Strength is forged in flames
Northern Adage
Tez' Mu never imagined that one of his worst nightmares would ever come to pass. The halls of the empty Mu Manor echoed eerily as he and Kal' Yu strode towards Raq' Mu's study, which was now, for all intents and purposes, his own.
"My lord," Kal' Yu said as soon as Tez' Mu sat behind the desk, "What are your orders?"
"Where is Sari?" Tez' Mu asked with a frown, wondering why his servant did not materialize out of thin air as he usually did.
Kal' Yu was caught off guard at the abrupt question. "Oh," he said, "He's at the barracks."
"Doing what?" Tez' Mu raised his eyebrows.
"Training," Kal' Yu shrugged, "He joined the force."
"What force?"
Kal' Yu pinched the ridge of his nose. He was clearly not in the mood for this. "Sari has joined the Onan Desar," giving up, he spelled it out clearly.
Tez' Mu's eyes widened. "Who told him to do that?"
Kal' Yu let out a deep breath. "My lord, if you have no orders for me today, I'll leave and--"
"No, there's something I want you to do," Tez' Mu finally let Sari's matter rest. He leaned forward and placed his elbows on the table, "Which jurisdiction is the Royal Prisons under?" he asked.
Kal' Yu raised an eyebrow. "That depends on what you want to do."
"I want to visit someone."
Kal' Yu's expression softened. "That can be arranged. Who is it, my lord?"
"Muyo' Ai."
Kal' Yu had opened his mouth but he quickly closed it back. "Of course," he said, nodding quickly.
Tez' Mu was too focused on his thoughts to notice his deputy's face. He reached out and grabbed a piece of paper that had been sitting on the desk, exactly as he left it.
The renegade lords of the Scith.
Tez' Mu smirked. Now was the time to put this information to use.
There was a soft knock on the door, and it was pushed open. It was still early in the evening, and Tez' Mu, who had retired to his room, was lying on his back on his bed, facing the entrance.
It was Sari.
"Do you still come back to the manor or is it because I've returned?" Tez' Mu muttered cynically.
"My lord," Sari bowed. Tez' Mu was caught off guard. My lord? It was the first time his servant had used his new title. Somehow, it sat heavier than expected.
"It's fine," he waved his hand, sitting upright. "I'm still your ke." He was not prepared for—
"No, you're not."
Sari's hands had remained behind his back, but now he brought them forward, revealing a small, hand-carved wooden token.
"The stars mark your birth once more," Sari said. His face broke into a smile, and he crossed the room to place the token in his master's hand.
The token was smooth, finely crafted—not Sari's handiwork. The edges had been sanded down, the letters carved with the precision of someone who had done this before.
Tez' Mu's fingers curled around it. His stomach turned.
"Who made this?"
Sari met his eyes, then lowered them his gaze. "Eima."
Tez' Mu's grip tightened. A sharp press of wood against skin.
"She passed it to me before…" Sari hesitated, as if saying it aloud would make it worse. He didn't have to. Tez' Mu already knew.
Even his own mother had not wished him for his birthday when he was in Darin, on the day itself. But Eima…
Tez' Mu closed his eyes as he took a deep breath. He suddenly understood Kal' Yu's expression when he said he was visiting the prison, but until now, Tez' Mu had not remembered the elderly maid.
He flinched as Sari's hand rested on his shoulder, his eyes snapping open.
"It's fine, my lord," Sari said, his voice low.
Tez' Mu exhaled, looking down at the token in his hand. Etched into the wood, was his name and new title.
Tez', Lord of the House of Mu.
Sari bumped his shoulder as he rose. "Are you coming or not? The food will soon be cold."
"What food?" Tez' Mu frowned.
"Come out to the hall for a bit," Sari said with a conspiratorial smirk, and then slipped out of the room. Intrigued, Tez' Mu grabbed a tudan from his wardrobe and threw it on (and he was glad he did) before stepping outside.
