It was late by the time they all arrived at the palace. Or at least, it seemed like the Obrarian palace. It sat in the center of the city, surrounded by a large stone wall, with multiple separate buildings once past the wall. The main building was rather obvious, being the tallest and most decorated building itself. It was made of some sort of white stone, with dozens of pillars, and many flowers and vines hung from the tops of anything that could hold a ledge.
Emperor Sopros instead led them to a smaller building off near the back. Or rather, small by comparison to the rest of the palace complex. The building itself was rather large. “This is the guest house. There should be sufficient rooms for all of you. There is also a large bath house connected to the back, only for the guests. Make sure to bathe before seeing me tomorrow. I will send for servants to give you some extra clothes and food, and another set in the morning when it is time to talk.” He waved a half circle with one hand then left to the main palace. Some of the guards followed and some scattered to various areas. Descre followed the Emperor closely back inside.
The guest house had multiple bedrooms on the left and right wing, and one common area in the center. It was mostly seating with some surfaces that allowed for unpacking and eating, but there were no kitchens. Judging by the earlier conversation, it must be the Emperor’s job to feed his guests. A short, colorful hallway in the back past the common area led to the bath. On one side was an area to clean oneself, with soap and fresh water, and the other side had a large body of water, with steam rising from it. The entire area was tiled in a beautiful blue mosaic pattern. The bath was mostly enclosed, except for a small chimney-like structure in the ceiling that would vent out the steam.
The four of them gathered in the common area to devise a plan while they waited for the food and change of clothes. “This is very much exciting!” Lwain said with glee. “I’ve never been in the palace before! Usually it is mostly open for guests, but I never had time to visit.”
“Really? The castle in our country would never open itself to such a liability,” Yarro said.
Lwain laughed. “Of course not, if the people are hurting so much they lack an element to control.”
In a way, it hurt to have the truth thrown in his face like that, even if the man was right. With what he and Kael saw in the Southern District, the castle would immediately be swarmed if it was opened to the public.
“I will send a letter to update Lord Chancellor Quince, and ask them to arrive tomorrow morning before the meeting. They will want to know that Emperor Sopros is finally willing to speak with us,” Ambassador Miguel spoke up.
“I imagine they will take control of the conversation, in that case?” Kael asked.
Ambassador Miguel nodded. “Yes, but I still want Yarro to be with us when we do. I’m sure Emperor Sopros’ mood would be in our favor if we brought a Demideity.”
“Where he goes, I go.”
Ambassador Miguel’s face faltered a bit and he glanced at Yarro. It was clearly a demand, one that he desperately wanted him to deny. But Yarro nodded. They’ve been side by side this entire time. Meeting the Emperor of another country without him would seem off by now. The Ambassador sighed in defeat. “Very well. But you must be careful with your words. In fact, don’t even speak. I do not want to risk angering him.”
“Does Emperor Sopros have a temper?” Yarro asked.
He hesitated to speak and glanced around the room. It was empty for all other except them. “He… is quick to feel offended, and often derives unintended meaning from words that one might not be aware of…”
So he did have a temper.
There was a knock at the door which prompted everyone to halt their conversation. Lwain went to answer. Beyond the door were a few servants with plates, bowls, and trays of food, and another with spare clothes which were set in the bath. On the table was a large, whole chicken, with plenty of side plates with rice, vegetables, nuts, and dessert was a variety of fruits, some of which had the fried batter they had eaten earlier.
Yarro thanks them as they left, then the conversation continued. “If the Emperor was telling the truth, that he has no idea who took Seila, the Lord Chancellor and I will pool our resources with whatever assistance he is offering to find Seila. Lord Chancellor Quince has a sketch of Seila that we can offer.”
“And if he’s lying?” Kael asked.
“I don’t think he is, but we will still need to accept any offer of help, to not throw off suspicions.” They all continued to plan the meeting as they ate. Lwain, who naturally had no idea what was going on and was simply happy to be in the palace eating palace food, kept quiet. It was agreed upon that he would also stay here in the morning.
