by Jeremy Dwyer
Gisella followed him, wondering what the man had in mind.
Stafford drank anew of the waters of the Lujladia Ocean from his vial to be energized. This allowed him to continue to create the illusory lights that concealed them. He also began to use it to see around the flames to find a safe passage. He then led Gisella by the hand, along a path that was away from the direction of the fire’s spread. They went past the mostly burning circle of trees and found farm land on the other side.
~~~
In the Port of Kemalorin, a pair of figures – a man and a woman – emerged from the cover of darkness and headed toward a workshop.
“I can’t force her, Daley. All I can do is try to present the evidence,” the woman whispered.
“You have the evidence, and you can explain it, Kassia,” the man whispered back.
When they entered the workshop, Fantine looked up and asked: “How can I help you?”
“We need to talk,” the woman said.
“And you are?” Fantine asked.
“My name is Kassia. I understand that you’ve been working with the central bank and building things for them with your constructor machine – making cities and aqueducts,” Kassia said.
“Yes, that’s right. Although I do not have exclusive arrangements with the central bank, and am available to design and build structures for other organizations,” Fantine said.
“After you read this, you’re going to want to have no arrangements with the central bank,” Kassia said, pulling a stack of papers out of a satchel and handing it over to Fantine.
Fantine looked at the papers and asked: “So, according to these papers, it appears that the central bank had financial difficulties in the past. I continue to work with them because the construction projects are beneficial to society at large. They still pay me in the present. Why should I no longer work with them, just because of past difficulties?”
“You’re not reading this carefully enough, then. The central bank is paying you with money they extorted from another architect. They cheated the entire family – putting them out of business – with financial fraud and sabotage,” Kassia said.
“According to your papers, that was centuries ago, by previous bank officers. While that was certainly unethical, what does that have to do with matters today?” Fantine asked.
“It means that you can’t trust the central bank, either. They have ulterior motives – they may cheat you before long. You have no idea how far Governor Lux will go,” Kassia said.
“The central bank has blood on its hands. If their profits are threatened, they’ll do whatever it takes to cut their losses,” Daley said.
“He’s right. I can prove it. The point is that you want to find someone else to work for,” Kassia said.
“If the work is beneficial – constructing aqueducts to provide purified water to remote locations, or a port city for ships to visit and conduct trade – that is what builds a better world. Refusing to do that business because of your accusations of fraud from centuries past makes little sense,” Fantine said.
“They want your constructor for themselves. They’re going to learn how to use it and be done with you,” Kassia said.
“I’m not standing in their way. No one’s been willing to let me explain the complexities of the constructor to them. I’m certainly willing to do so,” Fantine said.
“Because they’re trying to be secretive about it. That’s part of business. Another part is what they’ll try to do to you,” Kassia said.
“They’ll arrange an accident – some structure will collapse after you’ve made it. Then, your reputation will be ruined because of the damage and death, and someone from the central bank can build the replacement,” Daley said.
“If I believe your accusation, and stop working for the central bank, and then if the accusation turns out to be wrong, that will destroy my reputation. You’re going to need to prove these claims more thoroughly than with a few papers documenting problems from centuries ago. Until you can do that, I really can’t take your word or change any plans that I have,” Fantine said.
“It’s just a matter of time. You have no idea what they’re willing to do,” Kassia said.
“I’m sure you believe what you say, but believing a false accusation and then refusing to build a necessary structure because of that, would be a mistake. People actually depend on the aqueducts and other works I construct – their businesses and communities need them to succeed. You have to understand that,” Fantine said.
“I’ll get you the proof. There’s too much to ignore. Time is not your side. Remember these warnings – the central bank will betray you,” Kassia said. She then left, followed by Daley.
Once outside, Daley drank anew of the waters of the Ikkith Tar Ocean from his vial and was energized with the powers of darkness. He then created a dark cloak around himself, extending it over Kassia. Unseen, they moved onto their next destination.
~~~
When Kassia and Daley left, Fantine closed the door to her workshop and went into the room where she slept and rested. She sat on her bed and opened up the book of castles, reviewing its contents, looking for patterns that she missed before. She was always discovering new connections between ideas, because the book was dense with knowledge, and it was difficult to absorb it all in a single reading.
She was annoyed by the political games, and didn’t believe the accusations without proof. If dishonesty was involved, perhaps her recent visitors were the liars. She had enough of that nonsense – Sebastian clearly used her, and she didn’t want to be used again. Building structures that were of true societal value was the one thing in which she felt confident, because it was more than words, which might prove false.
~~~
From under the cover of darkness, other sets of eyes were watching Fantine, looking over her shoulder at the contents of the book of castles and copying the information onto other papers.
~~~
King Hamza Bazavador came to his decision quickly enough, and decided to issue a decree to set the matter in motion. First, however, he opened up his book and began to write in it, signing his name at the bottom.
The king stood up from his throne and said: “Captain Duvall.”
Upon hearing the summons through the door, the guard captain entered the throne room and said: “Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Bring me Duchess Sarita,” King Hamza Bazavador said.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Captain Duvall said. He left the throne room and directed two (2) of the guards who reported to him to go to a different tower in the castle and summon Duchess Sarita.
