The Severed City

by Christopher Mitchell

  ‘Just a few minutes,’ he said. ‘Wasn’t too bad.’

  ‘Wasn’t too bad?’ she said, coughing. ‘It was a fucking earthquake.’

  ‘Come on,’ he said, getting to his feet.

  As the haze of dust started to clear, Keira looked up. Most of the ceiling was still in place, but great chunks had fallen, exposing the raw rock of the mountain behind. She stood.

  ‘We weren’t in the epicentre,’ he said, scrambling over blocks of masonry towards the door, which was hanging off one hinge.

  ‘Flora!’ Keira cried, rushing past Benel into the main shop. The trooper was kneeling in a pool of blood, with long fragments of glass all around her, fallen from the shattered mirrors. One large shard had sliced through her left leg below the knee, and her face was grey.

  ‘Fuck,’ said Keira, kneeling by her.

  ‘Are you all right mage?’ the trooper said.

  ‘Aye, I’m fine. Get yourself to a Sanang healer,’ she said, ‘I need to see the rest of the damage.’

  She joined Benel, and they left the shop.

  Her mouth opened.

  The three great archways had gone. Where they had stood was now an enormous pile of rubble. Dazed soldiers staggered in the plaza, some limping. Several stretches of balcony had collapsed, and there were casualties where they had landed on the marble floor. There was no sign of the company that had been guarding the barricades.

  ‘They brought the gates down,’ said Benel, gazing around. ‘Guess they didn’t want to face the fire mage again.’

  Several small fires had started, and some of the shops were burning. Warriors and troopers were stumbling about, some emerging from shelters, others trying to get to their feet. Cries from the wounded echoed through the great hall, and everywhere, thick clouds of dust were suspended in the air.

  She spat on the floor.

  ‘Now we have no choice,’ Benel said. ‘We stay here, and hold out until we’re relieved.’

  Chapter 27

  Inside Out

  Plateau City, The Plateau – 6th Day, Second Third Winter 505

  ‘Come on baby,’ Daphne muttered, her right hand rubbing the small of her back.

  ‘I’m sorry ma’am?’ Captain Suthers said to her, a teacup held in her hand.

  ‘Not to worry, Captain,’ Daphne said, shaking her head. ‘I’m at the stage where all I want is this baby to be out.’

  ‘Are you overdue, ma’am?’

  ‘Five days,’ she said, trying to get comfortable on the chair, ‘though it feels longer. Thank you for coming over.’

  ‘No problem, ma’am. Is your sister around?’

  ‘Celine? Not at the moment.’

  ‘I’d be grateful, ma’am, if you could please pass on to her the message that no action is going to be taken over the unfortunate incident that occurred here a half third back. No charges have been brought against Celine Holdfast, as she has been judged to have acted in your defence.’

  ‘That’s good to hear,’ Daphne said. ‘It still saddens me, to know that someone I trusted tried to kill me. Mona, she…’ Daphne paused, suppressing a tear.

  ‘We did a little poking around,’ Suthers said. ‘Looked into your servant’s background, to see if we could find a motive.’

  Daphne said nothing.

  ‘I believe you told the sergeant on the scene that it was an old family grudge?’

  ‘Was I mistaken?’

  Suthers nodded, and sipped her tea.

  ‘We discovered that Mona of Hold Fast had been attending meetings and services held by a rather extreme sect of the church, the One True Path.’

  ‘I’ve heard of them,’ Daphne said. ‘A mean spirited bunch if my recollection is correct.’

  ‘Indeed,’ Suthers said. She put her tea down on the table by the fire. ‘We’re posting extra guards at your front door. I’m afraid to say ma’am, but it appears that the sect have issued some threatening statements concerning yourself. And your baby.’

  Daphne nodded.

  ‘We’ll do what we can to protect you, ma’am,’ Suthers said, ‘but you must also take your own precautions.’

  ‘I don’t understand,’ Daphne said. ‘If they’re threatening me, why don’t you arrest them?’

  ‘I’m Port Authority,’ Suthers shrugged. ‘Not my jurisdiction. I’m not actually supposed to be here, ma’am.’

  Daphne felt a sharp pain, and she took a breath. False contractions, Shella had said, as if they were a mere warm up for the real thing.

  ‘Are you all right, ma’am?’

  ‘Yes. Go on.’