The main hall was brightly lit, servants ducking in and out as they set the long table in the center of the room, around which several people were already seated. They rose when Tez' Mu entered, and he gaped.
"Light to your years, my lord!" raising their glasses, they cheered as they drank his health. Warmth enveloped Tez' Mu suddenly, as he gazed upon the decorated hall, hangings of white and yellow commemorating his birthday.
He walked forward as they bowed, Kal' Yu near the head of the table, on the right, with Na' Raa next to him. Yanak was on the other side, with Sari beside him. It was not a feast, but it meant the world to him.
"Where's Annir?" Tez' Mu asked, as he took his seat. Sari smiled knowingly, and rose.
"I'll fetch him," he left the hall and returned shortly with the blushing stable boy, who had nevertheless surreptitiously dressed for the occasion should his lord decide to include him in the festivities.
"Now the table is complete," Tez' Mu remarked, and after a thought, raised his glass, "To Mi' Huan's memory," he toasted, catching Kal' Yu off guard. The deputy's eyes turned red, and he quickly seized his glass and received the toast on behalf of his fallen comrade.
"Help yourselves," Tez' Mu gestured to the generous spread.
The meal was not extravagant, but it was warm. Simple dishes, yet prepared with care. Tez' Mu ate in silence, the quiet clinking of utensils filling the space between hushed conversations. The others spoke in low tones, mindful of the weight in the air.
Kal' Yu, ever composed, sat with measured restraint, though his grip on his cup was firm. Na' Raa kept her face down, starring at her plate. Even Yanak, for once, was subdued. Sari, who had arranged the gathering, ate quietly, only speaking to Annir once in a while.
Tez' Mu set his cup down. The faintest tremor passed through his fingers as he traced the rim with his thumb. He felt the other's gazes on him, expectant, awaiting orders.
"Thanks for the wishes," he said at last, his voice steady. He exhaled and sat back, gaze sweeping the table. A pause, a shift in the atmosphere. Then, he continued, "Now. Let's begin."
They set their utensils down and turned their full attention to him as the servants who were in the hall surreptitiously backed out of the room. Tez' Mu turned to Kal' Yu first.
"I want to see Muyo' Ai tonight."
Kal' Yu nodded briefly. "I have arranged our men to replace the royal guards' shift at the prisons."
"Good," Tez' Mu turned to Sari, "I'll also see Eima, so prepare something I can bring along for her."
"Yes, my lord," Sari replied, inclining his head.
"Yanak," Tez' Mu called the lieutenant's name.
Yanak raised his head. "Yes, my lord?"
"I want you to accompany Sari to Joavir. He'll be pretending to be me tonight."
"What?" Kal' Yu couldn't help but exclaim, "Why, my lord?"
Tez' Mu smirked. "I don't want a certain someone to know where I really am."
"The steward?" Kal' Yu frowned. Tez' Mu glanced at him sharply, but Kal' Yu sighed.
"My lord, everyone in this room is loyal to you." As he spoke, Na' Raa smirked.
"I know all about your beef with the steward, captain," she said in a low voice, "I don't particularly like him either," she shrugged, "I'm not surprised."
"You might be shocked however," Tez' Mu said slowly, "to know that I am not exactly loyal to the kingdom. My only goal is to end the war."
Na' Raa chuckled. "Hasn't Kal' Yu told you the popular phrase: 'The Onan Desar is about whatever its leaders want it to be about'? And in case you didn't know, our primary loyalty is to the king, not a regent. Should you not have come along," she paused, "Or let me say, should Lord Kest not have rebelled," she shrugged again, "We would have taken matters into our own hands."
"I see, so that's how it is," Tez' Mu smirked. "Very well then."
Kal' Yu heaved a sigh of relief. Tez' Mu glanced at him curiously, but decided not to question it.
"Then let's start moving," he said, rising. "Annir, fetch my horse. Sari, go to the kitchens and pack some food for Eima." As he dropped the commands they rose and departed at once. He followed after them more slowly, his jaw clenched. Tonight was going to be a long one.
