《The Advocate's Fall》


 A New High Advocate

    <u>Lovu</u>


    ¡°On this day, we honor Fam¡¯e with an offering of all-sustaining love.¡±


    As the summer sun crested its peak, thousands crowded the marble streets of Lavote, huddling around a grand stage erected on its central boulevard. Some were locals, but more were the merchants and diplomats that constantly flowed through the world-famous harbor. Regardless of their origin, every eye sought out one person in particular.


    ¡°As the First Advocate Hikim once said, when the shepherd flourishes, so must he pass that prosperity onto his flock. And so too must...¡± An ancient man addressed the crowd, reciting scripture from memory. He was bent by age, draped in decadent mossy green robes, and wore his long white hair tied up in braids to accent the shaved strip of hair that wrapped around the crown of his head. Filling in the space of his hair was a ring of intricate, knotwork tattoos that gave the illusion of wearing a circlet.


    His cracked old voice carried on the wind with a strength and charisma that betrayed his feeble appearance. However, as he droned on and on about the virtues of Fam¡¯e¡¯s path, the onlookers¡¯ attention wandered, craning their necks to catch a glimpse of the younger man standing just behind him.


    That young man was Lovu Yelma, the third prince of Hangkiti. At 19, barely an age where he could be addressed as a man instead of a boy, he stood a full head above the old man. He beamed a gentle smile that in silence commanded more weight than the old man¡¯s droning speech ever could. It was rare for common people to behold any member of the royal family, but he was by far the most elusive.


    ¡°Ah, forgive me,¡± the old man said with a chuckle after his third lengthy tangent came to an end. ¡°Age may not have dulled my mind, but it has certainly made me less urgent. Let us proceed to the matter at hand. It is with great honor that I invite my prot¨¦g¨¦, Advocate Lovu Yelma, to provide the blessing for today¡¯s donation.¡±


    ¡°Thank you High Advocate,¡± Lovu said, stepping forward as the old man yielded the stage to him. ¡°And no apologies necessary. It is never a burden to be blessed with Fam¡¯e¡¯s wisdom, especially from someone as devoted as yourself.¡± An uneasy chuckle whimpered from the crowd.


    ¡°Devotees of both our humble nation and lands beyond, I welcome you into our community and invite you to partake in our bounty,¡± Lovu said, gesturing to the tents lining the street in front of the stage. Beneath each tent was a veritable feast. ¡°This year has seen a record-breaking harvest that has blessed us all with full stomachs. Allow us to walk Fam¡¯e¡¯s path by showing grace to our fellow man and giving when we have plenty. In her name, we will ensure Hangkiti¡¯s prosperity for generations to come!¡±


    This is my favorite part, Lovu thought to himself as he watched each and every face light up. Because he was a prince, he rarely got to leave the confines of the Lords¡¯ Residence. He preferred to bless feasts in times of need because they made that much more of a difference, but he looked forward to any opportunity to spread joy.


    From there, he began his prayer. Long and winding as was typical for blessings this large, he lost himself in the words and felt himself being guided, as if by Fam¡¯e herself.


    As the final words left his lips, a roar of applause ripped through the crowd as people surged toward the tents, only to be interrupted by the High Advocate clearing his throat. All Lovu had expected to do was bless the feast, so not even he knew what was to come.


    ¡°Before we eat our fill, this feast serves a double purpose,¡± the old man said, stepping forward to take center stage again. Lovu attempted to return to his old position behind him, but the High Advocate firmly held his arm in place. ¡°While our proud empire may be flourishing, the same cannot be said for myself. During my 47-year tenure as High Advocate, it has been my pleasure to serve our people, but I am growing tired. It is high time for new blood to take my place. So, let it be known that I, High Advocate Winghu Ngev, officially declare Lovu Yelma to be my successor. His appointment shall officially begin on the first day of next year.¡±


    The crowd cheered again, but Lovu didn¡¯t hear them. When it was inevitably time for a High Advocate to retire, they chose their most talented and devoted student to succeed them. Out of High Advocate Winghu¡¯s dozens of student, Lovu was the youngest. While he had always hoped to be chosen, he never thought he would be the next to take up the mantle.


