Utopia Falling, page 20
The parade paused, as did Derr, but he kept up, ever vigilant, ever watching. Dimenk dismounted and approached the Celebratorium. She spoke with a powerful voice. A voice demanding attention, like so much else about her. “We give thanks,” she said as she kneeled at the steps of the Celebratorium of the Gift of Love, folding her arms together, palms open, her head bowed low.
Opening her arms wide, she spoke to the crowd. “To Mother Earth, for the life she gives us. And for every day, we give thanks to Teth, a child of Mother Earth and Eurithian, Father Sun, the one true God in all the heavens. Teth, conceived out of the undying love of Father Sun, His gift to Mother Earth, the Gift of Love. And the love of a mother for her child, to nurture and to provide for. From Her love, all love flows through Teth to us. Through Teth, we can know love. Love of family, of a mother, of a father, brother, sister, and the love between us all.”
After a long pause for effect, Dimenk continued. “And the special love between whomever we hold close to our hearts as a choice we openly make.” With those words, the President stood and reached out to take the hand of her husband Tague, who had just stepped forward, as planned, and dutifully stood by his wife. “As I have chosen my love, my husband, my Tague.” They lifted their enjoined hands above their heads to the roaring approval of the crowd. The President had planned to say more, but as she and Tague stood there, hand in hand, she had the crowd. The multitudes roared. Both turned in unison, entwined hands held high, waving to everyone and no one in particular. They loved her at that moment. Derr could see it, and he was certain she could as well. It came as no surprise to Derr she ended it there with nothing more to be gained. She had done well, Derr admitted to himself.
Derr’s protective efforts continued as the nations’ leaders, each in turn, stopped to make dedications at the various Celebratoria of the Six Gifts. The day proceeded as expected. The leaders enthralled the gathered crowds, who welcomed the chance to brush up against such important people. All the while the pageantry reinforced the Temple of Life’s political influence.
Derr observed money flow throughout the day in small transactions. Many, many small exchanges that added up to vast amounts. Merchant’s coffers overflowed by the end of it all, turning untold profits. Children delighted at street performers and loved the pageantry of the parade. The underground economy flourished as well. Though it mattered little to Derr, Teth’s place of honor was secured for another year. The only outcome that interested Derr was the survival of his friend.
Through it all, Derr watched. He watched President Dimenk. He watched Prime Minister Larsed. He watched Provost Kwuinan. He watched his own First Lady. He watched the crowds, the street performers, the acolytes, the merchants, and he watched his unit as they performed their duties.
Through the efforts of his vigilance, his calculating mind, the KCG’s exhaustive planning, and his relentless watching, as the parade concluded, Chancellor Tomelai was still alive.
Home Is Where the Heart Is
Hensdale: 27th day of the Salmon Moon
Mithany | Mera
Tithe masters weren’t accustomed to doing much for the faithful save picking their pockets in the name of the Temple of Life. It came as quite a surprise to Mithany when Tithe Master Fegmin abruptly stopped along the road on the trio’s return trip from Owls Neck to Hensdale. He unexpectedly offered her, Arek, and Neladith a ride. Mithany had completed over half the mentally tortuous journey and welcomed the offer. Midday on the Feast of Teth had improved considerably for Mithany after the pair of heart-stopping events she’d endured earlier.
Uneventful as the ride back to Hensdale proved to be, the lack of further excitement gave Mithany the chance to share Arek’s attention along the way. After arriving in Hensdale, dropping Neladith off at the Forest Maiden Inn—telling Arek she had something to do and would catch up with him later that night—Tithe Master Enlist ferried Mithany and Arek to Reyne’s home.
Tithe Master Fegmin waved as he approached the four men seated on the porch. “I have something for you,” he yelled out to Reyne, and the others.
Mithany leaped off the back of the wagon in a flash, running with open arms. Reyne sprung from the porch and sprinted to his soon-to-be wife. Stumbling, she almost went down, but there was Reyne, arms extended, to catch her.
In the clasp of Reyne’s tight embrace, joy coursed through her every pore.
