by J J Moriarty
“And what do you really think?” Hyzou asked.
Sparrow shrugged.
“A lot of the Archai are very worried. We have been since the Pharaoh conquered both Piquea and Yobo in the space of a year. But this latest move of open war with the Drascians, well it would leave Uqing trapped. On one side would be the mountains and on the other would be the Empire which surrounds us on all fronts”, Sparrow said.
“You don’t need to be a general to know that’s a bad position to be in”, Hyzou said.
“No, you don’t. And so there are those who are suggesting that we should form an alliance with the Drascians and launch an assault on Lamybla”, Sparrow said.
“There are?” Hyzou asked.
“They are a small minority, tiny in fact. And I disagree with them in any case. Uqing has survived this long because we remain isolated. Did you know that Uqing has never invaded another state in the entirety of its history?” Sparrow said.
“I didn’t”, Hyzou said. “That’s remarkable.”
“Don’t worry, we have had ambitious Protakyrios before. But there’s a reason their plans to dominate Sira Su have never worked out”, Sparrow said. “And it’s why I don’t advocate invading Lamybla.”
“Why’s that?” Hyzou asked.
“Because our strength is our sorcerers. A Servant of Qi is a phenomenal warrior, but there are only just over twenty thousand of them. The more area you spread them over, the weaker they become, and there are a lot more than twenty-thousand people in Sira Su. Uqing may successfully invade an area and crush any opposition, but it will never hold the lands it conquers, simply because it’s too small to form an empire”, Sparrow said.
“We’ll just wait until the Pharaoh has subsumed the world then, and hope he doesn’t invade?” Hyzou asked.
“A Servant of Qi is the worth of about twenty normal soldiers in battle. You’d need four hundred thousand men at least to storm Uqing. The Pharaoh may be there soon, but not for a number of years at least”, Sparrow said.
“Patience is the answer then?” Hyzou asked.
Sparrow nodded.
“What strange times”, Hyzou said.
“I have some good news, by the by”, Sparrow said.
“It’s welcome”, Hyzou said.
“Safia Min Daborah has been made a Servant, since we spoke last”, Sparrow said.
“She has?” Hyzou asked. “That is good news.”
“She was delighted when I told her. It seems you trained her well”, Sparrow said.
“And Marrea?” Hyzou asked.
Sparrow smiled.
“She is very talented, just like her sister. She is in training as we speak, learning the ways of the Servant of Qi”, Sparrow said.
“Has Safia gotten a position?” Hyzou asked.
“For now, she’s been put in the stables. It seems she has a knack with horses, so she is second in charge there”, Sparrow said.
“Does she like it there?” Hyzou asked.
“She’s been given a lot of responsibility”, Sparrow said. “I think so, I haven’t spoken to her about it.”
“She was planning to marry Persimmon. They were to marry as soon as she became a Servant. Has that happened yet?” Hyzou asked.
Sparrow shrugged.
“That kind of gossip is well outside of my remit Hyzou, so I haven’t an idea”, Sparrow said.
“Right”, Hyzou said.
“I’m sorry Hyzou, heartache is never pleasant”, Sparrow said.
“That’s quite alright master, I’m happy she’s happy”, Hyzou said.
Sparrow nodded.
“I sense that you’re troubled”, Sparrow said.
“Some truly strange things have begun, master”, Hyzou said.
“Have they? In your reports yesterday you said that a rebellion had begun in the countryside”, Sparrow said.
“I’ll explain better than I could in the reports. See, two days ago the Supreme Commander invited me to see him. He’s staying in what used to be King Imhotep’s palace, and he treated me to a nice meal. He was very friendly this time, ever since the murder of the girl and her father he’s been most kind to me”, Hyzou said.
Sparrow’s face dropped slightly.
“I heard about that, yes. Most terrible”, Sparrow said.
“I had to use political language in my reports. They were killed as a message to me”, Hyzou said.
“Are you sure?” Sparrow asked.
Hyzou nodded.
“Apparently those kinds of killings are common, master. They intimidate Piqueans that might otherwise cause trouble”, Hyzou said.
