The Ardor - 11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

The Councilor’s right leg hurt as he ascended the steps to the meditation chamber of his master. He loathed the First Healer of the Court, his haughty demeanor, his arrogance. No one else dared to talk to a member of the Benevolent Council like this.

“Ramesh…”

The healer had had the audacity to call him by name.

“… be more patient. Pains like this are to be expected if you get blasted to pieces by your own magical creation.”

His counter spell had barely kept him alive. He didn’t need comments from a lower servant about the proper usage of magic.

What enraged him the most was the fact that he wouldn’t be able to exact revenge on this man. He would be dead in a matter of Parts. The Mogul Emperor didn’t tolerate failure. In a certain sense, he savored the irony of having been treated by the best healer of the Empire only to get killed for his inadequate execution of the Emperor’s plans.

Councilor Ramesh had known the young man Nanesh Ral who now bore the Threefold Crown. He had been a silent, almost shy acolyte. Yet, he had shown the most potential. The incorruptible Watchers of Succession scrutinized the candidates in such a thorough way that most of them didn’t survive the process. Nanesh Ral did. And he had changed. From the day of the coronation on, he had been like all the Mogul Emperors before him: absent minded and of overwhelming presence, speaking in riddles and issuing out commands according to schemes only he understood. Legend had it that the crown absorbed and stored the magic of its wearer at the moment of death, disintegrating his mortal remnants. Power of such extent could transform a man… corrupt him. Thoughts like this were dangerous so close to the Mogul Emperor. Since his fate was sealed, he had no reason to hold back.

Councilor Ramesh had arrived at the top of the stairs and entered the meditation room through one of the gold-framed doors. The room itself was a sphere. Its equator was marked by a balcony, two Steps in width, on which the Councilor was now standing. A golden rail served as much as decoration as it served as security device. Three more doors, aligned to the cardinal directions, led into the chamber. The wall had been painted in a dark blue color, like the night sky before dawn. Over and over, it was covered with golden symbols. Though Ramesh considered himself to be an expert for ancient scriptures, those letters only vaguely resembled anything he had researched so far. They had served as basis for more recent writing systems, but he couldn’t find any meaning in these archaic calligraphies. Incense was hanging in the air and made the rays of sun light visible which were reflected into the room through a sophisticated system of crystals. During each Cycle of an Orbit, they wandered over different symbols in a never ending recital.

In the center of the sphere, the Mogul Emperor was hovering. Apart from the Threefold Crown, nothing hinted at his supreme rank. The crown was as old as the writings on the wall. It had been manufactured from a dull and grayish metal, which not even the most renowned metallurgists could reproduce these Cycles. The three frontal spires, which were slightly curved to the inside, had given the crown its name. Three smooth, elliptic gems, a black one, a grey one and a white one, had been socketed into the cones. The simplicity of the crown was mirrored in his clothing: a light grey robe ornamented with silver threads. Many wizards of lesser position wore garments like this. Nanesh Ral had always been skinny, but he looked even gaunter since he had ascended the throne. He was tall, close to one Step and 90 Jots. His hair was white, as it always had been, and plaited into a braid. The color of his eyes reminded of a drop of blue ink solved in too much water. On a sunny Cycle, they seemed to be all white. The Mogul Emperor’s arms and legs were wound around his body in impossible ways while he was gyrating slowly around what seemed to be multiple axes at once. His left arm lost all substance and transcended through his lower torso, just to become solid again.

The Councilor had been waiting for a quarter of a Unit now, unsure whether his master had even noticed him. He didn’t fear death, but with every passing Part he lost a little more of his serenity.

“Your guilty mind is screaming at us since you have crossed the city borders of Nur’Khal.”

The Mogul Emperor didn’t stop his meditation.

“Share with us once more the course of events.”

So he should confess before being punished.

“The thief Elyran and the Ogrushkai Maraki have managed to dupe the Nuzr Shamar right after the Ogrushkai’s first true Ardor in our custody. The Nuzr was killed by the Ogrushkai in the process.”

He was quoting from the written report. Not very creative, but at least it would speed up this farce.

“The thief used wild magic to counter a fire spell I had conjured resulting in the total destruction of special garrison Ten’al’ray. Seven guards were killed; two more were seriously wounded in the cell area. The imperial guard has not been able to apprehend the fugitives.”

Councilor Ramesh cleared his throat.

“I assume the full responsibility for this failure and accept any punishment my liege thinks to be appropriate.”

