Lordrin’s POV
It was a glorious day. Remnant clouds scattered the light of the Sun Fiend and Sun Falcon, revealing glimpses of brilliant sky just beyond. No longer was it so humid, the moisture drawn out by the rains, but it was not yet as hot as the scorching heights of the Sun Season, either. It was within this comfortable slice of time that the Harvest Festival was celebrated. The people would sing their praises and give thanks to the gods for providing them with food before the dry Sun Season began.
The people’s jubilations and the end of the Moon Season were not the only reasons this was such a momentous occasion. Other kingdoms and countries would send merchants to try and ply their wares or trade for rare foreign goods with other vendors from afar. Often, they would send along diplomats and ambassadors accompanying them, to set up more lucrative arrangements directly with the counties’ leaders. Of course, each and every ambassador was a treasured guest of Gresha, and thus subject to the King’s hospitality. As a king welcoming agents of other kings and governing bodies, it was only proper to welcome each party personally, ushering them to their quarters so they could get settled and allow their accompanying merchants time to set up their stalls. Though the Harvest Festival’s purpose remained, ostensibly, to celebrate and praise Mother and Hallow Zaya, the promise of trade opportunities and rare luxury goods had become the biggest draw to everyone around.
Today, it would be a great opportunity for me, as well.
The majority of the ambassadors and merchants who would be attending the Festival had already arrived. The greatest among these being the delegation from Merides, who brought gifts and mercantile goods representing a number of countries to the south beyond the sea, too far or small to attend themselves. Merides’ size and positioning gave it a great deal of influence, similar to Gresha City. Some parties had come from the northern banks of the Ter River, but one particular party I had been awaiting had yet to arrive. It was just like them to demand so much of my attention by arriving last. At least it was a lovely day as I waited.
As it happened, I did not have much longer to wait. Soon I spied a boat bobbing down the river. Though the river was smaller and shallower than usual, and the boat might beach itself should it travel any further south, the majority of the Ter was still deep enough for it to avoid beaching itself.
The first thing to draw my eyes were the inhumanly tall, almost garishly painted figures placed aboard the boat’s deck. About three of them, they seemed to be wearing brightly painted armor which reflected the sunlight, but it was difficult to determine where their armor ended and their skin began. These entities wielded oversized weapons strapped to their backs, making them a truly intimidating sight. Though Gresha took it as a challenge to impress its allies each yearly Harvest Festival, the delegation of this particular kingdom had always been up to the challenge, and had done their best to match their hosts each and every time. Apparently the delegation for the Yín Kingdom had brought something particularly special this year.
It wasn’t long before the Yín Kingdom ambassador stepped off the gangplank and strode up to me, polished boots tapping as they stepped from ship’s wood to temporary dock. Moving up from the sturdy boots were the sky-colored and silver robes common among Yín Kingdom nobles. Apparently the color of dye was easier to procure in the Heishan Mountains than around Gresha or Merides.
The features of those from around the Heishan Mountains were not dissimilar to Angran features, but their manner of dress was wildly different: while the Angrans preferred plants and tight-fitting garments, Heishans instead wore flowing and decadent robes colored with expensive dyes. The mines they owned also allowed them a wide variety of jewelry to choose from, with which to adorn themselves.
Counselor Jiàn Wenyan, like the rest of his court, took pride in his appearance and in highlighting his good looks, but went for a more simple and elegant style when compared with some of their members or myself. Neatly tidied dark hair, pristine robes arranged so as not to restrict his movement, and little jewelry upon his person. Despite that, he moved with a slow deliberation that made it seem as though the world had been flooded, and all around him could only hold their breaths and watch.
“Counselor Jiàn,” I greeted. “Your family is well, I take it?”
He grinned, his dark eyes sparkling. The man had a way of speaking that even I could learn from. A particular combination of deliberation in his way of speaking and attention from his gaze, which made his partner in conversation feel as though he had earned some special attention. I would feel insulted that he gave those around me equivalent attention to the King himself, if I didn’t realize it was a calculated effort on his part. “Crown-Son. They are practically thriving, thank you for asking. Those glazes and clays we received from you last Festival were put to excellent use. Would there happen to be more on the way?”
