Honey for Celephaïs: Chapter 10
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The Palace was unusually crowded. In addition to the King and Chuang, Commander Britomartis and Captain Ragnarsson of the Constabulary stood nearby. Sergeant Ng and Sergeant Jabari stood farther back.
The Chief Artificer, Marcus, stood on one side, next to the Alchemist, their assistants behind them.
“So, Marcus, now that the cistern and tunnels have been properly ‘cleaned,’ you’re confident this thing is dead?”
“Yes, my lord,” replied Marcus. “Thanks to the assistance of Alchemist Ihejirika, they are very clean indeed. And I have instituted a new inspection regimen that should make this sort of problem unlikely in the future.”
“Thank you, Marcus,” nodded the King. “We know that Liang was behind this infestation, but whether he planted the thing here himself or was merely ensnared by it, we will never know.
“How were the honeydrops transported to Skala Eresou?”
“Sergeant Jabari?” invited the Chief Artificer.
She stepped forward.
“A surprisingly simple contrivance, my lord… they merely loaded the honeydrops into a bag, tied it to a rope, and let the current carry it downstream until it could be pulled out again by de la Corda. After she removed the drugs they just pulled it back to Liang’s estate again, until it was time for the next delivery.”
“No swimmers, no gnorri, just a bag and a rope.”
“Yes, my lord. Most simple and most effective.”
“Thank you.”
The Chief Artificer summoned his assistant forward. He was carrying a wooden box.
“My lord, we recovered these. Eleven twelves and four, to be exact.”
He opened the box to reveal a gleaming mass of honeydrops.
The King laughed. “A King’s ransom indeed! Chuang?”
“Burn them, of course.”
“Britomartis, dispose of them,” ordered the King.
She stepped forward and took the box, closing it to hold under her arm.
“Thank you, Marcus, and Ihejirika. You have rendered the city great service this day.”
He rose from his throne and walked up to them, handing them each a small bag.
“A token of my appreciation,” he said, and shook hands wrist-grip style with each of them.
After he sat down, he turned to Britomartis.
“I believe young Liang is next?”
“Yes, my lord,” replied Britomartis, and motioned to one of her guards, who left for a minute to return leading a young man.
“Liang Weiyuan, my lord,” he introduced himself, kneeling.
“Rise, Liang Weiyuan,” said the King, motioning with his hand. “You are aware of your father’s crime?”
“I am, my lord.”
“Liang was stripped of his rank when he committed treason, and has paid the price for it. Were you aware of his plot?”
“No, my lord, I was not. I have been in Lhosk for six years now, with little communication with my father.”
“So it seems,” nodded the King. He looked up. “Mistress? Is this true?”
A kimono-clad woman stepped out from the shadows behind the King. Mochizuki.
“Yes, my King. He speaks truth.”
The King looked back to the boy, still kneeling.
“Your father’s estate and wealth are yours, but your father’s title died with him. You are nobility no more.”
“Thank you, my lord.”
“You may leave, Liang Weiyuan.”
He did.
“We must also decide the fate of Liang’s killer, my lord,” said Britomartis.
“I know,” said the King. “The law is clear, but the boy is not at fault nonetheless.”
“No, my lord. It is the King’s decision, however.”
“Bring him in.”
Britomartis signaled her aide again, and Rogier entered, hands tied together with a ceremonial cord.
“You are Rogier, also known as Roach, formerly of the farm market and most recently a student at Poietria Martine’s school?”
“Yes,” replied Rogier, voice as blank as his expression.
“My King, may I question the boy?” asked Mochizuki unexpectedly.
He cocked his head.
“Mistress? Of course, if you wish…”
She turned to Rogier.
“Is it Rogier, or Roach?”
“Rogier, Mistress,” he replied, looking at her with curiosity. “Or Roach.”
“If you had waited, the Commander probably could have ended things without killing. Opal could still be alive.”
Rogier stood, silent.
“Why did you kill Poietes Liang?”
“He gave me an opening.”
“And Opal?”
Rogier shrugged.
“You are not sad that Opal is dead?”
“We all die. She died today.”
Mochizuki turned back to King.
“My king, with your permission I would take this boy myself.”
The King frowned.
“That’s most unusual, Mistress.” He thought for a moment. “You do have a Writ and can use it to take the boy, of course, but then again I wrote that Writ myself and can certainly deny it… Do you stand for the boy?”
“I do, my king.”
“You’ll remove him from Celephaïs?”
“Yes, my king. He will be to Farlaway, until he is ready,” answered Mochizuki. “
Farlaway. Britomartis had never been there, but it was infamous. A village said to be somewhere in the mountains east of Celephaïs, between the Tanarian Hills and Utnar Vehi, it was where Mochizuki’s feared assassins came from. With his skill and coldness the boy would make a most potent weapon in her hands, if he survived.
“So be it,” said the King.
The audience was over.
END
