Chapter 68
“So how did I do?” Charisa asked excitedly from inside the empty white expanse.
Arico had to concentrate to remain in his human form, but he thought back on the whole thing and smiled at her. “I knew it was fake, and I was still caught up in it. I’ve watched plays before, and that’s pretty rare for me. You have a gift, that’s for sure.”
“You did wonderfully,” Belaya said warmly, gripping Charisa’s hands briefly. “Every tone and every word, just so. I doubt a stage actor could have done any better.”
Charisa smiled with relief. “I was really nervous. That’s why I was so quiet, earlier,” she added apologetically.
“Do you think we really helped him?” Arico asked slowly, after they’d had their moment. “I mean, I was afraid we might end up making him worse. For all we know, he might kill himself now!”
Belaya shook her head. “Father thought it was worth the risk, and so do I. Besides, what was the alternative? Just leaving him there like that forever? At least this way it’s over, one way or another. Father has been watching him closely for years. He picked the right time, and the right person,” she added with a smile towards Charisa. “And your abilities helped sell it too, Arico. I think that by the next time someone drops by to give him supplies, Codi will be ready to leave with them and get back to his life.”
Arico could only shake his head. “You weren’t kidding when you said it was a favor for me as well. Thank you, Lady Cartwright. And thank your father for me too, when you see him. It always bugged me that Codi was so damaged. I feared he’d never be free of his sorrow, but I didn’t know it was guilt as well.”
He brought them to the edge of Borrgas patch to drop Charisa near her home. After she’d gone, Arico stepped out of the threads with Belaya. “The odds that there would be a trained actress who looked exactly like Codi’s dead niece are pretty slim, Lady Cartwright,” he said bluntly. “Your father’s been planning this for quite some time, hasn’t he?”
Belaya gave him a slight smile. “You don’t miss much, do you? Yes, my father was the one who set this in motion, years ago. He encouraged Charisa’s father to have her trained as an actress, and arranged that he’d have enough money to do so.” She looked to the south, towards her home patch.
“I have to go shortly, but there is one more thing.” They were in an empty room at the moment, so she glanced back at him and pulled a bound letter from a hidden pocket inside her dress. “The Clarion wrote this letter yesterday morning, just before the Twin Suns. Unfortunately he was keeping it in his room in the Lord Ascendant’s manor, so it was destroyed along with everything else. Father recreated it and asked me to make sure you got it. He also wrote one for your sister, which I’ve already delivered.”
She carefully slid the note into his tunic’s pocket, but he immediately forgot about it. “Wait, you’ve seen Hazra? Where is she? Is she all right?”
Belaya raised a hand. “She’s well enough, from what I could tell. Still grieving, of course. I think it’s best if she’s left alone for the time being.”
“Of course,” Arico said, a little chagrined. “It’s just I promised the Clarion I’d look after her. I can’t do much to help her, but she is my sister. I have to try.”
Belaya smiled. “You know, people like you are the reason I sometimes wish I had a bigger family,” she said comfortingly, but her smile faded quickly. “You should know my father was watching your conversation with the Clarion. If you were hoping that we can help your sister the same way we helped Codi, I’m afraid we can’t. His illness stemmed from a single event that he could never move past.”
“While hers probably comes from years and years of trying and failing to earn our father’s love,” Arico filled in the blanks. “I was afraid of that. I’ve been thinking about her a lot, even before what happened at the Twin Suns. At first I wanted to find a way to get rid of Heartbane for good, so that my sister would be all that was left. Now I’m not so sure it works that way.”
Belaya shook her head. “You’re right. It’s not a matter of eliminating one or the other. In your sister’s case, it’s more a matter of bringing the two together and making them one. After all, they are both parts of her. She needs time to deal with the Clarion’s death first, though.”
After a moment, Arico nodded. As always his first instinct was to reach out—to try and make contact. From his interactions with Jaas and the others in the movement, he got the impression that was a pretty stereotypically male response to problems. Jaas would probably agree with Belaya.
“There was one more thing I wanted to ask,” he trailed off at that, and Belaya looked at him curiously. “Maybe it’s something I’ll regret knowing, but did your father tell you anything about my mother? About her deal with the Hauld and how I ended up with the dwarves? Did she ever speak to Berilo about it?”
Belaya gave him a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry, Arico. I don’t remember him saying anything about it. I don’t know any more than you do about what happened back then. If you want, I’ll ask him and get back to you.”