“Of course, you do.”

The Mogul Emperor dissolved into a dark, filamentary cloud which dissipated fast.

The Councilor tensed up as the Emperor spoke again, whispering into his ear.

“But you have not failed us.”

The haggard sovereign walked past the Councilor and stopped at the rail.

“I don’t understand, my liege…”

The Mogul Emperor stood there, a motionless sculpture.

“Why do you think we put the most incompetent Nuzr of our entire army in charge of the most important prisoner of the Empire? Our mind does not err.”

“You wanted them to escape?”

The Councilor hadn’t intended to ask that question aloud. His master didn’t show any signs of annoyance though.

“When we learned that the Taker was impervious to the craft, our mind was in turmoil. The Taker would never reveal the Key to us. But if his mind was free to roam, he would lead us there.”

“The Ogrushkai? Why the Ogrushkai?”

“Our mind is suspecting, our mind is speculating. The true nature of the Taker is still unknown to us, but one thing we know: the mind of the Taker is elusive, its harmonies obscure. The craft cannot trace his melody. Only knowing where the Taker was enabled us to listen to his song.”

The gaze of Nanesh Ral followed one of the sun beams.

“When the Tormenter crossed the border of our domain, we heard his tune of faithfulness and devotion. We knew that the Taker and the Tormenter would rejoice in each other. We have to admit that we are confounded by the depth of their connection. Our mind cannot grasp this. Nonetheless, we have acquainted ourselves with the essence of the Tormenter. His theme will reach our ear, ignoring space, ignoring time.”

The Councilor felt rage. He had been a puppet in one of the Emperor’s schemes.

“Wasn’t I trustworthy enough to know your plan, my liege?”

“Your mind controlled the Nuzr. Your mind helped the Taker and the Tormenter to discover the sweetness of each other’s song. Their minds will not part. All those things you have accomplished most convincingly, for your mind has been oblivious. ”

The Mogul Emperor’s front flowed through his body. He was now facing the Councilor.

“Your task is not finished. Your mind will follow the Taker and the Tormenter, unseen, not interfering, until the Key will have been revealed.”

The Mogul Emperor approached the Councilor and touched the older man’s temples with two fingers of each hand. Purple light emanated from them. The Councilor inhaled sharply.

“We bestowed your mind with the ability to listen to the melody of the Tormenter.”

Ramesh didn’t share the florid view of things his master exhibited. But thinking of the Ogrushkai was indeed accompanied by a sense of direction. Nanesh Ral’s stare was still lasting on the Councilor.

“The Nuzr did not die in vain. His sacrifice takes all doubts away, doubts the Taker and the Tormenter might have had regarding their flight. The wife and the children of the Nuzr must learn of this.”

The penetrating gaze of the Emperor was almost too much to bear.

“You will share with them, for their minds shall not suffer.”

The Councilor realized with a start that his image was not reflected in the Emperor’s eyes.

“Then they will die. The other Nuzrs have to see that their service to us is paramount. It is we who comes before anything or anyone else.”

The Mogul Emperor rose from the balcony and floated back to the center of the room, his arms extended to the side.

“In addition, this is your punishment for the blasphemy of questioning us. Take care of the Nuzr’s family first. You will then meet with five of our finest warriors. They will do as you command. Do not interfere, for the Taker has to roam freely. Leave us. Our mind has to delve into the mystery that the Taker is.”

“Yes, my liege.”

Bowing down, the Councilor swallowed hard. The affronts had not gone unnoticed. His master wouldn’t forgive another mistake or insolence.

***

“Maraki!”

Whispering his name, I shot up. A mistake, for my head began to swim. I lay down again, closed my eyes and waited for my mind to become clear. Where was I? In a bed… that was about the only thing I knew for sure. A spicy aroma hung in the air. It reminded me of a day in the forest, only more concentrated. I opened my eyes. The room was almost completely filled out by the bed. A wooden nightstand was the only other piece of furniture. A bowl with a greenish liquid and a white rag rested on it. Everything in here was made of wood including the walls. Dozens of sheaves of dried herbs had been nailed to all four of them. Whoever lived here hadn’t much use for a guest room, but was more interested in collecting and conserving plants of all kinds. The sun was shining through a small glass window and hurt my eyes, which were still accustomed to darkness. Simple, but neatly made curtains framed the window. I looked down at me. My clothes had been exchanged for white cotton ones. They were too large for me but clean and soft on my skin. Apart from my dizzy mind, I felt a dull throb in my rear, though it didn’t hurt. The door to the room was standing open and gave view to a hall.

