The Silent City

Chapter Eighty-Four

John glanced down at Lyyn’s body. His eyes were wide and fixed on some distant point in the pale sky. His throat gaped open like a gory mouth. Dark blood pooled around his head, melting through the snow. John expected to feel sick, but he didn’t. He was growing used to the sight of dead bodies.

He stepped closer to Ravishan. The three priests stood exactly where they had when Lyyn had fallen. All three of them watched Ravishan as if they couldn’t tear their eyes from him.

"Are we going to have to fight our way out of here?" Ravishan whispered.

"Not yet," John replied. He raised his hands and made the Payshmura sign of peace.

Very slowly, Giryyn returned the hand sign.

"Ji sent word that you were in trouble, Jahn." Giryyn hardly raised his voice, but it carried easily through the silence.

"Yes, I was. Thank you for coming," John replied.

Though Giryyn spoke to him, John noted that all three of the priests kept their eyes on Ravishan, who returned their wary gazes with an expression of defiance.

"This is Ravishan," John said. "He has come as a friend to the Fai’daum."

For several moments there was utter silence. A thin cold wind blew through the bare branches of the trees and stirred the snow on the ground. John shuddered.

"Will you come with us to the chapel?" Giryyn spoke calmly and evenly. His gaze never left Ravishan. "Ji will join us there."

John started forward but Ravishan didn’t move. Glancing back, he saw Ravishan eyeing the priests with suspicion that bordered on open hostility.

"Can you trust them?" Ravishan whispered.

John wasn’t sure, but the last thing he wanted was more fighting. Clearly, the priests were waiting for some sign of Ravishan’s friendly intentions.

"I don’t think they’ll try anything," John said.

"I’ve murdered one of their men."

"Yes, but Lyyn was breaking two major Fai’daum laws. I think you’ll be safe, especially if Ji speaks for you."

"Will she?"

"Absolutely."

"Even now?"

"Yes," John said firmly. "Look, I need to get out of the cold. The chapel is close."

Ravishan nodded. He unbuttoned his coat and draped it over John’s bare shoulders, then walked with John past the priests into the chapel. Inside, the fire radiated heat and cast golden light across the stone floor and wooden walls. The statue of Parfir smiled down with vacant benevolence. John stopped in front of the fire and warmed his hands. Ravishan stayed close. His skin looked tawny in the warm light.

The three priests followed John and Ravishan inside. Giryyn spoke briefly with the other two priests at the door. Daru and Lam withdrew to the backrooms. Giryyn approached the fireplace where John and Ravishan stood. He moved slowly and fluidly, as if he were approaching a wild animal.

Ravishan watched him. There was a hardness in his expression that seemed to warrant Giryyn’s caution. John suddenly realized that Ravishan’s tension was fueled as much by Giryyn’s robes as it was by the thought that he was a Fai’daum – perhaps more so. The austere figure Giryyn presented was one Ravishan instinctively associated with brutal punishment.

"That man of yours tried to kill Jahn," Ravishan said suddenly. "He had a pistol aimed right at him."

"I saw him point the pistol." Giryyn stopped a yard or so from Ravishan. "Lyyn had no right to behave as he did."

"I won’t accept punishment for his death," Ravishan stated.

"I doubt that I could do any such thing even if I were so inclined," Giryyn said. "And I am not."

Ravishan relaxed a little. His gaze shifted from Giryyn. He held his hands up to the fire and studied his surroundings.

"Who worships here?" Ravishan didn’t look at Giryyn but instead gazed up at the statue of Parfir.

"Anyone who wishes to," Giryyn replied. "The fighters often come for blessings before they are sent out. We Fai’daum are not the godless degenerates that the high and holy would have you believe us to be."

"Jahn said that you wouldn’t be," Ravishan remarked.

Giryyn glanced to John with a look of slight surprise. John supposed that Giryyn hadn’t credited him with the intellect to make such a statement. John shrugged at Giryyn’s narrow gaze. Giryyn’s attention shifted back to Ravishan.

"Parfir is revered here, even if the Payshmura are not," Giryyn said.

The sound of voices came from behind the main doors. All three of them turned as the doors swung open. Ji trotted through, followed by Arren and two big men John recognized from battle practice. Between them were Lyyn’s two friends. John could see that their hands had been bound behind them. Very last came Eriki’yu.

"The ground is still frozen so we threw Lyyn’s body on the refuse pile – " Ji broke off when she saw Ravishan. The men behind her stared at Ravishan as well, unsure of who he was or why the sight of him should silence Ji.

"This is Ravishan," Giryyn said. "He’s come to join us."

Ji glanced very briefly to John. Then she returned her attention to Giryyn.

"We need to settle the matter of Lyyn’s death first," Ji said.

"Lam is preparing the fathi," Giryyn said.

A slight nausea curled through John’s stomach at the thought of the sweet drink.

"I doubt it will be necessary," Ji replied. "Sera and Mahar have already admitted to ambushing Jahn. Eriki’yu testified that Lyyn was the one who had instigated it."

