The Stormcrow Cycle [Slow-burn Slice-of-Life Tragic Fantasy Romance]

Interlude: A Very Lukios Story, Part III

Update 02/05/2022: Fixed a whole bunch of typos and other errors thanks to RR user Raodin! Thank you! <3!

Update 08/11/2022: Eirians now refer to themselves as Erai and Eir as Er. Small difference, but I figured the way people refer to their countries vs. how foreigners refer to their countries ought to differ, even if only in pronunciation. This change should be reflected in future chapters! 

Update: 10/11/2022: Changed the the Togus scene from 11th hour to 8th hour, because it's not very feasible for Togus to have taken that much time to run across the city to the Archon's office. (I mean, assuming messengers played telephone with each other before reporting to Togus, who dashed to report to Nikias, we can say it took some hours, but it's not realistic to go right up to the 11th hour, as poetic as that sounds, ha!)

Warning: We're getting more into the grimdark tag here. I don't ever show graphic depictions of abuse or sexual violence (I find that really unnecessary and sort of gross myself), but the implications and aftermath are all there. Keep in mind, we're dealing with some hardcore criminals in this chapter operating in a land where slavery and human trafficking are legal. It's grim. (And it makes a certain someone lose his temper with some regularity. HUUULK SMASH!) If you want to skip this part and go to the next, I've summarized it all in the author's notes at the end of the page (you can scroll past the chapter itself and just read the spoiler). 

Note on Timekeeping: "11th hour" is between 5 PM to 6 PM. "4th Vigil, 12th hour" is between 5 AM and 6 AM. See for my approximations (I'm using the Autumn Equinox--it's fall now in Illos!)

Glossary: 

Fravashi is a personal spirit in Zoroastrianism, sort of like a piece of a soul (please see linked article!)

Anahita is a goddess (or aspect of the divine) in Zoroastrianism.

Plethos refers to the common folk; see plebians.

I'm also using the Persian term âqâ  the way I use kyrios (so not a slave to a master, but to someone of higher social rank). 

For those who are reading the chapter: happy reading! =)

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Day, 8th Hour

Government District, Office of Archonship

"Sir Nikias! Sir Nikias!"

There was a staccato pounding on the door. The man sounded like a pack of feral dogs were at his heels, the cadence of his knocks coming fast and hard with sharp-edged desperation.

Iphram frowned. "Master Nikias?"

Nikias shook his head. "Let him in." This sounded like Togus, who was terrified of nearly everything. If he was ignoring protocol to hammer at Nikias' door, it was urgent.

He set the budget down on his desk, face-down—there was no need to be careless—glancing at the water clock that stood against the wall.

Hour eleven. Nikias killed the sigh before it left his mouth, though it was a near thing. It was always one thing or another, these days, and he'd have to have dinner right here at his desk if this continued.

It could not be helped. Some things simply had to be done, and done in a timely manner.

Iphram and Dolus glanced at each other, then opened the door.

Togus had been leaning so heavily on the door that he nearly landed on his face, catching himself just in time to slam his knees into the marble floor, panting.