by John O.
“Control yourself!” came the voice of HN Ruki Sen.
Zach froze. The clarity with which he had heard the voice almost caused Zach to believe his father’s spirit was lurking nearby. Losing his hardness altogether, Zach recoiled from Rahel and began to apologize for his lack of restraint.
“Zach Sen, there is nothing to be sorry about,” Rahel replied seductively. “We are both adults, and what we choose to do in private concerns no one else.”
“But the oath of celibacy—”
“Is utter rubbish,” she finished for him. “A mere creation aimed at controlling naturally harmless tendencies of humans. Lay with me Zach; we love each other as it is. Take me right now for I’m all yours.”
Zach regarded her with surprise. Was she so excited by his proposal that her feelings had caused her to temporarily lose herself?
“Rahel, we swore an oath; an oath that only the superior oath of a wedding can supersede. Should you desire me as much as I desire you, the right thing to do is to accept my proposal.”
“What guarantee do I have that you truly love me? Consider this. Your sexual desire for me may have caused you to believe that you’re in love with me. There’s the risk that once we wed, and you take me, you will lose all affection for me. The only way I can know for sure is, if you still desire me after you take me. I will not accept your proposal until I know this.” Slightly parting her legs, she finished, “The answer you seek is between these legs. Come into me, Zach.”
“I cannot, Rahel. I swore an oath.”
“An oath you clearly love more than the woman before you! Let’s not tarry any further. We have a mission to complete.” With that, an angry and humiliated Rahel stormed out of the chariot through the opposite door and began searching the area for clues about the missing girls. A nonplussed Zach emerged, counts later, following her lead. The pair worked in awkward silence as they searched the nearby West Forest. The two would continue to work in that manner, until one of them stumbled upon a discovery of interest.
“Rahel, come take a look at this.”
Rahel, whose bristling anger had not completely fizzled out, walked across the shrubs to where Zach was kneeling.
“Almighty Spirit!” she gasped as she beheld the already rotting face of the Spyinme, Ziri Lenny. “How did you find her?”
“I perceived a stench and noticed the odd way in which the soil around her body protruded. It could only mean one thing: a make-shift grave.” Zach examined the body before continuing, “Whoever buried her did so with some compassion. I can tell by the way the body was laid. The odd thing is, her neck is broken in a manner that does not suggest a twisting force, which would have been consistent with a murder.”
“Perhaps she fell?” Rahel ventured.
“Likely,” Zach agreed. “I reckon she was buried by one or both of her colleagues. They must have done their attackers in before proceeding to bury her here.”
“Then why didn’t they return to the Helesp thereafter? This theory only makes sense if whoever buried her was on the run. Perhaps they only killed some of the attackers and not all.” Rahel wasn’t convinced.
“You raise a fair point,” Zach agreed. “But for it to be true, the ones who weren’t killed had to have been quite distracted to allow the girls enough time to first bury their colleague and then flee. I don’t see how that could have been achieved.”
Rahel considered it for a couple of minutes before concluding, “Only one of the girls buried Ziri. Ziri must have died instantly while another was captured. The two men whose bodies we are to retrieve from the Ice Hall must have come after the third girl who successfully dispatched them, buried Ziri and fled for dear life lest the other men returned to apprehend her. I say this because only a successful capture of at least one of the girls could have served as enough distraction to buy the other girl such ample time.”
Zach was once again enchanted by the Spyinme. Her quick wit, which she so often hid behind her seemingly shallow exterior, almost aroused the sexual desire he had only recently suppressed.
He quickly refocused his thoughts to the issue at hand as he said, “That may very well be what happened. The HN mentioned seeing dead horses. Perhaps with incapacitated steeds, the escapee had no other option but to depart on foot. To avoid being captured, she probably avoided all main routes and proceeded through this forest. A bold move: but one that may lead to her death unfortunately. The xenophobia of the extra-provincial settlements in that region is notorious for a reason.”
“A pity. To survive this ambush only to die in strange territory,” Rahel concluded. “Let us retrieve the bodies of the dead men as the HN ordered. Perhaps they’ll yield more clues. What do you suppose we do with Ziri’s remains? Exhume and preserve them in the Ice Hall?”
“The body is already far too decayed for that. The stench alone precludes that course of action. Let’s bury her more deeply here, and mark the area so that her family may eventually move the bones and rebury her at the cemetery after the flesh must have fully returned to dust.”
The pair agreed and proceeded to complete the mission as planned.
The blindfolds were removed and it took some time for Johatsu Foté to adjust to the lowly lit and dank room where he had been placed. A rare opportunity had presented itself so soon after he had made a blood vow to end the life of Yosi Sint. Imagine his luck when he read the letter from the HN to his father. Having assumed the temporal opportunity to act in the capacity of Ishe, the HN was willing to consider the Foté Merchants’ request to commence importation of exotic beverages from Wesoa. Only a man of cunning could have seen the possibilities this proposal presented. With haste, Johatsu had quickly retrieved the letter before his father could see it. It was he who would dispatch the emissary that would convey beverage samples to the HN. The plan was simple: dose the HN with a lethal poison which would not take effect until a few hours later. That would provide ample time for the HN to issue the sought-after authorization letter before passing on to the goddess; a double victory it would be.