***
Tez' Mu would never have guessed that the unfriendly torch-bearing prison guards that led him down a flight of stone steps into the crypts where war criminals were held were men loyal to him, if Kal' Yu had not said so beforehand.
"Ten minutes," the guard dropped the time limit with a short impatient growl as he handed over the torch, turning his back and marching out of the cell without hesitation. He then locked Tez' Mu and Kal' Yu in with the prisoner.
Tez' Mu sighed after sharing a look with his deputy, who shrugged. Heart clenching, he then cautiously approached the woman curled up on the floor with her knees drawn up to her chest. He could not believe the prisoners were not given light in their cells.
"Eima-duen?" he called softly, as he drew closer, "Are you alright? It's me, Tez'."
The figure did not stir, and Tez' Mu's heart hammered in his chest. He quickly closed the distance and crouched by her, handing the torch over to Kal' Yu, who hovered next to him.
"Eima-duen?" he called again, and reached out to touch her hands, which were clasped tightly around her knees.
She flinched.
"AHH!" she cried, and then started to crawl back frantically, dragging herself by her hands, "Stay away! Stay away!"
"Eima, it's me!" Tez' Mu cried over her hysterical wailing, but he stayed put, his heart breaking. "It's me, Tez'! I'm not here to hurt you!" for he could now see that she had been tortured. Her arms were covered in thin scars and caked blood, possibly from being whipped. Her lips were pale and chapped, and one of her toes seemed to have been crushed.
"I swear," Eima was chattering now, her voice hoarse, "I didn't do anything! I didn't send any letters! I don't know about it!" and then she started to sob hysterically, "Let me go! Let me go!"
If Tez' Mu's heart was broken before, it was shattered now, as he approached her again and threw his arms around her, not minding the blows she was raining down on him with her weak fists, not minding her trashing feet kicking him.
"Umisan," he called out, cradling her in his arms, using the name he used to call her when he was a child, "I'm here. Tez' is here. No one will hurt you again, I swear."
Eima slowly stilled, her breathing labored. Kal' Yu approached with the torch, and let the light from it fall over Tez' Mu, so she could see him. Eima's hands flew to his face, and she cupped it, her eyes wide.
"My—my lord?"
Tez' Mu nodded vigorously. Eima started to smile, but the sight of her bleeding lips drove knives into Tez' Mu's heart.
"Oh, my lord," Eima muttered, "It's you. You're here."
Tez' Mu nodded again. "I'm here."
Her hands flew to his hair, clutching it suddenly. Her body rocked as fear engulfed her anew. "Is she well?" she asked, her voice breaking, "My lady, did she make it out safely? Is she well? Is she well?!"
"She's fine," Tez' Mu reassured her, patting her arm gently, "Mother is fine. She's in Darin."
Eima's body suddenly went limp. Tez' Mu could feel the weight of the sigh leaving her body. He knew it. The thought that her master had not made it out safely must have tortured her more than the imperial soldiers did.
"Kal'," Tez' Mu called, and Kal' Yu set the meal box in his hand down. Before he finished opening it Eima had already snatched it up, wolfing down the food with the veracity of someone who had definitely been starved. Tez' Mu remained by her side, easing into a seating position next to her as he watched her eat. In that moment, he didn't care about the stench, or the dampness. All he wanted was to protect the woman who had been the sister his mother never had.
"Kal'," Tez' Mu called softly.
"Yes, my lord?" Kal' Yu lowered his head.
"Stay with her. I'm going to see Muyo' Ai." Tez' Mu rose. Eima stopped eating at once.
"My lord," she called. Tez' Mu turned around. Eima's eyes were puffy, and as she stared at him, his heart clenched.
"The key to my lord general's vault," she croaked, and Tez' Mu doubled back immediately. Crouching by her, he asked urgently.
"What did you say?"
