Fracture (The Chronicles Of Discord Book 1)

by D. D. Chant

  “Nothing you say will come as a surprise to me, Headman Chopra, you should know better than anyone that I never take my stand on a losing side.”

  The calmness of Kai’s voice chilled Astra. He had no idea what Chopra might say, and yet he had challenged him with an arrogance meant to infuriate. She gripped his hand tightly in warning.

  “Senior…”

  “Be silent, Aya. It is too late for you to say anything now,” he whispered. “Remember? This was how you wanted it.”

  Astra felt her throat tighten until it became an effort to breathe.

  Chopra knew.

  She didn’t doubt that for one moment. What price would he exact for the lie she had told? Another look at the furious Headman assured her that he would have no mercy. He wanted to destroy Kai and Rem and all who stood beside them.

  Astra wondered if they had made the wrong decision all those weeks ago. Perhaps she should have trusted Kai and Rem with the truth? They would hardly have misused the information any worse than Chopra was about to.

  No: there had been no way to see that it would work out like this. They had made the best decision that they could at the time. They had all decided that Ben had to be protected, even if that protection came at the cost of their lives.

  Astra shivered. She hadn’t thought that being found out would feel like this. She had thought that, should this moment arrive, her only concern would be for her foster-family.

  When had that changed?

  She wasn’t sure, but she was conscious of a burning guilt whenever she thought how she had betrayed Rem. She didn’t want to hurt him: he had been good to her, to them all. It was still hard to think of him as her brother, but she was conscious of a faint tug of kinship between them.

  He had put aside his hate and mistrust of all things Tula, and welcomed her foster-family as his own in an attempt to please her. He had tried to accept her for what she was, and he had never blamed her or reproached her in any way for what he had suffered, was still suffering, on her account. She felt she had wronged him, that she had not handled this situation well at all.

  She looked up at the man standing beside her, the man that was even now protecting her, and who would pay just as dearly for the deceit that Chopra was about to expose. She had not thought she could trust him, but here he was using his position to shield her from harm, even though she knew that he had no trust in her either. Why he was doing it didn’t matter. What mattered was that she was about to repay his care of her and her family by bringing dishonour upon him yet again. She wished that she’d known earlier the delicate balance of political intrigue that entrapped them all within a sticky web of lies.

  “I told you to stop it, Aya.”

  She started at Kai’s words.

  “Stop what?”

  “You’re creasing your skirts again. Do you want everyone to know that you have something to hide?”

  Astra stared at him without answering for some time.

  “I'm sorry.”

  “You are? Then prove it; I need you to do something for me, Aya.”

  She nodded quickly.

  “Attempt to face Chopra with the same aloof disdain you do me.” He smiled slightly. “It always angers me to the point where I cannot think straight. We must hope it has the same infuriating effect on Chopra.”

  His voice was softer than she could ever remember hearing it before, as though they were comrades fighting for the same cause. He squeezed her hand reassuringly.

  “Come, Aya, don’t let them see you’re afraid of them.”

  As he spoke, Headman Chopra’s voice boomed throughout the room, so loud that Astra could feel the air vibrating around her.

  “Benji Va Dic Toban is not Dam’sel Aya’s brother, as she led us to believe. He is not even of the Tula nation!” With a flourish of his hand, Chopra touched the screen set into the table before him. A holographic image hovered in the space between the Headmen and the accused.

  “This is an image from the Tula news feed, intercepted on the day that the diplomatic envoy arrived in the Tula Strongholds from the Free Nation.” Chopra paused, and the image zoomed in, past Senator Burton and Corbani Va Dic Ladron, to where Ben stood in the background.

  The gasp was audible. The bruising on Ben’s face had cleared, and there could be no denying the truth.

  Astra felt a solid weight of dread lodge itself in her stomach. She thought she might be sick. The overheated air of the court felt cold against her clammy skin. Her skirts were suddenly very heavy and clung damply to her legs, but her palms were cold. Loud whispers filled the air, the words indistinct but their condemnatory nature surrounding her, suffocating her, making the world spin.

