“Indeed. Do you know that Queen Talyien will be marrying Prince Yuebek soon?”
I wanted to punch Khine in the face. Instead, I smiled even more, so much that my lips felt stretched out. “It’s a big secret. You know how the queen has been having problems with her husband, Lord what’s-his-face…”
“Lord Raiju,” Agos said.
“Raikar,” Khine corrected.
“Raijel,” Cho chimed in, catching on to the joke.
The man cleared his throat. “Prince Yuebek,” he repeated. “I think I’ve heard that name before.”
The smile fell from my face. “You have?”
“Few years back, some foreigners hitched a ride on the barge up to Yu-yan. They said they worked for a Prince Yuebek. Didn’t mention anything about him marrying the queen, but one did brag about preparing Yuebek’s kingdom for him. Me and the men just laughed it off.” He sniffed. “Just get in the wagon and try not to get into trouble.” He stepped away from us quickly, looking like someone who had been badgered into something against his will. He returned to the building, grumbling under his breath.
“Must be those Zarojo mages,” Khine said as soon as he was out of earshot.
“Eikaro said Ong sent them. Not a stretch that Yuebek is the one behind it. But what would they mean by preparing Yuebek’s kingdom? They went out here to assist the Anyus with the dragons. Not that the Warlord Ojika even wanted their help in the first place. Eikaro told me that his father’s hand was forced under threat of…” I trailed off as a thought clicked solidly into place. Yeshin knew Eikaro’s secret. He handed that knowledge over to Yuebek. But what for?
I took a deep breath. No—I couldn’t kill myself, not now. I needed to see my son safe, and my death would do nothing to protect him from both my dead father, my husband, and Yuebek combined. Their plans had permeated the land, right down into its very crevices, and if I wanted to discover them, I needed to return to where it all began: back home to Oren-yaro, where my betrayers waited for me with open arms.
~~~
The transport wagon was drawn by four water buffaloes—large, hefty creatures with enough strength to carry lumber down the rough southern road. One pressed its wet nose on my arm as we passed by, and I obliged by tickling it under the muzzle. As it stretched under my fingers, Khine laughed. “Do you remember the rok haize figurine you bought from that first shopkeeper we tricked?” he asked.
“I left that in your house,” I reminded him. “I was going to give it to Thanh.” I should’ve kept it as a good-luck charm.
“It feels so long ago,” Khine mused. We followed Agos onto the lumber pile, seating ourselves on the top of the sawn logs. It was the sort of dangerous arrangement that would’ve had Arro frothing at the mouth. I could hear his voice now, begging me to use my head, to please consider the consequences of my actions.
Ah, but Arro, I thought. Did you know you would be killed in a private dining room half a world away? I gazed out at the horizon as the drivers yelled at the beasts and we began to inch slowly along the road.
It was late at night when the workmen let us off at the main road about an hour’s walk from Fuyyu. The stars and the moon had appeared, a blue haze over them. An owl hooted at us from a tree.
Khine took a deep breath. “I can already smell the city.”
I sniffed. There was a slight, acrid tinge in the air. “They’ve got tanning factories at the outskirts,” I explained. “The Kags prefer leather over woolen cloaks in the winter.”
“How harsh are your winters here?”
“More rain than snow around these parts. In Oren-yaro, we get a few days of snow every year—still not as much compared to the regions near the mountains—the Ikessar lands, in particular. That’s why they say the Ikessars took to studying and reading so much. Long winters, nothing else to do.”
“How did the Ikessars come to power, anyway? You’ve painted them as a people entirely different from the rest of you. Without a sizable army like the rest, what got them to where they are now?”
“Ah, a history lesson,” I said brightly. “Agos, cover your ears.”
Agos made a choking sound.
“You’ve seen what Rai was able to do in a matter of days,” I continued.
“I find it hard to believe it had anything to do with his charm or…anything to do with him, really.” Khine gave a small nod. “Not that I don’t like the guy, mind you—”
“Wait,” I said. “You like Rayyel?”
