Wednesday, March 27, 2024

A Cup of Conflict - Chapter 8

Despite trying to get taxes done amid a weekend of stomach flu, I managed to write a little bit here and there. Subconscious prods me to get moving on this novel by filling my dreams about Anthea battling demons in Jing. So here's a bit more for you to read!

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I could feel unseen eyes watching me while Long Feather, Jonata and I retraced our path back to the Jing home Temple of Balance. Hopefully, I would be able to meet with Justice Mei Wen as well, if only to reassure Shi Hua her friend had recovered from the injuries the young justice received during the demon attack on the city last winter.

When we reached the Temple of Balance, the wardens on guard at the main entrance treated us courteously. One of them raised two fingers to his mouth and blew a piercing whistle that would surely have deafened me if I stood right next to him.

A squire raced down the steps to take the reins of our horses. She had to be three or four winters older than my own squire Nathan. Once again, I bit my tongue to keep from insulting the child, but she handled all three steeds with aplomb as they disappeared down the street between Balance and Knowledge.

Something must have shown on my face however. The warden with the piercing whistle said, “Do not worry, Lady Justice, Squire Yang has a talent with all animals. Your horses will be well cared for.”

I smiled and inclined my head. “If it were my own Nassa, I would not be as concerned. However, the Reverend Mother of Balance in Haung He was gracious enough to allow me to borrow the mares from her Temple’s stable for the journey to Chengwu. I pray the Twelve will allow me to return the horses to her in the same, if not better, health than when I left.”

The warden shrugged. “Balance in all things. Ours is not to reason why any of the Twelve do as They do, Lady Justice.” He gestured for me and my party to follow him up the steps.

As we stepped through the main doors, the first sense of familiarity I’d felt in nearly three months enveloped me. Hallways led left and right from the foyer. Through the second set of doors, the statue of Balance stood on Her dais on the other side of the courtroom. Her hood hid Her features from view, and She clasped her hand in front of her, holding a non-existent sword.

A podium rested in front of the statue of Balance. High windows illuminated the court for those with normal sight. The galler

y was larger than the one in the courtroom in Standora, as was the defendants’ box. But everything else was so similar that for a moment, homesickness nearly drowned me. “Greetings, sister.” The justice who entered the courtroom from the door to the back hallway and the clerks’ offices spoke Issuran. A warden guided her to me.

“Greetings to you,” I said in Jing. My wardens and I bowed even though she couldn’t see our gestures. “I am Chief Justice Anthea, the seat of the Duchy of Orrin in the Queendom of Issura. I have come to pay my respects to your Reverend Mother.”

The justice pushed back her hood and smiled. The only hair on her head were her brows and lashes. Yet, there was a sense of familiarity about her.

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you in person, Chief Justice Anthea. I am Justice—”

“Mei Wen?” I blurted.

Her smile turned into a full-on grin. “Yes.”

I forgot all etiquette and pulled her into a tight hug. “Shi Hua has been so worried about you! So have I and the crown prince!”

She laughed. “It was a close thing. If it weren’t for Warden Yichen here, the demons would have surely have killed me.”

“Thank you, Warden Yichen.” I bowed deeply to the warden. “Not only from myself, but from Lady Shi Hua and her husband as well.”

His cheeks glowed red at my sincere gratitude. “I serve the Temple of Balance to the best of my ability.” He wrapped Mei Wen’s right hand around his left elbow once again. “If you and your wardens will follow us,” Mei Wen said. “Our Reverend Mother is looking forward to meeting you as well.”

The Chengzhou home Temple of Balance was indeed much larger than Issura’s home Temple back in Standora. However, the general layout was much the same. The justice and staff offices were directly behind the courtroom. A single warden was stationed at several the doors we passed. However, Mei Wen and Yichen led us past the business area and to the personal quarters. Two wardens stood guard at a single door.

“Chief Justice Anthea to see Reverend Mother Xiang,” Mei Wen announced in her crystal bell voice.

Both wardens at the door nodded, and the one on the right opened the door and repeated her statement.

“Come in, come in,” said a woman. Her melodious tone made it difficult to determine her age.

Mei Wen and Yichen led the way inside. My wardens and I followed.

And it struck me that I’d never seen Reverend Mother Alara’s personal receiving room.

A woman in clerical robes sat beside a huge fireplace. A female warden stood behind the beautifully carved wood chair and slight to the left. What struck me was the Reverend Mother was as bald as Mei Wen. I needed to ask Yin Li about the style. Last thing I needed was to stumble over a cultural issue on the mission.

The Reverend Mother rose, and both she and her chief warden bowed. “A pleasure to meet you, Chief Justice Anthea. Justice Mei Wen has spoken highly of you.” When the Reverend Mother straightened, a bit of a smile tilted her mouth. “After assisting the Lady Shi Hua with her marriage trousseau, I hope you would allow our Temple to reimburse you.”

I bowed in return though she couldn’t see my gesture. “I appreciate your offer, but the trousseau was my wedding gift to Lady Shi Hua. No recompense is necessary.”