  Suthers shifted in her seat. ‘The word is ma’am, that no one is to investigate the One True Path, or any other church body.’ She glanced around the room. ‘Ma’am, this command has come from the top. The church is to be left alone.’

  ‘The king,’ Daphne said.

  ‘His Majesty is very close to the lord vicar,’ Suthers said. ‘Preparations are being made for something, but I don’t know what.’

  ‘Why are you telling me this?’ Daphne said. ‘I’m truly grateful for the guards, and for your concern, Captain, but you must watch what you are saying.’

  ‘Most officers in the Port Authority were drafted in from the cavalry,’ Suthers said, ‘myself included. I still have friends in the city garrison, and none of them are happy about how you’re being treated. After all the praise they lavished on you for rescuing the Rakanese princess, the church are allowing a sect of their own priests to preach a pack of filthy lies about you. And we are forbidden to intervene.’

  Daphne felt another spasm of pain, longer and more intense than before.

  ‘Help me stand,’ she said.

  Suthers rushed to her side, and supported Daphne as she got to her feet. She put her right hand on the back of the chair.

  Such pain.

  ‘Should I call for someone?’ Suthers asked.

  ‘Shella,’ Daphne gasped.

  The captain left the room, and Daphne held on to the chair.

  It passed. Daphne breathed.

  Damn, she thought, was it beginning?

  She straightened her back, the weight in her womb heavy. She felt the baby move.

  The door opened, and Shella marched in.

  ‘Another false alarm?’ she said, as Suthers and Bedig came in behind her. ‘You’ve been having one nearly every day.’

  ‘This feels different.’

  ‘I shall leave now, ma’am,’ Suthers said. ‘All the best for the birth. I hope you feel safe knowing that the house is well-guarded.’

  Shella frowned at the officer.

  ‘Thank you Captain,’ Daphne said.

  Suthers saluted, and left.

  ‘That woman is way too uptight,’ Shella said, walking over to Daphne’s side. ‘She’s walking evidence that the king should relax the laws on smoking weed.’

  ‘I hope you’ve brought some.’

  ‘Of course,’ Shella said, placing a hand on Daphne’s massive bump, ‘but they’re for labour, not for every time you whine.’

  ‘Have you heard of the One True Path?’

  ‘Yeah,’ Shella said. ‘A group of nutters in the church. Make a lot of noise, holding sermons outside on the site where their church is due to be built. Attract a whole bunch of idiots who go along to listen.’

  ‘Mona was one of them.’

  ‘The crazy servant? Is that why Suthers was here? She didn’t have to be so fucking mysterious about it. “I must speak to Miss Holdfast privately”, she said to me, as if I were staff.’

  ‘She means well,’ Daphne said. ‘She’s assigned more guards outside the house. Apparently the One True Path have been threatening me, and Mona was influenced by their sermons.’

  ‘Scum,’ Shella spat. ‘Give me two minutes, and I’ll have their brains flowing out of their noses. How dare they. Fuck, I hope they do come here.’ She cracked her knuckles, her eyes elsewhere.

  ‘Thanks for being angry on my behalf,’ Daphne said, ‘but I’m not worried a
bout them. Just get me through the birth, and I can deal with everything else later.’

  Shella nodded, sat, and lit a cigarette. She picked up the teapot and gave it a shake, then poured a cup.

  ‘Here,’ she said, passing it to Daphne.

  Daphne sat down. ‘Thanks.’

  ‘Heard anything from your father?’ Shella asked.

  ‘No,’ she said. ‘To be honest, I’ve never believed he’d make it back in time. The two most important men in my life, and neither will be here when one becomes a father, the other a grandfather.’

  ‘Well,’ Shella smirked, ‘at least you have the third most important.’

  Bedig grinned.

  ‘I’m glad you stayed,’ Daphne said.

  ‘I’ll be here,’ Bedig said, ‘so I can tell every detail to Killop when he arrives, or if we ever meet him again. The birth of a Kellach Brigdomin child should be witnessed by at least one of his own folk.’

  ‘You’re weird,’ Shella said. ‘And it’s a half-Kellach child. All monkey, though.’

  Daphne frowned. ‘Ape.’

  ‘What’s the difference?’ Shella said.

  ‘Oh, about the same as between frogs and toads.’

  ‘Fuck you Daphne Holdfast,’ Shella glowered. ‘You’re only the fourth child of an aristocrat. I’m a fucking princess.’