He’s okay. The thought rang in her mind like a tower bell clanging again and again. He’s okay.
The world was right for all she cared. Tilting her head back, looking up at Reyne, she held his face in upstretched hands. Tears filled her eyes. Shaking uncontrollably, her teeth almost rattled. Being in his arms untethered the passion she’d kept in check, hiding behind the fear of uncertainty.
Reyne lifted her off her feet. She smacked her lips forcefully against his, and the kiss seemed to go on without end. She poured everything she had in her small frame into that kiss.
“Agghh, you two have to do that in front of everybody?” Daedyn frowned. “Nobody wants to watch that.”
Indifferent to Daedyn and the rest of the world, Mithany playfully bit Reyne’s lower lip as she gradually released him from their embrace. Her feet remained off the ground, either because Reyne still held her tight or she was floating on air at the sight of him.
“I was so worried about you. You’re okay. I’m so relieved,” she repeated in the excited squeal of a schoolgirl.
“What happened?”
“Were you knocked out?”
“Where was Daedyn?”
She rattled off question after question, happy to see the man she so deeply loved but curious about what took place while she was in Owls Neck.
Enlist interrupted the enthralled lovers from his position on the tithe cart to address Reyne, “I didn’t see I’d bumped into you earlier, near the square. I’m so sorry. People told me about it after. I honestly didn’t even know what happened. I would have stopped. You got to understand, I would’ve stopped,” he said apologetically.
The tithe master’s words appeared to filter into Reyne’s consciousness, as he seemed to be intently focused on Mithany in his arms.
“You know it goes against all Temple regs for any of us to give anyone a ride. Picking up Mithany was my way of apologizing.”
Reyne scowled at Enlist, but Mithany gave him her soft, round puppy eyes and his expression quickly changed. He said to the tithe master, “The heck with it. Don’t worry about it. We’re even now that you gave Mithany a ride.”
Arek objected, “Hey, what about me? He gave me a ride, too.”
Reyne beamed at Mithany without turning to face Tithe Master Enlist. “Apology accepted.”
“I was on my way back from a quick tithe collection trip in Owls Neck when I came across the three of them. You’ve got to hear Arek’s story about a Great Yetgnal.”
Tithe master was mostly a descriptive title the Temple of Life used to lessen the blow of paying taxes to the Temple. A tithe master was the Temple’s tax collector, and everyone knew it plain and simple. When tithing became part of the Temple of Life, no one in Hensdale could say. It was a practice Reyne grew familiar with throughout his life. Based on the stories his late father told, it was part of his father’s life and his father’s father’s life before that.
Reyne and Daedyn believed in the cause of feeding the poor, donating as much as they could every year to the Temple of Life as their tithe. The brothers ignored the tithe demanded by the Temple bean counters for even more, without fear of consequences. There weren’t any, if only for alphen producers. So, it was quite a surprise to Mithany, who did most of the financial accounting work for the brother’s business, when Tithe Master Enlist offered her a ride.
“I wanted to see if you were alright. Seems you are. Again, I’m sorry for what happened. I’m gonna head back now. We’ll settle up after the harvest.”
Mithany laughed to herself. It seemed Enlist didn’t have the courage to ask the brothers for the expected, exorbitant payment of one hundred barrels of alphen nuts after almost running Reyne over.
Waving one hand high in the air, Enlist shouted with his back to the small gathering, “I’ll be back in a few weeks after the harvest.”
Daedyn and Reyne took turns recounting Reyne’s accident, bringing Mithany and Arek up to speed. They spoke of Mera as well and how he helped Reyne. At a different time, she might have been more interested in Mera but with the excitement of finding Reyne up and about after the frightening news she had heard earlier, Reyne was all she could think about.
With great interest, Mithany listened. She anchored herself next to Reyne, holding his arm in hers with her head nestled in his shoulder. The Goddess Teth couldn’t move her from his side.
Arek was milling about, not seeming to care for the details that Mithany ate up with every word.
“Would you stop pacing!” Daedyn insisted upon Arek.
