The Call of Dragons

22

Raiya

Raiya had finally come to understand how much of a change she was facing in this new, unfamiliar environment. Two weeks had passed since she arrived at Rajin Fortress and though she had easily grown accustomed to the scorching desert heat, everything else remained strange to her. The food, the clothing, the different languages being spoken, and the way decisions were handled were far different from Dragonspire. Even Deepika’s instructions and training methods were vastly different from Julian’s. She moved at an agonizingly slow pace and Raiya’s attention often wandered. She couldn’t blame the poor, elderly woman. At her age, Deepika was often very tired and she moved as if every bone in her body hurt. She couldn’t speak for long periods of time, taking many pauses between sentences. There were times that her breath rattled out of her body as she spoke and the girl feared she might expire mid-lecture. But she dutifully kept quiet, too scared to ask questions or hold any sort of debates in case the other breathe her last at her expense.

But even if she couldn’t blame her, she still couldn’t help the frustration growing within her. Raiya knew that if she wanted to properly learn and continue her studies, she would have to do extra work in her own time to make up for the slack on Deepika’s end.

So, Raiya found herself working late into the night, poring over textbooks for answers to questions she would have normally asked Julian. She found the lengthy answers, but she struggled to decipher everything she was reading and had to do additional research to make sense of it. Though the extra work she was doing greatly contributed to her rising level as an acolyte, it was nowhere near the pace and efficiency she had with Julian. She wrote a few letters to him, informing him of her experiences, but eventually he wrote back telling her she must not discuss such things with him, and she must not speak poorly of her new mentor.

Raiya then turned to Marigold, writing all her complaints out and appreciating the support she received in return. She also wrote about the newfound freedom from serving responsibilities and though the other wrote back to inform her she had been free technically at Dragonspire as a newly risen acolyte, Raiya disagreed. She had felt a sense of duty and obligation to the fortress and the people who helped her out, so she had often taken it upon herself to help here and there even when she didn't have to. But here at Rajin, she didn’t feel any sort of connection or duty. She only had to attend her lessons with Deepika and the ones with Ismael, the person assigned to teach her the culture, language, and customs of Rajin. When she wasn’t doing that, she was free to do whatever she wanted. Of course, it was encouraged for her to use that free time to study and explore the fortress and introduce herself to people, but they never insisted or forced her to. She remembered the only time Deepika had ever spoken about it.

“It’s important for you to understand how this fortress operates. You’ll have a big hand in it when you become the Speaker. So, introduce yourself to everyone and learn the ins and outs,” she had said to her. “I recommend following me and seeing how I work. You can learn best that way.”

So, Raiya found herself shadowing Deepika in all her activities during her free time. She would attend meetings, help her respond to letters and requests, and watch how she interacted with the Guild Masters, the khansama*, and the Council. It was a tedious process to be sure, but she found this hands-on learning to be far more instructive than the lessons she had with the Speaker. She had never been allowed to attending meetings with Julian, and she wondered if it was something that he had simply chosen not to offer or if there were other factors at play.

But the rare times where she truly had time for herself, an hour or two in the evening before she went to her room to study, she would wander outside the fortress, taking in the beautiful and unfamiliar land.

Raiya had grown up seeing mountains, lush valleys, tall forests, and flowing waters. She had seen large green fields and sloping hills. Those vivid memories often caused her to wander on one specific side that reminded her of that home she had left behind. Every single fortress was built into a mountain range, and they assumed the name of that mountain range to honor it. Rajin was lucky that their mountain range had the largest oasis in all of Ioyari right here. They built themselves around it and survived happily off the water, finding respite from the heat under the tall trees and muddy banks. The three large rivers running through the oasis provided fertile banks that allowed people to farm. They grew a variety of grain, rice and wheat namely, because of how those grains were a staple food often served with many dishes. She found that rice in particular had become one of her favorite dishes. The paved path she took gave her a view of all this and she enjoyed the serenity and peace of it all. Her walks being in the evening allowed her to enjoy the coolness of approaching night, making being outside enjoyable after being cooped up within the fortress all day.

She never went on the other side, however. There was nothing but the golden sand as far as the eye could see on that side. Tall dunes dotted the horizon and there were a few small oases scattered about following the rivers as they went off in different directions, but nothing else of note. The Rajin Mountains divided these two sides, and the contrast was like night and day. But the one thing that made looking out across those sandy plains worth it were the Shiyama Mountains in the distance. You could see the second mountain range far off in the distance with its snowy peaks and, at times, even a bit of its fortress. She had yet to visit Shiyama Fortress, but she was told that it was a coastal fortress like Bellasea and about the same size as it too. It was, however, far more populated than Rajin with more towns surrounding the fortress and many of the keeps being built around it as well. It was also one of the largest seaports in the world and much of Ioyari's trading went through Shiyama.

Rana had caught her once staring out at the distant peaks. “It’s no surprise that many would flock to the water’s edge,” she had said, startling the girl. “Not many are strong enough to withstand and survive the heat of the desert.”

