“No, I can’t.”
Glen sighed, pointing to his courtroom door with his cup. “Back in there, there’s a way for the magistrates and their clerks. I guess I can make an exception for the military.” Glen walked over and opened the door and once both were back inside his courtroom, he locked it.
“You were once a part of the military,” Ed reminded him.
“Yes, that droning, brutish, single-minded organization.”
“Is that what they call us back there?”
“And worse,” Glen said, brightly. “You’re all the wrong reasons we’re so busy all the time. But don’t worry I have “enemy” sympathies.” He winked. “I’ll make sure my staff doesn’t glare you to death.”
Ed snorted. “Just show me the way out.”
“See that door in back, behind my bench. Just go out there, take a right, last door. No… Ah, damn, I’ll just show you.”
“I can understand directions.”
“Yea, but well, you know,” he replied, rubbing his forehead as he led the way around the courtroom and through the door in the back. To Ed’s surprise, the hall he walked into bustled with people. As narrow as it was, clerks, huddling papers under arms, briskly walked by, maids and servants navigated around each other while doing odd chores: cleaning, carrying trays of pastries and scented teas, shouts of orders, numbers, times, dates, names; a cacophony of dizzying activity that made Ed wish he climbed through the window instead.
Glen grabbed a passing fried sugared treat. “Never been back here, huh,” Glen said, stuffing the pastry into his mouth and leading the way down the hall.
“I…I don’t spend much time in the Central Office,” Ed replied, mesmerized by the busyness of it all. It was so…chaotic. How could they get anything done like this? “Is it always like this?”
Glen frowned. “No, not usually this…passionate, unfortunately. But that incident in the mines gave us plenty to do. Tracking down rumors, starting our own. So many tasks to tick off, officials to notify, polices to look up. Those testimonies like the one you just did take up most of our time and so many of them. One after another…after…another,” Glen said with irritation as he glared at Ed sideways over his shoulder. “Can’t wait until my next testimony.”
Ed smiled. “I really hope they’ll all be just as cooperative as I was.”
Glen snorted. “Right. You’re just bursting with sympathy, aren’t you?”
A runner boy with more pastries on a tray squeezed passed them; a purple jelly filled bread smeared onto Ed’s sleeve. Ed frowned, wiping it out as best he could, but it only smeared into his sleeve. “Don’t you like this whole papers and books industry?”
“I do.” Glen smiled before taking in the last sip of wine. “Civilization, my friend!” He rose his arms up into the air, which for the crowded hall, almost decked two people across the face. “I know bureaucracy has a bad name to you guys with swords and cannons, but…” He took in a deep breath through his nose. “Smell that?”
“It smells like a bakery baking books in a library—”
“That’s civilization! When people agree to good rules, regulations, policies that all work together seamlessly for the betterment of all. Like gears in a finely tuned machine. Now, that kind of bureaucracy is the mark of a good civilization. And, we have sweets too.” He downed the rest of his pastry in one bite with sugary powder flaking his lips and beard. “Understand now,” he mumbled
Ed shrugged. What could be so exciting about staying indoors all day reading to-do lists and listening to people’s incoherent problems? “I’ll never understand you, Glen.”
“And, I’ll never let you,” he replied, continuing to lead Ed down the busy hallway. “You see how busy we are? There’s no way we could have been ready for all those people’s questions out there. They’d just be crowding the halls and giving J’rek and Taylor a hell of a bad time, but hopefully a bottle of my good reserve should ease their pain.” He stopped and tapped his nose. “See. There’s logic to my madness.”
“Madness of a drunk,” Ed reminded him.
“Grease for the gears,” Glen corrected him, opening the last door in the hall which led outside to a stone patio with an empty bench and chairs. Crisp morning air rushed inside, a welcomed change to the other choking smells. “Oh, Miss Reni,” Glen shouted, shaking his empty cup in the air. “I’d like some more, please.” A moment later an older short and plump woman in civilian bland clothes appeared with a bottle, ready to pour. Her white hair, tied tightly into a bun, bounced when she uncorked the bottle. “Oh, no, no, Miss Reni. I’ll be taking the whole bottle today.”
“Oh, no, no, you won’t,” Miss Reni replied as she poured. “It’s against the rules.”
