Chapter 2: Revenge

Alhawat woke with a start at the feeling of a large hand on his shoulder, his hand went immediately to the dagger he had replaced to his hip the night before but was calmed by Lin-Sari’s firm voice.

"Alhawat.. Have you been here since the death rites?" Lin-Sari looked worried. For a man of the Royal Guard, he was terrible at hiding his emotions.

"Yes," Alhawat saw no reason to lie as he stood slowly. He had fallen asleep next to Loyein’s body, kneeling on the floor with his arms on the bed to support himself.

"Alhawat. I will stay, go get some actual rest," Lin-Sari pushed Alhawat’s shoulder towards the door, not hard but enough to get him moving.

“Thank you, Lin-Sari,” Alhawat turned, his hands ached to curl, but he kept them relaxed. The glass bangle around his wrist a reminder of the danger a shaman faced for displaying his emotions too openly. "If the ambassador returns, please tell him I have retired to my cabin. I will come back once I have had some rest."

Lin-Sari frowned. "You need not wear yourself so thin, Alhawat. There is little you can do now."

"I can prevent malicious spirits from haunting us with a body that has been deserted," Alhawat’s words were cold and dry, as if he truly expected malicious spirits to be aboard the ship. He did, but he believed it was the human kind.

Alhawat felt like the dead himself as he wandered the hall to his own room. The oil lanterns were nearly drained and the hall looked dark and hazy with early morning mist. It was cold, Alhawat’s bare feet leaving marks in the settled damp as he walked. They were no longer in Pyrinian waters. Alhawat had not even seen the waters of home before he resigned himself to exile.

“My most beloved son, the gods have been cruel to you and given you a great burden, your eyes are evidence, but they have given you the tools to protect yourself and others. I will train you as a shaman, It is a burden you will bear your entire life.”

The voice of Alhawat’s father was clear as the day he’d heard it in his own mind. The words were more poignant than they had been when first spoken.

Alhawat loosened the rope belt around his waist and hung it on a hook on the wall. He let the over robe slide from his shoulders and placed it on the wall as well. He took off the long robe that hung loosely from his shoulders and let it crumple on the ground without care, leaving him only in a pair of draw-string trousers. Alhawat caught sight of himself in the small, blurry mirror of the vanity. He had two scars that ran almost all the way across his chest with a brief break in the middle. It had been nearly five years since he’d acquired the scars, but the skin was still sensitive and pale against his olivine skin. Another scar cut across his abdomen, just below his belly button. That scar was fresher, only about two years old. The skin and muscles still pulled uncomfortably where they had knitted back together. The pain had been immeasurable; he had cried and screamed and required a leather bit to keep from biting through his own tongue. He remembered little of the recovery, his father had kept him unconscious or heavily drugged with herbs to keep the pain at bay, but he remembered Loyein.

“Your sister can’t be here for you. So I will be instead.”

Prince Loyein had looked like a stubborn child when he said those words. He had held Alhawat’s hand tightly.

Fresh tears welled up in Alhawat’s eyes. He lay on the cot hung on the wall, what passed for a bed in his cabin. It was uncomfortable, flat and hard, and he was fairly certain it had been filled with straw because something kept poking him, still he didn’t care to search out the source of discomfort. Alhawat turned on his side and stared at the vanity. Near the base was a small framed sketch. He had paid a street vendor to produce a picture of Loyein for him and had gotten a surprise when the vendor did a sketch of both of them together. He ached all over from weeks of stress and little sleep. He was exhausted physically and mentally and sleep soon overtook him. Still, it was not an easy sleep. He stirred at every sound, startled awake simply by rolling over.

He eventually gave up, even in his exhaustion, he could not find peace enough to sleep. He sat with his feet planted heavily on the cold wood floor. His hair hung around him, heavy and damp, it burdened his body. A need pulled at his throat and eyes, a heaviness just at the corners, a pain that made each beat of his heart again. Had he the energy, he might have mourned like a wailing maid.