“He’s interesting. And I’ve met worse fellows.”
“You’re an idiot, Lamang.”
“And you were telling me a story. Let’s not go off course here.”
I sighed. “Rai is reaping the benefit of hundreds of years of work by his ancestors. Back in the day, the Ikessar clan was just one of many, living in the mountains among Kibouri priests and monks and whatever else they had up there. As with all the major clans, they became well-known because of their connection with dragons. There were a number of famous dragonriders from the clan, most of whom served the warlord of the city of Darusu, which lay right at the base of the mountains in that region.
“The Ikessars also made a name in capturing and training dragons. For a time, the majority of dragons came from the eastern mountains—small, hardy creatures who were easily tamed, or so the texts say. There’s still dragon-towers scattered among the villages in those mountains. So the lords from all across the land would come to take their pick of the creatures, and somewhere along the way a friendship between the warlord of Bara and the head of the Ikessar clan was formed. Warlord Luban, I think was his name; he brought the Ikessar clan chief to his palace.
“Now, I’ve got to confess that I don’t quite remember the entire chronology of events. I know that this man, Chief…”
“R—?” Khine ventured.
“Ryar,” I said with a grimace.
“Spirits, how do they keep track of everyone? At least without sounding like a spirits-be-damned pirate?”
“It’s why I named my son Thanh,” I replied. “I wasn’t going to follow along with that madness.”
“So instead you started your own? Talyien. Thanh.”
I frowned at him. “Maybe you don’t want to hear this story.”
“I don’t,” Agos sighed.
“Please go on,” Khine said with a grin.
“Chief Ryar quickly gained the reputation as a level-headed, intelligent man. He was also a devout follower of the Nameless Maker and the prophet Kibouri. The land, which was suffering from all sorts of skirmishes between the warlords, greatly admired him. In the following years, an idea for peace was born: why not have one ruler? Someone wise, and powerful, and more importantly—posed no threat to the warlords who could put him in such a place.”
“Let me guess,” Khine said. “The Baraji warlord suggested this.”
I was surprised. “You’ve been paying attention.”
He bowed with false modesty.
“They did not want to use the word king, not directly. Such a word implied power and dominion over all. No, instead they chose to bestow the title Dragonlord, peacekeeper and uniter of the royal clans. Dragon, you see, because they chose Chief Ryar for this and he came from the dragon-lands of Darusu.”
“There’s people who will disagree with that explanation,” Agos broke in. “Dragonlord. King. It was always the same thing.”
“I don’t see them around anywhere, so I’m telling this story the way I understand it,” I snapped. “So. Not all the warlords agreed; I believe only half even attended the coronation of this so-called uniter. But the important part is that suddenly, some of the warlords were cooperating, which is something that the land had never seen before. They contributed coin from their own treasuries to fund the Dragon Palace in Shirrokaru, a small town on the shores of Lake Watu. Of course, most did it to further their own interests—to increase their influences and grow closer to Dragonlord Ryar.
“Except Dragonlord Ryar…wasn’t that kind of man. I
t’s funny to admit it, but it was clear why people found him endearing. He was kind to all but himself, and clearly more interested in working with the warlords to better the land than to seize power for his family. Incorruptible, the texts say. Warlord Tal of Oren-yaro, of course, didn’t agree.”
“Warlord Tal,” Khine breathed. “I just realized. Gods, you people.”
“He had clashed with Ryar from the moment he appeared in the Bara court,” I continued, ignoring him. “For everything that Ryar said, Warlord Tal was one step behind him, breathing down his neck. Nothing that Ryar did was good enough.”
“This story sounds oddly familiar.”
I smiled. “Warlord Tal was one of those who refused to attend the coronation, finding the whole thing ridiculous, a sham orchestrated by the other warlords to seize more power for themselves. Nevertheless, the palace in Shirrokaru was built.
“Some of the warlords who opposed the Dragonlord banded together. Kyo-orashi, Osahindo, and Natu gathered over three thousand soldiers and marched for Shirrokaru and the Dragon Palace. Dragonlord Ryar didn’t have enough men to defend the palace and was forced to flee. He thought this was enough to dissuade the rebels.