The Reverend Mother’s smile brightened. “I shall send for some tea. Would one of your wardens care to accompany my squire to the kitchen?”

Safety warred with etiquette in my mind, and I hesitated.

“My dear, you would not offend me by being cautious,” Reverend Mother said gently. “Justice Mei Wen has made me aware of the issues in Issura.” She sighed. “And frankly we’ve had our own share of problems here in Jing. If it weren’t for your tracking spell, Crown Prince Po would not have discovered the complicity of the School of Sorcery. Jing owes you a great debt.”

“I have come to serve,” I said. “There is no debt, Reverend Mother. I have come to regard the Lady Shi Hua as family. All I ask is that you allow Justice Mei Wen to visit your future empress as much as her duties allow. The lady will need a confidante in her new role much as I did when I was assigned to the Balance seat in Orrin.”

Mei Wen emitted a slight gasp of surprise.

However, Reverend Mother Xiang chuckled. “Fumiko didn’t overestimate your shrewdness.”

I quelled my shock. “You have spoken with her?”

“Don’t dissemble with me, young lady.” The Reverend Mother settled back in her chair. “She followed through with her complaint against Reverend Father Ogusuku. I would like to hear your side of the tale. To my knowledge, no human who entered a demon portal has ever returned from one.”

“Warden Long Feather, would you please accompany Warden Yichen to fetch the Reverend Mother’s tea?” I said.

“Yes, m’lady.”

“Please sit, my dear.” The Reverend Mother gestured in the direction of another carved chair across from her. From the position, the sharp white light of the fireplace made me squint, but I didn’t dare refuse.

While we waited for our refreshments, I told Reverend Mother Xiang of my strange adventures. She didn’t truthspell me, but her questions were rather thorough. And the conversation lasted through two pots of tea and a platter of almond-flavored short bread cookies.

I didn’t even register the temple bells until Jonata murmured, “I beg your pardon, Chief Justice, but it’s First Evening.”

“I apologize, my dear,” the Reverend Mother exclaimed. “Please stay for the evening meal. I still have so many questions to ask you.”

“I’m afraid I can’t, Reverend Mother.” I rose from the chair. “The crown prince has requested my presence at the palace. I enjoyed our conversation. I hope we can speak again.”

“We will, my dear.” She smiled. “We will.”

The young squire waited with our horses at the bottom of the steps when we exited the main doors of the Temple.

I bowed to the girl. “Thank you for your assistance, Squire Yang.”

Her face brightened to a lovely orange, and she bowed in return. “I am here to serve, Chief Justice.”

As we rode back to the palace, I sense Long Feather holding in a round of laughter. I turned to him. “What is so funny, Warden?”

“I merely imagined the chief warden and Sivan’s pleasure upon hearing my report when we returned home.”

“Your report?” I ground out.

“You remembered a squire’s name and addressed as such.” He shrugged.

Jonata made an odd sound in her throat before she added, “I believe Little Bear’s exact words were ‘Do whatever you must to prevent the chief Justice from starting a war with Jing. We have enough problems with the demons’.”

Even I had to laugh along with my wardens as our horses trotted down the Temple avenue.

Wednesday, March 20, 2024

A Cup of Conflict - Chapter 7

Things are slowly taking shape in this book. However, I had to put it on the backburner while I worked on getting Magick and Murder out to my Kickstarter backers, double-checked my documentation for taxes, and voted yesterday. Then the lake-effect snow flurries keep drawing my attention, even though it's officially spring.

Anyway, here's your next taste of A Cup of Conflict!

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A huge square, easily a quarter league wide and long, stood between the Temples and grounds of the imperial palace itself. Bricks covered the entire ground space. Wooden poles stood around the edges of the square while some were embedded in the middle, marking off a smaller square.

Workers were already decorating the square for the Spring rituals. They ran ribbons from pole to pole. Tables and benches were transported by oxen and wagons from a nearby warehouse to the square.

“Is the middle section for dancing?” I quietly asked Yin Li.

She smiled and nodded. “Knowledge will provide paper lanterns, which will be hung the night before the first day.” She chuckled. “Unless the weather oracles predict rain. Then the Temple of Light will provide the lanterns.”

I laughed in return. “That’s one thing we rarely have to worry about in Issura. The winter rains are often long gone before the Rituals.”

A waist-high wall separated the square from the imperial palace. No doubt, the vicinity of the Temples to the throne were part of what triggered the resentment of the schools of philosophy. I needed to research more Jing history. I had a strong feeling the schools existed before Balance’s Revelation. If so, that would add to the masters’ animosity.

We entered the palace grounds, and imperial guards lined the avenue. Like the majority of civilians, the guards exhibited an enormous sense of relief at the new emperor’s return to Chengzhou.

The avenue itself was constructed of Toscana concrete. A great expense, but the material would last longer than cobblestone given the amount of traffic the palace normally might see. And the lane would definitely be crowded between the Spring Rituals and the upcoming coronation.

