Retribution

Kuvash, Capital of Koton

We spent four days on the road, sleeping in basic hillside taverns. We ate freshly hunted meat by the dwindling flames of ancient hearths. Between the major cities of Detrata and Koton was a harsh landscape. People did not live here, they survived. What wasn’t forest was scrubland, populated by those hardy and determined enough to make the best of terrible conditions. Farmers had long been forced to create terraces to grow their crops and we could see them working in the fields from dusk till dawn. Goats, with their remarkable balance, were navigating the steep hillsides and fists of granite that pushed through the scrub. Boar clattered through the undergrowth of copses.

The human company out here was nothing like the relative conviviality of Bathylan. In taverns men and women stared silently into their drinks. When they did talk, they discussed things such as sickening horses and failing crops. The disparity between this and my birthplace of Tryum, a city of high culture, where politics and art were discussed as frequently as the weather, was noticeable. Here people did not have the luxury to discuss intellectual matters — but were mainly concerned with getting through each day alive. This was how communities had existed for thousands of years. It made Tryum look rather petty.

People regarded Leana with a predictable caution. No matter where we travelled in the less cosmopolitan regions of Vispasia, there would always be a second glance her way because of her dark-brown skin. Even I, who possessed some of the colours of the desert inherited from my Locconese mother, did not seem especially welcome judging by the glances. So we kept a low profile. We ate quietly, away from others, and contemplated the journey ahead. Our silence served to help us fit in with the stoic community.

Only on one night did I suffer a seizure. It had been mild — perhaps a few heartbeats long at the most. ‘No more than a severely disturbed dream,’ Leana related to me in the morning. Thankfully I still had a small supply of the tisane I had bought from an apothecary in Tryum, a concoction that was supposed to help with such things. If anywhere the wilds of Koton were perhaps the ideal place for me to suffer an episode — away from prying eyes, away from somewhere word could spread that I had been cursed by the gods.

If it were known that I suffered these fits my reputation would be tainted; even my compatriots within the Sun Chamber wouldn’t trust me. It was better that it remained a secret for as long as possible. Only Leana knew and, because of her different beliefs, she did not care about them. If only I could think the same way.

Eventually we neared the sprawling, hilltop city of Kuvash, the capital of Koton. Though there was a central settlement of large stone structures, out towards the fringes were sprawling tented areas.

To the east, dozens of horses were roaming freely on the grassy slopes and running across the plains — the whole herd flowing together like flocks of starlings in a late spring sky.

Closer to us herds of white cattle — in spectacular numbers — were being driven by young boys on horseback, whooping and hollering to keep their charges moving. Like Leana, they rode without a saddle and she looked at them approvingly then threw a mocking glance at my well-padded Detratan saddle.

The road took us through the tented settlements. Woodsmoke spiralled up from within the homes, only to be taken away by the wind. Men and women stood outside wearing more primitive clothing than I’d imagined. Rows of vegetables had been planted all around the area. Severed animal heads stood on poles as decorations. There was no order and it had a temporary feel to it, as if the smiling faces could pack up their homes and leave at any time. Nearby stood what I took to be a crude temple; outside the structure was positioned a straw ox or bull. A woman in black robes began to set fire to the straw, and a solemn congregation trudged in a circle around it.

There was no outer wall to Kuvash. It was common knowledge that no Kotonese city had protective walls around its limits. If the Kotonese had an empire, and Kuvash was at the centre, the lack of walls might have suggested that these people had no need to fear invaders, that their empire’s military might was unsurpassed.

No, Kuvash’s lack of walls was symptomatic of something else: it was a sign of a nomadic people attempting to adjust to urbanization. It had been two hundred years since the start of the Vispasian Royal Union, two centuries since the people of Koton had been allocated their nation. Even after all that time, there were still signs of a culture in the process of settling down, and the products of instability. Old ways died slowly.

The more solid buildings of Kuvash were comprised of low structures spread over a steeply sloped area of the landscape. There were a few buildings of note that we could see: temples, of course, as well as old Detratan-style law courts that had survived the days of the Detratan Empire and since fallen into disrepair. Most notable of all, in the distance, was an immense white wall that contained a large area. It might have been the royal grounds, though it looked far too big for that.

Sulma Tan would probably be found there. We headed in that direction.

Urine from leather tanneries gave off a potent tang, even at this distance. The reek then mixed with horse manure and woodsmoke, gaining in intensity as we moved into the city. Dirt tracks eventually transitioned to firm stone roads, which were not as smooth as some cities I’d been in, but by no means the worst. The further inward we travelled, the sturdier the structures became — stone buildings of a practical design, without much care for ornamentation. Here and there were more formal, decorative structures, but they had fallen into disrepair, as if the more feral elements of civilization had reclaimed them and used the stone elsewhere.

Eventually the place began to appear more like a typical city. Its streets became straighter and more sensible, unlike those in Detrata which often curved and twisted randomly. Washing was strung up between windows, and children ran up and down lanes playing games. There were many cats on the streets, too, clustering together in bewildering numbers — some with scraps of food in their mouths, others padding along the walls above and peering down on passers-by. Despite the dreary shades of buildings and clothing, there was the occasional spark of colour: a strip of blue cloth for decorating horses, or a red prayer flag. And of course everywhere was the banner of Koton, a red stag upon blue. No variation in theme or texture, simply this same bold flag, in an array of sizes, as if they had been imposed rather than arranged naturally.

