Castle & Conceit

by Jeremy Dwyer

  Judith evaluated the significance of these events and decided that it would be most informative to return with these persons at this time. Given Taesa’s musical talents, and the conscription of the young woman for that purpose, she reasoned that it was quite possible that more great offenses of historical note were soon to be committed. Considering that to be the likely course of events, Judith felt that Taesa’s impending experiences must be chronicled, and that they would most probably outweigh the relatively minor events to come in this town, now that the troops were leaving.

  When the group arrived at the castle of ice, in the throne room of Imperial Prince Octavian, Marcus announced the members of the party, saying: “Your Imperial Majesty, I am most delighted to present to you the enchanting Taesa, gifted greatly in song. She is a drinker of the waters of the Pirovalen Ocean. Her magnificent voice, which I have already heard, makes her a true exalta. She is accompanied by her mother, Caroline.”

  Caroline noticed the charred skulls around the perimeter of the throne room and felt dread fear. She suspected that these were the remains of people who had offended the Imperial Prince.

  “Approach the throne,” Octavian said.

  Marcus escorted Taesa, Caroline, Andrew and the boys carrying the chest of diamonds up the steps leading to the pedestal supporting Octavian’s throne. Judith accompanied them, unescorted.

  Octavian sat upon his throne, with Cassius standing by his side, assessing the new visitors. Nikolai stood at his other side, preparing to refine any rough gemstones.

  Caroline was immediately impressed by Octavian’s handsome appearance, but her concern for her daughter and fear of a man who would conscript her dulled any womanly desire she might have felt. She also couldn’t overcome her trepidation regarding the charred skulls she saw around the throne room.

  Taesa thought the Imperial Prince to be handsome, yet terrifying, and she was not in any way attracted to this obviously arrogant Imperial Prince in the way she might have been to the boys in her town, and they didn’t exactly excite her, either – not even the nice, handsome ones.

  Octavian’s face was filled with delight when he saw the chests of treasure, which the boys carried and Andrew opened. After a careful review of several of the gems by the Imperial Prince to verify that at least some of them reflected back at him all of his own magnificence, Octavian took the very best and brightest of these diamonds to keep close, in which he would gaze at his reflection yet again.

  Caroline and Taesa both watched as Octavian stared into the diamond.

  “His Imperial Majesty is pleased, then?” Cassius asked.

  “Is there no improvement needed to this diamond, Your Imperial Majesty?” Nikolai asked.

  “I am pleased with this diamond. The treasure they brought was a fitting and proper tribute. No improvement is needed. The people of this town will not suffer the same fate as the ones whose charred remains line this room,” Octavian said.

  This comment confirmed Caroline’s suspicions, and even Taesa shuddered at Octavian’s admission of murder.

  “Yes, that was most unfortunate. We hope never to have such a misunderstanding again,” Cassius said.

  With Octavian’s selection of the reflective gem completed, Marcus gestured to Andrew and the boys to turn over the chest containing the remainder of the diamonds to a guard, who then carried them off to the treasury. After this, they were led out of the castle.

  “My dearest young Taesa, I wish very much to be enchanted by your gift of song,” Octavian then said to the girl.

  Taesa appeared nervous, and searched her memory for a song that would be the most appropriate to perform for a prince – an Imperial Prince, in fact. She knew that it would have to be joyous, so as to stir his emotions favorably, and afford protection for her and her mother. Protection was necessary, because Octavian already admitted to being a murderous tyrant when he wasn’t given what he wanted. Taesa chose Waterbound, as it was well known and she had practiced it many times. She drew a vial that she wore on a chain around her neck, and she drank the waters of the Pirovalen Ocean from within it. She was now energized, and her voice had a rich melody far beyond that of other singers who did not drink of those same waters. It was a melody which, without the waters of the Pirovalen Ocean, could only be produced by using musical instruments, and only approximately so. She began singing:

  Crystal Chalice, filled with Power,

  Overflowing, quench my thirst.

