The Emperor and the Temple

When the High Priest of Wodh heard about the burning of suf herb in the square before the Temple of the Goddess, he both rejoiced and despaired. For, while he celebrated the destruction of the herb, he was infuriated by news that Taneric had entered the Temple, High Priestess Ashala taking his arm as they climbed the steps together. In his rage, the priest sought out Oneric in the Hall of the Elders. He could not have chosen a less sympathetic listener.

"Oneric, it is scandalous! They say the Prince was embraced by a beautiful witch - the very woman who took that poor exhausted runaway from our gates not three moons ago, while he and Peto stood and watched! And then he allowed the she-devil Ashala to take his arm as they climbed the steps to the Temple!"

"Calm yourself High Priest," replied Oneric. "We shall soon have more to worry about than a few harmless Priestesses. And it is thanks to that 'witch', as you call her, that we are now warned of the danger we face from the east."

"I warn you Oneric! No good can come from consorting with these pagans! They are condemned to Hell by Wodh Himself. We should burn them for the witches they are."

"High Priest, watch your words! Remember our late Queen was once a priestess. And there was a time when Ashala herself was much loved by Alfard."

"Ah, yes. Our Queen, who arrived here in Vosgir with you, a slave, walking beside her horse. You were her boy on the night she fled the Temple, were you not Oneric? Tell me, did she wait for that night so that you would be with her? Or was it pure chance that brought you, of all men, to the North? I have often wondered."

"She waited."

"Yes, I thought so. And in Vosgir she enchanted Alfard, just as she had once enchanted you. And, tell me, Oneric, did you still serve between her legs, even after that? Perhaps on nights when the King was absent? Or on nights he preferred the company of Ashala?"

Oneric stepped forward and raised his hand to strike the High Priest, but controlled himself before the blow fell.

"You are wise not to strike me Oneric. I have known for many years that Alfard was lost to the Goddess, but I believed that Kasmine would one day be queen. And she has little love for the City or patience for priestesses. Then Taneric arrived. I had hopes for him at first - a confused slave who should, by rights, have only hatred in his heart for his abusers. But no! Sadly, it seems when one of those creatures enchants a man there is no way back for him. I will leave you now, Oneric. But think on what I have said! I will not stand by and watch Wodh usurped by a false goddess in this land."

As the High Priest turned away from him, Oneric's hand went instinctively to the hilt of his sword, but he did not draw it. He watched the cleric walk to the doors of the Hall and shouted after him, "Have a care, priest! My eyes will be upon you henceforth!"

****

You may have heard of the gathering that took place that day in the Library of the Temple, as the pyre of suf herb still smouldered outside. High Priestess Ashala was there, and her spy Hanja (it being this role for which history most commonly remembers her). And Prince Taneric of course, with Princess Kasmine and Peto, commander of the King's Guard, the North's greatest warrior of that era. Some say Queen Zantina was there, although in truth she did not travel to the City of the Goddess until days later. But Priestess Shallie of the Library and her day boy Fris were present. Who was he, you ask? Was he not the boy who accompanied Ashala to the City Adjutant the night Nikah was found to be missing? Indeed, and you will know him better soon, reader. But not as Fris. He was later renamed by history, an honour that only the greatest heroes enjoy.

As Taneric entered the Library, with the High Priestess on his arm, and the others following close behind, they found Shallie and her boy already there. The Priestess of the Library had heard of the events outside the Temple that day, but had chosen not to bear witness, instead remaining at her table, working on an ancient manuscript. "Good riddance to the herb," she had said to Fris. "A woman wants boys who choose to love her, not snivelling slaves, broken and befuddled by a concoction." And she had pulled Fris to her, squeezing him and kissing his head, for she was herself a loving mistress.

When Ashala told Shallie of Hanja's news, she called out to her day boy, instructing him to leave. But Taneric put out a hand and gripped Fris's forearm hard, causing him to wince.

"Fris stays!" he said.

"No," replied Shallie. "It is not appropriate for a Temple Boy to be present when serious matters are discussed. Fris, leave now please!"

But Taneric maintained his grip, and poor Fris could not move, no matter how much he wished to obey. And then Taneric addressed Shallie:

"Dear Shallie, most kind and learned Priestess, much loved by all - your sisters and the boys of the Temple alike. Do you remember when I was your night boy? We would sit together in that chair there, and look at the books of the Ancients. You would read them to me, for I knew nothing of the language. Those were wonderful nights - I still think of them often."

Shallie reddened and glanced sideways at Ashala, who glared back at her.