“Daedyn, you gotta listen to this. I got a great story. You won’t believe what I saw,” Arek said, continuing to dance around much to Mithany’s amusement.
“You have to forgive him. We didn’t return alone. Our boy here met up with a pretty young thing while we were over in Owls Neck. He spent the night with her. I’m not sure why, but she came back with us. She elected to get dropped off at the Maiden. You’ll get a chance to meet her at some point, I suspect, given how fond Arek is of her. I’m surprised they’ve been apart this long.” Poking a playful jab at her brother, she added, “And I suspect he is eager to get back to her.”
“Oh, come now, Sis. Of course you know why. For some more of this.” Arek ran his hands over his body. “And besides, who’s the one who had to run back here even before we did what we went to Owls Neck for?” A smirk aimed at Daedyn and Reyne crossed his face. “You know what it’s like with a woman for the first time.”
Shoulders shrugged, hands apart and pointing in Mithany’s direction, Reyne shot back, “Hey, dickhead! That’s your sister. No, I don’t know.”
Whether it was true, it was the right thing to say. At least it’s what Mithany expected of him. The Gift of Love held out free love as one pillar of faith, but Temple doctrine didn’t give the engaged couple free rein as far as Mithany was concerned. In her heart, she knew Reyne felt the same. Having grown up with both Reyne and Daedyn, she had heard more than a fair number of first-time experiences the brothers boasted about while in her presence—before she and Reyne became an item.
Thinking it was mostly truthful, Mithany appreciated Reyne’s reply for his fellow studs to hear. She understood men well, better than most, and certainly better than other women her age. She understood Reyne’s acquiescence cost him standing in their boys’ club.
“It’s okay, choirboy,” she told Reyne, stroking his back and almost laughing as she spoke. “I’m here for you now. I’m all the first-time you’re ever goin’ to need.” She paused for effect, then added, “Or you’re ever goin’ to get,” before kissing him devilishly on the cheek.
Reyne blushed. “Right you are, my dear. Right you are.”
She heard more than words in his reply. His tone reached her down to her bones. His gaze said he wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of his life with an exceptional, intelligent, attractive, and funny woman—her.
Reaching for Reyne’s hand, sliding her palm into his, she looked up at him. It’s always in the eyes, and his seem to be smiling at me. She could see all the love she ever wanted in the way he looked at her. Warmth tingled in her body, and as it coursed through her, it settled in her loins. She giggled. Sometimes it’s not in the eyes.
Walking past the two young lovers, Daedyn slapped his brother on the back. “You two need some time alone. We can all get outta here for a while.” Looking over at Arek, Daedyn gave a knowing head nod and a wink. “Let’s leave these two alone.”
“What’s the matter, no one special in your life?” Mithany said to Daedyn in response to jabs he aimed at her man. Turning to her brother, she added, “And as for you, I’m guessing the moment you leave this little gathering, you’re heading back to the Maiden to find your new friend.”
Arek observed, “She’s smarter than she looks.”
“I’ve got to give him credit for this one,” Mithany said. “She’s got quite the body, long red hair, and those haunting red eyes. I’ve never seen eyes like that before. Almond-shaped, and they come in captivating red. She’s got him under her spell.” Looking over at her brother, offering him an evil little smirk of her own, she teased, “I can guess what she used to cast her spell on you, and it wasn’t just those red eyes.”
Daedyn jumped in, “Red eyes. Never seen that before.”
Reyne followed with, “Me neither.”
While unnoticed by the others sitting on the porch, Mera’s head snapped around mid-sentence at Mithany’s description of Neladith. He was otherwise engaged in conversation with Brenal but stopped listening to the old man when his brain caught up with his ears.
Brenal continued talking to Mera, but he was no longer listening. He strained to hear the others, waiting to confirm what Mithany said. The coloring of the woman’s eyes meant nothing to anyone else other than the curiosity of a rare affectation.
Mera knew better.
Daedyn and Reyne roared in laughter at Mithany’s observations of Arek and Neladith. Arek gave a look back at the five of them that told them he didn’t care if they laughed.
