Heart Moments

Heart Moments - Solemn Cloud and the Word.

A young officer began to speak but was waved to silence by an older man, the Soong envoy from Mountaintide. He stepped forward, bowed politely to Cloud and spoke in fluent Katithan.

“Master Solemn Cloud, my compatriots have been charged by our Empress to ensure the safe arrival and wellbeing of some of her most ahmm treasured servants. The Empress herself has expressed her wish for them to be trained by the greatest masters of the Temple of the Mother so they may return and greatly enhance the Soong Empire and its honouring of the Mandate of Heaven!”

Cloud nodded in acceptance of the man while thinking he had no time for such long windedness. He addressed them in their Soong dialect. “Honourable servant of the Empress of Heaven,” and he saw many of the Soong smile at his use of court language and of his command of their language.

“May this simpleton of the foreshores of this humble land, reassure you that the servants of the Empress will be paid the greatest respect by the Temple.” Cloud changed his tone and word structure so that he then spoke as their superior. “and they will return to you in a few years with skills and abilities beyond the imagination even of those of you who have lived here for many years!”

The Consul could barely contain her amusement at his choice of words while Cloud saw the doubts flicker across the faces of the Soong. All of them were dressed in too many clothes and used these to hide the scars of their lives and to armour themselves against the world around them.

Cloud didn’t see the dao flourishing in any of them. No wonder the Empress sent her best and favoured here to train. The mandate of heaven was slipping from her grasp and only the acolytes of the Temple kept her hand strong. With Temple training they became her fist and her sword.

"Now most respected Master,” began the envoy. Cloud waved him silent and opened his jacket. The jomon all dropped to one knee at once in a display of respect, then the Soong followed suit, the envoy last of all. The Consul remained standing as was her privilege as a companion of Master Stillness Desert.

“Forgive me Master Cloud,” said the envoy as he rose to his feet. “I meant no disrespect for one who has ridden the Dragons of the Mother!” Cloud heard the whispers of the Soong for many of them would never have seen a Master’s riding scars before.