"A question occurs to me," continued Taneric, "If you would wish to enlighten your occasional night boy in this manner, how would you educate Fris here - he who works at your side day by day?"

Ashala spoke out, "A library boy simply fetches and carries for his day mistress. Is that not right, Shallie?"

But the Priestess of the Library remained silent.

Taneric turned to address Fris, releasing his grip, "You know well the language of the Ancients, do you not?"

Fris nodded.

"I knew it Fris! You have read these books, consumed them. Do not deny it!"

Again, Fris nodded, and then lowered his head.

"Shallie," began Ashala, "We will talk of this later! No male is permitted to___"

"Let her be, High Priestess!" said Taneric. "If Fris has read of the Ancients' knowledge we may be glad enough soon."

"My My!" said Ashala, nodding in mock appreciation, "You are certainly not the Tak who left us just a few moons ago. What have they done to you there in Vosgir?"

"I am the same Tak, Ashala. I still love you, and Hanja, and you Shallie, and my dear day mistress Ruta, and many others of your sisters. I would like nothing more than to sit and drink juka with you and talk of the old days. But there is no time. I will not see my father's kingdom, and indeed the City of the Goddess, overrun by this cruel eastern emperor. And if I must break your rules, Ashala, then so be it. For if I do not, it will be the boots of the Emperor's armies that trample this magnificent library and the violation will be one thousand times worse."

He paused, offering the High Priestess an opportunity to respond, but she said nothing. He moved closer to her and spoke softly, so that the others in the room could not hear what passed between them.

"Ashala, the Goddess speaks to me in my dreams."

"Just dreams Tak. Just dreams. Anyone can have dreams, and sometimes they seem real. Like a boy who believes a beautiful woman has come to him in his bed, and when he awakes he sees that even his body behaved as though it were real."

He sighed, "But She is with me, as she is with you. You see it, don't you Ashala?"

She reached out and touched his cheek, "Yes Tak, She is with you."

Taneric stepped back from Ashala and once more addressed the room, "King Osta - will he fight? Peto?"

"No, he will not. He will hope to be made a vassal ruler."

"Hanja, the South is your homeland." said Taneric.

"He will not fight. He is a coward," she replied.

"Then we will leave him to the Emperor. Zantina will fight, of this we can be sure. Peto, we must send messengers - firstly to Vosgir, so that the Sons of the North can be raised. Secondly to Casbur. Have Zantina come here to the City of the Goddess if she will. There are still perhaps three moons in which we can gather our forces and make plans. And send a few men south, discreetly, to fetch Kamhet from Hanja's mother. He still has much to tell us that may be useful."

"He is bound to the Lady Cillah by the herb," said Ashala. "He cannot be separated from her now."

"Why not?" asked Taneric.

"Even Ruta does not fully understand. But when a boy is enslaved using the herb, kept for a length of time, and then separated from his mistress, he begins to sicken and wilt, even though no physical illness can be detected. Lady Cillah must come north with her boy."

"Very well. Hanja, you must write a letter to your mother explaining this! Peto's warriors will take it to her."

"I will Tak, but I fear she will not come." said Hanja.

"If she does not, your men must use force Peto. And what of the City, Ashala? How many men at arms?"

"Perhaps one thousand. But they are well equipped and well trained. A standing army, not slaves or conscripts. They will fight."

"I know Ashala. At Tajorg the legion of the City fought well. But their leaders were fools, chosen for their loyalty to the Old Queen above their qualities as leaders in battle. Things will be different this time."

Finally, Taneric turned to Fris, gripping his shoulders and staring urgently into his eyes.

"Fris, the Ancients had incredible devices. Mechanisms that could carry men through the air like a bird, or could travel down a road faster than any horse. And weapons so powerful they could destroy the world. Not just 'could' but almost 'did', is that not right Shallie? That is what you told me. Surely there is something we can use against our enemies?"

"Yes, Tak, the books tell us of these things. But making them is not easy. Hundreds of years would be needed - each generation building on the advances of the one before it."

"I know Fris. But is there something simpler? The emperor has weapons that can send iron balls across the field of battle, one thousand times larger than an arrow, faster and further than any bow. These balls can destroy the walls of a great city."

"This I know how to do," said Fris. "And more besides. But I will need all the resources of the City."

"Every foundry, every smith, every craftsman, every man of tools." replied Taneric.

"And the mines and quarries that produce ore and minerals must work at my behest."

"They will, Fris."

Sitting at the great table in the center of the Library hall, and hearing men talk of powerful weapons, Ashala put her head into her hands. Hanja moved to the chair beside her and put an arm around her shoulders. Peto also stirred in concern:

"Taneric, the quarries of the City use slaves. We cannot___"

"They must be freed after the threat from the Emperor has been overcome. They will be told this - told of the cause in which they work." Taneric replied.

