Sacrifice

by Christopher Mitchell

  ‘More than he would you, that’s for sure.’

  Laodoc bowed his head. ‘I greatly regret what I did. I should never have opened my mouth to Daphne about Douanna, but my longing for revenge blinded me to everything else. I am to blame for them leaving us, and I know you still harbour some resentment towards me because of it. I’m sorry, Bridget.’

  She frowned, and looked away.

  ‘It’s done now,’ said Agang, ‘and they’re probably in the Holdings. The people we need to bind together are scattered to the far corners of the world, while the Emperor sits in the middle, laughing at us.’

  ‘You’re taking it very personally,’ said Bridget.

  ‘How could I not? He killed me.’

  ‘And ye want to give him the chance to do it again?’

  ‘No, next time I want to be prepared.’

  ‘By using a bairn as a shield?’

  ‘She might be the only person in the world who can hide from the Emperor.’

  ‘So what, we send her in with a knife?’

  The Sanang man’s temper rose, his face reddening .

  ‘Come now, Agang,’ said Laodoc. ‘She has a point.’

  ‘What?’ he said. ‘Are you losing heart as well?’

  ‘Not at all, my friend, but we do need to think through our plan very carefully.’

  ‘You need to work out how to persuade Daphne, you mean,’ said Bridget. ‘I’d give up now if I were you, after all your charms haven’t worked on Keira or Shella. The only dumbass to fall for your bullshit is me.’

  ‘I’m sorry you feel that way, Bridget,’ said Laodoc.

  ‘Aye,’ she said, sipping her drink, ‘me too.’

  Agang nodded at Laodoc, and he turned to follow his gaze. Two Rakanese in long winter coats were striding along a wooden walkway towards them.

  ‘The scouts I asked for,’ he said.

  Laodoc smiled as they approached.

  They nodded, and said a greeting in their own language.

  ‘I’ll translate,’ Bridget said.

  Laodoc watched as she spoke to the two scouts, her Rakanese lessons having continued apace. He breathed in the cool mountain air, listening to the sounds of the river beneath them.

  The scouts nodded again, and left.

  ‘Well?’ said Agang.

  ‘Bad news, I’m afraid,’ she said. ‘They say that every route out of Silverstream is blocked with snow. I guess we’re stuck here a little longer.’

  Agang stood, and glared at the white mountains. He turned, and began to walk away.

  ‘Wait,’ said Laodoc. ‘Where are you going?’

  ‘To speak to Shella.’

  ‘Why?’

  Agang stopped, and faced him. ‘Because they’re lying to us.’

  ‘What?’ said Bridget. ‘Why the fuck would they do that?’

  ‘They don’t want us to leave.’

  Bridget snorted. ‘You’re being paranoid. ’

  ‘No,’ he said, ‘I’m not. Are you coming?’

  ‘Yes,’ said Laodoc. ‘Please wait a moment while I get to my feet.’

  Bridget stood, and helped him up. He took his walking stick, and they joined Agang.

  ‘This should be amusing,’ said Bridget as they left the veranda, and headed along a slatted walkway. A foot below, the waters of the river glistened with ice floes as they passed, and their breath misted in the crisp air. They nodded to a few Rakanese on the way. Bridget got more greetings than the other two, and she replied in their own tongue. They reached Shella’s house, a large wooden apartment standing alone, with lines of high trees on either side.

  Agang knocked on the door.

  Bridget took Laodoc’s hand, and he leant on her as they went up the steps.

  Agang knocked again, and the door opened.

  ‘Master Thymo,’ said Laodoc, ‘how are you this morning?’

  The boy stared up at them.

  Agang frowned.

  ‘Is Shella at home?’ he said. ‘Come on, boy, you know who we are.’

  Thymo said nothing.

  Bridget crouched down by him. ‘Is your auntie home? Can we see her, please?’

  ‘Who’s there?’ said a voice from within.

  Shella appeared at the door, wearing a dressing gown, her hair a tangled mess. ‘Oh, it’s you.’

  ‘Mage Shella, we need to talk at once,’ Agang said.

  ‘Really? Must we?’

  ‘We would be most obliged, madam,’ Laodoc said.

  Shella frowned. ‘Well, drag your asses inside out of the cold.’

