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 9: The Locust's Tenets of Faith
Mahleck's cruelty was not over. “There is yet another traitor among you, people of Adyll. One not so noble as this priestess. He did not betray his leader for the lives of others, but for simple coin. Soldiers - fetch the one who showed us the way through the mountains. Bring his family as well.”
At the back of the crowd there was a commotion as a man tried to escape. He was caught by the soldiers before he reached the gate and brought with his sobbing wife and two sons to the front of the crowd.
“Slit their throats like the pigs they are,” commanded the new ruler. Screams could be heard from the crowd as the sentence was carried out. As their arteries were severed, the blood of the traitor and his family splattered the door and the threshold of the sanctuary. Soon bloody rivulets made their way towards the front of the crowd.
“Silence!” yelled the king. “This blood begins the cleansing of this place from the idolatry in which it is steeped. All traitors will be treated as such, and their blood used as an offering to the One God. Soldiers, hang the bodies of the traitors on the walls of the temple. We will allow the Lady’s sacred birds to feed on her children’s flesh in few view of all.”
Aisha watched the bloodshed in horror. She could still see her mother at the feet of the Locust King. If he had punished the ones who had helped him to overthrow the city, what would he do to her?
“I will allow the rest of you to live, and give your children the honor of serving in the presence of the One True God. You will present them at my throne in a fortnight at the new moon. Any family who refuses this honor will be executed.” The crowd began to murmur. He held up his hand for silence. “The High Priest Baraz will address you now. The words spoken by his lips are the words of my mouth.”
The thin figure of Baraz stepped forward and with a commanding voice addressed the crowd. “As for those who serve in the Temple, you shall be rededicated to the service of The One True God, Mahleck. Him alone shall you serve. Because of the treachery of your High Priestess all of you that are female will be branded with the Eye of Betrayal to remind you of the justice of the All-Seeing God. All males within the Temple shall be gelded. No son of your false goddess will breed any children for her. You will accept these trials and sufferings as penance for your idolatry. Outside this city is an army of thousands of hardened soldiers who hunger and thirst. This temple will serve them, for they have delivered you from the hands of idolatry and your whore goddess. The doors of your storehouses will be opened to feed them. You will also assist in tearing down the idols within the temple, making it sacred for the service of your God King, and his holy army. There will be no more priestesses, for women are unclean and treachery is born in them. The women of the temple shall be bondservants. Nothing more. No woman shall hold any authority in any place ruled by the God Who Walks Among Men.”
There were confused whisperings in the crowd. Women, as embodiments of the Lady, were considered sacred beings and worthy of respect. The entire culture of Adyll was founded on the holiness of a woman, their Creator-Mother. Even family lineages were traced through the mother’s bloodline.
“Woman is nothing in comparison with man. Her every thought is but to deceive and enslave men through enchantments and whoredoms. From the time God came to earth to walk among us, he has seen the sinful nature of woman and sought to enslave it. For this purpose, no woman shall walk unveiled outside the confines of her residence. Her eyes hold the power to enchant and deceive. Therefore no woman shall raise her eyes to a man. For this reason, your priestess,” he spat the word, “had her eyes removed. This is the punishment for any woman found without covering or without her eyes lowered. Learn well, people. The only purpose of woman is to test the virtue of man. The only way that they can be saved is by subjugation to their husbands and childbearing. Such is the Word of the One True God.” Baraz stepped away from the edge of the balcony.
The Locust King spoke again, “The word of Baraz is my Word. And my word is law and truth. Go to your homes and prepare your tribute – half of all your gold and jewels, half of your livestock, one third of your grains and produce, and your children older than twelve summers. The foodstuffs and livestock shall be given to the care of Baraz. The children and gold shall be presented to me in a fortnight at the darkening of the moon as an offering at my throne. Go, and repent your sins.”
He held out his hand to the Queen. She took it and walked back inside to the darkness of the sanctuary. The nobility began leaving the courtyard silently but were stopped at the gates by soldiers armed with pikes. A gong sounded, then a heavy drumbeat. The bloodied doors of the sanctuary opened, and the crowd parted as the body of the golden-haired maiden was carried out of the Temple on a litter by the black-robed priests of the Locust. Her face had been covered with a black cloth on which was embroidered the eye of betrayal in red. Her body was surrounded by the blue flowers called Lady’s Tears.
The nobility and priesthood of Adyll fell to their knees again as the litter passed. A wailing came from the crowd, mourning not only the loss of their princess, but the loss of their country, freedom, and the Goddess which the princess resembled so closely. Baraz led the funeral procession with a censer of burning incense. Behind the litter walked the tyrant, followed by the sobbing Queen, her eyes now covered by a low black silk veil, and finally, the ceremonial drummers. When they reached the gate, the soldiers stepped aside and let the procession pass. The nobility and priesthood fell in behind them as they wound their way through the inner city to the entrance to the royal catacombs.
Armed members of the Locust King’s Swarm lined the streets their cruel swords drawn ensuring that there would be nothing to disturb the solemnity of the funeral rites.
Aisha, Nasreen, and the rest of the acolytes followed at the rear of the procession, being neither nobility nor high ranking among the priesthood. They took care to keep their eyes downcast, not looking up at any of the soldiers along the way. There was no need for their vow of silence now. There was whispering among the acolytes, questioning what was going to happen to them. They were the youngest members of the priesthood, young women who had shed all rank or lack thereof to serve the Goddess in whatever capacity their talents allowed. Some had hoped to serve as herbalists, midwives, musicians, artists, or to spend their lives in contemplation of the mysteries of the Goddess. All those dreams were as dead as their princess.
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