Kaeto scowled up at the forty-two steps leading up to the council hall doors, feeling the soreness in his feet. Gritting his teeth, the Prince strode forward, barely noticing as the three Jah Annan split away towards the slave gate. Sharp spikes of pain shot up his legs, but he managed to maintain a stoic air.
A short, rotund man wearing the citadel chamberlain's red and green skirts waddled towards the prince as the group crested the stairs. Kaeto sighed internally watching the stout Master Mynar bow.
"Welcome back, Lord Prince Tsegaye. I see you've returned early. Shall I have rooms prepared for you and your guests?" Mynar’s voice always seemed nasally to Kaeto, likely from the thin, concave shape of the man’s long nose.
"No, Master Mynar. Tell me, is the council in session?" Kaeto asked, crossing his arms and tapping at his sleeve with one metal nail. The steward bobbed his half-shaved head in a nod, the thin braids hanging from the back half of his scalp swinging with the motion.
"I understand, my lord. Unfortunately, I must inform you that the council has sealed the night's session. I do not believe they will allow you entry tonight. Perhaps tomorrow, my Prince?"
Kaeto tisked, turning towards Lawthe and gesturing sharply towards the large iron doors. The shield immediately bowed and stepped towards the council hall.
"They will want to hear what I have to say, master Mynar," the Prince said coolly, turning back to the chamberlain, looming over the little man. "They will hear me, even if I have to cut my way inside."
The steward held his hands out in front of him, and Kaeto grinned at the way they trembled. "As you say, my lord. If you would follow me then," the round man said.
Mynar practically scrambled away from Kaeto, half running towards the great stone hall. The Prince followed the chamberlain, striding through a smaller door to the left of the iron gate, the rest of his party behind him.
Inside the hall, Mynar scurried between columns of ash gray marble, bare feet slapping against polished sandstone tiles.
He bowed to the four Jah Annan stationed outside the hall, saying in a rushed manner, "the Prince of stars requests an audience with the council for himself and his companions. He comes with the strength of the shield at his side."
Two of the Jah Annan stepped forward, and the Prince was the first to be stripped of weapons, save for the steel nail's fused to his hand. He still shuddered whenever somebody touched the stars' damned things.
Kaeto glanced at Keros as the Jah Annan searched the man for weapons and nearly shouted when the man's hood was drawn back. The man wore seven bands of silver-glass. It was more than the Prince had seen in his life.
Keros had three on each of his ear lobes, the final band looping around the arch of his left ear. A line of cold sprang down Kaeto's spine as he watched the man remove the silver-glass jewelry one at a time and deposited each into a small silk bag.
Not for the first time, the Prince wondered who exactly that man was.
One boot tapping on the tiled floor, Kaeto watched as the Jah Annan moved from the outlander to the shield. They stripped Lawthe of his weapons one at a time, starting with the staff, then the saber, the maul, the grenades, and powder pistols. Finally, the shield removed his thin band of silver-glass with a practiced reverence and handed it to the other Jah Annan.
"Permission granted to his lord highness, prince of the stars, to enter the hall." one of The two Jah Annan said, then turned back to the entryway and pushed open the large bloodwood doors.
Finally, the Prince thought. Boots drumming on the tiled floor, Kaeto strode into the colonnaded room. The grand space was divided into two mirrored stands of benches that climbed up the left and right of the room, leaving a two-meter wide divide between them.
A raised dais stood at the far end of the hall bearing three seats. The central and highest chair, the speaker’s seat, was plain and unadorned save for simple engravings of historic moments.
To its left was a silver gilded throne, currently occupied by King Galdrin himself, and on the right, a copper-plated seat which sat lowest of the three, the Stargazer's chair.
The hall was filled with the angry exclamations of council members as Kaeto walked further into the hall, past the first line of bright white marble on the floor. He stopped before the second line on the hall's tiled floor, a thin band of blue jade.
Behind him, standing at the marble line, Lawthe stared forward, face placid and calm as a cadaver. Keros and the man's two children stood closer to the door. The shouting continued for several long moments, and a boiling sense of irritation rose in Kaeto's chest as she stood on the sandstone tiles.
He was purposefully avoiding his father's gaze and instead locked eyes with Speaker Jahn. Slowly, the forty-two councilors' arguments about trade and infrastructure began to fade, until finally, the hall fell silent, save for the shuffling of paper's and robes.
