Blood & Besiegement

by Jeremy Dwyer

  Taesa screamed and awoke from the dream in a sweat, only to find that she was in a different room from before. It was known as the Voyager’s Room, although Taesa did not know that the rooms had any designations at all – the place was just a maze to her.

  She was lying on a stone bench that was not very comfortable, but merely adequate. She stood up and looked at the bench and saw that it was ornately carved with many faces, some of which were of beautiful women and some of which were of terrible horned creatures, almost exactly like those in her dream.

  Soon after, Victoria entered the room and asked: “I heard you call out. Are you feeling well? Did you get enough rest?”

  “I guess I got enough rest, but those carvings of those faces – some of them are hideous and terrifying,” Taesa said.

  “Why do you say that?” Victoria asked, somewhat disturbed, and even insulted.

  “I had a terrible dream about horned creatures with those same faces,” Taesa said.

  “What was terrible about the dream?” Victoria asked.

  “I was in a dark room filled with smoke, and there were other people there, but I could only see their outlines and hear them talking. They said it was going to get worse – beyond anything ever seen. There was a door that led to another room, and sometimes it opened, and I could see horned creatures with those faces and red eyes,” Taesa said, pointing at the faces of those horned creatures carved into the bench.

  “What happened in that other room? What were those horned creatures doing? What was the terrible part?” Victoria asked.

  “There was a deep sense of fear in the people who were talking. The other room with the horned creatures was even darker, and I could see their glowing red eyes. The eyes wanted to say something. They seemed to want to call me into that room,” Taesa said.

  “Just because the other people were afraid doesn’t mean that they were right. Sometimes, those who love you are more beautiful on the inside than on the outside. Their eyes are telling you how much they love you,” Victoria said, gently reassuring her.

  “Their eyes were red – isn’t that a sign of evil?” Taesa asked.

  “Red is the color of blood, which symbolizes life, not evil,” Victoria said.

  “But why was the room so dark? Why did the creatures have horns?” Taesa asked.

  “Sometimes, it is only in the darkness that you can see the light of love. Physical beauty is on the outside, and can be distracting or misleading. The darkness helps you to look past the exterior features and focus on love, which is on the inside. That is what the inner room symbolized. Horns are symbols of strength, rather than of weakness or of evil. Love is the source of strength,” Victoria said.

  “Why was there so much fear? Why did they say it was going to get worse?” Taesa asked.

  “Even a bride, on her wedding day, can be filled with anxiety. Fear can take away your joy, and cloud your vision and memories. Don’t let fear rule your life – neither your own fear nor that of others,” Victoria said.

  “Can’t I trust my emotions and instincts? I mean, that’s where my songs come from. I just trust them and they guide me,” Taesa said.

  “Emotions can mislead you, sometimes. You have to be careful. Even a compass can point in the wrong direction, if there’s a powerful enough force to redirect it. You need to use reason as your ally, to balance out the emotion,” Victoria said.

  “You said that love is the source of strength. You also said that emotions can mislead. But isn’t love also an emotion that can mislead?” Taesa asked.

  “No. Actually, love is not an emotion. Love is the ability to appreciate the good in someone. Love is having clear vision and a broad mind. Love is really the highest form of intelligence,” Victoria said.

  “This so different from everything I’ve ever heard. It’s so strange and goes against my intuition,” Taesa said.

  “Think about it carefully. You have so many talents, and aspects to who you are. You are complex, and you are also fragile. In this dangerous world, how could such fragile and complex people as you be created?” Victoria asked.

  “I don’t know how. There are many mysteries, and I want to find the answers. I’ve spent my time searching for many answers,” Taesa said.

  “Good. That it is the right way to spend your life. That’s why you’re here with me: it’s to find the answers. One of those answers – and the most important – is love,” Victoria said.

  “So how does love explain how I was created?” Taesa asked.

  “There are so many intricate details to life – your ever-watchful eyes, your ever-active mind, your ever-flowing blood – that all have to work together so that you can talk to me. Who set these in motion? And how did they do it? These are the questions whose answers I can help you find, or tell you, because I know some of them,” Victoria said.

  “I still don’t understand what love has to do with those larger questions,” Taesa said.

  “Love is seeing what isn’t there yet, and imagining what could be, and wanting it. Strength, which enables love to act, takes the possibilities around you and builds what you imagine,” Victoria said.

  “So, where does strength come from?” Taesa asked.

  “Strength, which is symbolized by the horns you saw, comes from love, which desired to have it come into being. Vision, which is symbolized by the red eyes you saw, also comes from love. This means that love is the original power, that created all, and then took those creations to create higher and more complex creations,” Victoria said.

  “Does that mean that love created the whole world?” Taesa asked.

  “Yes. Everything. The oceans. The suns. The people,” Victoria said.

  “Whose love was it?” Taesa asked.

  “The love of the ultimate one, who is our master. In this building – which is a temple – we worship him. That means we tell him how we love him, and thank him for the gifts we receive from him,” Victoria said.

  “Does this ultimate one have a name?” Taesa asked.

