Appo’s skin chafed against his binds as he was pulled through the doors of the Ash Manor. The guards showed no ease as they pulled, dragging him several times in spite of Jere’s incessant protesting. Whatever the reason, the guards were more concerned with haste than any care for Appo’s comfort.
The group made their way through the manor courtyard. There were two guards posted by the gates, but otherwise, they were alone. Eight torches dimly illuminated the enclosure, casting dull shadows on the corner statues. Boah stood near one of the corners, pacing thoughtfully. He was adorned in more jewelry than usual, now with opulent carcanets that matched his golden bracelets. As the group approached, Boah smiled. He stuck out his hand before realizing that Appo’s were bound.
“Gentlemen, please. You’re treating him as if he stole a kilo of ash!” The guards hesitated before grabbing Appo’s wrists, slowly untying the rigid knot. Boah looked to Juddken, who stared at the ground near his father’s feet. “Your idea?”
“He hesitated, father,” Juddken declared in his monotone drawl. “I didn’t want him to run.”
Boah approached Juddken, chortling as he slapped his shoulder. “That wasn’t necessary. No need to treat a guest like this, especially after he has done so much for us. At least… not until we let him hear his side of this whole situation.”
As the guards freed the knot, Appo extended his forearms. His fingers had gone numb. His wrists were rubbed pink from the friction of the rope, and dead skin peeled forward onto his hands. Before Appo could reply, Jere made his way toward the front of the guards.
“What is this, Boah? Juddken tells me Appo is in league with the witch.”
Boah waved his hands in response. “I have no desire to parade the healer through the streets like a common criminal. I can’t help that some in the Corps are eager in their desire to please… We obtained a lead that a figure sharing the silhouette of Appo had been in constant contact with the witch long before her death and suspected that curses were passed. Now, normally I would write this off as conjecture, but my source is reliable with the information they provide. I’m sure there is an explanation, and I do want to apologize for any hasty behavior.”
“‘Hasty behavior?’ I’d call destroying my door more than ‘hasty.’”
Boah, who had been jovial and chuckling if a little annoyed, turned stone-faced. The lines of his smile faded as he eyed Jere, his face going blank. “Control your tongue, slave.” Jere acquiesced.
Boah paced forward, placing himself between Appo and Jere, turning his back to the latter. “I apologize for this predicament, Appo. However, I have multiple witnesses placing you at the square talking to the witch. I know I gave you permission to talk to her, but from what I understand, you didn’t just interrogate her.” Boah pointed to his face. “Those stitches didn’t appear in her cheek overnight. There was only one person who would be willing do that. Now, that in itself is not criminal behavior, but it certainly raises eyebrows. It’s not a good look. I simply ask for you to clear the air and explain what you did.”
Appo inhaled slightly before answering. “I interrogated her. Like you asked. I saw an open wound and I fixed it. That was all. No obscene talk occurred between the two of us. Two guards witnessed everything. If it were not allowed they would have stopped me.”
Boah grinned, placing his hand on Appo’s shoulder. “See, that wasn’t hard.” He turned to the other guards who had formed a semi-circle around the group. “You all are not needed at the moment. Return to your posts. Everyone except for Juddken.” After a moment of hesitation, the guards turned away, heading inside the manor. Other than the two guards posted against the walls, only Appo, Jere, Boah, and Juddken remained in the courtyard.
“You have done a lot for me these past few moons, Appo, and because of you, we have lifted this curse. I owe you my gratitude, and because of you, I now understand this curse more than I ever would have otherwise. And just in time, too, thank Okkan.”
Appo knew that this was wrong, but after everything Jere had told him, he was skeptical of being so open with Boah. He simply nodded in response.
Boah raised an eyebrow. “Unless of course, you’ve come across any new knowledge that I should know about.”
Appo rubbed his skinless wrists, knowing that his words would be much more scrutinized now. He was willing to tell Boah anything, as long as it meant he could have a conversation with Mendalla.
“Is Mendalla even a factor at this point?” he thought. “Even if I could somehow break away from Boah, could Mendalla even change anything? Besides, with the holiday due tomorrow, it’s too late to make any drastic actions. Perhaps Eevi was mistaken. The town has been okay containing the disease thus far, right?”
“What do you think, Boah?” Appo said after a lengthy pause. “Do you think anything else needs to be done? You seem pretty sure of yourself.”
Although Boah’s face was smiling, his eyes betrayed the fact that it was a farce. He was seething.
“What the fuck did you say to me?”
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Appo was caught off guard. “Sorry?”
“Don’t be coy. ‘Sure of my judgment.’ You’re telling me you have nothing else to say? No information? You’re normally so skeptical.”
Appo tried to come up with a response, but nothing came to mind. He eyed Jere at the side, who seemed equally tongue-tied.
“I want to know how you really feel. What have you discovered?” Boah’s eyes widened. His jewelry twanged as he gestured. “I can see it in your eyes. You have something that you want to share! Well? Now is the time!”
Appo kept silent. Though it wasn’t from resolve. He only stayed silent because Jere spoke up first. “Water, Boah. The disease travels with water. He won't tell you because you won’t like the answer.”