    He dropped to his knee, partially out of respect but mostly to hide the weakness that suddenly washed over him. ¡°I-I am honored High Advocate.¡±


    ¡°Come now,¡± the old man whispered to him beneath the roar of the crowd. ¡°Stand tall and proud. Only then can you guide your people onto Fam¡¯e¡¯s path.¡±


    Lovu did as he was told, standing to face the sea of people staring up at him. His role in the ceremony was over, but his heart was overflowing in that moment, and he felt the overwhelming urge to share that joy. As the crowd quieted down, he steeled his nerves and stepped forward.


    ¡°In the seven centuries since our founding, Hangkiti has stood tall as a bastion of grace,¡± he said, projecting his voice to reach every crevice of the city. He spread his arms as though embracing every single person his voice reached. ¡°Under Fam¡¯e¡¯s guidance, we smothered Phakfi¡¯s tyranny with love and lifted our people up to the heights of enlightenment, but that was not the act of a single leader. I am only able to stand here today because of the devotion that everyone here has shown for our goddess and her siblings. From the bottom of my heart, I wish to thank you all and promise that I will continue that legacy, raising us to even greater heights!¡±


    Another cheer tore through the crowd, but this one ended much sooner than the others as their hunger returned their attention to the original purpose of the ceremony. He wanted to stand there for as long as possible, watching his flock indulge in Fam¡¯e¡¯s blessing, but a firm hand on his shoulder drew his time short. One of the guards wearing silver armor emblazoned with a flame wrapped in chains nodded toward the edge of the stage. It was the signal that it was time for him to depart.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    No matter how much he wanted to remain, it was unbecoming of a prince to overstay his welcome. With a sigh, he followed the guard off stage.


    From there, his private retinue quietly ushered him to his carriage as quickly as possible. A small platoon was assigned to the task of escorting him, but most rode or walked alongside the carriage. Only one person joined him inside.


    A young man about the same age as Lovu sat stoically across from the prince, lightly pulling back the curtains that covered the carriages windows and glaring out at the street. Although they were the same age, that was about the only thing they had in common.


    Lovu wore his long, dusty-blonde hair up in intricate braids to show off the tattoos lining the shaved strip ringing his head. The man across from him had brown hair so dark it was nearly black, which he kept cropped short. Lovu¡¯s smile and the cheerful glint in his eye could brighten up a cave miles beneath the earth, while the other man¡¯s stern expression could dampen the sun¡¯s mood on a warm summer day. And while Lovu wore the plain, billowing robes of an Advocate, the man across from him wore polished silver armor, much like the guards from before.


    That armor and the flame crest proudly displayed on its breast was the symbol of an Honor ¨C one of Hangkiti¡¯s elite warriors.


    ¡°So Akil, how does it feel to be the personal bodyguard to the next High Advocate?¡± Lovu asked after riding in silence for a painfully long time, cocking his head to the side playfully. The man remained silent as he watched the world outside.


    Akil Vor was Lovu¡¯s oldest and closest friend. The Vor family were close allies of the Yelmas. The two boys were born within months of each other ¨C Akil was the older of the two and never let Lovu forget it ¨C so their fathers decided early on that he would serve in the prince¡¯s personal guard once they came of age.


    And as time would tell, Akil was just as much of a prodigy for the blade as Lovu was for scripture. Around the time they were 7, he began training to become an Honor. Normally, someone who started that early could earn the title by 16, but he earned his by 14, making him one of the youngest Honors in Hangkiti¡¯s history.


    Lovu started training as and Advocate at the same time as Akil started his. Anyone could become an Advocate regardless of age simply by visiting one of her temples and swearing an oath to follow her path. The real mark of an Advocate¡¯s devotion were their Wounds, the knotwork tattoos ringing their heads. An Advocate earned a new line in their Wounds by proving they knew how to perform Fam¡¯e¡¯s rituals, providing charity to those in need, and healing the sick.


    By 13, Lovu had earned every Wound he could just through performing rituals. Those were all he was allowed to practice without leaving the Lords¡¯ Residence, so he poured his heart and soul into learning them. After that, he petitioned his father to allow him to attend normal rituals and blessings in the city proper, where he''d be able to actually help people. After months of arguing his point, his father finally agreed, setting a date for Lovu to be allowed to leave the Residence after he turned 14.


