(Continued from installment 97; Princess Opa, tent city at Black Falls)
"Let's go find someplace where I can have a few words with you, Opa, just the two of us," she led me out of the dining tent, "and I think I have the perfect place."
"But Aunt Kami, I need to check on Healer Kayseo before I do anything else," I pleaded. "The trainee who is supposed to help her this afternoon took off with her friends and dumped the duty, using pretenses, on me. I need to make sure that Kayseo is not abandoned."
"What?" Aunt Kami was quietly but instantly angry. "How in the world was this permitted to happen?"
"The person who dumped her duty is the daughter of Lord Ixism'os and the highest-ranking among the enrollees. The Voice in charge of the first-year girls chooses to believe her and her lies rather than those of us she picks on. I've been trying to solve the problem quietly without blowing, well, yeah, that thing I'm not talking about. I had started my inquiries on any ties between Voice Druyudros and Moyuxkol haup Ixism'os but the attack came. Because of what happened today, I would like to talk to Senlyosart over Moyuxkol skipping out on Healer Kayseo, because that's going beyond mere bullying classmates. But I don’t know when my kinswoman will be better and don’t know who will run the shrine while she recovers. And now I'm worried about cousin Kayseo..."
"Cousin?" Aunt Kami smiled as she questioned my calling Kayseo my cousin.
"If General Bobbo is my adopted uncle, that makes Kayseo my adopted cousin," I asserted. "She and Lord Bobbo flew me and Aunt Oyyuth down here for the enrollment ceremony. Kayseo is wow. I like her a lot and I will not permit her to go without help today because some spoiled brat of a noble's daughter decided she was too good to help a hero of Foskos."
"There's a lot to like about Kayseo," Aunti Kami looked like she was remembering something.
"You know her?" Where did Aunt Kami meet Kayseo?
"Yes, I know Priestess Kayseo. She's a rather amazing young woman and I suspect that Lisaykos is considering her as a successor. That's how talented Kayseo is. When your mother had her unfortunate incident with the Blessed Emily, the person Lisaylos relied on to keep Emily alive was Kayseo. When they pulled Senlyosart and Usoy out of the rubble, it was Kayseo who came with a team of healers to set up the blood transfusions that saved Usoy's life. Kayseo is something else."
"Wow. I didn't know that. Now I'm even happier she's my adopted cousin." I skipped a few steps and turned around and smiled. "So the healers are down this lane," I pointed. "Let's go find Kayseo."
"I don't think we have to spend any time looking," Aunt Kami pointed down the lane at the tall willowy figure of Great One Lisaykos coming right at us.
"I see you finally tracked her down," Lisaykos said.
Before they could start talking, I did my kneeling obeisance, "may the blessings of the eleven gods be upon you, Great One."
"And upon you too, Opa hat Kay'syo," she looked at me kindly. "You can get up, you know, and for future reference, a bowing obeisance is fine under informal circumstances like this, in the middle of a dusty street that can get your clothes dirty, child."
I popped up to my feet. "Uncle Hessakos said..."
"Uncle Hessakos?" The Great One raised one eyebrow at me.
"Uncle Hessakos said that when you smile, it looks like you are contemplating the torture of small children and little cute fluffy animals."
"Really?" The Great One smiled. It was true what Uncle Hessakos said. Aunt Kami started to laugh and laugh and laugh.
"It's not that funny, Kamagishi," the Great One snapped.
"Oh, yes it is," Aunt Kami laughed some more. “If Hessakos is her uncle, that makes you her great aunt.”
"While Aunt Kami is recovering from her temporary hilarity affliction," I defaulted to respectful deference, "Great One, can you please tell me where I might find Healer Kayseo?"
"Certainly, trainee, but why?"
I explained once more that Kayseo's assigned errand-runner had run off and that I wanted to be sure Kayseo was being adequately served. The Great One looked like a whole bank of thunderstorms when I was done.
"I knew the next runner for Kayseo was late but I did not realize it was a case of truancy," the anger rolling off the Great One was palpable despite her calm and measured tone of voice. "Sister Kamagishi, do you think Sister Senlyosart would object if we took a hand in this matter given that someone is trying not to reveal certain matters?"
"I'm not sure," Aunt Kami has finally recovered her composure. "It's political. Priestess Voice Druyudros haup Angsum's family are the poor relations of Lord Ixism'os, who controls the weir gates to their only productive farmland."
"I think maybe Voice Druyudros needs to be reassigned," the Great One said. "We have lost several senior Voices. It will be appropriate to recall senior Voices with longevity who are currently in the field at the garrisons and have them return to the shrine. Younger Voices will need to replace them in the field.
