Remember your weaknesses, forget your strengths.
Dowager Queen Iris-han' Hezt
Tez' Mu rode up to the gates of the Mu Manor with mixed feelings. A stable boy ran up to him and bowed.
"Welcome, ke."
He dismounted and handed the reins to the boy, then ascended the steps to the gate. The two guardsmen greeted him warmly—unexpectedly—but he did not react.
The manor was strangely silent. A few servants tending the gardens bowed from afar, but Heng was nowhere in sight. Ignoring the unease settling in his chest, Tez' Mu made straight for his mother's quarters. If he was to be part of any retaliation against the west, he would need Essa-kest' Mu's blessing.
Eima was standing in the hallway outside her mistress' door. She blinked in surprise when she saw him.
"My ke, what brings you to the manor?"
"Is mother in?"
"Yes, with my kel Chan' Mu."
Tez' Mu nodded, and pushed the door open.
Essa-kest' Mu's quarters were a world apart from the austere, stone-hewn halls of the manor. Tall bronze braziers cast wavering shadows across the intricate tapestries draping the walls, each depicting scenes of Mu ancestors in the midst of battle or council. The floor was covered in woven rush mats, their borders stitched with protective runes.
At the center of the room, Essa-kest' Mu and Chan' Mu sat at a low table painted with miniature depictions of a soaring white eagle. Behind his mother, a large carved screen separated the sleeping chamber, its panels etched with patterns of swirling desert winds.
"Well, hello brother," Chan' Mu snorted, "I thought you would never come."
Tez' Mu ignored her and crossed the room to stand beside Essa-kest' Mu. "Mother," he said, "Are you—are you alright?"
Essa-kest' Mu smiled. "I'm fine, son. Do sit." She turned her head. "Eima!"
The attendant entered. "Yes, my lady?"
"Ask Yuri to bring Tez's portion."
"Don't bother. I'm not hungry." Tez' Mu sat on the sofa instead. "Mother, have you heard what happened?"
"I have, son." Essa-kest' Mu stirred her soup, her eyes downcast. "I knew it would happen before it did."
Chan' Mu reached out to poke Tez' Mu's knee. "You do realize what a good brother you are, Tez'? I haven't seen you since the banquet!" She raised her soup bowl to her lips and took a gulp. Smacking her lips, she added, "Meanwhile, what happened? I have no idea."
Tez' Mu glanced at his mother, but she did not react. He shrugged. "Grandfather rebelled. Now I have to go to Darin as a peace envoy."
"So Grandfather betrays the empire, and you get to skip school." Chan' Mu sniggered, "Makes perfect sense."
Essa-kest' Mu finally raised her head. She glared at her daughter. "This is not funny, Chan'."
"I never said it was." Chan' Mu countered. She turned to her brother. "What's Father going to do about this?"
"He's away in Najan; he can't do anything." Tez' Mu supplied, "And if I'm right, Grandfather is the one behind the Keolyor, who have now made things difficult for Father with the Arbans."
Chan' Mu frowned as she studied him. "Weird that you're suddenly talking about things like these, Tez'. You were never interested in the kingdom's affairs."
Essa-kest' Mu sighed. "Tez' is a member of the Dowager's court now." She shook her head. "And with these errands he's being given, he must become involved. I only wish it were someone else. Not my father."
"I know you feel horrid, Mother," Tez' Mu placed an arm on her shoulder.
"I do not feel horrid because my father rebelled. I'm only angry he kept this from Raq' Mu." Her expression darkened. "I do not want your father and mine to meet on a battlefield."
"Don't worry, Mother. They won't." Chan' Mu brushed crumbs from her skirt.
"You can never tell." Anxiety coiled in Tez' Mu's gut. "But Mother, I am a peace envoy now. Before the Dowager chose me, one of the lords on the council said Grandfather would kill anyone sent to the west at this time—as retaliation."
"Retaliation for what?" Chan' Mu asked.
"The Dowager killed the soldier who came to report the west's secession."
Chan' Mu's brows went up. "Right in the Scith?!"
Tez' Mu nodded.
"That's brutal. How did she do it—?"