"Have any of them explained how Lyyn managed to get his hands on a captain’s pistol?" Giryyn demanded.

"He took it from the metal shop," one of the men quickly responded. "Lafi’shir had brought it in because the sight was off. Lyyn was supposed to repair it. Since Lafi’shir won’t be back for another week Lyyn thought he could have some fun with it in the meantime." The man bowed his head. "We didn’t think that he’d really try to use it."

"You should have reported him at once," Giryyn stated coldly. "Instead it seems a child had to come forward. Is that correct?"

"It is," Ji replied. "Eriki’yu, Lyyn’s ward, came to me and told me everything. That’s when I sent word to you."

Giryyn appeared to contemplate Parfir’s statue. Then he turned his attention back to Ji.

"If it weren’t for the pistol, I would be inclined to be lenient, since neither of these two is the instigator…" Giryyn paused as Ji shook her head.

"They are full grown men," Ji objected. "They knew Lyyn had the pistol and they still agreed to assault Jahn in cold blood."

Giryyn frowned at this. "Were they provoked at all?"

"Jahn bested them in battle practice but nothing beyond that." Arren spoke for the first time.

"If they are not punished harshly for this," Ji growled, "it will be a grave insult to my students and to me. If these men had lured Tanash or Kansa to the orchard and attacked her, you wouldn’t even consider lenience, Giryyn."

"No, I wouldn’t." This seemed to trouble Giryyn. He gazed down at his hands. "But Jahn didn’t seem to have much to fear from the three of them. In fact, when we arrived, he appeared to have them all well in hand."

Ravishan started to say something, but John caught his arm. Neither of them knew the Fai’daum laws well enough to argue with Giryyn. John didn’t even know if he wanted to. The few Fai’daum laws he was aware of were harsh. These men could be facing execution.

"Jahn’s strength does not alter the crime that these men attempted to commit," Ji responded. "Their failure doesn’t make them any less guilty, just less competent."

John thought he saw Arren smile slightly at this. Giryyn didn’t look pleased.

"Thirty lashes," Giryyn murmured to Ji.

"Sixty and half wages for a year," Ji countered.

Giryyn scowled at the suggestion, but before he could argue, Ji cut him off.

"I could demand their deaths," Ji said. "Lafi’shir will be back in a week if you want to wait for him to weigh in on it."

"Very well," Giryyn said at last. "Sixty lashes and half wages for the year. Are we agreed?"

"We’re agreed," Ji said.

John couldn’t help but glance to the two men who had been sentenced. Their faces were unnaturally pale and their expressions were miserable.

Ravishan made a soft, derisive noise.

"Sixty lashes," Ravishan muttered. "Dayyid would have sent them to the pyre."

Though Ravishan’s voice had been barely a murmur, everyone in the room seemed to hear him. Both Giryyn and Arren appeared alarmed by the statement. But there was an aspect of Giryyn’s expression that disturbed John. He seemed both horrified and awed by Ravishan’s ruthlessness. Ji cocked her head as if she were considering Ravishan’s suggestion.

"Sixty lashes are more than enough," John put in quickly. He could easily remember the intense pain of the prior’s whip in Rathal’pesha. Sixty lashes would nearly flay a man’s back. The pain would flare through his every motion for months.

"They tried to murder you, Jahn," Ravishan protested.

"But they didn’t," John said. "It’s better to let it go. This isn’t Rathal’pesha."

Ravishan only frowned at the flames burning in the fireplace.

"Sixty lashes," Arren said firmly. He addressed the two big men who had escorted Lyyn’s accomplices into the chapel. "See that the punishments are carried out immediately."

The men flashed a hand sign of obedience and then led their prisoners out of the chapel. Ji yawned as they walked past, displaying the wide gape of her jaws.

Giryyn’s attention still hung on Ravishan. He took a slow half step closer.

"Common men are not familiar with the kind of self-discipline that the ushiri’im possess," Giryyn addressed Ravishan. "They are weak and can’t tolerate what you could easily endure. I’m sure that you will become more accustomed to them after a little time."

Across the room, Arren cleared his throat.

"There is still the matter of Eriki’yu’s guardianship," Arren said quietly.

Giryyn looked plainly annoyed by the interruption. "Can’t that be dealt with within his district of the Warren?"

Eriki’yu bowed his head. He appeared embarrassed that Giryyn should have to consider his situation.

"He has no relations within the Warren or even in the north. His sister brought him from Nurjima," Arren said with a little more insistence.

"Then the head of his district should choose a guardian for him." Giryyn looked to Ji and she nodded in agreement.

"That might be a little awkward," Arren said. "Eriki’yu lives in the Smiths District. The head of the district is the uncle of one of the men you just sentenced."

"That should not matter," Giryyn replied. "It isn’t the boy’s fault that the nephew committed a crime."

"No, of course not," Arren agreed. "But in situations like this it’s difficult to be completely impartial. I’d like to suggest that Eriki’yu be allowed to change districts."

"That would be fine so long as there is one that will take him." Giryyn studied Eriki’yu without much interest. Eriki’yu’s face flushed red. "Does he have a skill that might recommend him to any particular district?"