“Of course. Clays, glazes, sea salt, fishes, all these things and more were found in abundance this year,” I said, before choosing to indulge him. “And would your pride have something to do with you…accompanying entourage?” I tilted my head slightly towards the entities on the ship. Jiàn’s head bobbed in a nod.
“Indeed. A young prodigy in fusing types of channeling was discovered some time ago, and his efforts have finally borne results. Of course we had to show our dearest allies in Gresha our new invention. Come!” He clapped his hands, the sound echoing clear across the water.
With a small commotion, the three entities slowly progressed down the gangplank. Their movements were not only slow, but stiff and somewhat off-putting. As they drew closer I determined that it was impossible for there to be humans inside these contraptions, it would be hellishly hot and heavy for the poor soul trapped within. Better fit for an instrument of torture than any sort of armor. Which meant that these entities were inanimate constructs capable of autonomous movement, which was…impressive. Genuinely.
Jiàn was going to be absolutely insufferable about this, wasn’t he? Well, at least I had my own thing to be insufferable about in turn.
“And what would these be? Men in ceremonial armor?” I asked, knowing Counselor Jiàn would be eagerly anticipating explaining each and every aspect of what he had brought.
“One would think so, but the truth is far more fascinating,” Jiàn said, an excited glint in his eye. “You recall the boy we sent to your city who had an interest in Greshan pottery, yes? Our prodigy. He combined those forms of channeling with several other types, including painting, runes, sculpture, and ingredients made from magical beasts, creating the constructs you see before you now. They are not men in porcelain armor, but rather animated armor that requires no men within them at all.”
Long ago, the Great Heishan Empire had had a glorious reign lasting nearly a full millennium. A dragon and a succession crisis had been enough to end it all. Since then, the Heishan Mountains had yet to quite regain its former glory and completely reunite, despite many, many would-be emperors trying to do so. Perhaps too many, was the problem. Scattered kingdoms had not only each other to fight, but also as external threats such as barbarians, raiders, and monsters. The rich natural resources of the mountains became assets hotly contested over and traded by the numerous factions. And even the mountains themselves became an obstacle: once they had been a natural barrier against invaders, but now they made moving large troops through them difficult, in the wake of the Great Heishan Empire’s destruction.
As a result, the kingdoms of the Heishan Mountains were constantly trying to one-up the others in devising new methods of making war, to prove themselves as the ones worthy of reuniting the whole range.
Counselor Jiàn explained the creation and utility of these animated armor constructs as though he were trying to sell them to me. He spoke with excitement about some far-off future where wars need not be fought by humans at all, but by constructs of our making, while the rest of us hid behind our walls until the war had been won. I politely waited for him to finish speaking before I made my responses.
“It looks like your grand magnum opus is some ways away from whetting itself on the battlefield,” I remarked, flicking a finger against the glazed armor. “It’s slow to the point of being simple to dodge, and this armor doesn’t feel especially difficult for a sufficiently powerful warrior to shatter, depending on where one strikes…” Not to mention how no faction that truly wanted a swift and decisive victory would settle for letting some false soldiers fight its wars for it. Only the arrogant, the cowardly, and the desperate would do such a thing, and all three were ripe for culling. A beautiful dream, Jiàn had let his ideals run away with him here.
“Well, it is still a prototype. We wished to display them at your Festival, doing minor tasks, and take notes on how they performed that we can later improve them and create more,” Jiàn said.
“Granted, of course, Counselor. Now come, it is a long walk back to Gresha and the suns are rising. If only the waters were higher, you could have docked directly at Gresha instead of upstream, without risking grounding your boat. Guards! Attendants! Assist our guests!” I ordered, and my accompanying retinue snapped to attention, before moving about as commanded. In the midst of the sudden liveliness, Jiàn simply calmly replied to me.
“I do not mind. It gives us all the more time to converse. How fares your Head Priestess, Crown-Son?”
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Nania’s POV
The palace’s feasting hall was truly grand. Clearly a great deal of care had gone into constructing it. Behind me I knew there was a massive window, showcasing Gresha City and the ocean in all its glory, locked away behind expensive glass panes. Adorning the painted brick walls were star-runes, so named because they were the inscription that channeled the story of how the stars in the night sky came to be. Isolated glyphs and characters twinkled, shining light down on the numerous tables and small stage in the hall, as various ambassadors and visitors entered and found seats with their own parties. They were an intimidating bunch, all nobility or war heroes in their own lands. Whether they wore fine silken robes or decorative army and war trophies, the only thing I could think of was how much I was sure I stuck out amongst them. A lowly Candidate playing pretend. I took special care to sit on my hands, and not chew on my fingernails or fidget with my hair. Instead, I spent that energy by flexing and moving my toes, listening as the borrowed jewelry adorning my ankles chimed and rang.