"Chan'! Enough!" Essa-kest' Mu snapped. Her patience had wore thin. "Tez' is not here to regale you with gory tales. I'm certain he's here to bid us farewell. Aren't you, son?"
"No. I'll stay in the manor until it's time to depart. The steward asked me to leave everything to him. I want to write to Father. And—where's Sari?"
"He should be in your quarters," Essa-kest' Mu replied.
Tez' Mu nodded, rising. Confronting Sari after months of silence would be difficult, but he could not put it off any longer. "Who can send the letter when I'm done? Is Heng in the manor?"
"No," Chan' Mu answered unexpectedly. "He took leave of mother to visit his relatives in Alhui. To see if they're safe."
"I hope they are. The Haru Invaders are pretty nasty, from what I've heard." Tez' Mu stood. "So who's acting butler in his stead?"
"Eima is overseeing things." Essa-kest' Mu abandoned her meal. "She'll send someone for the letter."
"Alright." Tez' Mu had reached the door. He pulled it open. Eima and Sari turned at the sound.
Oh no.
His plan had been to gather his thoughts before facing him.
Sari stared at him, just as surprised. Then, to Tez' Mu's shock, he bowed.
"My ke."
"—Sari." Tez' Mu reached out, not knowing why. He stopped himself quickly. "Well, come. I was just about to go looking for you."
After taking two breaths, Tez' Mu relaxed. He stuck both hands into his trouser pockets. "Let's go to my quarters. I have a lot to say."
"I can bet," Sari replied dryly.
Tez' Mu grinned.
Next to him, Eima smiled as well. "I'm glad you and your servant are no longer quarreling." She looked up at them happily, "It didn't do either of you any good."
"Let's not speak of it anymore," Sari said pointedly, glancing at Tez' Mu. "Shall we go, then?"
It turned out Sari definitely, absolutely wanted to still speak of it. Back in Tez' Mu's room, he vented an hour-long tirade, sounding nothing like a servant to his master. When he eventually paused for breath, Tez' Mu raised his hand.
"I know what you want me to say. I'm sorry, I was wrong. I'm an ass, an oaf, and a big, stupid idiot."
Sari smiled. "Yes you are," he pressed, "and don't you forget it."
"I won't. But, we have pressing problems now. First thing, will you come with me to Darin?"
"Why are you going to Darin?" Sari raised his eyebrows.
"Offal' Kest rebelled." Now that Tez' Mu could speak freely, he had no reason to hold back, "Along with the whole west. The kingdom can't retaliate: Raq' Mu is trapped in Najan—Offal' Kest's doing, to keep him from striking Darin directly. General He left the capital to reclaim Alhui from the Haru, which leaves only the Ru Army; but the council and the Dowager both agree that they shouldn't be involved. Offal' Kest wants war; that's his path to annexation. We won't give him that. So now, I'm a peace envoy."
Sari frowned. He put a hand to his chin, circled the room once, then sat on Tez' Mu's sofa, opposite him on the bed.
"There's more to this than meets the eye. Both parties are hiding their true intentions, and that puts you in a precarious position. But first, what do you think about all this? Is your grandfather truly a rebel? Does he want the kingdom for himself? Are there other reasons he's doing this? Could he be right?"
Tez' Mu shook his head. "What I think doesn't matter. All lords swear to the crown. Treason is treason. A broken oath is inexcusable. He must pay for it."
Sari exhaled. "You are right."
"So we can't pity him. He's my grandfather, yes, but he's wrong. Throwing the kingdom into conflict is heinous, what more sending my father into the arms of those ferocious Arbans."
"You shouldn't waste your time worrying about my lord general." Sari shook his head, "Worry about yourself, my ke."
"I know. That's why I'm asking you: will you come with me to Darin?"
"You don't have to ask me," Sari replied, "Just order me."
Tez' Mu rolled his eyes, "Oh, by the ancestors! I'm never going to hear the end of it, am I?"
Sari chuckled. "That's not what I mean. I'm being serious now. If you feel I would be useful to you on your trip, then it's my duty to follow you."
