Chapter 37

Anjatta, Evanis, and their escort of thirty-six patch-men didn’t encounter much traffic on the road toward King’s Island. They only passed a peasant leading a heavily loaded donkey and a few times mounted messengers rode past them. Since the patch-men also were their usual talkative selves, the oracle and the warrioress had plenty of contemplative time on their way toward the palace.

“I and the patch-men will wait outside of The Fangs,” Evanis voiced the result of her musings. “It will give you some time to talk with your family alone before they send someone to negotiate a peace treaty with me. Warn them that there isn’t much we have to discuss. Ibanee will have peace when a little girl named Nahseyra becomes the Queen. As long as Nahseyra isn’t the queen, there will be no peace.”

Anjatta struggled a bit to keep the steady pace of her steps.

“But you agreed to talk to my brother,” she complained. “Why did you change your mind?”

“I didn’t change my mind,” Evanis calmly answered. “You told me I can trust your brother and I will trust him. I’ll believe Agon when he tells me Ibanee has a new queen named Nahseyra.”

“Don’t do this, please. Give us a little more time. I know my brother understands Nahsie has to become the queen but we need peace now or thousands will die!”

“Are you seriously asking for a calm, little period of peace?” Evanis asked. “Stop dreaming. Jabbit won’t fight Ibanee anymore and we will become allies but there won’t be any peace. We’ll be allies in a war which has just started.”

Anjatta looked at the emotionless expression on Evanis’ face. “I am so stupid,” she sighed. “I didn’t even realize it but when Jabbit told you he trusts you, he gave you an order.”

Evanis snorted. “Like I’d take orders from him.”

“Maybe you don’t realize it, either, but you do, Evanis.”

“What I realize is although you pledged your life to Jabbit you only serve your family.”

“That’s not fair,” Anjatta said and her eyes filled with tears.

“Congratulations, Princess,” Evanis replied. “You just made a great discovery - life isn’t fair.”

“Yes, I have tried – am trying - to save my family,” Anjatta replied, drying her eyes with one of her sleeves. “But not just my family; I’m trying to save as many lives as possible.”

“If you want to save as many lives as possible, convince your family to do what Jabbit wants - not at some time in the future but now.”

“I’ll try; I promise,” Anjatta said, sniffling.

“Stop trying and finally do what you have to do,” Evanis answered.

The rest of the way to The Fangs they spent in contemplative silence once more.

The King of Ibanee was finally awake but was still very weak; almost unable to sit upright in his own bed though he just managed it. Hassunabi was surrounded by his royal advisers - at least by those who lived in the palace and were healthy enough to resume their duty. Luwani and Agon var Dosha were present as well.

“Everyone living in the palace is quickly recovering from the plague, my King,” a servant of the Second Circle of Enlightenment reported. “But the plague has now reached Sanjaba. Thousands of the diseased have been taken into camps out of town. The camps are filled to capacity and the healers are spread too thin; we need even more quarantine camps but we lack the healers to staff them.”

“My son?” Hassunabi hoarsely asked.

“I’m sorry, my King; your son’s mind is still taken by the spirits of madness.”

Hassunabi closed his eyes and everyone waited silently. A short time later, he opened them again and Agon was the next to report.

“I searched for the Nameless Son with two regiments of our army. We found him and one of the companies under my command engaged Evanis Danjala and two-dozen of the Imperial Alorian Guard. The company were no match for the Alorian Guard – as a matter of fact, I regret to say our men were slaughtered. After the massacre was over, the Nameless son raised the dead on the battlefield and they joined the Alorian Guard. I ordered my two regiments to retreat and I must strongly recommend we forego any further attacks,” Agon var Dosha stated his military viewpoint. “My King, we need to end this war and make peace with the Nameless Son.”

The reports paused as two guards opened the door to the King’s bedchamber and Anjatta var Dosha entered the room. She only took one step inside.

“I’m happy to see you all so well recovered,” Anjatta said, even though her face didn’t show any signs of happiness as she regarded the people in the room. “I hope you had enough time to talk about the situation because Evanis Danjala is waiting at The Fangs to accept our capitulation.”

“Capitulation?” The King croaked.

“Yes, capitulation,” Anjatta answered. “The terms of your surrender are very simple but non-negotiable,” she said and then looked at Agon. “Didn’t you tell our uncle about it?”

Agon groaned. “No, there was no time, yet,” he answered, avoiding the Kings gaze.