“But the soldiers came anyway, and they ransacked the city. The Slaughter of Shirrokaru, the textbooks call it. What the soldiers did to the civilians was atrocious. Rape and murder, and even children weren’t spared. You know how it was in Dar Aso? It was worse than that, and for what? Just to send a message to the others that they didn’t agree with the idea of peace? Oren-yaro, the closest city, could no longer stand to listen to the story of refugees as they rushed through our gates. Warlord Tal gathered what men he could and rode to liberate Shirrokaru. They caught the rebels unaware, entering the city through the sewers. And then they fought their way out, down to the last man.”
“Five hundred against three thousand,” Agos said. “The Oren-yaro legacy.”
I couldn’t tell if it was pride or scorn in his voice, and berated the interruption with a sigh. “Mind you, it was three thousand of mostly drunk and unarmed men, caught unaware. A good number were enjoying themselves in brothels. I believe Warlord Tal released several dragons from the pits to spread chaos through the streets.”
“I think you’ve told me part of this story before,” Khine said. “This Warlord Tal was the last one standing when Dragonlord Ryar returned with reinforcements.”
I nodded. “He finally conceded to the Dragonlord when he died. He wanted peace himself. Who doesn’t? He wanted his son to inherit a land that wasn’t drenched in blood.” I fell silent as we approached the gates. There were guards checking the horde of newcomers. I tugged at Agos’ arm. “Those don’t look like Shirrokaru soldiers,” I whispered.
“They don’t,” Agos said. His eyes focused in the darkness. “They’re Kyo-orashi.”
“They’re not supposed to be there. Kyo-orashi has no authority in these lands.”
“Well, they’re there,” Agos hissed. “Let’s turn back before—”
“You!” they called out. “To the front of the line, now!”
I took a step back and glanced at my companions. If I could make a dash for the bushes, perhaps…
“There’s archers on the towers,” Agos hissed. “Don’t do anything hasty.”
“It’s too dark,” Khine replied. “Will they even hit us?”
“Oh, they’ll hit you,” Agos said through gritted teeth. “The Kyo clan have mastered the bow and arrow.”
“What’s this?” I said out loud as the soldiers approached us. “Mere travellers like us getting accosted by guards at night. Except—” I pretended to peer closely at the soldier’s helmet. “You’re not a guard. You’re a warlord’s soldier!”
“Smart woman,” the soldier said, reaching for my arm.
I jerked back. “What happened to the city guards?”
“Quit your yelling, woman,” the soldier snapped. “Haven’t you heard? The Dragonthrone’s in disarray. Nobody’s sitting on it right now. The council has removed Queen Talyien from her position, but since Lord Rayyel has never been crowned—”
A sharp whistle pierced the air. “We won’t get very far if we explain the details to everyone,” another soldier broke in. He looked like the other’s superior.
The first soldier frowned before turning back to me. “You are cordially invited to Warlord’s San’s palace, along with every woman travelling into the city. Don’t worry. Warlord San merely wishes to ask you a few questions, and if he’s satisfied, you’ll be returned to Fuyyu on the next ship.”
“And if I don’t go?” I snapped.
The soldier jerked his head back and gave a sharp sound from the back of his throat. Others came for my companions.
“Don’t worry,” the soldier said as they roped us. “We’re not barbarians. If anything, this is the most fun you’ll have all week.” He shoved me forward, and I found myself being dragged past the gates.
Chapter Four
The Warlord of Kyo-orashi
Kyo-orashi City lay at the tip of a peninsula somewhere in the middle of the coastline of Jin-Sayeng. It was a good few days’ travel from Fuyyu, if the weather was fair. Not that I would know anything about the state of the wind or waves during that time. I was separated from the men and stuffed unceremoniously below deck with about thirty other women. Chained to each other, with only a single chamberpot shared between a number of us, I quickly lost track of time.
