Blades of Ashes Ch 5-3

Arc 1 – The Case of the Forged Silver Coins

Ch 5-3

Night came down on Azula like a hammer. His family’s existence burned down to ashes, returning to nothing. No rain fell, and the night breeze was warm and almost comforting. The moonlight was bright.

Thanks to Sennin, Azula had found Alise and Juya in a remote warehouse where Sura Clan members were boarding carriages and heading to the Naga State Port. When their mother boarded a carriage with Juya’s family, Alise insisted on finding their father.

So, the four of them took horses, taking advantage of the night to head to the magistrate’s compound in their district. Juya had a contact he was paying who would show them a way into the prisons to visit Marius, Yemin, and all the other Sura Clan members who were under arrest.

However, when they found the contact, the man led them to the district morgue and asked them to identify the Sura Clan bodies lying on countless mats in the open space inside.

At first, it felt like a bad dream until Azula recognized his father’s distinctive hair clip. It held several braids crafted by his mother. Azula had crafted the silver clip and gifted it to Marius as a birthday gift two years ago. Their father had worn it every day since.

“No.”

Azula wasn’t aware of the words leaving his lips as he jumped over his fallen clans’ men to the pallet where his father lay. A white sheet covered his face. Azula pulled it down, half hoping he was wrong, but then he stared at his father’s face, and the world crashed.

*****

Raithion found Azula too late. It was right before dawn, the moonlight fading to give way to the sun. Raithion had raced through the Doriel Manor when he saw smoke rising in the backyard. He stopped at the open back door when he saw the large fire burning in the middle of the back courtyard.

Azula knelt on the ground in their family’s back courtyard. He wore white robes. His hair was without braids and turned a strange black color. The messy strands fell down his back in disarray.

Next to Azula was a young woman who had also dyed her hair black. She wore a white dress and seemed unresponsive. She knelt next to her brother, staring at the large funeral pyre that was burning away.

Two men hovered next to the two siblings. Their gazes were wary when they caught sight of Raithion and Haedor, who stood behind him.

****

“We should go, Azula,” Sennin said. “Let’s go back to the Sura Island. You and your sister will be enough to give our people a way forward and to rebuild. We’ll survive this.”

“How?” Azula asked his gaze on the burning funeral pyre, his father’s remains burned to ash, reduced to nothing.

“Step by step, breath by breath, Azula. We will gain back what our family has lost. Build a strong foundation so that we don’t fall this hard again. You are your parents’ son. I know you can help us rebuild. But we need to leave here,” Juya said. “Your sister needs you now.”

Azula closed his eyes, trying to take in Juya’s words. They sounded like a dream. A dream he did not think he could bring to life. Opening his eyes, he stared at the funeral pyre where his father and Alise’s betrothed, Yemin, burned.

Alise had fainted the moment she saw Yemin’s body. Her reaction was so strong that they needed a healer to help wake her up. So, Juya and Sennin were looking to Azula for decisions.

He could barely believe his father’s death. Marius Doriel was dead.

Azula let that truth sink in for the duration of his father’s cremation. He kept kneeling until the fires cooled, and only the ashes of twenty-eight Sura Clan members remained. Sennin was resourceful. He put Marius and Yemin’s ashes in different bags and brought them to Azula and Alise. Alise held the white cloth bag tight, hugging it to her chest. Juya and Sennin worked fast, packing away the other twenty-six ashes and labeling each one carefully for transport.

Azula waited on his knees. He untied the white cloth bag and stared at his father’s ashes. He dipped his right thumb into the ashes and brought the pad to his forehead, making a large black dot.

“I vow to protect our clan, Pa. They will never suffer injustice again,” Azula said. “I’ll find out who did this to you and Yemin. I, Azula, will see to it.”

“We’re ready,” Sennin said, coming to help Azula up while Juya helped Alise to her feet.

Azula tightened the tie on the bag he held and turned away from the spent fires. The manor was no use anymore. If it was up to him he would burn the place down, but there was much he did not understand yet. Maybe his father had left a clue here. He had no time to look at it now, but maybe later…much later, he would return to see.

Azula paused when he saw Raithion standing by the back door, staring at him in the fading moonlight. Anger rose up so hot it threatened to drown him. Sennin’s grip on his left arm tightened to restrain his reaction.

“We can’t touch him,” Sennin reminded him.

Azula nodded and kept walking, aware of his sister, who was still listless. Juya was guiding her into the manor. They would not stop. The carriage Azula had brought with him would carry them back to the port. No one knew whose it was, so they would not be stopped.