"My lord general's weapon vault," Eima continued, clutching his hand, and slipping a small iron key into his hand, which she retrieved from a rope round her neck, "You might need weapons," she said.
"Where is the vault?" Tez' Mu asked, frowning.
"Under the tomb of Lord Jan' Mu in the ancestral hall," she responded, her voice light. "Good luck, my lord."
Another equally gruff guard escorted Tez' Mu to Muyo' Ai's cell, two floors below Eima's. The air here was different—thick with sweat, blood, and decay, hot and suffocating, the darkness thicker than night.
A noose hung coiled on the iron bars of Muyo' Ai's cell.
Tez' Mu's gaze lingered on it.
"What does this mean?" he asked the guard.
"He'll be executed by sunrise," the guard replied shortly, his voice as rough as the stones underfoot. He unlocked the cell, then handed over the torch, "Ten minutes."
The iron doors groaned shut behind him with a clang as Tez' Mu approached the man who looked like he would die before morning even rolled by. His face was a ruin of bruises, his right eye swollen shut. Dried blood caked at the corners of his mouth, and his breaths were shallow, ragged, forced.
Muyo' Ai looked worse than Tez' Mu had expected. He cracked open his good eye, smirking even through the pain. "I thought I would see the ancestors before I saw you, boy," He rasped, "Shall I say you are not a very curious type?"
Tez' Mu scoffed. "Are you even dying?" The man looked too smug for someone at death's door.
"Of course not," Muyo' Ai chuckled, though it cost him. "I am a peak-ranked Martial Lord of the blood affinity."
Tez' Mu frowned. He'd never heard of the blood affinity before. "Does that mean you are immune to torture?"
Muyo' Ai shook his head, "It means I don't bleed easily." His swollen lips curled upward. "But tell me, young master, is this what you came here for? To inquire after my welfare?"
Tez' Mu crouched beside him. "Iy anern ren'Ai djahome wa'Hmu," he repeated the phrase Muyo' Ai had shouted in the Scith.
Muyo' Ai's good eye flickered with something sharp. Recognition.
"The spirit of the Ais rest with the Mu," he murmured in response.
Tez' Mu didn't let up. "What does that mean?"
"It means," Muyo' Ai said, voice lower now, "anyone with the name Ai owes their allegiance to House Mu. We are bound by blood." He exhaled shakily. "We do not break."
Tez' Mu stared, his heart racing. He had been right. However…
"Do you have information about my father?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.
Muyo' Ai's expression darkened. "No. But I know he's in dire straits."
Tez' Mu inhaled slowly. "The Dowager intercepted his runner. Killed him."
Silence fell like a hammer.
Muyo' Ai went still, and for the first time, his face paled—not from pain, but from understanding.
"That means Raq' Mu is in danger," he whispered, then with more urgency, "You don't under—"
Tez' Mu cut him off. "The only one in danger I see right now is you."
Muyo' Ai blinked.
Tez' Mu leaned forward, eyes cold. "You're going to be hanged tomorrow."
The man exhaled sharply. He seemed to weigh something in his mind before slumping back against the wall. The fire had not gone out in him, but his body was betraying him.
Footsteps echoed from outside the cell.
Kal' Yu stepped into the dim torchlight, his expression unreadable.
"Time's up with Eima?" Tez' Mu asked softly.
Kal' Yu nodded.
Tez' Mu exhaled through his nose, then turned back to Muyo' Ai. "My father can take care of himself. You?" He tilted his head. "Not so much."
Muyo' Ai huffed out something like a laugh. "And?"
Tez' Mu's voice was quiet but sharp. "I need you to die."
Muyo' Ai raised an eyebrow, amused despite himself. "What?"
"You're going to kill yourself," Tez' Mu said, standing up. "Or at least, that's what they'll think."
Muyo' Ai's silence stretched long. Then, he laughed—weakly, breathlessly, but genuinely amused.
"You really are Raq' Mu's son," he muttered.