"Taneric," said Ashala, wearily raising her head. "The Council of the Republic will resist this."

"You sit on the Council, Ashara, and you will persuade them. Or would they rather lose their city and spend the rest of their lives themselves enslaved in a far away land? The World is about to change, Ashala, for better or for worse. They must accept this."

"You must come with me Tak. They will want to see what manner of man they entrust with the future of the Republic."

"I will, High Priestess. But they must understand that for the last fourteen summers, since Tajorg, the Republic has existed only at the pleasure of my father. It is through his consent that the women of the City have enjoyed their comforts, their slave husbands, their Temple. I will remind them of this. Now I ask only that the Republic fights for its own survival, but under the leadership of the North - under Alfard."

The group talked further into the evening, making plans and dispatching dozens of messengers. Eventually the Sons of the North grew short of warriors, and the City Adjutant was sent for and persuaded to provide men from her legion for the cause. It was decided that all supply of food to Osta's realm, from the North and East alike, would be stopped. "The Emperor will expect to feed his armies from the lands he conquers," said Taneric. "But on his arrival he will find that the people are already hungry in the south."

When night fell, and the group became weary, Ashala announced that rooms in the Temple would be provided for the visitors. Taneric asked her to take him first to Ruta, his beloved day mistress, so that he could sit with her for a while. They found her in the gardens, within the seed room beneath the glass house, where she was in the act of dismissing her day boys.

"They are good boys, Tak," she said, "But I very much miss you and Nikah. They say Nikah arrived here at the Temple today also. Please bring him to me soon!" And she proceeded to make a huge fuss over Taneric, throwing her arms around him and refusing to let go of her 'boy from the Tajorg valley'.

Eventually, much later, Taneric and Ashala walked together to the bedchamber halls, she taking his arm and slowing her steps to prolong the journey.

"You are much changed Tak," she said. "It can only be the work of the Goddess. All that remains is the love the priestesses have for you - and it is greater than ever."

"And my love for you and your sisters also remains," said Tak. "High Priestess, may I come to your chamber tonight? Be your night boy once again?"

Ashala stopped and turned to him, shocked, "Tak, this is a surprise! You never seemed to crave me when you were here. And I have two night boys already waiting for me. See there! They kneel by my door."

Tak smiled, "Ashala, you misunderstand. Remember the last night that I served you? Before I went with you into the City and everything changed. You had me put my head in your lap and you stroked my hair. I need that now, Ashala. I am still young, and now I am afraid, and I feel the need to weep for a while. But who can I tell that to except you?"

"Ah, I understand. But what of me, Tak? Whose lap can I rest my head in?"

"Mine, Ashala. If you would allow me to lay my hands upon you."

Ashala sighed, "Why not! The Goddess has seen enough offence on this day. What difference will one more transgression make? We will take turns, Tak." And she called out to the kneeling night boys, dismissing them. And then, just as they were about to enter her chambers, they saw a figure in the halls, creeping from door to door in the darkness.

"Who is that?" said Ashala, concerned.

"It is Kasmine," replied Taneric. And he called out to her. "Kasmine! What ails you?"

The princess approached them, blushing deeply.

"Oh, Tak. And High Priestess. I am looking for Peto's room. There is one of those strange beds in my room. One that changes shape, and has restraints fitted. And also a cupboard full of toys, the likes of which we do not see in Vosgir. And as I knew you to be occupied, Tak, I decided to fetch Peto. Do you know what room he is in?"

Ashala sighed, "They are known as 'priestess's couches' my dear. And there is one in every bedchamber."

"I am not sure Peto would want me to deliver him, Kasmine," said Taneric. "Even if I knew where he lies."

"Princess Kasmine," said Ashala. "I will tell you where to find Peto on one condition. When you have him properly restrained, give him ten strokes from me. Hard ones. I have not forgotten or forgiven him for his rudeness on the steps of the Temple earlier today. Make sure he understands they are from me!"

"I will do so gladly," replied Kasmine, laughing.

"Room 132," said Ashala. "It is that way." And she pointed down the hall.

"When Kasmine had left them Ashala sighed again, "She was a young girl when I knew her at the court of your father, brimming with life and mischief. I don't think she remembers me at all. But it is good to see how she has grown up - full of fun and laughter. I think I was like that once, but it was many years ago - before I came to the Temple. Come, Tak, you can serve me wine and call me 'Mistress' at least once before you rest your head."