CHAPTER I
A Dark Hart is Spotted
"Take that hart;
To your heart;
With this vision;
All shall be content."
Your Cast of Characters
Esqitihin lĭh Laĵy-yyal-y, Centenot, Regent of the Qane (Bank)
Qopen lĭh Qopen-y, Captain of the Guardsmen of the City
Je'haqhen lĭh Nesthario-y, Guardsmen of the City
Qopenolyn lĭh Sĭhityn-y, Council Woman
Pelasqin lĭh Hethadrima-y, Merchant
Heqselĭpa lĭh Nyrymyrya-y, Oracle
Qo'yyenEsqitihin strolled leisurely through the gardens of the Great Palace of Qo'yyen. The background was filled with an ensemble of buzzing bees, chirping swallows and bubbling fountains. His long flowing golden robes, decorated with black threads depicting the various Daemon of the Black Temple indicated his status as the Centenot. On his fourth finger he had the seal ring, emblazoned with the crest of the Qane showed his status as a Regent of the Qane, arguably more powerful than the Centenot. So like the like son of two royal dynasties, he was double trouble, except unlike most royal dynasties, he had quite a lot of money.
The gardens of the Great Palace was set on a grid of about twenty marble islands - each one decorated with a different arrangement of beautifully kept plants. The floor of the islands were decorated with elaborate carvings depicting religious, and civic history. The center island has a shrine to the Ten Heroes where the higher-ranking Qo'yyenese often came to lay offerings. The islands were separated with canals of water approximately four feet deep and these canals were crossed over by arching bridges, with ornamented posts in the form of the heads of a stag. The canals contained a whole matter of fish - from beautiful blue and white carp, to silent pale eels, and a virtual rainbow of fish.
In the lily pads and marsh grasses ducks, frogs, and dragon flies frolicked. Marsh flowers, their bulbs ranging from an elegant pink to passionate red-purple freckled the endless sea of green and blue. In some canals, standing on marble platforms and never more than three feet high, there were old statues of great leaders from Qo'yyens past. The Centenot hoped he would be one of the leaders honoured with a statue.
The Centenot had cropped black hair, like most Qo'yyenine men (and women) did. His was speckled with streaks of white, a strange genetic anomaly common to the Qo'yyenese. His features were very strong, with heavy, tired eyes, a broad chin which was decorated with a little grey stubble. His nose was crooked, from an accident in the harbour when he was smacked with an oar by a clumsy galley slave, who had promptly been sold off to some foreign power, or had been left as a sacrifice to keep the Creator at bay, Esqithin didn't quite remember.
With the Centenot-Regent strolled two guardsmen, after all, a man like Esqitihin made quite a few enemies, naturally. The more senior Guardsmen was Qopen, the Captain of the Guard. He was another powerful soul. He had been born a peasant in the dark depths of the Black Forest, but due to the fluid and flighty nature of the Qo'yyenese caste system he had been able to move up, quite a bit in the world. He now commanded the keepers of order in the City of Canals (a nickname for Qo'yyen.)
Qopen was much taller than Esqithin - by a couple inches. He was an oddity among the Qo'yyenese who regularly never heights taller than 5'11. Most were much shorter than that. While Qopen was a megalitic 6' much awed by the Qo'yyenese. He was slender, but very well muscled after years of physical training. All the Guardsmen dressed in a light leather and metal armour, with a stylized helmet atop their heads.
With them was also the most eminent Council Woman of the Council of One-Hundred, Qopenolyn. Though related by blood Esqithin despised the woman. She was intelligent, fierce and his biggest rival. She was a Zĭany, like Esqithin, but of opposing branches of the same family - and their rivalry blocked any cooperation in the Council between the two. Her hair was cropped short, but not as short as Qopen, as was common for most women. They let their hair grow a bit longer, so it would curl. Her hair was bound up in tiny braids that all swirled together at the top of her head.
Je'haqhen was the last member of the party strolling in the gardens that day, a junior Guardsmen, he was training on how to protect regal persons - a very important task indeed. He was a gorgeous youth, with a handsome face and sparkling eyes.
Esqithin and Qopenolyn walked ahead strolling lightly. Like any inhabitant of Qo'yyen with any class they talked in a very complex manner. The architecture of their speech like the wall of a cathedral, a work of art. It dripped with simile, metaphor and alliteration. They did not look at one another while the talked, for they disliked each-other so and would rather regard the beauty of the roses which were just in bloom. As is the custom in Qo'yyen, when they talked about themselves (I) they referred to themselves in the second person combined with their name or in more complex third person arrangements, it depends on the company.
"Have you yet figured out why a man (remember Esqithin is talking about himself, I know it can be quite confusing) has extended the white gloved hand and taken time to stroll with a woman in the garden of all desire?" he prodded.