The temple’s medicine, passed down from Hallow Zaya’s long-ago teachings, truly was amazing. Despite some lingering soreness in my ankle, and slight pains if I moved it wrong, the dark bruises were completely cleared up. But my restless energy was no longer originating from how confined I felt. Now it came from how I didn’t belong here. But drawing attention to that fact would just make it worse, I was certain. Sure, the Head Priestess and Senior Priestesses may be expected to advise the Crown-Son when meeting foreign ambassadors, but I was just a Candidate! What was I doing in a room chock-full of war heroes and second-princes?
Well. The true reason I was here was quite simple. When the Crown-Son asks something of you, you don’t say no. Being asked anything of him was such a great favor that saying no was unthinkable. But…of all the girls in the temple, why me? I must have been the single one who didn’t desire the attention, who had no interest in advancing through the ranks, who the teachers and priestesses had all but given up on. What could I possibly offer? Was the Crown-Son so cruel as to want to watch me make a fool of myself for his own amusement? Or did he truly see something special in me? Or was it, like myths and legends of old, something like true love…?
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I felt ill at that thought.
I should be grateful that the food was not yet ready to be eaten. It would be difficult to eat with this feeling. Instead I shook off the chill and distracted myself by looking around the room. The royal mess hall was smaller than some of the communal ones, but still an impressively huge room. One side had been cleared, like a performance stage, but the other contained a long table, which servants periodically guided guests to be seated at. These guests were clearly all very different people from very different backgrounds, but they all had one thing clearly in common. They all seemed to be nobility of some sort, or otherwise highly respected.
Again, a little voice whispered in my mind, reminding me of how out of place I was here, with my barely-tamed mane and borrowed jewelry. These people wore finery as a duck wore its feathers, so naturally. With interest, I noted that there were even a few women wearing armor or war-trophies. That was a curiosity, women weren’t usually allowed to join the military, unless they chose to live as a man and walk another path. It made me almost want to ask them if they had any advice or tips for my own training, but… no, that would be foolish, they would see how I didn’t belong. I wouldn’t know what to do if anyone told the Crown-Son what I had been asking, either.
“Hey, girlie.”
I looked over at the man who had just addressed me. From his olive-hued skin and dark hair, I could only guess he was a nobleman or soldier from Merides. The feast had barely begun, and yet his breath already stank of wine.
“Do they really let handmaids sit by the table’s head?” he slurred. “What a backwards country.”
“Shut up, Drusus,” a woman not far from him spoke up. “You’re drunk.”
My eyes boggled at the woman who spoke up. She was one of the women who had come wearing ceremonial armor, rather than fine dresses and jewelry. That wasn’t the most striking thing about her, though—her skin and hair were white as clouds, and her eyes shone crimson! Not features common to any country I knew of, though she sat near the Merideans, so I assumed that was her nation of origin. I’d never seen anything like her. Briefly I wondered if she were a vampire, but I quickly dismissed that notion. Anyone who practiced Hell magic that openly would be put to death. So…she must be safe to be around if she was here, right? Almost fortunately, a familiar voice distracted me.
“Indeed. It’s quite rude to insult one’s hosts,” he said. All heads turned to it. Lordrin, King of Gresha and Crown-Son, had arrived. He took his time making his way to the head of the table, seeming to bask in the attention he drew. Even on an ordinary day, he was beautiful in his fine clothes and jewelry, but today his servants had taken particular care with him. The King’s appearance was so fine he could have been the Sun Falcon’s incarnation. Like the stars, he glowed.
When he arrived at the head of the banquet table, a big man clapped him on the shoulder—he was native of Gresha and clearly a high-ranking member of the military, though I didn’t recognize him. The man seemed to be one of the unimpressed by King Lordin’s entrance. “Brother! Took you long enough!” The Crown-Son only gave his captain a tight smile, before addressing the gathered crowd.
