Schisms

by V. A. Jeffrey

  Chapter Thirty

  The king and all his host made south for Beth-Ayin and camped there and took the measure of the town. The reports there were disturbing. The raiders were headed to the coast to their ships. Upon entering the town he found the south wall undermined and near the town square a mass grave of hundreds of men. The raiders had not even spared the male children but had dashed them against the walls and thrown them in the grave. All women and girls of child-bearing age had been taken and those left were the old women. The weeping, wails and shrieks filled the air like a shroud. The king took six garrisons with him and left the foot soldiers and charioteers at the town and went chasing after the raiders. When they had caught up with them on horses they slaughtered all of the raiders there on the beach and carried the women and girls back to Beth-Ayin. He camped there for three days and drew up plans to have the town enlarged and a great wall built around it to fortify it and also the south border all along the coast to the rocky desert border of the far west, the High Lands. He left two garrisons there at the town to secure it and to make preparations for the fortifications. He then moved east to Gamina. And they took up the chant: “Death to the witches! By the Hand of God! Death to the witches!”

  They arrived at the hill town after nearly nine days of marching, visiting villages in between Jhis and Gamina for supplies. The army encamped around the foot of the town. The gate was barred and locked. The high hill ringed with natural rock made a natural strong wall around the city.

  “Set up camp for the night. I will send message to them in the morning. I give the witches two days before we break it down and annihilate everyone in the town and move on.” Said the king. In truth, he had far bigger enemies than these women holed up in the citadel. He would be merciful if they opened their gates to him and brought out the Mother of the citadel and her eldest attendants. The rest would be spared. He set about bringing up terms for their surrender. Then he sat back in his tent, thinking of all the things he had yet to accomplish. There was much to do and taking back Zapulia piece by piece, especially it's biggest seaport would be the most important thing in carrying out the rest of his plan. He dreamed of all the heaps of wealth that passed through the port city. He would commission another stela for himself and also a statue of fine marble of the queen to be set in the city square. Then his thoughts settled upon his son. My strong little Rafka. His mind was eased somewhat now that things were more secure but he would need more sons to secure his plans for expansion.

  “Bring me wine and food and a game. Call my chief court officers, Zarammelech, my tartan of the left and Aquillam, my tartan of the right. Call Caina, my the herald! We shall play Hounds and Jackals!” The personal guard bowed and went his way. Khalit went to the opening of his tent and pulled away the flap. The sky was deepening pink and as the sun sank down it descended into a stew of hazy purple and deep red but there was no other omen he could see. The warriors' hearts were light and confident with a fresh, easy victory and the matter of Gamina would be another easy one. He saw his tartans and the herald approaching, merry with drink, even in the face all the evil omens. And why not? Khalit was convinced now from his council and even the word of the queen that these women in Gamina were the cause of these omens. Did not these desert holy men and woman perform great feats magic and power in the old days? They would not do so any longer while he was on the throne. Not from this temple and not without his say. Even the priests of the temple of Airend-Ur did not believe these things came from God but from demons. He would wipe them all away in a day and then he would deal with Temuz. He would bring Zapulia back into the fold and raise up its true, old name when it was rightfully under Hybronian rule - Ellah, the Land of Bounteous Blessedness.

  “My lord king, when you arrive back in Jhis it is time you dealt with those lying priests at the temple.”

  “It is interesting that you mention it Aquillam. Come! Tell me your thoughts.” They were sitting around the table in the king's tent at a long game. Zarammelech nodded eagerly.

  “Here is what I and Zarammelech have discussed. That the current priesthood should be removed from their positions. The high priest especially Your Greatness is dangerous. I do not trust him at all! Or his father. And a tax should be levied against the temple. The Golden Temple owes much to its flourishing wealth to you, yet what do they do for the kingdom?” Aquillam urged. The king stroked his beard in thought. He glanced at Zarammelech who took the opportunity to bolster Aquillam's position.

  “I agree lord king! And another thing – there are many dangerous people - snakes slithering around your court.”

  “Are there not devious people in every kingly court Zarammelech?”

  “Yes, but usually they fight one another in order to gain the king's favor. These snakes in your court plot against you, my lord king.”

  “Snakes!” The king laughed.

  “But it is a serious matter. And Bakku is at the heart of it. He is the sneakiest serpent of them all. I believe he is a spy for the temple priesthood. I would say this, not only should you remove the head priests and appoint those who would be loyal to the Hybronian throne but to make the matter secure you should create an edict in the land that all those officials living in the land must, at an appointed time, gather together in the city before you and bow down before you publicly as a son of the gods. Kiss your feet even. On the great holy day of the sun god you should declare it and all those refusing will be seen as traitors and must be put to death!” Said Aquillam.

  “I like this plan. Furthermore, when I come back to the palace I will have Bakku and all the priests of Airend-Ur brought before me to present this new tax and I shall make the edict. I will see how far I can push them. How far will they go to worship their lord and king? To keep their positions? Interesting. Yes, they must do an act of worship to me in front of the people to prove their loyalty, to test them out.”

