Dhanurana

Chapter 43: The Poison

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Behind most of the pinned tapestries in the Keep's sun temple was solid wall, but a few hid portholes and tunnels. With the temple being much easier to breach than the Keep or even the stable, the generals thought it was best to have a place for warriors to ambush any invaders.

"Why didn't I know of these?" the head of the temple's ascetics, Rucidaja scoffed and folded her arms.

"You didn't need to until now." Hegwous stood beside her, still slumping, but not as much as usual. Enough light was leaking through the sheet for them to see and not be burned. He stared out at Aarushi Aabha who raised her hands slathered in ghee and turmeric paste up to the sun, wishing it luck on its journey under the world. The whole temple repeated her mantra, clustered around the offering pit in a haze of sweat covered by the fog of incense.

"The north had no chance of fully breaching the walls, let alone the Keep. Still, we felt it best to keep any secrets until they were necessary." Gehsek added, standing behind them both but between her and his Lord.

"Are we going to war again?" Rucidaja puffed out her chest proudly. "We're ready to do right by you again.

"Are you not hurt by the scorching?" Hegwous motioned out to the temple with a nod.

"What? Pilgrims? Bah. Who needs them?"

"You, I'd assume," Hegwous interjected.

"Let me finish. By the Rays. Figured you'd learn patience being so old." She prodded Hegwous with a thick finger.

Gehsek's eyes flashed open, but Hegwous chuckled.

"So did I, but sometimes patience is pointless," he said.

"Yeah, that I agree with. You don't have to worry about the pilgrims or the other temples. Most of them still think the scorching was some kind of spirit. Few here are talking about what happened with that thing in the throne room, but they're still standing tall on their victory over the spirits. They'd love to blast that thing you had to pay tribute to."

"I'm not sure if that would work," Gehsek and Hegwous said in unison, but Hegwous' choppy accent made them distinct.

"Perhaps enough together might," Hegwous conceded.

"Someone so old should've had their throat fit our language by now." Rucidaja poked Hegwous again. "Now, did we come here to chat or is there a war going on? The temple's running fine if you're worried. Got enough food, enough donations. The refugees we took in are willing to work twice as hard for half as little food. Things are tight but they're progressing."

"I fear we may have conflict soon," Hegwous said. He watched Aarushi, narrowing his eyes as she made her way through the mantra with practiced ease. Without a misstep.

"Then let us know which spirits to bring the Light to and we'll show them how powerful it is," Rucidaja declared.

Hegwous didn't respond. He fingered his earring and rested his head on his hand at the same time.

"I don't think it will be any spirits this time." Gehsek tapped his jeweled sword.

The sun priestess furrowed her brow. "So, the whispers weren't only whispers? You want my support if there's a coup?"

Hegwous and Gehsek shared a chuckle at how fast ideas spread around the Keep.

"Unfortunately, it appears so." Hegwous shrugged nonchalantly, turning back to the conversation.

"Bah!" Rucidaja slammed her mouth shut, but no one in the temple seemed to notice as the mantra went on. "Fools. Thinking a Maharaj makes a dumb mistake and that means he should die."