Chapter 72. The Enoch Gambit

Chapter 72. The Enoch Gambit

Yeva

She crossed her legs and leaned onto the warm chimney behind her, absentmindedly watching the hustle across the Manor. The estate had been busy for a while now and had gotten even busier with the Esca’s arrival, but today the Matriarchs of Kiymetl and Enoch were here. And they hadn’t come alone or merely accompanied by their servants. They came with their daughters and nieces, sisters and cousins. Dominas. And every single one of them had their personal entourage.

In other words, people that Yeva had no interest in interacting with.

She knew that each and every one of them meant yet another ego to tiptoe around. Or worse — an incident waiting to happen. Unless she was willing to spend her time and prove her worth again and again, which she was not. Few of them would be permitted to learn of her in the first place and those who were were aware of her by now most likely.

Shahin tried to make her participate in her personal, backhanded way, but Yeva reasoned back that this was a task fit for an envoy and sent the lamura to frolic in her natural habitat. She had other, more important things to do.

Unbidden, her fingers plucked the strings of her guitar.

With the help of Chirp, Yeva could commune with Erf almost every other day. Not in words or letters but in thoughts. In this manner, he regaled her with tales of his adventures and setbacks while she kept him informed about events in the capital. While she missed the touch of her fairy, the one who led her out of the dark forest that was her previous life, his thoughts and emotions were just as warm and personal. So when Erf was concerned about something, she knew. And Yeva was willing to act.

It was rather empowering in a way. Through their connection, Yeva knew that his gratitude and requests were genuine. The daimon, whom Dominas of Samat were whispering about in their Manors, was relying on her to do things as he could — sometimes even better — rather than filling her days with menial tasks, unfit for his status. Or worse — inventing them merely to keep her busy. She was a part of their sadaq and that was all she cared about. She was not Aikerim Adal to worry about the status of the Manor and its rank among other families. Nor was she Shahin Esca to mingle with movers and shakers of Emanai so that she could leverage a better position for herself. Her estate would grow in time and rather than picking the strongest, they could take the loyal and honourable and empower them until they could rival others.

Erf promised to keep the knowledge secret so Yeva didn’t know the details and couldn’t assist him directly. But she had other means at her disposal.

As her fingers danced on the strings, Yeva took his gift of knowledge and united it with the parting gift of her late mother. His guitar skill, the science of music, and the knowledge of songs beyond Tana were combined with the kithara lessons of her childhood and the art of song creation. Yeva wasn’t interested in singing a song of the past, a song made by others. She wanted to sing her own song. A song of one, a song for one.

Yeva sang the song to a silent Chirp, sitting on a roof nearby, so that it would carry its memory of her singing it just as it would carry her memory of playing it. The melody wasn’t complex — she was not trying to impress him with her skill but raise his spirits and warm his heart. Neither were the lyrics full of intricate words — they weren’t important. She simply sang of a bird, away in the sky and his mate, safe in their nest. She sang of her pride, patience, and love.

Fly. Soar through the sky.

Brave away the vagaries of life.

And when you’re tired and looking for a branch to rest —

Come back to me. To our sweet home. Our nest.

I will be waiting there.

Zamindar Enoch Azrin

“Your wife keeps surprising me in the most unusual ways,” Zamindar lifted her cup in a silent toast to her young ‘uncle’. Tarhunna Wafiq was younger than the Matriarch, too young for her to call him an elder. “I’ve seen others dress their kitharists in golden silks or animal hides while carving their instruments out of Creature shells. The Kishava even crafted an entire arusak around one, as I recall. But to perch one on the roof nearby?”

Tarhunna smiled. “The nightingale sings her sweetest when she sings from afar. Wouldn’t you agree?”

He gestured at the group of young wermages, gawking at the kitharist. “Let us be content that this song will make them eager to join Emanai arms, rather than seek the bird they cannot catch.”

She nodded, letting the golden bells on her horns tinkle in agreement. The Kiymetl that returned to Samat with their Matriarch previously came to witness Anaise Hilal’s Entrance Feast, so there were plenty of young males around. In contrast, Zamindar chose to bring her female relatives to this party, ones who were a bit older and seeking to establish themselves and eventually form their separate Manors. Rather than trying to succeed where the Kamshad Matriarch failed, she wished to repeat Isra’s success.