    Akil became an Honor and was appointed as Lovu¡¯s bodyguard just in time to escort him on his first outing. He always insisted that the deadline had nothing to do with getting it done so quickly, but Lovu clearly remembered him disappearing for weeks at a time just to train in private. Since then, they had spent practically every day together.


    ¡°Come on Akil,¡± Lovu said, moving over to sit directly next to him, ¡°not even a single word of congratulations?¡±


    ¡°You know the rules,¡± Akil said plainly, never averting his eyes from the window. ¡°Don¡¯t distract me until we¡¯re back in the Residence.¡±


    Lovu¡¯s smile twisted into a playful smirk as his hand snuck up Akil¡¯s leg. He shot straight for the familiar gap in his armor where the thigh plate didn¡¯t quite meet the bands of flexible metal that covered his waist. In an instant, he was stroking Akil¡¯s groin. Spending practically all of their time together had moved their relationship a couple of steps past just platonic friendship.


    The armor covered enough that Lovu wasn¡¯t able to feel anything stir, but the way his bodyguard shifted in his seat was more than enough proof that his distraction was working. However, despite his best efforts, Akil simply grabbed the hand and gingerly put it back in Lovu¡¯s lap.


    ¡°Not. While. I¡¯m. Working,¡± he said bluntly, emphasizing each word with a firm pat on Lovu¡¯s hand, all without tearing his eyes from the window. Finally, Lovu¡¯s grin turned into a pout.


    ¡°Because there¡¯s so much danger here,¡± he said, throwing open the opposite curtain to reveal the bustling marketplace of Lavote¡¯s central merchant district. ¡°Lavote is the largest and most prosperous city on the southern peninsula, the crown jewel of Fam¡¯e¡¯s worship, and the cradle of her High Advocate. The people here are good and kind.¡±


    Akil reached over and calmly closed the curtain again. ¡°You are safer here than almost anywhere else in the world, but all it takes is one Scar getting a big head or a Kumam cultist wanting to take a shot at the next High Advocate to change that.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve made dozens of these excursions and nothing like that has ever happened,¡± Lovu whined, slumping back in the seat and leaning into Akil¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I appreciate that your heart is in the right place trying to keep me safe, but you know what the First Advocate said: in Fam¡¯e¡¯s gaze does the brightest seed of every heart come to fruit and on her path, every adherent carries her in their soul. If her servant does open their heart to her faltered children, they will flower and be drawn to the path anew. If someone did wish me harm, it¡¯s my duty as an Advocate to welcome them with a kind heart and guide them back onto her path. Not hide away.¡±


    ¡°Maybe, but we also have a duty to prevent conflict before it arises. The outbreak of violence is a failure on the part of the warden. Seek the seeds of conflict and plot your course around them so that their blades may never meet an innocent throat,¡± Akil said, smirking back at him. ¡°You¡¯re not the only one who read the scripture.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps you need to brush back up on your studies then,¡± Lovu said, his smile slowly returning, ¡°because you seem to have forgotten that your excerpt comes from the writing of Voice Alma Mukrur, not Yol¡¯s scripture. He originally said it in frustration over political disagreements in the Lord¡¯s Council becoming too aggressive. It has nothing to do with real threats of violence.¡±


    Akil went silent, staring broodingly out the window.


    ¡°What, you don¡¯t have a retort?¡± Lovu said, poking Akil¡¯s face.


    ¡°I concede,¡± he said with a sigh, finally looking into Lovu''s eyes. ¡°I should¡¯ve known better than to pick a fight with you over scripture. Enjoy your victory and distract me as much as you want.¡±


    Before Lovu could say another word, the carriage rolled to a halt.


    ¡°Oh, will you look at that,¡± Akil said, rising to his feet and offering Lovu a hand, ¡°we¡¯ve arrived. Looks like you¡¯ll have to wait a bit longer to claim your prize.¡±


    ¡°Yet another pyrrhic victory,¡± Lovu said with an exaggerated sigh, the smile on his lips betraying him as he took Akil¡¯s hand. Together, they stepped out of the carriage and walked down the meandering streets of the Lords¡¯ Residence, linked arm in arm.

