Demon Child Ch. 20

One of the others looked askance at the seated man and hesitantly began to sit down again in an abortive attempt to show some kind of unity when last Khan Lann lunged to his feet. Out of order, he protested, "There is no question that he is dead, I just want to know why he is dead. Whose hand killed our Aga Khan? We cannot allow his murderers to remain unpunished."

The high priestess spoke directly to the Khan Lann House Adamant, "You speak out of turn. You do not have the floor." His face twisted with rage but he held his words and he took his seat. She lifted her hands. "Let it be noted that the High Council is unanimous in agreeing that the Aga Khan is dead." With her words the khan's as one returned to their seats.

As soon as the entire group was back in their chairs, the Khan Lann House Adamant stood again, clearly triumphant to have seized the floor, "Yes, you were correct, I was out of order. My apologies to the council, my grief at our Aga Khan's death clouded my mind. My heart cries out for vengeance. I put to the council this question. Who killed the Aga Khan?"

The Khan House Adamant sat down abruptly and almost instantly the Khan seated to his right, sprang to his feet. The new man slowly turned and stared challengingly around the room, his eyes falling on Jhardron. He kept his gaze leveled on this new rival and repeated, "Yes, who killed the Aga Khan? It is a strange thing that so many died here, and how is it that only the warriors of the Twisted Dagger survived and then rather than remain, they fled." He paused and nodded, "Yes, fled like assassins in the night. I submit to this council that only guilty men would have run away." He nodded in satisfaction and sat down among a swell of voices as the whole room began to buzz with comments and questions.

Kah'matlah head of House Broken Spear was quick to take the floor. He stood waiting until all eyes were upon him, all conversations done. His right hand rested upon the hilt of his scimitar and his words dripped with disdain. "The Khan of House Standingstone mouths the words of his keeper like a trained bird. He barks out the word murder and makes accusations without evidence." He shook his head and turned, addressing the whole of the council, his voice turning persuasive. "The Khan Lann of House Standingstone says murder, when not a single person, neither witness nor physician nor priestess has even once stated the cause of the Aga Khan's death. The Khan Lann of House Standingstone asks who killed the Aga Khan but no mortal wound was upon his person, no sword or arrow brought our Aga Khan down. His only injury was a small cut to his palm, hardly a nick to a Bak warrior. I have received worse a dozen times over."

His voice was low and compelling. "It is appropriate for the Khan Lann of House Standingstone to bring before the council the question regarding the cause of the Aga Khan's death. But I caution him to remember until the entire Grand Council of the Bak Lann'amattah agrees as one as to this cause, it is impetuous and perhaps even dangerous to mouth accusations of murder, assassin or guilt."

Kah'matlah sat down and the Khan Lann of House Standingstone stood up. His face was stormy with anger and his very voice quivered with rage, but his words were stiff and rigidly controlled, "Clearly the Aga Khan died under suspicious circumstances. I put forth before the council this question. What was the cause of the Aga Khan's death? Was it natural or at the hands of another?" He glared at the two united houses of Twisted Dagger and Broken Spear and beyond them to Jhardron, standing grim and impassive. This time the venom bled through into his words. "House Standingstone does not fear to say the word murder. House Standingstone is fully committed to law and justice and will face any danger that threatens our nation, no matter where that danger may lie, from without or..." and he paused, his eyes proud and grim, "...within." Nodding with satisfaction he sat down as a low chorus of conversation once again rose up.

For many seconds no other Khan Lann took the floor and Kah'matlah and Jha'hamatla sat without consulting. Finally Jha'hamatla stood and began to speak. "It is a fitting thing to speak of law and justice before the Grand Council. I too seek justice. My brother Jhar'drakon was slain in this very meeting hall only eight days ago. You might question the actions of the warriors and representatives of House Twisted Dagger, summoned there by the Aga Khan himself to be honored for their service to their nation. You ask why they left, but I remind you that this hall was filled with the people of the court, crowded with the representatives of all the houses, packed with guards and servants. Many of you..." He paused and looked around the room. "...yes, the you, Khan Lann of the land, were present. And yet only minutes later, the first to discover the carnage, Mallinika Mistress of the Courtesans, found this chamber populated by only the dead and the wounded too gravely injured to crawl away. If by leaving..." Again he paused, gesturing to the Khan Lann of House Standingstone. "I think your precise word was fled; if fleeing is tantamount to a confession of guilt than the whole of the court and many of you carry the blood of not only the Aga Khan but my brother upon their hands as well."