If they failed — Aikerim Adal had two unclaimed sons. She managed to steal Tarhunna from Samat, so she wouldn’t object as much if one of Enoch would steal hers in turn.

Nanaya Ayda, the Kiymetl Matriarch, finished her private conversation with Aikerim’s other husband and turned towards them. “I am even more surprised by your presence, Zamindar Azrin. I didn’t know that my daughter had that much influence over Enoch to have its Matriarch come in person.”

Zamindar chuckled. “Anaise Hilal might be the daughter of Kiymetl but the green of her eyes is similar to her father’s. Is it wrong for me to be curious about my cousin?”

Aikerim Adal was extremely bold to gamble with two Pillar Matriarchs just as she was facing off against a coalition of at least three others. But it was the boldness that she did respect because it was the boldness she could exploit. It cost little for Zamindar to put her House behind Tarhunna Wafiq and his daughter and simply wait for the situation to resolve itself. Whether Aikerim Adal would win or lose, Zamindar would see profit either way.

“But it would be rude of me to intrude in your House affairs,” she continued with a smile. “As long as those who bear the name of Enoch remain safe, I will keep my distance.”

The fellow matriarch mirrored her smile — they both knew how the game was played. As long as the little fox didn’t get too insolent in her demands and was appropriately grateful, their support would continue. But neither of them would clash with each other at Aikerim Adal’s behest. Zamindar might not get the daimon in the end but she would keep her Isra. She would keep the twins. And she would claim the knowledge they acquired.

And if her dice landed right, her kin would remain beside the daimon even then. From what she had managed to learn, he was possessive and wilful enough to demand it.

As long as the lamuras of Esca didn’t intrude too much. But two Pillars were more than enough to keep them in check.

“The Domina of the Manor, Aikerim Kiymetl Adal!” a slave proclaimed to the feasting wermages and swung the doors open.

Zamindar took pleasure in watching Kiymetl gawk at the entering Domina. Most of them hadn’t seen the so-called ‘Tunic of Darkness’ and Aikerim Adal was showing off even more than at the Summit.

This time, she had three tails swaying behind her back. One of red and two of black.

This time, she had two sons by her side. Clad in layers of magical darkness.

Zamindar glanced past the schooled expression of Nanaya Ayda and inspected a smug Ramad Qasam lounging beside her. Both he and Tarhunna had exquisite tunics on them with silk of pure Arksite and clad in gold filigree and precious jewels, but neither had the Tunic of Darkness underneath their khalats.

So it was a Kiymetl spell. Ramad simply put aside his Tunic to appear equal to Tarhunna. Aikerim was shrewd enough not to leave obvious gaps in her armour. Zamindar glanced at the bulky parcel in Aikerim’s arms, wrapped in Arksite silks, and her fingers gripped the wine cup. She had no doubt that the Kiymetl Matriarch was about to receive her own Tunic of Darkness.

That crafty little fox! This wasn’t a feast for her to curry favours — by using the looming threat of the Pillar coalition, Aikerim gathered every interested party in her Manor and boasted her strength instead to rally others under her banners!

Zamindar turned her attention back to the lone kitharist still playing on the roof, unbothered by the commotion stirred by her Domina and her sons. Her thoughts buzzed in her head like a swarm of angry bees. She paid little attention to Aikerim Adal conversing with the other Dominas and presenting the gift to her mother — now that she knew the purpose of this feast it became quite predictable. What made this situation so unusual was that Aikerim Adal believed that she could stand against all three Houses of War.

As if her daimon wasn’t stuck in the north.

As if her daimon was still here, by her side. Assisting her as much if not more than previously.

Kirana and Huare were confident that Erf was indeed the daimon. Then who, or what, was this murk girl that so seamlessly replaced him here? A ‘falconer’ for that flying bug to relay the missives between Samat and Kiannika? But the twins were certain that the Tunic of Darkness for Anaise came from Samat, just as the parts for their skyship. Did Aikerim Adal have two daimonas, and their lack of Spark was caused by the original body being split in two?

Was there a daimon at all and not some artefact that could bestow daimonic knowledge? But Aikerim would never let Anaise claim Erf if he was replaceable. To even consider that a mere murk could trick or lie to the Kiymetl Domina was laughable.

