Book 7, Chapter 27: Meeting Emperor Bracken
On a large and long field leading before a short rise, where the enemy encampment lay, they’d set a large white tent, heavy canvas rippling in the night’s strong breeze. It was too close to their camp and too far from ours to be safe, yet we knew this, and on we rode.
For a moment, the smell of cinnamon and roasted chestnuts wafted over me, and I inhaled deeply. We were yet too far out for the smell of incense to reach us. A portent? My imagination? I let that one go as we neared the tent.
It was lit up in warm yellow with oil lanterns spilling out silky, black smoke.
Across a table, chairs all around, stood four guards on the left of the abbess whom I blinded, the nun who brought me clothing after I escaped the mirror, who now, like the abbess, appeared in her twenties, a young man almost out of his teens, and one elderly man regally dressed in golds and purples, wearing a crown, and four more guards.
To my immediate left, and behind, was Mest. On my right, Sorstram and Sasan. I didn’t need a guard, but we did have someone for the horses. They seem to have required three men for their horses.
The abbess bowed low, gesturing to her people, “Estrom you know from the temple. Next is Prince Fadi, son of Emperor Ehatal. Finally,” she bowed her heard, “Emperor Bracken.” The abbess, looking at the old man, indicated me, “The Goddess Cayce, Your Majesty. Goddess of tricks and deception.”
Anger rose up in me. My fists clenched, arms shaking. How dare these people talk of me thusly! I knew I should calm down, but I did not want to. Anger was guiding me, it took over an empire for me, defended a city. And this was so much more!
I didn’t need to speak to these people! It’d be easier to kill them all, the leaders of this army, and force the rest to surrender.
Mest’s voice rang out, forcing my attention from below, on one knee, “God-empress Cayce, General Sorstram and General Sasan.”
Prince Fadi, darkly olive skin and silvery-blue eyes, put his hand on his stomach, bowed while holding my gaze, “Enchanted.”
Emperor Bracken, white beard and moustache shaking, put his arm in front of the young man and pushed him back, stepped forward into the table, causing it to rock, “The one who blinded you? The one who returned your youth? She looks barely into womanhood.” He slapped his hand on the wood, forcing the table steady.
“The same.”
I crossed my arms to still my urgent desire to draw swords and walked along their table, passing the emperor, until reaching the last guard. I looked at this soldier in the eyes. He avoided my gaze, staring and staring down.
I walked back across their table, putting each of them behind me until I reached the last man and, like before, stared him down.
Then I returned slowly by the second man, third, fourth, abbess, her nun, the prince, and faced the old man. Standing before him, I quieted my intense anger, letting my hands lightly set upon the table, and said, “Emperor Bracken. I demand your immediate and total surrender.”
Canvas shook against the wooden supports, flaps rustling in the wind, before outside the tent a cricket, then another, began to sing and chirp.
He turned his beige eyes, wizened with wrinkles, onto me, “That you demand it means I don’t need to surrender. You no longer have the power of the gods.”
“Your needs are inconsequential.” Turning away from him to keep the peace, I faced her and spoke loudly, “Abbess, tell him what’s coming out of that trap you put me into.”
“Surely not!” she said, hands to her mouth, gasping as if an old, old woman. “You opened it for them? Why would you do this?!”
Stepping forward, I pointed my finger at her, “You opened it for them when you put me into it!” For I was a being created only to escape that trap. I’d done so and somehow remained alive. Perhaps I was overstaying my welcome. I hit the table twice, “Tell him!”
With a slowness at least partially due to age, or so I imagined, he finally turned to face her. “What is she talking about? What is coming?”
Once elderly, but now young in appearance, the woman tapped her hands onto the chair in front of her, moved around it, and sat down, leaning forward. “Horrors. Unspeakable horrors.” She looked up to no one in particular. “But we only have incomplete accounts of these. They . . . they may not be real.”
I spoke to the room, “We have to march on the Temple of the Gods!” I pointed at these people, “If you want to survive. If you want your cities to survive,” then pointed at myself, “I have to get there to stop those horrors from exiting! You will surrender your army to me. We cannot afford to fight, we cannot afford to lose men.”
The prince asked, “Abbess, is this true?”
