Blood of the Goddess Book I: The Locust King
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Locusts at the Gate Chapter 2: A New Name Chapter 3: The Capital Prepares Chapter 4: The Princess is Dead, Long Live the Princess Chapter 5: Outside the Gates Chapter 6: Inside the Black Tent Chapter 7: Surrender at the Temple Chapter 8: The Cult of the Locust Chapter 9: The Locust's Tenets of Faith Chapter 10: Mourners on the Cliff Chapter 11: The Eye of Betrayal Chapter 12: The Dead King's Bedchamber Chapter 13: The Arms of the Goddess Chapter 14: Zayaan of the Narim Chapter 15: The Eyes of the Priestess Chapter 16: A More Permanent Disguise Chapter 17: Tribute Chapter 18: Sacrifice of the New Moon Chapter 19: The Lost Bird Chapter 20: Manah and the Priestess Chapter 21: Desert Creatures Chapter 22: Become the Swarm Chapter 23 The Price of Betrayal Chapter 24: Life Under the Locust Chapter 25: Wild Rose Chapter 26: The Lady Wren Chapter 27: Thought and Desire Chapter 28: The Lady's Captivity Chapter 29: The Wine Maiden Chapter 30: End of Childhood Chapter 31: The Children of Aisha Chapter 32: The Forest Runner Chapter 33: Three Sisters Chapter 34: The Hunt Chapter 35: Bones in the Forest Chapter 36: Lullaby Chapter 37: The Hunter's Horn Chapter 38: Ways Between Ways Chapter 39: Morning Star Chapter 40: A Prophecy for Baraz Chapter 41: Equinox Fires Chapter 42: The Lord Prince Takri Chapter 43: Evening Star Sets Chapter 44: Chaos in the Courtyard Chapter 45: Dasha Chapter 46: Memories Chapter 47: The Body Slave Chapter 48: Caged Beasts Chapter 49: Message from the Capital Chapter 50: Heresiarch Chapter 51: The Color of Blood Chapter 52: Winter Winds Chapter 53: The Bookmaker's Closet Chapter 54: Wrapped in Dignity and Beauty Chapter 55: Vessel of the Goddess Chapter 56: Cracks in the Walls Chapter 57: Two Brothers Chapter 58: The Court of Women Chapter 59: Favored of the King Chapter 60: The Sweetest Fruit Chapter 61: Daughter of the Temple Chapter 62: A Nation of Bastards Chapter 63: The Lute Player Chapter 64: Aisha's Prayer Chapter 65: Promises Chapter 66: Lives Lost Chapter 67: The Tea Maker Chapter 68: Object of DesireChapter 10: Mourners on the Cliff
Aisha attended her own funeral procession as if in a trance. She looked straight ahead at the acolyte in front of her, seeing nothing and feeling nothing. Nasreen’s steady grip was the only thing guiding her as they approached the catacombs. The procession wound down the hewn steps to the entrance of the burial place of the royal family of Adyll, a natural cave on the mountainside underneath the palace. When she last entered these caves, it was through the maze of hallways and sub-basements underneath the Temple. Manah had been her guide then. She had descended into these depths only yesterday, but it seemed like an eternity. The part of her that was the Princess Irinya had cut off from her current existence much like her hair by Manah’s knife. Now she would see "the corpse" of her former self buried here as well.
I cannot see my mother. Where is my mother?
The cave mouth faced the east where the sun’s early rays would penetrate the darkness every morning. It was in the shade of the castle now. Torches had been lit inside the cave, spilling light onto the semicircle of bare ground around the entrance. Beyond that circle of light, a sheer cliff at the bottom of which lay the desert. The mountain was already casting its long shadow across the red sand dunes below.
Legend said that the Goddess came from this desert, in the form of a hawk, carrying her child to safety among the people of this land. Now death and destruction had also come across the desert to Adyll.
Once all of the mourners had gathered, the priests of the Locust laid the litter on a block of natural stone set at the cave mouth. Baraz circled the body three times waving the censer of incense. Then he turned to the crowd.
“You may approach the body of your princess,” he announced. “At sundown she shall be burnt upon this stone, and her spirit will be released to join the brides of the One God who have gone before her. Her bones will then be interred with her ancestors. This is the funeral rite as blessed by the God Who Walks Among Us. No more shall the unholy birds of your goddess strip the bones of your dead as they did when you served idols! Come now, and view your princess, and the last of the descendants of your demon goddess’s royal family.” He stepped back behind the stone.
The Locust King escorted the weeping Queen to the body first. She dropped to her knees sobbing before the corpse, “My daughter, my daughter… My baby…”
Mahleck grabbed her arm and pulled her up to her feet. “Get up, my lady,” he hissed into her ear, “The people need to see that your baby is dead and will not return to claim her throne. Get up!” He half dragged her to their position next to the funeral display where he forced her to kneel at his side. “We must receive the people.”
The nobility filed by the body, bowing before it, and then before their new ruler, symbolically transferring their allegiance from one to the other. The the inhabitants of the temple followed by rank.