After dinner, Yarro and Kael took to the baths. A warm and relaxing hot bath after a long time without one was very much welcome. Yarro could feel his joints just melt away. This time, with the atmosphere of the bath, he didn’t even think to sneak a glance at Kael. He didn’t realize how tired he was.
Lwain and Ambassador Miguel chose their rooms on the left. Kael, on the other hand, insisted their room be furthest on the right. “We wouldn’t want them to hear us,” he whispered with a wink as he dragged him down the hall. The bedroom had one large bed, a table by the window with a chair, and a dresser opposite the bed. Yarro knew what the other was thinking, but he was simply too tired. The day was exhausting and then they had a meeting with the Emperor in the morning? Yarro collapsed in the bed and didn’t stir until the morning sun had woken him.
By the time a servant came to summon them for the meeting, they had already bathed, put on fresh clothes, and eaten. Yarro was given a collared purple robe that reached mid-thigh and had wide sleeve cuffs. The size felt a bit big on him, so even with the brown sash around his waist it looked baggy. He was also given fresh pants for underneath, cinched at the calves. The others were dressed similarly, only in different colors and patterns. Kael was wearing a dull green leaf print version of the garb.
Yarro, Kael, and Ambassador Miguel were guided up the steps and into the main palace. The throne room became visible right away. There weren't any doors to open, just more pillars to let in the wind and light with translucent curtains for some aesthetic. Large, low braziers lit with fire lined the way to the throne, with the only wall in the room behind it. It was stone, very clean, and carved with intricate images of each of the four Deities. They were quite accurate, to Yarro's amazement. This was the only human image he had seen in the entire city as well.
Small ponds with various flora and fish were stationed along the edges of the open throne room, and yet more vines and flowers hung from the walls and ceiling. This room purposely put all four elements in the room the Emperor would spend most of their time in. For a moment Yarro wondered if they also kept the element of their Emperor a secret. The throne itself had a few seats on each side of it, but only one seemed slightly larger than the rest. Descre sat on this one, but sprawled out horizontally with a glass in hand, and yet again scantily clad. Did the man really have no proper clothes?
Emperor Sopros stood from his throne with arms open once they were spotted. “Welcome,” he said as he descended to them, without even waiting for them to be announced. He clasped a hand on the Ambassador’s shoulder, which the man promptly reciprocated. That must have been a good sign.
Emperor Sopros then led them to the side where a low table with some cushions for seats were placed, and where the Lord Chancellor had been patiently waiting. They rose once the Emperor approached and greeted Ambassador Miguel. At that point the Emperor sat at the head of the table and prompted the rest to follow suit. What was the point of the throne, then? Once they sat, the servants and guards all took their leave.
“Emperor Sopros, good morning,” Ambassador Miguel began.
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“It may be good for you, but Descre and I have not had such fortune. Many meetings from late at night to early morning with many, many people have led to nothing.”
“How strange. Surely someone in your palace must know something. I hope no one is lying to you.” Lord Chancellor Quince had made a simple statement masked in fake concern but even Yarro could tell it was an accusation. He glanced at the Emperor, thinking it would have made him mad, only to see him sadly shaking his head.
“That is as Descre and the others think. They plan to go out after this meeting to find the information themselves.”
“The others?” Yarro asked in a low voice to the Ambassador.
Miguel leaned in to whisper back. “Emperor Sopros has many concubines, like Descre.”
Their whispers were in vain though. “My concubines are not just for fun. They are my most trusted group, and because no one knows who they are, I am able to trust them to gather information that neither I nor the rest of my court can obtain.”
“Then why is Descre sitting next to your throne?” Yarro asked.
Emperor Sopros glanced back, clearly amused. Descre sat more relaxed now that it was just them, with an obnoxious smirk on full display. “He is clingy, and likes attention. Don’t mind him.” The Emperor turned back to the group with a wave of his hand. “Furthermore, I have a question of my own. Yarro, you are a Demideity, correct? May I ask which elements you command?”