Most of it I spent in a trance, half-asleep, half-awake. It was difficult whenever the ship rolled and the women would strain at their chains or wail out loud, wanting to know the reason for their capture and why they were being treated this way. I was the only one keenly aware of our predicament. I was the reason for all of this, after all.
Not that I knew exactly why, but I could tell enough from the snippets of conversation I was able to gather from the guards. Warlord San, not liking the uncertainty surrounding the Dragonthrone during that time, had taken matters into his own hands. He had seized control of Fuyyu in order to find the queen himself.
Or so it seemed, anyway. After everything that had happened in the Sougen, I was no longer as sure of myself as I once was. Warlord San had always seemed harmless. A tall man, muscular, younger than most of the warlords—though he had at least two grown sons already—and with a booming laugh that could travel from one end of the courtyard to the other. He never took anything seriously, didn’t attend meetings unless he had to, and went as far as to relinquish his offered seat in the council to his cousin Lady Esh. “I’ve got no head for ruling,” he liked to brag. “If my father had given me a choice, I wouldn’t have inherited Kyo-orashi. I’d have gone sailing.”
Sometime during the first day of my imprisonment in the ship’s hold, I pulled Rayyel’s letter to the Anyus, the same one he had sent out to every corner of Jin-Sayeng. I had kept it tucked in my pocket the whole time. I held it up to the porthole, under the shaft of sunlight, wondering why my husband would do something so drastic so quickly. As embarrassing as it was to admit it, such an impetuous decision was something I would’ve done.
I stuffed it back in my shirt and let out a sigh.
“From your lover?” the woman beside me asked.
I smiled at her, choosing not to answer. Not that she would’ve heard my response—from across the other end of the room, we heard a piercing scream as one of the women was unclipped from her chains. Two sailors tried to drag her up the ladder.
The other women grabbed her before they could get her up the first rung and reached out to attack the men. The sailors fought back with clubs and chains, but soon retreated back to the deck without their prize. I didn’t realize I’d been holding my breath until I felt myself sigh with relief.
“That’s just going to keep happening until we get there,” the woman beside me whispered. “Do they think they’re going to get away with this?”
Yes, I thought. But I kept my mouth shut and my eyes downward. The woman found my silence uneasy, and shu
ffled close, their chains clinking against mine. “You’re a strange one. You don’t like it when people talk to you or something?”
“Oh, leave her alone,” someone behind us piped up.
“I’m just trying to make our situation less miserable,” the woman snapped. She turned her gaze back to me. “Look. Maybe you just don’t like to talk to strangers.”
I cleared my throat. “It’s not that,” I said.
“Well, there you go,” she replied, her eyes brightening. “Not so bad, is it? How did these bastards get you, anyway?”
“Came in from the Sougen.” I tried to keep the rough, rural slang to my voice. It was harder than I thought.
“I came to visit my mother-in-law, who works at the docks. If I knew this was going on, I would’ve just been a bad daughter and stayed home. You think they’re serious about sending us home after Warlord San questions us? What would he want to ask us about, anyhow?”
“I think they’re looking for the queen,” another woman replied. There was a general buzz of assent.
“Whatever for?” the woman talking to me asked.
“Haven’t you heard? She fucked around.”
I had to let the rush of anger go right through me.
“We’ve been hearing that for years,” someone else added. “Her guardsman, or something like?”
“Guardsmen is what I heard.”
“And her husband got tired of it and complained to the council.”
“Wait a moment,” she said. “This the husband who’s been missing for years?”
“I guess so,” the other woman replied.
“So he’s finally gone and shown himself. And the queen—she’s still missing?”
A confused murmur.
“That doesn’t sound right,” the woman beside me continued. “You all know what this sounds like to me? Those damn royals are getting into a pissing match all over again, and we’re caught up in it.”
“Nothing new,” someone agreed. “Not surprised. It’s not like the queen’s done any good this whole time. Having her as ruler was supposed to mean progress, but look. We’re just as poor as ever, and the royals are still having their way with us. And I thought moving to Fuyyu meant I could put all of that behind me.”
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