There was a soft scratching at Alhawat’s door. "One moment," he answered tiredly before retrieving his robe from the floor. He slid it over his draw-string pants to hide his scars before opening the door. He was not terribly surprised to see Lin-Sari standing in front of him. "Has the ambassador sent for me?" Alhawat felt as though he hadn’t slept at all, he ached all over and his head was throbbing.

"Yes. I do not know what he wishes to talk to you about." Lin-Sari stepped forward and put his hand on Alhawat’s chin, lifting the younger face to his own. "You did not sleep at all." He frowned.

Alhawat allowed Lin-Sari to touch him without resistance. "Not properly," Alhawat took Lin-Sari’s hand in his own and pushed it away gently. "Thank you for watching over the body for me," Alhawat stepped away and moved to the hook on the wall to finish replacing his apprentice robes. He took the small cord that had been tied neatly around the hook and drew his hair back, tying it in a rope before facing Lin-Sari again. "I will go see how we proceed from here."

Alhawat slid past Lin-Sari and walked down the hall towards the prince’s cabin. He had gotten use to the darkness below deck, but the ever-fading lantern light and knowing that only a corpse and the ambassador waited for him lent an eerie atmosphere that he did not recall. Lin-Sari followed Alhawat to the prince’s cabin and closed the door behind them both. Alhawat paid little attention to Lin-Sari, his gaze steadied on the ambassador.

"Your majesty," Alhawat bowed, his arms splayed open. "You summoned me?"

Ambassador Loyein was sitting opposite his son’s corpse. He had covered him in a white silk sheet and over the sheet lay a single water willow branch just below his chin to his waist.

"Yes. Xuetahir, it was your duty to care for my son on this voyage and I gave the order that all should obey your command as though it were my own," The ambassador’s black eyes were cold and harsh. "When Dobrat disobeyed you, he disobeyed me. He is guilty of treason. The price of treason is death, this far from Pyrine, I would offer the head of Dobrat to one of his brothers,” The ambassador stared hard at Alhawat, “So I ask you this, what would you have done with First Mate Dobrat?"

Alhawat inhaled sharply as realization struck. “The Bargain,” Alhawat’s mind raced. What had he traded for the honor of killing Dobrat? “A Son of Pyrine. A Prince of Pyrine,” Alhawat’s stomach churned uncomfortably. "Your majesty..." Alhawat closed his eyes and squared his shoulders before opening them again, his face harsh and serious. "As much as it would please me to see Dobrat hang for treason..." Alhawat’s hands balled up into fists. "Please allow me the greater pleasure of acting as executioner. I would see to it that he understands the gravity of his failure."

The ambassador studied Alhawat for several minutes before he finally nodded.

"I will grant your request," Ambassador Loyein stood, his hands planted firmly on his dead son’s bed. “As for the other part. This may be difficult for you, but you must forget who you were. You are a Son of Pyrine now, my son. To help you adjust, I have chosen a new name for you, as my son you are Alhanuit,” The ambassador stepped around the bed, coming to Alhawat’s side. “When would you like to take revenge, Prince Alhanuit?”

Alhawat felt an uncertain tightening in his stomach. He doubted the wisdom of accepting the bargain, but hate and anger ran hot through his veins and scraped at his skin like a sandstorm. “I would exact it immediately,” Alhawat’s voice was soft, made harsh from withheld tears.

The ambassador nodded. “Very well, a public execution then,” he looked to Lin-Sari. "Go and fetch Dobrat from the brig, take him to the deck and tie him to a mast. Gather the entire crew, and wait for us."

Lin-Sari bowed and left.

Alhawat stepped slowly towards the prince. "I.. Your majesty..." He was at a loss for words, his desire to comfort the father of his dearest friend was stifled by his sense of formality.

The ambassador placed his hand on Alhawat’s shoulder, he ignored the flinch of muscles beneath his fingers. "I understand. When you are ready, we will go above deck. Mourn the prince as your brother, once you leave this cabin you will do so as Alhanuit. My fifth son," The ambassador left Alhawat alone in the room with the prince’s corpse. Alhawat stared at the white silk covering what had once been his dearest friend. Alhawat had failed Prince Loyein, just as Alhawat had failed his sister. Perhaps he could atone for all his failures by succeeding to protect Pyrine.