Sparrow nodded.
“How brutal”, Sparrow said. “But what has it got to do with the Supreme Commander?”
“Because I think he’s behind these killings. I know, I have no proof at all, so what does it matter? But we’re just speaking as friends here, and it’s the kind of thing that’s common knowledge here in the city”, Hyzou said.
“I’ll believe you then. You were saying about going to the Supreme Commander’s for to eat?” Sparrow asked.
Hyzou nodded.
“He was very polite, and he said he was going to tell me the changes he had planned. Some of his staff were there too. He told me that he and his staff feel that a rebellion is brewing among Piqueans and that military intervention is necessary. They will move units out to police the countryside soon”, Hyzou said.
“How did you respond?” Sparrow said.
“I thanked them for telling me that, and that I’d pass the information back to Uqing in my reports the next day. I told him that Uqing understood that this was a matter internal to Piquea and so was no concern of ours. I acted the model diplomat”, Hyzou said.
“Why are you worried then? It’s not unusual for the Supreme Commander to send armed men to the countryside in order to defeat an army of rebels”, Sparrow said.
“I don’t think there are any rebels. I’ve enquired, and no one knows anything about any rebel forces in the countryside”, Hyzou said.
“Strange, but no doubt the Supreme Commander has better intelligence on rebels than you”, Sparrow said.
“That’s what I thought, and maybe he was just being precautionary. But yesterday I got more news. The army will be sent north, about fifty miles, to Aheb. Aheb is a gigantic town on the road between Piquea and Lamybla, the Supreme Commander says that there have been rebel attacks there”, Hyzou said.
“Perhaps there have, Hyzou. I don’t get what you’re telling me”, Sparrow said.
“Aheb is too close to Piquea for any rebel attacks. If there is a rebellion, it will be in the south of the country, where they can access supplies”, Hyzou said.
“Maybe it’s small, just some locals fighting over rice or some such”, Sparrow said.
Hyzou shook his head.
“The Supreme Commander is sending a thousand troops to Aheb”, Hyzou said. “That’s an army.”
Sparrow shrugged.
“It’s a little strange”, Sparrow said.
“Aheb is well within the range of Piquea’s control. Why bother sending troops out there?” Hyzou asked.
“I don’t know Hyzou”, Sparrow said.
“They’ve done something strange here in Piquea. When I rode into the country, I found whole villages at the periphery of Piquea which were abandoned, only young children and dogs left behind. The people had been removed by the Lamyblan army and brought into more centralised part of the country. They’ve been enslaved, almost the entirety of the Piquean population, in vast rice plantations in places like Aheb. They’re starving there, dying. I know because I passed them on my ride in”, Hyzou said.
“It’s a famine”, Sparrow said.
“But why would an army be sent north to Aheb?” Hyzou asked.
Hyzou buried his face in his hands.
“Hyzou! I’m sorry, I know this must be so difficult. These horrors you see everyday are awful, but it’s a famine, and they happen. They happened during the An
archy, and they’ll happen again in the future. I know it must make you so angry, but you are a Servant”, Sparrow said.
“What are you saying?” Hyzou asked.
“Do your duty Hyzou. Obey your vows, and do your duty”, Sparrow said.
Hyzou nodded.
“It’s just. It undermines me, do you understand? It’s hard to see this everyday”, Hyzou said.
Sparrow nodded.
“Being an Archaier is not easy, but you’re doing a wonderful job”, Sparrow said.
“Thank you”, Hyzou said.
“I’ll forward your worries on to other Archaiers informally, I think you’re right that something strange is going on”, Sparrow said.
“You do?” Hyzou said.
“I do. But it doesn’t matter, you just need to do your duty”, Sparrow said.
“I will”, Hyzou said.
“Goodbye Hyzou”, Sparrow said.
“Goodbye”, Hyzou said.
Hyzou pulled himself from the darkness and abandoned his Qi. He returned to the quiet of his bedroom. He got up and went to work.
The hours passed, and then Gemenfkon arrived at his door.
“Sir, it’s time”, Gemenfkon said.