  The Twelve Great Waters

  Grant Wealth Eternal.

  Choose once and wisely.

  Your only is your first.

  Bring Enchantment with Voice or Conquest by Might.

  Take Shade in the Dark or Guidance from Light.

  Hold Beauty and Health or Power of Soul.

  Feel Passion and Love, or Know Life to be Whole.

  Hear the Stars of the Sky.

  Cut Stones from the Ground.

  Live through the Ages.

  Find Knowledge yet Unfound.

  Avoid not the Choice. Reject not the Gift.

  Above the Dead Waters your Life these will lift.

  Choose not twice, but once, from the Powers so great.

  Drink from it often, lest the Powers will fade.

  Triumph from Each Water to those who stay true.

  The Gift of the Oceans opens the Kingdom to you.

  Octavian was delighted at the girl’s musical performance and felt that, by acquiring her services, his own triumph was now becoming more glorious and much clearer. Taesa was exalting him by her voice, insofar as he was concerned, because she was singing upon his command. Octavian looked at Judith, and asked: “Did you capture the magnificence of it all, Chronicler?”

  “Yes, I have recorded this musical performance,” Judith said. She had chronicled the lyrics of this performance, with only a very rough approximation of the melody, because she was not musically trained. Although the song was not new, the details of the circumstances in the castle at this time were notable.

  “Excellent performance, young lady. I suggest that you now rest, to prepare yourself for future service,” Cassius said, as he was standing nearby.

  Taesa and Caroline were then dismissed to take up private quarters in the castle until Octavian wished to see them again.

  The Waterbound song itself merely told the law of the oceans. Any of the twelve (12) powerful oceans – which were known by many names, such as the Gift Waters or Sacred Waters among others – could be chosen to give its powers to the drinker. Once chosen, however, you were bound to drink it, and only it – you were waterbound. Any other Gift Water then became a deadly poison, bringing the deadly, incurable disease known as crixalethicis. The thirteenth (13th) ocean, known as the Dead Waters, required no such commitment, and demanded little of its drinker. It was poisonous to no one, not even those who were waterbound. However, it was a source of no power other than basic liquid sustenance. Many cultures regarded the Gift Waters as gifts from the Creator. They also saw the choice of the Dead Waters as rejection of the Creator, condemning one to damnation. Others saw the Gift Waters as artificial, dishonest and harmful, diminishing the individual by creating a dependence on something other than their own hard work to achieve their goals. Still others saw the Gift Waters as no gift at all, but as tools to empower the wicked. Judith knew all of this about the song, as did Cassius, and Taesa knew as well.

  Octavian understood the song, but cared only for the fact that the song was beautifully performed by someone under his authority. He continued to admire his reflection in the diamond he held, and savored the memory of the song. He looked forward to commanding another musical performance before long.

  CHAPTER 11: Wandering toward Glory

  After many more towns had paid tribute over the following days and weeks, Octavian began to consider the size of the current ice castle and its place in history compared to other, larger ones, remembering his earlier orders.

  Octavian turned to his chief advisor, Cassius, and said:
“Greater things await me, and my legacy and glory must grow.”

  “Your majesty, what is your command?” Cassius asked.

  “It is time to construct the next castle. Make all preparations,” Octavian ordered.

  “As you command, so shall it be,” Cassius replied and left immediately to begin calling to the forces under his direction. He was pleased that Octavian was finally ready to move on, because the castle had to be constructed while the energy of the suns in that location still favored it.

  He entered the quarters of the advisor Gregory and said: “Gregory: Be prepared. Ready the constructor. His Imperial Majesty awaits his next castle. We shall leave for Volaraden in two (2) days.”

  “I shall begin immediately,” Gregory replied.

  Cassius left the room and moved through the hallways of the ice castle on, proceeding to visit a different room – the quarters of Captain Dominic.

  “Prepare six (6) companies of troops for the voyage. We will be traveling to Volaraden, leaving in two (2) days,” Cassius ordered the captain.