  “And if that does not sift them out there are other ways.” Said Aquillam. The king stroked his long, luxuriant curled beard, the rings tied within tinkled together. He glanced at them both.

  “Yes, Aquillam and Zarammelech, you both are speaking right, for am I not strong and is not my son a son of the gods? After this is over, you two must come up with all the details of the plan to test them all out. Bring it to me and I shall sign it and put my seal upon it.”

  “Indeed lord king!” Said Aquillam. “It is an excellent way to find those who are disloyal to you and of those there are many among the Ainash.”

  They had only days left to prepare for a siege and now the army was approaching. They looked like a great crowd of locusts, ready to overtake the town. The people of the land had either fled into the desert or entered the courtyard of the citadel. People were stepping on top of each other with their livestock and meager possessions. Anet, Kaisha and the other younger girls were in charge of seeing about the people of the land who had come for refuge. The guardian scions were ready to take aim with arrow at anyone approaching the citadel. Torches and pitch were at the ready for flaming arrows and they wore tunics of metal over their robes and swords at their sides under their sash belts. Anything that could be used to throw down was piled up around in the courtyard and soon Anet was put in charge of this task for the guardian scions. They stood like grim sentinels ringed around the parapets of the towers.

  “Can they get in here?” She asked fearfully.

  “It is possible.” Said Lita. “But do not fear. God sees all and even if we do not win we have our reward for being true. Paradise.” Anet knew this but she still wanted to be here, at least for a little while.

  “Look at it another way, Anet. Several times in history men have tried to take this citadel down and they failed.”

  “But those men were Hatchet Men. This is a true army.”

  “Indeed it is, but if God sees fit to help us He will and if He does not there is a reason for it and it does not pay to dwell upon it. What is, is what is. But I do not think we shall fail.” She winked at Anet. Anet looke
d over the balcony wall at the army below down the hill. It seemed vast.

  “Are you afraid Lita?”

  “A little. It is not wrong to have fear. What does one do when fear overtakes, Anet?”

  “Pray.”

  “Then pray.” As the dusk deepened she watched as they brought out the battering rams. There were two of them with great carved lions' heads mounted on the battering ends. The trunks were so big, Anet had not seen anything like them in her life. The army camps bloomed at night with camp fires and as the night wore on there were mists that descended and the fires looked like fluttering moths of light in the blackness. The moons were completely obscured and there was only the fire light in the citadel and the dim pinpoints of fire light within the camps below. Out of the gloom was the ram's horn call.

  “Sisters, come! People, come to the courtyard! Let us all pray!” And they did so with Mother Berenice leading the prayers. Anet, even in the cold mists no longer felt cold but a heat, a fire within. They prayed, man, woman and child, into the early hours of the morning. Then the men took up their own weapons if they had them or any weapons they could find and stationed themselves either in the citadel parapets or behind the town gate. The women busied themselves by further reinforcing the gate with barricades. In the morning they heard a voice outside the gate.

  “This is what my lord the king of Hybron has said: '“Why do you sit here under siege in Gamina? Is it to die with the witches that you sit here?” '. Here the town of Gamina and the land all around will certainly be given into my lord the king's hand and he is also your lord and king but the king is merciful. Do not be deceived, you people of Gamina. The king is ready to show mercy to all those showing loyalty to him so that he will not have to put you to death, you, your women and your little ones. It is the god Hec that has given the king all that he has, that has given Hybron into his hand and it is these witches of the citadel who must answer for their treason against the king. Do not share in their folly. Come out to us and we will not burn the town down. Do you not see the cavalry? Do you not see his host? Come out to us and bring out the witches, the old ones, the ones cackling over entrails and deceiving you with evil signs and portents, who rule this citadel. Bring them out to us and we shall not destroy you. If you do not, this is what King Khalit, the king of Hybron, your king has said: “For it is treason that you are gathered here against me and I shall come up against it like a wind against a pile of feathers and I shall raze it to the ground. I will set it to fire and burn it and all of you within its walls and the town shall have to be burned down and sown with salt.” Listen to my voice, oh people of Gamina and open your gates and you shall be spared the king's wrath!” It was the tartan Zarammelech. He had a hollowed out horn so great that three attendants had to hold it up to his lips as he spoke through it but it made his voice carry throughout the town and it frightened the people. Mother Berenice stood as still as a statue and she the raised her hand as the murmuring grew into a great outcry of fear from the people inside.

  “Will you be afraid in this hour? Please, do not be afraid for God is with us. If you bring us out to them or let them cause us to fight amongst ourselves they will certainly kill all of us anyway. Why should they spare us? How do you know he is being truthful? Do not do this thing to us! We have served you all these years faithfully!” The town-keeper came to the front and faced the crowds.

  “She speaks right! Do not fear them! This is not the first time men have come to destroy the town. It still stands.”

  “But they will burn us all alive in here!” Shouted someone.