  “His name is sacred, and we are not allowed to say it, so as not to give it disrespect in our ordinary conversations, which are often filled with lesser matters,” Victoria said.

  “I’ve been told of different deities. How can I know which is which if I don’t know the name?” Taesa asked.

  “I will show you where his name is written. But you must not speak it. You can’t even sing it, or write it. You cannot tell anyone,” Victoria said.

  “Isn’t this name important to the whole world? I mean, you’re saying this deity is the ultimate one whose love created the whole world. They should know his name – even if only to see it written down,” Taesa said.

  “They are not ready – their minds are too immature. You wouldn’t tell a drunkard or a fool your own name, lest they use it when swearing and thereby insult you. How much worse would it be to insult the ultimate one, who deserves only love,” Victoria said.

  Taesa considered this, and thought it to be dangerously secretive. She was curious, however, to know what it was. She also considered how Chroniclers of the Oath knew and kept many powerful secrets learned in confidence, even if revealing them could save lives.

  “Please show me the name. I will keep it secret, as the Chroniclers of the Oath when they learn in confidence,” Taesa said.

  “Do you swear it, then, as an oath?” Victoria asked.

  “I swear it as an oath,” Taesa said.

  “Follow me,” Victoria said, and she guided Taesa into a different room – the Founder’s Room – and there were many carvings of faces of horned creatures in the room. There were ancient runes written on the walls, as well as writings in the modern language. There were twelve (12) dodecagons arranged in a dodecagon, with a tridecagon – a shape having thirteen (13) sides – in the middle. Inside that tridecagon was the name “MATATIROT” written in the modern language and in runes, although Taesa could not read the runes – they were different from the classical language and the modern language as wel
l.

  “Speak nothing. We must leave this room,” Victoria said and left. Taesa followed her.

  They returned to the Voyager’s Room where Taesa had been sleeping on the stone bench.

  “Whose faces are those?” Taesa asked, pointing at the faces of the beautiful women, also carved into the stone bench.

  “They are the greatest women of my family history. They were more than beautiful – they were scholars, inventors, scientists, cantors, sailors and leaders. They changed the world. Some of the great songs – like Waterbound – were written by them,” Victoria said.

  “What about Praise Every Sun Upon the Sea? Who wrote that song?” Taesa asked.

  “The most vile filth among all people! Please never, ever utter that song’s title again! And never, ever sing it! It will bring ruin to the one who does! You need to wash your mouth with the waters, for even uttering those words,” Victoria said, sternly.

  Victoria then took a vial of water – containing the waters of the Dead Waters Ocean – and poured a drop onto her fingers and reached out to Taesa’s lips.

  Taesa drew back and said: “No. I drink the waters of the Pirovalen Ocean. I can’t let other water touch my lips, or I’ll die.”

  “No these will not be poisonous. These are from the greatest of all oceans – the Ocean of All Purity. The one that the world insults and calls the Dead Waters Ocean. Anyone can have those waters freely,” Victoria said.

  “Then I guess that’s alright,” Taesa said.

  Victoria put her fingers – wet with the waters of the Dead Waters Ocean / Ocean of All Purity – and rubbed Taesa’s lips. “You are cleansed now, from that perverse thing you said,” Victoria said to her.

  “I didn’t mean to offend you. I was told by one of my mentors – Lady Onora – that I should never sing that song. You’re telling me not to even say its name,” Taesa said.

  “Yes. Please, let’s speak of something proper. We must never return to this topic,” Victoria said.

  “When did these women live?” Taesa asked, referring to the women whose faces were carved on that stone bench.

  “They lived at various points throughout history. As many as one hundred ninety-two (192) millennia ago. They are essential for their contribution to culture. Your curious mind should study them, as well,” Victoria said.

  “I will study them, though I’m curious to hear anything you can tell me about them, even now,” Taesa said.

  Victoria was pleased with the direction the conversation was going, and enthusiastically pointed at the different carvings of faces, and spoke of each one in turn, saying: “There was Cassiopeia, who sang of the oceans and wrote Waterbound to teach children about the oceans and their laws. There was Aurora, who was a great mathematician and developed formulas to calculate areas between curves. There was Melinda, who designed the stitching for the sailcloth that holds the energized diamonds for carrying airships – nearly the same as what is used today, all over the world.”

  “Those are amazingly important works. And these women are all in your family – in the Ahitan Empire?” Taesa asked.

  “Yes! The world is a richer place for all of our contributions. These women are admirable and a proper education is not complete without learning of their history, in detail,” Victoria said.

  “Can I study them in Emeth?” Taesa asked.

  “If you can find them. Emeth holds truth, but the worthwhile knowledge is buried under mountains of meaningless things that will only distract you. Even much of what is there has to have a mark of doubt placed upon it, stating how uncertain it is, and a reference to the original source, so that it can be reexamined. There are better ways to learn, in better places,” Victoria said.

  “Where? I have to know,” Taesa asked.

  Victoria rejoiced inside: it was time to reveal one her deepest secrets – one that would change this young woman and lead her into the very spirit of the Ahitan Empire’s ways.