Huge troughs of soil held flowering plants, most of which were starting to bud under the balmy weather over the past four days. Statues were randomly placed on the lawn. Each art piece was surrounded by bed of plants or sand. In the sand beds, designs were drawn. I couldn’t be sure if they were similar to the DinĂ© sand paintings because all sand looked the same to me. It was something I would have to ask Luc about later.

At the end of the quarter-league avenue, people I assumed were the Dragon Palace staff lined up in neat rows at the ends of the wide steps up to the palace itself. Imperial guards kept a significant path in the middle of stair clear. The only people who weren’t surrounded by the armed men and women were the handful of nobles and the many squires at the foot of the palace steps.

When we reached the end of the avenue, Po gave the signal to stop and dismount. I glanced behind us, half-expecting the heads of the Temples to have joined the procession, but no one was behind us except the escort loaned to us by Duke Lixin.

Once the riders stood on the pavement, the lead noble approached Po and bowed deeply. “Welcome home, Your Majesty.”

“Rise, cousin.” Po chuckled. “We’ll have more than enough ceremony to stand on over the coming weeks and years.”

“As you wish, Your Majesty.” The noble straightened, a neutral expression on his face.

Po gestured Shi Hua to his side. “May I present my wife Bao Shi Hua? My love, this is my cousin, Duke Bao Mengchang, the Imperial Grand Chancellor.”

I didn’t miss the slight twitch of the duke’s lips when Po grasped Shi Hua’s hand in his and led her to each noble present and introduced them to her. Mengchang may simply have conservative views. Or he could simply be biding his time. All of his cousins with claims to the throne would be present for the coronation.

Maybe Mengchang still thought Shi Hua was the concubine who’d accompanied Po to Issura nine years ago.

Gah! Now I was seeing plots where none might be. The events over the last two years had ruined whatever normality that had existed in my life. I glanced at Luc and amended my thoughts. We’d lost whatever stability we had the day Katarina came to me at the inn.

Maybe there wasn’t a plot, but Mengchang’s disapproval increased when he noticed Captain Mateqai wasn’t from Jing. And he was outright frowning deeply when Po instructed him to house Luc, me, and our wardens in the imperial family wing.

“The staff are still cleaning the family rooms in the emperor’s wing,” Mengchang said stiffly.

Po eyed his chancellor. “What are you proposing, my cousin? That we place the esteemed ambassadors from Issura in concubines’ quarters?”

“They’re Temple,” Mengchang said. “I was not expecting clergy to reside in the palace, Your Majesty.”

Well, I had to admit, if only to myself, Po had told us the truth about how his own people regarded him. If anything, he had undersold the problems he faced.

“The Issurans lost their southern border city of Tandor at this time last year,” Po said coldly. “If it weren’t for Chief Justice Anthea and High Brother Luc, Teodora of Issura would have lost her entire queendom. You will treat them with the esteem Teodora holds them and the honor they have earned.”

“Of course, Your Majesty.” Mengchang bowed again. “I beg your forgiveness. No slight was intended. I shall double the housekeeping staff to make sure the rooms are ready for tonight.”

“Also, Duke Lixin should be here in two days,” Po added.

“We shall prepare for his arrival, Your Majesty.” Another deep bow.

“Once my lady wife and I have refreshed ourselves from our long journey, please dine with us and our guests this evening.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Mengchang’s annoyance lifted. Had he feared he would be dismissed due to Chengwu’s assassination? Or worse, executed for failing to protect the previous emperor?

“Your Majesty, if I may be excused briefly,” I said. “The high brother has had a proper audience with your Reverend Father of Light, but I must extend my own courtesies to your Reverend Mother of Balance.”

Po inclined his head. “Of course, Chief Justice. Dinner shall commence a candlemark after First Evening.”

I bowed. “Thank you, Your Majesty.” This time, I had to bite my tongue to keep from making any flippant remarks concerning the imperial couple staying out of trouble while I was gone. As much as I worried about their safety and Luc’s, etiquette needed to be observed.

And it gave me a chance to escape Sister Darys’s watchful eyes.

Monday, March 11, 2024

Sad, Sad Moment at the Oscars

This made me cry angry tears last night. So many of DH's work colleagues used to live in Kyiv.

Wednesday, March 6, 2024

A Unfortunate Break

Chapter 7 of A Cup of Conflict is almost done, but I need to take a unwanted break from writing in order to do the tax stuff. Yep, it's that time in the U.S. I always make a resolution to have this done by the end of February. Ir's only happened once since I started filing the 1040 form.

Goddess, I miss the 1040-EZ. It was so much easier to plan the withholding amounts.

Wednesday, February 28, 2024

A Cup of Conflict - Chapter 6

I tried to get as much writing and editing done before tax season, but alas, it is time to pay Uncle Sam his due for the privilege of living in the United States of America. Things around here are going to be even more quiet over the next week or two. So, enjoy this next unedited chapter of A Cup of Conflict!