“Rules, whose rules? I make the rules!”
“It’s one of your rules you made.” She corked the bottle, turning a wary eye on Ed. “Hello, Major,” she said with a disapproving tone. “In the wrong part of the building, aren’t we?”
“A turncoat let me in.” Ed nodded at Glen.
“He’s not in the building, Miss Reni,” Glen moaned, pulling on Ed’s clothes so he would pass him and go outside. Ed gladly followed through, taking in the refreshing mountain air as soon as he stepped outside. “As you can see, he’s clearly outside.”
“All the same, you know the rules,” she wagged her finger, hair bun bouncing in rhythm. “Be off soon. All magistrates are going to be busy today. Busy day; busy bodies.” At another sounding of her name, she perked her head before running off again in a hurry.
“Ah, Miss Reni,” Glen said with a sigh, letting the door shut on its own. “What would I do without her?”
“She likes rules as much as you do,” Ed said, taking in where they were. In all his years here, he had never been to this part of the Central Office. An apparent meeting place, there was a small stone patio, metal bench, and chairs, all nestled inside a nook in the building that shadowed the morning sun, giving the place a cold damp feeling. Red brick walls ran all around except for one side facing the Back Wood. Sparsely wooded, he could see smoke rising from the other side. “Bye Glen,” he said, beginning his walk.
“Wait a damn minute,” Glen called after him. “I still want to talk to you.”
“I’m on duty.”
“You know officers on duty shouldn’t lie.”
“But I’m not on duty. Of course, I can lie.”
“I still want to talk to you.”
Ed turning back. “Glen, I mean it. I’m busy. I already told you everything I know.”
“You’re always busy. Come back, sit down. There’s something we need to talk about.” Glen’s voice ended on a sharp edge. His eyes were still a bit glazed, but tension quivered his tight frown. Alright, Glen, what do you want?
Ed sighed. “Is this off the record?”
“I’m on duty, too,” he replied. “But only while inside. Go ahead, sit down.”
“I prefer to—"
“Pace? That’s fine,” he interrupted, taking down the whole cup of wine at once. “I’ll pace too.”
“OK, Glen. What’s on your mind?”
“This Araa business,” he said quickly, almost in one breathe.
Ed’s muscles tensed. “You have my testimony. There’s nothing new.”
“Something doesn’t add up,” he said, pacing in front of him, ticking his pointing finger toward the ground. He was recalling something from memory. “I stopped by the doctor’s place last night after you talked to him—” Ed’s heart skipped. Last night, he informed Doctor Alexander of his new duty to end Araa’s life during surgery. The doctor seemed to take it while enough, considering he’d break his medical oaths. He didn’t tell Glen anything, did he? He’s under orders not to! No, he didn’t. Ed exhaled. Glen wouldn’t be acting like this if he had— “Ed? You alright?”
“Yes, fine,” Ed snapped back his attention.
“Well, then tell me. What did the two of you talk about? He seemed really riled up.”
“Just wh
at you’d expect,” Ed said, trying to avoid lying to his friend. “That he’d need to perform that surgery again. You know how risky it is. Araa has very low chances. I’d be nervous too.”
Glen frowned, spying his empty cup. “Yea, I know. But, the odd thing is, since I was there, he gave me his medical order. Bottles, tubes, solutions, knives and drills; you know all that really expensive stuff they put you through. But, it wasn’t half as much as what you needed.”
Ed shrugged, studying his friend. Always so inquisitive with a mind that thrived on fitting pieces together, Glen wouldn’t stop looking into this until he was satisfied. Ed just had to satisfy it first. “Araa has a smaller frame,” he suggested. “She needs less. Besides, it’s been more than several months since then. I’m sure his skills have improved.”
“Does she need poison?”
“Poison,” Ed answered with genuine surprise.
“Yea,” Glen said slowly, returning Ed’s surprise with more suspicion. Damn it. “It’s just a base. Valerian, a fine purple powder. I’ve read reports of assassins using it in the past. Puts you to sleep, then slowly stops the heart. Death looks natural.”
Ed chose his next words carefully. “You’re not a doctor, Glen. You know even wine can be a poison if you’re not careful of the dosage. Valerian sounds like a sedative.”
