Chapter 15: Overwhelming Feelings
I couldn't lie to myself. I was more worried as time passed. Doing my best not to let it show, I shaded my eyes. In the pale, golden sunrise, we set up fireworks, working quietly and efficiently. Periodically, Asaph would look up at me, as though he wanted to say something, but every time, he didn’t. I concentrated on strapping the firework in the crevasse of the house.
Years ago, long before I was born, Karrazard experienced many raids, which damaged older buildings. It was then that Deion’s famous power chased the raiders out. Grandfather, the King himself was saved by Deion and made him the Prime Minister as a reward.
Still, Deion begrudged the King after Grandfather raised a statue of himself instead of Deion. I suppose I come from a lineage of vain rulers. Maybe it was then that Deion started his own scheming. In the end, did he have the heart of a winner or a loser?
Asaph caught my attention. “You’re done tying that one. Let’s move to the next.”
I nodded, leading the way down the streets. They were still empty, with the exception of a few guards. Even a few guards made our job difficult, since we couldn’t hide in crowds. At least it would be easier to maneuver in. Again, Asaph opened his mouth to ask something, but held back.
Annoyed, I asked quietly, scanning for enemies. “What is it, Asaph?”
He remained so silent, I looked back to make sure he was still there. He was. He was thinking a long time before he answered. “I looked at your papers. You took these from the Palace, didn’t you?”
I decided not to answer the question; instead, I pulled out the next firework stash and buried it in the haystacks behind a botany merchant’s shop. I glanced at his table. Following tradition, he had household instruments set out on it as well as any food his wife or family cooked up.
It would take a few ounces of iron to pay off such a nice set of instruments. In any other city, someone would have stolen the fine instruments. But this was Karrazard, and they would remain there. I suddenly noticed something different from the tradition.
A vase of flowers sat in the corner, in the shade. A variety of colors bloomed. Surprised, I felt my heart beat rise. Looking far into the street, I noticed every table had a little vase and flowers sitting in the shade. What was this new development?
Every five years there would be a Feast of Harmony that follows a procedure. It was a feast like no other and that last most of the night. The people sung and danced. There were places were talents would play their music, archers demonstrate their skill, and sword masters duel for show. In the past millennia of tradition, there were never flowers.
There were flowers this time. Flowers, iron, music. Asaph interrupted my thoughts, answering my unasked questions. “That was your mother’s doing.”
I swiveled around, looking intently. “Mother’s doing? Why would she do this? And how?”
Asaph reached into the bouquet of pick a red flower. His eyes followed the petals. “She told ever merchant, every ironworker, everyone that if they would put their support in whatever decision the Piper’s made they must put a vase flowers on their family table. If they won’t, then they should put an iron needle in their vase.”
He extended the flower to me. I looked down at the rich, ruby-red flower in awe. “Where did they get all these flowers? We’re in a desert…”
Looking up at him, I noted a smile deep in his eyes. “On the opposite side of Karrazard’s river, you’ll find that a batch of them grew. No one knows how they got there. But after the exiled Prince left, flowers started blooming there. They’re hardy red and violet flowers.”
I went to touch the flower, but something in me retracted my hand. Asaph placed it back in the vase, eyeing it. I whispered, "This many people will follow my decision?"
Asaph remarked, looking over all other vases in the street. "This was the agreement your mother made with the merchants. This statement doesn't mean they will help. It doesn't mean they follow you, it just means they won't get in your way when the time comes. Deion has the strength of the Families and his private militia, don't forget."
I nodded numbly. It was truly something. That such a large number of people could agree on anything. They had an opinion, and that opinion was vital to this plan. To our plan. I glanced at the bag. We were finished with most of the fireworks, and the next thing to do was to distribute the papers.
Remembering Asaph's quandary, I spoke up. "I did take the papers from the palace. The people need to see this."
My company pulled out one, looking it over. "Isn't this a law? And this is a new tax. And this is a legislature. Flower, what is this?"
I smirked, grabbing one paper. "If you look at this new tax, as an ironworker you would pass it off, thinking, "this does me no harm, so why should I care?" But if you’re a street peddler, you would tear your hair out.
"Do you see this law, if you were a merchant, you wouldn't care? If you were an ironworker, you would demand to know what mad man wrote this. If you were anyone affected, you would look at the most important piece. The piece that changes everything."
Asaph looked over the papers carefully. "I can't tell...what is it?"
Pulling the paper, I pointed at the bottom. "The world has changed. Once, the king would sign such important documents. That was only after popular vote from both Hoof and Wing Families. The heir of each Family would be required to put their signature.”
He looked over the papers again, eyes widening. "When did you notice? How did you know what to look for?"
I smiled. "Father was the one who found out. It was part of the reason Deion was so eager to get rid of him. Everyone knows the Prime Minister signs all the papers now. We just never mention how wrong it is. How it breaks our every fundamental rule. Father was trying to show Karrazard that it wasn't right. That one man, such a man should not have so much power without restraint. He wanted to wake the people up. He just didn't know how."
Eyebrows tensioning, he queried. "How do you plan to?"
I looked up the vertical wall of the closest building. Asaph followed my gaze. "How about put a paper in everyone's hand? How about fill the skies with them?"
His stare landed on me. "Are you crazy? You want to throw royal papers over the city?!"
I shrugged. "Particularly the market place when people fill it. That should be soon, so let's get to the roof."