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Three days later, the imperial procession entered the Jing capital. I tried not to gawk as if I were a child fresh from a tiny village, but it was impossible not to do so. The surrounding land, while not barren, was devoid of anything longer than tiny blades of grass. The lack of high vegetation made the walls four-story-high walls appear far taller. All minor buildings were three leagues from the stone base. The Jing people took the prohibitions concerning plant growth and out buildings near city walls far more seriously than we did in Issura, a subject I would need to bring up the next time I spoke with Duke White Eagle.

Chengzhou was much, much larger than Standora. As the city had grown over the centuries, a series of concentric walls had been built around the new stores and homes. Sister Yin Li had dropped back to ride with Luc and me as we approached the city’s Eastern Gate. She pointed out the next wall under construction a half league from the gate in front of us. Men and women dug the deep pit needed to support the massive stone fortress that would eventually surround Chengzhou. I wondered construction had started before Po’s half-brother had been assassinated.

She didn’t need to mention we avoided any delays with the bureaucracy while entering the city as part of the imperial party. For once on this blasted trip, Reverend Father Biming proved his worth.

Captain Huizhong and his men took point as we wove our way through the wide streets. Their announcement of the crown prince’s presence was a contradiction. More people flooded the streets, but they kept well out of the imperial party’s way. The people bowed deeply, and they did not rise until the last guard passed them.

In the meantime, Yin Li pointed out significant sites. I wasn’t the only one enthralled by the art and architecture. The sister’s son Yin Shang stared in wonder at the people and surrounding buildings. It struck me it had been nearly two years since he’d left Jing with his mother.

At approximately the same age I had been when I had been forced to leave Orrin.

While Yin Li identified specific monuments and dispensed stories about them, I looked at the boy on top of his shaggy pony. “How much do you remember of your birth city, Master Yin Shang?”

“No much,” he admitted shyly. “It’s like coming to someplace new.” He glanced at his mother and added softly, “I only remember I didn’t want to leave Father when Mother was told to go to Issura.” He looked up at me. “Do you think I had a premonition something bad would happen to Father?”

The child’s insight took me by surprise. “I do not know. I’ve never had any experience with foresight. Have you spoken to your mother about this?”

He shook his head. “Uncle Po, er, the emperor said I should not say anything to Mother because it would trouble her. I don’t want to hurt her in any way. He also said if I was ever in need of an honest answer, I should ask you.”

I smiled at the boy, vaguely amused Po put that much trust in me. I knew he was quite fond of Yin Shang, and the soon-to-be-crowned emperor looked forward to having his own children. I didn’t know if Shi Hua was aware she was with child yet, but I had learned my lesson about addressing such a matter before the mother-to-be or the potential father announced the coming babe. I had nearly destroyed my cordial relationship with the Duke of Orrin and Lady Katarina over her first pregnancy.

“And what did the emperor say when you asked him if you had foresight?” I asked.

The boy shrugged. “He said the Temples would determine my talents when I was a bit older.”

“Do you wish to serve the Temples?”

Yin Shang glance at his mother’s back before he looked at me again. “Part of me wants to because Father and Mother serve.” A mischievous grin spread across his face. “However, I learned a great deal while we were aboard the Mars Tranquilis. Perhaps I could serve the emperor by working on a ship.”

“I think the emperor would gladly have you serve him in any capacity you both agree on.”

My answer seemed to please the boy, and we both paid more attention to his mother’s gracious discourse.

Our travel through the city wasn’t a straightforward as it would have been in the cities of Issura. Whenever we reached an inner wall, we would have to traverse left or right to reach the actual gate. It was a maze that would have confounded even the builders of the Crimson Palace in Ryukyu. Both invaders and prisoners would have difficulty getting through the gate system even if they knew the city intimately. No doubt Chengzhou’s architects planned for such things.

What surprised me most was the number of parks within each set of walls. They were as well kept as those in the Ryukyuan capital. The first flowers of spring blossomed in their beds, and brilliant yellow buds glowed at the tips of the small trees and bushes’ blue branches. It was a reminder of how close we were to the Spring Rituals. What’s wrong? Luc whispered in my mind.

Just my usual trepidation at this time of year, I replied.

At least we’re not in Tandor this year.

His jibe didn’t make me feel better. You will still be expected to bed some of the local priestesses. He was silent for a long moment before he whispered, After what Gerd did to you and Claudia, I doubt I would be able to perform for fear of some tragedy striking the woman.

His fear surprised me. My birth mother is dead. She cannot touch either of us ever again.

And I refuse to hurt you ever again.

I swallowed my bitterness at the strength of his declaration. Despite the months I spent under Child’s care, the old emotions surged through me. I hoped I would have time to myself to meditate, but I doubted I would have such privacy before First Night.

Yin Li’s running commentary slowed as we passed through the middle wall gate. This wall was much thicker than the last. At the third gate, I noticed the sentries on the parapets were no longer imperial troops, but Temple wardens and clergy. However, they were too high for me to clearly read their shoulder emblems.