The elderly statesman gripped the hilt of his scimitar in his fist, facing the Khan Lann of the House Standingstone, "Come my friend, if that is justice, than you and I have a lot of killing to do." Then he paused and shook his head, "But wait, you were there weren't you? And yet you were not there when the first witnesses arrived and viewed the scene. And you weren't among the dead or wounded. I am confused, perhaps you can enlighten me, explain to me, how so many warriors, so many Khan Lann and their entourages, and even many of the guards fled when the very heart of our nation was in peril. Were they guilty or merely cowards?"

As Jha'hamatla sat down but he did not take his hand from his scimitar nor did he take his eyes off the furious face of the Khan Lann Standingstone. The room erupted in cries of protest as nearly half of the Khans stood and began to speak at once, each trying to drown the others out to be heard. Shouts of denial and confusion echoed back and forth, arms were raised and fingers pointing.

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As Aylanna hurried back to the council chamber, she lovingly straightened the layers of her dress, adjusting the worn leather belts that wrapped around her waist and bodice. She smiled as she fingered the little leather purse that had remained hidden in one of the innermost pockets, feeling the shapes of the strange demon coins that she had recovered from the body of her father so many years before. Perhaps the spirit of her father had guided the plundering fingers of her sister courtesans away from this last memory of him. She wrapped the blue scarf around the still wet tendrils of her demon hair, knotting it carefully. Her smile faded and she schooled her face to a calm watchfulness as she neared the room filled with the leaders of the Lann'amattah. The sounds of shouting were already apparent in the hall.

The two priestesses that stood at the doorway did nothing to impede her entry, in fact they were staring into the room and seemed to some degree shocked or concerned. Aylanna stopped just inside the door and looked about. Several Khan Lann were standing up inside the circle of chairs shouting at what seemed everyone and no one. The small figure of the High priestess of the Temple was working her way from one angry figure to another, speaking sharply and literally pushing a couple of the most agitated men toward their chairs.

As one by one the Khan Lann resumed their seats and the worst of the shouts dwindled to a constant murmur of protests and assertions of integrity and bravery, the priestess's voice was finally audible, "...out of order. Sit! Sit! Each member of this body has sworn to abide by the rules of order. This council cannot stand without order and respect. I entreat you to remember your duty and your pledges."

Aylanna skirted the room, noting the statue still figure of Jhardron standing just a few paces behind the seated figures of his uncle and the Khan Lann Broken Spear, and moved to stand at his left. His eyes shifted from the scene before him to her for the briefest of instants and once again she saw the corner of his mouth twitch in strangely incongruous amusement. But then his eyes were forward and his expression rigid and neutral. She could sense little from him beyond the habitual watchfulness and pent up preparedness that was universal for any Bak Warrior ready for battle.

Once all the Khan Lann were seated and the room fell marginally quiet, the high priestess lifted her arms, once again speaking to the goddess before the assembled Khan Lann, "Oh great mother, please guide the thoughts and hands of these men to wisdom and peaceful solutions to the challenges that face your people and the land you gave to them."

The high priestess lowered her arms but she did not leave the center of the circle of chairs. The tone of her voice changed, the cadence less confident or clear. "Kah'matlah is accurate in his observation that the Aga Khan in fact did not perish as a result of any wound. He seemed to succumb to the illness that had afflicted him throughout the last year. Exactly the nature of this illness is not clear. The court physicians were adamant that he suffered from an imbalance of his life forces. The exact cause of this imbalance was a matter of debate among his caretakers." The high priestess frowned and pursed her lips as if debating her next words. "Not even the goddess seemed able to perceive the source of this sickness. She only spoke to me of danger, great danger to the Aga Khan and the whole of her children. I brought this to the Aga Khan while he yet lived and he seemed to already know of it."

