“Crackles and toils and boils come off, let those rejoice with the one only God.”
Boah chanted as he swayed, giving his usual speech in the courtyard. It bounced from clemency to camaraderie to passion, meandering like a drunkard. All within listened, but few but the most faithful engaged more than that. They lounged and splayed, lazy from apathy and hunger. The guards continued to move about, watching Boah’s speech. They were the lucky few who continued to eat at least two rations a day. Three of Urash’s mercenaries lay along the Manor wall, keeping their distance after what Juddken had done to one of their number the prior night.
Then there was the rumbling.
The ground shook and groaned, emanating a deep shaking underneath the water fountain. Folk in the manor had grown accustomed to a variety of odd vocalizations, but never one from underneath them. Panic struck immediately. Many guards shouted orders without contingency. Even Boah wavered, releasing several gasps as the hissing came right from underneath his feet.
After a few seconds, the rumbling ceased, crescendoing in a loud hiss. As it did, the water fountain’s spouts ceased. The water within became still, leaving the shocked courtyard with a few precious moments of complete silence.
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A few approached the fountain. The first to pass Boah was a lone woman, her face scrunched and filled with tears as she held out her hands. “It is hopeless,” she whispered.
“Stay back,” ordered Boah, holding out his hand. “Do not contaminate the water!”
“What’s left to contaminate?” asked a younger man. “There’s hardly any left!”
“Oi!” yelled Thed, placing himself between the gathering crowd. “Back off, will ya?” Several other guards flanked behind him, but a few curious onlookers turned to face the crowd.
“Okkan has abandoned us,” murmured one voice.
“What have we done wrong, Fertile One?!” shouted another.
“First the food, now the water? What else must we lose?!”
“Quiet!” shouted Boah, placing his hands high in the air. The crowd halted but continued to grow. “Stand aside, all of you! There must’ve been a mechanical error. We can fix this, but we mustn’t fear!”
The crowd did little to heed, murmuring amongst themselves. A few women and children cried as the men pushed forward to see the fountain. The guards placed themselves between the crowd without harassment but with feared themselves.
As the courtyard continued to rile, the mercenaries who sat along the wall quietly slunk back towards Urash’s room. One of their number, inconspicuous amongst the others, trotted awkwardly in an ill-fitting suit as she headed away from the worsening scene.