“By the Twelve, how did the demons enter the city with this many priests and priestesses about?” I said in Issuran.

“There’s usually not this many Conflict wardens and clergy guarding the inner walls,” Yin Li replied in kind. “Nor as many soldiers manning the outer walls and patrolling the streets.”

“So, you do have Peacekeepers?” Luc asked.

The priestess nodded solemnly. “The extra guards are a response to the winter attack.”

Inside the third wall, large buildings clearly marked as guild houses interspersed with manors housing the noble class, the various philosophical schools, and high-class inns. Each structure was larger than Duke Marco’s castle and the Orrin Government House put together. Small storefronts were housed in the corners of the guild buildings. From the quality of goods, they had been obviously made by masters. The inns had similar corner shops where visitors to the inner city could purchase meals and drinks to eat on the street-side terraces.

As we passed these buildings on the way to the imperial palace, the quiet obeisance to Po continued. I watched facial features and colors of bodies as we passed. While the merchants, common tradespeople and families had largely been relieved at their new emperor’s return, the feelings switched within the inner wall. Guild masters, their journeypeople, and staffs had mixed feelings, but nobles and the school staffs were perturbed though they did not openly express their hostility.

I could feel Luc watching through my eyes, silently comparing his impressions with mine.

This is not good, he said.

It’s not as if we believed Po would be received with open arms by the nobility, I replied sourly.

Luc snorted. Duke Lixin didn’t sweeten the news either.

I smiled at him. Duke Lixin has no taste for more power. If it wasn’t for his family, I think he’d be perfectly happy quietly farming in a small corner of Jing.

Luc chuckled as the imperial procession swung south. At Yin Li’s sharp glance, he quickly sobered.

I could smell the perfumed air before we reached the Temple District. As I expected, as I expected, the next turn opened onto the avenue of the Twelve. The temples themselves put the ones in the Ryukyuan capital of Naha to shame. Nor did they resemble the layered buildings in Haung He. The Temples were out-and-out fortresses.

High walls surrounded each complex except for the main doors and the twelve steps leading to the entrance. The symbols of each Temple were inscribed with gold inlays on the lintel posts. Carved jade decorated the massive bronze doors of the main entrances. A palpable sense of worry emanated from the clergy, wardens, and staff as we passed. It was almost a relief compared to the animosity of the nobles.

“There’s only one gate each for the two inner walls?” I quietly asked Yin Li.

Her slight nod was my only acknowledgement. She kept her eyes forward.

That must have been how the Temples and imperial guards kept the demons from spilling out to devour the civilians when they attacked the palace. Emperor Chengwu and his family were a high cost to pay for the rest of the nation. Did the people here even understand what had been done by the Reverend Mothers and Fathers to save their lives?

Even worse, did it matter if the nobles or school masters failed to acknowledge their new emperor?

Wednesday, February 14, 2024

A Cup of Conflict - Chapter 5

I've been struggling to finish the edits on Magick and Murder. In order to clear my frustration, I finished Chapter 5 of A Cup of Conflict. Here's the new unedited chapter. I hope you all enjoy it.

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Luc sucked in a breath to reprimand Mateqai, but I silently said, Don’t my love. He is no longer your warden.

Thankfully, Luc relaxed a bit. However, Shi Hua turned to her captain of the empress’s guard. Her expression was neutral, but her irritation grated along my psyche. “Heed your place, Captain.”

He dropped his gaze. “I beg forgiveness, my empress.” But his own worry and suspicion were barely under control. A fact not lost on any of the clergy or former priestess in the room, including Darys.

She raised her chin. “If it will ease your guards’ fears, Your Majesty, I will submit to formal questioning. In making my suggestion, I did not wish to waste your valuable time.”

Po stopped playing with the beads on his moustache. A whisper of his old, sly smile tilted his lips. “What say you, Lady Justice?”

I looked at the Skoloti priestess. Her skin didn’t change from its warm yellow. I turned back to Po. “This isn’t a formal investigation. Sister Darys voluntarily revealed her knowledge of her Reverend Mother of Balance’s prophecy to me. While I trust Captain Mateqai’s advice, I don’t want to allow any prejudice I might have against two specific members of Thief affect your nation’s relations with the Skoloti tribes.”

Po chuckled at my reference to Biming and Ogusuku, the Reverend Father of Ryukyu’s Temple of Thief. My acknowledgement of Mateqai’s concerns seemed to mollify the former warden. His skin shift from orange to gold.

Po inclined his head. “Tell us your story, Sister.”

“As I said a moment ago, our Revered Mother of Balance had her vision thirty-three years ago,” Darys began. “At this time, she was technically a novice of the Temple.” She glanced at me. “I don’t know how such things are done in Issura, but for us, those novices, who are ready, take their final vows at the end of the Spring Rituals. Assignments are made so when the tribes split and go to their grazing lands or hunting grounds during the summer, they have sufficient clergy to care for the people until the Vintner’s festival. The final vows happen during the last night of the Rituals. While she was reciting her oath to Balance, she went into a trance and spoke in an odd voice.”

