The Emperor and the Temple Ch. 15

Chapter 15

Artur should have been prepared for the chaos that would greet him upon his arrival in Cana. For many days prior, as his ship sailed ever further west, it had been passing other vessels of the Empire sailing back eastwards, and making all haste. Eventually Artur and his Hellenic captain managed to hail one of the smaller ships and have it come alongside. Only then did they learn what was transpiring in Osta's realm.

"There is a new Prince of Vosgir," said the master of the smaller ship. "He has united the realm of Casbur and even the City of The Goddess under the banner of the North. Somehow they must have learned of the Emperor's plans and for three moons no food has been delivered to King Osta from those lands. And, more recently, northern warriors have been raiding the south, burning crops and destroying villages. Even before our armies arrived there was hunger in the towns of the south, and now there is not a scrap to eat no matter where we look. All ships are instructed to drop off their cargo of men and arms, and sail directly for Karthig to fetch grain and livestock, or even all the way back to Ephirum if they must."

"Madness!" exclaimed the captain, as Javi came to join them on the deck.

"We have been away so long, Artur," said Javi. "There was no prince of the north in our time. Perhaps he means Princess Kasmine, granddaughter of the old queen. Do you remember the stories that were told of her?"

"I do Javi. And perhaps he talks of the hero Peto, King Alfard's captain of the Guard," said Artur as he turned back to the vessel alongside. "Hey, ships master! What is the name of this prince of the north?"

But the man simply shrugged and they let him move on.

"So, there will be no advantage of surprise," said Artur.

"What does it matter?" replied the captain. "The Empire will land one hundred thousand armed men, against what; fifteen thousand at most if what you tell us is correct, Lord Artur. We will outnumber them seven to one!"

"Hmmm," Artur replied, thoughtfully. "Put all crew and men on half rations, Captain! We must prepare for what lies ahead."

****

Two days later, Artur's ship sailed into Cana to find the docks abuzz with activity. Several vessels were unloading their cargos of men and weapons, and there was great confusion all around. Lord Nadam of the Falcon Legion was there, waving and shouting as he waited for Artur to disembark. He pushed aside some pitiful locals who had gathered at the newly-arrived ship to beg for food.

"Artur, it is good to see you, even in a hellhole such as this. I must take you to see the Emperor immediately. He is here, in Cana. He has made his base on a small island, just over there...you see? Come quickly, there is a boat we can take."

Nadam took Arturs arm and guided him away from the docks.

"This is your homeland, Artur, is it not?"

"Indeed," replied Artur, staring at his surroundings in disbelief. "This was a prosperous city not long ago, Nadam my friend. Home to a great university, and to the court of the King. Now I see only beggars and wretches, but here you would normally find prosperous merchants, craftsmen, men of science and of the church."

Nadam sniffed sceptically.

"Well, Artur, if you say so, but to my mind it does not compare with even a small city of the Empire. But we shall build it up when these wars are over."

Nadam led Artur to steps leading down a dockside wall to a small boat waiting below.

"I must warn you Artur, the Emperor's mood is foul. Things do not go well in Cana, as you can see. There is no food and King Osta seems unable to deliver the help he promised us."

They stepped together into the small boat, as Nadam continued, "The island there, do you know it? The people here call it Lero. There is a strange church or temple of some kind there. The people of Cana believe it is haunted and will not enter it, or even venture to the island, most of them anyway. But we have found a boatman who will take us."

The eyes of the boatman were on Artur from the moment he descended the steps. Even as he pushed away and rowed the small boat to the middle of the crossing his gaze remained fixed. Eventually he spoke.

"I know you."

His tone was bland, neither welcoming nor accusatory. A simple statement of fact.

"You are mistaken." replied Artur.

"What does he say?" said Nadam. "He seems insolent. I have men on the island that will deal with him when we arrive."

"It is nothing. Leave him be!" replied Artur. And then, to the boatmen he said,

"I am sorry my friend. You do indeed know me. You were right."

"I know I was right," the boatman replied, again impassively. "You are Lady Cillah's boy, Artur. Never do I forget a face."

Again, Nadam asked Artur what they were discussing, and again Artur told him it was nothing.

"What of your mistress, Priestess Javka?" Artur asked.