 Lords Arrive

    Lovu


    The Lords¡¯ Residence was a walled district at Lavote¡¯s center that held private villas for each of the 51 Lords. While they governed and lived in their own territory most of the time, they had to visit the capitol at least once a year for the annual meeting of the Lords¡¯ Council. Between sessions, most Lords left one of their family members in charge of their villa to keep it in order and have a permanent contact in the capital.


    It got a bit rowdy when every villa was filled to capacity, but although the next session was coming soon, most of the Lords would not begin arriving for a few more weeks. For now, the Residence was calm and serene, which made new arrivals stand out.


    ¡°Good afternoon Lord Foyrilmang!¡± Lovu called out to a woman disembarking her carriage. It was stopped outside of the Foyrilmang villa and was followed by a caravan of wagons carrying luggage and a full entourage of Honors. ¡°It¡¯s good to see that your travels have once again delivered you safely into Fam¡¯e¡¯s embrace.¡±


    That woman was Tama Foyrilmang, a younger Lord in her late 20s. Her father ¨C the previous Lord Foyrilmang ¨C had passed away a couple of years ago, leaving her to inherit his land. As a member of the royal family, Lovu was expected to know each and every Lord by name and face so that he could offer the proper greetings when necessary. That was his duty, but something about the way a person lights up when you recall them from only a brief meeting warmed his heart, so he put effort into remembering everyone possible, not just Lords.


    ¡°Thank you so much for your concern, my prince,¡± Tama said, bowing in response. ¡°There were some close calls, but none so great as to delay me.¡±


    ¡°Oh goodness, I am sorry to hear you had trouble. May I ask what happened?¡±


    ¡°Nothing for you to concern yourself with, my prince,¡± she said, eyeing Akil. ¡°As you may know, my lands are notorious for roaming vit. We were lucky enough to not suffer any major losses aside from time.¡±


    Vit were beasts that inhabited the wildlands between cities. They were more plentiful in more remote regions and Foyrilmang was largely dense swampland, so it made sense for them to cause her trouble.


    ¡°If only I had such an esteemed Honor in my service,¡± she said, continuing to flick glances at Akil, ¡°the trip would be trivial. The Advocate¡¯s Guard is a name spoken in reverence all across Hangkiti.¡±


    ¡°Careful with that name,¡± Lovu laughed as he looked at Akil. After becoming one of the youngest Honors in history, he had earned a bit of a reputation and alongside it came nicknames. The Advocate¡¯s Guard was the most popular, but Akil got prickly whenever he heard it. ¡°The Guard himself doesn¡¯t care for it.¡±


    ¡°In that case, I¡¯m sorry to have caused offense.¡±


    ¡°Do not worry about it,¡± Akil said, grinning firmly. ¡°Perhaps while you are here, I can assess your guards and offer advice. There is always room for improvement, after all.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate the offer and I may well take you up on it,¡± she said, matching his smile. ¡°My schedule is open between now and the Council session, so we will be ready to welcome you whenever you have the time.¡±


    For a moment, the conversation died down as the pair just stared at each other, waiting for the other to make the next move.


    ¡°At the very least I am glad to see you safe,¡± Lovu said, taking the reins. ¡°Before you depart Lavote, you must let me know. I would love to provide a blessing in Fam¡¯e¡¯s name to ensure a smooth return.¡±


    ¡°You honor me,¡± she said, bowing once more. ¡°Now, I must see to our attendants. I would prefer to get everything unpacked while we still have the sun.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Have a wonderful evening,¡± Lovu said, finally leaving her on her own. As they walked, Lovu couldn¡¯t help but notice Akil was looking back in concern. He did a good job of hiding his emotions in front of others, but Lovu knew exactly how to read his face. ¡°It truly is a shame that Foyrilmang is so difficult to maintain. Perhaps once I am High Advocate, I can send her some extra Advocates to bless the land and take some weight off of her shoulders.¡±The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Perhaps you can,¡± Akil said with a smile, finally turning back to him. ¡°I¡¯m sure that would make her very happy.¡±


    As they continued making their way toward the Yelma villa, they had a number of similar encounters. Lovu waved and greeted everyone they passed. To his surprise, there were more early arrivals than usual. It was typical for a couple of people to arrive in Lavote early to handle business before they got too busy with Council meetings, but Lord Foyrilmang made ten by his count.