She sighed, breaking free from her reflection of these past two weeks, and moving from her perch on the window. She sat at her desk, thumbing open the book she had been studying lately. She had found an interest in the various different regional languages and dialects of the east. The book was recommended to her by Ismael and, though old, not even the original text but a secondhand copy. The original text had apparently been brought with the first colonizers from Earth, their home planet. Though it had been lost presumably during the Calamity, there were a few copies circulating about and this was one. Throughout her read, she had been impressed that the people had continued to speak their ancestors’ languages and wondered what else the colonizers must have brought with them to remind them of their roots.

Only a few minutes had passed since she sat down to read before a knock at the door interrupted the silence.

“One second!” she called out, getting up quickly and making her way to the door. “Yes, who is it?” she asked as she opened the door and peered out to see the servant who had led her around on her arrival, Sheera, standing there, breathing hard.

“Acolyte Raiya, you’ve been summoned by the Council!” Sheera gasped out.

“Did something happen? Is Speaker Deepika okay?” she asked, alarmed as she pushed past Sheera. She always worried over the frail old woman's health and when it would fail her so when the Council summoned her during unusual times, her first thoughts always strayed towards Deepika.

Sheera followed quickly behind her, nodding her head. “Yes, she is also waiting for you! You must go quickly!” she said.

They stepped out into the courtyard, Raiya thanking her quickly before heading off towards the meeting room. Sheera watched her departing figure, chewing her lip in worry.

Raiya flew up the stairs of the tower and down the bridge, herself an out-of-breath mess upon arrival. She took but a moment to catch her breath, composing herself as much as possible before knocking on the door.

“Enter,” Rana’s voice called out.

Slowly she opened the door, taking in the scene and trying to read the atmosphere. Something important had happened, that she knew for sure, but she couldn’t tell what.

“Do not dally, child. Quickly move to your place,” Deepika said, motioning behind her chair.

Raiya quietly closed the doors, making her way over. She saw a sheet of paper lying on the table in front of Rana and assumed this must be the reason they had called a meeting. As she assumed her standing position, carefully folding her hands back, Amir coughed to bring the attention of the room to himself.

“Now that we are all here, let us assume the meeting,” he began. “We’ve received word from the Speaker at Dragonspire that the Queen, Priyana, has had her first mating flight.” He indicated the sheet of paper on the table. “And that it was Mazanth that flew her.”

Murmurs broke out amongst the Council, many sporting unsatisfied expressions as they leaned towards each other, whispering and shaking their head.

Raiya, however, stood there shocked. She hadn’t expected Mazanth to mate with Priyana at all. She had always expected Nymerik to be the one as it had been set up to be so, but that was before he had been forcibly expelled from the fortress by Ralph. Had he not received word then and made it back in time? Did Ralph truly succeed in doing the exact same thing twice now?

“This means that Ralph will remain Chief of Dragonspire, though this should be of no surprise to us,” Rana said, glancing at the girl standing quietly behind Deepika. She had expected the news to startle the girl but surprisingly her face had remained neutral. Her brows raised slightly, wondering what she must be thinking or feeling in this moment.

“Why shouldn't it be a surprise? This has gone against our expectations,” Esmaeel frowned, stroking his long, brown beard. Raiya glanced at the man, taking in his appearance. Esmaeel Radan, the current Master of Knowledge at Rajin, and belonging to one of the oldest bloodlines in history. The Radan bloodline was known for their horsemanship and Esmaeel's brother, Javad, served as head of the family and Guild Master, residing in this fortress where the Stablers Guild was located. “What exactly is that boy doing with that dragon we gave him? Last we heard, he was lounging by the sea in another fortress!”

“Calm yourself old friend,” said Yasar, placing a hand on the other’s shoulder. Raiya's gaze easily trailed over to the small, portly man and fixed on the hand that glittered with the many rings on its sausage-like fingers. Yasar Aslan was Esmaeel’s closest friend, mostly because as Master of Science, he often worked alongside him. She had learned through careful observation that it was only Yasar who could sway Esmaeel when opinions differed. “We still have someone we control as head of Dragonspire. Ralph may be temperamental and greedy, but he is also very cunning and that has worked towards our favor in the past. No doubt he sent the boy away much like with Godrick.”

“We helped him with that the first time, but we gave no such directives this second time. Now he doesn’t even ask for our help when he knows it’ll directly affect us and our plans. That man needs to be reminded of his place. What is freely given can be easily taken away. And what of your daughter, Lord Khan? What is she doing allowing the wrong man into her bed?” Lobsang called out to the older man seated across from him. Raiya knew Lobsang Dramuktsang, the Master of Craft, often rose to anger quickly. Thanks to his prominent position and bloodline, he never faced any repercussions for his remarks and bursts of anger. This confidence born of lenience gave him courage to speak freely against the one man he shouldn’t.

The man he had called out occupied the right-hand seat of Amir. He was tall, his black hair streaked with gray was styled carefully, and from underneath his bushy brows, two sharp brown eyes observed the proceedings calmly.

Lord Saif Ali Khan, the most dangerous man in Ioyari, if not the entire world.