Without moving her head, she said in a monotone, “I see no reason to doubt . . . her.”
The prince turned to the emperor, “We should consider what the, ah, god-empress is suggesting. It was the Abbess who brought us news of her existence. And her gift. That they both believe in this threat is something we should take seriously.”
Bracken glanced over at him, then back at me, “Girl, we came for your bones and that’s all I’m willing to accept out of any deal we reach.”
I sighed. “I don’t know why you rulers have to be so goddamned stupid.” I walked up to him, “I destroyed your other army. I’ll destroy this one. And I’ll leave no trace of your lineage on the planet.”
Bracken lifted his fist, shaking it, when the abbess shouted, “There’s another way!” She repeated herself at a near whisper, “There’s another way.”
The emperor started to say something, but I put my hand on his face, “Shut up.” I walked over to abbess, “What is it?”
She looked up, but her eyes didn’t quite find my own, “Sacrifice. It’s a complicated ritual and it requires . . . loss. From you, specifically.”
“One that gives you my bones? That’s not happening. Alright, Bracken,” I turned to him, “what do you want? You want me to make you young again?” I smiled as best I could, as lying never went well for me, and I seethed at the trick, “I’ll make you twenty again. After we go to the Temple and seal the damned thing.”
“You’ll come with me and I’ll release this city from siege.” He crossed his arms. “We’ll do what the Abbess over here suggests. They are the religious order overseeing the Temple of the Gods. They know what rituals need to be completed.”
“There’s no further point in discussion.” I wondered whether I should kill him now, causing our militaries to battle, or see if we could wait him out. No. I was done with my calm demeaner. I breathed in anger, and exhaled rage.
The nun beside the abbess sat down, reaching for a pack, “God-empress Cayce, have you seen one of these before?” She dropped a well-oiled leather bag on the table.
Mest leapt forward, stabbing her sword through the woman’s chest. “The weapon, Ma’am!”
Drawing my sword, I severed Bracken’s head, then pointed it at the prince, “Tell the guards to stand down and surrender your forces!”
The guards drew their weapons, two stepping forward to Mest, who pulled her sword from the dying woman, holding it forward while backing up. A shiny red streak of blood ran down the blade and dripped off the guard. Sorstram and Sasan drew their swords, Sasan holding a short sword in his left.
The prince shouted, “Cease fighting! Soldiers, put away your swords!”
The nearest to me shouted, “She killed the Emperor!” He drew his sword, immediately swinging at me. Behind him, his fellows jumped over the table.
Stepping forward, slightly to the right and under his blade, I stabbed through his neck with my left hand, swung my right up and across the next man’s downward thrust, his arms continued to the ground, pierced the next man’s abdomen and, spinning, severed the last man’s head.
The prince froze. And showed me his palms.
A war horn blew out in the air from just outside the tent and was soon answered by another.
The abbess held the dying nun, whispering something in her ear. The soldier with the severed forearms sat down staring at them, blood pumping out, then gave in to his closing eyes almost like he was resting and fell sideways.
Swords rang out as my generals and Mest clashed with the other four guards. One circled outside the group, looking to flank Mest. I ran over and finished off the soldiers, then the two stationed outside and the trumpeter, and finally went back to the prince, standing before him, chest heaving from the effort.
I wiped blood off my face, “Tell me you can stop this battle.”
With wide eyes and standing very still, “Ah, I’m not, I’m not in direct command.”
“Then, why are you here?”
“As . . . as,” he looked me in the eye, “an observer for my father, brother to Bracken. He is older and near death and-”
“Right. You’d better guard that damned Abbess then. And, damnit. Sasan! Take this prince and the woman to the city! Sortram, send out the archers and get the infantry ready. I’m going to, I’m going to do something really and truly stupid.” Yet I felt my brother smiling in the background, holding a horn, full of a dark red ale. He raised his arm in salute. My eyes went wide, “That bastard!”
“Ma’am, if you’re staying, I’m staying.” Mest’s voice pulled me out of my realization.
“What? Mest, no.” I closed the gap between us and touched her face, “It’d be better if you left to ensure the generals return to the city. Come out with the cavalry. Also, I need you to get that candelabra off the battlefield. See to it that it gets to the wizard.”