"The Shrine of Sassoo is small,” the Great One’s frown was frightening. “I think the largest shrine organization can spare some priestesses to fill in as supervisors for the trainee classes. They can provide long-term rehabilitation for the recovering Voices, Windshapers, and Musician Attendants at the same time. I will discuss it with the King and Queen. Then we can summon the Convocation, and hold it here so Senlyosart can attend at least the portion affecting her shrine."
"I like the way you think," Aunt Kami smiled malevolently. "So where is Kayseo and what can we do to replace the truant trainee haup Ixism'os? Opa and I still need to eat our mid repast, and I still need to talk to her about you know what."
"Opa," the Great One looked at me, "I will make sure that Kayseo is properly attended, even if I have to do it myself."
"But you can't, Great One," I protested. "It's a job for someone like me who can't contribute in ways that you can."
"She makes a good argument, doesn't she?" Aunt Kami remarked, laying her hand on my shoulder. "After all the coaching in the law I gave her and she slipped out from under my fingers as a trainee." She sighed and looked down at me, "Opa, Kayseo can wait and Lisaykos will make sure she is alright. It's more important that I talk to you, now. I’ve been trying to catch up with your work crew for a bell and a half. I didn't want to make finding you a big deal, on the premise that I didn't want to blow your identity."
"What's so important that you have to talk to me?" I couldn't figure it out.
"Were you planning on finding your mother today?" she asked me.
"Yes, I traded some duties so I would have this afternoon free to see if I could find my mother and finally talk to her," I explained. "I want to see her," I tried not to tear up in front of these two high priestesses.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
"That’s what I need to talk to you about: your mother. The Blessed Emily is with your mother right now. You will get to see her and talk to her this afternoon but Emily needs to talk to your mother first. So let's find a quiet spot and I'll explain what I can about everything that's happened and why it has to be this way. Alright?"
"Opa, there is more to this than you know. When your mother wakes up, Emily must talk to your mother first," the Great One said with as serious a face as I have seen on anyone, short of when my father explained last year what happened between my mother and Emily and Asgotl. "The difference between a calamity for the kingdom and putting your relationship with your mother back together depends on you not seeing her until Emily talks to her first."
"Seriously?"
"Remember the strange event this morning when everyone in the tent city was paralyzed with fear?" Aunt Kami asked.
"Yep."
"That was because two gods visited the camp regarding your meeting with your mother." I could tell Aunt Kami was not making this up and it frightened me. The gods had not been active for more than 2,500 years, and now two appeared because of me and my mom? Scary.
"The monster Ud has not left her home in the fenlands in over seven centuries," Aunt Kami added. "She showed up last night in part to tell us that Emily had to be here today for your mother's sake. Your mother's mental health is not only fragile right now, it is also a matter that affects the survival of the kingdom. This is a lot bigger than just you and your mother."
I didn't know what to think. This was all so much to take in.
"Come, dear heart," Aunt Kami took my arm, “let us find a peaceful spot and eat our repast and talk.”
---
Aylem, the tent city in Black Falls
I heard the fourth bell and woke up. To my great surprise, Emily was curled up in some blankets on some cushions next to my bed. I tried to get up without waking her but didn't succeed. I knew this because a tiny hand reached out and caught the hem of the nightgown I had created before I went to sleep. I was getting better at the creation magic Ud had taught me. It was a lovely lacey linen nightgown, the kind I knew Imstay liked.
"Emily, I need to use the necessary," I said to the tiny hand holding firmly onto my hem. I couldn't see anything else, just the hand and the attached arm extending out from under the bundle of blankets. That's the way Emily usually slept: rolled up in a wad of blankets with just a foot or hand sticking out.
"Promise?" a muffled voice asked. "I need to talk w...with you so I can't let you get away."
"Badly enough that you left the Shrine of Tiki to chase me down?" I was both amused and concerned.
"I've been visited by five different gods in less than a day," the muffled voice said, "so I really need to talk to y...you."
"Seriously?" I didn't like the sounds of this.
"W...would I get dragged out of bed from a sound sleep to go flying in the cold in the middle of the night if it w...wasn't serious? Stupid gods w...wouldn't let me sleep. Go to the necessary. Come back. W...we can talk."
"Can I at least get something to eat while we talk?"
"I'm sure something can be arranged," she sat up and a grumpy-looking mussed-up head emerged: Emily in morning mode. "Garki ran into Galt by accident this morning so he's currently sleeping off a state of bliss and is unavailable for his usual high-quality food and drink service."
"I can take care of meals for you both," Usruldes' voice said from outside the closed tent entrance. "Sandwiches are currently on the menu and I have some for whoever wants them, including ones in extra-small and extra-large sizes. Emily, you will eat every bit of the sandwich I have for you plus 10% more, as per the orders of one Ud, who is disappointed you haven't gained any weight."
