Sword

by JC Andrijeski

Everything was arranged artistically, yet practically.

  Noting the carefully placed trees and lawns, his eyes picked out stone statues and benches, small pagodas where he glimpsed the occasional seer or human. Servants worked the land around him, tilling soil, cutting flowers, hoeing plants and bulbs, bringing food to livestock and coming back with milk from goats and cows, but none of it seemed hurried, urgent. He saw more than a few resting between jobs, eating and drinking on one of the many lawns.

  He felt horses, too, although his eyes could not find them.

  He’d heard from Wreg and others, while they briefed him prior to coming here, that the Lao Hu seers designed every aspect of the City’s current self-sustainability. A park of some kind had stood on this spot for thousands of years, but it had been devoid of crops and open to the public until the second wall around the City was erected.

  Revik glanced at that wall now, and felt almost as if he’d entered an enormous amphitheater. The red-painted stone rose so high above the trees of the gardens that it darkened the space within; it also hushed sound, creating a kind of fishbowl effect. The “new” wall, as it was still called, despite the fact that it had now stood for almost a century, surrounded the palace moat, as well as the two parks lining the walkway to the Meridian Gate, all the way up to the Gate of Heavenly Peace.

  Thanks to Barrier tech, the fortress also held out foreign energies, as well as much of the dirt and grime from outside the walls. The pollution still affected their air of course, but even that seemed muted once he’d passed through the main gate.

  Ahead, the red gates of Meridian loomed high, with two watchtowers on either end, and what looked like another structure in the center part of the U-bend of the gate itself.

  Already, the sense of space inside the construct surprised him.

  Revik had heard of course, of the size and impenetrability of the City.

  The Lao Hu stronghold was famous among seers, despite being nearly impossible to see from the Barrier due to the age and density of its constructs. Airspace over the City remained closely guarded, as well, so no unclassified images existed, even for someone like Revik, whose people could hack most of the high tech satellite feeds.

  It wasn’t only the Rebels they managed to keep in the dark.

  Revik had never once happened upon any images of the City while working for British Intelligence, either––nor when he’d worked for the Rooks, under Galaith.

  Even now, he could feel the construct tampering with his light.

  He’d tried to take a number of snapshots with his aleimi, to help him remember the layout of the grounds, but the construct unraveled these images as soon as he stored them in his light.

  He’d leave here remembering a few things, of course, just from emotional impact, if nothing else. He would attach elements of the physical grounds to specific memories and interactions. But any detailed images of the layout, physical security, specific size of the grounds, aleimic structures, weaponry––much less the multiple levels of Barrier security he could feel around him in the space––would remain here, not with him, after he left.

  He and his escort reached the Meridian Gate some minutes later, after passing several more structures to the right and the left, along with accompanying garden sanctuaries. The last segment of road was lined with trees, and still in a way that Revik found very pleasant––or would have, had he been there simply as a guest.

  He glanced at the high walls as they passed, feeling his sense of perspective alter yet again. It was then that he noticed they’d dismantled his mobile construct, too.

  They’d done it so quietly and non-invasively, he hadn’t even noticed until he attempted to ping Wreg to let him know where he was.

  He fought to shrug it off. Truthfully, though, it made him nervous.

  For not the first time, he questioned whether this approach was particularly smart.

  There was some chance the Lao Hu had allied with Balidor to take him prisoner. If the Adhipan held Allie against her will––which he couldn’t be sure wasn’t the case, since they’d blocked him from her light––they wouldn’t balk at doing the same to him.

  He and his escort walked past rows of willow trees, with taller, older-looking elms rising higher in the background, interspersed with cedars and pines. Revik saw birds in wooden cages hanging from a cherry tree by a pavilion. A young female seer in a dark blue sash whistled to the creatures inside, talking to them via her voice and light.

  His throat moved a little as he glanced at his escort.

  “Apprentice?”

  The seer followed his gaze. “Yes. She is in training.”

  Revik nodded, folding his arms. Clearly, they weren’t afraid of him. Not if they had their young seers in training wandering around him in plain sight.

  He continued to walk, watching the red walls of the Meridian Gate loom higher.

  It was so quiet here. It felt like the world held its breath inside these walls.

  Birds winged by as he thought it, their cries and calls back and forth loud in the quiet of all else. A breeze waved the long willow fronds, sending him the smell of blossoms from some other part of the grounds.

  He walked, trying not to think about Allie as he looked around.

  She must love this. She was enamored of graceful artificial environments, especially those that mimicked nature, or wove civilization inside it without disrupting either.

  As he thought it, it occurred to him she’d never told him this. He’d picked it up from years of watching her, and from being in her thoughts.

  He was still thinking about her as his seer escort led him through a series of arched openings in the red-painted walls. They passed sentries, seer and human, who bowed deeply to Revik as he passed.

  Seconds later, he entered a courtyard so vast he briefly came to a stop, reorienting his vantage point yet again.