"Honestly though," Tez' Mu sighed, "you know you're more than a servant to me. But that's aside. Hu' Ran might not agree."
Sari did not ask who Hu' Ran was. Instead, he headed to the wardrobe, "Let's see if we'll have to call a seamster, or not," he said as he pulled the doors open and started tossing clothes over his shoulder.
"But I wish sister Royan' was still at home. She definitely would have given me some good advice," Tez' Mu grumbled to himself as he fell back onto his bed. "Mother is just emotional, and Chan' is being, well, just Chan'. Oh!" He suddenly shot up, "I said I'd write to father! I mustn't forget! Sari! Find me paper!"
Sari stopped throwing clothes. He turned around. "You want to write to my lord general? Why?"
"To tell him the latest developments of course. He should withdraw from Najan if he can. We shouldn't ruin our relationship with Arban Empire over Offal' Kest's selfish interests."
"Hmm. But how are you sure he doesn't know everything already. He might know more than you, even," Sari countered.
"That doesn't matter. I should help him as much as I can," Tez' Mu insisted. He closed his eyes and laid back down.
Sari changed the subject. "When will you visit Joavir?"
Tez' Mu opened his eyes. That was true. His friends would have heard some rumors, but it was better to say farewell in person.
"Do I have to go? Why don't you go invite them here?"
"That's actually a good idea." Sari agreed.
"Drop by the He Mansion to see if Jun' He followed his uncle back to Irvan. If not, invite him too," Tez' Mu yawned.
"I'm certain he didn't. Not everyone is like you, ke. You've forgotten they still have to attend the Academy."
***
Tez' Mu sat in a pavilion in the Mu Manor, cracking open a handful of nuts from the bag Kel' Ruan had brought. His friends were still being shown around by Sari, claiming they hadn't seen much during Royan' Mu's wedding. But Jun' He didn't join them. He sat opposite Tez' Mu, scrutinizing him.
"What?" Tez' Mu finally snapped.
"You're an enigma, that's what you are, Tez'," Jun' He replied, "My uncle had a lot to say after that stunt you pulled at the Dowager's banquet."
Tez' Mu rolled his eyes. "If not that those kels surrounded you, I would have made it back to the Mu table and none of this would have happened."
Jun' He frowned. Just then, Kel' Ruan and Ar' Rion returned. Sari took his place behind Tez' Mu while they sat on the empty stools around the stone table.
"What's up with Kel'? I heard my name," Kel' Ruan said, dipping her hand into the bag of nuts.
"Not you. We were talking about the banquet."
"Oh, tell us what happened! Big sis said you were amazing!" Kel' Ruan's eyes grew round as she leaned forward.
"I bet Jun' He already told you everything." Tez' Mu sighed. "It was a reflex. I saw the man reach into his coat, and I reacted. He still injured me, but I was lucky mother was there," Tez' Mu patted his side.
"So you saved the Dowager," Ar' Rion muttered.
"And my uncle yanked my ears because of your 'heroism'," Jun' He grumbled.
"Your uncle is always yanking your ears, Jun'," Kel' Ruan rolled her eyes, "You can't blame Tez' for that." She turned back to Tez' Mu. "Go on, will you."
"That's all. She made me Head of the Onan Desar as a reward," Tez' Mu shrugged.
"Head of the Onan Desar!" Ar' Rion repeated.
Tez' Mu felt his face heat up. "It's nothing fancy. I'm just an accessory meant to ward off other potential attacks."
"How much is your pay?" Ar' Rion asked.
"My pay?" Tez' Mu raised his eyebrows. To his surprise, Sari answered.
"Four hundred thousand kerahs a quarter. That makes the yearly total over a million."
"What?!" Kel' Ruan and Ar' Rion exclaimed,
"My sister's yearly pay is just fifty-five thousand kerahs!" Kel' Ruan added, "That's—that's a lot!"
"But I didn't know this," Tez' Mu mumbled, looking up at Sari, "how do you know?"
Sari did not answer, only chuckling. Ar' Rion, Kel' Ruan and even Jun' He's eyes were round.
"And you call that being an accessory. If that's what an accessory is, then that's all I want to be," Ar' Rion quipped, brushing back his hair.