Aylanna's voice was loud and hoarse, not her own. "Poison!"

The high priestess froze, staring at Aylanna as if she had appeared from nowhere.

Aylanna was not aware that she was moving, walking toward the tiny woman that held the floor of the council. She had no memory of dodging away from Jhardron as he moved to grab her arm or almost magically evading the hands of others as they tried to block her way. Once she was within the circle, the men stood uncertain, watching with a strange mixture of shock and curiosity.

She halted barely a hands breadth from the high priestess, her eyes wide and glassy. Her words were low, urgent, "This evil place yet reeks of poison. Can you not taste it on your lips; can you not feel the sting and stink of it in your nostrils? Does not your stomach twist and sicken? You say the goddess could not sense this, did not know? She knows all. She speaks to all. Only those that choose not to listen are deceived. Open your heart to the truth. It is there before you even now." For a moment she paused, staring down into the dark and suddenly fearful eyes of the tiny old priestess. She whispered almost inaudibly. "I have been here with you always. Why do you fear to listen?" Gently Aylanna wrapped her arms around the priestess, enfolding her in a loving embrace, rocking her as if she were a child. And to the shocked witness of the assembled council the ancient priestess burst into tears.

Slowly she extricated herself from the tight grasp of the priestess. Gently she placed a fingertip under her chin, lifting her tearstained face and whispering, "Daughter, do not be sad. Rejoice. Remember I am in your heart always." And suddenly as if the strings of a puppet had been cut, Aylanna's body went limp and sagged toward the floor.

The high priestess gasped and once again wrapped her arms around the girl, easing her fall. She found herself on her knees next to the unconscious girl, staring down at the vacant face with unexpected tenderness. There was no question in her mind what had happened. It was common knowledge that the goddess spoke with the lips of others, though it had seemed to happen less and less in recent history. She sat and pulled the girl to lie with her head in her lap, ignoring the sudden surge in voices around her as once again the entire council seemed to forget all rules and were up and arguing. The blue scarf and slipped back and several coils of the girl's strangely red colored hair had fallen over her face. Gently she smoothed the unruly hair back away from the girl's eyes, waiting calmly for her to waken.

The first thing that Aylanna saw was the creased and wrinkled face of the high priestess, her smile of greeting was open and strangely filled with joy. Aylanna returned the smile, intensely aware of the love in the old woman's heart for her.

She frowned, more than a little confused about how she had come to be lying on the floor. The high priestess chuckled and gave her a little shake, "It is time to wake up, daughter. Our goddess seems to be finished with you at the moment." Aylanna blinked and looked about. There was a confusion of voices but slowly, one by one the arguments ceased as the Khan Lann became aware that she was there, still smiling as she gazed up at them. More than one of the Khan Lann that was staring down at her smiled as well, seemingly unaware of their expressions.

She lifted her head and spoke directly to them. "I do not know if I speak out of turn, or if my words will carry any weight in this council. But it was clear to me from the first time I set eyes on the Aga Khan that he had been poisoned. I have no evidence as to who did this thing, but I do know that the wizard Rhasht was a force of evil. He fed on hatred and suffering. He had great powers to cloud the judgment of all those around him. He is dead, beyond the reach of your questions but it would serve you well to speak to those who were closest to him."

Her body tingled strangely and as much as she tried to school her expression to calm neutrality, over and over she caught herself smiling as she spoke. She wondered at that, the improbable contrast of the lightness of her tone and expression with the tone of her message. Portents of poison delivered with a smile. Yet she felt strangely euphoric and suppressed the urge to giggle as she lurched a bit clumsily to her feet and then reached down and pulled the high priestess to stand with her.

She found herself face to face with the Khan Lann of House Adamant. He was not smiling. He frowned and glared at her. "You were correct, courtesan. Your do speak out of order. Your words are the raving of a lunatic at best and perhaps the lies at worst. You yourself admit you have no evidence."

Aylanna burst out laughing; a soft silvery fount of joyous, triumphant laughter that silenced the belligerent voice of the khan berating her. Still laughing she pointed at him, "And yet you believe. You believed every word I said. Why do you pretend otherwise? What do you hope to gain by this?" Her laughter cut off sharply, her voice turning as sharp as the now angry smile that still lit up her features. "Your lies are written upon your face, they echo in your heart. Was the wizard your creature or were you his?"