She closed her eyes. “In thirty winters, the last demon attacks will start. A babe will be born, touched by Balance, but with a unique sight. She will lead the last battle because she can detect demons through their disguises. You will know her because her eyes will be the color of her birth mother’s Temple.”

Darys’s eyelids fluttered open. “No one knew what to make of her words, though Balance clerks and Knowledge clergy had the presence of mind to record what she said. When she finished speaking, she collapsed to the ground. After the healers roused her, she did not remember speaking.

“She recovered and took her vows, but she remained with the Reverend Mother of Balance instead of departing with the tribe she had been assigned to. Over the years, our Temples searched for signs of demon activity. The Reverend Mother of Balance at the time consulted all the records she had as well as the other eleven Temples. Justices queried their counterparts in neighboring territories. Other Balance Temples were contacted through distance speakers.”

Darys chuckled. “It started a philosophical debate about whether a sighted justice was actually a justice. Others believed the blessed justice would develop a spell to pierce the demons ability to shapeshift. It was all theory until word came from traders about Issura’s Red Justice.”

“Please do not call me that.” My request was halfway between a snarl and a plea.

“No offense was intended, Lady Justice.” Darys inclined her head by way of apology. “It is merely the description we received.”

“It means something else in Issura,” I muttered.

“Why is this prophecy such a secret?” Luc asked.

“It isn’t,” Darys said. “At least not among the Skoloti clergy. I cannot speak for other nations, but our Temple of Balance did send notice of the prophecy to their sister Temples. \”

“Your people are known for your oracles among your orders,” Shi Hua said. “Isn’t that correct?”

Darys nodded. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Do the other nations’ Temples often disregard the foresight of your fellow clergy?” Shi Hua asked.

Another chuckle from the Skoloti priestess. “I cannot speak on behalf of foreign Temples, Your Majesty.”

“But your own people take these prophecies as truth, correct?” Shi Hua asked.

“We take any foresight quite seriously,” Darys said. “However, understanding a prophecy isn’t always as straight forward as we would wish. For instance, this divination did not specify how the justice obtains her method of detecting demons. Another facto,r as the Chief Justice will tell you, relates to the future constantly moving because our decisions and actions change based on what we perceive. And that perception is not always accurate.”

“This particular prophesy seems rather accurate.” Po smiled. “It would explain the desperate attempts of the Assassins Guild and their partners to eliminate you, Anthea.” “Yes, it does,” I replied dryly.

Darys’s information also troubled me greatly. None of my sisterhood back in Issura I’d spoken with in my careful inquiries had known about this prophecy. Reverend Mother Alara had only mentioned it to me after I’d discovered the renegades had quietly taken over Orrin’s Temple of Love.

At the time, I’d though my superior had been playing with me. Now, I wondered why she kept silent about this prophesy, especially after I had given myself my peculiar eyesight. Was she that appalled I was the sighted justice?

That would have made for sense if I didn’t suspect the traitor within Issura’s Temple of Balance was Reverend Mother Alara herself.

“Is there anything else you wish to know?” Darys asked.

Everyone in the room watched for my reaction.

“Not at this time, Sister,” I said. “You have given me much new information to consider. However, may I please speak with you again if I do have a question?”

“Of course.” She nodded.

“As for your request for information—” I began.

“You do not have to tell me, Lady Justice.” Darys frowned. “I was not aware you have had previous troubles with the Assassins Guild.”

“Do you withdraw your request because of your Temple’s former association with the Assassins Guild?” I deliberately raised an eyebrow.

“No, I’m withdrawing my request because I understand your issue with Reverend Father Biming.”

Part of me liked the Thief priestess, but she was one I’d need to keep an ear open for. Just like Biming. However, her insightfulness could be useful. Or very, very dangerous. I wish I knew for sure.

“Which issue is that?” I asked mildly.

She hesitated a moment, but her color did not change. “I learned from one of Duke Lixin’s men that the Ryukyuan Reverend Father of Thief tried to interfere with that kingdom’s installation of their new Reverend Mother of Balance and to force you to stay in Ryukyu in his custody, not Balance’s. He also said Reverend Father Biming conspired with the Ryukyuan Reverend Father of Thief to accomplish such deeds.”

“Which of the duke’s men did you speak with, and what else did this guard convey to you?”

I recognized Po’s cool tone. It was the same one he’d used with me after I’d discovered he’d tortured and executed an assassin within the walls of the Jing Embassy. I had been furious the man hadn’t been properly questioned by a justice before being officially tried and convicted. However, an embassy was considered part of its nation’s territory and I had no say in Po’s disposition of the assassin. It angered me more Po had discovered the traitor thanks to the tracking spell I’d asked the Orrin Temple of Light perform during our investigation of Sister Gretchen of Love’s murder.