    ¡°This must be a busy year,¡± he said, wondering out loud.


    ¡°It appears so,¡± Akil said, a slight knit in his brow slipping through his guarded expression. ¡°Perhaps they simply have more free time to spend socializing because of this year¡¯s plentiful bounty. Lavote¡¯s comfort is quite tempting, especially for someone like Lord Foyrilmang whose territory is so inhospitable.¡±


    ¡°That would make sense,¡± Lovu said, as they finally arrived. The attendants and Honors bowed at their entrance, welcoming him home. He returned the greetings in kind and took his time to tell everyone about the ceremony, but a fire was dancing in his belly. It took all he had not to just keep his eyes locked on Akil.


    ¡°Start work on dinner,¡± he said to Lehil, his head attendant. He was an old man who had served their family since long before Lovu was born and been his personal attendant for as long as he could remember. ¡°Once it is ready, feel free to dismiss the rest of the staff for the night. I wish to celebrate in private.¡±


    ¡°Of course, your grace,¡± Lehil said, bowing deeply. At the same time, Akil was whispering something to Sir Itkilmo, the villa¡¯s head Honor. While Akil was his personal bodyguard, Itkilmo handled security for the villa itself.


    Shortly after they finished giving their respective orders, the staff hurried off, leaving them alone. He grabbed his bodyguard by the breastplate and pulled him toward his room. ¡°Now¡­ I was promised a prize.¡±


    ¡°I am at your mercy.¡±


    *** *** ***


    ¡°Maybe I should pick fights more often,¡± Lovu said, his head resting on Akil¡¯s bare chest. He absentmindedly traced his fingers through his course dark hair. ¡°I could get used to being treated like that every night.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t advise it,¡± Akil said, his own hand gently massaging Lovu¡¯s back. ¡°There¡¯s no guarantee you¡¯ll beat me again and I doubt you¡¯d enjoy the prize I¡¯d take in return. Besides, you¡¯ll be High Advocate soon. Your duty is to end conflict, not spark it.¡±


    ¡°Is it still wrong if everyone involved enjoys the fight?¡± he asked, playfully biting Akil¡¯s pec just hard enough to leave an imprint.


    ¡°That¡¯s a question for the scripture, and we¡¯ve clearly established that I¡¯m not the best reference on that front,¡± Akil said. He started to lean in for a kiss when a knock at the door interrupted them. Lovu had spent enough nights like that to know what it meant, so he started climbing to lay across Akil¡¯s stomach.


    ¡°Nope, you¡¯re not going anywhere.¡± He had hoped to keep Akil pinned to the bed with his weight, but the Honor simply scooped him up in his arms and stood anyway. Lovu pouted up at him. ¡°What about my prize?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I thought you already claimed,¡± Akil said, kissing Lovu before promptly tossing him back on the bed. ¡°Be careful, it is unbecoming of an Advocate to show such unrepentant greed.¡±


    Lovu pouted while Akil went to the door, a bedsheet wrapped loosely around his waist. Sir Itkilmo was on the other side. They whispered back and forth for a second before Sir Itkilmo gave a sharp salute and hurried off. As soon as the door was closed, Akil dropped the bed sheet and started to get dressed again.


    ¡°But I thought we were going to have dinner together,¡± Lovu said, crawling to the edge of the bed and helping Akil gather his clothes despite his protest.


    ¡°I will hurry back, but something came up and I need to handle it as soon as possible. It shouldn¡¯t take long,¡± he said, looking out the window at the sun. ¡°I should be back a little bit after sunset, so it will be a late dinner, but a dinner nonetheless.¡±


    ¡°Promise?¡±


    ¡°I promise to do everything within my power to return as quickly as possible,¡± he said, bending down to kiss Lovu on the forehead. ¡°Are you happy?¡±


    ¡°No, but I will be in time,¡± Lovu said, slumping back into the bed. ¡°Now I just have to figure out what to do to fill the time until you return.¡±


    ¡°How about you go and report what happened at the ceremony to your family? I already had Itkilmo check, and your sister is going to be meeting with your father shortly. You¡¯re welcome to join if you want.¡±


    Lovu immediately perked up. ¡°Really! I was planning to send a letter tomorrow, but it¡¯ll be even better to handle it in person. I¡¯m sure there is a lot to do before my appointment, so I¡¯d love to get a jump start on it.¡±


    He pulled a cord by his bed to call an attendant to help him get dressed. If he was planning to meet with the Voice himself, he had to look his very best.