It was a tempting offer. Cartwright might be more willing to share if it was his daughter asking. “No, it’s alright,” he said after thinking about it. “It would just be my own curiosity—nothing important to the city or the future.”
As he bade her farewell and watched her retreat into the threads, Arico felt more sure about his decision. Even if Berilo had been telling the truth about his mother, it ultimately didn’t matter. He was who he was regardless. Shaking his head, Arico stepped into the threads as well.
-.-
It was in fact several hours before Arico got back. Jaas took the time to complete her most recent notes and organize them. The boys woke up as well, in the interim. Balter helped her cook a decent dinner for them, in the thankfully well-stocked kitchen.
That got her wondering. Arico had brought them straight here after delivering the stra’tchi to their homes. He hadn’t stopped anywhere else to pick up food. That meant that there was someone on hand to keep this place stocked, probably every week. Just how many places like this had the movement hidden throughout the city? It was possible even Arico didn’t know that, but she’d be sure to ask him.
The dinner was quiet at first. Tarith was still somewhat subdued, but at least he was eating. Balter and Veles joked with him quietly, trying to pull him a little out of his isolation. They were just clearing the table when Arico, and a different stranger she’d never seen, arrived. He had a small fish symbol stitched into his simple work clothes, and he kept his eyes averted for the most part.
“This is Chulesh,” Arico introduced him once they were both inside. “He might be my manservant for a while. Help them with those dishes, would you?” He ordered offhandedly. Chulesh nodded and immediately followed the others into the kitchen.
Jaas followed his movements suspiciously. “Are you sure it’s safe to bring him here?” She asked Arico in an undertone. “He is a servant of House Fisher after all. He might be some kind of spy working for the Council.”
“He isn’t a spy,” Arico said confidently. “Or if he is, he’s not working for anyone on the Council. One thing Berilo definitely did right was cultivating loyalty in his own house. The entire staff, even those not related to the Fishers by blood, are… well, trustworthy may not be the right word. Reliable, though. None of them would ever harm Rondo, and since I’m heir, that extends to me as well.” He sighed. “I’m not entirely comfortable having him here, but I do need someone to help me with everyday tasks.”
Jaas shook her head. She didn’t like it either, but Arico had a point. Bringing a lasting peace to the city could take months or even years, and until Arico had his hands back, a servant like Chulesh would probably be a necessary evil.
“There’s a letter in my pocket,” Arico stepped towards her. “Could you grab it and open it up? According to Belaya, it’s from the Clarion himself.”
Jaas removed it and broke the seal carefully. And reverently, she realized. The Clarion had been loved by almost everyone in the city, herself included. He’d worked for the Council, but he’d been loyal to the people. In addition, he’d delivered her message to Arico safely, and probably averted a city-wide war in the process. At Arico’s nod, she flattened the parchment on the table and began reading aloud.
Arico, t started simply,
As I write this, the Twin Suns are merely hours away. I don’t know exactly what will happen there, but if you’re reading this, then I am dead.
I hope the circumstances of my death were something suitably heroic. Not that I crave popularity as you know, but I have spent my whole life trying to make things better for everyone. It would be fitting if I spent my death doing the same.
This letter is meant to remind you of your promise. Wherever Hazra is—no matter what she’s doing, she will need your help. When I think of her out there, all alone, it terrifies me. In addition, I have a confession to make. Your friends Velya and Endu came to see her yesterday, in order to enlist her help. They wanted her to get information for them, information they could use against the Council. I don’t know the exact details, but most likely it involves exposing the Council’s corruption. I’m sure you know where I stand on that.
In exchange for her help, they promised that you would name Hazra heir to House Fisher. And after I met with you, I went back to Hazra and said that you’d agreed to those terms.
Jaas looked up in surprise, expecting… perhaps anger on Arico’s part? He definitely did look confused, but not particularly upset.
“Go on,” he said softly, and gestured at the paper.
I should have asked you, or at least told you about it, I know, the letter continued apologetically, but after our talk, I got the feeling that you don’t much value being in charge.
You’re probably angry, but I urge you not to simply dismiss the idea out of hand. She would be the first woman openly in charge of any Sustained House, ever. That kind of scrutiny would make her more careful, and the massive responsibilities she’d be facing would give her less time to continue her other activities. At the very least, it would be a gesture to her that you value her opinion far more than Berilo ever will. After all, he promised to make her his heir in exchange for Endu’s head, and he broke that promise when he found out he was your father.