Glen rubbing the bridge of his nose. “I…I don’t know. Something’s not right.” Yes, there is, and you guys can’t know about it. Irony how much Glen lauded procedures, laws, and regulations as a mark of good civilization, yet the powers on high subverted their own creations of pride. Irony? No, hypocrisy. Araa had to be murdered, and the crime buried to keep the Beast secret. So what did that make him? A hired assassin? “You seem to think so too, Ed.”
“What?”
“You’re tensing up.”
“It’s been a long morning. Glen, you’re over thinking. And working too hard to—"
He suddenly grabbed Ed’s shoulders, locking his jaundice eyes with his. “I still remember something of my military days, Ed,” he said, earnestly. “How things –people— can get smothered over to make everyone else’s lives go easier—”
“This isn’t another case of Ninn,” Ed held himself from shouting. That poor boy; Ed was never able to return his burned body back to his island. No one ever cared enough to help.
Glen nodded slowly, relaxing his grip on Ed’s shoulders. “I know. Yes, you’re right. I just. The way the doctor acted last night and…. Doctor Alexander…”
“Cares about Islanders too,” Ed finished Glen’s sentence. “He will do his best to fulfill his orders.”
Glen nodded again, looking unconvinced. “But if there is something else going on here, you would tell me, wouldn’t you? Off the record.”
“Yes,” Ed said quickly, and didn’t regret it. It was his duty to keep his General Orders secret and that secrecy served a prudent purpose: securing the ultimate defeat of Sig’s empire. Only him and his three Captains knew of it, their burden to carry. Not anyone else’s. At least he’d get her body back to her island.
“We’ve been through a lot, Ed,” Glen reminded him. “You wouldn’t lie to me?”
“No, Glen. I am not lying to you.”
Glen let go of him before staring up at the sky while tapping his finger. “I just don’t know,” he said. “We’ve known the Doctor for so long. He was really shaken up. You think he might harbor some grudge against Islanders?”
“Glen. Let. It. Go.”
Glen pointed to his head. “You know I can’t. And, what about you? I can see how hard this has all been on you. Beast man, maybe a cup of wine would do you some good too! See, that’s what I mean.” He pointed to Ed’s hands; they had curled to fists.
“It’s no surprise,” Ed blurted, rubbing his hands loose. “Araa got exposed under my watch and now she will –might…” His heart sped in his chest, his vision closed in. His sensing heightening. Another terror was coming again… Change the subject! “I’ll see someone,” Ed said, sitting down on the nearest metal chair.
Glen broken from his memory searching to cock his head. “See someone? I thought you were seeing someone? We agreed you would. …Don’t tell me you never went.” Ed remained silent, rubbing hands. It seemed to calm him, keep the terror at bay. “Ed, I can order you to see her,” his said with sympathy.
“It’s alright. I’ll be fine.”
“Fine? You’re falling to pieces over one slip up.”
”And you,” Ed said sternly, nodding to the empty cup in Glen’s hand. “How many this morning? How many yesterday? Look at your face, Glen. Your eyes. You’re worn out too.”
“Too,” Glen repeated, lifting his cup to eye level and examining it. He frowned deeply. “And this is what keeps me together.”
“Keeps you from remembering…”
Glen slowly let the cup slip his fingers and shatter on the floor. He then took a seat opposite Ed and bowed his head onto the table. “What the hell happened to us, Colonel? Sure as hell not what we expected, huh? How long? Eighteen…”
“Eighteen and five days since we both signed up.”
Glen laughed. “Can’t forget either, huh? We were all fire and quake back then, weren’t we? I admit, I think sometimes we were the stupid ones for staying. Alecka. Gene, they had the right idea. Didn’t they? Peace with the Empire? Not for them. Alecka’s buried himself in the mountains somewhere, giving up on civilized life. And Gene seems to be waging a holy war of her own against those conquering bastards. One closed off, the other out in front. And we have cooler heads?”