  “There is another city. It has few things, yet it has more than Emeth, because there is no doubt of the truth of the writings within. All that you read there will be certain, and clear. You will learn, in a short time, all that you need to know,” Victoria said.

  Taesa’s curiosity was piqued like never before. She had to know – she absolutely had to know.

  “What is this city called? Where is it?” Taesa asked, excitedly.

  “It is an ancient city known as Thalkalana. It is not a place you can easily reach, because it is hidden. I can take you there when the time is right,” Victoria said.

  “Shouldn’t I be learning now? Then I can come to really appreciate everything more fully,” Taesa asked.

  “I love your enthusiasm for learning. Perhaps you can even join the ranks of one of these great women. First, however, you need to blossom as a young woman, and learn how to love as a young woman,” Victoria said.

  “What are you saying?” Taesa asked.

  “You need to learn to love a man,” Victoria said.

  “I’m just not ready. And the boys aren’t ready, either,” Taesa said.

  “You are almost ready. And you need a man, not a boy,” Victoria said.

  “I’m only twenty (20) – I’m too young,” Taesa said.

  “I’m forty (40), and that’s almost too late. It is too late, for me personally. I cannot have children, yet I wanted them. If you wait too long, your moment will pass, and the opportunity will be lost,” Victoria said.

  “But we’re all different. We don’t all need or want the same things. I want to search, to wander far and wide, to discover everything that I can,” Taesa said.

  “When you discover the man who will love you, you will search with him, and learn together. You will make him want to learn with you,” Victoria said.

  “What if he wants children right away? I’m not ready for that. I’d have no time to study,” Taesa said.

  “You would be a wonderful mother, and teach your children much, including sharing your love for learning,” Victoria said.

  “There’s still so much for me to learn while I’m single. Maybe, in ten (10) years, I’ll be ready, but not today,” Taesa said.

  “Each decade passes more quickly than the previous. You can’t see that yet, but it is true. If you lose the opportunity, I cannot give it back to you. I can only let you know what is to come,” Victoria said.

  “I want to search for answers, and discover, and my energy for doing these things is great, now while I’m young. I won’t just turn that off. Those great women in your family – did they have husbands and children so young?” Taesa asked.

  “Yes, they had husbands when they were your age – good husbands, who waited for children, or helped to raise them, while the women studied and discovered. I want the same for you – not just any man,” Victoria said.

  “Finding a good man to be my husband is a long search. If I continue to explore life, then the right one will come along at the right time, and he’ll share my interests. That’s the man I want,” Taesa said.

  “Let me broaden your search, so that you find more and better than you were expecting to find, and learn more than you thought you could,” Victoria said.

  “That sounds interesting. How?” Taesa asked.

  “Wait a moment,” Victoria said. Then she left the Voyager’s Room and went to the Scout’s Room, where she found the spy, Halina, and returned with her to the Voyager’s Room where Taesa was waiting.

  “Halina, please guide Taesa – she is like a daughter to me and I do love her so. Please guide her and show her a place with many good and wise men, so that she might see their virtues,” Victoria said.

  Halina had previously received instruction on what to do, and knew that this meant the continent of Revod, which was the home of the Jenaldej Empire.

  “I will take her now, as you ask,” Halina said.

  Halina then drank deeply of the waters of the Ikkith Tar Ocean from the vial she wore on a chain around her neck. She was energized, and descended into the dee
p darkness, becoming entirely invisible. She extended the darkness to encompass Taesa, so that they were both concealed.

  “Let her see their prince. He is handsome, and clever, yet peaceful, and gentle,” Victoria said when the women disappeared before her very eyes.

  From the darkness, Halina said: “I will take her close enough to him that she will know.”

  “Yet, do not stand too close to the prince – not today; otherwise, her womanly desires may be aroused. As Taesa is concealed in the darkness, the opportunity to secretly indulge in sensual pleasures may be tempting when she sees him. She is not to taste of the prince’s flesh until the proper time,” Victoria said, speaking toward the women in the darkness.

  Taesa said nothing, but she didn’t see herself getting carried away, no matter how handsome the prince. She knew about the biological facts of reproduction, and had no desire to get into a difficult situation by giving into her faint desire. Her mother had warned her about the careless pursuit of pleasure, and how it was the women who would nearly always carry the burden of the children born of thoughtless indulgence. When Taesa was at home in Meridianus, she easily said no to some exceptionally handsome boys who propositioned her for intimate relations: they were clearly not interested in her as a person. This also happened in Emeth, but less often.

  Halina and Taesa left the temple and walked to the edge of Av’Tovenka Island, where they boarded a small ship. They were unseen in their walk, due to the deep darkness that still surrounded them. As soon as they boarded the ship, Matatirot felt their presence upon the water, and he readily guided Halina while she steered the ship over the Ikkith Tar Ocean. She had no difficulties, despite the usual visual distortions caused by the dark waters – distortions which confounded so many navigators. Matatirot was a demon in the spirit world, and his perceptions were unaffected by those distortions. After Halina and Taesa sailed a short distance over the waters, the demon opened a portal, whose other end opened out onto the northern coast of the continent of Revod. He sent them and the ship through the portal and they arrived at their destination instantaneously.