"He’s just a boy." Arren shrugged. Eriki’yu’s shoulders sagged.

"Is there a particular district that you think he would do well in?" Ji asked Arren. Arren frowned down at his weathered hands.

"There are two empty rooms in my house," Arren said almost shyly. "I don’t think Lafi’shir would care if the boy were to move in there."

"You should have said as much sooner," Giryyn responded. "Very well, Arren. So long as Lafi’shir gives his consent, you may have guardianship of the boy. Do you agree, Ji?"

"I don’t see why not," Ji replied.

"Thank you." Arren bowed to both Giryyn and Ji. Eriki’yu stared at Arren’s back, wonderstruck.

Arren glanced back to him. "We should go and pack your things."

Eriki’yu simply nodded. They left the chapel, walking side by side. John briefly wondered what kind of a guardian Arren would be. He had at least shown more than a modicum of concern for Eriki’yu’s safety. That alone made him far better than Lyyn.

"Now do you think we can discuss Ushiri Ravishan’s admittance into the Fai’daum?" Giryyn asked Ji.

"Of course," Ji replied. She looked at Ravishan. "Ushiri Ravishan, is it your intention to join the Fai’daum?"

Ravishan straightened. He watched Giryyn and Ji with an expression of defiance.

"Yes," Ravishan said. "I have skills that you could use to defeat the Payshmura."

"That’s true enough," Ji replied. "But do you have the loyalty that we require?"

John frowned at Ji. He had expected her to simply agree to take Ravishan in. She had said that she owed him as much.

"Do you want a blood oath?" Ravishan’s tone was almost that of a dare. Giryyn’s expression lit up at the suggestion.

"No," Ji said flatly, "we are not the Payshmura and we do not use sorcery to enslave those who fight for us. I simply want your word that you will serve the Fai’daum."

John caught Ravishan’s brief, rebellious glower. John knew that it grated against Ravishan’s entire upbringing to swear allegiance with the Fai’daum.

"I will serve the Fai’daum faithfully," Ravishan said, "so long as I and mine are treated in good faith. I will not tolerate any harm done to Jahn."

"We have no desire to harm Jahn," Ji said. "Those who did have been punished, as you just saw. You will both be treated with respect and good faith. So, will you give us your oath?"

Ravishan said, "I swear on my bones and before Parfir that I will serve the Fai’daum faithfully."

"Good." Giryyn broke into a wide, almost luminous smile.

John found the way Giryyn watched Ravishan disturbing. He’d seen men gaze at guns and fast cars the same way. It was a look of greed for a powerful machine.

"I would be happy to sponsor Ravishan into the Fai’daum," Giryyn said quickly.

Ji’s eyes narrowed briefly. Then she shook her head. "I respect your intentions, Giryyn, but it might worry the common Fai’daum if a priest sponsors an ushiri into the fold. They might fear that old allegiances were arising."

"Who would dare to insult my loyalty?" Giryyn demanded.

"No one. But they might wonder about Ravishan. They might worry that he had used his Payshmura rank to influence you." Ji flicked her ears again and then went on in a soothing tone. "It’s all rubbish, I know, but it would give Ravishan a terrible start among us. You know how people are in the Warren, especially in the winter. They have nothing to do but gossip and gripe. We’ve already seen how badly that went for Jahn this afternoon."

"Ushiri Ravishan could hardly be threatened by curs like the men we sentenced today," Giryyn replied.

John couldn’t believe Giryyn’s awe of Ravishan could so completely overshadow the fact that Ravishan was still a human being. Of course common men and women could harm him.

Before John could comment, Ji replied, "That may be, but wouldn’t it be better if we avoided the conflict altogether?"

"What would you suggest?"

"Lafi’shir or I should sponsor Ravishan," Ji said.

Giryyn scowled at the suggestion but obviously couldn’t think of an objection.

"Either way he will be one of us," Ji said. "Really the only difference it will make is where he is housed, isn’t it?"

Giryyn didn’t answer. He studied Ravishan almost possessively. John frowned at him but Giryyn didn’t notice.

"Ushiri Ravishan would be most comfortable in the Chapel District," Giryyn said.

Ji laughed and Giryyn seemed genuinely surprised.

"I think he would be most comfortable with his lover, Jahn. Don’t you?" Ji asked.

Giryyn looked sick. He didn’t seem able to form a reply.

"I won’t be separated from Jahn," Ravishan pronounced. "Our union has been blessed by Parfir. It is more holy to me than any chapel could be."

Outrage flashed across Giryyn’s features and he shot John a look murderous enough to have done Dayyid proud. For a split second John thought the priest might actually attack him and he tensed, but then Giryyn blew out a long sigh and turned his attention to the statue of Parfir.

"He blesses even those worms that lie amidst the foulest filth, for he welcomes all who come to him in humble worship." Giryyn quoted the prayer quietly, perhaps just to himself.

"Don’t worry about it, Giryyn. I’ll sponsor him." Ji stood. "Come, Ravishan. Jahn and I will show you the Warren."