  ‘Really, your Highness,’ Daphne smiled, ‘and have the Rakanese government recognised you as such?’

  ‘The ambassador is an arse-licking hypocrite,’ Shella said. ‘He’s the only voice of the government here, in these barbarian ape-infested lands. Fuck knows what’s happening back home in Arakhanah City, apart from the famine, and the collapse of money, and the crumbling sea-walls. The king says “wipe my arse”, and a dozen Rakanese bow and beg to be chosen. I’ll tell you Daphne,’ Shella pointed her cigarette at her. ‘It’s just as well the ambassador has resigned. If I had to put up with him much longer, his brains would be decorating the walls of the embassy.’

  ‘Do you know who’ll be replacing him?’

  ‘I’ve applied for the position myself,’ Shella said. ‘If I’m going to be living here anyway, I reckoned I ought to do something useful. I sold it to them as the cheapest option. I get a pension from the king, so they wouldn’t need to pay me a salary.’

  Pain flashed through Daphne. She put the cup down, and closed her eyes.

  Her left arm was trembling, she realised.

  Bedig appeared at her side, and helped her to stand.

  ‘Walk,’ he said.

  She put her right hand on Bedig’s arm, and breathed hard, her head lowered, the pain peaking.

  ‘Baby’s head is moving down a bit,’ Shella said, her hand on Daphne’s front. ‘Fuck me,’ she grinned at Bedig. ‘She might actually be about to push out her oversized unborn. Is the room ready?’

  ‘It’s been ready for days, princess,’ he replied.

  The pain passed. Sweat formed on Daphne’s forehead. She kept her head down, her eyes closed.

  ‘That was worse,’ she said.

  ‘Of course it was,’ Shella said. ‘You have a giant monkey baby inside you.’

  Daphne felt Shella take her hand.

  ‘Come on,’ she said. ‘Let’s go to your room.’

  Daphne opened her eyes. ‘All right.’

  Shella turned to Bedig as they started to walk. ‘Fill the bath,’ she whispered.

  ‘I’m not giving birth in a bath,’ Daphne said. ‘We’ve gone over this.’

  ‘But it’s the natural way, Daphne,’ Shella said.

  ‘Maybe for the Rakanese. I’m not risking the baby drowning.’

  Shella laughed. ‘It won’t. I’ll whisk it out of the water straight away. It’ll be fine.’

  ‘He,’ said Bedig. ‘He’ll be fine. Stop saying “it”.’

  ‘We don’t know if the baby’s a boy,’ Daphne said.

  Bedig opened the door to the room they had prepared for the birth.

  ‘I know,’ Shella said. ‘I’ve known the sex for thirds. There are differences in the internal blood-flow between males and females, even ones that small.’

  ‘And?’ Bedig said. ‘What is it then?’

  ‘Stop,’ said Daphne. ‘I’ve waited this long, I can last until the baby comes.’

  She paused by the entrance to the room as the strongest contraction yet tightened her abdomen. She clenched her eyes shut, and put her right hand round Bedig’s thumb, squeezing it.

  ‘Ow,’ he said.

  ‘Shut up,’ Shella muttered.

  ‘She’s stronger than she looks,’ the Brig man grimaced.

  The pain consumed her for a long moment, then tailed off again.

  ‘Shit, Daphne,’ she heard Celine say. ‘Is this it?’

  She opened her eyes. ‘Hello. I didn’t hear you come in.’

  Bedig withdrew his thumb from her grasp, and rubbed it with his other hand.

  Celine and Shella helped her through into the room, and up onto the bed.

  ‘I still think this is crazy,’ Shella said, shaking her head. ‘The stupidest possible position to be in to push out a baby.’

  ‘I’m not doing it in the bath.’

  ‘Well, squat then,’ Shella said. ‘Anything but lying on your back.’

  ‘This is the way Ariel did it.’

  ‘Yes,’ Shella said, ‘and did it look painful?’

  ‘I’m not squatting. I want to keep a shred of my dignity.’

  ‘Dignity?’ Shella snorted. ‘Get that idea out of your head right now. It’s only us here, the servants have all been told to keep everyone away, and none of them are to enter unless we let them in. In this room Daphne, you can scream, swear, whatever, it doesn’t matter, we’re your friends.’

