The Book of Terrus: The Wise and Powerful

Chapter 14 - The Leaders of the South

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After ten years spent alone in an Utunman prison, Vinie was nothing if not patient. It had taken weeks, perhaps months of careful planning and positioning to create this moment, all the while trying to coordinate the rapidly ballooning Factionist movement she, Gideo and her dad Bakko had created. There was only so far that they could go with public displays of disobedience, rallies and prison breaks though. This turning point had been a long time in coming, and Vinie knew there was only one road forward from here. They needed official support from the de-facto rulers of southern Goran.

That was why, on a blistering hot late summer day in Moaan, Vinie found herself dressed in heavy bronze plate armor and a red shoulder wrap; the official uniform of a Moaanese city guard. For the first time, she actually spared a flash of pity for the guards who had been constantly nipping at their heels for the past year. She would be ill-tempered too if she had to wear this miserable hot-house on her back every day. Even her arms which needn't have been covered to look the part were wrapped in cloth strips to hide the tell-tale scars crisscrossing her forearms; souvenirs of her very first rescue. Unfortunately, the magistrates were very, very detailed in their descriptions of Vinie as of late.

Vinie had never been inside the State Hall of Moaan before, and it looked even more impressive from the inside than it did outside. The walls rose soaring on all sides to round off into a polished dome so high overhead, birds might have flown inside with ease. The cylindrical hall was ringed with level upon level of walkways, all of which led off of the main dome into outer meeting rooms, offices and archives. All business and governance in the south converged here, in the State Hall.

Standing with her sandaled feet on the mosaic floor tiles, Vinie paused only a moment to look up at the highest ring. There, set perfectly opposite to the main entrance, was their destination. Even from down here, Vinie could see the gilt doors which led to the offices of the regents of southern Goran, Lord Xolani and Lady Oesu.

The shifting of armored plates to her side reminded Vinie of Reyson's presence. With a short nod up at the tall swordsman, Vinie set off at a brisk pace for the bottom of the sloping spiral walkway. Reyson moved at her side, stride synced to hers as a Moaanese guard would do.

"Oh, excuse me."

A courier with an armload of tightly bound scrolls nearly brushed into them when they reached the first level. Although not an intrusive presence, guards were always stationed in the State Hall, and so Vinie and Reyson passed without undue notice. Reyson attracted a quizzical glance here and there for the lightness of his face and broad arms, but nothing more. It wasn't until they reached the top floor that tension began to creep into their shoulders.

"You had word from Yidu, yas? Everyone is in place?"

Ignoring both Reyson's habitual double-checking, and his subconscious adoption of a southern accent, Vinie again jerked her head in a nod beneath her helmet, nearly causing the over-sized cap to wobble.

"It's only our people on this level," she assured him. Reyson's satisfied grunt confirmed that he had already known as much.

Trying not to pay too much attention to the vast openness of the State Hall past the railing on their right, Vinie and Reyson circled the walkway. Polished tiles clicked beneath their sandals, and tiny veins of gold leaf winked from the intricate patterns on the doors they passed. Only the highest ranked officials and states people had offices up here.

It had taken months for the Factionists to set up operatives this high into the State Hall. Thankfully, politicians were always looking for more clerks, and with the recent unrest Moaan was definitely always looking for more guards. What they didn't know was that several of their recent hires bore small black circles tattooed surreptitiously on their persons; the mark of the Factionists.