Raiya's carefully glanced to her left, wanting to his reaction. He took the insult casually, folding his hands in front of him as he stared at the man who dared to speak so audaciously towards him.

“Dramuktsang, I hardly think that appropriate to say to Lord Khan,” Rana said, carefully glancing between the two. “Denali has done a wonderful job since her arrival at Dragonspire. She has Bonded with the Queen and became Chieftess soon after. Their other Queen flyer however, what was her name again?” she asked, turning her head towards Raiya.

“Dragonlady Iva,” Raiya supplied easily.

“Yes, Iva! Thank you, Raiya. Iva has yet to do anything, and she’s been a flyer of a Queen far longer than Denali has.”

“We’ve seen a lot of change in positions at Dragonspire lately,” mused Samira Al-Ghumari, General Commander of Rajin Fortress. “A new Chieftess, a new General Commander, and a new flight leader. If we had sent more people, we could have supplanted some more positions. Now we have a Lyons replacing Godrick and that will be as bad if not worse. ”

“Dragonspire would have never allowed that,” Amir said, waving his hand. “People are wary of us. They would not so quickly allow that many easterners into positions of power in such a brief amount of time.”

“Denali was a lucky one,” Rana agreed. “She was a gamble, whether we admit it or not. We had no way of knowing whether the Queen would choose her. To make her Bonding an integral part of our plans without knowing if it might happen is risky at best.”

“Indeed. The same can be said for the Prince and Nymerik. How could we know they would Bond when we sent the egg and him off together on that ship? Those kinds of things are up to chance,” Esmaeel spoke up, drawing eyes to him. “If they had not been chosen, what position would they have held other than honored guests? They’d have sent both straight back to us. The issue now is that we told them that if they succeeded in Bonding, they should seek the two highest positions of power. One succeeded, the other did not.”

“I cannot believe we are still discussing this,” Deepika said, her raspy voice barely loud enough for everyone to hear. “I gave my counsel and advice on this many times, to your fathers and to you. We will destroy what little peace the Duality Accord has brought us if we continue this farce. We will return to the age of war! Surviving the Calamity was a warning that we should heed. We should not plunge this planet that is still recovering into another field of hell!” She wheezed under the forcefulness of her words.

“Speaker Deepika,” Rana began but immediately quieted as Lord Khan turned the full force of his gaze to the elderly woman seated next to him.

“You may be satisfied with your achievements in life, though few they are, Deepika but I am not. Your gaze is narrow, mine isn’t. I seek the unification of the world, not a division of four, but all under one. Those before us did not divide themselves, they were a united race serving under their perceived gods. I seek to bring back that natural order. The natural way of life, just as my forefathers intended,” Lord Khan said, his deep voice deceptively soft and calm. “With I at the top of it all and those below looking up to me for guidance and order.”

“You seek to place yourself at the top of the world, as some sort of king for the rest of us to look up to?” Deepika gasped, her breathing growing increasingly erratic. “I have...heard the same silly speeches...of grandeur...your...father had spoken, but never...did he utter such...blasphemy as that! You seek to plunge this world into...war and...chaos so you can sit at the top as some sort of god!”

“I seek to unite this world under one leader, yes. Whatever term you wish to apply to that, it matters not to me. Do you believe the division of our species beneficial or detrimental to the world? I mean, if we must debate on this, let’s ask ourselves these questions. Would we face threats better unified or divided? Would our dragon-flyers present a stronger image as thirty or three-hundred? Would we not be able to progress more quickly if we didn’t have to constantly convene with others to make decisions or fight silly wars over land and resources? Worry about what matters are occurring under a foreign leadership and how that might affect us in the future?”

“Tyrannical, greedy leadership...brought on by the few at the...top destroyed our home planet, did...it not? Do we wish to repeat...what happened there...here?” Deepika countered, looking desperately to Esmaeel for support.

He spread his hands, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly. “The destruction of Earth was not solely because of that. Overpopulation, lack of resources, and global warming are just a few other reasons too from what we've seen written down.”

“But it was one of the main reasons,” Deepika insisted, turning back to look at Khan. “And you want to...replicate what happened on...Earth here. At the behest of...those...aliens...who aren't even...interested in sharing this planet...with us to begin...with!”

“Geria is different from Earth, Speaker,” Amir interjected. “The division on Earth was brought about because there was no unification. Humanity was separated into far more states of power on Earth than here. If we truly try to unite this world, we might bring about a golden age unbeknownst to our Earthen ancestors. A utopia even. We might be able to truly bring about the way of life our ancestors sought when they arrived on this planet, seeking to lead a different life and avoid the same mistakes that forced them to leave their planet in the first place.”

“I cannot be a part of this…this Geria-forsaken plot. My great-great-grandfather signed the...Duality Accord. He sought to end the...Age of Calamity, wanting us to live...peacefully. We do not need to...live under one ruler’s authority...to bring about this...golden age. We just need to...uphold the Accord and Codex, live...harmoniously together.”

“What of you, acolyte? Do you agree with your mentor?” Lord Khan asked, directing his gaze suddenly at the girl.

