The Fickle Winds of Autumn

69. Some Words of Caution

Was he cursed forever?

Was it too late to take the words back, to be a dutiful son, to agree with his father for the sake of his people?

This was never meant to happen - it could not have been foreseen.

Not by him, not by anyone.

But he must be avenged, or his father's soul would wander restlessly, never finding its rightful status in the Chamber of Ancestors. It would pursue him for the rest of his days - until Hekubate called him to his Great Hall of Counsel, too.

"I must go!" he protested. "I must have vengeance!"

He pushed against the weight of his mentor's grasp, struggling to break free.

"No my King, you are wounded - do you not feel the flames around you?"

A second pair of arms clutched at him and held him back. It was the grip of Zaduul, his father's advisor.

"My King, your father would not want you to follow so closely behind his spirit. Use your wisdom! And there is work to be done, for the thieves have stolen the Tooth of Hekubate - we must call the other clans and alert them to this outrage."

"Rest a moment and think, my King," Yulkvas urged. "This could be the cause you have been searching for - a reason for all the tribes to unite behind us - a war to reclaim the Tooth."

"No," Vlicien replied, "the other clans would shame us. We have been humiliated - our most sacred Chamber invaded by a worthless gang of thieves and cowards - our King killed! If we cannot protect the Tooth and our own King, how then can we hope to lead the Nizul to victory against the humans?"

"You are right my King," said Yulkvas. "I am glad your judgement has returned - we cannot go to them with this inglorious news."

"I cannot call for a massing of all the clans - only a small band of our own, most trusted warriors, can know of this disaster. I will raid with them and recover the Tooth - this will prove my prowess and leadership, and that the Tooth has chosen me to wield it in my destiny as King. Once we have it back, then can we reveal that the humans have chosen to break the Truce - their actions were a clear declaration of war against us and our entire people. The clans will rally behind the power of the Tooth - their hatred will grow at news of this outrage, and they will fight under my command to reclaim the land that is rightfully ours."

"Our scouts will hunt them in the shadows," said Zaduul. "We will find out who sent them - those who would dare commit this violation against us."

Yulkvas slackened his grip.

"From their robes, they were humans from the Church - I still remember their colours and scent - an old soldier cannot forget his foes."

"We need not worry with such things," said Vlicien, "the Tooth of Hekubate will take care of itself - and there are those in the human world who are prepared to help us - even those within this 'church' you speak of. Besides, I already have a good idea of where they will take it."

"Good," said Yulkvas. "It is well that you think and plan a strategy, my king, - you now act like a true leader - your father would be pleased."

His father?

Yes, he would approve such actions.

The smouldering embers curled and smoked up from the hateful ground nearby.

The charred flakes still clung stubbornly to him as he rubbed the bitter dust in his hand.

His sorrowed lips brushed against the bereaved harvest as it crumbled through his rueful fingers; it scattered - tugged through the wounded air by the swirling heat of the lava and roaring barrier of flame before him.

How could the father, who gave life to him, now be this dispersal of smudges and smears?

How could the reign of one so great end with such dishonour?

His spirit tainted with defeat?

Where was the honour?

Where was his respected place in the Hall?

His eternal life within the mighty favours of Hekubate?

And the cowards who committed this transgression still lived, still breathed; prospered and enjoyed the fullness of their destinies?!

He wrestled against the arms that bound him, that prevented his will, that prevented justice.

The flames would not stop him.

Was he not of royal blood?

"No! We cannot wait! My father's honour demands it! We must destroy them now and bring peace to his spirit! I will go myself and hunt them through the tunnels! Hekubate lend me strength to fulfil this vow!"

The arms tightened around him and dragged him further away from the laughing flames.

"No," said Yulkvas, "you must think of your people now - they have already lost one King today - it is my responsibility to see that they do not lose another so soon."

"We must act with caution," Zaduul agreed. "When the resentful eye of the day withdraws, we can hunt them down in the marshes - but we cannot venture outside now - Yinjus, the sun god, would destroy us all in his wrathful envy."

The arms closed tighter and denied his wriggling will, his promise to his father.

"And besides," Yulkvas added, "I do not know if you noticed in all the confusion of the fight, or if your memory has been shaken by the death of your father - may Hekubate live in him forever - but that girl the humans had with them - she was a witch."