  “I will begin preparing immediately,” Captain Dominic said, and he left his quarters and gathered a small company of his troops, leading them to the coast. Cassius considered Captain Serafina too dangerous, and avoided making contact with her. He knew that Dominic was a military man and quite capable of killing, but Dominic demonstrated reasonable discretion that Serafina never would in her lust for power.

  Cassius left the ice castle and soon boarded Octavian’s flagship, Crystal Visage, where he was met by the fleet admiral, Quadrus.

  “Admiral, by the order of his Imperial Majesty, the Imperial Prince Octavian, you are to prepare his fleet for a voyage to Volaraden, at the central point of its western coast. We shall leave in two (2) days’ time,”

  “We shall be ready to depart in two (2) days’ time,” Admiral Quadrus said.

  “Excellent,” Cassius replied and then left the ship and returned to the ice castle, to report to the Imperial Prince.

  Once there, Cassius found Octavian in his throne room, all alone, staring in admiration at his many reflections on the walls and ceiling. The Imperial Prince was even gazing into a large white diamond, wherein he saw his own reflection. Octavian was clearly in a state of ecstasy.

  “Your forces are preparing now. We shall be ready to depart in two (2) days’ time,” Cassius said.

  “Excellent,” Octavian replied, never stopping to look at him, ever fixated on his own image, and all the while considering another matter, almost as dear to him.

  Octavian took immense pleasure in Taesa’s musical talent, which must have been extraordinary to begin with, and now was many times more so, given the multiplying effect of the waters of the Pirovalen Ocean. While his ice castle brought him glory, and his next would bring him greater glory, the songs of Taesa would not depart from him, nor did he wish them to depart. They were an unexpected pleasure, a greater glory, and an inspiration. He wanted even more.

  ~~~

  In all, six (6) companies – consisting of a total of three thousand (3000) troops – had their orders, and they filed through the ice castle’s crystal halls, led by their company captains, foremost among them being Captain Dominic. Their icy reflections on the ceiling and walls made them appear as twelve thousand (12000), but the reflective walls were only meant to give glory to Octavian, from whom the military personnel were meant to draw their inspiration. Considering that one fifty (1/5) of the troops were female and had enlisted only to gaze upon and gain personal access to the handsome Octavian, he was already their inspiration.

  The companies of troops made their way in single file from the castle to the coast. They found three (3) ships of the fleet ready to receive them, and they boarded.

  ~~~

  Octavian paused a brief moment during his self-adoration and turned to Cassius, saying: “Bring to me Taesa and her mother. They shall come to see the glory of my next castle. Its brilliance shall uplift her spirit, so that her musical voice can uplift mine.”

  ~~~

  In a small room in the ice castle, Caroline and Taesa rested on the chairs and beds – all of which were sculpted from ice.

  “It’s all made of ice – it’s hard and cold at the same time that it’s so clean and perfect,” Caroline said.

  “You think it’s perfect?” Taesa asked.

  “Perfectly clear, I mean. He’s vain, Taesa. You were busy singing. But I noticed what this Imperial Prince was doing. He was looking at reflections of himself in the diamonds. Those aren’t even enough for him. Look at these walls of ice, and the ceilings…they’re like perfect mirrors. That’s why he’s in this ice castle: to see a perfect image of himself. I’ve met vain men before, but none like him,” Caroline said.

  “I was there. I noticed him looking at his reflection. The diamonds and the ice can only reflect the exterior of a person. Real perfection comes from within – from thoughts and ideas, knowledge and understanding. If those aren’t any good – forget perfect – then no mirror will convince me otherwise,” Taesa said.

  “His thoughts are horrible…they’re about murder. You heard what he said, I hope. And you saw what was left of those people. That was a threat – that’s why he left their bones out for us to see. We can’t afford to offend him,” Caroline said.

  “I know. That’s why I sang for him,” Taesa said.

  “You should practice your music now. He is going to want you to sing again. Do you still have enough water?” Caroline asked.

  “Yes,” Taesa said. She drank anew of the waters of the Pirovalen Ocean from another vial she carried on the chain she wore around her neck and was thereby energized. Taesa thought back to a song of her own which she had been developing, and decided to practice it, because it reflected her mood and uncertainty.

  “Which song do you think will impress him?” Caroline asked.

  “Maybe Wanderer will – it’s a song that asks questions…ones that everyone wants answered,” Taesa said.