  A river-like canal ran around the edges of the expanse of white stone in a wandering loop, spanned in front of him by five bridges, like those he’d seen outside the main gate. Scrubbed of the pollution and dirt present outside the City’s walls, these shone blindingly white in the morning sun. Red and orange-roofed buildings stood on all four sides as he looked down the steep steps. Elaborately painted tiles and carvings decorated their edges, while heavy stone lions guarded several of the lesser gates, pulling his eyes.

  Trees rimmed the canals in planters embedded in the stone, creating what amounted to an artificial forest along the steep banks. Cherry trees bloomed among the willows, along with maple and a few breeds he didn’t recognize. Cypress and twisted pines rimmed low ornate walls that stood to either side, along with high lampposts with tiered silk lanterns and banners hanging from bronze hooks with dragon’s bodies.

  It struck him that the lanterns likely served to illuminate the pathways at night, and for an instant he had a mental picture of a kind of fairyland under the trees.

  Pain slivered through him as he imagined Allie wandering that path. Briefly, he saw the two of them there together, lying in that grass, listening to the water as it flowed past.

  Birds floated there now, swans and colorful Asian wood ducks, what might have been loons with their spotted black backs. He saw an orange flash of fish scales darting under the surface before his eyes drifted back up to the stone stairs leading to the building on the far side of the square. Scanning, he felt another large courtyard beyond that, then more structures… a gate… gardens… what felt like residencies.

  All of it dissolved from his light as soon as he felt it.

  “Sir?” His escort pulled his eyes back to him. “This way, sir.”

  Revik turned, walking just ahead of the robed seer, following his light’s prompts.

  He noticed seers strolling under the trees, alone and in small groups. He couldn’t help but look for her, although he knew she wouldn’t be among them. Many wore the blue sash he’d seen on the young apprentice, but he saw sashes of other colors, as well––reds, purples, yellows––all with
the symbol of the Lao Hu.

  He saw black sashes among them, too.

  He grew suddenly aware of his own conspicuousness, even if Voi Pai had her people shielding his light. Wearing western clothes, he stood out as an outsider well beyond his facial features, which were unusual enough among Asian seers to get him looks.

  The feeling of hush remained, despite the wide-open space.

  Revik followed his escort down a path winding around the right side of the enormous courtyard. They followed the course of a canal for about a hundred meters without crossing, but the seer didn’t point out landmarks, or even comment on the scenery.

  Instead he led him straight through another gate, and towards a tiered building beyond, due east to the main square and around which the canals wound. Without pausing, Revik’s guide led him through the double red doors of an old-looking building.

  Two black-sashed seers stood out front. Both bowed to him gracefully, their eyes carefully below his.

  Revik hesitated before entering, but only for a breath.

  Truthfully, after seeing the vastness of the grounds, especially in the warm sun of a springtime morning, he didn’t particularly want to be trapped indoors. In that breath of a pause, however, he found himself unwilling to wait while they established another place for conference that might feel less claustrophobic to him.

  He could feel the added security around this building already.

  Following his seer escort, he scanned his way forward as he entered the high doorway, facing a room that seemed to be entirely painted in gold, with black Chinese writing in banners over what looked like a highly-placed throne. Giant urns and delicate pottery stood to either side of the raised dais. Trees grew inside the urns, likely another token of the seers’ influence. What looked like scrolls filled high, square shelves alongside one wall.

  Revik’s eyes slid further upwards to the ceiling, where elaborately painted beams formed a receding square, and more lamps and silk kites hung from the gilded fixtures, blowing lightly in the breeze.

  The seer led him past the gold throne to a side chamber with a red door.

  Inside, he saw a glass-less window to the trees that immediately caused his chest to loosen. The window shed natural light on a painted wood table that took up most of the rectangular room. Clustered around the right side of that table, comfortable-looking chairs fitted with silk cushions were positioned to invite sitting.

  A tea set stood on the dark wood in a lacquered tray, its pot steaming from the spout next to white and blue china cups.

  Revik entered cautiously, scanning his way through the building while keeping his energetic footprint as light as possible. He could still feel someone, or several someones, trying to keep his presence isolated within the construct.

  Clearly, they didn’t want his arrival widely known.

  Revik glanced back as his escort left him, bowing his head low as he closed the double doors. Revik was about to call after the other male, when a different voice rose from his right.

  “Illustrious Syrimne,” it said, in accented Prexci.

  The feminine voice held the hint of a purr, and the faintest trace of humor.

  “…I am honored,” it added softly. “Truly.”

  Revik turned, and found himself facing a tall, voluptuous seer with high cheekbones and cream-colored skin. Her yellow eyes struck him first among her physical traits, both for their color, and their vertical, black pupils, which immediately narrowed at him.

  They made her look predatory.

  The impression was heightened by her thin mouth and angular face, despite the careful make-up and perfectly sculpted hair. She smiled, lowering her head so that she looked up at him from below.

  “I am Voi Pai,” she said. “Leader of the Lao Hu.”

  Revik executed the counter to the bow, keeping his head above hers.

  As he did, he let his light whisper over hers, as well.

  The polite scan told him nothing. She had so many protections and shields over her aleimi, she appeared as featureless as a flat wall.

  “I am Dehgoies Revik,” he said after a bare pause. “I thank you for agreeing to see me with no notice.”