  She stood to the side to let them pass, then closed the door.

  ‘Thymo,’ she said, ‘go to your room. I don’t want you to hear all the bad language.’

  ‘Yes, auntie,’ the boy said, and ran off.

  ‘I hope there won’t be any need for bad language,’ Laodoc said .

  ‘Depends what you’re here to say,’ Shella said. ‘Want a drink?’

  ‘Aye,’ said Bridget.

  Shella led them through to a comfortable living room, with long, low couches covered in throws and cushions, and a fire burning in the corner. She gestured for them to sit, brought over a tray from the sideboard, and put it down on the table in front of them.

  ‘Help yourself,’ she said.

  Bridget picked up the jug from the table and poured out four cups of clear spirit. Shella sat opposite them.

  ‘Sorry if we got you out of bed,’ said Laodoc.

  ‘What the fuck do you want?’

  ‘What do we want?’ said Agang. ‘You know what we want. The question is, why are you trying to stop us?’

  ‘What?’ Shella said. ‘Is this a Sanang riddle?’

  Bridget laughed. ‘The boys have this paranoid theory that Silverstream is conspiring to keep us all here.’

  Shella puffed out her cheeks, and half-smiled.

  ‘It’s not true, is it?’ Bridget said.

  ‘I’m not supposed to say anything,’ she said.

  ‘I knew it,’ said Agang, slapping his thigh.

  ‘But why?’ said Bridget. ‘I thought you wanted us to go? When we first got here you were constantly nagging us about it, asking us why we were still here, or when we were leaving, and now you want us to stay?’

  ‘I don’t want you to stay.’

  ‘Has the town council made a decision?’ said Laodoc.

  ‘They might have.’

  Bridget put down her cup, glaring at the Rakanese woman.

  ‘See?’ Agang said. ‘What did I tell you?’

  Laodoc glanced at Bridget.

  ‘I thought you liked it here,’ he said to her.

  ‘That’s not the fucking point,’ Bridget said. ‘This is bullshit. They can’t stop us from leaving.’

  ‘They might try,’ said Shella. ‘I honestly don’t know how far the council would go. ’

  ‘I assume you disagreed with their decision?’ Laodoc said.

  ‘You assume right.’

  ‘Then why didn’t you stop them?’ said Bridget.

  Shella raised an eyebrow. ‘What power do you think I have in this town? I’m not on the council, and as there’s no election due for a couple of years, I’m unlikely to be on it any time soon. As the founder of the town, I guess they treat me as an honoured guest or something, but I’m not in charge. I can’t force them to do anything.’

  ‘I don’t understand,’ said Bridget. ‘Why do they want us to stay?’

  ‘Isn’t it obvious?’ said Agang. ‘The entire town has been free of disease and injuries since we got here. I’ve treated half the population, from sick children, to pregnant women and old people with dislocated hips. Do you think they want to go back to the way it was before?’

  Shella shook her head. ‘You conceited bastard, Agang.’

  He smiled. ‘Am I wrong?’

  ‘You’re partly right.’

  He folded his arms. ‘You can tell your council that we intend to leave, with or without their permission. I am not their captive, an
d my skills are not theirs to abuse.’

  ‘Fucking tell them yourself,’ Shella muttered.

  Agang paused, frowning.

  ‘Are you serious?’ asked Laodoc.

  ‘Yeah, I am. The council are in session today, why don’t you march your asses up there and tell them what you fucking think?’ She shrugged. ‘This has got nothing to do with me.’

  ‘And would they let us speak?’ Laodoc said.

  ‘Probably,’ she said. ‘You might have to make an appointment.’

  ‘How dare they,’ Agang cried. ‘They’re trying to hold us hostage here, and they want us to make an appointment?’ He stood. ‘No. I shall go, and tell them that their treatment of us is unacceptable.’

  ‘But, my friend,’ Laodoc said, ‘we need Shella to accompany us. To translate.’

  ‘She can do it,’ Shella smirked, pointing at Bridget.

  ‘What?’ said Bridget. ‘I can’t speak to the town council. ’

  ‘Why not? You did it before.’

  ‘That was a speech it took me days to learn off by heart,’ Bridget said.