Tez' Mu frowned at Sari and waved his hand. "Go away, you troublemaker."
Kel' Ruan snorted. "Not a chance! He'll keep supplying us with all the juicy stuff you would've overlooked." She leaned even closer, dropping her voice to a whisper, "Tez'. I heard the west rebelled?"
"You're not supposed to hear that," Tez' mu frowned.
She stuck out her tongue. "Jun' He told us."
"Our He vassals present at the Scith were the ones who brought the news to me," Jun' He shrugged. "They said the Dowager killed the soldier that came from the west."
Tez' Mu nodded. "She was furious. It was a shock."
"No wonder Lord Kest didn't come to the banquet. He didn't want to renew his fealty," Jun' He shook his head.
"But—but that's your grandfather, Tez'!" Kel' Ruan's forehead was knotted with worry. "What are you going to do?"
"I've been chosen as a peace envoy," Tez' Mu sighed. "I just know it's not going to be easy."
"A peace envoy?" Ar' Rion snorted. "No offense, Tez', but troops should be dispatched to Darin. If a lowborn did this sort of thing—they'd have been executed at once without mercy."
"Right, look at the poor soldier that was killed," Kel' Ruan agreed.
Ar' Rion frowned, "But nobles? They get away with anything."
"Not always," Jun' He argued. "Lord Kest is in serious trouble now."
Later that night, Jun' He's words weighed down on Tez' Mu as he penned the letter to Raq' Mu.
Father,
I don't know if you're already aware, but I've been chosen as a peace envoy to Darin. The Dowager is insistent on maintaining relations with Calsour and sending troops to Darin now would be fighting on too many sides.
Mother and Chan' are well. They wish you a safe return.
He paused as he wondered what else to write. He had thought he rather had a lot to say.
Three judges resigned their posts in protest when the Dowager killed the runner from Darin. I think they've allied with Grandfather.
Tez' Mu yawned. What was the point? He peeled the paper off the stack and crumpled it, then tossed it over his shoulder.
***
Tez' Mu fastened the last button of his tunic, his gaze flicking to the pile of luggage at the foot of his bed. Stacked boxes upon boxes—his mother's way of sending half the manor back to her father.
"What day is it, Sari?" he asked, raking his fingers through his unkempt hair before reaching for a comb.
"Ninth of Iv," Sari answered. It was exactly one month since the Dowager's banquet; the day Tez' Mu's life had changed in ways he still did not know, or cared to.
Tez' Mu tossed the comb aside, opting instead for a vial of scented oil. He flicked it open, tipped it against his palm, and rubbed the oil through his unruly locks.
"Are the escorts outside?"
"Yes," Sari replied, stepping up to Tez' Mu and handing him a tie, "Use this. Your hair can never lie smooth like my young lords'."
Tez' Mu made to shove him, but Sari caught his wrist before he could.
A cough came from outside, drawing their attention.
They exchanged a glance and stifled their laughter.
"Alright," Tez' Mu gave his hair one final, loving pat, "I'm done. Can you carry these, or you'll call them in?" He gestured to the mountain of baggage.
"The stable boys will handle it."
Tez' Mu strode across the room, his knee-length black boots clicking against the polished floor. When he pulled the door open, the three escorts standing outside bowed in unison. Their uniforms—black high-collared jackets with silver embroidery and white accents—marked them as Onan Desar, the elite guard. Silver epaulets gleamed on their shoulders and chains draped elegantly across their chests, the insignia of their order resting at their collars.
"Do you have any errand from the steward?" Tez' Mu asked. Just three men? For a peace envoy's departure? He had expected a grander entourage.
"No, my lord. His eminence wished us a safe journey." The speaker was Kal' Yu, deputy commander of the Onan Desar—Tez' Mu's subordinate, in name only. Tall and hard-edged, he made Tez' Mu mildly irritable by virtue of the fact that he had to look up at him. "He also instructed that you decide our route."
"Oh." Tez' Mu crossed his arms. "So... it's just the five of us?"