Hyzou nodded and left his tablets aside.
He climbed the stairs inside the embassy to the top floor, where the largest balcony stood. Hyzou stepped outside into the silent winter air.
Beneath him was the indistinguishable sound of men in bronze, marching. The procession of soldiers was leaving to go to Aheb. Hyzou looked either way at the line, all well-fed, properly armed soldiers. Whatever rebellion was mustering in Aheb didn’t stand a chance.
Unless there’s no rebellion at all. Hyzou thought.
He put the thought from his mind. He would do his duty.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
The three horses with Servants freeriding on their back approached along the road. Hyzou could barely see them with his eyes, but with his Qi he could sense them.
“I only know two of those”, Abraxas said. “They’ve been doing this for years. I don’t recognise the third.”
“It’s a Servant named Persimmon. He’s a few years older than me”, Hyzou said. “I didn’t know he was in recruitment.”
“Is he nice?” Abraxas asked.
“I don’t really know him. He’s married to a former pupil of mine”, Hyzou said.
“You’ve had pupils?” Abraxas asked.
“I’m an Archaier”, Hyzou said.
“Oh, right. I suppose, I just didn’t think about it”, Abraxas said.
Silence fell between them, while they waited for the oncoming Servants to reach them.
There were three of them; Persimmon, a very old man, and a woman who had seen perhaps forty summers. They were filthy, every part of them covered in dust and dirt. They kept fidgeting as they pulled up in front of Hyzou.
“Archaier”, Persimmon said.
The other two got off their horses and made a small bow before Hyzou. They both were Xuan people originally, from the Lake Cities.
“I’m Xia”, the lady said.
Hyzou grasped her forearm, which was bunching with knotted muscles.
“I’m Ayan”, the old man said.
Hyzou grasped his forearm too.
“And I’m Hyzou. You look like you had a hard journey”, Hyzou said.
“You don’t know the half of it. What’s wrong with Piquea?” Xia said.
Hyzou grimaced.
“Did you manage to find food to eat?” Hyzou asked.
Xia shook her head miserably.
“There isn’t any, I know”, Hyzou said.
“There aren’t even any people”, Ayan said.
“What do you mean?” Hyzou asked.
“The countryside was empty”, Ayan said. “Desolate, for miles.”
“Which way did you come?” Hyzou asked.
“The road to Lamybla”, Ayan said.
Hyzou mounted his horse, and the others followed. The five of them began to ride to Piquea’s gates.
“I don’t know much about the lands to the north of here. I arrived a while ago too, so maybe things have gotten even worse. But I can tell you that you won’t find the bottom three levels of Piquea pleasant to ride through. It’s a festering sore”, Hyzou said.
Ayan and Persimmon groaned.
“Have you found many Piquean recruits?” Hyzou said.
“We have, Archaier”, Xia said. “We found fourteen on our road from Lamybla to here. Our party was four, but I sent our forth to Uqing with the fourteen children, it made more sense that way than bringing them to Piquea to stay here for a while.”
“How long do you plan on staying for?” Hyzou asked.
“We’ll leave in a week, Archaier, after we’ve tried to gain as many pupils as possible”, Xia said.
“You won’t have trouble then, in any case. When everyone here is starving, the warm meals on offer up in Uqing are an inviting prospect. You won’t find many parents turning you down in Piquea”, Hyzou said.
“That’s good news. Because in Lamybla we found it difficult indeed”, Xia said. “A lot of parents refused to let their children go.”
They were approaching the gate.
“How long has it been since you’ve eaten?” Hyzou asked.
“We ran out of supplies three days ago”, Xia said.
Hyzou nodded.
“Just wait a short while longer, and you’ll be fed. All we have in the embassy is rice and chickpeas, but I’m sure you don’t mind”, Hyzou said.
“The grass looks inviting at the moment, Archaier”, Xia said.
“You joke, but weeds have become the staple of the poorest and the hungriest of Piqueans”, Hyzou said. “These are dark times.”
They entered the city and began their journey up through the levels using the Great Stairs.
“Gods, this is awful”, Persimmon said.