~~~
Duchess Sarita was reading about the crystal geometry of rubies from her favorite book. The book was actually a box, which contained a number of lightkeeper crystals, in which images of pages of other books could be seen as the crystal was slowly rotated. She was gazing into one of these lightkeeper crystals when she heard a knock at the door. She opened it and saw a pair of guards.
“My lady, Duchess Sarita, His Majesty, King Hamza Bazavador summons you, so you must appear before him at once,” one of the guards said.
Duchess Sarita was mildly annoyed at the summons, and at being interrupted in her reading. “Yes, of course,” she said. She placed the lightkeeper crystal back in the box, placed the box on a small table by her bed and then joined the guards.
The pair of guards led Duchess Sarita through the castle, toward the tower where the king’s throne room was located. There, she met Captain Duvall.
“My lady, Duchess Sarita, thank you for coming so quickly. His Majesty wishes to see you now. Please follow me,” Captain Duvall said.
Captain Duvall then led Duchess Sarita into the throne room, where she curtsied before the king. The guard captain then closed the door to the throne room for privacy. He waited inside, by the door, for further instructions.
“You wished to see me, Your Majesty,” Duchess Sarita said.
“Yes, Duchess Sarita. I have decided t
hat you are to be married to Count Terzo in Waderav. He will be a fitting husband, and you will live with him, here,” King Hamza Bazavador said.
“I thank you, Your Majesty, for thinking of me,” Duchess Sarita said. She was speaking according to protocol, and not according to what she wished to say.
“You are to go to Waderav immediately, and meet with Count Terzo. I have a letter for you to this effect,” King Hamza Bazavador said. He removed the signed page from his book and handed it to Duchess Sarita.
“I shall arrange for her transport, then, Your Majesty?” Captain Avalon asked.
“Yes. Take her with you now,” King Hamza Bazavador said.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Captain Avalon said.
~~~
The fire started by Baron Thurston spread through the trees and into nearby farming villages, destroying their lands. However, it went even farther, crossing the border into a farming village belonging to a different territory.
The villagers there formed a bucket brigade and struggled to put out the fire, but to no avail. The farm land in their village was being decimated by the fire, so thirty-two (32) of them ran toward the castle of Count Terzo, to warn him.
When Count Terzo heard the commotion outside of his castle gate, he ordered his guards to open the gate. Upon seeing the disheveled villagers he asked: “You appear distressed. What troubles you?”
“A fire has started, burning the fields in our village. Buckets of water did little to slow its spread,” the villagers said.
Suddenly, the light shimmered in one area of his throne room, and a man and a woman appeared.
“Spies!” Count Terzo yelled and eight (8) of his guards, at the corners and edges of the throne room, drew their bows. Three (3) approached with swords, surrounding the man and the woman.
“I am Gisella, Chronicler of six thousand eight hundred sixty-one (6861) years,” the woman said.
“I am Stafford, a commodities trader, and drinker of the Lujladia waters. I was in Oxatrissa when I witnessed an abduction of several women, captured under a cloak of darkness. This Chronicler followed me, and we followed the abductors, under the cover of false light, to the castle of Baron Thurston. He took the captured women and executed them, according to the drawing of cards from a deck,” the man said.
“That sounds very much like the work of Baron Thurston. Still why are you here?” Count Terzo asked.
“After Baron Thurston satisfied himself with his murderous game, he decided to celebrate with more violence. He molded crystals and threw them outside, near the forest line. The crystals appeared to focus the light of the many suns, setting the trees ablaze. We found a narrow path around, and followed the fire here,” Stafford said.
“This is his work, then. It’s his worst yet. He has started a great fire, and my land has begun to burn. Now, I have to try to put it out,” Count Terzo said.
He stood up and called to his guards: “Lower your weapons. Assemble a bucket brigade, and go out at once to extinguish this fire. Bring buckets for these farming villagers, as well.”
The guards who had been threatening Stafford and Gisella – although she was protected, so the threat meant nothing – lowered their swords and bows and took up water buckets. They also gathered more buckets and handed them to the thirty-two (32) villagers. Fifty (50) guards headed outside of the castle, and Count Terzo followed, also carrying a water bucket. They were followed by the villagers carrying the buckets they were given.
Stafford thought the man to be noble if foolish – the fire was far beyond what they were prepared to fight. He followed Count Terzo and Gisella followed him, writing all of this into her book as she went.
~~~
Captain Avalon guided Duchess Sarita toward through the castle and summoned eleven (11) guards as he went. “These will be your escort. Now, I will take you to the ship,” Captain Avalon said.
He then led Duchess Sarita and the eleven (11) guards out of the castle, where a large airship was situated on dry ground in a nearby clearing, with its masts and sails turned sideways, extended as sailwings.
Captain Avalon led Duchess Sarita and the eleven (11) guards up the boarding ramp. “Welcome aboard the Sky Lion,” said a wide-bodied man, dressed as a sea captain, but with royal markings upon his jacket, as they stepped onto the deck of the ship.