She stared at me for a long time, finally bowing her head, “Ma’am.”
The young man said to me from the right, “Surely you don’t mean to fight an entire army?”
“You heard the nun. I’m a goddess.” Then it hit me. I needed him. “Wait. Forget the abbess. You and I are riding into that camp. You are taking me to Bracken’s generals.”
His puffy hair fluttered about as he nodded at the woman, “It’d be better if we took her, too.”
“Fine.”
***
He was tall, with wide shoulders on the horse, the prince hefted one of Bracken’s flags. He glanced over at me and smiled.
Sure, I thought, we’re just going on a stroll through an enemy army. Smile, so fun. Wait. Was he hitting on me? I looked up at the heaven’s above, darkening as the night grew longer, and just wondered why, why couldn’t it have been a video game???
Taking the reins of the blind abbess, I said, “We’re about to ride. Hold on.”
“Thank you, divine one.”
I gave her a dirty look that she couldn’t see but hoped she felt deep within the depths of her unclean soul.
Their phalanx was advancing, skirmishers and slingers on the flanks, cavalry to the sides, and wood banged together as their crude catapults went into action, large stones flung high over the field toward our city walls.
The first few fell short, the second missed, but soon one hit low against a tower, bouncing off.
“Let’s go! Faster!” I shouted, telling the horse to move.
We soon caught up to the prince and he looked back, easily holding the large flag steady, and he looked forward. We were heading straight into their marching formations. The prince altered his course to go between first two waves of phalanx, then archers.
No one challenged us.
We rode through the phalanx reserves, past tents and smoking firepits, past larger tents and then, finally, to the largest tent, with a large doorless area. Spear-wielding guards stood around the enormous round tent, facing outward.
We rode up, dismounted, the prince set the flag down, gestured at us to follow, “Come.”
After dismounting, I helped the woman down and guided her into the tent against my desire. It was easier to see how large it was once inside, which housed a table near the left entrance, cushions upon cushions opposite this where another young man, in gold and silver scale mail armor, stood, three women by his side giving him all the attention they could, and five other men wearing similarly adorned darkened scale mail, with pretty sheathes for their swords. I took them to be the generals.
“Your Highness, ah,” said Prince Fadi, looking back at me, “uhm. I offer you my condolences,” he bowed low. “Your father, Emperor Bracken, has passed.”
That prince said something to the women near him, and they quickly sat down into the pillows with wide, worried eyes, holding each other’s hands, and he said to no one in particular, but loud enough for all to hear, “Caspious will want the throne! But it is mine by birth. Generals! Recall the soldiers! We will make plans to march on the capital. Tell me,” he looked at Fadi, “how did he die?”
Huh, I thought I was going to have to fight the entire army myself. Maybe I could just walk back?
The prince held out his hand for me, and bowed again, “May I present Her Divine Highness, God-Empress Cayce. The girl your father had been searching for.”
“He found her?” The man finally looked at me and his eyes scrunched up, “Why are you full of blood?”
The abbess spoke, “The situation has changed. You will surrender your forces to the goddess, Prince Kirken.”
“Woman, you led my father on a fool’s quest and this girl,” he pointed at me, “is what you bring me? Someone,” he shook his head, “throw her out. And all her clerics.” He angrily turned to the generals, “I said to sound the retreat!”
One of them immediately left the tent, but another stepped forward, eyeing me up and down suspiciously, “How did Emperor Bracken die? And why is this girl wearing bloody armor? Who did you fight?”
Well, damn. I stepped forward, “I offered Bracken the chance to survive and he refused. This blood is his and every last soldier sent down there. Now,” I faced the new would-be emperor, “you have the same choice. But a better one. You can work with me, but I need your entire army. You’ll lead under me.”
“I don’t know whether to laugh or have you executed in front of me. Soldiers! Take her away.”
I cocked my head. “I also promised your father to wipe his lineage right out of history. Stand down your men or I’ll kill every last man here.” I pointed at the other young guy, “Except him.”
A guard took one of my arms, another taking the other, each holding me by the upper and lower arms.
I sighed. I really could have somehow done this last part differently. Looking up, I said, “Last chance.”