  “Benji Va Dic Toban’s true identity is Benjamin Burton, son of Senator Philip Burton, the man who wishes to join forces with the Tula and destroy us and our way of life.”

  Chopra’s eyes returned to Kai with vindictive hate.

  “Aya Uel Ne Singh, Bonded wife of Kai Uel Ne Sen, has brought these Tula people into our midst. They wish to find our weaknesses and betray us to the Tula. She has lied to us, and we can no longer treat her as one of our own. She has chosen to take her stand upon the side of our enemies, and she must be put to death, along with her Tula conspirators. As for the Head Families of Singh and Sen, they have sheltered this traitor and must themselves be punished.” Headman Chopra’s eyes gleamed, smugly triumphant. “It is the duty of the Headmen to protect the Una people. The Houses of Singh and Sen have failed in this duty. It is, therefore, with great sadness, that I must move that their family names be struck from the register, and their lands be divided among the remaining Head Families, in accord with Una law.”

  Astra froze as the supporting murmur of agreement rippled throughout the room.

  Was this it?

  Had she escaped Ladron, only to be put to death at the hands of her own people? After all that her foster-family had done for her, was their reward to be execution? Would her return be the cataclysm that destroyed an entire nation? Would it result in plunging the world into a war that, no matter who won, would never bring victory?

  One of the younger Headmen sprang from his seat, and fixed Chopra with a glare that could have melted what was left of the polar ice caps.

  “You present no hard evidence to substantiate your claims, Headman Chopra!”

  “Dam’sel Aya lied to us concerning Benjamin Burton, Headman Daksha. What other reason could she have for keeping silent?”

  Yul Uel Ne Daksha spluttered incoherently for a moment. Astra remembered that he had spoken up for her the last time she had found herself in the Juctice Chambers as well.

  “There are many reasons!”

  “Such as?”

  Headman Daksha floundered, clearly having no answer, and Headman Chopra’s face filled with satisfaction.

  “It appears that due to the close connection between some of the Head Families, we must take steps to see that the decision reached today is not influenced by family loyalty, rather than the drive to protect the Una people. I therefore move that Headmen Daksha, Rui, Dutta and Sengupta be disallowed from taking part in any vote regarding this matter, in deference to the close family tie that they share with the Houses of Sen and Singh.”

  Family tie? Astra realised that Headman Daksha must be one of her Brother’s of Bond, married to one of her older sisters. Rem’s voice, as he whispered softly to Kai, broke in on her musings.

  “Why don’t you say something? We both know what he plans to do. If this vote is carried, he will have removed Elder Headman Amajit’s strongest supporters.”

  Astra saw a slight smile curve Kai’s mouth as he continued to watch Headman Chopra with haughty disdain.

  “So?”

  Rem looked as though he couldn’t quite believe his ears.

  “You really mean to leave our fate to The Nine?”

  “In a manner of speaking, that is precisely what I plan to do.”

  “Who are The Nine?” asked Astra softly.

>   Both men looked down at her as if they had temporarily forgotten her existence.

  “The Headmen, as you must by now have noticed, are split in to three factions. Those who follow Chopra: Nadu, Khan, Malik, Sarin and Bose. Those who are loyal to Elder Headman Amajit: Singh, Sen, Rui, Dutta, Sengupta and Daksha. And then there are The Nine: Ramgan, Tambe, Yadav, Kadam, Nair, Verma, Satish, Kapur and Shama. The Nine have no political leaning toward either of the other factions, but remain neutral.”

  “In other words, they hedge their bets and wait to see who wins,” clarified Rem drily.

  “Then Chopra is removing Elder Headman Amajit’s supporters, because he knows that they will vote against him. He’s hoping that if he has no opposition, The Nine will be swayed in his favour?”

  “Correct.”

  Astra paused, looking up at the man before her.

  “Why haven’t you asked me if he’s telling the truth?”

  Kai returned her gaze.

  “About Benji? Or about your intentions to lead a Tula invasion?”

  “Both.”