The speaker of the hall finally acknowledged Kaeto, inclining his head towards the Prince. Lifting both his arms for stillness, Jahn said, "Prince Kaeto, while we appreciate your diligence in returning to us, we are not currently capable of receiving your report. If you would like to return later…."
The speaker cut off as Kaeto glared at him. "I am here for more than just a report, Master Jahn. It appears you are already aware of the threat, so might I ask why I never received notice from a runner or raven?"
A tight smile spread across the speaker's lips at the Prince's interruption, and a few of the councilors in the room began murmuring to one another. The king elect, Galdrin Tsegaye, simply sat in his silver gilded throne, frowning at his son.
"It seems the council owes you an apology, Lord Prince. When the raven keepers reported a small force of rebels crossing the border into Jiovar. we dispatched several runners and two ravens. I fear they must have all been intercepted. As you have seen, however, we already have things well in hand."
The Prince's posture stiffened slightly at the words. "Please, Master Jahn, remind me of my duties as the Prince of stars. I seem to have miss-apprehend my role regarding military affairs."
"Careful, boy," Stargazer Jotaranell said from his copper chair, giving the Prince a stern look, but The speaker waved the astrologian off.
"It's alright, Master Jotaranell. The Prince is right to be upset. While you may have final command over the armies, my lord, you surrendered your authority for the duration of you're investigation into the plantations."
The Prince folded his arms. Kaeto didn't want to admit it, but the man did have a point. After he just continued standing there, glaring at the speaker, Jahn appeared to nod to himself, as if in satisfaction.
"If that is settled, was there something more you had for the council? That is, besides the reports on coffee production and possible corruption among the gin."
Kaeto bowed his head slightly. "Indeed I do, master speaker. As I was returning from the west, three outlanders crossed my path. They bear a tale I believe the council should hear."
Several of the councilors shifted on their benches, just now seeing the pale liocinian standing behind the shield.
Raising a brow, the speaker eyed Kaeto before waving his hand in approval of the suggestion. "Very well, lord prince. Who are these outlanders then?"
Gesturing towards the three foreigners, Kaeto gave a grim smile. "I would like to present master Keros to the council."
The pale outlander stood, gliding smoothly across the limestone tiles without making a sound. He stood beside the Prince, then bowed low to the ground, almost prostrating himself. Jahn smiled at that, as did the king and most of the councilors. Jotaranell only frowned.
"As your prince said, I bring you a message from the north.." At Keros' words, the councilors all began to mutter to themselves. Kaeto began to smile until the other man continued.
"I am the high Emyred of the Arden Katori. I apologize for keeping that from you earlier, lord prince. From my memory, the Arden Katori are usually not well received in your kingdom. If I'd known your position before, I would have told you more."
Kaeto gave the hooded outlander an incredulous stare. The Emyred? The highest star-born of the Arden Katori? It seemed ridiculous, but with all that silver-glass he'd been wearing, perhaps there was some truth to the words.
Stargazer Jotaranell raised his voice. "As should be excepted, Emyred Keros. The Katori have more than earned their reputation in this kingdom."
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The astrologian sneered down at the man as he spoke, and the way he said 'Katori' made the word seem almost a slur. Impressively, the Katori man maintained his calm, ignoring the slight before continuing.
"Be that as it may, I come with a warning. Alterin has fallen, and the morantai have crossed the divide. We fear Lytash has returned."
The Katori's words sent the council into a fit of laughter, all save the Prince, the Stargazer, the king, and the speaker. Councilors roared with mirth, and Kaeto thought she saw a few of the forty-two fall to the ground between their benches.
Kaeto grimaced at sight. Not many believed the ancient star shatter tales anymore. Most saw morantai and Lytash as nothing more than tales to frighten children. Kaeto himself had never seen a morantai. However, Mora's absence in the sky and the hundreds of historical depictions of the great star beside Mito was too much for him to discount.
The Katori simply shook his head. "Have your people fallen so far, king Galdrin?" he said, body sagging with obvious disapproval.
The laughter filling the hall halted with the abruptness of a bomb. Nobody, save the Speaker and Stargazer, directly addressed the king elect and never so disparagingly. Even Kaeto stared at the man in astonishment.
Galdrin stroked his bearded chin, staring at the man with light brown eyes. "It is hard for many to believe in something not seen in an age, Emyred Keros, let alone two. I do not doubt the severity of your words, but I do doubt your sincerity. Why should we believe you, a Liocinian? Especially one who claims such a station as yours?"