    Lovu¡¯s father ¨C Engteng Yelma ¨C was the Voice of Hangkiti, a title passed down through the Yelma family for centuries. He was a Lord among Lords who oversaw the Council, guiding their decisions and enacting their policy. While House Yelma had a villa, his father resided in the Voice¡¯s Palace at the center of the Lords¡¯ Residence. Lovu¡¯s older siblings worked closely with his father, so they spent the majority of their time there as well, leaving Lovu in charge of the family villa.


    ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll escort you to the Palace,¡± Akil said, clipping on the final few pieces of his armor.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. If something urgent enough to keep you away from me has come up, I¡¯d rather you address it as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°The Palace is on my way,¡± Akil said, his face feigning injury. ¡°Or are you telling me you don¡¯t want me to escort you?¡±


    ¡°Oh, well if you must,¡± Lovu said, returning the sarcasm with a grin on his face.

 A Family Meeting

    Lovu


    ¡°Congratulations,¡± a stern looking woman said as Lovu was escorted into a meeting room in the Palace. She sat at a tremendous conference table parsing through neatly piled stacks of parchment and sipping at a delicate teacup. ¡°I was wondering when you¡¯d finally get here.¡±


    The woman was Fitmi ¨C Lovu¡¯s eldest sister. They both took heavily after their mother with dusty blonde hair and delicate features. The major differences were Fitmi¡¯s short hair which she wore tightly pinned up to stay out of the way ¨C a style typical for Honors ¨C and the harsh glint in her eye that inspired more fear than joy. Although she was still relatively young at 29 years old, she commanded just as much presence as the most seasoned Honor.


    ¡°Yeah. High Advocate¡¯s a big deal,¡± a man sitting a few seats down from her said between bites of food. He also had large stacks of parchment surrounding him, but they were strewn haphazardly around as he tore into his roast bird.


    That man was Ete, Lovu¡¯s older brother. He was 25 and stood out the most of the three. While Lovu and Fitmi looked like their mother, Ete was a carbon copy of their father, only rounder and softer. His father¡¯s sharp angular features were blunted on Ete, hidden by long dark hair that hung straight as an arrow over his shoulders.


    Now that Lovu was there, all three heirs to Hangkiti were together. Typically, the Voice would sire as many children as possible. While they had a number of other siblings, few made it past childhood and only those three reached adulthood. Their mother had been frail and sickly, passing not long after Lovu was born. Most others in Engteng¡¯s position would have wed again, but his love for Ipyi was too great to replace.


    Lovu had basically no memories of her, but had been showered with stories of his parents¡¯ devotion to each other and the love she held for her children. Any time he saw the portraits of their family, he would absentmindedly play with the gold ring that he always wore. It was made of thin gold wire bent in the shape of an Advocate¡¯s Wounds ¨C specifically the Wound of hope, which was earned by leading a congregation safely through hardship. It had been passed down through Ipyi¡¯s family before she married Engteng, and before she passed, she gave it to Lovu.


    ¡°Thank you for your congratulations,¡± Lovu said, taking a seat across the table from his siblings. An attendant came over with tea and an assortment of food ranging from sweets to grilled meat. He gladly accepted tea but passed on the food to save space for dinner with Akil. ¡°I am overwhelmed with joy that my efforts have been recognized by Fam¡¯e. I had no idea that the High Advocate thought so highly of me.¡±


    Ete choked on a bite and had to take a moment to compose himself, earning a glare from Fitmi. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s quite the surprise,¡± he said after catching his breath. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you didn¡¯t come to tell us right away. Do you have any idea how much work we¡¯re going to have to do to prepare for your appointment?¡±


    Lovu¡¯s face instantly flushed. ¡°I-I am so sorry, I planned on informing you all by letter tomorrow. I knew preparations had to be made but didn¡¯t expect one day to make that much of a difference.¡±


    ¡°Ignore him Lovu,¡± Fitmi said. ¡°We were informed as soon as the declaration was made and have already begun preparations. It is not your job to handle such matters. Ete just can¡¯t help but stir trouble where there is none, even when he has his own duties to attend to.¡±


    ¡°And you can¡¯t help but stomp on my fun,¡± Ete said in response, slurping the final scraps of meat off of the bone he was focusing on before flicking it straight at her head. Without even looking up from the paper, she cocked her head just enough for the bone to sail past. As soon as it hit the ground, an attendant dashed from their post by the wall, picked it up, and returned to attention in one swift movement. Lovu smiled awkwardly at the interaction, quietly mouthing an apology to the attendant.