Whatever mask Boah had been wearing in their previous visits continued sliding off. The four of them were effectively alone. There were no Heads to placate and no crowds to enrapture. Boah’s cheerful chuckles were becoming less and less convincing.
“Oh? And what makes you think I won’t like the answer?”
“The wells are cordoned off,” Jere replied. “Once the wells open tomorrow, the disease will spread. There will be too many people. The healer confirmed this from a reliable source. You’re not the only one with those.”
Boah swiveled back in Appo’s direction. “Is this true?”
Appo cleared his throat. “I… believe the disease spreads in fluids. Whether that be by blood, or by water. What Jere says is correct.”
“So what do you suppose we do, hmm? Cancel the holiday? Turn away thousands of the Okkan faithful? For a conjecture? We’ve already saved the town!” At this moment, Boah’s anger ceded the way for pleading. “The witch has been exiled! There haven’t been any new reports of any screamers since the attack, despite more and more coming in. I wasn’t optimistic enough to believe that the infected would just… return to their old selves, but surely you must see that progress has been made! Ash needs the Day of Akkavan! We can’t afford to throw it all away and return to how it was before! You weren’t here when the stalls went west. When the water traders turned away because there wasn’t profit to be made, and the children had to drink from the latrines because it was all we had! We were alone in the Eivettä, living off sand and gravel and were only greeted with apathy!… We can’t go back to the way it was before.”
Appo understood what Boah was trying to say. But when Appo closed his eyes, all he could see were crusted fingernails and crimson eyes.
“This is not a witch’s curse, Boah. You know this.”
Boah sighed. He paused, briefly looking up at the amaranthine night sky. He pivoted towards Jere, eying him for a few seconds. He then turned to his son. “Juddken, can you confirm the words the healer has provided us just now, and testify to what he has said?”
“Yes sir.”
“Very good.” Boah motioned to the doors. “Bring the guards back in.”
As Juddken turned away, Boah lingered. His eyes were no longer pleading, and they were no longer angry. “Appo, I know you’ve only thought for the best of our people.”
“I know you wish the same, Boah.”
“Yes. Of course.”
The guards returned, again forming a semi-circle around the three. Juddken stood at the edge, holding his club in his hand. Appo saw that all of the guards held their hands on the hilts of their scimitars.
Juddken spoke in a loud, declarative tone. “The healer has just confessed to his crimes of conspiring with the witch. He has admitted to heresy of the highest order; of professing love to the words of Sabatath, and will await trial until after the holiday. Until then, he will be placed in the cells.”
Jere charged at Juddken. “You two-faced bastard!” Before Jere could reach him, he was restrained by four of the guards. Two grabbed his stomach and another two wrapped around his arms, though the guards only barely held him back. Jere thrashed his limbs like a wild animal against them. “You speak lies!”
Despite his face coming an inch away from Jere’s fists, Juddken was unfazed. He continued, “additionally, both the healer and the slave have been accused of desecration of a human soul. They were spotted outside the Temple of Okkan, where further inspection revealed that the trader Mena was ripped apart. They are accused of stealing her organs, and planning to use them for a wicked ritual to revive the curse.”
It was now Appo’s turn to be outraged. “I did no such thing! This is bold slander!” He stood awkwardly as one of the guards approached him, holding his arms outstretched. Appo looked to Boah, who folded his arms and held his chin high.
“Slander? Is it not true that you and Jere snuck into the temple last night? Is it not true that you and Jere masqueraded as priests, supposedly under direct order from Mendala herself? Is it not true that you cut into the daughter of one of the Heads, and trifled with her internal organs? Or do you think I won’t like the answer?”
Appo had no response. The guard grabbed his slacked arms, tying them again with the thick rope. Nearby, Jere continued to struggle as now six guards held him down, with two attempting to bind his arms. As both men were bound, Juddken continued to proclamate.
“The crimes that you are accused of are most taboo and must see judgment. You both will be confined in the cells until a trial can take place, which will occur after the holiday. Then we will reconvene with the priests to determine the validity of an exile.”
“Ignoramus!” Jere spat, still struggling against the combined efforts of eight men. “You don’t mean to throw us in the cells with the diseased! They mean certain death!”
Juddken opened his mouth to continue, but Boah silenced him with an outstretched hand. He leaned over Jere, who struggled to look up. “Perhaps you should keep your arms to yourself then, slave.” Jere continued to struggle as the guards tightened the rope around his wrists. Appo didn’t resist, as he was still processing the very thought of going to the cells. He wondered - hoped - that this was some sort of trick, but with how much Jere was fighting he doubted it.
Boah walked back towards the manor but stopped for a moment, gesturing to Juddken. “Oh, don't forget. The healer’s hands touched the skin of the witch. I request we proceed with Shaddon Law before he goes into the cells. Make an example.” Juddken nodded enthusiastically, before turning to the guards. At this point, the guards managed to subdue both, Jere with far more effort than Appo. One guard pushed Appo, as the other five restrained Jere and dragged him forward.
“I don’t understand,” said Appo. “Shaddon Law?” He had understood far less than that, but that was the only thing that came to mind at the moment.
The guard huffed. “Ancient custom.”
“What does that have to do with me?”
“Simple. You touched the witch. Your hands are cursed. That means we cut them off.”