Waving his hand, he walked over to his generals.
The guards pulled my arms, to drag me out. I curled my right bicep up, left slightly, stepped back with my right leg, I bent the left guy’s arm over the right guy’s, straightened it, slipped out of his grasp, took the right guy’s short sword, stabbing him while pulling him into the blade, pushed him away, stepping forward and stabbing into the other guy’s chest cavity. I left that sword there, drew mine, and wheeled around.
The first spearman rushed in, looked down at the dying men, and looked up to find my blade moving across his neck. I cut down across the back of the neck of the second soldier to rush in, stabbed straight into the next, pulled my sword out, sheathed both and picked up a spear.
Nine more entered from the other side. Moving slowly, carefully, pointing their spears at me, a half-circle of points. Damn. Spearmen were hard since my style required close quarters.
Still, they were moving their spear tips together. Synchronized, same height. I could scarcely believe it. What a strange opportunity!
I rushed them, no battle scream, slamming my spear onto theirs sideways, thrusting my point into the ground, jump up to step on the lead spearman’s forehead, kick his left temple hard, jump off him onto the next guy’s wrists, pushing my weight against my spear, it bends and I use that to slam my feet into the next man’s throat, pushing off into my spear, bending it, and coming down hard on the next guy’s hands.
He drops his spear and falls back. This time I land and whip out my sword, slicing across the next man’s neck, stabbing the guy in front of me, then stepping forward to stab through the next man’s armpit, plant my left foot and spin into next man’s spear as he lifts it off the ground, sliding my blade right up and into his face, I cut as deep as I can and he releases the spear, plant my right foot and spinning backwards now, I backhand stab with my left into the next spearmen, come around to find the next two falling back into defensive fighting positions, spears up.
One thrusts at me, I hit it with my left sword, planting my left foot, spin clockwise, right blade coming up, the other guy’s spear goes into the air where I was, my blade cuts across his throat just above his armor, I leap forward to stab just above the second guy’s left clavicle as he leans forward. He falls face first, and the spear slides to a halt, pushing up the rug.
I turned to face those I didn’t kill. One staggering, one lying on the ground, hands on his throat, staring at me, and the last slowly picking up his spear.
The generals stood in front of the would-be emperor, mouths agape. One general drew his sword, stepping forward, and I cut his arm off at the wrist, my other sword up his neck, into his skull and he dropped. The other men backed up, hands well off their weapons. I walked straight up to the would-be emperor, put my naked blade on the prince’s neck, grabbed his collar with my left hand and pushed him up against a thick tent post, “Surrender or die.”
He held up his hands to the men behind me, “Wait! Wait!”
“If you say anything but ‘I surrender,’ you are not long for this world. And I will find you in the next.”
His eyes refocused on me, and he shook slightly. He slowly reached up with his right hand to my left, so I pressed my blade more strongly against his neck, and he closed his eyes, saying, “I . . . I surrender.”
“Louder.”
“I surrender!”
I patted him on the cheek, “Good boy.” Stepping back, I turned to the general, “Signal our surrender to the city. Order the soldiers to stand down. If this goes smoothly, you and your men will remain armed, and you will suffer no losses. Do you understand?”
“Yes, ma’am!”
“No,” I said, “this is the first time you are addressing me. All of you, take a knee!” They nervously looked around, and the abbess dropped first, the Prince Fadi next, the three soldiers, then the remaining three generals. The prince behind me sinking to his knees. I called out, “Abbess!”
“Yes, Your Divine Empress!”
The general who first spoke to me looked up and said, “Your Divine Empress!”
“Precisely.” Sheathing my blade, I nodded. “Gentlemen, let’s keep this free of bloodshed.” They remained half-kneeling and I sort of looked away, then said, “Uhm, normal honorifics after that. Ma’ams or my ladies. Nothing too carried away. Alright, up, get up, let’s go.”
He left the tent and I hoped, really and truly hoped, that he was going to call the surrender and not get a bunch more people for me to slay. It was getting easier, which was worrisome by itself because, you know, killing people isn’t something I was very happy about, not even a little. But also, my brother. The blood he bade me drink had to have some of his essence. It was that or the blood was entirely symbolic and former Grand Magister Tye was dead or dying wherever he was, and my divinity was coming back.