The Khan Lann of House Adamant stared at her in rage, his eyes literally bulging from his face. His lips pulled back from his teeth in a snarl and, as if in slow motion, he pulled his scimitar from its sheath on his belt. Aylanna was still smiling as she gracefully floated back out of reach. She taunted loudly, "You are slow, my friend. You have not answered my question, was the wizard your creature or were you his? What was the price of your betrayal? Did you think that perhaps you yourself would become Aga Khan?"

The khan seemed totally maddened and he roared at her as he lunged, his scimitar slicing through the air where she once stood. "It was foretold. He prophesied it. It is my destiny!"

He was fast, but Aylanna was quicker. She could see his movements almost before he thought to make them and she remained just out of his reach. All her awareness focused on him, all the others fading to shadows around her. She was a feather, a gleam of light, a song on the wind and he was ponderous, predictable and burdened by his rage. She called out to him, "You speak of destiny, but you were nothing, only a pawn of the wizard. He paid you with lies and empty promises."

Her assailant staggered back like he had been struck, shaking his head in confusion. "No, it was not lies. He promised. Jha'Mak'Tah himself visited him... told him..." He paused and shook himself, a sudden expression of terror turning his face into a mask of horror.

Aylanna laughed again, "So you answer my question. You were his creature then, even if you did not know it." Slowly she turned, gazing at the council, her voice turning thoughtful. "And how many others were caught in his web I wonder? How many others were fed this poison of lies and false prophesy? How many of you believed that you would be chosen as the next Aga Khan, if you just looked away, pretended to know nothing and did not move to defend your Aga Khan when he was attacked in this very room eight days ago?"

A heavy set man, one that had held his silence up until then began to speak, "Rhasht moved in many ways, not only bribery but blackmail as well. If he could not tempt, he would coerce. House Eternal Sky is old and no longer thrives. No one could have persuaded me that I would become Aga Khan. But, I am ashamed to admit that the wizard had some knowledge of things I choose now not to speak of. He used them to silence me. You are correct, as the Aga Khan grew sickly; I looked away, hoping that others would be braver than I."

"But I refuse to believe that what happened in this room eight days ago was a conspiracy. None of us colluded with the others and knowingly, willingly stepped aside. In fact, I have little memory of even being here. I can remember arriving, I can remember some of the speeches but then all becomes turmoil. I am ashamed to admit that I remember fear, great fear and unavoidable panic. I have no memory of running away but I must have. A Bak warrior, running away, it was so shameful that I did not speak of this before. Now I wonder if others may have experienced this same fear and held their silence for similar reasons." He paused and looked around. "House Eternal Sky chooses to speak the truth and accept the judgment of the council." The room was silent as he took his seat.

Another voice chimed up, "He promised me the Ramaldi gold fields."

Someone laughed, "That is odd, he promised me those as well. And strangely I believed it was within his power to bestow them."

Kah'matlah stood, "The wizard used diversion as well. He told half truths. He told me that he knew that the Aga Khan had been poisoned, convinced me that the only reason that the man still lived was through magic and medicines only he could administer. He led me to believe that the Aga Khan would recover. I did not question his loyalty and yet I had no reason to trust him. The girl is accurate in her statement that the wizard had the power to influence the judgment of others. I look back now and realize I acted the fool, but it was as if I was surrounded by fools, the Aga Khan himself not the least of them. Only now do we see how the entire council was duped, how we were played against one another. Few of us are totally innocent, excepting perhaps my brother and ally, Jha'hamatla, and only because he stayed well away from court, leaving intrigue and politics to his younger brother."

Jha'hamatla stood up, waving his hand negligibly, "House Twisted Dagger is not untarnished. Bribes were offered and though they were not accepted, they were not reported. Lies went unquestioned. It was clear that the court was decaying from within but I chose to turn a blind eye, trusting my representatives here in the city. I do not know what hold the wizard had over my brother, if he had one at all, but it seems he died as a result."