"A woman thought that the reason these humans ("we two") stroll as these humans do is that a man, with the coldest heartstrings and most calculated mind were to kill a woman, as there is precedent for such an act, in the reign of the Centenota Joră," she replied giggling a bit.
"Now a man understands why you hate him so! You believe a man to present a face so pure, yet to be as cruel as the Creator."
"A man may present a face, but a face says stupid things," she said, quoting one of the many Qo'yyenese metaphors.
"Though a man may not like the sound a woman leaves in a man's ears, that does not mean he would draw sword against a Council Woman in this most noble house of our fair city. These two humans are of the same red wine of the body (blood), so a man would not cause the destruction of another of a man's dynasty - for that would do the dynasty dishonour."
"Then why, in the name of all Daemons does a man invite a woman to stroll in these gardens, which burst with colour, smell and pollen?"
The Centenot was about to continue when he was stopped suddenly, in the midst of a breath. The two stared ahead in wonder - their eyes transfixed upon the magnificent stag.
"Does a woman see this Dark Hart? Does a woman gaze upon a Daemon like this man does?"
"A woman does," she responded shyly. The Daemon was magnificent, with beautiful golden antlers and harsh yellow eyes. It's fur was a shimmering black, and it radiated an aura of power and mystery. The Dark Hart was one of the main Daemons of their faith. This was an omen, as the focal Daemons do not just show up for any reason - they always have a meaning. As soon as it arrived, it leaped off and dove into a canal, evaporating just before it touched the water with a golden hoof.
The Black Temple"Ah yes, Heqselĭpamiyyo (I) does see the omen in this sign a man says a man has seen. A Dark Hart, the beautiful and radiant creature symbolizes change for a man, soon a man will begin to unravel the fabric which covers his fate, and a man shall see soon. There will be change everywhere, all over the world - and Qo'yyen will be at the front of change."
The old crone, by the name of Heqselĭpa consulted with Esqithin on the meaning of the portent. She was an oracle, a diviner, an interpreter of the omens. She was the oldest women in Qo'yyen, having seen her fair share of Centenots and Centenotas. Her face has become gnarled and red with age, much like the oldest limb of the oldest tree. Her hair had lost it's darkness and now was completely stark white. Her fingers where crippled by arthritis and blindness had taken one eye and was taking another.
But her third eye could never be blinded, it would not shut until the day she was laid to rest beneath a sapling and ascended into her next existence.
Qo'yyenThe Council of One-Hundred convened regularly (everyday) in the Council Palace in Qo'yyen. They were there to discuss foreign policy, specifically how to pry out the most trade from the nations around them. The Chamber they sat in was elaborate, with golden facades and murals depicting great scenes in the history of Qo'yyen. Huge columns supported arches with three guardsmen blocking the way, so air could get in but the people could not.
The ceiling was vaulted and went up. It had beautiful stained glass map of Qo'yyen depicting every street as it had been when this palace was built, over four hundred years ago.
All the Councillors were dressed in their finery, this month the fashion was crimson and muted colours. A virtual sea of crimson was awash in the chamber. Each one had a special golden chair, decorated with luscious pillows stuffed with goose down and ornamented with gold. There were quite a few different types of people in the Chamber, quite a few of them were fat - and quite a few of them were mousy wisps of human beings.
They were chatting among themselves, the topic at hand had been very controversial, not the fact that they wanted to expand their influence, but where to expand their influence - every Merchant family had their own area of influence where they held property. They chatter began to rise to shouting as members of the various factions jostled for volume until it came down to two large-lunged Councillors.
The Centenot made his entress, and the screaming died down to a low whisper. He called for the debate to commence, as was his duty. That day in council they agreed, in a surprising turn of events to do an across the boards expansion of trade, and select the optimal niche to mine once it was discovered. It was odd because Esqithin's party voted for his idea (naturally) and the Qopenolyn, his arch-rival had brought her party in agreement with him, many wondered what had happened during that walk in the gardens. It was also agreed to increase colonization efforts on the Shores Across Sea where they already had a permanent and bustling settlement. But they would discuss that
Azund a Few Weeks LaterThe Merchant Ship commanded by Pelasqin, a trader under the orders of the Council of Qo'yyen headed for Azund with a small crew and gifts from the Centenot, hoping to find friendliness with the previously apathetic government. His ship docked at the Port in Azund, their mast flying the colours of Qo'yyen flying in the wind.
They made their way through the crowded streets, with an escort. The people here had an odd manner of dress, though the people here must think the Qo'yyenese odd too, with their flowing clothing and their odd manner of speaking. Throughout the city they saw hustle and bustle. Exotic priests preached of Gods unknown to the Merchants, peddlers peddled their wares and dirty peasant children and adults ran through the streets. The absence of slaves struck the Merchants as odd, but theses were odd lands. They were brought to the palace, which was indeed a magnificent affair and awaited for the King to summon them into his presence.