“It sets my heart aglow again, to see you have all gathered in our fair city to celebrate the Harvest Festival, alongside my beloved citizens. I thank you truly for choosing to make the long trip up here, and may the Crown bless you as she blesses us,” he said, raising up a goblet. “May you, too, enjoy these wines. We thank Hallow Zaya for her lessons…and also for the foresight of teaching us how to deal with the after-effects.”
A chuckle rippled out across the long table.
“Now let the food be brought out,” King Lordrin decreed. “And while we wait—a blessing. The priestesses most devoted to beloved Crown Naruune never rest, and are always seeking out new methods of channeling, for her delight and amusement. May her own entertainment be yours.” He looked expectantly at me. I took a deep breath, steadying my nerves as much as I was able, and stood.
Instead of calming me, a new wave of anxiety struck me, nearly making me dizzy as I crossed to the small performance area. Dozens of eyes upon me made me recall hundreds of times prior, when the Priestesses had scolded me for my lack of attention. Even more fresh in my mind was Head Priestess Forya’s reaction, when she found out what the Crown-Son had wanted me to do. I was sure there had been more arguments than just the few snippets I had heard, but what little I had heard…it had been vicious.
Her? Of all the Priestesses you could have chosen, her!?
If you must pick a Candidate and not a fully-fledged Priestess, why not Candidate Dennia? Her channeling has brought me to tears!
Boy, you test the Head Priestess’ patience too often.
The memories were so clear I could almost hear her voice, see her disapproving form in the air before me. Without realizing, I had fallen into the breathing style that Talon had taught me, and assumed the neutral stance of Flame Arts.
…I could do this, I realized.
It wasn’t the Crown-Son’s attention, or threat of disappointing him, that made me so certain. But even now, with dozens of eyes on me and me alone…this pattern of breathing felt comforting, like Talon was there.
Strict. Rude. Harsh. But also honest. I could trust that, if I were doing something wrong, he would tell me. Perhaps I was a failure and a burden in the Head Priestess’ eyes, but I had actually put in an effort to practice what Talon had taught me, for years. So I knew for certain that I really was good at Flame Arts, when I practiced it. One of the few things I felt confident in, I felt I could trust. And so if I could do well enough for his discerning eye, could I not fool their ignorant eyes? He and Ellie couldn’t be here with me now, but I felt them here in spirit, in the flickering memories of these movements. And with them here, I knew I could do this.
So I did the only thing I could do. I began to dance.
No. It wasn’t a dance, not really. Not that much of my audience would know the difference. I began slowly, gently extending my limbs to stretch them and test the limits my clothes and muscles would allow me. The audience continued to watch, a strange mix of curiosity, confusion, and dismissiveness as some members began to softly murmur amongst themselves. Soon I regained their attention, however, I lashed out with a swift kick.
A giddy grin cut my face. It didn’t hurt so much anymore. I could do this. A mixture of emotions flowed through me, fueling me as I fought with air and shadows. Frustrations with the temple, fear of the crowd, giddiness at movement and action and freedom, the pride my teacher would have felt in me; all mixed together into a warmth and heat which radiated from my body.
Through action and emotion, I was telling a story to the Goddess. Not any of the ancient legends of old, prized for their ability to bring even the gods to tears. My own story. And she responded, sparks and embers flickering around my limbs, the wind stirring in the hall! Even the audience seemed to sense something was happening. Some sat enraptured by the performance, others in befuddlement. Only King Lordrin sat with a wide, arrogant smirk on his face.
My performance came to an end. Some of the crowd muttered in confusion about what, precisely, that was, but I noticed a lot of the people who’d come with armor and war trophies applauding quite loudly. To hide my flush embarrassment, I quickly dipped into a bow, pressing my lips against the ground.
Thank you, I muttered, though I wasn’t quite sure who I was thanking. Perhaps the Goddess, for listening, or my teacher. Perhaps I was just thanking my own body, for not humiliating me.
I stood again. Most of the applause had ended, as conversations moved on to other topics. Despite that, a few people were gazing at me with a look I wasn’t sure I liked. Among them were the Crown-Son, the white woman, and one of the men from the Heishan Kingdoms.