Raiya’s mouth went dry at the attention. She hadn’t expected to become part of the conversation. She had never been asked for her thoughts and opinions before. She didn’t even fully understand what she was happening, her brain struggling to keep up with what she was hearing and her heart hammering wildly all the while. She instinctively knew none of what was being said was good. If she had to say what she thought, it would be that it sounded like the stories of conquerors and dictators that Sibilla had read to her when she was young. These conquerors sought to create and rule vast empires for a variety of reasons such as resources, power, and glory. They considered themselves as gods or embodying the will of gods, destroying all those that got in their way. She didn’t like the sound of it, knew it to be wrong, but she gathered that if she said as much to the room that were all in favor of it, she’d be in trouble.

“Don’t put the girl on the spot like that, Lord Khan,” Rana admonished the man. “She is a child still. She doesn’t even understand the way of life yet, let alone providing an opinion on such a controversial matter.”

“Yes, but in turn the beauty of children is their malleable nature,” Yasar spoke, ignoring Rana’s warning glance. “It is easier to plant and grow a new, beautiful tree than it is to cut down an old, ugly tree with deep roots.” He glanced at Deepika who sputtered in outrage.

“You should all...be ashamed...of...yourselves!” Deepika cried out, anguished. She rose from her chair, nearly stumbling from the force of her movement. Raiya reached out to help steady the elderly woman, but Deepika smacked her aside, hobbling her way out of the room and leaving a stunned audience behind her.

“What are we going to do about her?” Lobsang asked, quieting under Samira’s threatening look. They both glanced at the girl who continued to stare at the closing doors that her master had just pushed through.

Raiya was unsure if she should go after Deepika or remain with the Council since she had not been dismissed yet. But when she heard Lobsang’s question, she turned to face the entirety of the table, taking in everyone’s face.

They were all staring at her.

She began to understand the situation now. If she had run after Deepika, chances are she would be considered an ally of the elderly woman. Based on their attitudes and words, Deepika was not an ally of theirs. These people were clearly used to removing obstacles. They spoke of removing Deepika casually when they knew that all Speakers were protected against harm when performing their duties. This was specifically to protect Speakers sent on envoys to other fortresses. Raiya remembered learning about this early on with Julian who emphasized this to her multiple times.

“Speakers are protected positions, Raiya. You are afforded the same care and respect as a chief or chieftess, a lord or lady. You are a delegate of peace and cannot be harmed, even when in a foreign place,” he had said, tapping the page they had been looking at.

Yet here now sat a table full of people who did not seem to care about the consequences of those actions even if they should be discovered.

Because they plan to never fully receive those consequences she thought numbly.

“Deepika is old,” Samira broke the silence, but her stare did not move from Raiya’s face. “Time is not on her side, as well saw just now. She struggled to breathe and speak. Sooner than later, she will succumb to her age, and we will have our new Speaker.”

Their eyes continued to bore into her, and she wanted to shrink away, to run and hide. Julian, Hyun, and even Denali had warned her of the dangers, but she had shoved them aside. She thought her decision brave then, now she realized just how much of a foolish, naïve little girl she was. Unaware of the different games adults played with other people’s lives.

“What of Shiyama Fortress?” she asked softly, finding some sort of willpower to keep her voice steady. “Are they aware of what is occurring here at Rajin?”

“My dear,” Rana said, smiling a particularly sharp smile. “The whole of Ioyari is aware and united underneath one rule. If we did not put to practice our agenda on ourselves, how else would know if it would succeed or fail? How else could we advocate for it so freely when people would demand us to test our ideologies on ourselves. We’ve eliminated that argument and shown it to be a success.”

“But Dragonspire, and probably the other fortresses, they believe you to be independent rulers from the keeps to the fortresses,” Raiya said, slowly realizing that it was but an illusion.

“They believe what we want them to believe. No need to reveal certain plans to them when they are not quite ready to understand our ideas. When the time is right, all will be revealed and you now have become part of it,” Amir said, his own smile a bit too big for her taste.

Lord Khan rose from his chair and everyone immediately stood up, bowing in his direction as he made his way to the doors.

“I think we’ve discussed everything we needed to,” he said as he reached the doors, glancing back at the bowed forms. The only person, he noted, that continued to stand there and stare at him was the girl. “I’ll send word to my daughter again, once more reminding her of her job.” He left without another word.

Raiya was indeed very shocked at the display she just witnessed, though she would later berate herself for it after listening to the things that were said. But in this moment, she was trying to understand how the simple lord of Rajin Keep was being bowed to by the entirety of the Council. Even if he was a nobleman, he was outranked by the chiefs and chieftesses of the fortresses and must show respect to them. Yet here those two stood, bowing to him in deference as if he was some sort of king. Raiya realized then that the person they had placed in charge was of course Lord Khan. The most dangerous man in the east. Now she understood even more why he possessed such a moniker. That man had completely upended centuries of tradition, violated the Codex in many ways, and was now seeking to violate the Accord as well. He came from a lineage of betrayers, traitors, and warmongers that plunged their newfound world into chaos many times. Should the fortresses hear of what was happening here in the east, there would indeed be another war.

