Gilkush sat on his throne on the terrace of his mansion, his chin resting on his hands as he focused on the horizon in silence, his jade scales glistening in the midday sun. If Kisha didn’t know better, she’d think he was drenched in sweat.
“We don’t have to worry about the plebs getting over the
wall,” said Ragur as he lounged nearby, “they’d need really big ladders”
“Shut up, idiot boy! Kisha, I can’t thank you enough for
keeping an eye on my son. I’m sure you’ve saved him from being caught doing
less-than-legal things countless times”
“It’s my pleasure”, she said in what she hoped was a convincing
tone
Etenkur, his unfaltering smirk as mischievous as ever, led
Kyroz and Hastoz onto the terrace.
“Kyroz, would you care to explain to me why half of Kurush
was outside the Rush this morning?” said Gilkush, “I’ve been spending a gold
ingot a month on you, has that been a complete waste?”
Kyroz readjusted his black toga, “Of course not, esteemed
Ikarkur, there are many lishas who are devoted to the cause, who have seen the
pure light of truth and want to restore the righteous order of-“
“Yes, yes, you don’t need to spout all that here,” said
Gilkush, “Etenkur, where is Tiuk right now?”
“She is on the outer wall. There have been sightings of
pirates. This morning I took the liberty of arranging patrols such that
soldiers close to her will be posted on the outer wall, and those more aligned
with our thinking are in the Rush”
“Excellent, now is the time to strike. Hastoz, can we rely
on the cooperation of you and your employees? We can discuss fair compensation
for you in due course"
Hastoz snorted in what Kisha assumed was approval.
"If all goes to plan, if we all play our roles well, by
the end of today Kurush will be in its 'righteous order', as Kyroz puts
it," said Gilkush, "But in case we fail, know that in the basement of
this mansion there is a hidden entrance to a staircase that descends into the
rock. The previous owner vanished into thin air after he was caught defrauding
several Ikarkurs, presumably he’s the one who built it. It goes under the Rush
wall, under the outer wall, and comes out near the old docks on the river. Our
ships there survived the wave. Etenkur, could you show Kyroz and Hastoz?"
"Gilkush," said Kyroz, "about our
deal..."
"You can have her," said Gilkush, "as long as
you play your part"
Kyroz bowed in gratitude before he and Hastoz were led back
into the mansion by Etenkur. Gilkush's eyes returned to the horizon.
"Hurums see lishas as monstrous predators that are ravenous
for their flesh. Lishas see hurums as wild beasts that need to be tamed. The
truth is that they're all animals, they all need to be tamed. That is true now
more than ever, because Kurush is a husk. It’s completely hollow. Perhaps the
only person who still believes in Kurush is Tadarur. It made him rich, so he
thinks that if someone can’t succeed, the problem must be with them, not
Kurush. He can’t see that it’s broken, but everyone else can. They’re looking
for someone to blame, and those of us at the top have targets on our backs. They
will tear us limb from limb if they get the chance. The only way we survive is if
enough plebs direct their rage somewhere else, preferably towards those who are
surplus to requirements, those who can’t defend themselves, or those who want
radical change. Or change that’s expensive, at least. The Sun smiles on us,
thankfully there are nutters out there like Kyroz already willing to harness
their rage. But we have to make sure he succeeds, you understand? Through
Kyroz, we can preserve some order, and preserve ourselves. If he fails, then
will Kurush eat itself”
“But can lishas really be distracted so easily?” said Ragur
“We’ll find out today. Come on, let’s go”
Gilkush, Kisha and Ragur joined Etenkur, Kyroz and Hastoz in
the atrium, and together they strut through the Rush. With Gilkush in the lead,
his supercilious aura was enough to part the sea of lishas and hurums in the
narrow streets. As soon as they arrived at the barracks, Etenkur gave the order
for all soldiers to assemble in the training yard. They poured out of the
tower, some with the stone faces of discipline, some gleefully joking with
their comrades. Once there was a monolith of silent soldiers standing to
attention, Kyroz stepped forward.
“Today is a glorious day! Today Kurush shall regain its
strength! And you shall be our saviours!” he pulled out a pot of oil from the
folds of his toga, “The cross and diamond is an ancient Ekuan symbol for the
Sun. With it, you shall be transformed. You are no longer mere mercenaries, you
shall become holy soldiers, destined to remake the world as the Sun always
intended”
He walked up to Kisha, who bowed her head. He dipped his
index claw into the glossy black oil, and drew a diamond and then a cross over
it on her forehead. She knew it was bullshit, she even suspected he knew it was
bullshit. But she could feel her cold blood starting to simmer as it coursed
through her body. Finally, she thought, it’s time to show the weak the meaning
of strength.
Constructive criticism welcome
© Paul Bramhall
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