Probably the former. War, after all, was my brother’s domain.
Prince Fadi was suddenly at my side, “Par-pardon me. Uhm,” he looked into my eyes, almost blushing, “you have convinced me. You truly are more than a mere girl.”
“Uh, thanks. Excuse me a moment.” I walked around him, straight to the men I’d wounded. “I apologize. If I didn’t have to,” I shook my head, “if this wasn’t so messed up, this wouldn’t have happened. I didn’t want any of you injured or dead.”
Two of them managed to hide their feelings, nodding as if to a superior, though the guy holding his neck stared hatred at me. The first two said “Ma’am,” at the same time, the last saying, “My lady.”
“Go take care of yourselves. See the hospital tent or get lunch.” After they bowed and left, I headed back to the two remaining generals and the prince, but the abbess caught my sleeve.
“We have to discuss your sacrifice. It’s the only way to close the Temple.”
Taking her arm off my sleeve, I led her to the pillows, where the three now terrified women still sat. “We’ll discuss this later. Here, sit.” Then, to the ladies, “Can you get her something to eat or drink? And, uh, yourselves. Thanks.”
Eyes wide, they nodded slowly, though one could not take her eyes off the bodies.
I went back to the generals and the now not-emperor. The young prince Fadi followed on my heels, hands clasped behind his back. I did my best to pretend he wasn’t there. “Introductions and situation. I need to know our military strength and compliment. Also, your names, please, gentlemen.”
One of the generals, perhaps middle aged, stepped forward, holding out his palm to indicate the other men, “Generals Pashin and Moya. I am,” he gave a quick head-bow, “Hutan.”
“Excellent, good to meet you. You will continue as my generals and remain in charge of this army. I hate to say this,” I looked out of the tent, just to make sure armed soldiers weren’t forming up, “but as long as none of you betray me, this army will not be broken up. If, however, I find that I cannot trust this army, I’ll have to reform it under different leadership. And that will carry negative consequences. Am I understood?”
“Ma’am.”
“Ma’am.”
“Your will,” said the man taking charge, Hutan.
“And me,” said the emperor’s son, “what will you do with me? Am I to be hanged?” He shifted, pulling his extravagant shirt down to cover the front of his pants.
I tried not to notice, instead asking the generals, “Well, does he make for a competent military commander?”
They hesitated. After a moment, then another awkward one where the prince’s face slowly contorted into disgust, where he was just about to go on a rant about how untrustworthy his generals were, Hutan said, “Yes. He can be trusted to lead the cavalry.”
“Wonderful news. You are welcome to be hanged or lead the cavalry as a major. Which is it?”
“Ca-cavalry.”
“Thank you, Major.” I turned to Hutan, “Remove his royal vestiges, accoutrements, clothing, or whatever indications of rank he has and get him a major’s uniform, weapons and armor. Then, bring him back here.”
“Your will,” he performed a short bow, faced the prince, saying, “If you’ll just come with me,” and the two left.
“And you two, please go over the army for me. And get me some tea, please.”
“We have refreshments over here, ma’am,” Pashin nodded, heading to a short table with a tea set, multiple cups, bread and cheeses atop.
I was about to follow when I could just make out a war horn sounding out from my city. It was long, with a pause, and then long again. It was not the signal we used for attack. They were therefore signaling something entirely different. Either to me, since they knew I was here, or to the army. Possibly it was the order to stand down and, if so, that would be good.
It was answered by a similar horn, just as long, from the opposite side, further south of the city. Our flank. And then a short, much louder horn, followed by the shouts and war cries of thousands and thousands of men. “You!” I pointed at the nearest general, Moya, “Get down there and signal our surrender!”
“Ma’am! May I arrange our troops defensively?”
“Obvious! Be quick about it!” Facing the last general, I asked, “Whose army is this?”
“Why, yours,” said Pashin.
For a brief second, I thought how happy I’d be to see Morry, and then I came to my senses.
Nope. Not the army Pashin meant. “Damn! Damn. Ah, I’m going to need horses. And an honor guard. Pashin, Fadi, come with me. This is going to be messy.”
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