Azula walked up the short steps to the back door and froze when Raithion blocked his way.

“Azula.”

“Get lost,” Azula said, his voice barely above a whisper.

“I’m sorry,” Raithion said. “I’m really sorry that I was late. I—”

“Get lost!” Azula shouted now, his voice gaining strength. “You broke your promises. I thought you were going to protect us, but instead…instead—”

Azula gripped his father’s ashes and shook his head, tears spilling down his cheeks. He looked up and met Raithion’s distressed green eyes.

“Those blades I gave you, consider them blades of doom,” Azula said, barely able to hide his hatred of all that Raithion stood for. “Draeya General, you wield nothing but blades of ashes. I never want to see you again. Get lost!”

Azula pushed Raithion away with his right hand and continued into the house, walking fast. Sennin followed behind him, and Azula’s tears fell faster as they stepped out the front door. Sennin led him out of the manor’s compound and into the carriage. A carriage that was meant to bring hope to his people was now packed with ashes and his unresponsive sister.

Azula broke into hard sobs as he hugged his father’s ashes and wondered what the Sura Clan had done to deserve so much tragedy.

****

Later in the afternoon, Gesi Ajai stood beside his wife in their great room, watching Thanir and Silveren Maenaer lead their eldest son, Raithion, into the room. They came to a stop before him and his wife and exchanged pleasantries.

Basileus Dio and Soriel Maenaer followed behind the trio. Their hands were clasped tight, and a happy glow wrapped around the couple. The new imperial couple was engaged to be married in a week’s time.

Their union was to be blessed by the Grand Dowager herself.

Gesi had never thought there would be another making plans to wed the Basileus to a powerful house. Had he known the Grand Dowager had more power than Dio’s mother, he would have approached her instead.

It’s too bad he missed out on the Basileus.

However, he did not suffer any losses this time.

The finance minister was no longer a threat thanks to his careful plans. Gesi Ajai anticipated the Basileus would appoint him to the Finance Ministry in the coming weeks, as for the Sura Clan. The Counterfeit Inspectors Unit had done its job. Scaring everyone in the capital into giving up business with the prosperous clan. The Sura were suspected of forging silver, thanks to the ore samples, coin molds, and the Sura transport carriages discovered in their busiest workshop. The evidence was not enough to convict Marius Doriel and his clan members, but the torture they received in the interrogation had led to death. Leaving the case closed and the Sura Clan exiled from the capital.

Gesi was satisfied for now.

Plus, his daughter marrying the Basileus’s brother-in-law was an added bonus.

After all, thanks to Basileus Dio’s marriage to Soriel Maenaer, Raithion had risen in the ranks of nobility. He was a Commandery Prince, a title Gesi Ajai could not hope to understand how it had been crafted. He could only assume the Grand Dowager was getting on in years.

Either way, it meant Raithion Maenaer had access to the kingdom’s armies and weapons. He could command an army to defend the kingdom, which meant his wife would have some power in his domain.

Gesi smiled with glee.

Perhaps fate was helping his ambitions.

Gesi squeezed his wife’s arm, urging her to accept the engagement letter Silveren Maenaer held out to them. Benira stepped forward and took the letter with a graceful curtsy.

“I accept the engagement of our children,” Benira Ajai said with a cordial smile as she rose up and met Silveren’s kind gaze. “May my daughter find happiness by your son’s side.”

“I’m glad,” Silveren said, then held her right hand to Naeri Ajai.

****

Naeri was apprehensive as she took Silveren’s hand. Her gaze was wary when she stole a look at a quiet Raithion.

“Welcome to the Maenaer House, daughter,” Silveren said as she pulled Naeri into a tight motherly hug.

Naeri loved Silveren’s warmth and hoped they would be good friends as the years came. Silveren held her right hand as she introduced her to Thanir Maenaer and Raithion.

Raithion was so handsome that her heart fluttered with excitement at the sight of him. He was so tall, too, with green eyes and dark hair. She blushed at the thought of him kissing her. He stood tall, untouched by the events happening around him.

Naeri frowned when it was time to toast their engagement.

Raithion was cold through the short ceremony of their engagement. She tried to smile at him more than once, but his gaze remained indifferent, even as he hooked his right arm with hers to sip from his goblet for their toast.

Naeri worried she was marrying an iceberg.

What fate was this her father had bought her?

****

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