86 Saniya

Saniya, terminus of Sachay.

In the past, those were the words used to describe the town of Saniya and the surrounding lands of Chawir. Back in those days, the town's importance for the southern isle had made the moniker more than justified. Despite its position within the large Chawir everglades, Saniya had been the main transport hub of Sachay for over one hundred years. After all, with its position right on the turtle's lower lip it was the place where the three major streams of the south flowed into the Narrow Sea. Here, the straight, simple Juko River met with the sinuous, meandering Mayura.

The abundance of water had swamped almost all of the soft, deep-lying plane. As the only area within Chawir which had an elevation well above sea level, Saniya had been built sturdy. On top of soft hills, it occupied the land along the two riverbanks three islands of the Mayura Delta. The rest of the Saniya heights were covered in highly fertile soil, its output per hectare comparable to the richness of the prosperous northern Ichilia estate.

For well over a century, its outstanding farmland as well as unique vantage point had made it a key to House Saqartu's might in the south. Within that time, it had accumulated much wealth for the Saqartu clan. Yet the war between the isles had changed everything. Rather than be a boon to the southern war effort, Saniya's advantageous location had become a problem. From the north, ships could easily row down and blockade the entrance to the Narrow Sea. Thus, vital supplies could no longer be exchanged between the coastal cities and the ones located inland.

Saniya had been the lifeline of the south, which meant that whoever controlled Saniya controlled Sachay as well. Fearing for even worse, for an outright attack on Saniya by the lords of the north, the young Lord of House Saqartu, Sonco Cauac Saqartu, had hatched a plan, brilliant and bold. With the help of the Sachay people and swathes of powerful warriors, they opened a canal out into the Verduic Sea, directly from Puscanacra. The new opening was much farther south and had become much easier to defend.

The canal reconnected the lords of Sachay, but it had also created a rift. The lords along the Juko River would not gain from the canal, as they still had to pass Saniya to reach the eastern sea. Instead, they became dependents of Cashan, from where land expeditions could make the shorter trip over to Ulta for access to the Weltalic Sea.

Even after the war had been decided and peace had returned to the lands, these differences had never been amended. No one would trust the convenient location of Sanyia any longer; and the alternative routes in the east and west meant that the northern route through the Mayura Delta had become obsolete. Even worse, the now useless territory had been handed over to the north. As a sign of deference, the eldest daughter of House Saqartu, Amaya, had been wedded to the young emperor Titu. With her, she had brought the lands of Saniya as part of her dowry.

While the land had still included the fertile soil, Emperor Titu had wanted to avoid the appearance of a victor claiming spoils. He had always seen the end of the war as a reconciliation between brothers, so he refused to make use of the precious lands. Instead, he had ordered to plant the fields over and over with Lavender, his new wife's favorites.

Of course, the passengers on the funeral boat would not be able to see any of it, not this deep into winter. Still, the warm currents from the Verduic Sea carried with them a hint of spring, which transformed the look of the area from the drab greens and grays of the past days. Under the evening sun, the fauna-covered earth around Saniya glowed in a golden hue. Above their heads, within the bright blue sky, small packs of clouds had taken on the same golden color, like a group of islands scattered within an endless ocean.

"It's beautiful." the wide-eyed Tama said, her chin rested on the railing of the boat.

"Yeah, it is." Corco answered with a smile. Back when he had first come here, as a small boy, his reaction to the beautiful sights of Saniya had been no different from the girl's.

"Still a waste though. All that good land." she answered with a crooked pout, and immediately the illusion was broken. In the end, Tamaya wasn't a girl, she was a young woman. She lacked the sense for magic a child would have. The time of strife had pulled the romance straight out of her bones, as the years overseas had done for him. Now he had to appreciate the fields for their nostalgic value alone.

"It's not a big deal. There's plenty of other land. We just have to unearth it," Corco replied with a shallow smile before he nodded his head over to the bow. "Plus, the real treasure is over there."