Claiming exhaustion, I quickly excused myself. King Lordrin let me go, but he insisted on sending a guard to help me back to my chambers, and getting some servants to bring a meal to my bed in the dorms. Briefly I considered complaining, it was a dormitory I shared with a few other girls and I didn’t want to attract their attention with the special treatment, but I was too tired to really argue it turned out. The moment I left the banquet hall, I realized I really was exhausted; apparently the performance had taken much more energy out of me than I had anticipated. My legs faltered, and I was suddenly thankful that the guard had been assigned to escort me.
The rest of the evening was a haze. Vaguely I recall picking at the food brought to me, but most of it went cold as I collapsed upon my bed and passed out.
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Lordrin’s POV
As the ambassadors and diplomats watched Nania’s strange almost-dance, I spared little attention for her. Instead I observed the audience itself, taking no small satisfaction in their reactions. I took special pride in Counsellor Jiàn’s expression. While he thought no one was watching, his face was surprisingly vulnerable, entranced by the performance. Clearly, Candidate Nania had set thoughts swirling in his head.
I smirked. Though she was not essential to my overall goals tonight, it never hurt to impress the audience like this. The more someone believed you had to offer them, the more they’d fall all over themselves to ingratiate themselves to you. It was a delicate balance of appearing glorious enough to amaze them, yet with an open ear that may be swayed by their desires, but many took the bait as a common fisherman’s dinner might.
“You were being truthful. You have been hard at work as well. Though this style still requires soldiers to use it, so I think I win,” Jiàn said, thoughtfully.
“Your soldierless methods are still prototypes, as you yourself said. If dreams and wishful thinking were all one required to win, we would have no use for weapons at all,” I replied. “Now, let the food be brought out. As a show of appreciation to our guests who traveled from distant lands, we have done our best to emulate some of your home cuisine. Do enjoy.”
Several pairs of eyes sparkled with interest as an array of dishes were brought out, the mood brightened further after Candidate Nania’s performance. Most of the guests wasted little time in digging in. Counselor Jiàn frowned slightly as he saw me begin to eat.
“Er, Crown-Son…you do not wish…to use the utensils?” he ventured.
I shook my head. “It’s not a common custom here. If it’s good enough to lick your fingers for, the cook takes it as a compliment.”
Jiàn’s smile grew strained. “How…quaint.” He took a few more bites of his meal. “Not quite as good as back home. But I must say I am impressed by its faithfulness.”
“Foreign food is quite popular in Gresha, Heishanese cuisine chief among them,” I lied. “Even my own cooks have much practice preparing these meals for my halls.”
“Is that so?” Jiàn asked.
I listened attentively as our discussion continued, other guests occasionally chiming in in various attempts to impress me, the host and most important person in this dinner. When the conversation turned to opinionated matters such as these, even the most schooled politicians would drop their masks, allowing me to steer the conversation however I pleased. Pricking at the pride of these heroes and nobility would make trade negotiations for a surplus of food a simple matter.
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Talon’s POV
Though I had never before intended or been invited, you could always tell when Gresha’s Harvest Festival arrived. Boats would sail down the Ter River, or float in from along the shores and across the sea. The already lively city would grow livelier, and stay lit almost all night long. Patrols of its Priestesses would cross the Ter River in floating, lantern-lit processions and stand in the shallows of the Deep Woods, chanting prayers and epics into the gloom for hours on end, as patrols of soldiers and guards escorted them. Usually I dealt with all these annoyances by retreating more deeply into the Deep Woods, shutting out the world, or returning home to the Angra-Fyr Village if I felt I could stand it. But this year…apparently I would be spending the Festival a little differently.
I readjusted my heavy cloak again, ensuring it kept my face in shadows. “And you are certain this is a good idea, Elian? And not the worst you’ve ever had in your miserable life?”
He grinned. “Tal, Tal. I’ve never had a bad idea in my life. Now are you ready?”
A heavy sigh escaped my lips. “There’s no talking you out of this, is there.” And… I suppose I was somewhat curious. Perhaps this trip could provide me unique insights into Gresha’s structure and defenses.
For the first time in our friendship, rather than Elian sneaking Nania across the Ter River and into the Deep Woods, I would be the one they snuck across the broad river and into the city.
The suns had long since set, and even the jubilant citizens were starting to return home. Still, Elian’s eyes sparkled with excitement as he flung out both hands, gesturing at the city just a stone’s throw away.
“Welcome to Gresha City, Tal!”