“It was Ma Li.” Now, the Skoloti priestess’s color did change to a dull orange. Was she embarrassed about gossiping? Or was she irritated that she wasted a good source of information? I couldn’t tell. No emotion leaked from her shielded mind.

Po glanced at Huizhong who stood to the crown prince’s right and a step behind his chair. “Captain?”

“Yes, my emperor!” The head of Po’s personal guard executed a smart bow to his liege. He turned to me. “If you will, Lady Justice?”

I dissolved my wards with a murmured word, and Huizhong departed. I prayed to the Twelve his only task was to reprimand this unfortunate Ma Li.

“Is there anything you wished to discuss, Chief Justice?” Po asked.

“No, Your Majesty,” I shook my head. “I wanted to keep you and the empress apprised since you were kind enough to warn me of the price the Assassins Guild had placed on my head.” I deliberately didn’t mention Shi Hua had an even bigger price on hers according to the information the former emperor Chengwu had forwarded to his brother. I was sure it had alarmed Chengwu to see Po’s bodyguard, now wife, at the top of an Assassins Guild target list.

And it made me wonder if there had been a prophesy about Shi Hua as well.

Wednesday, January 17, 2024

A Cup of Conflict - Chapter 4

After spending my vacation travel time editing and a good month recovering from eye surgery, I'm slowly getting back into the writing groove. Here's next unedited chapter of A Cup of Conflict.

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Later that night, I supped by myself in a tavern at the next caravanserai. As alone as I could be. Long Feather and Jonata sat at a nearby table where they could watch me without them being in my line of sight. Yet, I couldn’t avoid the familiarity of their spirits.

Darys stalked up to my table and straddled the bench on the other side. Her wardens moved past us, no doubt joining my own guards at the table behind me.

“You can’t continue blaming yourself for random misfortune,” she boldly stated in Issuran.

I straightened. “You have no real knowledge about me. And you are stepping beyond your rank, Sister.”

“Maybe I am,” she replied. “However, I am not your enemy, Chief Justice. We have the same duty to perform—keep the Jing emperor alive long enough to reach Chengzhou.”

“Go away.”

“I see.” She smiled and switched to Jing. “Do you truly believe that by driving away other people, your heart will not be broken by loss?”

However, I wasn’t falling for her trap, and I refused to play her word games. “You are not from Child, and this is a public place,” I snapped in Issuran.

She shook her head, but she resumed speaking in Issuran. “Maybe you should speak with one of Shang’s people. You’re not the only one who has lost comrades in this war, and I have no doubt I will lose people I care about before it’s over.”

I relaxed a bit. “So, you believe the demon war is not over?”

“Balance is noted for saying exactly what She means, Lady Justice.” Darys shrugged. “According to Her Revelation at the Kemet capital, we have one more generation to go before we will defeat the demons.”

It was my turn to test the Thief priestess. Using my eating sticks, I retrieved a vegetable from my bowl and held it up. “What is this?”

Darys frowned at my abrupt change of subject. “I don’t know the Issuran word for it, but the Jing term is ‘pak choi’. Our Temple of Knowledge says it’s related to cabbage.”

“Sister, do you think the other plants in the garden miss this particular pak choi?”

“I don’t know.”

“You seem to spend a great deal of time with Knowledge,” I said. “Do they have any treatises on the emotions and intelligence of plants?”

“I’ve never searched for such information before.” Her frown deepened. “What is the purpose of your question?”

“During our trip to DinĂ©, Brother Sisquoc of Wildling and I discussed why the demons focus on humans and not any other life form in the World.” I examined the leafy chunk of vegetable. “According to the Temple of Wildling, all life is interconnected. If we have thoughts and feelings, and animals have the similar thoughts and feelings according to the Wildlings’ experiences, he conjectured that plants must as well.”

“It makes sense,” she murmured. “Don’t justices pull the memories of stones and plants to learn of deeds around them?”

I nodded. “So, how could anything have a memory if it didn’t also have thought?”

“By your logic, it cannot.” Darys propped her elbows on the table. “Therefore, memories are thoughts we’ve recorded within our spirits. However, I still don’t understand the purpose of your line of questioning.”

“What’s special about humans then?”

“Maybe it is the similarities between humans and the demons that attract them to us.” She paused as the tavern girl asked for her choice in drink and whether the priestess wanted dinner.

Once the girl scurried toward the kitchen, Darys eyed me again. “There’s also the fact they eat us and wear our skins as we would another animal’s. Is this what concerns you? How closely the demons resemble us?”

“Yes,” I said. “And our one fault is we do not regard each other with the same respect we should show to all living things. I believe they regard us with same belief that we have for the animals and plants that nourish us. The only difference is we fight back.”

She shook her head. “You are certainly not what I expected.”

“What’s that supposed mean?” I glared at her.

“According to our own Reverend Mothers of Balance, the prophesized justice who can see would be the one who leads the final battle. I pictured you as a great hero. Someone of conviction. Not someone who doubts her purpose.”