“Raiya,” Rana called the girl’s name gently, walking over to her slowly as if she was a spooked animal that was ready to bolt. “You must be very confused by all this naturally.” She gently placed her arm around the girl’s shoulder, bending down slightly to speak in her ear. “You must understand, before there were dragon-flyers, there were simply ordinary people trying to live their lives. Most of those ordinary people were followers, they could not lead and preferred to have a guiding hand lead the way. Some looked to religious figures, others to men possessing great charisma and leadership abilities. Regardless, they wanted someone to take control of their lives, show them the right way, and allow them to live comfortably. We dragon-flyers, are an anomaly. We shouldn’t exist, simply put. There is nothing like us amongst our ancestors. How is it a surprise that the dragon-flyers then would appear and even assume the role of gods in the eyes of ordinary people?”

“The Gerians worshipped the dragon gods because they were powerful. What do you think they thought when they saw a species they considered inferior riding their gods? What do you think other humans thought of those chosen ones? Perception is a powerful thing,” Esmaeel added in.

“I trust you’ll come to understand and even hold the same beliefs as us. I can understand your hesitation now, your upbringing has been…limited. But you have nothing holding you back now. A bright future lies ahead of you, if you’re willing to seize it,” Rana said, drawing the girl’s attention back to her. She patted her shoulder a few times, the same sharp smile present on her face. “At least I hope you will.” She didn’t need to say anything further, Raiya understood the threat clearly. Either join them in their new world or die with the rest of the people who would surely refuse such a horrific idea.

“You may go child,” Amir dismissed her, waving his hand to the door.

She left immediately, not daring to say anything, and shutting the door tightly behind her on the way out. She walked to her room, her face pale and legs trembling all the way.

*~*

“How can we be sure she won’t alert the other fortresses?” asked a man who had remained quiet throughout the meeting.

“Because one of your men is watching her, Lord Samir,” Samira said, smirking at the scowl that crossed over his face. They had deliberately taken away one of his top men and Rana relished in the annoyance it caused him. “He’ll notify us if she does. All her letters are being monitored, everyone she speaks to is questioned, and he spies on her walks in the garden like a hawk from a vantage point.”

“Rashad is a man of many talents to be sure, but to use those talents to trail after one little girl…”

“I assure you, Lord Samir, when I asked for a volunteer, he was the one who chose to step forward. He was the one to bring her here too, if you recall,” Rana reminded him.

“The only solace I find is that he will do the job right at the very least,” Samir muttered. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a caravan awaiting to take me back to Khurleigh Keep.” His tall body rose from the table. He gave them each a nod before departing from the room.

“He says nothing the entire meeting, content to sit at the end as if he was simply a statue while important matters are being discussed. Yet he fixates and speaks on such a needless topic,” Esmaeel said, frowning.

“At the heart of it, his concern for the potential lack of loyalty is an important topic,” Amir said, rising from the table as well. “She was born and raised in the west, taught by another Speaker at another fortress. If rumors are to be believed, she was raised by Sibilla and Godrick themselves, as if she were their child. It would not be unsurprising if her loyalty lay with Dragonspire first and foremost still.”

“But luckily it is easier to break the roots of a growing sapling than that of a long-since planted tree,” Yasar spoke up, causing Samira to roll her eyes.

“Oh, you and trees!” she snapped, rising from the table as well. “The truth of the matter is that if she does not accept the plan, she will die. If she does alert anyone, she will die. If this plan fails, she will die.”

“Quite gruesome when you say it like that,” Yasar murmured, rising from his own chair. Esmaeel rose as well and joined the duo in their departure, the three debating frantically about the fate of the child.

Amir joined his partner, his arm snaking around her waist to pull her close against him. She lay her head against his chest, hearing the strong beating of his heart. “I can hear your anxiety,” she teased, glancing up at him.

“I worry about the future. We blindly follow Khan without demanding proof of his claims. I mean, the man said he has had contact with the Gerians. That in exchange for enacting revenge they will make us rulers of the world. It’s outlandish and I often consider myself foolish for listening to it.”

“So, you’re saying it is simply the ramblings of an old man, crazed?”

“We don’t know if it is or isn’t. But what I do know is that if we are caught or if we fail, we will lose everything. The other continents will not just slap our wrist and continue onward this time. We will have broken the Accord. They have justification to exterminate us completely.”

Rana hummed thoughtfully. “If the path to greatness was meant to be walked by all, would it continue to be called greatness or simply be ordinary?”

*~*

Raiya immediately headed towards Deepika’s chambers to check on how she was feeling. She would also use that as an excuse to extract some well-needed answers to her burning questions after what had just occurred. As she stumbled down the stairs in the courtyard, she passed a familiar burly man. She paused, staring up at him as his dark eyes glanced over her face, taking in her flushed appearance before trailing back up the stairs from where she had stumbled down from.

“A bit early for a monthly meeting, isn’t it?” he asked pleasantly.

