128 - The old flame is burning wild

Arkan censor’s note: Oras, I’ve warned you and Tzan both, once. This scribble is just that. Decorative scratchings top and bottom. The whole page actually has a figure hidden in it if you stare at it right. It’s so-called ART if one can call barbarian scribbling art at all. Quit sending me this nonsense, or I’ll ask you be retired for mental stress!”

[In stone script] Elders. Father and I are in the perfect position to hear every plot as I said. There is a very very high ranked person… who, I do not know, who has just hired a solas to be a courier to a writer in Yeoli, with the General A-fats-ass’s troops.

The writer is writing conventional trash for the Pages, as well as other information for this mysterious aitzas. And perhaps I will use this to send more information home, elders. Along with the regular papers, this solas will be carrying a copy of a book, a kind of Arkan pornography called ‘a knuckle-sucker’. The book will always be by a certain absolutely terrible author and the centre will be hollowed out or a section inserted with different pages.

I heard the plans for this standing directly under the conspirators. I will try to find out what this plot is...

[in Arkan fessas]

Honourable Father,

My apprenticeship is going well. I am learning a great deal by listening carefully. The Master is happy with my work and I look forward to the day I finish my Master ‘piece’ and can return home with my tools in hand to take up my position in the town.

I have been working too hard to visit the fantastic libraries, yet but still intend to, though I am making a study of the statues of the city of Arko. Please pass on to Master Iktzanas that the stone for some of the statue bases is actually ‘poured’ and painted.

I trust you will reassure mother that I am being well fed and my small clothes are being cleaned regularly and that I am sleeping well. Rest assured I have seen more of the Temple than the fleshpots of the city.

Please give my sincere and devoted regards to Dia, Father, if you do not think me too forward. Love to my brothers, mother and the sisters. Blessings on all and I pray every night most diligently,

Your most humble son,

Gias

[in stone script] Meaningless symbols similar to the signs above except for the last word. “Strength!”

**

ASSASSIN THWARTED!!!

The captain of the Marble Palace Guard, Pershas Iliam, Aitzas, confirms that there was a sighting of an unauthorized person near the Spark of the Sun’s Ray’s wing of the Marble Palace. The Mahid, in conjunction with the Marble Palace Guard have searched thoroughly and found no sign of an intruder to the Palace.

“There was an alarm raised just past the Dinner chime, with He Whose Will is the Will of the World just sitting down to the meal and the Heir was in his rooms with a mild headache. The guard deployed in conjunction with the Mahid and converged on the area underneath one of the Heir’s balconies.”

As of yet there has been no intruder discovered, though signs of an attempted entry were on the stone-work as if an intruder attempted to climb the wall. The Mahid declined to comment on their part in the search.

Marble Palace security is currently undergoing review and tightening, and the Spark of the Sun’s Ray was heard to expressed his complete faith in his safety.

The Spark graciously spoke to this lowly worm and confirmed his confidence in his safety. “I didn’t even know something was going on until my Divine Father’s Mahid informed me that I should prudently withdraw to be with my Father while my rooms were secured. I’d been lying down with a headache and had just gotten up to get into the Lesser Baths when that happened.”

**

I leaned on my library balcony and watched the workmen re-do the facade below. The so-called "handholds" were being covered over by new marble diamond shapes so that no one could place a hand or foot in them, covering up the outside trigger for my secret way out. They’d started with the ones directly under my balcony and moved on... and I’d tried the secret door from inside last night.

It still worked to let me out. It just looked as though I would never be able to get back into the Palace that way again. I ran my hands through my hair. I should just not sneak out ever again and put myself in danger. It was still an escape route. That’s all it would have to be... because of me. It was so stupid... all I had to do was enter with other servants right under the noses of the guards... with a letter from myself or some other legitimate package from me, hide behind a statue and shed the disguise.

So much easier. Why hadn’t I thought of it rather than possibly expose myself to danger sneaking back in? What if the Mahid had seen the door close? What if the Mahid had managed to get a dart off and hit me? I was just such a young fool. I suppose it was because I just assumed I had to sneak back in. I hadn’t thought it through. Never again. I’d been incredibly lucky that I’d been able to smear the cosmetics off my face enough and that I had the disguise tucked into the cubby in the secret passageway.

Father would have thought darkest treason of me, had I been caught. It was foolishness for me to do that.

Antras had met with Kinas at the Fountains and by now Kinas would be re-equipped and on his way to make contact with Sinimas Menden. My information should be starting to flow soon. Narbutas told me this morning that the Kallen family was in serious trouble. He said that before the solstice festival Father had been constipated over a problem with that family.

I wiped that image out of my mind and thanked him... I tipped him well for his ‘gentle touch’ that morning. I needed to know more than the obvious advances of the Yeolis and their alliance and I’d done my best. Now all I could do was wait.

**

[confessed to the flames] To: the head From: operative 4

The family in question has a difference of opinion as to the seriousness of the so called Alliance War. The son is developing his own network of informants. This operative has identified three. The greater good of the Empire is at stake and the old flame is burning wild, destroying all around. The young flame is carefully nurturing those around him.