Chapter 10
“Are you ready, Vua?”
“Yes, I think so, Fa-Ying. Do I look all right?” replied Sheiji.
“You’re fine,” Fa-Ying rolled his eyes. “Let’s go.”
“Where’s Inon?”
“Taking care of some business. He’ll meet us later,” replied Fa-Ying.
They followed a maze of corridors until they reached the great hall. The guards bowed when they saw King Sheiji and pushed the doors open. The noise and laughter died instantly as Sheiji entered.
Everyone rose to their feet and bowed, some on one knee and some on both, depending on their rank and occupation.
Sheiji smiled and strode confidently past the many staring eyes. Sui-Tsai stood coldly at the front of the room, arms crossed. He dipped his knee before Sheiji could disgrace him by commanding it.
“Good evening, Your Regency,” said Sheiji, bowing his head to the slightest degree.
“Good evening, Vua,” replied Sui-Tsai, still on one knee. “Won’t you be seated, we are about to begin.”
Sheiji sat and motioned for everyone else to do the same. Once again the room erupted in noise as people returned to their conversations.
Sheiji looked around for Fa-Ying and saw him talking with two burly men. He saw his betrothed sitting on the opposite side of the room with her many ladies-in-waiting. Most of the guests were avoiding her. Though Hevana was a valuable trade partner with Imatsuro, it was considered a disgrace that Sheiji’s first wife be Hevanan.
“So, Brother,” Sui-Tsai lounged on a pillow beside Sheiji. “I trust you have made a decision?”
“Well, I don’t know,” replied Sheiji. “What’s the name of the country anyway?”
Sui-Tsai paused a minute and decided it would do no harm now that the little king could not have council with his beloved Fa-Ying. “Nakuchi,” he replied finally.
“Why, that’s where my other betrothed is from. I do not wish to make war on them,” said Sheiji innocently. Inwardly, he was carefully watching his words. It wouldn’t do to slip up now.
Sui-Tsai blinked in astonishment. “B-but that’s ridiculous, Vua!” he managed to say. “That girl is no longer alive and you hold no ties with that kingdom. It would be no crime to wage war on them.”
“But I don’t wish it,” Sheiji whined like a spoiled child. “I thought my betrothed was very pretty and her father was nice.” Sheiji had, in truth, only seen his betrothed once and at that time she was only ten days old, and he only two.
“You are stubborn, Majesty. Please, don’t you see this is simply ridiculous? Nakuchi’s king is going to come and attack us and will most likely kill you and all the royal family if he does. You don’t want to die, do you, Vua?”
He is getting desperate, thought Sheiji. Out loud he said, “No, I don’t want to die, but I don’t think he would attack us because his daughter was supposed to marry me. Do you see? I will not sign it and you cannot make me.”
Now Sheiji was growing angry and part of his childish tantrum was real. He was tired of this man manipulating him and treating him as if he were a child.
Sui-Tsai’s face was red with fury and his eyes blazed like fire. Sheiji could tell he, too, was tired of having someone in the way of his plans.
Sui-Tsai motioned to his advisor, Sudra, who came hurrying from across the room. Sui-Tsai leaned close and whispered so quietly that Sheiji could hardly hear.
“Tatziy nhienzoy,” Sudra grinned and quickly returned to his friends.
Sheiji tried to look calm, but inside, his heart was racing. What did Sui-Tsai’s words mean, ‘by tomorrow evening, I will be rid of my chains.’ The chains, Sheiji guessed, were himself. How did they plan to get rid of him?
Sui-Tsai had turned back to Sheiji with an evil glint in his eyes. “So, Brother, I ask once more, will you sign?”
Sheiji thought for a moment; to refuse would mean certain death, if he could not escape. But to accept…Sui-Tsai might kill him anyway. “No, I will not sign,” he replied.
“May your death be quick,” Sui-Tsai murmured under his breath in Thánh.
Suddenly, the room fell silent again. Sheiji looked up and saw the High Priest walk through the doors. EL-Yoran marched forward to the front of the room where Sheiji sat and bowed.
Sheiji remembered what Inon had said about the priest and wondered how many others in this room wore the Purple Lotus…and how many were loyal to the true king.
“Your Excellency, Vua Sheiji-Yueng of Imatsuro,” said the priest. “Shall now be betrothed to her Highness, Princess Mirala Tluse of Sylvania, Hevana.”
Mirala stumbled forward after a little push from her interpreter. She stood shakily before Sheiji as he rose to greet her.
He noticed her large timid eyes, big and round and frightened. She looked so young and vulnerable, more like a little sister than his betrothed. She wore a green silk dress with a padded front that was designed to make her look older than she was. Her hair was coiled in her head in the manner of an older woman. She would have looked considerably older if it wasn’t for her face, which was so babyish that she only looked ridiculous in her adult clothing. She rather reminded Sheiji of a frightened mouse.
The priest began to talk, pronouncing blessings, giving warnings and sternly cursing the spirits that could possibly ruin the marriage. “May your marriage be fruitful and long,” he continued. “May her Highness’s womb never be barren, may she bare many sons. Depart all spirits of barrenness! Depart spirits which bring unhappiness and pain!”
The priest continued. Sheiji’s legs began to grow tired of standing and the little princess’ head was slowly sinking to her chest.
“Kneel!” shouted the priest, giving each a firm rap on the head with the end of his incense burner. Sheiji and Mirala knelt and the priest switched to speaking in Thánh.
He talked on and on in Thánh, mostly repeating what he said in Tekelonnese, but changing the words to mean the opposite of what he had said the first time, since few people spoke Thánh. “May her Royal Hippopotamus,” the word for hippopotamus was very similar to the word for Highness, “have a multitude of daughters,” the word for daughter was simply son without a “b” at the beginning, “or may her womb be ever fruitful, of nothing,” the priest whispered “nothing” very low.
Sui-Tsai snickered several times, quite unceremoniously, but his face remained solemn. Sheiji stared coldly at the priest.
Now the priest switched to Halamán, a language known only by the priestly family, and Sheiji could only guess what curses he was pronouncing upon their marriage.
Finally, he finished. He bowed and gave Sheiji and Mirala each half a ring. It would be snapped together at the time of their marriage and only these two exact halves would match. No copy could be made.
Sheiji kissed Mirala’s hand and she bowed her head and retreated to the protective care of her ladies-in-waiting. Sheiji sat back down on his cushion.
There was still a sparkle of amusement in Sui-Tsai’s eyes as he ordered the feast to begin.
There were no courses, but the food rotated around the room, beginning with the king and his household and moving clockwise around the room. There were always slaves and servants hovering nearby to refill dishes and wine cups. Sheiji knew Sui-Tsai would have more than his share of the rice wine by the end of the night. He was known well for his drinking.
There was no chance of poisoning here, as everyone would be eating from the same dish, but nonetheless, Sheiji was wary and he had lost his appetite.
“Excuse me for a minute, Your Regency,” Sheiji mumbled and stole off to the corner where Mirala sat waiting for her turn with the food.