“Spell or no spell, and regardless of what wonders she used to cast it, Sis, I’m a lucky boy. And yes, those eyes aren’t all that makes her so special.”
Mithany wanted to say, “Oh, little brother, you’re a pig. The Gift of Flesh has its purpose—to produce children.” But she didn’t.
There wasn’t condemnation in her thoughts. She came to expect little from most men his age. Her brother was no exception. Reyne was, though. And then there was the Gift of Flesh to consider. It no longer fulfilled its original intention, regardless of what the Temple of Life leadership thought.
Nestled close to Reyne, Mithany told her brother, “Reyne is different. And in a few days, we’ll be married.”
“Oh, I still gotta tell you a story about a Great Yetgnal and me,” Arek excitedly announced, looking about for the correct time. “Shit. Don’t have time. Can’t tell you right now. Gotta get back to town. You understand. And, Sis, don’t go tellin’ ‘em anything about the Great Yetgnal. I want to tell ‘em myself. Promise.”
He didn’t wait for her reply. The eager young man leaped down from the porch, running off, heading for the Forest Maiden where he expected to enjoy his favorite of the Six Gifts the Temple of Life encouraged all to observe.
Mithany pursed her lips and shook her head, watching her brother run off. “There he goes. Off to find his new plaything.”
Ignoring Mithany, Mera’s thoughts raced. Neither did he pay any attention to Arek running off down the dirt road. He locked on the words Mithany used to describe Arek’s new friend.
Red eyes.
That changes everything!
Anything Is Possible
Teth: 27th day of the Salmon Moon
Derr | Tomelai
Derr let himself relax the tiniest bit, with Chancellor Tomelai safely back in the Temple Palace complex. Safer, anyway, than the streets of Teth. The suite of rooms provided to the Adelleian delegation were as spacious as they were remote. Derr’s team made the arrangements with Razoal, requesting lodging for Tomelai, himself and the Chancellor’s top courtiers in the Palace’s remotest settings. Why Razoal accommodated Derr’s request without tit-for-tat puzzled him, yet he accepted the gesture. The relative isolation afforded Derr the opportunity to implement even tighter security precautions. The safety of Tomelai was his only concern, regardless of Razoal’s out-of-character acquiescence.
Like many of the guest suites inside the Temple Palace, scene depictions from the Book of Teth adorned the Chancellor’s room. Derr paid it no mind. Tomelai unbuckled his sword belt, dropping the ceremonial rapier and scabbard to the ground. Derr watched it fall from his perch near the door. “I like you better with ornamental steel, Rotti. You shouldn’t have jumped into the fray this morning. You almost got us both killed. Keeping you alive is my job. You fucked it all up.”
“We are alive, Drew. That is all that matters.”
“Hard to argue with. By the way, where’s Kaythlin?”
“I sent her out to mingle with my entourage. She’s reviewing the day’s events and reveling in my performance at the Celebratorium of Knowledge. She’s setting the tone for Adelle’s elites, subtly demonstrating how they are expected to speak of this day and of her husband’s grand performance when they all return to the capital city of Tandure.” Tomelai bowed and followed with abroad sweep of his arm. “Her script will say I was magnificent.”
“At least you will be in all the stories, Rotti. Like sheep, they’ll follow her lead. The desire to remain in her good graces is a strong motivator. Good idea sending Kaythlin.”
“She will see to it they dare not stray from the glowing terms she is only now so gently laying down as the official view of the day’s events. It is funny, Drew. An off-handed conversation with Kaythlin, so seemingly fortuitous, so gracefully presented and so well spoken, will have such force behind it they dare not contradict her account of the day.”
“Not unless they care to see their standing jeopardized. She may not hold office but she has your ear. A woman of power, intelligence, grace, she’s not only captivated the ruling class, but she plays them all so well.”
“Kaythlin and I are a well-matched team. Who works the court for every foible, flaw, desire, or ambition better than her? How many times have you two chatted over the weaknesses she uncovers and how best to exploit them? She is a gem.”