What lay before them, appearing over the low hills of lavender fields, was the terminus of Sachay, the gated city, Saniya. The sturdy stone walls, built tight and narrow across the east side of the river delta, were illuminated on their left by the setting sun. Within the brightness, blocks of the wall swam together at the seams, making them appear grown from the earth. The only building which stretched beyond the tall walls was the castle proper, built on Rapra Island, right in the center of the delta, and the two watchtowers built on the remaining islands either side. It was a supreme defensive position, the best place to control any traffic into and out of Sachay.

Driven by the currents, their ship made its way through the wide, slow-moving river and towards the harbor along the river bank. It, apart from the island fortifications, was the only place in Saniya which was not disguised behind walls. A bit run down and a bit out of use, but with its flaws masked by the evening sun, the old port still seemed so familiar to Corco. Back in his youth, he had arrived here countless time, just like this. Every time he had to flee the hypocrisy and slander of the capital, he had ended up here; and every time the place had eased the tightness in his heart, made him ready for another tiring round of politics in Arguna.

This time however, his arrival was much less soothing. Too much work awaited and too much had happened over the passing weeks, not least their altercation with the bandits on what should have been the king's own lands. It was time to see how the people of Saniya would welcome their new ruler.

From a first look, it appeared as if his new warriors had prepared a grand welcome. The harbor was crowded over, with expensive cloth spanned over the length of the entire dock, which let the entire entrance appear in a festive mood. Blown over by the sea breeze, Corco could hear the uplifting tune played by the congregation, no, the welcoming committee. Flutes and drums played a melody which felt like celebration. Over there he found, finally, the welcome he had expected back in Porcero.

As the boat closed in, the revelry along the dock gained more and more in volume, but only until they had come within arrow distance. By now, they were close enough for the collected warriors to identify the new figurehead they had fashioned the ship's bow with. There hung Rocau, the great river king of the east, also known as the sea otter. With a last, comical squeal from a distant flute, silence returned to the lands, only broken by the stiff sea breeze brushing over the lavender fields.

"You don't think that was too much?" Corco asked the girl who still rested her lazy head on the ship's railing. Her plan had been... extreme. Though the idea was good in itself, it wasn't something Corco would have ever suggested. Apart from the moral implications, if he ever hoped to unite the people of Yakuallpa under his rule, he had a good reputation to build.

"How is this too much? The bandit tried to attack his own ruler and steal the king's uncle on his last journey home. He's lucky we didn't salt his corpse." In her usual flighty voice, Tamaya gave an ice-cold answer. Like the distant horizon, where cold, deep sea and warm sunlight met, Fadelio's sister offered a truly strange combination. Uncomfortable, even. Finally, the jolts from the anchoring ship forced the girl to stand up.

"In the end, no other so-called river kings have dared to show their mugs, all thanks to our new ornament. Maybe we can even make a good impression on the warriors over there and suss out which one of them hold true loyalty within their hearts. Useful, no?"

...which was the reason Corco had agreed to her plan in the first place. At least he wouldn't be blamed for his cruelty. That burden would fall onto Tama's head. The king nodded and moved towards the starboard side, where the plank to the harbor was already lowered. It was time to see what reactions his new warriors would show towards the punished bandit. With great care, the King of the South fixed the crown on his head before he followed his own and his uncle's warriors down the plank. Once he had reached solid ground again, he marched through the cordon of his men and over to those who claimed to be the same.

The crunch of sand under his shoes told the king that his new kingdom was not the best cared for, something to be expected and something to be changed. Built up to his opposite were the ones responsible for the neglect. Though the shadow of the walls in his front engulfed the crowd in its entirety, but it was still easy enough to read the shocked, possibly even angered, expressions before him. Those eyes were not looking at their new king, but instead at the crucified bandit behind him, as he was illuminated by the evening light.

Dozens, no, hundreds of warriors, all fitted with weapons and armor of varying quality, stood in formation, while a small group with their instruments were sectioned off to the side. Even after all this time, they still hadn't resumed their play. The red reflections the sundown played on the waters of the Mayu tinged them in suitable colors for warriors, though the closer Corco got to them, the less the men looked the part. Old shields, separating into their constituencies as they dangled from doughy arms. Weapons dull from years of disuse, and of course the worst offenders: the bellies. If he had to describe the warriors of Saniya, the nicest thing he could say about them was that they looked a bit like dwarves. Fat and short, most all of them, hardly an army to inspire confidence.