After a moment more of staring, Asaph consented, shaking his head. "You go too far sometimes."
I tilted my head back with a grin. "I'm, what was it you said before? Ah, refreshing."
He raised a brow, but didn't object. Without hesitating, I led the way. We made it to the top and sat on the edge, overlooking the street, silent. Slowly, one person appeared, stretching and reorganizing the food on his table. Then another came out. Then children piled in, going from one table to the next. I grinned to myself as a few paraded around with makeshift wolf masks. Suddenly, the street buzzed with excitement.
I stood, taking in the feeling. Holding the bag open, Asaph still seemed uncertain. He spoke his concerns. "Do we have to do this?"
The grin returned to my face as I pulled a few of the papers out. "Absolutely."
In a wide movement, I threw a few of the papers over everyone. They floated gently, like feathers. I started to run beside the street, tossing more papers over until there was none left. The people awed at the spectacle of flying papers, and murmured among themselves at the content.
Scanning the streets, I remarked at the guards rushing to seize the numerous papers. Several pointed in my direction, shouting something inaudible.
I turned to leave when the hairs on the back of my neck rose and I pushed Asaph out of the way. An arrow imbedded itself into ground beside the ledge. Dust rose, awakened by the impact.
Diomedes stood on the ground, readying himself for the climb. Asaph grabbed my arm. "Let's get out of here."
I shook my head, taking a few steps from the edge. "No, it's time I face my mistake. If he was a part of
that meeting…if he agreed to it, then we're enemies. It's time we start acting like it. It's time I change."
Diomedes swung himself onto the roof. Standing he addressed me coldly. "You've gone too far, Piper."
I slipped the twin blades in hand, spinning them flashily. The dried wound across my back ached horribly, but I tried my best to ignore it. Lifting one twin so it pointed sharply at him, I lifted my chin with it. "Diomedes, I let you go twice. My heart forgave you a thousand times. But the thousandth time left with the passing of my friend. Now I’ll bring you down.”
Without hesitation, Diomedes drew his bow on me. He glared past his steel-bodied arrow at me. “Try me, Piper.”
I sunk down to the ground the moment I saw him loosen the string and the arrow fly out. Sprinting in a spiral, I circled him. He turned to shoot me, loosening arrow after arrow without slowing.
As I came closer I dropped into a roll, he mimicked it, moving out of my path. I sliced thin air as he yanked free his arrow from the ground. I moved closer to trap him. An archer was good for long distance fights, but rarely were they practiced martial artists.
I slashed across his bow as he lifted its heavy iron body in defense. Quickly realizing I made a misjudgment, I had no time to react. He fell in the category of the “rare” now as he twisted his bow so he caught one of my twin blades harmlessly between the string and the body. He pried the short sword from my hand with swift movement.
The twisting motion of the bow left Diomedes’s neck unprotected. A fatal mistake; he only removed one blade. Spinning in place, I slid the second blade to snag his neck. My sword never made connection, deflected by a third party, Asaph. Surprise lit in me, watching him defend Diomedes.
Although he was smiling, I could see a flicker of anger in Asaph’s gold eyes. Diomedes's calm countenance flittered to surprise. I pressed hard against Asaph, trying to force him back. His own sword was longer than mine was and he easily shoved me aside. I used the momentum to twirl around and pick up my grounded twin blade.
Twirling the twin blades in a flashy show, I tightened on them so the blades faced opposite directions and charged Asaph. If he wanted a fight, I’d give him one. My ostentatious movements seemed to spur him and Asaph copied me, letting the blades clash lightly before we passed one another.
The fight was starting to feel more like a show of skill than anything deadly. Asaph was so light on his feet, it was hard for me to catch him, even with my own, honed finesse. He spoke up. "That's far enough, Flower. Let's stop here.”
Frustration flooded me and we circled one another. I hissed. “Get out of my way, Asaph.”
Asaph pointed his sword at me, one hand behind his back in play. "This isn't you, Flower. This isn't your way."
My heart clenched. "How would you know my way? Why do you care? Really, why do you care?"
We clashed in the middle of the circle. Asaph’s smile broke out mischievously. “That's a secret. Besides, you won. Isn't that enough?”
Pain still surged me, but his captivating grin held me in place. Diomedes broke my trance. “What is this?!"
My shoulders relaxed and my hands hung at my sides. I answered him, still looking at Asaph. "You're not worth scrapping my soul, apparently."
Diomedes's eyes narrowed with more confusion. "What?"
Asaph explained. "You can go now. I don't know when some insane thought might come to her, so you better leave quickly."
My childhood friend stared blankly at Asaph. "You. You are letting me go? Aren't you renowned for killing your enemies?"
My company shrugged. "So look over your shoulder and don't walk alone in dark, eerie alleyways. Besides, I know you're not getting the crown, so I feel a little better."
Diomedes looked at me in shock. "You're not giving the crown to Asaph, are you?"
I glared at him. "No. I have a spectacular, world-changing heir in mind."
A silence fell between us as Diomedes paused, in quandary. Finally, he came to a decision. "I knew you wouldn't choose me. I knew my only hope was that Deion might. But he won't, so what's the point? Let me warn you, he's planning something and he's certain it's fail-safe. The Families will support him with their private militias. Do you really want to face him? More importantly, can you face him?"
Lifting my chin, I lied. "Absolutely."