No, Erf was indeed a daimon, but his power was not centred on him...

“A murk daimon, indeed,” Zamindar murmured and quickly hid her growing smile when Aikerim’s ears twitched in response.

She was so intent on him being a daimon that she nearly forgot that he was still a murk! It was no wonder that his ‘power’ was everywhere as he was not a wermage to wield it with his will alone. Stuck in a crippled body, Erf had to rely on others to make himself strong. Yes, Kirana and Huare spoke of his surprising strength, but he was the Alchemist who could make Arksite. Surely he could brew a potion of strength by now.

He was dependent on Aikerim Adal and the young Domina knew it or she wouldn’t be this confident in a rapidly growing daimon. As the foundation of his power, her will alone was enough to topple him back at any moment.

Anaise Hilal and Shahin Esca, the delegation of lamuras and the slaves they have brought forth. Through different means, all of them were either drawn or forced to be by the daimon. And Isra Haleh was the most telling among them to the Enoch Matriarch. Her daughter was skilled, but she was not an exceptional master smith by any means — she was too young. Yet, Aikerim Adal took her in and showered her with gifts, tools, and secret, daimonic knowledge.

Esmat quietly put the tool back and released her magic.

“Your sight is in my heart, Isra Haleh.” Nanaya Ayda nodded with an imperious swish of her tail. “I see that my daughter is treating you well.”

“Um. Your name is on my lips, honourable Kiymetl Matriarch. Yes, my Domina is very generous.” Isra made a bow and another one to Zamindar. “Greetings, mother. Sisters.”

Her hands moved quickly, turning knobs and levers, and the machine grew quiet. To the surprise of Esmat, it did not stop moving. All that spinning and turning was nearly silent in comparison to what she expected it to sound like. Yet another mystery that she couldn’t grasp. Isra shifted a lever on the ceiling, took off the spinning belt, and finally slowed the machine to a halt; the ceiling axles kept spinning, however.

Esmat licked the suddenly dry lips — there were indeed runes on the piece that Isra was just working on. Similar runes of chill and reinforcement. And they were active just moments prior. This was no longer smithing or anything close to it. This was something only artificers could do.

“You are working on runed items?” Their mother noticed that as well. “Aikerim Adal is wise to cherish your skills.”

Isra Haleh glanced at Aikerim and, surprisingly, Shahin Esca. “I have no complaints and only praises.”

“Are you not lonely here?” Esmat asked.

Isra tilted her head and looked at her askance. “I came here to craft, not to gossip.”

“Still, I see so many machines standing without use. This place was not designed for a single... smith.”

Isra bristled, “Look at the maker’s mark on each and every one of them. They are mine! I don’t remember you sharing your personal anvil, Esmat Fidda.”

Esmat glanced at the ‘Hel’-‘Lah’-‘Hel’ letters carved on the side of this lathe. Isra flipped the last Hel upside down to make the mark look like two hammers were striking the sun. How arrogant. No, not carved — embossed. The entire frame was cast into this shape. “I have apprentices.”

“None of whom are permitted to touch your anvil either.”

“Girls, don’t squabble,” Zamindar interrupted them. “All can see that your skill is unquestionable, Isra, but what Esmat was trying to say is that a master grows further when she teaches her apprentices.”

Isra nodded. “The estate has many workers and I am considering whom to take.”

“This estate? Surely you are not thinking of passing down your art to mere wer? I am not even talking about murks — some of them could be rather smart for a murk but they die too quickly to learn everything! Besides — you are not going to stand behind them and power the runes of your machines like some servant!” Zamindar shook her horns in dismay. “A smith of your status has to have wermage apprentices.”

“That she will, there is no doubt about it.” Aikerim Adal stepped in with a smile. “However, she did swear allegiance to my Manor and silence of my secrets so any students of hers would have to do the same. At least until she chooses another Manor or makes her own. I have to protect what is mine.”

Esmat didn’t need to look at the faces of both Matriarchs as she was familiar with the oaths that Isra gave. It was likely that she gave one to the daimon as well. Giving similar oaths would mean proclaiming Aikerim Adal as their Domina. No other Domina would agree to something like this and neither would their first daughters. While second and third daughters could easily take the path of Isra Haleh and never return. They would either stay by Aikerim’s side and further elevate her Manor or come back as new Dominas and use their daimonic knowledge to strike at the seat of the Matriarch. Looking at this room, if Isra had just a grain of ambition, so could she.