  ~~~

  Cassius then left the throne room and entered the small room given to Taesa and Caroline. He found them awake and the girl was practicing her songs. He knew some of the more famous ones from his avid reading, but he had no recollection of the song Taesa had started singing now, the one the girl called “Wanderer.” He turned, planning to hurry to the Imperial Prince to invite him to hear this latest. However, Octavian was already there, standing in the hall, next to Judith.

  Judith had been listening from the hall, having been awakened by the movements of the troops, and then she heard the girl practicing her song. She began to watch and listen for other events to unfold in the hallways of the ice castle, and recorded all of these into her book.

  Judith, likewise, had never heard this particular song before, and – given her numerous travels over the centuries and familiarity with local customs the world over – she considered it at least somewhat likely an original piece composed by the girl herself. Judith carefully chronicled the lyrics, and a rough estimate of the notes of the melody, as she was not a musician and could not capture it with all the fidelity of a trained ear, despite her twelve (12) centuries of life, study and travel. As her very ancient mentor occasionally reminded her, and she saw for herself, not even ten (10) millennia of accumulated wisdom could act as a substitute for some talents.

  Judith recorded Taesa’s Wanderer in her book as the girl sang it:

  At every crossroads, I hear conflicting voices.

  The maze of life reveals

  Nevermore answers, always more choices.

  Perils lie ahead. Inner peace it steals.

  Is there a map of destiny’s plan?

  Here confusion abounds.

  Can a navigator find the right road?

  Songs of sorrow the only clear sounds.

  Path unclear, ever changing.

  Is chance the master?

  Is prosperity ahead?

  Is mystery the only way of life now?

  Is certainty not for the l
iving, only for the dead?

  Is clarity beyond the reach

  Of those who stand and sail beneath the sky?

  Can even the most gifted mortal mind learn?

  Will all powerful eternity teach

  The way of things, the reason why?

  “Is this your own work, young woman?” Octavian asked.

  “Yes, your Majesty,” she answered.

  “Imperial Majesty,” Cassius said gently, so as to prevent the girl from insulting the oversized pride of Octavian, whom even he knew was violent and deranged. Cassius had no love for the girl or her mother, but saw them as probably more useful while alive than dead.

  “This song is of great value. I am even more pleased with this one than with the first,” Octavian said.

  Judith was now immensely pleased – the Wanderer song even made her think of herself, because she, for ages, had been a wanderer, and still was even today. The uncertainty around her never ended and the questions she had about life were often left unanswered. The performance of this song was one of the more gratifying moments of being a Chronicler, as one could occasionally witness an original and skillful artistic accomplishment amidst a world of transgression, betrayal and pain. Judith had seen much of significance, including the most vicious murder, theft, abduction and lust for power in recent days, and the Oath demanded something more at times like these.

  The Sixth Tenet of The Chronicler’s Oath:

  All knowledge that is held must make its way to Emeth. There you shall be taken, and there the knowledge shall be written, when that knowledge has passed the test of truth. They shall verify, and the test you shall fear.

  Judith turned to Octavian and said: “I must now voyage to Emeth. The Oath demands it. These records of events must be added to the shared knowledge of the world: some for now, and some for future days.”

  Imperial Prince Octavian paused and looked at Cassius, who nodded to him in confirmation.

  “The laws of history and the Oath demand that we provide for the Chronicler’s immediate passage to Emeth, even though this will delay our plans, Your Imperial Majesty,” Cassius said.