I suppose I should feel guilty for what I’ve done, but then… I am dead. I feel I’ve earned a little misbehavior. I hope it is quite some time before we meet again, brother-in-law. Best regards,
Clarion.
For a few moments, Arico just stared at the paper, but then he let out a brief chuckle. “He’s right, of course,” he said with a smile.
Jaas opened her mouth, but he was already standing up. “Chulesh, get in here,” he called immediately.
The servant was there in an instant. “Yes sir?”
”We’re heading back to Nassa patch, right now. I want you to find my uncle Rondo, and have him assemble the household staff. When they’re all together, I’ll declare Hazra the new head of House Fisher, and that’ll be that.”
Jaas stood up as well. “Arico, are you sure that’s wise? If you just drop in there and tell them, how will they react?”
“She’s right, sir,” Chulesh said quickly. “There are… several problems which could hamper your plan.”
That seemed to surprise Arico, and bring him to a stop. Again he stared at Chulesh, and it took Jaas a moment to realize why. He’d spoken on his own, without being spoken to! That may be the norm among the Deathwatchers and the other stra’tchi, and even among the dwarves to a degree, but for a servant to a Sustained lord? Jaas guessed that he had just massively overstepped his authority. To his credit, Chulesh seemed unafraid. He simply stood there, waiting for ‘his lord’ to speak again.
“All right,” Arico finally responded. “What are these problems, then? Since you seem to have all the answers, explain them to me.”
Chulesh nodded. “When your father came to Nassa patch and declared you his heir, he broke with tradition in a big way. There was supposed to be an installation ceremony, even if you had been born and raised among the Sustained. You were both supposed to be there, and there were even roles to be handled by your nearest family, including your uncle and sister. Lord Berilo ignored all of that, possibly because he knew you would object.”
He took a deep breath, his former professionalism forgotten for a moment. “If it had been anyone else, it would have invited questions and possibly even resistance to his decision, but you knew Lord Berilo, at least briefly. He had a force of will which was difficult to oppose.”
Arico grimaced at that, but gave a curt nod. “I suppose he did.”
Looking a little relieved, Chulesh continued. “If you were to follow his example and ignore the tradition as well, it would give many people in House Fisher a reason to oppose you. It would be even worse if your sister wasn’t there personally. In addition, now that it’s public knowledge that Lady Hazra is actually the Heartbane, and may have also helped your allies oppose the Council, the situation is even more problematic. You may not be doing her any favors by putting her in charge. More likely, you’d just be painting a target on her back!”
They were all good points, and made eloquently. Jaas reached a hand out to Arico’s shoulder. “He’s right, you know. At the very, very least, Hazra should be there for them all to see.”
Jaas realized now what had been bothering Arico about this. The same guilt he’d felt after finding out his sister was Heartbane had been amplified again. Berilo had left everything to Arico, despite the fact that they’d been enemies most of his life. Despite the fact that Arico didn’t even want to be in charge! Hazra had just been left out in the cold. Her father was dead, her lover was dead, and her brother had inherited everything. No wonder Arico wanted to make her the head of house!
Arico shrugged off her hand grumpily. “All right, all right. I suppose it can wait.” He hesitated for a moment. “Walk with me, Chulesh,” he said abruptly, moving towards the door.
-.-
“When I found out that House Fisher was now mine, it upset me,” Arico explained as they made their way up one of the abandoned streets. “It didn’t really surprise me, though.”
He wasn’t concerned about being spotted. This patch had been empty for a long time, and even if there was someone watching, it was doubtful they could find the safe house from here. “Berilo kept on insisting that I would take his place; I suppose it only made sense that he would make arrangements in case of his death. Still, it irked me that he was so sure I’d end up like him. I suppose that’s why I was so eager to give up that power. Frantic even, so I didn’t think about what it might set in motion for my sister.”
He gave Chulesh a sidelong glance. “I probably would have gone straight there and made a fool out of myself in front of everyone, but you stopped me,” he went on, but he tried to keep his admiration out of his voice. Chulesh stayed silent, as any good servant was supposed to.
“Tell me, what’s the standard punishment in House Fisher for speaking out of turn, as you just did?”
“Twenty lashes, sir,” Chulesh said unhesitatingly.