  “Because I already know the truth.”

  He turned from her again, and Astra watched as Headman Sen stepped forward, Kai and Rem flanking him on each side.

  “It seems, Headman Chopra that you are under some misapprehension.” Hyun Jae Uel Ne Sen’s voice was as calm and icy as his son’s.

  “And what misapprehension would that be, Headman Sen?” sneered Chopra.

  “That Benjamin Burton’s identity was ever a secret. My Daughter of Bond came forward not long after her acquittal and told us the truth. It seems that she and her foster-family were worried for his safety. Once they saw that we would not harm him, they made his identity known to us. When she had confessed the truth, we made Elder Headman Amajit aware.”

  Headman Chopra faltered, and Astra saw him pale visibly.

  “Why was this matter kept secret from the Headmen?” he asked hoarsely.

  “You have already been told that this was not a secret, Chopra, it was merely not common knowledge,” interrupted Elder Headman Amajit.

  “The Headmen had a right to know!” shouted Chopra, leaning heavily against the table before him. “Why did you not tell us the truth, Elder Headman Amajit?”

  “As the matter was delicate, I first discussed it in private with Headmen Kapur, Ramgan and Malik. We had to decide on the best course of action to take. While the Headmen determine what to do with Benjamin Burton, it was decided it was safest to leave him in the protection of the House of Singh.”

  “And what was decided?”

  “That for his own safety, and for the peace of mind of the Headmen, he should be interned within the Elder Headman’s palace, and guarded by the Elder Headman’s personal Red Guard.” It was Headman Ramgan who answered. “The Free Nation is not our enemy and we would be fools if, through our actions in this matter, we initiated hostilities and united the Free Nation and the Tula in a desire to annihilate us.”

  Headman Chopra sank back down into his seat, and Astra thought she could see sweat standing out cold on his brow.

  “It would have been better, Kim Uel Ne Chopra, if you had not wasted the Headmen’s time, but had used the appropriate channels to express your concern.” Elder Headman Amajit paused, and Chopra squirmed. “Why is it that you did not come to me with this information, as Una law dictates?”

  “Your pardon, Elder Headman Amajit,” bowed Chopra. “I thought it my duty to alert the Headmen to this matter quickly, and therefore did not follow the set procedure as closely as I might have done.”

  “Una law is not to be flouted, Chopra,” returned Elder Headman Amajit. “Do not labour under the illusion that, as a Headman, you are above adhering to it.”

  Chopra bowed, and Elder Headman Amajit raised his voice a little.

  “It is the Elder Headman’s suggestion that this matter be dismissed.”

  One by one, the Headmen got to their feet and stated their agreement.

  “It is also the recommendation of the Elder Headman to Kai Uel Ne Sen, that he accept at once the apology of Headman Chopra. The Court refuses to allow him to challenge a Headman of the Head Families to mortal combat.”

  For the first time Kai looked stunned.

  “But, Elderman…”

  Elder Headman Amajit’s gavel cracked ominously, silencing him.

  “To refuse is to show contempt for the authority of the Elder Headman.”

  Astra watched Kai choke back whatever retort sprang to his lips, and bow respectfully.

  “As you wish, Elder Headman Amajit.”

  Astra saw Headman Chopra smirk, and felt an alien sensation of rage swell up within her. He bowed mockingly.

  “I beg the forgiveness of the House of Sen. In my zealous wish to protect the Una Nation, I have misjudged you.”

  Headman Sen nodded stiffly in recognition of his words.

  “You have forgotten something, Headman Chopra.”

  Kai turned, and Astra was slightly alarmed to see him walking towards her. He reached out, taking her hand and drawing her forwards.

  “I require an apology for my Bonded wife.”

  Headman Chopra’s eyes snapped angrily.

  “Of course; my apology to you, Dam’sel Aya.”

  “The misunderstanding is already forgotten, Elderman,” returned Astra.

  She wondered slightly at the graciousness of her tone when she was choking on the bile the words brought to her throat.

  “And also for my wife’s family,” continued Kai.