  ‘She’s right,’ said Laodoc. ‘Bridget’s Rakanese is certainly better than mine or Agang’s, but arguing in front of the town council is perhaps asking too much.’

  Shella glanced away. ‘Not my problem.’

  ‘I could make it your problem,’ Agang said.

  ‘Oh yeah, ape-man? And how do you think you’d do that?’

  Agang smiled. ‘I will withdraw my labour from the clinic, and when people ask why, I will tell them it is because you refuse to help us. Pretty soon, half the town will be knocking on your door.’

  ‘You’d refuse to treat the sick?’

  ‘I would.’

  ‘You petty-minded, arrogant asshole,’ Shella said. She took a sip of rice spirits.

  ‘Okay,’ she said, ‘here’s the deal. If I help you today, by speaking to the council on your behalf, and translating everything for you, then no matter what happens next, you keep me out of it. Whether you stay or go, I don’t care. Just leave me alone.’

  ‘Deal,’ said Agang, his eyes dark.

  ‘Hold on a minute,’ said Bridget. ‘This is a rubbish deal. How about you speak for us today, and then you help us get the fuck out of here if the council try to stop us. Then we leave you the fuck alone.’

  ‘Too late,’ she said, standing, ‘Agang has agreed to my terms. Let’s go.’

  She strode to the door, grabbing a long, black overcoat on the way, and Agang followed. Laodoc and Bridget glanced at each other.

  ‘How was he ever a king?’

  Laodoc shrugged, and gripped his walking stick. She helped him up, and they walked out of the living room after the others. Shella didn’t wait for them, and went out onto the street, Agang keeping up with her.

  ‘This is a right mess,’ Bridget said, as they trailed behind .

  ‘Indeed, Bridget,’ Laodoc said. ‘Our Sanang friend can be a little impetuous at times.’

  Bridget snorted.

  ‘He doesn’t like being powerless,’ Laodoc went on. ‘I suspect he feels the need to try to exert some sort of control over his life.’

  ‘We’re all powerless now,’ she said. ‘He was a king; you were the chancellor of Rahain. Even I was a clan chief, if just for a short while. We’ve all had to adjust.’

  He glanced at her. ‘What should we do, Bridget?’

  ‘We carry on,’ she said. ‘What else?’

  They reached the tall council building, and climbed the steps to the hall’s entrance. Agang was sitting in the lobby, his right boot tapping on the wooden floor.

  ‘She told me to wait,’ he said as they approached.

  ‘And you did,’ said Laodoc, smiling.

  ‘She said that she’d get us in there, to see the council.’

  Laodoc sat on the bench next to him.

  ‘Let us hope that she is successful.’

  ‘I don’t trust her,’ said Agang.

  ‘I’ll be listening,’ said Bridget. ‘I can understand more in Rakanese than I can say, if that makes sense. I’ll know if she’s telling us a load of crap.’

  ‘Good,’ nodded Agang. ‘Thank you.’

  ‘You seem less… angry,’ Laodoc said.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ Agang said. ‘Shella can be so frustrating at times. Sometimes I think she’s doing it deliberately.’

  ‘Of course she’s doing it deliberately,’ said Bridget. ‘Look, I think she really does want us to go, and if so, then she’ll be in there now, trying to argue our case. We have to accept that she doesn’t want to leave. You have to accept it. And let’s face it, why would she? She’s got a comfortable, safe life here among her own folk. Why the fuck would she want to risk it all, and go back out there?’

  ‘I agree,’ said Agang. ‘We should give up on her, for now at least. But eventually the prophecy will have to be fulfilled. ’

  Laodoc said nothing. There must be some way to reach the flow mage, but he didn’t know what.

  Shella appeared through a doorway, and beckoned to them.

  ‘Come on,’ she said, ‘you’ve got five minutes.’

  They stood, and Shella ushered them into a dark hallway.

  ‘Listen,’ she said, ‘I’ve already told them why you’re here, and argued that you should be allowed to leave.’ She glanced at them. ‘They now want to know if you wish to speak to the council in person before they make their decision.’

  ‘Of course we do,’ Agang said.

  Shella nodded. ‘That’s what I thought.’ She gestured to a door. ‘Through here.’

  Agang opened the door and strode through. The others went after him and entered the council hall, a large oval chamber. In its centre was a semi-circular row of tables, around which two dozen Rakanese sat. Tiers of long benches rose on either side of the hall, and there were several officials and spectators present.