“When important matters arise, the Council convenes,” she responded, pushing her way past him.

“I doubt it was that important if they allowed you in there,” he said, chuckling. He knew exactly how to push her buttons and found great enjoyment in drawing out reactions from her.

She stopped, turning to glare at him. “Why wouldn’t I be in there? One of my duties is to shadow Speaker Deepika. Wherever she goes, I go.” She folded her arms, waiting for his response.

“Is that so, girl. And yet here you stand with Speaker Deepika nowhere to be found. Is it hard for you to follow an elderly woman?”

“When I am the new Speaker, you won’t be able to talk to me like that. You’ll have to respect me,” she muttered.

“Respect is earned, not expected,” he replied, warningly. “And if we’re talking about speaking respectfully to others, you should first do so with your elders,” he added in as an afterthought.

“Respect is earned, not expected,” she quickly shot back, grinning wickedly as annoyance swept over his features. He couldn't exactly blame her for using his own words against him. “Good afternoon, Neta Rashad!” she finished cheerfully, turning and continuing her way to Deepika's quarters. All the while, she felt his glare following her.

Deepika’s chambers were located through the main entrance where all the prominent people within Rajin lived. Hers were close to the entrance for ease of access, not being the traditional Speaker chambers. Not that Deepika minded the loss of luxury.

Raiya stopped a servant, asking for them to bring a tray of refreshments to the Speaker’s room before continuing her way there. They both arrived at her door at the same time, Raiya taking the tray from the protesting servant, and bidding them to open the door instead.

She stepped through the door, the servant quickly closing it behind her. She took a second to take in the room. It was bigger than hers with its own balcony that overlooked the oasis. The entrance to the balcony was covered by a simple, white gossamer curtain, fluttering with the gentle breeze. Deepika lay on her bed, tossing and turning with small, pain-filled moans and wheezes.

“Speaker Deepika, it’s me Raiya,” she said softly, approaching her bedside quickly. “Are you alright? I’ve brought you some water.”

The woman didn’t respond, continuing to toss and turn. Alarm spread through Raiya as she set the tray down on the table by the bed, touching the woman’s rocking body gently.

Deepika’s eyes fluttered open at the touch, alighting upon the girl.

“Water,” she croaked, her wrinkly hand extending out shakily. Raiya poured a cup of water, gently folding the elderly woman's hand around the cup and helping her sit up so that she could drink.

“Are you okay?” Raiya repeated, watching her drink greedily from the cup. Should she fetch the healer? What if something happened while she left? She didn’t know what to do at this point.

“I’m tired, child. I’m simply tired that’s all,” Deepika sighed, handing the cup over to be set down. When Raiya turned back, she was surprised to see tears glistening in the old woman’s eyes.

“If you’re in pain, I can go get a healer,” she began, quickly rising from the bed to leave. Deepika’s hand encircled her wrist however, preventing her from moving. Despite her rather frail appearance, the grip on her wrist was strong and Raiya was forced back down.

“I drink and drink, but nothing washes away the bitter taste of betrayal,” she wheezed out. Tears slipped down her leathered, wrinkly cheeks. “To watch the work of your forebearers crumble right in front of you. Your own work turning to ash in your mouth. The fortress you’ve given your life to turning its back on you. It would make anyone tired.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, drawing closer to her.

“You’re a good child. A bright child. I know you’ll understand what I am about to say. Hear me now, as I speak my most assured last. Whatever beliefs, values, and duties I or Julian have instilled in you, they all pale in comparison to the true duty of a Speaker. The real purpose of our existence.”

“I've heard this before from Julian. He has asked me before on what our real purpose is, what we are meant to do.”

“It’s true that we represent our fortress in dignitary matters. But we are also the protectors of the world, the upholders of truth and justice. We walk the path of balance and must not stray to either side. Why do you think we are gifted with the ability to communicate with dragons and people? Do you think plunging the world, our new world, into war and chaos is walking the path of balance?”

Raiya hesitated, unsure how to answer. There weren’t many historical records on the original Speakers so she couldn’t fact check Deepika’s words, but some part of her reverberated with the idea that a Speaker was meant for more. Julian hinted as much during their own talks on this subject.

“I mean…I don’t think I agree with what they were talking about at the meeting…” she said slowly. “And I like the idea that we are meant to do more for the world.”

Deepika smiled a joyous smile despite the tears falling down her cheeks. “You have a good heart inded. I would expect no less of a child raised by two of the finest people I’ve ever known.” She wiped away her tears before speaking again. “You must hold onto that, above all else. Never let go of yourself. But never stand so openly defiantly in public like I did today. You will regret it.”

Her warning sent shivers down the child’s spine. “What do you mean by that?” she asked shakily.

Deepika sighed, leaning back against her pillows, and closed her eyes. “I’m old and tired. I don’t have much longer on this alien world. I know this as sure as I know the shrubbery is red outside. I don’t care what may happen to me should I incur the wrath of the powerful at this point, but you are a young child with an entire future ahead of you. You must be careful with your thoughts, feelings, and motivations.”