“Resign then,” Ed suggested, letting it linger out there. He’d be lying if he said he never thought about it. The armistice was one thing, a predictable and prudent action. What can horses, cannons and even mages do against the power of the Sea Roar. No, Ed wasn’t angry about that, but the indifference the military took over Ninn’s body was a matter entirely different. Ninn’s only request –the only request of all Islanders who served— was to have their bodies sent home and buried on their islands. And months after the four of them cremated his body and scattering his ashes out into sea, one of Prince Landrie’s orbiting nobles sent a letter to Ed, offering assistance. Too damn late. “Join them,” Ed added, sounding almost like he was convincing himself.
“The thought had crossed my mind, but… No. My heart is in my country.” He placed his hand over his heart, but Ed couldn’t tell if he meant it as a mocking gesture or not. “Besides, it’s only a matter of time before we figure out how to make weapons like Sig does. We’ll be at war with them soon enough. And then! We! Will! Be! Matched!” He punched Ed’s shoulder from across the table.
“A fair fight,” Ed mused with a smile on his lips. Maybe that’s why he stayed? “Imagine that.” Just the look on Sera’s face as the Prince Brothers’ armies rushed into Siga’s land with those same weapons he scorched Sosh’r would be worth all the lost sleep and terrors he had ever suffered. She’d know then that she picked the wrong side, and for what? To study a ‘god’?
Glen leaned in closer, whispering. “Sooooo, how close are we? You guys gonna start curving up that Beast soon?”
Ed smiled in reply. Little did Glen know, the orientation for that phase of the project had already happened. The first ‘big’ cut would be made in less than two weeks. Not a major achievement —they had already broken off small samples to learn from it— but a start. That material would coat the first of the military’s steam-drivers. If successful, they would move on to more complicated machinery, producing as much as they could before next thaw. Yes, spring promised to be a very busy season.
“I know that look,” Glen said, tapping his nose. “Good news then? Can’t you tell me anything?”
“Sorry,” he shrugged. “You know I can’t.”
Glen threw up his hands. “I know, I know. I’m a ‘need-to-know,’ right? But you won’t wait until flying islands start moving about before telling this old fool war’s about to break out, would you?”
“Maybe,” Ed teased, standing from his seat before stretching and letting out a big yawn. He turned to the Back Wood, a small nature oasis among the sprawling city around it, Central Office’s little park. “I’d better be going,” he said. “And you better be getting back to those people. You’ve got a noble out there too. Lady Roz.”
“She can wait like the rest,” he said, his voice turning somber. “I was serious in what I said. See someone. You’re the head of the forces here, if you can’t perform, I can’t let…“
“It’s fine, Glen. You’re right. I’ll go.”
“Mother Starrise,” Glen added. “See her. She’s good.”
“Star-rise?” Ed frowned.
Glen shrugged. “Those priests love their astrology. Remember how long it took us to get Gene to spill out her real name? Genevieve Casmarus. A lot better than…what was it? Whitewave Fallingstar?”
“How did you survive giving her so much grief,” Ed asked, before walking away.
“See her, Ed,” Glen called after him. “And I will be asking.”
“Never thought one day my subordinate would be threatening me.”
Glen chuckled. “Not here near the Office, I’m not.”
Ed waved, continuing his way toward the Back Wood with Glen’s fading call for Miss Reni behind him. The woods were very sparse, so sparse, he’d often walk through here to meet Glen for lunch. So, peering long enough into them—There. He spotted the wooden sides of a barn and the bobbling of horse heads far off between the trees. The ‘wood’ wasn’t more than a few hundred yards through, but while in it, he could relax his posture and take in the oasis from the developing city around it. Usually he had some of his runners with him: someone to send off, someone to give him reports, someone to guard him. In solitude moments like these, strolling among quiet trees, he treasured. Not a soul, like when he was younger before he met Glen and Sera, exploring the mountains with nothing but his bow, knife, and the mountain wind to guide him. With a relaxed breath, he strode inside the Back Wood.
But soon grumbled to himself, straightening his posture and pulling his hands out of his pockets. This isn’t how I should be acting now. The morning sun glanced off the Central Office windows behind him and glared its rays against the trees, forming dark columns that stretch on and on. Birds chirped, a cool breeze blew, and the smell of manure and mildew reached him, but he found himself slowing his pace, becoming more contemplative.
Call of the Chosen- Broken Kingdoms Page 22