I laughed at that, especially at the disgusted look on Emily's face. It only took me a moment to take care of my morning routine. I made a dress for the day in rose pink, fashionable but comfortable to wear, with a shortened hem to walk in, and lots of pockets.
"Food time," I told the slowly-waking Emily and picked her up carefully. I could tell she was groggy just by looking at her. When I picked her up, I was surprised to feel that strange brain state that's the signature of being touched by a god within the last one to two days. Emily wasn't kidding about the gods.
Usruldes led us to a trestle table in the middle of the royal encampment with bench seats. "Why are we eating out here?" I asked.
"Imstay was so tired this morning that he was showing a solid blue fatigue aura," Usruldes pulled the bench out for me. "I want to avoid waking him up before his staff meeting at the fifth bell."
"That's a good idea," I agreed. I straddled the bench and put Emily in front of me with her back facing me. "I'm going to fix your braid, Emily. It's unraveling."
"Should just w...whack it all off and be done w...ith it," she grumped. I was amused. She was in fine form this morning.
"Oh, look, there's Ud," my teacher was walking slowly along the ruined city walls to the east of what remained of Black Falls. "I haven't had a chance to say hello yet."
* Hello, child. We can chat later. You need to talk to Emily now. *
I felt welcome, amusement, and concern from Ud all at the same time. This was beginning to worry me. Then Asgotl, still wearing a saddle, wandered up and plunked down. "Hey, pretty ladies," he put his head in front of Emily on the bench.
"I am not scratching y...your ears, blubber brain," Emily grumped. "Aylem is doing my hair and you can w...wait."
"Boy oh boy oh boy, you are grumpier than usual," he sniffed. "Your stutter is worse this morning too."
"Yeah, well," Emily said as if Asgotl should know why. I could tell just from the way she held her head and shoulders that she was tense.
Now I was beginning to get quite worried. Usruldes was putting plates of sandwiches down when I tied off her braid. I wrapped my arms around her and rested my chin lightly on her shoulder. "You said you needed to talk with me. Is someone in my family or among my friends dead or uncurably wounded or sick?"
"No, nothing like that," Emily stiffened and I could tell she was trying not to shake.
Usruldes mindcasted me. * Please, Great One, let go of Emily and make it seem natural. She's scared and she's trying not to show it. *
* Scared of me? * I asked the spymaster.
* Yes, both of you and other things bothering her right now. *
The concern he had for her was screaming at me. What was even more disconcerting was that Asgotl was thinking close to the same thing as Usruldes. He was afraid for her and what I might do to her. Did they think I was that unreliable after all the shame I've had to face? I unwrapped my hug.
I got up and walked to the other side of the table, pulling my plate with me. "I'm starving. Is there anything to drink? Hot tea?"
"It's still steeping," Usruldes said. "I'm not as good as Garki, who would have delivered a cup already. Do you want tea, Emily? Or would you like to try that drink you were teaching Garki this morning?"
That got my attention and a change of subject might calm Emily down. "What drink?" I asked.
"Sekanjabin," Emily climbed onto the table and then sat cross-legged on it. "Sorry, even sitting on the bench, the table is still too tall."
"Real Persian Sekanjabin?" That sounded wonderful to me.
"Yeah, the tea supply is almost depleted so I thought I'd give Garki a non-alcoholic alternative to beer, cider, perry, and ale." She sighed and looked at her hands. "Usruldes, I'll try the sekanjabin, please."
I watched Usruldes walk to the royal pavilion and decided to eat my sandwich before Emily found her resolve to tell me her difficult news. It was good that I woke up hungry or the worry might have robbed me of the ability to eat. The moments before he returned were heavy with silence as Emily studied the wood of the tabletop.
Usruldes put down a hot beaker of tea for me and a small beaker of sekanjabin for Emily. "You need to eat, Emily," he said gently.
"I can't eat right now. Please save it for me?"
"Emily, you need to ea...
"No, I do not," her two golden eyes were on fire as she glared at him, burning like an arc lamp, a steady flame of anger. "I can not eat right now. Take it away and then leave me to talk to Aylem." It was the spark she needed. With her annoyance, I could see her signature determination condense and settle on her face. Her iron spine straightened and the jaw jutted just a fraction forward.
"Emily..."
"Five Gods are on my back right now and y...you w...want me to eat a sandwich?" Her voice was soft and very controlled. I was glad I was not on the receiving end of that look she gave Usruldes. After a moment, he did a full kneeling obeisance, then put praying hands against his forehead, he bowed to the ground. Wordlessly, he got up, took the plate, and vanished into the royal pavilion.
(Continued in installment 99)