"Dead! A few moons ago came a priestess from the City of The Goddess, a beautiful woman, and with her a boy; tall and strong like you Artur. One day they left and I returned to find my mistress hanging in her state room. By her own hand I believe. I put her to rest on the path that leads to the temple. You will see. Say a prayer for her Artur!"

"I will."

Artur thought of Javka. As a child of the South being raised in the cult of the Goddess, visits to the temple on Lero had been less frequent than would be considered normal in the City to the north. Nevertheless, he remembered the priestess well. As a child he had been terrified of her, as had all youngsters within the cult. 'Do as you are told, or you will be taken to Priestess Javka' was a common and effective threat used by exasperated parents. As he grew older, he resisted the word of the Goddess, much to the despair of his mother and that of his brother Javi and sister Hanja who remained devout. Eventually, at the age of eighteen summers, and after his first Ceremony of Giving which he found to be a more humiliating than fulfilling experience, he declared to his family that he would no longer join them in worship at the temple. It was also at that time that his marriage was arranged and, in a last effort to make him comply, the Lady Cillah sent him to Javka, hoping she could persuade him to see sense. Artur remembered the meeting as if it were yesterday.

****

According to custom, Artur knelt naked and waited for his audience with Priestess Javka in her state room that day. He stared at the frame of repentance that stood beside him - the first one he had ever seen - and wondered at the suffering that might have been endured upon it. For it was common knowledge within the cult that Javka was a cruel mistress, and had once been the Old Queen's inquisitor. Artur remembered wondering if it was the very frame that...but it was best not to think of such things. The priestess kept him waiting but, when she finally appeared, there was nothing of the harshness that Artur expected. She pulled up a chair to sit close in front of him, kissing his brow and holding his head in her hands.

"My, my! Look what a fine young man you have grown up to be Artur!" she exclaimed. And she caressed his muscular body with her hands while whispering sweet compliments in his ear, and in no time she had aroused him - as is easy enough with men of his age - although she made no sign of having noticed.

"Now, Artur, what is this your poor mother tells me? You are reluctant to go to Lady Desdre as her husband? Even though your mother wishes it and has already promised you to her dear friend?"

Artur nodded and lowered his eyes. In spite of everything, he felt some shame at disappointing his family.

"You must stop this nonsense Artur," Javka whispered softly. "Lady Desdre is excited to have you join her at her estate near Carconne. She is a fine woman of the Goddess, Artur. Not at all cruel. You will be loved and respected at her side."

"She is older, Priestess Javka." said Artur,

"Oh Artur!" Javka laughed. "I too am much older than you, but it is quite clear that I excite you!" And she tapped his engorged sex a few times with her toes.

"But you are a priestess," said Artur.

"Artur, you are a boy of the Goddess," replied Javka, a little more sternly. "You will come to love your wife and mistress. And you will obey her, just as you must obey your poor mother now, at least until the match is properly completed. Here, come to my couch and I will enjoy you as a priestess enjoys a temple boy. It is a great honour, Artur. And will it not be a thrill, to be brought to the Goddess by a priestess no less? But afterwards you must go to Desdre's bed and be loyal to her henceforth, knowing that a priestess once brought you to the Goddess through union of the body. That should be enough for you."

But Artur continued to resist Javka and, as her frustration grew, she pushed her chair back from him until eventually she sat scowling with her arms crossed. More than once, her eyes went to the frame of repentance and, in another place and another time, she might have considered keeping him there for some days and breaking him. But this was not the City of The Goddess, and this was not the time of the Old Queen. This was the southern kingdom, where the cult was barely tolerated and a recalcitrant boy from a free-born family could not be forced into the slavery of a temple marriage by his mother and a priestess. Eventually Javka rose and slapped Artur hard across the face before turning on her heel and leaving the room without a word. Artur, smarting from the blow, reasoned that the audience was over.

****

Artur stopped by Javka's grave as he climbed the path to the temple, with Nadam at his side. The boatman had done a good job, finding a black stone to mark the spot with the engraved word 'Javka" and the symbol of the Goddess above it. Just that and nothing else, save for some flowering shrubs placed carefully around the spot. Why did the foolish old boatman love her? The Goddess only knew how many times Javka must have beaten him.