  ‘Here comes another one,’ Daphne said, gritting her teeth. Bedig stepped back a fraction.

  Celine stood by her shoulder and held her hand until it passed.

  ‘I’m going to take a look,’ Shella said. ‘Loosen your skirt.’

  ‘It felt like I needed to push,’ Daphne said, sweating, her head back on the pillow.

  She felt her knees parted by Shella’s hands.

  ‘Way too early for that,’ she said after a moment, ‘you’re hardly dilated at all.’

  ‘I thought the baby was coming?’

  ‘It is,’ Shella said, smoothing Daphne’s skirt back down. ‘Might take all day though. It’s your first and, well… the baby is quite sizable. Your waters haven’t even broken yet.’

  ‘Can’t you hurry it along?’ Celine asked.

  ‘I could, yes,’ Shella said, ‘but I won’t, not unless it’s an emergency. Everything seems okay so far, so let time and nature do its thing. In fact, I’m going to take a nap. You stay here Celine. Come and wake me in a few hours, or if anything changes.’

  ‘A few hours?’ Daphne said.

  ‘I need to conserve my energy,’ she shrugged, ‘in case I need to use any powers.’

  ‘What should I do?’ Bedig asked.

  ‘Make yourself useful,’ she replied. ‘Pour Daphne some tea, and get some food for the rest of us.’

  ‘Doesn’t she get to eat?’ he asked.

  Shella frowned, and shook her head. ‘Best not.’

  The two of them left the room. Celine turned to Daphne and half-smiled.

  ‘Talk to me,’ Daphne said.

  ‘What about?’

  ‘Anything.’

  Celine sighed. ‘Heard from Vince this morning. Well, a letter arrived from him. He wrote it days ago.’

  Daphne lay back, the pain of another contraction filling her. Every muscle in her abdomen felt like it was tearing. Celine paused.

  ‘Keep talking,’ Daphne grunted.

  ‘Yes,’ Celine said. ‘Sorry. He’s doing all right, well he’s not injured, and they’re winning. I mean, we’re winning. He missed the fighting in the great tunnel, but was in the battle for Tahrana City. He wrote that they found a camp of Kellach Brigdomin slaves after they left the city. The guards had aband
oned the place, and left the slaves chained up and dying of thirst. It was horrible, he said. They had been so badly treated, he thinks that only half will survive. The Kellach in the army were enraged.’

  Daphne shuddered as the pain faded. Celine picked up a towel and wiped her forehead.

  ‘Has it passed?’

  ‘Yes,’ Daphne said. ‘They’re getting longer.’

  ‘Hours of this to go?’ Celine said. ‘You’re not making me want to have children.’

  ‘Were you planning on it?’

  ‘Sure,’ Celine said, ‘once Vince gets back. His mother’s been nagging us.’

  ‘She writes to him?’

  ‘And to me,’ she said, ‘every half-third. She’s not exactly the easiest mother-in-law to have, but at least she’s hundreds of miles away.’ Celine paused, her eyes widening. ‘I’m sorry, Daphne. I forgot she’s your mother too.’

  ‘She’s never written to me once,’ Daphne said, ‘not even when I was a student in Holdings City. I’ve done nothing but disappoint her.’

  ‘You’re your father’s favourite though, no?’ Celine said. ‘That’s what Ariel said, and Vince didn’t deny it.’

  ‘Then why isn’t he here?’

  Celine opened her mouth to respond, but stopped as another knot of agony gripped Daphne. She felt the urge to push again, but the thought of the pain that might follow stopped her.

  ‘That’s two since Shella left,’ Celine said.

  ‘You’re counting?’

  ‘Shella asked me to,’ Celine said. ‘Shit, I was supposed to time them as well. How long would you say that one lasted?’

  ‘I have no idea,’ Daphne said, her eyes closing. She wanted to sleep, each break between contractions now an oasis of calm. She drifted off.

  Hours crawled by, hours where pain alternated with exhausted relief. Bedig brought tea, and Celine left for a break.

  The sun went down, and Bedig closed the shutters and lit the wall lamps. He had encouraged her to get off the bed and walk about.

  ‘Shella’s got a point,’ he said. ‘Don’t know about a bath, but all Kellach women squat to give birth. Shella could catch him as he drops…’

  ‘Can we not talk about it, please?’ Daphne said. She leant over the bed, pain holding her tight.