“Speakers must be calm and collected in the face of everything, I know this already. They must act from the shadows, never in public,” Raiya repeated her lessons dutifully.

“Textbook recitation to me is unnecessary child,” Deepika coughed out, shaking her head. “And only the Speakers of old were such. Speakers now are greedy and allow their fortress to control them. They push aside their duty to maintain balance in favor of reducing strife and tension. Your former master, Julian, was no exception. You’ve seen and even experienced the effects of it.”

Raiya opened her mouth immediately to protest this slanderous description of her beloved teacher. But she paused, thinking back on everything. While he had taught and supported her, he still allowed Ralph, Denali, Godrick, and Sibilla to influence his actions, preferring to avoid confrontation. He tended to stop the resolution of conflict via communication for fear of a possible blow out. He never spoke for either side, often choosing to defend those he wanted to. She never thought about it because it worked in her favor, but now she understood how unfair it could be.

“I don’t want to be like that then,” she finally responded. “I won’t be a Speaker who lets someone control their actions.”

Deepika found that speaking so much in the moment was not the wisest decision. She struggled to breathe, drawing in shaky, rattling breaths. Her body begged her to lie down and succumb to the darkness, but she had to say one last thing to the girl before she left. She opened her eyes slightly, getting one last look at the child staring down at her with worried eyes.

“Be careful…child. You’ve made your new…home…in a nest of vipers. They will not…hesitate…to strike, and their venom is deadly.” Her eyes fluttered close, her breathing evening out to a slow rhythm as sleep took her.

Raiya rose slowly from the bed, staring down at her face that had smoothed out into the peaceful mask of sleep. She hadn’t even had the chance to ask everything she wanted, instead having even more questions after this conversation. Troubled, the girl quietly grabbed the tray and made her way out of the room, closing the door silently behind her.

She’d just have to ask her next time during one of their lessons.

*~*

Raiya woke to someone pounding on her door. Groggily, the girl glanced out her window, seeing that it was still very dark outside. It must be early in the morning. She climbed out of bed, stumbling to the door and cracking it open slightly to see who would dare disturb her at this late of an hour.

Neta Rashad stood there, all but the whites of his eyes blending into the darkness of the corridor.

“What is it this late? Some sort of emergency I guess?” she murmured, rubbing her eyes.

Still fuzzy from being asleep, her brain didn’t quite catch up to the only logical reason he might be disturbing her.

“You’re being summoned by the Council, again,” he replied, his grin flashing white in the darkness.

The mention of this summons did its job of instantly waking her, shocking her brain into motion. Dread immediately coiled within her stomach for she knew, this time, the reason she was being summoned.

“This is regarding Speaker Deepika, isn’t it?” she asked shakily.

He didn’t respond. Not that he had to, she already knew.

Raiya threw on a cloak, wrapping it around her to stave off the early morning chill and to cover her nightgown. She had no time to change in her eager haste to reach the Council. Rashad followed her to the tower, even opening the door for her to enter before closing it quickly behind her. The Council was seated in their usual seats, all but three, their seats empty to reflect their owner’s absence.

“You summoned me, Chief Amir? Chieftess Rana?” she asked, not able to fully hide the anxiety in her voice.

“Yes, we did. Have a seat Raiya,” Rana said, gesturing towards Deepika’s vacant chair.

“Will Speaker Deepika not be joining us this time?” she asked, hesitant to take the woman’s chair and seeking any sort of hint to why this was happening.

“I’m afraid she will not ever be joining us again,” Rana replied softly, a hint of sadness washing over her features.

“She passed away during the night, in her sleep,” Yasar said. “Peacefully.”

“Which should be no surprise to anyone,” Esmaeel added in. “She was an old woman who bore a heavy burden of being a Speaker. She worked herself to death practically. We all saw it during the last meeting. It would have been a miracle if she made it through the night.”

“Yes, her little stunt earlier in the day most assuredly did not help,” Samira agreed, crossing her arms.

Raiya kept her mouth shut, wondering if this was indeed as simple a story as they were making it out to be.

Or perhaps they had decided to rid themselves of the woman who dared speak up against them in a quick, decisive manner.

“With Speaker Deepika’s sudden, sad departure, you will be assuming her responsibilities as soon as you are inducted. We’ve reached out to the Speakers Guild to have this done as soon as possible,” Amir said, steepling his fingers together in front of him. “You are the Speaker of Rajin Fortress now, Raiya. You have a great responsibility on your young shoulders.”

“But what if I’m not ready? I haven’t studied as long as the other acolytes,” she protested, glancing around the table in the hopes of convincing them. “I don’t have the experience to do this and I’m still just a child. Maybe it would be best to find an older, more experienced acolyte at the Speakers Hall?”

“The best way of learning is that of simply doing. You won’t be alone on this journey, we will help guide you and fill in the role of your master,” Rana said, a smile curling around her lips. The child seemed eager to wriggle free from her duties, but that would not be allowed. She had asked to come and now she must stay.