“Have you been lashed yourself, or seen someone else go through that?” Arico went on after a moment. He dimly remembered a spanking or two in his own youth, and the much more severe punishments offered to the dwarven trainees years later in the Enclave, but none of them had ever been whipped.
“I’ve seen it done, sir,” Chulesh said stiffly. It was possible he was anticipating something similar in store for himself.
“I’ve never seen one of those whips, but I understand it has nine tails, and bits of glass and metal sewn into the end of each one?” Arico asked, walking around him to the other side of the street. Chulesh gave a curt nod.
“How long does it usually take for someone to recover from twenty lashes, then?”
Chulesh paused at that. “Weeks, or months. It varies, usually based on who does the lashing. Some people… don’t recover.”
Arico had heard rumors of servants dying from their punishments, but he’d never had confirmation until now. For all Chulesh knew, Arico was no different than his father or uncle, and yet, he'd taken the risk anyway.
It was possible Chulesh was lying. Perhaps he had heard something about Arico being soft-hearted, or was gambling that a stra’tchi-raised lord would be more understanding. No, Arico had already tested Chulesh, and knew he was on the level. He believed what he was saying. This wasn’t simply fear of his lord, or respect. This was love.
“Were you at the Twin Suns, in the Courtyard with the rest of us?” Arico asked grimly. Perhaps Chulesh didn’t know the whole story.
“I was, sir. I saw everything.”
“Then you know what my father did. You know that the whole Council was responsible for thousands of stra’tchi children being slaughtered over the years. But you’re still loyal despite all that?”
Chulesh hesitated, looking torn.
“We’re in private, so you can speak freely. I ordered you to be candid with me back in the manor, remember,” Arico clarified.
With a grateful nod, Chulesh took a breath. “It has been rumored that the actions taken by the Council were a form of population control upon the stra’tchi. Is that true, sir?”
That was fast. Arico hadn’t expected the rumors to spread quite so far or so quickly. “There is some evidence to support that,” he said evasively.
“Then it’s possible Lord Berilo took those actions intentionally,” Chulesh continued, “in order to save a great many more lives than he took.”
Arico sighed, and turned away. He was just another zealot, then. Willing to excuse any misdeed on the part of the Council, regardless how horrible, because of how he’d been raised.
“Please understand, sir,” Chulesh spoke up quickly. “I was born in Raggas patch, back when my father still had lands of his own. When he died and my House fell, the whole patch was quickly put in Lord Tanner’s control. One of his soldiers took a liking to my mother, and as we had lost our titles, there was nothing we could do about it. The very authorities we could ask to help us were the same people abusing us!
“I was too young to remember it clearly,” he said softly, as Arico listened intently, “but this soldier, a commander in Tanner’s forces, pursued her relentlessly. When he inevitably raped her, she put up a fight, and he ended up killing her as well.”
“I’m sorry,” Arico said softly. It was an all-too-familiar story after all this time.
“I’m not asking for your sympathy, sir. Just your understanding,” Chulesh said evenly. “When my uncle took me and my sister and fled to Nassa patch, we were expecting more of the same. Instead we were welcomed by House Fisher. He was given a job as a wheelwright in the Estate, and when I was old enough, I trained as a bodyguard.”
He smiled again, looking Arico right in the eyes. “My family has never had any reason to fear yours, sir. I put my faith in your father a long time ago and I’ve never regretted it. When he named you his heir, I put my faith in you too.”
“But I’m nothing like him!” Arico protested. “I could never do the things he did, for any reason!”
“Begging your pardon, sir, but you are like him in at least one respect,” Chulesh said firmly. “You both make decisions in the best interests of everyone, not just for yourselves or your family. Lord Berilo decided to take all those lives in order to preserve the city, knowing that if it ever came out it might mean his death. In the same way, you climbed up onto that water tower to try and save the city, knowing it might mean your death,” he gestured to Arico’s stumps.
He raised a hand before Arico could respond, and then blushed a little. “Please, sir, let me finish. I heard what you’d done, but I couldn’t be sure if it was true, or an exaggeration, or a lie. Then I saw you on stage at the Twin Suns. Finally, now that I’ve had a chance to speak with you and observe you, I’m more sure than ever. At first I was loyal to Lord Berilo because of who he was. Now I’m loyal to you, because of who you are. And I’m not the only one who will be.”
For a few moments, Arico just considered that. Yes, he was zealous, but at least he’d thought about why. Shaking his head, Arico made his way back to the safe house as Chulesh followed.