“What do you request of us?” came the voice of a dark figure on the far side of the room.
“An opportunity to pay a blood debt has arisen,” Johatsu began, “and your services will be pivotal in its execution. I am willing to pay anything you ask. No bargaining, no negotiations. Ask, and it is done.”
“A man of means,” the figure replied placidly. “Apprise me of the details.”
“Very well. I wish you to provide me with an agent who would be disguised as a representative of the Foté Merchants Guild. He will convey samples of exotic beverages from Wesoa to the HN. Of course, the beverages will be dosed with an indiscernible poison that will not take effect for a few hours or days upon ingestion. The HN intends to taste the samples in a bid to make a judgment as to whether or not the beverages be approved for consumption within the Island. As you know, your agent will be expected to participate in the tasting exercise as an indication that they are safe to consume.”
“So you wish to possess the antidote, such that the agent must return to you in order for him to live? That way you’re certain he has done as you asked?” questioned the man, now more intrigued.
“On the contrary,” answered Johatsu, “he may choose to possess the antidote, or you may choose to possess it and administer it to him on his return. You can even let him die, should you wish it. Whatever the case, the man must remain untraceable to me.”
“I see. What of the Merchant’s Guild? Would they not receive word that an impostor represents them at the Helesp during the exercise?”
“No one else in the province knows of the HN’s request. As a matter of fact, not even the Aishe is aware at this time. I intercepted the message before he ever came to know of it. And if I’m right, the HN wishes to keep this quiet, lest he be seen as too opportunistic with his fleeting capacity as the Ishe.”
The Kawachi lord beheld Johatsu Foté with admiration. A man such as this was truly a snake. That he conceived of this p
lan in what must have been short notice told a lot. He would accede to the man’s request, he concluded. However, if his sect was to survive and remain furtive, he would have to add a slight twist, he reasoned. “We will see it done for five hundred gold coins.”
Taken aback, Johatsu all but screamed “Five hundred gold coins?! There is no way I can come up with that without stealing public funds.”
With a mocking smile, the Kawachi lord replied, “Was it not you who said no negotiations? It seems you only know how to talk big then. My price is fixed.”
“If such an amount goes missing from the treasury, it will attract undue attention to us both. If I am found out, you also will be discovered.”
“Do you mean to threaten me, scum? My organization has endured as long as it has for a good reason.”
“Forgive me. It’s just that, to come up with that amount at once would ring certain bells.”
“I told you my price. I never said it must be paid all at once.”
Realizing his presumption, Johatsu Foté colored with embarrassment. “I see. One hundred gold coins each in five weeks?”
“Two installments over four weeks,” came the counter-offer.
Johatsu felt the bargain was fair. “Agreed; we have a deal. Do not forget, the poison has to be such that it is not−−”
“I heard you the first time,” the Kawachi lord interjected.
“Yes. Yes. Also note that your agent must be dressed like a merchant and know things about the Foté Merchant’s guild such that he will be credib−−”
“Silence! Do not presume to educate us on how to do our job. Your part here is over. Now go before I have your head.”
Johatsu was insulted, but decided against taking his chances with the threat. Besides, he was now close to avenging his brother in a rather short time. With a victorious feeling, he let himself go as the men bound and blindfolded him for the return journey home.
It was a few minutes past the Twilight Hour and Yosi Sint had just gone over the reports of the losses at the Main Farm. From what Dan Thorne had gathered, the death count provided by Raiden Ni had been accurate. While no leads to the raiding party had been identified, only a third of the original stock at the storehouses remained. They would need to restock and heavily guard the Farm if they hoped to survive a siege by the Norwans. The other report, which he had received only moments before, was from Maya. It seemed the Loila girl had bested his sister during the interrogation, which was expected due to the sparse speculative evidence they had against her. He wasn’t disturbed by that outcome, for he hoped Zach and Rahel would find more evidence that could be used to establish a firm theory. Speaking of those two, he thought to himself, they should be back any moment from now.
The usual accuracy of his estimations was spot on, for shortly after, the pair rode the chariot through the gates of the Helesp, having detoured through the Sint Province to deliver the frozen bodies they retrieved from the cemetery.
Eager to discover Rahel’s reaction to the Ispris, Yosi struggled to keep himself from running into the hall to welcome them. In the end, his willpower proved dominant as he remained within his room until he heard the light knock.
“Proceed,” he answered.
He motioned for the pair to sit opposite him as they walked towards his lectern.
“Hand me the letter you did not deliver,” he began as he held his breath in anticipation. When he noticed the white color of the envelope Rahel retrieved, he knew that his worst fears had been confirmed.
“I see,” he muttered while receiving the letter. “What exactly happened?”
