"In the name of Lady Sun - the All-Mericiful, the All-Knowing, and the Life-Giving Lady Sun - I tell my tale. And my tale is true. As ture as any other tale that has ever been told..."
The Tale of the Robber and the Caliph, Part Two
Dusk settled into the most twisted recesses of Medinaat
al-Salaam first, but soon enough would enshroud the rest of the city as well.
Her citizenry would usually be packing up their wares and moving on to whatever
hovels they considered home by now, but with the festivities at their peak,
the merchants were still hard at work late into each evening. The Caliph,
high above them, clutched the thick stone railing of her balcony as she idly
considered events of the last twenty-four hours.
Rumors were arriving about a new leadership within the
Moto horsemen, one that could prove problematic for the city in the very
near future. Raids on the trade routes had momentarily stalled, but would
undoubtedly resume with increased fervor as soon as Kara, wife of Gaheris,
was able to consolidate her command. The Senpet, Yodatai and the rest would
be furious at the new, unknown quantity and demand aid in protecting their
goods.
A subtle knocking at the twin portal to her throne room
roused the Caliph from her long mental diatribe. Turning into the immense,
gilded chamber, she called for the offender to enter. A guard, burdened by
futilely disguised fear, shuffled past the cracked door and asked if she
was ready for the first of her prisoners to plead for their life. Almost
without a thought, she waved her hand back over her shoulder in acknowledgement,
then paused.
"Bring me the robber who spoke to me at the last yesterday,"
she ordered while pouring herself a healthy cup of purple wine.
The askaree hesitated, apparantly surprised by the Caliph's
words. "He is a... wordy child, Lady, and the dungeons are filled to overflowing
with other refuse that could better satisfy your thirst for bloo-"
"How is it you know what I thirst for?" the Caliph snapped.
She nearly blurted out an insult she had always fancied, but stopped short.
It was best; he would not have understood the term anyway. "Go and bring
me that boy. Now, or I'll have your head as the first upon the chopper's
block this evening."
Falling back into a muse even before the door was carefully
pulled shut, the Caliph wondered at what lies the little rat would have to
tell her this time...
* * *
Merciful Caliph, I applaud your judgement of entertainment
this night... as, I think, do many of the others in the bowels of this pitious
place.
I am sorry, Mistress. Those words were too harsh for
one of your station. Let me begin again. Where was I? Oh, yes, the
tunnels...
I had followed the glowing Ashalan into the sewers beneath
our Jewel, where I am told the worst horrors of the sands lie in wait. The
walls were slick with something left behind by former travelers whom I felt
better not picturing, and there was a smell like rotten candy.
The Ashalan continued down - three levels' depth before
he halted in front of a seemingly blank wall of mortared stone. Setting his
charge in the slow-draining muck at his feet, he went to work on a small
high spot high up its surface. It was then that I noticed for the first time
that the Senpet had been bound and gagged, not wounded as I had presumed.
The bindings themselves were most interesting. Heavily woven silks of a deep
scarlet, not unlike those used by your very own Khadi, if I am not
mistaken.
No, madam, I do not know who the man was. Only that he
was very far from home and quite unhappy with his current position. His eyes
darted from the azure man above him to the shadowy alcoves of the rank chamber,
swollen with terror.
What's that, my lady? I followed them out of curiosity,
of which I am cursed with in abundance. And because I have always been
fascinated by the mystics and their obscure talents. I'm sorry? Why did I
not flee the sewers when I had the chance? Well, I am getting to that
part...
The Senpet suddenly jerked aside, huddling close to his
captor's feet. His eyes had fixed on a grating in the center of the room,
and he began to shake violently. Without warning, the grating was flung out
of its mooring and sailed a dozen feet to land behind them, and from within
the garbage crusted hole emerged a horror the likes of which I had never
seen before and pray to Lady Sun I never see again.
All manner of waste clung to its glistening, skinless
form, and its eyes were nothing more than hollow sockets surrounding distant
glimmers of arcane life. As it clawed its way out through the flow of refuse
and bellowed an awful howl of rage or pain, I know not which, I finally took
the cue of the fleeting courage and ran.
I ran for the streets I know and love. I ran for the
rough arms of the Senpet or even al-Hazaad, who even then searched for me
above. I ran to anywhere away from the monsters that reside below this city.
In moments, I was back on her streets, coughing and spitting to rid myself
of the lingering stench of death. I was sure that I reeked of the worst she
had to offer, and needed a bath and new clothes.
What, mistress? No, there is not much more. I am sure
that I will be able to finish this tale before sunrise. If you insist...
I was in Peddler's Row, near enough to the dwelling of
an acquaintance of mine, Dharr. His master would be away at the Festival
grounds, but Dharr would not have been needed. So I ducked between the stream
of camles along the thoroughfare to remain unseen and unsmelt until arriving
there. The reception I recieved was not what I expected. Not at all.
Several men in the dark robes of the Khadi stood diligently
outside the door, and I could angry yelling from within. Sneaking along the
smooth side wall of the building, I knelt as close to the window that opened
onto the alley I was in. The voices there were those of Dharr's master and
another I did not recognize. Glancing within beyond the thin curtain, I could
see Dharr's master, his wife and child and a Khadi in heated discussion.
His daughter, whom I have come to know as Amru, was clutching closely to
the backs of her father's knees. The sorceror was screaming at the man about
her, telling him that the girl was the property of the Caliph and should
be given over.
What? The girl? I do not know why they would be so interested
in her, oh wise and all-understanding Caliph. She is the only child of a
simple craftsman. Shall I continue?
The arguement had reached a fever-pitch, and things were
going badly for the old man, when the Khadi went silent and leveled his gaze
upon him. Knowing enough about the Khadi not to watch their... rituals in
practice, I looked away. Upon returning my vision tot he scene, I found the
girl within the lifting arms of the Khadi. Dust was scattered about the floor
of the room and outlines of her parents were cast upon the opposing wall,
as if stained there by a riahsim.
I was complled to watch the rest of this drama unfold,
and still too happy to be out of the sewers to realize the dangers of my
actions. I had seen people die before, of course, and even a few at the hand
of magic, but this was something more disturbing, though I cannot tell you
why.
Amru was crying, balling like a baby, and struggled viciously
with the Khadi, who was headed for the door. But just several feet from the
front door, he halted, as if sensing something I could not. He turned to
the rear portal, peering closely at the veil of beads that hung there. A
figure stood beyond them, tall and dark-skinned, as a Senpet, with no hair
on his pate. As we watched, a nimbus of light gathered about his hands.
The Khadi seemed unable to move, and his eyes began to
widen. He struggled against the force that held him in place, and Amru fell
into a quiet whimpering. Tears streamed from his eyes, then blood, and he
crumpled into the floor without a sound. Dragging herself from the fast-deflating
corpse of the Khadi, Amru looked on the carnage of her home.
"Is there anything I can do, little one?" the man behind
the curtain asked.
A long moment of gathering strength welled within the
room before Amru answered. Then, pointing at the remains of the Khadi, she
said "Teach me to do that."
She carefully walked around the dust piles and beyond
the curtain and vanished...
