Gods and Guardians

Chapter 40: The Winds of Fate

Lord Xexa summoned Damian to his office.

The Lord of War sat behind his table. Behind him was the towering gilded statue of Cornelius with sword in hand. Three men stood on each side of the legend. Damian stared from top of the statue to Lord Xexa himself, and was arrested by the sensation that he was truly standing before Cornelius himself in the flesh of Lord Xexa.

'I am very disappointed in you.'

It was the worst thing anyone could hear from Lord Xexa. 'My Lord... I'm sorry.'

'Damian, a soldier never wanders off on some physician duties. When he does leave home, he is on the warfront. I am really flustered that you could display such a high level of indiscipline.'

'I'm sorr... sorry. I... I felt I had to help my friend.'

'And that, Damian, is your greatest weakness. Your friend is not a soldier, at least not yet. He isn't even circumcised. Unlike you, his path as a prince was charted the moment he was born. Going off on a quest every now and then is part of his duty. Yours was not. You forge your own path by your actions and ambitions.

'Let me remind you Damian in case you have forgotten. You slew a riter, wrestled it to death... or did you not?' Damian lowered his eyes. Lord Xexa took it as affirmation. 'It is a feat indicative of a limitless reserve within yourself. You are a legend already in your own right. You stand to be remembered someday as one of the greatest Supreme Generals if you follow the course the gods have laid out for you.

'Your responsibility to destiny comes first. Nimrod is not your kind. He is royalty, not legend. You are. Your duties as a soldier must never be neglected. Do you understand?'

'Yes, my Lord.'

'Stanley and Layman were my boys. I trained them, and I must tell you, I knew their limits. You, I don't. You stand a chance of surpassing them, but only if you choose to.'

Damian didn't know how to respond to this.

'The captain selection exercise is scheduled for next tenery.' He paused.

Damian raised his eyes, not daring to guess why the Lord of War brought it up.

'I'll be recommending you for the exercise.'

The captain selection exercise is not usually open to soldiers who have been in the army for less than five teneries. Damian became a soldier just a few months ago. He was stunned. Lord Xexa could recommend anyone for the exercise, he realised. And he would be recommending him?

'I believe in you, Damian,' Xexa said. 'Since you are aware of your responsibilities now, I believe you'll work hard to attain your peak. The captain selection exercise is not for physicians. It is for exceptional soldiers; those who have distinguished themselves by hard work and diligence.

'You must work hard.'

Damian was numb for some time. 'Thank you very much... my Lord.'

Lord Xexa gave him a reassuring nod.

***

Kiyanna was preparing to visit Kainon with her husband-to-be, Maxis. Activities in the palace were heightened as the princess prepared for her primation. The queen tried to do all she could to make Kiyanna's journey comfortable, although the princess did not appreciate.

Haneya had a wagon specially prepared for Kiyanna as her own wedding gift to the princess. It contained numerous boxes of jewellery sparkling with sapphire, emeralds, rubies, diamonds and pearls. Fabrics embroidered with the finest threads were piled. She also had a little statue of Abigyl made out of amber as a gift. The princess intended to refuse all the gifts, but Maxis insisted she took them. Haneya knew Kiyanna would probably never use them. Anyway, she had done her part as a stepmother.

***

Nimrod and his friend sauntered down a corridor towards the men's chambers of the palace, speaking in low conspiratorial tones.

'Father is getting better. The missoline is marvellous...'

When they reached the end of the corridor, Nimrod spotted a maid with basket in her arms. Nimrod drew to a halt.

'What are you doing here?' he challenged.

Damian observed how unsettled she was. He wondered why.

'I was going to... ar... I'm waiting for Venesa.' Venesa was the name of another maid.

Nimrod's brow furrowed. She knew he didn't believe her. Damian himself began to feel uncomfortable.

'Is this where you must wait for Venesa?' Nimrod queried.

'She... she...'

'I must not see you again today. Do you understand?'

She nodded hastily.

'Now, get lost.'

As she scampered along the corridor and behind the door, Nimrod kept watching her with angry eyes.

Damian nudged him. 'Come on? What is the matter?'

'She has been spying on us. And she is not the only one.'

Damian felt a sudden churning in his stomach. 'Spying? Who could be watching us?'

Nimrod sighed. 'I think I know who.'

***

Dasirus and Haneya were sitting at the Judgment table.

The king's hand was poised to write at first, then he reclined and dropped the quill. Haneya picked it up and placed it in the ink.

'My Lord, you have to break this silence between you two. At least consider your daughter and Maxis marriage. In two months, she'll be his wife. You two will no longer be just friends but in-laws. My lord, just tell him what you think about the letter from Sairus. You don't have to change your stand.'

'Dravan is very difficult. Impossible even. Right from when we were young, I've almost always had to follow his lead. He is too... I don't know.'

'My Lord, you have to write to him. There's too much connecting you two now to not do so. You cannot just send him a copy of Sairus' letter. Whatever the case, please let him know your views and stand on the whole issue. Sooner or later the two of you are going to meet anyway. You cannot continue to stay silent.'

'You are right.' He sat up and retrieved the pen.

'Tell him what you feel.'

Dasirus began to write and he could feel Haneya's eyes following every stroke and every line. After eight teneries of marriage, he was already used to her being with him in the judgment room. Somehow though, today felt different. Maybe it was the way she insisted on his writing to Dravan.

***

Sairus received a report of the mass slaughter. He read through it many times over without knowing what to think. The dead people almost a thousand by the report all had the brand of the Thiocians: the altar of pleasure and pain.

He became convinced at this point that another group was killing the Thiocians. But which group? The rebels? It still doesn't make much sense, because the rebels and the Thiocians both wanted the same thing. For many teneries now, he had believed that the rebels were the visible fingers of the invisible Thiocians. Could he be wrong?

If Dylamon was the sponsor of the two, why would he let them turn against each other? Could he be eliminating the Thiocians because he no longer needed them? And why would he not need them anymore? If Bianza was dead, did that mean the death of the Thiocians too? Or was a third group eliminating the two? If there was a third group could it be from Zainox and Kainon? A group from Zainox and Kainon would want to eliminate the Thiocians maybe, but the rebels?

The time for the council to sit on the matter of the debt drew closer. It was two tenths and a half left. He feared there might be a dramatic link between everything happening.

These were truly critical times.

***

The times were critical. All three kings were anxious about the time. And fate took charge of their course.