The acolytes, being last in rank waited at the back of the crowd, closest to the cliff’s edge. Aisha stood at the edge, looking out over the desert, the updraft blowing the hood of her robe from her head. She closed her eyes and felt the wind around her. Just one step and freedom... The sacred birds will take my soul to heaven… Just one step. The wind continued to whip her white robes all around her. She could hear the keening of the birds nesting on the cliffs. Just one step.
Nasreen grabbed her and pulled her back from the edge. “Aisha! Keep your head and eyes covered!” she whispered, pulling the hood of the robe back over her head. “Don’t let them see you, or we all will suffer. Please.” The acolytes began shuffling forward to pay their respects to the Princess and pledge their obedience to the Locust King. Nasreen pulled the stumbling Aisha behind her.
The corpse before them still had its face shrouded in the black cloth with the embroidered eye of betrayal gleaming red in the torchlight as the daylight dimmed. Even though her face was hidden the golden hair would make the body unmistakable to any citizen of Adyll. Nasreen bowed before the body then knelt in front of the new King. Aisha attempted to do the same. But as she stood in front of Mahleck, her eyes fell upon her mother, the Queen, whose face was also shrouded under a black veil. Aisha pitched forward into blackness and collapsed into her mother’s arms.
“Aisha!” Nasreen said in a panicked voice, but she was seized by soldiers, who held her back from helping her friend. Mahleck held up his hand and motioned for Nasreen to approach him. She did so and knelt with her eyes downturned.
“What is wrong with this young woman?” demanded Mahleck.
“We have been fasting in seclusion, your Majesty. The strain must have been too much. Please, let me take her back to the Temple. I apologize for the disturbance,” pleaded Nasreen, glancing up at the Locust King.
Mahleck raised his hand and struck Nasreen across the cheekbone, “You do not raise your eyes to me. You would do well to remember your place!”
The Queen sat holding her daughter in her arms. Aisha’s eyes fluttered open. “Mamma, are we in heaven?” she whispered.
“No, love. Be strong. I love you,” the Queen whispered, her lips barely moving. She helped Aisha to her feet. “Your Majesty, I beg for the lives of these maidens. It was a sin caused by their former idolatry in service to our demon goddess.”
“Lady, it would behoove you to remember that you have no longer hold a position of power. Do not presume to offer me advice. I will handle this as I see fit.” He grabbed Aisha by the arm and threw her to the ground in front of him next to Nasreen. “Baraz, bring me your rod of office.”
Baraz hurried to obey his master, handing him the rod of his office, a small flail. “It is fitting, Holy One, that these servants of the idol be punished with the symbol of your holy authority. All should serve you.”
The sun had set. The cave mouth lit only with torches. The other acolytes huddled together in fear, wondering if they also were included in this transgression. Nasreen and Aisha clung to each other, waiting for the punishment the rod would inflict. A faint sound came from inside the cave, soft and muted, as Mahleck raised the ceremonial flail above his head to strike.
Aisha looked up and saw shadows moving in the cave then ten pairs of glowing eyes flickering in the torchlight. The shadows moved quickly, swooping out of the cave, and down upon the men, scratching faces and causing them to scatter. The cave owls had come to protect what was theirs. Mahleck fought the birds off with his hands, breaking wings and calling for the archers above to kill the birds. Soon five owls lay dead, the others flying off into the night, screeching for their lost comrades. Aisha knew at least one had lost her mate that night and would probably die of sadness before the next full moon. These great birds were bonded to their mate for life, and when one died, so did the other.
When Mahleck turned back to them Aisha expected to see his visage marred by the attack, but there was not even a scratch upon his face.
“It grows late, and I no longer wish to deal with these whores. Baraz, take them and make an example of them to the other temple dwellers. They shall be the first to be marked with the eye of betrayal.”
Baraz bowed low before his God, “It shall be done as you command, your Majesty.” He motioned with his hand and two of the black-robed priests ushered Aisha and Nasreen away from the burial place, with the rest of the acolytes following.
“Prepare the funeral pyre!” commanded Mahleck. Bundles of oil-soaked wood were brought and placed on and around the stone where the body of the princess lay. “And throw the corpses of those demon birds on it as well. We will send a signal to their goddess that she has been defeated.”
The fire was lit, the smoke rising into the heavens, and the light from the fire stained the side of the mountain red.
“Come, my lady. It is time we should retire for the night. I have had my servants prepare a resting place for you. You must be tired and hungry.”
“I have no wish to eat, my Lord and King,” said the Queen. “My sorrow is too great.”
“Then come with me and I shall enjoy your beauty as I dine.” His grip on her arm became painful as he led her up the stairs to the palace.
The Queen steeled herself and prayed: Mother of us all, your holy guardians of the dead have delivered my daughter from the hand of the Locust. Holy Protectress, guide her, for I will not be with her again, and she is the hope of this nation. May she grow to be strong and wise in Your sight, and may You become her Mother in my stead.
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