  With obvious effort, Chopra bowed again.

  “My apologies to Headmen Singh, Daksha, Rui, Dutta and Sengupta.”

  “All of her family Headman Chopra; that includes her foster-family.”

  The gasp his words produced from those present was audible, and Astra started. A vein throbbed in Chopra’s temple as he bowed infinitesimally toward the Va Dic Tobans.

  “My apologies,” he bit off abruptly.

  “Then I proclaim this matter closed,” interposed Elder Headman Amajit, casting Kai a warning glance.

  “These proceedings are now officially at an end.”

  Again the gavel crashed, and Elder Headman Amajit rose with dignity and left the room.

  Astra felt Kai take hold of her arm, and draw her nearer to him, his breath warm on her ear.

  “Time for us to have a little chat of our own, would you not say, wife?”

  “No!”

  It was Petta’s voice, raised in almost hysterical protest. Kai swore softly and Astra saw that her foster-family were refusing to allow the Red Guard to take Ben.

  “It is the order of the Elder Headman that Benjamin Burton be taken at once to the Headman’s Palace. It is for his own safety,” stated one of the guards, attempting to take Ben’s arm. His path was blocked by Ceadron’s large frame, and her oldest foster-brother deliberately flexed a considerable amount of muscle in lazy threat.

  “Benji’s safe with us.”

  “The Elder Headman ordered it,” returned the guard.

  “Cead, it’s okay; I’ll go.”

  Ben side-stepped Ceadron and took his position between the two guards.

  “No!”

  Petta rushed forwards and kicked one of the guards. She took his arm and pulled him over her shoulder so that he landed, a sprawling mass of limbs, on his back. Before she could do any more damage, the other guard slid his arm around her waist, and lifted her from the floor.

  “Put her down!”

  Shin Uel Ne Phoenix’s authoritative voice resounded through the air. Petta and the guard ceased their furious struggles, and stared up at him awkwardly. Captain Phoenix made his way forward and addressed the guard sharply again.

  “I told you to release her.”

  The guard swiftly let Petta go with a cautious glance at Shin's face. He looked as though he was wondering how badly he was going to regret touching Petta later. He bowed respectfully and took a step back.

  “Dam’sel Petta, please
return to your family; such behaviour is not fitting.”

  Petta hung her head, a large tear rolling down her face.

  “Please don’t let them take Benji away, Senior.”

  “It is the Elder Headman’s order, Dam’sel. It is not your place to contest it, please return to your family.”

  “But…”

  “It is for his own safety, Dam’sel,” interrupted Shin. “I give you my promise that he will come to no harm.”

  Petta nodded, and turned to give Ben a hug.

  “It will be fine, Benji, Shin promises you will be safe.”

  Astra caught the edge of worry that flashed through Captain Phoenix’s expression.

  “Of course I will, Petta.” Grinned Ben.

  With lingering uncertainty, Petta allowed herself to be directed back to where her family stood.Captain Phoenix looked up and caught Apprentice Headman Sen’s attention.

  “For goodness sake, Kai, do you think you could get your troublesome family home before anything else happens?”

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  The room was oppressively silent, filled with the tension of what must come. Kai’s eyes focused on his Bonded wife, looking for signs of discomfort, but she seemed calm. Dam’sel Petta rested against her, as though seeking comfort and the strength to face the coming discussion.

  “How did you know?” Ceadron was leaning against the mantelpiece, his back to the room.

  “Observation. Benji didn’t do things the way you did. He spoke differently, and often had to have things explained to him,” returned Shin.

  “There was also the fact that he treated Leda in a rather unconventional way for a sister,” interposed Rem.

  Kai looked down at him sharply.

  “You knew too?”

  “And I thought you rated my intelligence higher than that, Kai.”

  “I thought you would be a little preoccupied with your sister, but on reflection I admit that I might have known you would guess.” He paused briefly. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  An arrogant smile stretched the corner of Rem’s mouth upward.

  “Because I decided you must have already known; you’d spent long enough watching us.”