Alhawat took the copper bangle with a bell on it from his left wrist, it tinkled and clinked against the glass one. He slid it over the branch on Loyein’s chest, leaving it where his heart would have been. "Follow the bell my prince.” Alhawat’s spoke barely above a whisper. “Spirit bells guide the dead," Alhawat kissed the prince’s forehead through the silk curtain before leaving for the last time. He would not see the body again. It would be wrapped in silk and burned when they got to port. As Alhawat left the room, he left a piece of himself within it.

Neither Alhawat nor the ambassador spoke to one another. They walked, Alhawat a few paces behind Ambassador Loyein in the narrow corridor, towards the stairs that led to the upper deck. Alhawat prepared himself for the light by closing his eyes as they came to the surface. When he opened them again they took mere seconds to adjust.

Lin-Sari had gathered the entire crew. In the center Dobrat was tied to a mast. The captain stood nearby, looking infuriated and terrified.

’Good. Let them be uncomfortable.’ Alhawat did not care that his thoughts were unkind.

"This man has committed treason against his Empress," Lin-Sari announced loudly, indicating Dobrat with his rapier. "Due to his inaction, a beloved Prince of Pyrine has died. He not only betrayed the trust of his Empress, he has put his country at risk."

Dobrat was shaking. Whether it was from fear, regret, or something else, Alhawat neither knew nor cared.

"Because he was ordered to obey Prince Alhanuit, the fifth son of the Empress, whose word is the word of the Empress, it is Prince Alhanuit who will take his brother’s revenge," Lin-Sari moved to the side where he could block any attempt on the captain’s behalf to save Dobrat.

Alhawat stepped forward. He could hear the crowd gasp and catch a few of the hushed whispers.

"I knew it. He was always a terrible shaman. Why would the Empress let him come otherwise?"

"The snake charmer? A prince? Little wonder the Empress has kept it hidden so long."

"Of course they sent him to a backwater country like Vesuvineae.”

Alhawat ignored everything he heard as he walked up to Dobrat. The man was nearly twice his size but Alhawat showed no fear and would not break eye contact. "Cut him loose."

There was a shocked gasp from the crowd, but Lin-Sari did as he was told and let Dobrat free from his bonding.

Dobrat rubbed his wrists and looked at Alhawat with suspicion. "You... You are letting me go...?"

Alhawat nearly spat his laugh in Dobrat’s face. "Do not be foolish. Let my brother’s murderer go free?" Alhawat drew his dagger. "There is no honor in killing a defenseless man. Especially to avenge someone as capable as my brother. Choose your weapon wisely, Dobrat. It will be the last you ever hold."

Dobrat seemed more confident. He had the advantage in size over Alhawat. Dobrat picked up the sword that had been taken from him when Lin-Sari restrained him. "You really think you can beat me with that dinky-"

Alhawat did not wait for Dobrat to finish. His quick motions were reminiscent of a snake or mongoose as he slid inside Dobrat’s defense before the man could finish his word. Alhawat’s dagger sat firmly in the man’s belly as mismatched eyes stared hard and cold into Dobrat’s. Dobrat’s breath hitched as Alhawat nicked his diaphragm. "You killed my only friend," Alhawat’s voice was quiet, hard and cold. He slid his dagger free just long enough to plunge it into Dobrat’s left side, tilted upwards to slide up under his ribs. "You killed the prince," Once again Alhawat’s dagger slid free, but this time it slid into Dobrat’s right side, with the same angle and target. "You killed my brother," Alhawat stepped back as Dobrat crumpled to the deck, blood pooling out of him. "I curse your soul to wander the far reaches of the spirit world until one day you may be allowed to meet Prince Loyein again and apologize properly. Only after he has forgiven you will you be allowed to return to the living world," Alhawat took the cloth that was attached to his daggers sheath and wiped the blade down. "I hope a game of cards was worth a thousand years of wandering."

Alhawat left Dobrat on the ground and Lin-Sari allowed the captain to go to his side.

