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The rest of our journey to Chengzhou, while slower than we wished, was relatively uneventful, thank the Twelve. Reverend Father Biming seemed relieved to be given a task suited to his Temple’s main duties, especially since it wasn’t near his new empress. Rumor did the rest.
Once Thief spread word that their new emperor had returned to Jing, crowds of civilians lined the road the rest of the way to the capital. The throngs made all of the wardens and Imperial guards nervous, especially after the attack at the first caravanserai.
However, Po took my advice to heart. He made a point of speaking with city and village’s civilian, guild, and Temple leaders. Shi Hua spoke to as many commoners as she could as one of them. At one point, I feared Mateqai’s heart would explode when a small child offered her new empress a bouquet of flower. However, Luc’s former warden managed to keep his blades sheathed.
Each and every time, Po and Shi Hua told their stories of the Fall of Rambla and the Siege of Tandor as well as the demon attacks on Orrin. Finally, Po pointed out that only the quick actions of the Temples saved the city of Chengzhou. He played on the people’s sympathies by stating he lost his own family in the attack. And he would honor his brother’s memory by continuing his commitment to all the people of Jing and do his best to serve them. But it would be necessary for everyone, young and old, Temple and guild, noble and peasant alike, to work together.
If anyone had told me the decadent, selfish ambassador I first met would become the epitome of an engaged, selfless ruler, I would have whacked that person with the flat of my blade. Luc seemed pleased with Po’s new behavior, but I suspected his feelings were due to the fact Po no longer had the time or energy to chase my affections. Not that I would ever have returned them.
During our two weeks on the road, Jonata and Long Feather struck up friendships with the pair of Skoloti wardens accompanying Sister Darys. There were times when Yar had to translate because neither side knew the Jing term for whatever they wished to convey.
In between our stops when she had to act as one of Shi Hua’s guard, Sister Darys rode with Luc and me. She had started learning Issuran before she left Skoloti Territory and was thrilled to have someone to practice with.
“What made you want to learn our language?” I asked.
“It’s…interesting,” Sister Darys replied with a thick accent. “The Peaceful Sea and the Panthalassa Sea trade tongues are a patois of the coastal languages. Basically, an accidental dialect. However, Issuran is a deliberate blending of Chumash, Toscana, and Britannia speech.”
I laughed. “I’m not sure it’s as deliberate as you think. The Britons needed a home. The Chumash needed help rebuilding their territory. The Toscana wanted to make money off supplying all parties and rule over the survivors. It was necessary for everyone to understand each other.”
“Yet, somehow it all works.” She shook her head.
“Aren’t the Skoloti made up of several different tribes from the Central Old Continent?” Luc asked.
“Yes.” Danys smiled. “If it weren’t for the non-human invaders, we probably would have continued our separate ways, but like your Plains Nations, we joined together for survival. However, our languages descended from a mother tongue according to our Temples of Knowledge. Morphing them back together wasn’t as difficult for our ancestors.”
“Would you teach me your language, also?” I asked.
Are you sure you want to learn it?” Darys smiled. “It’s nothing like yours.”
“It can’t be any worse than practicing Jing while seasick for two months,” I retorted.
“I’ve never been on a boat,” she murmured.
“Not even a small craft to fish or travel on a river or lake?” I asked.
She shook her head. “I asked my novice brother about the oceans once. He said our seas are made of grass, not water.”
“You spent a great amount of time in Huang He,” Luc said. “You never took a river barge?”
“I admit I find anything beyond a stream to drink a bit unnerving,” Darys admitted.
“My apologies, Sister,” I said. “I’ve spent most of my life in Standora or Orrin. In port cities, it’s hard to avoid the water.”
“I suppose the Cradle’s Great Desert would be just as unimaginable to all of us,” she said.
“The closest I’ve come is the Valley of Lost between Issura and Diné,” I said. “But we travelled to Diné during the rainy season. The Valley of the Lost went from a sea of sand to a sea of mud to a sea of flowers in a matter of hours.”
Darys laughed heartily at my description.
“It wasn’t that amusing at the time,” Luc grumbled. “We nearly lost you and Sisquoc in the flash flood one of the storms produced.”
“Flash…flood?” Danys shook her head. “I do not understand. Like when a dam breaks?”
“Not quite,” Luc said. “In the Valley of the Lost, Diné, or Cant, there’s a relatively thin layer of sand and dirt over bedrock. On the rare occasions of rain, there are no plants to drink the water. No loam to absorb it.”
“So, the rain rises where it lands,” Danys ventured. “As if filling a container.”
I laughed. “It does flow downhill. However, the water picks up everything on top of the bedrock. It becomes a slurry of mud and rocks. Nearly impossible to swim in, and immediately deadly if you hit a large rock.”
“Or if a rock hits you,” she added.
I nodded.
“And the water can undercut protruding rock,” Luc added. “We found shelter on a high outcrop, but Anthea and Sisquoc were near the edge, keeping watch on the flood.” He deliberately allowed the long pause to drive Darys to distraction.
“What happened?” she blurted.
“The edge crumbled beneath us,” I said. “Somehow, Sisquoc managed to toss me back so wardens could catch me. He fell and was swept into the maelstrom.” The old guilt hit me. The Wildling brother was so brave and decent, but he’d nearly lost his life many times in his attempts to protect me.
“Anthea managed to time freeze the maelstrom Sisquoc was dragged into,” Luc continued. “One of the sisters with us is a mover. She and three others reached him before he was crushed or drowned, and they brought him back to our shelter.”
Danys turned to me and blinked. “How big was this basin?”
I couldn’t speak past my dry mouth.
“Roughly fifteen leagues in diameter,” Luc said softly.
Danys shook her head as she stared at me. “No one from our Temple of Balance has that level of power.”
“Some of your justices have the ability to foresee events.” I couldn’t stop the bitterness seeping into my tone. “I would give anything for that talent. Maybe then, I could save the people who keep sacrificing themselves for me.”
I nudged my borrowed mount, and the horse trotted away from Luc and Darys. I simply couldn’t deal with my alleged heroics when I had to burn the bodies of so many of my friends.
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