I wasn’t alone.

A girl, perhaps six or seven Orbits old, peeped around the door frame. Her fair hair had been tamed into two pigtails. Freckles were all over her face and her green eyes widened in amazement when I was looking at her.

“Hey, you!”

I smiled at her. She vanished, her little feet making more noise than they should have as she ran down the hall.

“Mimo, he’s awake. Mimo!”

Her clear voice trailed off. I was tense, for this Mimo would show up soon. I wasn’t in the shape to run away let alone to put up a fight. Sitting upright in my bed, I scanned the room for a makeshift weapon when I became aware of my blunder. I had been unconscious for… how long had I been knocked out? Anyhow, long enough that they would have had all the time they needed, if they had intended to harm me.

“Silya, one day you will be eaten by a Grundock! How can a single person be so curious?”

A female voice came closer.

“But Mimo…”

“Your Mimo told you to let him rest.”

“But Mimo…”

“Hush now!”

An older version of the girl appeared in the door. Their eyes and hair were of the same color, the faces so alike that there was no doubt they were mother and daughter. The woman was in her thirties and a head shorter than I was. She had to spend much time outside, for her skin looked weather-beaten and tanned. A brown linen dress followed her slender frame. She wore her hair open, but a wooden circlet kept it out of her face. Smiling at me, she radiated so much warmth that my moment of panic seemed even more ridiculous.

“Lie down, Elyran. You’re not strong enough for getting up, not yet.”

“You know my name?”

A more important question popped up in my mind.

“Maraki? Where’s Maraki?”

She made a placating gesture with her arms.

“He’s alright. Just lie down, ok?”

I did as she had told me.

“Maraki is in the fields with my husband, Greiff. And he told us your name.”

I frowned.

“In the fields?”

She laughed out. There was as much heart in her laughing as was in her smile.

“Yes, in the fields.”

Her demeanor changed, became more serious.

“One of our plow horses didn’t survive the cold Tenths. We couldn’t have tilled the land without it. But then Keldral sent you two.”

The god of hospitality and the hearth wasn’t held dear by many people in these harsh times. I didn’t have to worry in the house of his worshippers.

“I want to see him.”

I rose again, but was pushed back to bed with gentle force.

“Maraki is as strong as three horses. You’re not. And unless you don’t stay in bed, you will never be.”

She threatened me with her index finger, but the smirk on her face sent a different message.

“Please ask him to come here, my Lady!”

She chuckled.

“’My Lady’. No one has ever called me that. Feida will do. Simply Feida.”

I returned her smile.

“Feida, can you please ask Maraki to come here?

Her features wrinkled.

“Silya, be a darling and watch the meal over the fire.”

So much protest on such a small face.

“But Mimo, I…”

“Silya, please?”

She stomped away shooting daggers from her eyes.

“She’s very interested in you.”

Feida winked at me, but the worries returned at once.

“Maraki… I fear he will not come into the house.”

I was at a loss.

“I… I don’t understand.”

She grabbed my hand.

“He says that he doesn’t deserve to share a roof with you. Not after what he has done.”

That was the reason why she had sent Silya away.

“But he hasn’t done anything!”

Her other hand caressed my face.

“At least, not much. The… injury… he has inflicted on you is nothing but a scratch. Thanks to the Thorn Peony tincture it is healing quickly.”

She nodded at the bowl on the bed stand.

“But you have been unconscious for five full Cycles.”

I gasped.

“Maraki said you had been in this state for two Cycles when he arrived here. And three more Cycles after that.”

She looked into my eyes with compassion.

“I’ve told him that your unconsciousness can’t be his fault, that something else has taken your strength. But he can be quite stubborn. That’s the reason why he is getting on just fine with my husband.”

Her lips changed into a wry smile.

“I’m sorry.”

She meant it. Though she didn’t know me, she commiserated.

“I’ll ask my husband to talk to Maraki. But…”

She let go of my hand.

“Rest now, Elyran. The world always looks brighter after a good nap.”

I managed a convincing grin and nodded.

“Thank you.”

I whispered, otherwise my voice would’ve broken. Feida left, but not without looking back before walking down the hall with silent steps. I curled up into a ball, clutching the blanket. The tears came on their own accord.

I had failed to show him how strong my love was.