The Venomancer

III.1 - The Silver Schemer

"Now we are alone, Captain," said General Jaikham, as though he'd been waiting for this moment, "I'm to tell you the emperor is most enthused by the news of Sol's capture. He sings your praises tonight, it seems, as we are to drink to your name."

The Brotherhood had never so much as called him anything but the Goatherd, even to his face, until he'd earned his captaincy last year. The irony of their tribute felt perversely good.

"My regards to His Imperial Majesty," Cassa said with a quick bow. The General's thin, white-bearded face remained an icy mask as he circled him in the twilit palace courtyard. Cassa tracked him as he sauntered at a wide radius, mirroring his scrutinising glare like circling wolves. To his right, a majestic, tiered fountain gushed and pattered at the heart of three pillars of dancing flame. To his left he saw the entrance to an expansive geometric garden and tiny, glowing insects hovered in the air above it. Beyond the greenery the bald grey head of the Gilded Gate peeped above the hedges, leading down to the kuzorocari society.

"But I will not," Jaikham continued, stopping directly in front of him at last. His ankles snapped together. "For one I dislike your inflating contemptuousness – a general's subordinates follow his orders without question – and for another the Brotherhood does not tolerate dishonesty, whatever your excuses. For that the other generals and I have agreed you will face suspension in the days to come, and your dismissal entirely should you put another foot wrong in that time. Do you understand the consequences of your actions?"

Cassa's shoulders sagged. "I do, suh." So this is why you summoned me here, Jaikham, you craggy old-timer.

"Captain Faro, why you did not reveal the boy at first question simply escapes my capacity to understand you. You are a lone party amongst my men, one that sings a cappella to another tune since you seem to believe our code of conduct is optional. Faro, I will not have you second guess me again. Do you forget your oath of allegiance so easily?"

"No, suh."

"Then remind yourself of it."

Cassa's humiliation bubbled behind his teeth as he spoke. "In the name of His Imperial Majesty, my father and my faith, I, Cassa Faro, do swear my true allegiance to the Brotherhood of Four, the Painted Guard of Farba'al Mar, and will do right by my superiors, the realm I serve and the people I protect."

"Then what do you have to say for yourself?"

"Foremost, my apologies, General. My actions were selfish, I admit that, but had my peers seized the opportunity before me they would tell you the same thing. It had to be me. Nobody else knew his identity and the boy would be out in the Wastes by now if I hadn't interrupted Khoushan in the timely manner I did. The Fates' played an unexpected card from their hand, today, and I happened to be in the right place at the right time."

"Is that how you explain this?"

"Yes, suh, I felt I should also be the one to present him to Emperor Dashaan to confirm his identity, if nothing else. I know he trusts me." Unlike you do.

"An interesting view," said the general, dead-pan, "but the stories I have heard still raise some doubts. Why trouble yourself leading him outside the walls in the first place? Your deputy tells me you removed the boy to punish him out in the Wastes, though I fail to see the necessity in this if you – as you so concretely stand by – strove only to hand the boy directly to the court.  What purpose did your journey serve?"

"I couldn't tell you," Cassa admitted, floundering. The creases in his palms dampened and he curled them into fists. Keep a level head; he's had your name engraved in the side of a throwing-knife from day one. "To tell you the truth, General, the majority of my scheme unfurled as I went. Duty prevailed over alliance in the end, though, and I believe that is what matters. It's what the Fates wanted."

"Huh. That all sounds crude if you ask me. I'm not sure I trust your ignorance or your 'calling' to these imaginary forces."

"Forgive me putting voice to my concerns, but what motives of mine deserve your cynicism? I handed the boy in, didn't I? I brazenly assumed the outcome would be the same whatever the means of delivering him. The emperor is right to be pleased it happened at all."

"And I cannot deny that. You are a competent, polished man of the Brotherhood, but there is something about you that I just don't like, Faro. I haven't yet worked out where your loyalties lie. To the Guard, or to yourself? I've mixed feelings. While suspended you must not gamble again, Captain, though as much as the fruit is bitter to swallow I admit I'm impressed by your cunning."

Jaikham's words sounded hollow. "My thanks," he nodded anyway, letting his eyelids flutter closed for a moment. How would he be able to tell his parents he'd temporarily lost his position? His home? The premonition of him turning up on their doorstep wearing peasants' clothing and with an arm-full of treasured animal skins made him feel worse. He felt a sinking sensation as he prepared for the downturned look in his mother's warm eyes, his father's sigh as he massaged his brow with callused fingers, and Voya, tactless as ever, telling him: 'see, the Guard ain't as dense as ya thought.' He supposed it could be worse; at least he had a welcome home to return to.

He remembered the pain in Tandei's eyes and shook it away.

"H–How is the Palace Guard containing Sol?"

The general scratched his whiskers. "I took the liberty of handing him over to the Hold for the time being. The emperor sided with my decision. I cannot guarantee his physical or psychological well-being once he's in custody, however."

"Psychological?"

"Yes, if he's afraid of heights."

"You mean he's down there with our people? Prison is more than he deserves after what he did, suh. Chain him in the courtyard by his wrists and ankles and make an example of him. Have the Guard spit on him. Lash him, if it please you."

"Absolutely not." Jaikham's tone was as sharp as a quick death. "Do not insult my better judgement, Faro. If an Esijr native caught so much as a whiff we had mistreated a member of their native tribesmen again they would gather every able man and march on us from across the continent. They already suspect the empire's involvement in those forest fires and I will not give those savages any more ammunition. The Hold is our best course of action."

"And dignified! Show the people of Farba'al Mar that the Guard even impose just penalty on the dead!"

"Faro, you are trying my patience. Dignity is what you begged for your wife and she was saved from the exact punishment you have just outlined. This I granted in concordance with your feelings, not hers; I am not half as cold as I have to be.  I appreciate that turning her in was a hard decision for you to make, but this sinner is nothing to you anymore. It should not be your concern where or how criminals are held."

"Merely a suggestion, General."

"And let it end at me. I'd suggest not airing such opinions to the emperor tomorrow. You have an appointment with him."

"In person? What for?"

But the general gave nothing more away. He had an anxious glimmer in his eyes that perhaps he'd hoped Cassa wouldn't detect.

"Dismissed," he said instead. "And don't bothergoing down to the gates in the morning. There will be no job for you there."