Tez' Mu ignored the remark. "I need this done cleanly. Once you're 'dead,' I'll handle the rest."
Muyo' Ai studied him, then closed his eyes and exhaled. "Fine. I'll do it."
Tez' Mu smirked. "Good."
***
The next morning, before dawn, the guards found Muyo' Ai's lifeless body on the cell floor.
***
The Ru Manor loomed in the predawn light, its once-grand entrance barricaded with thick wooden beams and iron locks. It was now avoided like the plague; all the servants had either fled or had been arrested. The Dowager went to great lengths to make the Ru manor into an example, a warning.
Lose royal charter, lose everything.
Everyone in the capital now knew that the Rus were traitors, and unless the reign changed, the family could never return to the capital.
But Tez' Mu didn't knock on the front door like a polite guest. No, he slipped around the back, where Butler Hai opened the servant's entrance with the expression of a man who had just seen a ghost.
"My—my lord?" Hai stammered. His eyes darted to the knights behind Tez' Mu, two of whom were pushing a cart with a longish bundle laid on it.
"Can we come in?" Tez' Mu asked with a small smile that nevertheless sent shivers up the old man's spine.
Hai hesitated. "But the manor is—"
"I know," Tez' Mu said, stepping over the threshold. "That's why I'm here."
Two of the knights hoisted the bundle off the cart. The cloth covering it fell off and Hai gasped. It was a body.
A dead body.
The smell of damp cloth and prison filth still clung to the corpse.
A hand clamped over his mouth before he could scream. As he turned his head slowly to the right, he realized it was Tez' Mu.
"Shh," Tez' Mu muttered, his voice low, "Don't shout."
Palms clammy, Hai could only nod. Slowly, Tez' Mu released him, and then nodded to the knights. They swiftly entered, and then Tez' Mu stepped forward to personally shut the door.
He turned around, smiling again. "Can you show us to a spare room, butler Hai?"
Hai gulped, took another glance at the corpse, and then nodded. With nervous shuffling, he led them to a small room close to the manor kitchens.
Kal' Yu and Yanak laid Muyo' Ai's body down on the floor just as Tez' Mu retrieved a small vial from his spatial ring, tossing it to Annir, who crouched by the body.
Annir caught the vial, uncorked it, and carefully tipped its contents down the man's throat, prying his jaw open as he did. Butler Hai watched the scene with shocked eyes, while Tez' Mu stood there with his arms crossed, waiting for the antidote to take effect.
Before he left the prison the previous day, he had slipped Muyo' Ai a colorless pill; one that could simulate the symptoms of death. Both the pill and the antidote had been ordered from the Alchemist's Guild, using his father's name. No one asked questions if it was Raq' Mu making the purchase.
The minutes ticked by, and butler Hai grew increasingly nervous. Wringing his hands, he turned to Tez' Mu, but the words had not started to leave his mouth when the body on the floor began to stir. Hai's face grew even paler, as, ironically, color returned to Muyo' Ai's.
"He's waking up!" Annir exclaimed, pointing at the body. Tez' Mu allowed himself a smile. The stable boy considered this nothing more than some great exciting experiment.
Muyo' Ai coughed as he fully regained consciousness. Annir was already attending to him, wiping his face with a cloth he had prepared beforehand.
"You did it," Muyo' Ai croaked, as his eyes found Tez' Mu's, who had pulled up one of the chairs in the room and sat down.
"Of course," Tez' Mu replied, leaning forward, "Now you'll keep your end of the bargain."
Muyo' Ai smiled softly, as his good eye assessed Tez' Mu. "It was never a bargain to begin with, my lord, and it isn't so even now," to the surprise of everyone in the room, he hoisted himself upright, and crawled over to where Tez' Mu sat, reaching up and grabbing his hand.
"What—" shocked, Tez' Mu watched as Muyo' Ai pressed his forehead to the back of his hand.
