wedding day gathered in Jhis. She heard the doors open. It was Ruz. He bowed low, his once smooth face heavily scarred and he moved with a limp.

  “Please, do one last thing for me, Ruz.” He gave her a suspicious look.

  “It is not for me that I ask but for the good of the kingdom.”

  “What would you ask of me?”

  “Tell Zigal that she must save the child, the queen's son. I have had a vision of his death.” She then chose her words very carefully. “Please – it may sound strange to you but listen to me! She must save him from certain death. She must watch and listen carefully. When she hears of the king's death, she must save the child.”

  “The king's death? To even mention such a thing is treason, Lady Diti! I do not understand. . .”

  “It is not for you to understand! Only just give her this message. Zigal will understand my meaning. I know that my last request caused you great punishment. I promise you this will be the very last time I ask anything of you. I beg you, please tell her.”

  He bowed to her, still frowning. She lowered her voice so that only he could hear.

  “You well know this new queen and the faction behind her is dangerous, Ruz. You saw what happened to poor Salayma.” She reminded him. Ruz swallowed hard and nodded.

  “I know, my lady.” He said quietly. Then, “I do not understand, but as you say, she may understand the message and I perceived long ago that you are a seer. I will give it to her, Lady Diti.”

  “Thank you.” She collapsed down in a chair and nearly began to sob. His expression softened but she waved him away. After Ruz left she felt as if a great weight had been lifted. Zigal would surely know what she meant. It was out of her hands now. Her greatest task was finished. She did not fear the queen, not truly. She was put here as a place holder and a protectress. God had seen all and guided her. But she
regretted that she had not listened to Zigal, that she did not leave sooner but lingered here too long and now there was no way out but one.

  . . .

  As for the king, he sent out many letters to his officials and vassals in the land. One letter, the most important one, was sent out first and it commanded every vassal and official to send warriors to Jhis and then he made this speech before the gate of the palace with all his army and the people of Jhis:

  “By the power of the Sun God who is mightier than all gods who exist in heaven or in this world or beneath it, I, Khalit-Aisu, who took power by my own mightiness from the hands of my enemies will once again show my might to my enemies. By the might of the One who made me King of Hybron I will make war on Zapulia for the peoples of Zapulia have rebelled against me and their king has made a boast of it. I have sent warnings to them and they did not listen to me. They have refused to stop their wicked deeds and heaped insults upon me in their boasting, accounting their absence of punishment to their demon gods that drink the blood of men. I shall make war upon them and bring them under my rule. I shall crush their gods into dust. I call upon the scribes. May it be written in letter, inscribed upon tablets and etched in stone, my word and my deeds. O Hec, praised.” And he then left with his army to the south.