“Water is my natural element, and fire was recently awakened.”
“Fascinating. I haven't heard of that kind in a while. Rest assured, I will do all in my power to find Seila. But you need to learn of your status, and why it’s important to not go around flaunting it all the time.” The Emperor frowned. “Don’t think I don't know what happened in my own borders.”
“Emperor Sopros, we greatly apologize for the inconvenience they caused upon entering your country.” Lord Chancellor rush to speak with a small bow of his head. "Please forgive us for not apologizing earlier."
“About Seila, we have a sketch of the child we think you and your concubines might find informative in your search.” Ambassador Miguel changed the topic and motioned to the other to pull out the sketch. They were clearly attempting to get back on track to the point of the conversation, but Yarro was still stuck on the part where he admitted he knew they put a Demideity in jail and did nothing to free him. Didn't they worship Demideities? Why did they end up in jail for so long?
Emperor Sopros took a look at the sketch. “May we make a copy of this for our records? We plan on extensively recording this interaction in case someone in Listhua conveniently forgets. You understand, yes?”
“Of course. In fact, feel free to keep the sketch. We already had multiple made for our own records so it is only natural we would bring one to you as well.” Lord Chancellor Quince nodded in agreement.
“Please, allow us to help you in your search,” Ambassador Miguel added. Yarro was beginning to notice a pattern. Once one spoke, the other was sure to follow. They worked well together. Yarro felt a tinge jealousy for some reason.
Emperor Sopros had other ideas though. “There is no need. Your direct ways will throw off the whole operation. But,” the Emperor turned to Yarro once again, a glint of amusement in his eyes. “I highly suggest you learn of your Demideity history while you wait. Descre can suggest a tour guide who can show you to a temple which has one.”
“Of course. If you think it will help,” Yarro said. In reality he had no interest in learning it. He only had eyes on Dawic and any grandstanding ideals that were about to be thrust upon him were going to be thrown out. No matter how heroic. However all eyes were on him, with the Lord Chancellor’s eyes looking particularly harsh and demanding. He was in no position to deny a temple tour to learn of his so-called history. Next to him he heard a whisper of a scoff from Kael.
“Anyways, I give you all mostly free reign of my palace while we search. Take care not to venture too far inwards. If there is nothing else, I must take my leave. Farewell.” Emperor Sopros stood up, as did the group, did the same half circle wave, and left.
The group watched him leave, but then Descre approached them before they could make it out of there. “Me and the other courtesans already suspected there were a few spies before this happened. Now that this has come to light, I urge you, Ambassador Miguel and Lord Chancellor Quince, to be wary of who you write your letters to. As for a lesson in Demideity history, I suspected Sopros would suggest that, so I’ve already taken the liberty of inviting a group over. They should be here by soon, by the courtyard.” With that, he left, and followed after the Emperor without waiting for a reply.
They all left the throne room and gathered at the bottom of the steps. Lord Chancellor Quince was rubbing his eyes in exhaustion. “In the end we gained nothing and learned nothing.”
Ambassador Miguel nodded along. “He completely stole the conversation. Back to square one, I suppose. I will see if I can get help from any of my contacts. Shall I tell Lwain to meet with you two or…?”
“No need. I think we’ll just explore for a bit,” Yarro said.
“Very well then. Good luck.” Miguel nodded. He and the Lord Chancellor turned to leave, quietly whispering to one another.
The sun shone high in the sky, but most of the outer edges of the courtyard were covered in shade and dry dirt. Cicadas hummed all around them to fill the silence. Yarro turned to Kael once the ambassador was away. “So, what do you think of the Emperor?”
“For someone in charge of a country, it seems suspicious that he doesn’t know what his spies are doing.” Kael walked forward and began to circle the shade at a leisurely pace. Yarro followed.
“Yeah. He's most likely lying to us.”
“Or he’s an idiot of an Emperor that his own people don’t trust. Neither is good for us. We shouldn’t rely on him, or Descre.”