"Yes, my lord. His eminence prefers we not draw attention. We are, after all, headed into hostile territory." Kal' Yu nearly rolled his eyes, as though stating the obvious.
"Then we should arrive early rather than late. No need to follow the full stretch of Gaban Road before turning west. We'll cut through Mirin and enter Darin from the north."
"Mirin, my lord?" Kal' Yu's brows furrowed. "That's—quite dangerous."
Tez' Mu understood the hesitation. The Old West Road ran through Mirin, a city whose infamy rivaled Joavir's, but on a grander scale—bustling, lawless, and unstable. Now that the west had rebelled, it would be even worse.
"We'll reach Darin in a week if we take the Old West Road," Tez' Mu said simply. "And I don't suppose you royal knights are afraid of a few bandits?"
"Absolutely not," Kal' Yu replied stiffly. "I'm just—concerned." He did not argue further.
Tez' Mu nodded, already turning away. Behind him, Sari had the stable boys carrying the luggage toward the gates. The three knights fell into step behind their lord.
Near the gates, Essa-kest' Mu, Chan' Mu, and Eima stood waiting. Chan' Mu ran up to her brother, smiling mischievously as she pressed something into his palm. He looked down. A spatial ring, the ruby set into its band catching the morning light.
"Oh wonderful, as if I don't have enough things that show I'm from the House of Mu."
Chan' Mu stuck out her tongue and ran back to her mother. Tez' Mu slipped the ring on. If his sister was being nice for once, then he would cherish the moment.
"If you can, visit your father, will you?" Essa-kest' Mu said when he reached her.
"I don't think I'll have the chance," Tez' Mu admitted. "But I'll send someone."
"Alright."
Tez' Mu stepped back, put a fisted palm over his chest, and bowed. "Goodbye, mother."
At the gates, the horses pawed the ground, snorting and restless. Tez' Mu descended the steps, feeling eyes on him, and swung onto his horse, settling at the head of the party. Kal' Yu and the knights followed. Sari took the reins of Tez' Mu's carriage, which he would ride in later when he no longer had to keep up appearances. At Sari's insistence, Kal' Yu had permitted one more person—a stable boy—to drive the supply carriage.
Tez' Mu glanced back once. The Mu Manor stood behind him, still and grand. Then he raised his hand in salute to his family and spurred his horse forward. The others followed, their mounts kicking up dust as they galloped down the drive.
The manor was soon left far behind.
The sun had just begun to crest the tallest rooftops when the party burst into Muii. Tez' Mu frowned as shopkeepers broke into cheers. Did these people have nothing better to do?
The party maintained a tight triangular formation, Tez' Mu leading at the front. As they neared the gate of the Mu District, he yanked the reins and banked left.
"We don't have to drop by the palace, do we?" he called over to Kal' Yu.
The deputy shook his head.
Tez' Mu looked up at the sky. At this pace, they'd reach the Mirin turnoff by noon—later, if they stopped along the way. Fortunately, Hu' Ran had seen to it that the guards carried enough provisions for the journey.
They picked up speed, and the capital blurred past. The city gate loomed suddenly, throwing them into shadow. As expected, they were forced to slow, falling in behind merchant wagons queuing to exit the capital. Up on the battlements, a watcher blew a low horn, and a squad of soldiers marched forward.
"Are you the royal envoy?" one of them asked.
"I am," Tez' Mu replied.
The soldier took a scroll from his waist and unrolled it, scanning it briefly before nodding. "Yes, you are," he said, satisfied.
The soldiers bowed. "Safe travels, my lord."
The gate creaked open and the merchant carriages clattered forward. Tez' Mu and his entourage followed. The road ahead rose gently, flanked on both sides by tall pines. In the distance, a fork veered out of sight—the byway to Mirin, according to the Raq' Mu's maps.
They followed the merchant carriages until the road widened as the further they got from the city gate. Then Tez' Mu and his convoy spurred their horses, keeping to the left, till they overtook all the wagons.
Their speed remained unhindered until they reached the turning. It was now noon, the sun already halfway across the sky. Tez' Mu reined in his horse beneath an old tree, its thick branches casting a broad canopy over the road. He slid from the saddle, and led the animal into the shade.