"I swear to you, my lord," Muyo' Ai spoke, his voice hoarse but steady, "by blood, by fire, by the legacy of House Ai; for the kingdom you seek, for the future you will forge—I will stand with you through every storm."
Tez' Mu blinked as the impact of the words hit him. This was different. Muyo' Ai wasn't swearing to the House of Mu. He was swearing to him, Tez' Mu. The weight of it settled on his chest like a chain—and yet, for the first time, it didn't feel like a burden.
Muyo' Ai raised his head and met Tez' Mu's shocked gaze. "I am yours to command, my lord. Whatever you require of me, I will give."
"Why—" Tez' Mu didn't know what to think, "Why are you doing this?"
Muyo' Ai staggered to a sitting position. "Because, in this murky mess of a kingdom we call ours, you are the only one worth following," he said, his voice low.
Tez' Mu exhaled, barely aware he had been holding his breath. Muyo' Ai had chosen him. A man so powerful deemed him strong enough to place his hopes on.
Beside him, Kal' Yu clenched his fist. He had followed commanders, served generals. But never had he looked into a man's eyes and seen a future worth believing in. Until now.
"You once asked if I wanted to swear to you," he murmured, turning to face Tez' Mu. "Now I do."
He stepped forward, sank to one knee, and grasped Tez' Mu's hand the same way Muyo' Ai had.
"My will is my lord's command. By oath and blood, I stand bound. Ancestors and heaven bear witness—I serve until my last breath."
The words settled over the room like a hammer striking iron. A heartbeat passed, then another.
Yanak inhaled sharply. "If Kal' Yu is following you, then so am I," he said, voice rough but steady. He knelt beside Kal' Yu, gripping Tez' Mu's wrist with both hands.
"My will is my lord's command," he echoed, voice rough but certain.
Before the last syllable left his lips, Annir was already moving, his knee hitting the floor with a quiet thud.
His eyes gleamed, his voice almost reverent. "My will is my lord's command," he murmured. "By oath and blood, I stand bound."
Tez' Mu swallowed. This was no longer a mission for his house, nor a duty to Ochelon. These men had bound themselves to him. To him.What would Raq' Mu say if he saw this?
"I have a question for you," Tez' Mu said to the man who was seated in front of him cross-legged on the floor. Muyo' Ai's damp hair clung to his forehead, carrying the lingering scent of soap. His plain robes, freshly pressed, felt stiff against his skin after days of wearing filth.
"Speak on, my lord," Muyo' Ai responded. Tez' Mu took a deep breath.
"What is one weakness of your city?" he asked. Muyo' Ai glanced at him with a curious expression.
"Uimal's weakness?" he repeated, his tone reflective. Tez' Mu nodded. It was time to pay back Offal' Kest for throwing out the rebellion's entire war strategy in order for the Dowager to trust him.
"It will definitely fall if it besieged," Muyo' Ai replied softly, then asked carefully, "What are you planning, my lord?"
The wood of the chair creaked under his weight as Tez' Mu leaned forward, hands braced on his knees, gaze locked on Muyo' Ai's face. He exhaled slowly.
"Uimal must be retaken," he said, his eyes sharp. He couldn't rest knowing the citizens were being oppressed under imperial occupation.
Muyo' Ai closed his eyes, his lashes fluttering against his cheek as he gathered his thoughts, "Allow me to advise you, my lord."
Tez' Mu looked intrigued, then nodded. "Go ahead."
Muyo' Ai inclined his head in appreciation, then spoke, "It's best if we leave Uimal for now. Let's focus on recruiting lords in the capital to your cause." He said, his voice becoming stronger as he continued, "There are so many of them who are discontent with the Dowager's rule, but they fear to act. People like them need an anchor, someone to follow." He continued with a smirk, "They won't follow Offal' Kest because they are conservative; they don't want a war. But they will support you, my lord. We need to weaken imperial power."
Tez' Mu nodded, glad someone else's ideas aligned with his train of thought.