“We will write to inform the other fortresses of this. I’ll draft the letters for your perusal, Speaker, and send them out upon your confirmation,” Esmaeel said, nodding his head at her when they made eye contact.

Raiya shook her head, suddenly wanting to avoid the large responsibility they were trying to shove upon her suddenly. But they continued speaking as if she wasn’t there, as if she didn’t exist.

“We’ll have to move her belongings too,” Lobsang said. “She will of course have the Speaker chambers, not Deepika’s old ones.”

“Ah yes, you must see that it is prepared then,” Rana agreed.

“What about her items?”

The question was spoken so softly, most did not hear, but the ones that did turned their attention towards the child with her head hung.

“Pardon?” Esmaeel asked, tilting his head.

“Her belongings,” Raiya repeated, this time a little louder. “What will you do with them now that she is gone?” Her head shot up, her eyes steely as she glared out at all the seated adults.

They exchanged glances before looking at her, shrugging carelessly.

“The valuables will be handed to Lobsang to take care of. The rest, well, we have no need to keep them obviously and she had no kin to bestow them upon. We’ll toss it. Perhaps the clothes can be distributed amongst the people in need but…” Rana trailed off as Samira let out a laugh.

“What a thing to worry about at the moment,” she said before laughing again. “This child is about to assume one of the highest roles in society and she is worried over the belongings of a deceased elderly woman she does not know? You truly don’t understand what is coming your way if you are worrying over something like that so single-mindedly.”

“Samira,” Amir warned, shooting the muscular woman a look that quelled the rising glee on her face.

“There is nothing more to say for you to hear now, Raiya. You may go back to sleep. You’ll need the rest because starting tomorrow, your life will irrevocably be changed forever,” said Rana, nodding her head towards the doors.

“I assure you Chieftess Rana that my whole life changed the minute I met that boy on the balcony,” Raiya sharply replied before walking away. Annoyance coursed through her body at the abrupt dismissal and what they would talk about in her absence. Already they were establishing their control over her actions, and she was succumbing to their rule without much of a fight.

Fine, she thought viciously, let us both concede that tomorrow will change things forever. For both me and you.

As the door shut behind her, she could hear Esmaeel’s voice asking, “what boy?” to the others before it fully clicked shut, denying her their answer.

Raiya stood outside, taking a few deep breaths before whirling on the man who stood protectively in front of the double doors.

“Do you think she died in her sleep? Tell me honestly or I’ll never forget your treachery,” she warned.

“I think that you should be careful of questioning the way of things and who you speak to in that manner here. If they say the old woman died peacefully in her sleep, then she died peacefully in her sleep. Does voicing aloud something else change the fact that she is gone? No, so what difference does it make ultimately?”

Raiya laughed bitterly, turning away from him. “Will you say the same thing when I die ‘peacefully’ in my sleep one day?” she asked over her shoulder.

A flash of his white teeth was his answer before his soft reply, “Go to bed, girl.”

Raiya made her way back to her chambers, her hand sliding against the wall that both supported and guided her way through the darkness. A part of her denied that Deepika was dead, she had just seen and spoken to her a few hours ago. A part of her said that it was of course only natural she died, she was an elderly woman that faced many stresses and she hadn't been doing well since the meeting. Time had ultimately caught up to her weary body, that was all. But the biggest part of her whispered in her ear that it wasn’t natural, not after her defiance in the meeting, and most definitely not after hearing what they were saying when Deepika had left. They had practically said they’d have her removed. No, she did not die naturally, Raiya knew it in her gut. She died because she stood up for what she believed in, because she had dared to stand up against them. She died to serve as a warning to her. A warning that she understood loud and clear.

She entered her chambers, closing and locking the door quickly behind her. Her hands began to shake as she removed her cloak.

“Calm down Raiya, calm down,” she muttered to herself, tossing the cloak aside and making her way towards the window. She settled herself onto her perch, folding her shaking hands in her lap, clamping them tightly together.

In less than two years, her life had changed so much. From a simple serving girl with no true sense of the dangers of the world, to becoming an acolyte, to moving to a foreign land filled with dangerous people, to now becoming an important figure in the world overnight. She was just a child. Even if she tried to act older than she was, to be mature and be recognized for that, deep down she was only a child. She wanted to enjoy the carefree innocence of childhood. To have loving parents take care of her like most other children.

But now she was here in a foreign fortress with people who were expecting her to do things an elderly woman with decades worth of experience was struggling to do. What could she possibly do? No one would respect her opinion. She had no experience to thoughtfully contribute to any sort of discussion. She had never traveled around alone, solving problems to prove she was capable without her master nearby. What was the expectation of her here from them?

Perfect to take advantage of is probably it, she thought sullenly.

She sat there, uncaring of the passage of time as the sun began to rise, slowly breaking over the horizon in a reddish-yellow haze. The sign of a new day.

“Well, if they think that they’ll be able to control me, they’re in for a surprise. I will show them the stubbornness and courage that I am renowned for back at home,” she vowed softly to herself, the rising sun her witness.

Whatever the future lay in store for her, she would face it the way a true Speaker of old did, in honor of Speaker Deepika.