Nadam placed a hand on Artur's shoulder and spoke kindly to him.

"Artur, I know you are of these lands. I could tell that the boatman knew you, and now I see that you grieve for whatever person lies here. But I care not, Artur. I care only that you are loyal to the Empire. And Artur, I want you to know that I am your friend. You can speak to me of things if you wish and be assured of my loyalty and discretion. Or speak not, and I will stand with you here for as long as you need."

"Thank you Nadam," said Artur, genuinely moved. "This person here was not beloved by me, but her resting place moves me to think of times past, some good some bad. And to think of how things have changed in these moons past and to wonder what the coming few will bring. But come, let us not keep the Emperor waiting."

They walked the remaining path to the temple and entered, Artur leading the way to the state room where the Emperor was holding court, shouting furiously at his ministers, the Lady Beshara at his side.

"Bring that ugly fool Osta to me this time! Put him in the little boat and row him over here! I will not go to his palace again to hear his empty promises. Where is the food for my armies? Where are the soldiers of the south that he owes me? The horses? Bring him here, I say! And if he refuses to come, drag his Queen and Princesses to the courtyard and have our men enjoy them there in his view! And then bring Osta here anyway! Force him if needs be!"

The Emperor saw Artur and Nadam enter and calmed somewhat.

"Come! Come! My brave generals! It is good to see you, although I would wish the circumstances to be better. Come, sit here for a few moments while I deal with these other matters."

He turned to a captain of the Eagle Legion and said, "What of Kamhet? Is he found?"

"No, My Lord, not yet."

"It makes no sense," said the Emperor. "Go to every tavern, every boarding house, every whorehouse! Start breaking some heads! Someone must know where he is."

Once again he turned to Artur and Nadam.

"You see how things are here in Cana? I would have wished to share great plans with you, my friends. To impart a grand strategy. But such is pointless now. You must take your men and go north immediately! There is nothing to be gained by remaining here. Make haste to Casbur and conquer it as quickly as you can, and pray that you find food there. Nadam, The Falcons have cannon? Good. There is a legion of the Helenes camped just north of the city, pick them up as you go, and I will send more after you. Meanwhile, I shall go to the City of the Goddess. Whomsoever shall complete their conquest first will send an army to assist the other. So be it. Go now, leave no later than tomorrow. And take Beshara with you!"

"Wait! What!" said Beshara, speaking for the first time. "I wish to accompany you, my brother, to the City of The Goddess. I will take my slaves from there!"

"Oh Beshara," replied the Emperor. "I have offered you ten thousand slaves, and they could be taken as easily from the east as from the west. So why do you care which way you go? But I think I know. You seek exotic pleasure slaves from the City do you not? So called 'temple boys' and the slave-husbands of City women."

Beshara sighed, "Brother, they are each worth fifty times as much!"

"Ah Beshara, that may be true. But the Empire does not run on the lust of its widows. It needs slaves for the fields, for the mines and quarries, for the shipyards and road builders. Such men can surely be found on the farms of the east or in Queen Zantina's armies. And who knows? You may chance upon some handsome young men for your ladies of leisure. No, Beshara, my mind is made up. Go to Casbur with Artur, Nadam and the Helenes! In a few days Kailyn will arrive and I will take her with me to the City of The Goddess where you will join us once Artur and Nadam here have dealt with Casbur."

Beshara bowed her head in frustration, realising that her brother's mind was made up and she walked over to join the two men as the Emperor dismissed them.

"My Lord," said Artur. "Do you remember the promise you made to me after Teshka? In your tent?"

"I do, Artur. If I decide that Osta is no longer useful I shall put him in a dark hole and keep him for you. I think that will be soon. What was your grievance against him? Remind me!"

"My father, a loyal and honourable man, was sent to his dungeons and died there."

"Ah, then your hatred is reasonable enough. I should have known, Artur, because you are a reasonable man. And neither do I forget your other two requests - although your mother and your priestess sister may be harder to find than King Osta. But I will do what I can for the Hero of Teshka."

"Thank you my Lord."

As they took their leave, Artur noticed Javka's frame and couch were still in the room; smashed to pieces in the corner.