With large steps which he hoped would seem suitable for a ruler, Corco walked in front of the group, towards a man who stood ahead of the others, creating the almost imperceptible focus for their formation.

"King Corcopaca, Master, this servant welcomes you to Saniya!" The man said as he walked towards Corco with open arms. He seemed massively overweight himself, though at least his height was comparable to his new master. If nothing else, with his long pony tail and the sharp looking axe by his waist, this one at least looked like a real warrior.

"What a nice welcome this is. Thanks. So you are..." the king spiraled his hand to motion for an answer.

"Sawo, Master Corco. This servant is the administrator of Saniya." A proper bow and polite tone. No doubt, Sawo had received warrior training.

"Okay, Sawo," Corco continued with a frown, "I'm glad to be here, but I have a question."

"Please, King Corco." The man's voice was still calm, but Corco could see his eyes dart past himself, over to the bandit's corpse. Every time they did so, the man's eyebrows twitched ever so slightly.

*Suspicious.*

"I've been here many time, but I've never seen you. What happened to Orcosco, the old administrator?" The king's frown deepened as he saw the man's fingers twitch in response.

"...unfortunately, Administrator Orcosco... passed away not long ago. Since then, this servant has taken on the burden to administer the lands for House Pluritac."

"Is that so?" Corco's eyes began to narrow as he closed in on the fat administrator. The men behind the king did the same. No accidents were allowed, not if they wanted to keep their own heads. "And that wouldn't have happened over let's say... the last two seasons? After my father's death, maybe?"

"That's..." uncomfortable from the king's aggressive posture, the servant made a step back.

"Okay. So here's the million dollar question: If my father was dead already, which Pluritac put you in charge?"

The man swallowed hard and then made another step of retreat, until he hit his back on the formation of warriors behind him. The presence of the dwarves seemed to fill him with more confidence, and he finally managed an answer.

"Of course, this servant has been appointed by the head of House Pluritac."

*Spuria,* Corco thought with a smile.

As beads of sweat began to form on Sawo's brow in the face of Corco's silence, the servant tried to switch topics.

"Maybe Master would want to come inside first, and inspect his new lands? Surely, King Corco would be tired from the long journey. The warriors will be well-cared for as well."

Again, Corco just smiled a harmless smile as he looked at the man. With great leisure, he studied Sawo's sweaty face from all angles. After a few seconds, the tension had pressed itself onto the entire congregation. Just as Corco heard the shuffling of feet behind him, as his warriors readied for battle, he decided to break the mood.

"Nah, that's fine," he said as he put a hand on the servant's shoulder. "We still have to get uncle to Puscanacra, and that can't wait. Men, we're going back! Tonight, we'll sleep on the ship!"

His orders given, Corco turned on his heels and walked back to the ship he had only just left. He wouldn't trust an entire town filled with warriors, not if their leader had been handpicked by his enemies. The short meeting had made Corco's decision easy. He wouldn't come back to his land, not until he could control it.

__________________________

"It's hard to believe that the warriors of Saniya are our enemy." As they rode their ship away from the slanted walls, Tamaya made Corco aware of her own assessment. It seemed like to her, there were only two types of people: Enemies and Allies. However, a king would need a more nuanced view.

"They might have been," the king said as he looked back over his shoulder. Before her answer, the girl looked around herself, to make sure that conversation, and her disagreement, wouldn't be overheard by anyone else.

"What does that mean, 'might have been'? As soon as they attempted to lure their king into the city they showed their true colors. They no doubt had ulterior motives."

"You're probably right. Still, things might not be that simple. We know way too little to make any absolute statements. For now, it's best to be careful and tread lightly. That's why I would rather keep moving than confront them for now. Are they enemies? They might be. But who do they report to? How many are enemies, how many are we supposed to punish? We'll need the warriors to help us run the territory, at least for a while, so indiscriminate killing is impractical, even if it's possible. Once we meet up with my troops, we can force them into compliance, enemy or not."

"We should just wipe them out. No more games."

"No, no more games." With a grim look out into the distance, Corco agreed with her final words at least. This time, there was no reason to be diplomatic. This time, he could force his will through military might.