Isra took off the veil from her horns, gave it a forlorn gaze, but put it aside.

“I don’t want just anyone simply because they have Spark. Nor am I here to impress fellow smiths with the number of my apprentices or worry about Manoral relations,” she glanced at Aikerim Adal like a petulant child. “Erf and I had an agreement.”

“An agreement that I intend to honour,” the Kiymetl Domina responded. “My Manor will seek apprentices to assist you, not other smiths to replace you. There will be other smiths beside you in time, but, as long as your oaths remain unbroken, you will always have your status as the first Master Smith.”

“Such conversations will wait for a later time,” The Kiymetl Matriarch spoke up. “By the look of this smithy and your previous gifts, it is clear to us that you are preparing for the possible pressure by the Houses of War.

“Since you are my daughter, you need not fear the loss of trading across Emanai,” she gestured at the lamura, “and possibly Yusuf, Shirvan, and other cities of the Scale Coast. There is a possibility that Kishava will limit slave trades not only to your Manor but to the rest of Kiymetl in retaliation.”

Aikerim tried to say something but Nanaya shook her head. “It would be their loss. Kiymetl stands behind its daughters. Kamshad is unlikely to withdraw the convoy galleys that protect our ships, but they might ask for greater fees.”

“If they do, I have compasses and looking glasses to bargain.”

“And Esca might provide our escorts for your ships,” Shahin Esca added.

Nanaya Ayda nodded to the lamura and turned back to the Domina. “There are rumours that Kiymetl might be excluded from the land dole.”

Aikerim tsked and Esmat could understand why. The fertile land of Emanai had been divided among Manors a long time ago and few were willing to sell their parcels to someone other than a member of their House or their patron. The Houses of War didn’t own the recently conquered lands, but they were responsible for choosing who would get the first pick to purchase it. The Kiymetl Manors were rich enough that they weren’t desperate to sell theirs and eager to acquire more.

“They haven’t even claimed the land yet to build the next Border Wall. We are discussing an event that will happen twenty, perhaps even fifty years from now. Those rumours would be irrelevant by then.”

“They are relevant now. So let us meet again in your quarters where we can earnestly discuss what kind of help and in what amounts your Manor will require. I am certain that once that is known, any discussions about potential apprentices would be much simpler...”

Esmat glanced at her silent mother. Why didn’t Zamindar interfere? The Kiymetl Matriarch was quickly positioning herself as Aikerim’s sole patron and the one to claim all future rewards. Even Shahin Esca spoke up. The longer she stayed quiet — the more she would need to offer to keep up with others.

The bells finally tinkled. “How many artisans do you seek?”

“Are you aware of the oaths that they will have to take?”

Zamindar waved off the Kiymetl Matriarch. “I am aware of Isra Haleh. I am also aware that Enoch has many smiths and artisans across Emanai. Many of them have third or fourth daughters or they are the youngest daughters themselves and eager to prove themselves. I am aware that Aikerim Adal is herself aware of her Manor’s limitations or she wouldn’t dare to invite both of us without reason.

“And finally, I am aware of your daughter’s real strength.”

Nanaya scoffed. “Yes, the daimon.”

The bells tinkled again. “No. Her speed. Whether it is due to her daimon or through her personal acumen is irrelevant, what matters is that she has it. And it kept her ahead of the pack so far. Aikerim Adal showed her independence today, and now I wish to see how that independence deals with the likes of Roshanak Gulnaz. Especially once her daughter returns and the question of marriage will be raised once again.”

The Kiymetl Matriarch shook her head. “You might find enjoyment in gambling, but I don’t. Not when the potential future of my House depends on my decisions.”

Zamindar nodded. “Prudent and wise, as the Matriarch of her House should be. But I am not you.”

Pleased with her outrageous statement, she turned back to a stunned Domina.

“Will you tell me now how many and what kind of artisans your Manor needs? I am certain that you will show proper appreciation for my assistance at a later time, just as you have done with Isra.”

A vicious grin slowly split the face of Aikerim Adal.

“Give me two days to consider.”