“Rahel fainted upon beholding the Ispris. She confirmed the Ispris’ culpability and, as such I proceeded to give her the red letter,” Zach replied.
Looking at Rahel, Yosi asked “Did your feelings actually link the Ispris with those sites where you fainted?”
“Yes, they did,” Rahel replied with an unflinching stare.
“Other than those you detected from me, have you recently experienced any such strange feeling within the Helesp?”
Rahel wasn’t sure where he was going with this. If she said yes, there was a chance he might want to find out when and if her answer did not correspond with what he expected, she would lose all credibility. She decided to play it safe. “No, Lord HN,” she replied.
Yosi narrowed his eyes for a brief moment and then said, “You have done a good job, Rahel. Thank you. You may leave us now.”
Rahel thanked the HN and departed.
“You think she should have felt something recently?” Zach Sen asked after Rahel had left.
“Yes. Do you not find it odd that she experienced nothing while the Ispris was in the hall? I understand that she may have been invisible, but that shouldn’t preclude Rahel from sensing something, at the very least.”
Zach Sen frowned, for he had not considered the situation from this point of view. “Could Rahel be up to something here?” he asked.
“I am not entirely sure, but it is enough to prevent us from making hasty conclusions. Tell me about the other mission.”
Zach proceeded to inform the HN of the Ziri Lenny discovery as well as the theory he had jointly developed with Rahel. He finished by saying, “Your father examined the bodies briefly while we were with him. According to him, the angle with which the knives impaled the tattooed men suggests that the knives were thrown from a long way off. Surita Stone is fabled for her dexterity with knives; we therefore believe it was she who escaped and may still be alive and wandering. Chances that she will return to us are however low, for the forest she chose to traverse is rife with xenophobic Icasa. Do you think we should send a search party?”
“Not only would it be futile, we would risk aggravating the communities that reside there. No. We cannot afford another skirmish as it is. There are more immediate threats than that involving whatever scheme was behind the kidnapping attempt,” Yosi replied after a deep breath.
Just then, Zach realized the weight of the office was beginning to take its toll on the new HN.
“Zach, there is something you should know. Our informants in Norwaland have all vanished. As it stands, we are blind as to what may be brewing on their shores. I am currently developing a plan to infiltrate them once again and you will likely play a vital part in it. That is all I can say on the issue at this time.”
“Your command,” Zach replied dutifully. He proceeded to leave the room and join his colleagues in the Hall.
As far as the Helesp was concerned, the rest of the evening went smoothly, the only major activity being supper.
The Aishe emerged through the door to find Oracion curled up in bed. “Forgive me Ora. I had matters to attend to within the province.”
Oracion yawned and replied, “I understand father. But isn’t it quite late?”
“It is only an hour till the Crow’s.”
“I see. Little wonder why I already lost any hope of seeing you tonight.”
“I understand,” the Aishe replied. “Tell me, what interesting events occurred in my absence?”
“Well, one thing I can say for sure is that there’s someone within the Helesp who tends to blind me every now and then.”
“I see. I will have to look into it.”
“Yes. Despite the inconvenience, I was at least able to gather that Prisca has come to the fore of the HN’s investigations. He seems to be getting close, father. Perhaps it’s time we get rid of him?”
“Too soon, Ora. Let me think on this for a moment. Meanwhile, How did you come to this conclusion?”
“Zach Sen and the one known as Rahel visited the Ispris today. I find it odd because last I knew, the girl is supposed to have only just recovered from an illness. Except if it was absolutely necessary, I see no reason why she should be sent on an errand to a place so far off. To have her escorted by one as highly placed as Zach could only mean that the mission was important.”
“I see where you are coming from indeed,” the Aishe concluded. “With the
Ishe’s death, the HN has gotten desperate. Prisca will naturally be his prime suspect, since he is aware of her abilities. He is indeed getting too close for comfort. Meanwhile, any other interesting event I should know about?”
“Nothing much, other than an incident last night which struck me as odd. What do you know of the girl, Loila?”
“Loila? She is nothing but a bastard child from a whore of a mother. Why?”
“She crept away to meet an unknown man in the woods. They spoke of something they referred to as a ‘Cause.’ Are you aware of any such thing?”
The Aishe thought for a moment before replying, “While it rings no bells, it is safe to assume that whatever she’s involved in is of no consequence to us. Surely, we are not the only ones with an agenda. The important thing is that our plan is levels above whatever that insect of a girl is up to.”
“Father! That is no way to refer to your own kin,” Oracion laughed.
“She wouldn’t be the first. After all, am I not having my own brothers eliminated?”
Oracion shook her head and said, continuing, “That basically summarizes the things of import that I witnessed today.”
The Aishe nodded and fell silent for nearly forty counts before a sinister smile spread across his face. “About the HN,” he began, “I have a task for you that ought to acquaint him with what he’s dealing with.”
“What do you mean?” Oracion asked curiously.
“Rest well, my good child. On the morrow the HN will be bereaved by your hand,” he finished with a bone-chilling smile.