Keros shook his head. "I am not Liocinian, King Galdrin. I am Katori."
"And what does that change? You can call put a thief in rags or silks, but he'll still be a thief, master Keros," Jotaranell said, face contorted in a snarl.
Kaeto knew of the astrologian's hate for the Katori, but he'd never realized the severity of the matter. How could one man hate another for a war that ended nearly three centuries ago?
"And what have we stolen, Astrologian? What lies have the Katori sold you to give you such a sour tongue? I admit a Liocinian would sell you your own mother if he could, but the Katori are not Liocinians. Truthfulness is the foremost of our tenants."
Jotaranell sat back in his chair, arms folded as he glared at the Emyred. Jahn cleared his throat, bringing Keros' attention back to the speaker.
"Suppose we take your word as truth. Why should we care if these morantai have entered your lands? From what the legends say, I doubt the beasts would be able to cross the sea of sorrows, and if they can, we are more than equipped to defend ourselves."
Emyred nodded. "I can understand your perspective, master speaker. But let me ask you, have you ever faced a morantai? I know some of the fliers manage to slip past our walls. I wouldn't be surprised if one or two have reached your kingdom."
The speaker shifted uncomfortably. "There have been creatures of strange nature from time to time, yes. But they often fall without much difficulty."
The Emyred nodded again. "Yes, individual morantai aren't much of a threat to a city or a kingdom, but how many men did it take to take down one of the beasts?"
Kaeto remembered some of the army's encounters with strange creatures in the past. Some had suspected they were morantai, but those whispering were often disparaged as nonsense. After all, It was well known that strange creatures wandered out from shattered sea on occasion, so that's what they were.
"I believe the last of such creatures we slew required a few dozen men, and we still lost at least six," Jahn said reluctantly, sharing a quick glance with the king.
Keros nodded. "Then you are fortunate, master speaker. Now that the wall has fallen, and Lytash's creations have crossed the divide, I suspect your troubles will only increase," Kero's said, voice full of remorse. "Morantai are not simple creatures. It is only a matter of time before his armies cross the sea."
The hall was silent for a long moment, teetering on the edge of belief. Kaeto could feel it like a growing pressure all around him.
"And what would you have us do?" Galdrin asked, leaning forward in his throne.
Keros stared the king in the eye as he spoke. "Help us retake the wall. The Katori are still strong, King Galdrin, and with the kingdoms' help, and perhaps the astrologians', we can push the creatures back."
Jotaranell snorted at the man's words, but Jahn and Galdrin shared a meaningful look. "While you make a convincing argument, Emyred Keros, how would we do that? Our armies are occupied with containing rebel forces. Even if they weren't a problem, Arbad and Kortan would likely take advantage of our army's absence should they leave."
The tall Katori gave the council a long look as if contemplating something. "Lord Kaeto, you oversee the Jah Annan, yes?"
Kaeto raised a curious eyebrow. "They are among the men I command, yes. Slavemaster Gillyan must approve any irregular duties, however. Why do you ask?"
"When was the last time your kingdom raised a sword to fight alongside your shield?" Keros asked. Kaeto's eyes went wide, and the hall went silent before the councilors exploded with incredulous outrage.
Jahn held up his hands, trying to quiet the hall, but the Katori's words had more impact than a grenade would have. Some of the councilors gave the Katori Emyred thoughtful glances. Still, most seemed torn between rage and terror at the proposed idea.
Kaeto's own mind spun as he tried to think. Raising a sword? It would indeed be a solution, but the cost. How could they justify such a thing?
Curiously, Stargazer Jotaranell was one of the few who seemed more intrigued by the suggestion than anything else. The astrologian's gaze wandered towards Lawthe before he noticed Kaeto staring at him.
It took another several minutes before Jahn managed to quiet the hall again. "Emyred Keros, I understand your position, but please refrain from suggesting such a thing. It would be better for everyone if the role of sword remained unfilled."
Jotaranell held up a hand, giving the speaker a reassuring smile. Hesitantly, Jahn stepped back, sitting back down in his raised chair.
The astrologian rose and began speaking. "I would like to suggest that the council explores the idea of raising a sword. Before you all start shouting at me, let me explain." The astrologian stepped from the dais and crossed the floor to stand opposite Keros and Kaeto.