  They all turned to stare as Agang, Laodoc and Bridget made their way to stand before the semi-circle. Shella followed, then stepped in front of them, and began speaking in Rakanese.

  Laodoc glanced over the half-circle of tables. The council members were young, with none looking over forty. They were listening to Shella speak, though many were staring at the three foreigners.

  Shella turned to them. ‘Okay,’ she said. ‘Agang, you go first, and I’ll translate.’

  The Sanang man nodded.

  ‘I would like to thank them for their hospitality,’ he said, Shella relaying his words to the council as he went along, ‘but tell them that it is time for us to leave.’

  A woman at the head of the council spoke.

  Shella turned. ‘The council regret to inform you that you are forbidden to leave Silverstream.’

  Agang gasped. ‘I thought they hadn’t made their decision?’

  Shella shrugged .

  ‘I thought you wanted us to go?’ Agang glared at her.

  ‘I do,’ she said, ‘but I’m only one person. That’s democracy for you.’

  Agang’s temper flared.

  ‘Inform them that I shall refuse to carry out any more healings.’

  ‘Okay,’ she said, then turned and spoke to the council.

  The woman spoke again, this time for longer, and Shella waited until she had finished.

  ‘Alright,’ she said. ‘The council say that it’s your power, and no one can force you to use it to help the sick if you refuse. But it makes no difference, you are still forbidden to leave.’

  ‘Why?’ cried Agang.

  ‘Hold on,’ Shella smirked, ‘I’m getting to that. The council say that they cannot endanger Silverstream, and you leaving would put the town at risk. Right now, they say, everyone who knows where Silverstream is located, is here. The outside world may be falling apart around us, but while no one knows we’re here, we’re safe.’

  Agang glanced at Bridget. ‘Is she telling the truth?’

  ‘Aye,’ said Bridget, ‘though she made up the bit about the outside world.’

&n
bsp; Shella frowned. ‘I was merely elaborating.’

  Bridget glanced at her. ‘I want to know what they’ll do if we ignore them and leave anyway.’

  Shella nodded, then spoke to the council. Again she waited while they replied. She turned back to the three strangers.

  ‘They say that you’re still free to move about the town, but all sentries have been instructed to stop you from leaving by any of the mountain paths. Also, you’re forbidden from stock-piling food, weapons or any other supplies, and your house might be searched now and again. Apart from that, though, they’ll leave you alone.’

  Laodoc could see Agang about to explode.

  ‘May I speak?’ he said.

  ‘Yeah, go for it, professor fork-tongue,’ Shella said.

  ‘Then please inform the council that we respect their decision, but need some time to consider its consequences. ’

  Agang glared at him.

  ‘Whatever it is you want to say, my friend,’ Laodoc said, ‘losing your temper in front of the council will not help us. We need to discuss this alone.’

  Agang’s nostril’s flared, but he nodded. Shella turned, and passed on Laodoc’s words to the council members.

  The council replied.

  ‘What did they say?’ asked Laodoc.

  ‘This meeting’s over,’ said Bridget. ‘Come on, let’s get out of here.’

  They filed out of the council chamber.

  ‘I know you must be disappointed,’ Shella said, once they had reached the lobby. ‘I’m fucking disappointed, but if you like, you can come back to my house, and we can have a drink and talk it over.’

  Agang scowled. ‘I thought you wanted nothing more to do with us?’

  Shella chuckled as they left the building. ‘No, I said that I wanted nothing to do with your crazy plans, but if you have to stay here, then we can’t just ignore each other.’

  ‘Thank you,’ said Laodoc, ‘a drink would be gratefully accepted.’

  They walked back along the wooden walkways, following the long tree-lined avenues until they arrived at Shella’s house. She let herself in, and they entered after her, and returned to the warm living room. They sat, and Shella poured from the bottle that they had left lying on the table.

  ‘I’ll have to break it to the others,’ Bridget said. ‘They’re not going to be happy. Especially Dyam, she’s been wanting to leave for ages.’

  ‘They won’t be able to stop us once the snows have cleared,’ said Agang. ‘There must be other ways out of here apart from the passes they’re guarding.’