“Well, the time is up now; I have to make it quick,” Anjatta replied and looked at the King. “Uncle, you will have to resign as the King of Ibanee and your grandniece Nahseyra will be crowned as the new Queen.”

The room was silent as everyone was waiting for a response from Hassunabi but there was none. The King blindly stared ahead at nothing.

“Leave; all of you,” Luwani var Dosha finally took the floor. “I’ll talk to the King.”

“I propose we oblige all of the Nameless Son’s demands,” Luwani var Dosha stated after everyone had left the room.

The King finally reacted. He slowly turned his head and glared at Luwani.

“Of course you do,” he sneered. “Nahseyra is your grandchild after all.”

“Please believe me, I don’t want this any more than you do, Hassunabi,” Luwani calmly replied. “But fighting the Nameless Son is insane; he is a god. I don’t doubt his power anymore. Do you?”

The King didn’t reply just continued to glare at Luwani.

“Listen Hassunabi,” Luwani var Dosha continued. “The Nameless Son wants the Callandrea daughter to become the Alorian Empress. He has to conquer Katerra and needs our navy’s support to accomplish that goal. I believe that’s the main reason he came to Ibanee. He wants Ibanee as an ally but I hope when we oblige all his demands, the Nameless Son will repeal the plague and he might even heal your son. Before you become upset again, let me tell you that I don’t think we’ll need to obey his demands for long. May I explain my reasoning?”

The King’s glare didn’t lessen all that much as he curtly answered her, “You may.”

“As we know, Dharos is the current Alorian Emperor but I received some news we can use to our advantage,” Luwani reported. “After the Nameless Son and his entourage left Katerra, Emperor Dharos hoisted the banners of the supposed extinguished Alorian Imperial Family. The Midnight Council apparently supports the old Emperor, who seemingly wants to retire. The Alorian High Priest and his Untars felt forced to flee Katerra but the priesthood and their allies raised an army which is more than twenty-thousand men strong. They are marching toward Katerra as we speak and will reach it within a few days. Faced with such a superior number of enemies, the Alorian capital might fall before soon. I’m certain the Nameless Son will want to leave immediately when he becomes aware of this news. As his ally, we’ll have to support him, of course, but we’ll need time to gather our galleys and prepare for a war. Only a very few ships will be ready to leave Sanjaba together with the Nameless Son. The main part of our navy will need much longer until they will be able to follow.”

Luwani paused her revelations and looked at the King. Hassunabi was regarding her through his slit eyes – but his expression was now more curious than angry.

“I think that once the Nameless Son is gone, we should have ample time and opportunity to thoroughly review the situation. We might discover circumstances demanding we rethink some decisions we made under the duress of the current situation,” she finished with a smile.

“I think you are right, good sister, we should oblige all of the Nameless Son’s demands.”

Finally, the King had said something. Luwani opened the door to the bedchamber and called the advisers back-in. The King let them know about his concerns and decisions regarding a capitulation – at least about a part of it. Finally, he ordered Agon, his nephew, to submit his suggestions to Evanis Danjala.

Anseyla had run off and Sybelien had followed her girlfriend. The Irvanie of Panos, the sick, and her wagons had left the woodcutter camp. Shinta steered one of the wagons and Jabbit was gone as well. As Rhaseris looked around, only Kuwasi was still around and the big man seemed to be curiously looking at her.

“I’m happy Jabbit healed the sick mothers and their children,” the princess explained her smile.

“I know,” he said. “I’m just wondering whether you’d still be here if Jabbit had not healed them.”

A frown replaced Rhaseris’ smile. “What do you mean?”

“Evanis and I, Shinta, even Sybelien - we all have lived on the dark side of life,” Kuwasi answered. “Although I thought she would have been used to it, too, Anseyla just ran away from the darkness. You, on the other hand, are a really sweet girl but I didn’t notice you run away.”

“You mean the darkness that is Jabbit, don’t you?”

“Yes; why didn’t you run away screaming?”

Kuwasi was nodding but it was Anseyla who had asked the question. Sybelien was by her side as the pair was returning from somewhere behind the shacks.

“Kuwasi is right,” Anseyla continued. “During my life as a whore, I’ve seen many people doing some very shabby things but that was too much for me. Jabbit would have let all the mothers and her children die ... Actually, no. Since he was the one who caused this plague in the first place, he wouldn’t just have let them die - he would have killed them.”

Rhaseris smiled. “And yet you returned; or will you leave us?”