He spoke with genuine horror.
“I’ve been living here nearly three months”, Hyzou said. “And I haven’t managed to get used to it.”
Persimmon pulled his grey robes up over his mouth to try and block out the smell. There was nothing he could do though to block out the sound of so many people dying. Their moans and screams pierced straight to the soul.
They climbed, and the Lamyblan guards to the Lamyblan part of the city stood aside to let them up to the fourth level of the city and the embassy. Some of the starving tried to slip in with them, but they were kicked away by the guards.
They approached the embassy, and Hyzou dismounted outside.
“Abraxas, can I leave the horses to you?” Hyzou asked.
“Yes, Archaier”, Abraxas said.
Hyzou entered the embassy, the three recruiters trailing behind him.
“Gemenfkon!” Hyzou said.
“Yes, Archaier”, came the responding voice.
It came from deep within the house.
“We have three guests, could you prepare them a bowl each?” Hyzou asked. “They haven’t eaten in a while.”
Gemenfkon appeared in the hallway.
“Certainly, Archaier”, Gemenfkon said. “But you have a guest waiting for you in the meeting room. I told him you’d return soon.”
“Very well. Take our guests into the buttery and see about feeding them. I’ll go to the meeting room. I should be in soon”, Hyzou said.
“See you in a few minutes, Archaier”, Xia said.
Hyzou waved them all through. They all followed Gemenfkon inside. Once they’d gone, Hyzou went the opposite direction to the meeting room. There, Gardem was waiting for him.
Gardem had aged in the few weeks since Hyzou had last seen him. Worry lines coated the old man’s face, and he seemed deeply unsettled.
“Gardem, how are you?” Hyzou asked.
Gardem embraced Hyzou’s forearm.
“I’m worried Archaier, I’m worried”, Gardem said.
“Sit, please, and tell me what’s on your mind”, Hyzou said.
“You have the proof?” Hyzou asked. “So it’s true?”
“It’s worse”, Gardem said.
“Tell me”, Hyzou said.
Gardem shook his head.
“It’s best if you see it yourself”, Gardem said.
“Ok, show it to me”, Hyzou said.
“It’s in Aheb”, Gardem said.
Hyzou sighed.
“That’s quite a journey away”, Hyzou said.
Gardem nodded.
“Tomorrow. I’m going to leave Piquea tonight, and head out to Aheb overnight. I’ll meet you there tomorrow”, Gardem said.
“What’s the rush?” Hyzou asked.
“The Supreme Commander is planning to have me killed as soon as he can. I still have friends, and they tell me my life is in danger. Soon I’ll be just another dead body, nailed to a wall in Piquea”, Gardem said. “But this is bigger than me. You have to go to Aheb now, before the Supreme Commander’s troops have a chance to hide what they’ve done even more.”
“They’re hiding it?” Hyzou asked.
Gardem nodded.
“I’ll meet you on the outskirts of Aheb, on the southern side, tomorrow at the break of dawn”, Hyzou said.
“Thank you”, Gardem said.
“Go now. And take care. If you die Piquea will have no one”, Hyzou said.
“They’ll have you”, Gardem said.
Hyzou was about to reply, but Gardem was already getting up and leaving. Hyzou watched him go and didn’t say anything else. When he’d left, Hyzou arose and walked to the buttery.
There, the three recruiters were finished off their meals.
“I’ve prepared baths and beds for the three guests, Archaier”, Gemenfkon said.
“What do you think? Would you appreciate the chance to sleep now or do you want to wait until nightfall?” Hyzou asked.
“Sleep now”, Ayan said.
“Follow Gemenfkon, he’ll show you to your rooms”, Hyzou said.
“Wait”, Persimmon said.
Everyone looked at him.
“I’d like to talk to Hyzou, if that’s ok?” Persimmon said.
Hyzou shrugged.
“I’ll show you to your bed later then”, Gemenfkon said.
“Thank you”, Persimmon said.
Hyzou sat down in the chair Xia had just vacated, across from Persimmon. Persimmon waited for everyone to leave before he spoke. He coughed and scratched his hair before speaking.