  “The Illustrious Syrimne is welcome in the City whenever he wishes,” the female purred, her head still lowered. “We only ask your pardon that we were not able to arrange a more appropriate welcome for one of your stature.”

  “I would have asked to be spared that formality, sister,” he replied. “…So kindly stop apologizing for providing me the welcome I would have wished.”

  Indicating towards her bowed head, he added,

  “…Nor is that necessary, friend. Although I must repeat how deeply I appreciate my reception here.” He allowed himself what approached a genuine smile. “In any case, despite your very impressive stature, sister, I am still taller than you. Standing in a comfortable manner does not breach protocol for either of us.”

  She smiled in return, straightening. “You honor me.”

  “Not at all.”

  “Will you join me, Illustrious One?” she said, indicating towards the chairs.

  Gesturing the polite form of affirmation, he walked to the nearest and sat at once, knowing she would not until he had.

  Still, he hid his impatience with an effort when she lowered her face once more to be below his before taking her own seat across from him.

  “Tea?” she asked, indicating towards the pot.

  He gestured yes, but frowned.

  “May we dispense with the formality?” he said yet again, letting a faint edge touch his voice. “Please… and with all respect, sister. I find I would rather preclude with the usual dance. You know why I am here.”

  She straightened in her seat, leaning over the table to pick up the bamboo-handled pot. Carefully pouring him a cup of tea, she did a blessing over it with one hand before lowering the pot briefly, and then pouring one for herself.

  Only then did she meet his gaze, studying him thoughtfully.

  “I do,” she said. “…Know why you are here, Illustrious Sword.”

  “She is here, is she not?”

  The seer hesitated, glancing at his hands on the table.

  He saw her eyes linger on the ring he wore on his left hand’s index finger. She met his gaze again, those odd pupils narrowing slightly.

  “First, I must ask,” she said in formal Prexci. “Does the Illustrious Syrimne blame me for any part of her unfortunate situation? Or for harboring our Esteemed Sister in its aftermath?”

  “I do not.” He accepted the cup of tea from her. “Please do not give me a reason to change that opinion. I would like to maintain friendly relations between us, Voi Pai.”

  “I, as well,” she said, leaning back in the wooden chair. Her eyes continued to study his. “What do you want from the Lao Hu, Illustrious Syrimne?”

  “Revik,” he said, dismissing the title with his fingers. “And what I want should be very clear. I want my wife returned to me, in pristine condition. Now.”

  She continued to study his face, her own expressionless.

  He felt her skepticism, the flavor of questioning flickering around his light.

  “Is that all you want, Illustrious Brother?” she purred. “For if it is, I am certain we can arrange for that to occur immediately, unless your wife has objection.” Pausing, she gave him a coy smile. “…Should I expect any objection from her? For she technically outranks you, Illustrious Brother. I would prefer not to be put in the awkward position of navigating a domestic conflict between two beings of such impressive stature––”

  “Revik,” he repeated, his voice carrying a faint thread of his irritation. “And I have no reason to know of her objecting to this.”

  “Really?” she said. “I had heard otherwise.”

  Revik felt one of his hands clench on his thigh.

  “If she objects,” he said softly, his eyes on the other seer’s. “Then I am quite certain you will tell me. Is that not true, honorable sister?”
/>   The female seer exhaled in a sigh, clicking her tongue.

  “I apologize, Illustrious Brother. I mean no offense… truly. It is difficult, you know, to be in the middle of such a thing. It is not a comfortable position for the Lao Hu, who prefer to maintain a friendly distance from factional disputes among our brothers and sisters to the south and west. Particularly those involving intermediaries.”

  Revik acknowledged this with a bow, his expression neutral.

  “I understand,” he said. After a pause, he leaned back in his chair, trying a different approach. “Perhaps you know my wife was shot recently? Nearly killed?”

  Again, Voi Pai clicked at him regretfully.

  “Yes, I had heard of this thing,” she said.

  “Then you must understand my concern?” Revik said. “For it is my belief this occurred to prevent her from returning willingly to me, after I approached her to reconcile our differences.”

  The seer clasped her tea cup between her hands. “I understand.”

  Sighing, she looked out the window over her right shoulder.

  She continued to stare out the window as a bird with a crimson head alighted on a branch outside, and began to sing.

  “Sister,” Revik said, pushing his own tea cup aside with his fingers. “Where is my wife? You must understand, given the circumstances I just shared, that I am anxious to confirm for myself that she is safe and well?”

  “Of course, brother.”

  She paused again, her eyes flickering to his.

  He felt her scan and bit back his impatience.

  “Sister,” he said. “Will you accede to my request? Or not?”

  She gestured easily with one hand.

  “Of course we will. I have already instructed my people to approach your wife. If she is agreeable, they will bring her to the courtyard within the hour.”

  Revik felt his body react without his willing it.

  Forcing it out of his light, he continued to stare at the yellow-eyed seer.

  “And?” he prompted. “There is more. What is it?”

  “Brother, I will be frank with you.” Giving him a regretful-seeming wave of her hand, she sighed. “I had heard your wishes extended beyond this thing. This return of your wife.”