"Are we stopping here for a rest, my lord?" Kal' Yu asked when he caught up.
Tez' Mu nodded. "And a meal."
Kal' Yu muttered under his breath, something how they would not reach Darin on schedule at this pace. Tez' Mu heard him but he did not bother to react. Instead, he leaned back against the tree, shutting his eyes. He touched the tip of his index finger to the spatial ring Chan' Mu had given him. Tentatively, he channeled a trickle of essence from his oasis into his finger, and then pushed the drop of essence into the ring.
That much should do.
His consciousness jolted as a silver of his mind extended into the ring's space. The contents were peculiar—typical Chan' Mu. A dagger. A floating scrap of paper that read: Don't die, idiot, in Esek script. Fur blankets. Rune detonation stones. Essence explosives. Swords.
Tez' Mu sighed. Where in Ochelon did she even get these?
The armory? It wouldn't be the first time she'd taken something that wasn't hers. Or had she bribed one of the quartermasters? Threatened a merchant? He wouldn't put it past her to have swiped some of them from an old trunk, either. Or maybe an indulgent guard or retainer had given them to her, humoring her antics.
He smiled ruefully as he withdrew the wisp of essence and opened his eyes. So, Chan' Mu assumed this trip to Darin would end in a scuffle. Well…
"Ke, shall we have a snack?" Sari asked as he rode up. The escorts had already taken their places around the tree, surrounding Tez' Mu on all sides. Even though that was their duty, Tez' Mu still couldn't help feeling uneasy.
"A meal, Sari. We won't stop again until we arrive in Mirin."
"Will that be possible?" Sari glanced up at the sky. "This road isn't as good as you think. The merchants prefer Gaban because it's regularly maintained. This one's been left alone since the days of King Hul' Han."
"We'll manage. Let…what's his name? Let him feed the horses, while we eat," Tez' Mu nodded at the stable boy, the last to catch up, huffing, his face red.
"I'm Annir, m'lord," he said, jumping down from the driver's seat, tousled brown hair damp with sweat. His amber eyes flickered as he flushed under Tez' Mu's gaze.
Sari was already pulling out the packed meals Essa-kest' Mu had prepared. At his bidding, Annir laid a rug on the ground near the tree, and Sari set the meal boxes out. The escorts watched with mild amusement.
"I never knew this was a comfort trip, deputy," one of them sniggered to Kal' Yu, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. He shook his hair out of his face.
Kal' Yu rolled his eyes skywards.
"Let's eat," Tez' Mu said when Sari had finished handing out portions.
The escorts lifted their flagons, tipping them in Tez' Mu's direction as they drank to his health. Then they fell to their food. Within five minutes, the last crumbs of mashed yam pudding had disappeared.
Tez' Mu, satisfied, closed his eyes as he leaned against the tree. Annir and Sari had led the horses to to a stream just off the road. Idly, Tez' Mu browsed through Chan' Mu's spatial ring again, but this time, something caught his attention.
A small metal wristband, pulsing with a soft silver light.
Frowning, Tez' Mu retrieved it and turned it over in his hand before slipping it on. Instantly, a flow of essence surged from his oasis, latching onto the band. It flared red, then dimmed, settling into a steady pulse—almost like a living thing.
It felt empty, a receptacle waiting to be filled with as much essence as he chose to pour into it. But to what end?
"My lord." Kal' Yu suddenly appeared before him, "If you've rested well, shall we continue?"
Tez' Mu took his attention off the band. "Are Sari and Annir back?"
Kal' Yu gestured. They had emerged from the copse of trees that hid the stream from view. Tez' Mu got up. His horse whined as he approached, and he patted its brown nose. Around him, the others resumed their positions.
Sari raised a brow. ""You're set on reaching Mirin? If we hurry, we'll only get in sight of the city."
Tez' Mu mounted his horse. "Catch up soon," he said, then dug his heels in. A yelp came from the horse, muscles bunching as it shot forwards. The forest rushed by in a green and brown blur. Tez' Mu narrowed his eyes against the stinging air as his escort charged ahead. As they gained speed, the turning whipped past, and they bent low over their saddles, urging their steeds on.