    ¡°I appreciate your concern, but brother is right,¡± Lovu said, sipping at his tea. ¡°Even if you all were informed, I should have at least been the one to send the messenger. I¡¯m 19 now. It¡¯s high time I take a more active role in the Palace. As High Advocate, it will be important for us to all remain on the same page to ensure Hangkiti continues to flourish.¡±


    For the first time, Fitmi looked up from her work, leveling her steely gaze at Lovu. ¡°That¡¯s very mature of you, but you will serve Hangkiti best by focusing on your duties as High Advocate. In the Palace, we hear stories of your drive to organize blessings and expand Fam¡¯e¡¯s reach, and they inspire us to do our best. You will have advisors and attendants to handle the logistics, so all you need to do is continue to display the commitment to your faith that earned you the position in the first place.¡±


    Disappointment mixed with pride in Lovu¡¯s chest as she simultaneously praised his work and denied him more responsibility. ¡°Thank you for your kind words, sister. I simply wished to ease your burden however possible.¡±


    Fitmi nodded and looked back down at her work. ¡°Your concern warms my heart, but you are already doing more than your fair share.¡±


    Ete snorted at that but before anyone could acknowledge it, the doors behind Lovu creaked open and an attendant announced Voice Engteng¡¯s arrival. All three of his children stood to greet him.


    The Voice of Hangkiti entered in a fine suit, a far step down from the decadent regalia he wore for public events, but still imposing enough to take the breath from Lovu¡¯s chest. He was the most powerful man in the southern peninsula and all it took was a glance to see that.


    ¡°Your majesty,¡± Lovu said, dropping to a knee. The words had barely left his lips before he felt a firm hand on his shoulder.


    ¡°There is no need to be so formal Lovu,¡± his father said, guiding him back to his feet. ¡°You are my son and soon enough, we will be of equal station. You must learn to stand proud no matter who you face.¡±


    Lovu¡¯s chest swelled as he bathed in his father¡¯s smile. Taking the instruction in stride, he pulled his shoulders back and stood tall. ¡°In that case, it is good to see you again, my Voice.¡±


    ¡°There we go,¡± his father said, patting him on the shoulder. From there, he strode to the heat of the table and closest to Fitmi. ¡°The rest of you may be at ease as well, this ought to be a joyous occasion.¡±


    ¡°Of course, father,¡± Fitmi said, immediately gathering a stack of paper and placing it in front of him. ¡°Here are this season¡¯s agricultural and financial reports as well as the predicted yields we can expect over the fall and winter.¡±


    Engteng flicked through the pages she presented him, scanning and nodding in approval, until he stopped on a page and scowled. ¡°You are the one who prepared the financial statements as well?¡±


    ¡°I am.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± he said, setting a stern glare toward Ete. The brutish man weathered it completely unfazed. ¡°Is there a reason why Fitmi is doing your job?¡±


    ¡°There have been several urgent requests for financial mediation between a number of the lower Lords that have kept me occupied. I asked Fitmi to share the burden.¡±


    The Voice scanned the room, eyes flicking between Fitmi and Ete. The siblings were glaring at each other, but neither said anything. Eventually, he sighed. ¡°Well, if your sister is gracious enough to accept the burden without complaint, then I see no reason to intervene. Just don¡¯t make a habit of it, or I will handle royal mediations in your place. Am I understood?¡±


    ¡°Crystal clear, father,¡± Ete said with a smirk.


    Through this whole interaction, Lovu watched with bright eyes. It was rare for him to see his family in action, deliberating about how best to help the nation. As the youngest child with extensive responsibilities within the villa and the church, he hadn¡¯t been given the opportunity to learn much about the specifics of what his family did. Most of what they were saying went over his head, but he made note of anything that confused him so he could research it later.