  “They will not. Look. He sends a sign to us.” Said Mother Berenice pointing to the sky. The morning was covered in low clouds, dark gray and thick. From far off rain began to fall. Over the wall they could hear the jeers and derision from the warriors of the king's army.

  “They will set nothing to fire today!” She said triumphantly.

  “Men, get to your stations!” The town-keeper commanded. A sign was given and their fear passed and they readied themselves.

  “Madam, this feels like treason though I know it be right. I have never in my life gone up against the king. May God protect us.” He said. Then the town-keeper steeled himself and went to the wall to answer the chief official. And he said:

  “We will not open the gate to you and we will not deliver the women of the citadel to you for what you are seeking is not right. If what we do is right we shall succeed. If what we do is wrong we will fail but we will not open the gates to you or deliver the women into your hand.” And Mother Berenice approached the wall, filled with boldness and she said to them: “Tell the king this: because you have left the path of wisdom and because you have killed many innocent men and women and you come to kill those who are doing good in the eyes of God, this is what Airend-Ur is saying to you – you will die and you will not march on to Zapulia nor will you get the glory for yourself for God has left you because you left Him. Encamp against it and fight against the citadel but you will not prevail and you must die and your men will scatter like dust!” She prophesied. Zarammelech cursed her and called down evil on her and the town-keeper. Then he went back to the king. When the tartan informed the king of all the things they had said he became so enraged that he broke the tables in his tent, smashing them to pieces.

  And the battle of Gamina began.

  They could not burn it with fire because it began to rain with fury so they began ramming the doors of the gate. The people inside put up carts, millstones, heavy stones anything they could find that would be used. The archers of the citadel let loose hundreds of arrows, a shock to the army outside the gate as they had assumed there were no warriors amongst them. But there were the guardian scions and some of the men among the townsfolk who were skilled with the bow and arrow and they rained poisoned arrows down upon them. Mother Berenice herself prayed for their release and deliverance. Anet ran to the utmost tower with Nitara and Nirka, lugging bags of heavy rock. They quickly passed behind the guardian scions loosing their arrows. Several had fallen, injured by the arrows of soldiers below. One of them was Lita, who was riddled with arrows. Anet tried to stop to see about her but Nitara warned her.

  “Anet! Please hurry! We do not have time! Worry not for her and keep going! Someone will see about her!” Anet choked down her sobs as she took up the sack and kept going until they made it up the long stairs to the top tower. There was a giant slingshot stationed there. Anet could see the guardian scions and the townsmen below letting loose volleys of arrows. Lightening flashed and flickered silently within the thick blanket of clouds. The archers in the king's army began flying flaming arrows but they had no effect because of the rain. A terrible streak of lightening, like a great, hideous arm of light tore through the camp and with it blew a tempestuous wind from the north. It was so bright it lit up the entire sky and the land and for only a moment, it seemed like daylight. A great white fire exploded within the middle of the army camp throwing it into mass confusion. In the confusion the king could be seen close by the gate. And at last, when most of the stones to hurl down into the army ranks had been thrown one of the guardian scions picked up a large gaming ring and hurled it with all her might and skill down below. It smashed open the king's skull as he was sitting upon his horse.

  One of the attendants caught him as he fell. The lightening kept striking the camp and a few more fell by the arrows slung from the citadel. The king's breathing became heavy and labored.

  “Aquillam, please, I am dying and I know not where I will go after this.”

  “May your soul find itself in the halls of the sun god, my lord king!”

  “I. . .do not know. . . if only I would be judged righteous by Hetar. By Ai. . .”

  “My lord king?”

  “I am dying. The regency. . .with her uncle. . .must be called up from Egium.”

  “I shall do this with all speed Your Greatness!” Said Aquillam. Zarammelech came by his side.

  “Here. Take my signet ring. You men,
see this here. . .that. . .is one that has authority as messenger to take over and send all my letters I have prepared. Among them I have made arrangements for regency. You two. . .my chief generals and my chief princes of the court, Bedai and Ekka and the queen's uncle must take over until my son. . .my Rafka is of age.” He began to breathe raggedly.

  “Zarammelech, take your sword and run me through or I shall be shamed. Never let it be said that I was killed by a woman.” At this Zarammelech took his sword and before Aquillam and the king's closest attendants he ran him through and the king died at Gamina at the gate.

  And the gate was never broken through for the camp broke and scattered in confusion, most of them heading west, back to Jhis in fear of the storm for they knew it was a sign from above.

  Yet, is it not written in the book of the Holy Aishanna that Khalit, who took power upon himself in the year 1663 of the month of Zali, putting the Kushigyar, the head ruler of the city of Jhis to death was himself killed in the Battle of Gamina by a woman of the Citadel? His body was then taken and laid in the Tomb of the Kings near the city of Jhis. He was not laid down with his tribal forefathers. Test these words out and find them true.

  - The Third Book of the Kings, 15:57, Translations of The Holy Aishanna.