Yarro shrugged. “Descre told us straight up there’s a spy, though.”
“Why would he tell us that, though? To make the incompetent Emperor seem competent?” Kael kept his eyes low, his eyes wandering all around and never staying in one place for long.
“Looking for a secret entrance or something?”
“Seila wouldn’t be just out in the open.”
“I don’t think they would have her on palace grounds though, if the Emperor even had her. She would have to be someplace different, where servants won’t happen to stumble upon her.”
Kael looked around. “True. But there isn’t anyone around. Except…”
Yarro followed his gaze. There was a mix-gendered group in the corner, whispering and repeatedly glancing their way. He tilted his head in confusion and then once they realized they were being watched, headed towards him. Feet shuffled forward as one large group.
The group stopped a distance away from them. “Are you the Demideity?” One of them said with a heavy accent.
Yarro nodded. “That’s me, yes. You must be the group the Emperor asked to accompany me to the temple?”
“Correct. We are the Disciples of Alwar. We follow her teachings.”
“Which are?”
“Simply put, we worship the Demideities and are compelled to help them achieve the world. They are the Deities’ greatest accomplishment.” One stepped forward, which caused Kael to step in front of Yarro.
Kael's eyes passed over the group, watching and waiting for one of them to make a move.
The one in front glanced nervously between the two of them. "I have also brought a few new disciples who wished to learn of our history. I hope you don’t mind…?”
Yarro sighed. He thought he would have at least a few moments alone with Kael. So much for that plan. “Tell me more of this, uh, Alwar."
“Follow us. There is a fresco nearby on the courtyard walls.” The group shuffled away towards the west wall and followed it to the back. The area was quiet and well shaded. The group’s shuffling kicked up plenty of dirt though, causing Yarro to cough.
Near the back of the wall was a colorful fresco, just as stated. “Over here, start on the right side and make your way left. This is Alwar, the first Demideity.” She wore a regal gown, and was holding both hands outstretched, one hand held water and the other empty, presumably air. Above her, a storm.
“She was a princess?” Kael asked.
“Correct. Our first Emperor fell in love with the Air Deity, not knowing who they were.”
Continuing left, the storm grew darker and more dangerous. It engulfed the lands. Storms turned into a flood.
“Alwar’s first element was water. It was said she had a sort of quiet personality, quite out of character for one with this element. During her time, storms raged against the lands. Much of it turned to mud and even began to flood. Some of our land up north is still flooded. You know--”
“Please stick to the story,” one of the disciples interrupted. Kael sniggered.
The leader cleared his throat. “Anyways, the storms took a turn for the worse one day and Princess Alwar drowned.” The fresco of the floods shifted into Alwar under the water, upside down with her hair floating all around her. Sunken cities surrounded her.
“Then, she is said to have risen from the water, her eyes glowing the color of The Deep Blue. A typhoon whipped around her and with both air and water, she pushed back the floods on our lands.”
The next scene showed Alwar surrounded by water droplets, the floods receding and the storms pulling packs. Vague human shaped figures on the land beside her seemed to be cheering for her. “If it were not for her actions, our country may not exist. We owe it all to her. Even the current Emperor is a direct descendant of Princess Alwar.”
“She pushed both the floods and the storm clouds back?” Yarro asked.
“Yes, as a result of her having power over both water and air, she could control the storm's clouds and the electricity that came with it. Clouds are made of both, as you know, and controlling one without the other would have made things worse,” one said.
“Yes, Demideities combine elements, because they’re so powerful. For example, you should be able to manipulate plasma,” the leader said.
Yarro hadn’t even heard of plasma before. He tilted his head and opened his mouth to ask, but the leader cut him off with a wave of his hand. “Don’t worry about it just yet. But, there’s so much more about Demideities we can teach you. There is a temple up north, full of our history and the birth of our four Deities.”
“Wait, we also had a guide with us who was with us. Let me get him before we begin.”
“Of course. The temple welcomes all,” the leader said with a wide grin.