Two miles on, the trees abruptly parted, revealing a steep incline. The horses faltered, snorting and shifting as they adjusted their pace. Tez' Mu flexed his sore fingers, feeling the dampness of sweat slick against the reins. The hill ahead had a tower at the top, off the road. As they rode past, Tez' Mu glanced up at it. No banner fluttered from it.
Odd.
"Which lord's tower is that?" he called to his deputy.
Kal' Yu followed his gaze, shielding his eyes with one hand. "I don't know, my lord."
The two carriages had caught up, the wheels crunching over pebbles and dried leaves The party slowed to a trot as the road narrowed, winding through a copse of elder trees, their thick trunks obscuring the tower from view.
Emerging back into the sunlight, Tez' Mu exhaled, blinking at the sudden brightness. A sharp gust of wind swept past, carrying the scent of pine and distant rain. Tez' Mu shivered as he reveled in its comfort, his sweat-dampened clothes clinging to him like a second skin.
Behind him, a sudden lurch and a muffled curse broke the silence as Sari's carriage skidded, one of its wheels dipping into a hidden hole.
"This is what I'm saying, ke," Sari barely reined in his horse in time. "It'll be awful for Annir and I."
Tez' Mu did not reply. He was gathering speed again, as the road leveled out and started to descend into the valley, where the meandering trail disappeared into a dense cluster of trees.
As he entered the shaded forest, the air turned thick and cool, the shift immediate. The canopy above swallowed the sunlight, bathing everything in a muted green glow. A deep, loamy scent filled his nostrils, mingling with the occasional sharp tang of rotting wood. The road was stretched on, almost straight ahead, riddled with potholes and fallen branches, forcing the horses to slow.
Tez' Mu clenched his jaw, sending a silent plea to the ancestors that the path remain passable. He had no interest in seeing Kal' Yu's smug expression if they had to turn back to Gaban.
The moon was high in the sky when the party reached the crest of a hill. Below, the valley of Mirin stretched before them, its clustered rooftops glinting beneath the starlight.
Tez' Mu drew in a sharp breath, yanking his horse to a sudden stop.
"Am I seeing things?" he asked.
No one answered at first, their mouths falling open with shock at the sight. The valley was choked with movement. Beyond Mirin's walls, an ocean of soldiers encamped, tents stretching in the cold, deliberate sprawl of a siege.
"No, my lord." Kal' Yu's tone was grim. "The city is taken."
Plumes of smoke curled from inside the city, and above the gate, stark against the night, fluttered a white eagle banner.
Kal' Yu spoke again, urgency creeping into his tone. "We can't go through. We need another route."
Tez' Mu exhaled, his breath visible in the cooling night air. "There's no alternative here." He gestured to a dense thicket of trees they had passed earlier. "We make camp under that cover. Tomorrow, we attempt to enter the city."
One of the escorts balked. "Enter the city? My lord, that's impossible!"
"It isn't. Just follow my lead."
Wheeling his horse around, he rode back down toward the trees. As soon as they reached the cover of the woods, he dismounted, beckoning Sari aside. They moved deeper into the trees, out of earshot.
"I never imagined Offal' Kest annexing towns one by one," Tez' Mu sighed, "Before we know it, he'll have the whole kingdom!"
"What is your plan, my ke?" Sari ignored his master's complaints, leaning against a tree after checking for snakes.
"First is to stay out of sight tonight," Tez' Mu broke off a twig and drew a circle on the ground, "At the crack of dawn tomorrow you and Annir will slip into town. You're to gather information and get us all a change of clothes. We're too flashy—especially the escorts."
"How are we supposed to get past the soldiers?" Sari raised his eyebrows.
"The battle is already won; didn't you see the flag? They'll be in a reveling mood now." Tez' Mu drew two parallel lines beside the circle. "We'll strip down one of our carriages. You'll pose as a wagon driver."
"And then?"
Tez' Mu raised his head.
"Once we're through Mirin we'll hurry on our way. But I don't think Offal' Kest will listen to any offer of peace now that he's so powerful."