Alhawat cleaned his blade, sheathed it, and returned to Ambassador Loyein’s side.

The poison he coated the inside of his sheath with would be left in Dobrat’s wounds and cause him to rot. Dobrat’s final hours would be the most excruciating of his life and Alhawat could not bring himself to feel anything but pleased at that notion.

The ambassador turned to face Alhawat. "Come with me. There are still a few things we must discuss."

Alhawat bowed his head and followed the ambassador. The crew gathered around their dying first mate.

Ambassador Loyein took them to his cabin. He walked over to a large table that displayed their kingdom, Pyrine, and the kingdom they were heading to, Vesuvineae.

"We still have a week before we reach Vesuvineae’s port town of Artioux in Anlou."

Alhawat walked closer to the table to look at it. He had never imagined that the scale models could make things look so close. A two-week journey by ship looked like he could have swum it.

The ambassador looked up at Alhawat. "I will send two ships back to Pyrine. One carrying the prince’s body to be burned in his own country and one carrying Dobrat’s body to be strung up as example," The Ambassador walked over to Alhawat and examined him. "I am going to tell the Vesuvineaen King that you were accompanying your brother to his wedding. You came to the flag-ship before a storm because you wanted to discuss something with me. He stayed behind because he was not feeling well. When the storm hit, we lost the ship you were both suppose to be on. Your clothes were ruined in the storm, and this was all that could be spared on the ship, which will hopefully explain away your attire."

Alhawat nodded his compliance before finally looking up. "I’m sorry your majesty.. That I could not save him..."

The ambassador sighed and rubbed at the bridge of his nose tiredly. In that moment, he looked as old as he must have been. He couldn’t have been younger than sixty, perhaps sixty-five. For an active, traveling ambassador, he was very old indeed. "I would have lost my son... to marriage or death," Ambassador Loyein’s shoulders fell, as though he had just accepted that his son would not be coming back. Never again would he ask for advice or welcome him home. "At least... At least I will not lose two sons, because of your love for your country."

Ambassador Loyein looked up at Alhawat and offered him a tired, mournful smile that reflected Alhawat’s own. "Thank you. Alhanuit. The Empress will also be grateful, I know."

"Thank you.. Ambassador Loyein,” Unless referring to the ambassador, it was the last time Alhawat would ever speak that name again. It was the law in their country that once a person died, the name could not be spoken. Speaking a persons name after death might call their spirit from their path to the next life, leaving them as haunts or ghosts.

The ambassador turned away. "Prince Alhanuit. Please prepare yourself mentally for your wedding. In one week, you will be in your new kingdom."

Alhawat retreated to his personal cabin and sat on the edge of his uncomfortable bed. He lay down and rolled over, smothering his face in his crossed arms. His heart ached for his friend, but it was better he thought, than it would have been if he had stayed in Pyrine. At least this way he had been there for the death rites. Alhawat sighed deeply. He would never see his parents again. He would have to be careful not to mention them. He would also need to remember the many husbands of the Empress, and all the names of his, now, brothers and sisters.

What have I gotten myself into? I am as much a fool as the ambassador. This will never work. I haven’t helped, if anything, I’ve made things incalculably worse...

Alhawat squeezed his eyes shut. He could almost hear his prince’s voice, echoing the words his father had said to him as a child...

"You know, I’ve noticed that you’re a pretty crappy shaman."

"Come on, Loyein! Give me a break, my sister is a prodigy!"

"It doesn’t matter. You may be a shaman, but no one ever denies you what you want. It’s like you have a silver tongue!"

"Like a snake charmer?"

"Exactly! You could convince a snake not to bite a mouse if you wanted to!"

"You really think I could do that?"

"Of course! Come on! Let’s go put your skill to the test!"

Alhawat stared at the wood paneling of his cabin walls. It was dark in his room, the oil lamp that had been casting a precarious glow was nearly done. Whether its wick was almost burned completely out or whether it was nearly out of oil didn’t make much difference. Soon he would be in total darkness and he was not sure he would ask to have the light brought back.