"While I am hesitant to side with a Katori, the Emyred's reasoning has merit. Mito's pass has come again, and if this man speaks the truth, Lytash, the star breaker himself, has returned. Perhaps he wished to break another star, to shatter the land and conquer again. We cannot stand for that."
Councilors began muttering to each other, a handful nodding reluctantly. Jotaranell smiled, and Keato had to suppress a shiver. The man's sagging face reminded him of a corpse hound when he did that.
"It is as the book of Maratia says. If we are to protect our kingdom, sacrifices must be made," the Stargazer said.
One of the councilors rose from his bench. "You speak of sacrifices, Jotaranell, but what is Mito's wrath worth? You know what happens when men raise the dead."
Jotaranell nodded at the man. "You have a point, master Javinaile, but do we not already suffer beneath every one of Mito's eclipses? Twice a year, the dead rise to blight the living. If there are no longer corpses for the great star to raise, then what can Mito do?"
More of the councilors seemed to be coming around to the astrologian's words. Kaeto's gut twisted at the thought of raising a sword. Likely it would be a candidate for shield. The three of them were all star-born and trained to use silver glass. There weren't any other reasonable candidates.
"At least think on this matter. If the Katori speaks true, can we afford not to raise a sword once again?" Jotaranell said. He returned to his seat with a smooth stride as the forty-two spoke in hushed tones to one another.
Jahn rose as Jotaranell sat. "Would anyone be willing to offer a counterargument to Astrologian Jotaranell's proposal?" Jahn asked the councilors.
Several of the men glanced between one another before somebody finally spoke.
"While I agree with the Stargazer's point, we still do not know if the things this Liocinian says are true. Aside from that, if we rose a sword, using…," he paused, stumbling over the next word. "Using mitokar, raising the dead, we would be cursing ourselves."
Several other councilors nodded in agreement, muttering to themselves before the councilor spoke again.
"We all know that the dead are sacred. Tell me, Master Jotaranell, what would happen when the wars were over? What would we do with the raised force? Would we not be leaving ourselves vulnerable to Mito's wrath? It's already bad enough during the eclipses. What would happen to our kingdom with a sword bringing that curse down on us every day?"
More councilors were nodding in agreement with the man's words. Jotaranell nodded as if expecting the argument.
"You are right to be fearful, councilor Javinaile. But it seems that we must begin setting aside old customs and ideas. As much as I loathe the Katori, I find this man's words to be convincing. Can you really place your reverence for the dead and your fear of Mito above the safety of your kingdom?"
The Stargazer paused to let the council take in his words, men muttering softly to one another in the stands. The king was stroking his long red beard, and the speaker wore a look of contemplation, one brow raised, arms crossed. Kaeto himself was beginning to feel more inclined towards the idea.
The council continued to mutter to themselves before somebody else spoke up. "I would ask if we approve this motion, who among us would willingly take up the leashing bond? The shield must be strong, and none of use can be at the mercy of any others."
Kaeto actually shuddered at the idea. To be synasticly bound to another being, to a living corpse, it was unthinkable.
Jotaranell stroked his chin as if in contemplation before giving his response. "If I were to take up the role of leash, or perhaps one of my apprentices, would there be any objections?" He asked.
Again, councilors muttered to themselves. The speaker raised both hands for silence as the noise grew into a chaotic rumble of voices. The forty-two quickly quieted at his gesture.
"We will hold it to a vote then. All in favor?" Jahn called out, voice echoing off the chamber walls. One by one, councilors rose from their benches. Kaeto counted twenty-three in all. Enough to pass the motion.
Jahn nodded, and they all sat. "All opposed?" He called, and fifteen of the remaining eighteen rose.
Jahn clapped his hands, and all were seated once again. "Motion passed by the majority. Congratulations, Master Jotaranell, may the stars have mercy on you're soul." Jahn said, shaking his head.
Jotaranell smiled. "I thank you, speaker Jahn. Please, do not let me take up more of the hall's time. I already have a sword candidate in mind. I will show them to you once the session has ended."
Jahn nodded. "Very well then. Now, can we return to the matter we were discussing before the Prince's arrival?"
The council hall was silent. Keato felt a wave of nausea roll through him as he watched Jotaranell sit back in his chair with a wide grin.
Lost in thought, Kaeto stepped across the blue jade line and approached the dais to stand behind his father. The councilor's words passed over him unheard. He couldn't help but feel the council would regret their decision.