People stared at us as we rode by, so much so that I was beginning to wonder if we had breached some local etiquette. Due to their relative isolation, the people of Koton — or at least Kuvash — possessed a distinctive look. Their faces were generally broader, their hair darker than was usual in Tryum. It was unsurprising to see so few foreigners, since the place was away from major trade routes. The locals wore dreary clothing in shades of brown, grey and black, and some wore necklaces of animal bones. Others, perhaps of a different status, wore either leather or metal cuirasses, which had been crafted to look like snakeskin. In the centre of their breasts was a medallion featuring the stag from the nation’s banner.

People I took to be members of the City Watch carried bows, much like the famous mounted archers of Koton. Their horses, too, had decorative bridle fittings. In addition to a red cloak and blue tunic, the soldiers wore scaled leather cuirasses. However, their shields were some of the most elaborate I had ever seen, crafted to display some carved and painted face. Presumably this was once to frighten enemies on the battlefield, and had now become ornamentation.

We made our way through the complex, spiralling lanes of the city and arrived at the main gates of a white-walled compound. Its crenellated top must have been a good twenty feet high. After we dismounted, I had a quick conversation with some armed and helmeted soldiers. Dressed in the same reds and blues, they were manning the thick iron double gate that towered above us. Initially I tried speaking to them in broken Kotonese, but they gauged that Detratan was my natural tongue and, surprisingly, they preferred to use that language. And used it well.

‘It is a more cultured speech,’ one said. He had nervous mannerisms and bright eyes that couldn’t quite meet mine. He was too busy staring at my Sun Chamber brooch of a hollow, flaming sun. ‘So our queen tells us,’ added the other, much older one. He wore a ring fashioned as a small silver snake, and his beard was long and grey.

‘Does she indeed?’ I asked.

The two guards shared a glance. They didn’t reply to that question.

‘So is this where she lives?’ I continued. ‘Beyond these gates.’

‘Sort of — this is the Sorghatan Prefecture,’ the old guard replied. ‘Queen Dokuz Sorghatan lives further in, in her own palace. This is a rich district, and a lot nicer. Much safer than out there. Food’s better and you can drink the water without fear.’

People, horses and carts continued to roll by behind us, and the guards looked fiercely over our shoulders as if they were about to be besieged by invaders. A few people, curious as to what was inside, stepped closer to get a look at the gates, but the guards moved them on with sharp prods from their weapons.

‘They should know their place,’ the younger guard said.

‘Are the people not permitted entry?’

‘Only on certain days according to the Astran calendar, and even then we’ve been told to use our discretion and filter out the real riff-raff. There’s a lot of them, mind you. Only reputable traders and the like are allowed in. The queen keeps finding more and more reason to allow them in, but they’re better off out there, aye.’

My brooch was sufficient proof of my status as an Officer of the Sun Chamber. It was part of the myth that preceded us wherever we were despatched. Although I had other papers should it have been required, we were permitted in, and we walked our horses through the gates.

My breath was taken away by the sight before me.

Here was a new city entirely. Gaudy, golden colonnades stretched into the distance on each side. Lanes were paved with precision and the people who strolled along them wore resplendently coloured cloaks, fine boots and tunics. The smell of sweet incense came from large brass braziers that stood burning at street junctions. The buildings were made entirely of bright, clean stone, with barely a wooden beam in sight. A solitary man was brushing the spotless street.

This region reminded me of Regallum, the wealthiest district of Tryum, except — and I found it hard to believe — everything here was even more ornate. There were temples with garish bronze statues standing outside of a god I didn’t recognize.

Not too far away a palace loomed up on a higher level than the rest of the city. It was more impressive than even Prince Bassim’s ziggurat in Venyn City, where Leana and I had spent so many years honing our street skills. Could it have matched the royal residence in Tryum? From here it appeared white-walled with a flat, black roof, and featuring elaborate golden gargoyles and other decorations, the details of which I could only guess at from where I stood.

It was turning into a warm day, not unpleasantly hot. A few clouds scudded above the hills in the distance, but otherwise the sun was out, causing the golden statues to shimmer like otherworldly beings.

I asked a young boy for directions to the entrance to the royal palace, and he guided us politely to the main avenue.

‘It’s at the end,’ he said, and I spent a moment following his instruction.

As I tried to thank him he dashed away along the road.

‘He did not even ask for money,’ Leana observed. ‘What strange children they have here.’

A wide straight road guided us towards the gate of the palace. Stalls lined one side of the road and on the other side was a gap, which opened down onto a large river. The water had been used to form a moat around one half of the palace. Down below barges moved along the water, others unloading their cargo, while up here among the stalls people were bargaining furiously. It looked as though there was a healthy trade in goods such as silverware, rugs, leatherwear and tack for horses. I turned back to look at the river. Some way away was a bustling inland port, possibly another settlement entirely.

After walking our horses up the hill and along the busy thoroughfare, navigating the eddies of customers and traders cajoling and haggling, we turned a corner and arrived at the palace. Enormous walls rose up. At the top, forty feet above, four soldiers in ceremonial clothing walked up and down behind the crenellations. We stood looking up, assessing what looked to be a largely decorative structure with no real capability of withstanding a siege. Only then did I notice that we stood alone — none of the locals dared to come within twenty feet of the palace walls.

‘Well, this is it,’ I announced to Leana, ‘now we just have to find a way inside.’

The soldiers on the walls were looking down at us and, shortly, a small doorway opened and several guards marched out and surrounded us. They were wearing different colours from the City Watch, purple and gold, and carried highly polished glaives.

Leaning towards Leana, I whispered, ‘They’re certainly a colourful lot.’

‘State your purpose for being here, foreigners,’ came the command.

Foreigners, indeed. We were representatives of the whole continent. Our badge of office should have been enough to permit us into the most sacred of spaces. No sooner had I revealed it to him than his countenance changed entirely. ‘My name is Lucan Drakenfeld,’ I began, ‘and I’m an Officer of the Sun Chamber. .’