“Captain Lusala, I have orders from His Majesty, King Hamza Bazavador, that you are to take Duchess Sarita to Count Terzo in central western Waderav. They are to come back here together, marry and live in this castle,” Captain Avalon said.
Captain Lusala was a six hundred seventy-nine (679) year old man who drank the waters of the Ursegan Ocean. He sailed the seas and knew them well enough, remembering many things about his travels. However, he still required a navigator who drank the Atrejan waters to chart his course.
“And so we shall,” Captain Lusala said.
Captain Avalon left Duchess Sarita and the eleven (11) guards on board the Sky Lion and then he disembarked, returning to the castle and to his post outside the throne room.
“We shall take you at once, Duchess, and then bring you back with your new husband,” Captain Lusala said.
Duchess Sarita did not like this arrangement in the least, and was worried that this Count Terzo would take away what few remaining options she had. Still, she was in no position to escape, despite wanting to do so. She was loyal to the king insofar as she was well treated, but freedom was what mattered most.
Captain Lusala entered the wheelhouse of the Sky Lion and pulled back on various levers, until the ship rose to one hundred twenty (120) feet. He then turned to a man who was waiting there and said: “Uzoma, chart a course to central western Waderav.”
Uzoma was a thirty-four (34) year old man who drank the waters of the Atrejan Ocean. He renewed himself with a drink from his vial and was energized. He then listened to the sounds of the many suns, learning their paths and positions. He used this information to chart a course and then said: “I have our course, Captain.”
“Steer the ship, Uzoma, and be quick about it,” Captain Lusala said.
Uzoma then steered the Sky Lion south over the narrow land mass of the Bazavadoran Isthmus land bridge until they were over the Ursegan Ocean, where he returned the ship to sea level by pulling on the levers to lower the altitude and raise the masts and sails to their upright position. He steered toward the southeast, until reaching the central western coast of the continent of Waderav, docking the ship.
“We have arrived, my lady, in Waderav,” Captain Lusala said.
The eleven (11) guards escorted Duchess Sarita down the boarding ramp and onto the pier. They walked her onto the mainland and from there they could see a fire blazing.
“I must wonder – just who is this Count Terzo? And why is there a great fire blazing?” Duchess Sarita said out loud.
~~~
Count Terzo and his guards found themselves quickly overwhelmed by the fire. They could not hope to extinguish it, or meaningfully slow it.
After only a few minutes of this, Count Terzo had the realization of what occurred and said: “Not only can we not extinguish the fire, we can no longer get back to the castle. The fire is everywhere. All this farmland around us will be ruined.”
Stafford drank anew of the waters of the Lujladia Ocean and was energized. He could bend light and see around the flames, as well as through them. He began to spot the burning bodies of the farmers who had been working the land when it caught fire and said: “And the farm workers are dead. I count seventy-five (75) charred remains.”
The fire grew worse and Count Terzo realized he had been defeated by a madman.
“Why? Why would that man do such a thing? Better yet, why would he even be born? There is no sense to him,” Count Terzo asked out loud.
“I cannot answer that question, nor can I answer why there are eleven (11) guards surrounding a young woman and heading this way,” Stafford said.
“Come, let us warn them away. This fire is hopel
essly out of control. Soon, my castle will be destroyed,” Count Terzo said.
Stafford led the way, and Count Terzo followed him. Gisella recorded all that she could see into her book as she followed both of them.
However, the surviving guards and farming villagers remained in the vicinity of Count Terzo’s castle and continued their struggle to put out the raging fire.
~~~
The eleven (11) guards surrounding Duchess Sarita moved slowly and carefully, watching the fire, and gauging where it was heading.
“Two (2) men and a woman are headed this way,” one the guards said.
“Yes, I see them,” Duchess Sarita said.
The other guards raised swords and prepared to defend them, in case it was an attack.
“We cannot go any closer, for fear of the spreading fire,” another guard said.
When the two (2) men and the woman got closer, Duchess Sarita recognized that one of the men was dressed as nobility. “You wouldn’t be Count Terzo, would you?” she asked.
“Yes, in fact I am,” Count Terzo said, exasperated from the work, and still carrying a water bucket.
“That must your land on fire, seeing as you are still carrying a water bucket,” Duchess Sarita said.
“Unfortunately, it is,” Count Terzo said.
“Without land, will you still be a count?” Duchess Sarita asked.
“Perhaps. Perhaps not. Who might you be?” Count Terzo asked.
“I am Duchess Sarita. Under the orders of King Hamza Bazavador, written here, you and I are to be wed and live in his castle. I have no idea why. He might change his mind after hearing of this enormous, land-destroying fire that is wiping out your territory before our very eyes,” Duchess Sarita said, handing over to Count Terzo the paper she received from King Hamza Bazavador with the marriage orders.
Count Terzo received the paper and looked at it. “An arranged marriage is a dubious idea – under ordinary circumstances. However, now, it may be the very best course of action,” Count Terzo said.
“Following His Majesty the King’s orders is the only course of action. Whether it is best, and best for whom, is another matter,” Duchess Sarita said.