I froze. This was the first time I’d heard about the prophesy outside of Reverend Mother Alara. Maybe the old bat wasn’t yanking my emotions around after all.

Darys frowned. “Have I offended you, Lady Justice?”

“May we continue this discussion in my quarters after you’ve finished your meal?” My tongue wanted to choke on my words. “This is not a conversation we should have in public.”

“Of course.” Darys inclined her head. “You are correct. I should not have mentioned the subject in a public place.”

“And I apologize for my behavior on the road,” I said. “I had no right to inflict my ill temper upon you.”

She smiled and nodded just as the tavern girl arrived with a full tray.

I finished my meal and sipped on another cup of Jing’s cool light-tasting beer while Darys consumed her own meal. We continued to speak of the differences between the Skoloti tribes and Issura, and she taught me a few more words in her language.

When we finished, we left the tavern and headed toward our assigned suites. Our wardens prowled behind us. The crowd parted away from our path, but from the mix of fear and anger wafting from the people, it had more to do with what my Temple robes represented than the recent demon attack on their capital city.

I silently requested Luc, Po, and Shi Hua attend my discussion with Darys as we climbed the steps of the caravanserai. This one was much larger than the caravanserai we had lodged in over the past ten days. It was five stories tall and built of stone, nearly a fortress in and of itself. Po said it acted as a warehouse for the goods flowing into and out of Chengzhou, but I had the impression commerce wasn’t the building’s original purpose.

When we reached the top floor, instead of mine and Luc’s stateroom, we headed toward the suite used by the imperial couple. These days, the Jing guards bowed to us as befitting foreign dignitaries while Mateqai escorted us to Po and Shi Hau’s private sitting room. It was an odd feeling concerning those who had accompanied us across the Peaceful Sea. I no longer viewed them by their rank, but rather honored comrades who survived that horrid voyage. However, it was necessary to adhere to the formalities, given our mission.

Inside the sitting room, Luc bowed before carefully lowering his body to a silk-covered cushion before the Jing emperor and his wife. Two other cushions lay on his right for me and Darys. Jing guards and our own wardens stood against the walls of the room.

Both Darys and I executed the appropriate bows for our ranks before I said, “With your permission, Your Majesty, I would like to ward the room.”

Po nodded and fingered the gold beads on the left-side of his moustache, an indication that he was worried about something. Shi Hua appeared exhausted, her normally bright smile a shadow of itself.

Darys sat on the far right cushion while I circled the room and muttered the words to the warding spell. After I finished, I dropped to the cushion between Luc and Darys. I turned to her.

“Please tell us everything you know concerning your Reverend Mother of Balance’s prophecy about the justice with sight.”

Darys blinked. “You don’t know?”

“The information has been withheld from me, and I have suspicions in regards to the reasons,” I replied. “Nor has the knowledge been shared with Temple of Light, according to the empress and High Brother Luc.”

She remained silent for a long moment. It was the first relatively normal Thief characteristic I’d seen her display since we left the coastal port of Huang He eleven days ago.

Finally, she nodded. “I will tell you about the prophesy on one condition—that you share will me whatever suspicions you have.”

“We’ll agree to your condition with one of own,” Shi Hua said. “You agree to be truthspelled.”

Darys nodded again. “Considering your issues with your own Reverend Father of Thief, I understand your worries, and I agree to your terms, Your Majesty.”

I sucked in a deep breath at the warm tingle of Shi Hua’s power, but Darys didn’t seem a bit surprised it was the Jing empress who laid the truthspell on her.

“If you would start your questioning, Lady Justice,” Po murmured.

Under our previous circumstances, I would have made a borderline rude reply to him about using me as bait. Now, all I felt from him was a gentle flow of trust. I was no longer an oddity he wished to seduce, but a useful ally. And from my discussion with Queen Teodora before we left Orrin, our liege regarded him in the same way.

I licked my lips, my mouth suddenly dry. It was one thing to have my suspicions. It was another to have them confirmed, which I had no doubt Darys was about to do.

“When did the Skoloti Reverend Mother of Balance have her premonition?” I murmured.

“Thirty-three winters ago.”

Gorge rose in my throat at the proximity of my conception to the Reverend Mother’s premonition.

“Can you give us the precise time of her prophecy?” Shi Hua asked.

“The Spring Rituals,” Darys and I said at the same time.

Everyone, even the guards and wardens, stared at me. I cleared my throat.

“Did she see the manner in which a justice would gain sight?” Luc asked.

“If you don’t mind, could I tell you the full story as I know it?” Darys smiled. “The tale will answer most of your questions. Then you can slice apart my recitation with your questions.” I glanced at Po.

He nodded and said, “Please continue with your story, Sister Darys.”

To my amazement, it was Mateqai who blurted, “Your Majesties, with all due respect, it would be best if Sister Darys were formally questioned.” He glared at the Skoloti woman. “We had more than enough issues with Thief to warrant it.”