"I'm already on that," he said, and tilted his head in the direction of Kal' Yu, who entered the room.
"My lord," Kal' Yu bowed, "Everyone is ready."
"Good," Tez' Mu nodded, and turned back to Muyo' Ai, "But there is still a reason I'm asking you for Uimal's weakness," he said, and rose. Muyo' Ai's back straightened as Tez' Mu approached and crouched by him.
"When I was in Darin I gave Offal' Kest an impeccable strategy to reconquer Guho, and it would have worked because the Dowager would never have expected it." He said, his voice low as he muttered in the man's ear, his warm breath ghosting over Muyo' Ai's neck, "But when I returned to the capital, the Dowager was already suspecting me as a traitor. To prove I wasn't, I told her what the Kests were planning—what I told them to do."
Tez' Mu rose to his full height, his shadow stretching over Muyo' Ai. The governor's breath hitched, his fingers clenching against his knee.
"You…" His voice failed, his expression a mask of stunned horror.
"She believed me," Tez' Mu said, his smile cold. "My loyalty is assured. The Dowager is focused on Guho. Uimal is exposed. The Kest must strike—" he crossed his arms "—and they must strike once. Or they will all die."
Muyo' Ai let out a deep sigh as he stared down at the floor. Tez' Mu turned and gave instructions to Kal' Yu in a low voice, and the deputy quickly departed the room. By the time he turned back around, Muyo' Ai's face was set in a determined expression.
"My lord," he said, his voice reverent. "You are wise."
Tez' Mu didn't bat an eye at the complement. But Muyo' Ai didn't waste time.
"There is a secret pass into Uimal from underneath the mountain the city is built on," he said, his voice steady, "On the southwest, near the cliffs," he continued, "there is a tunnel that opens out into my mansion."
Tez' Mu grinned as he pulled in a sharp breath. He could already see the situation playing out in his mind's eye, Kest soldiers sneaking through the pass in their hundreds; infiltrating the governor's mansion and swiftly retaking it; putting out the Kest flag from the towers; swiftly overpowering the imperial soldiers in a brutal ambush…
It was not going to be easy and lot of soldiers were going to die, but frankly, he couldn't help it. In the end Uimal would be freed from imperial occupation, and its people would be able to breathe normally again.
"Write out the location and give it to Hai when you're done," Tez' Mu tightened his vambrace, the worn leather straps biting into his fingers as he yanked them tight. "I've ordered him to send it to Keiran'," he said, and started to leave, "Oh," he added, turning around as a thought flashed through his mind, "Write it in that mix of Esek and Saor you're so fond of doing."
Muyo' Ai grinned toothily. "Will the young lady be able to decode it?"
"If I could crack it, I doubt they'll struggle." Tez' Mu smirked, then turned on his heel, leaving Muyo' Ai bowing so low his forehead nearly brushed the floor.
His subordinates were waiting in the deserted alley behind the Ru manor, already in their respective saddles; Kal' Yu, Yanak, Na' Raa and, looking strange but surprisingly dashing in the blue and brown livery of the Onan Desar—Sari.
Annir held the reins of Tez' Mu's horse, his brows furrowed. Tez' Mu took it from him just as Hai stepped out from the kitchens.
"Are you leaving already, my lord?" Hai asked anxiously, "You've not had breakfast!"
Tez' Mu glanced at him, smirking. "We'll soon be back," he looked down at the pouting stable boy, "Sorry, Annir, but you'll stay with Hai and the governor."
Annir nodded and traipsed towards the backdoor, his shoulders hunched in defeat. Tez' Mu turned to Kal' Yu.
"Is the location confirmed?"
Kal' Yu nodded. "Lord Gu is already on the move."
Tez' Mu's jaw clenched. "Then let's intercept him," and with a sharp tug of his reins, his horse neighed as it raised its forelegs in the air, and then charged forward.
Tez' Mu rode ahead of his followers, the pale light of the rising sun behind him. It had begun.