    ¡°Now,¡± Fitmi said, sliding a new paper across the table. ¡°I have also put together an itinerary of all the non-seasonal tasks that will need to be completed in preparation for Lovu¡¯s appointment. We must furnish his new chambers in the Pedestal, commission a whole new wardrobe of ceremonial robes, plan the festival to follow his appointment, curate the guest list, and send out invitations as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Which of those can I help with?¡± Lovu asked, perking up in his seat. Fitmi and Engteng shared a look until he nodded for her to take the lead.


    ¡°The wardrobe and furnishings could use your expert touch,¡± she said, passing some papers to Lovu. ¡°I am always impressed by what you have done with the villa when I visit.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ of course,¡± Lovu said, reading through them. They contained a list of measurements for the High Advocate¡¯s room in the Pedestal as well as all the seasonal garments and particular accessories he would need to serve all of the normal ceremonies.


    The Advocate¡¯s Pedestal was the largest temple in the world dedicated to Fam¡¯e and the center of her worship¡¯s organization. It was directly adjacent to the Lords¡¯ Residence and would be Lovu¡¯s primary residence once he was appointed. He already spent a decent portion of his time there as an Advocate, but this shift would completely recenter his life to revolve around it instead.


    ¡°In my absence, who will manage the villa?¡± he asked, realizing that he likely wouldn¡¯t have the time to on top of his new duties.


    ¡°We can delegate those duties to an attendant, or¡­ perhaps we can appoint Lamka Vor to manage it instead?¡± his father said, raising an eyebrow at Fitmi. Lamka was Akil¡¯s uncle, so Lovu knew him well. Their families were close, but inviting someone outside of your family to manage your villa wasn¡¯t something that you simply did for friends. It only really happened when the person in question was due to be wed into the family.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    ¡°If you believe he will be a suitable match, then I have no objections,¡± she said with a simple nod.


    ¡°Oh, that is great news!¡± Lovu exploded, his eyes swelling with joy. ¡°I did not know you and Lamka were close.¡±


    ¡°We have not spent time together outside of council meetings, but he is a proud Honor and has served his house well,¡± Fitmi said plainly, already preparing the next stack of papers.


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ not in love with him?¡±


    ¡°Of course not, but that is beside the point. Now, here are¡­¡± Fitmi continued listing topics that needed the Voice¡¯s attention, completely unbothered. All of the excitement drained from Lovu¡¯s face as he looked around to find that he was the only one who found the turn of events surprising.


    The meeting continued at that pace with Lovu falling further and further behind with every new topic. The most upsetting part, however, was the fact that his inability to contribute didn¡¯t seem to stall the rest of them at all. Regardless of whether he was there or not, the meeting would have continued all the same. Fitmi ran out of talking points just as the sun was about to set.


    ¡°Excellent work as always, Fitmi,¡± Voice Engteng said, passing the papers he needed to take with him off to an attendant. He stood to take his leave and everyone else rose with him. ¡°This will help immensely in the upcoming Council session.¡±


    ¡°Of course, father,¡± Fitmi said, bowing deeply. ¡°Anything for Hangkiti.¡±


    ¡°Ete, I expect you to show the same level of diligence,¡± he said, his voice turning cold and stern.


    ¡°Of course, father,¡± Ete said, bowing a few inches deeper than his sister, but the tone in his voice made his disdain for the rebuke obvious.


    ¡°And Lovu, congratulations on your appointment once again. You will do our family proud.¡±


    ¡°Thank you-¡± Lovu said, bowing as well, but before he could finish his sentence, Voice Engteng was already on his way out of the room. As he looked up, he saw that his siblings were doing the same. The praise felt hollow and cold in his chest as he was left alone.


    Was it because I didn¡¯t do enough?


    He stood there for a moment, trying to figure out where he had gone wrong. Luckily, it all came back to one thing: his inexperience. As soon as he realized that, his head picked up again.


    If I can learn to be as useful as Fitmi, that will change things. All I have to do is learn how to help!


    Having a solid goal in mind immediately reinvigorated him. He swept up the files for his wardrobe and furnishings and practically skipped out of the room as he tallied a list of topics to research before he met with his family again.


    The sun was just dipping below the horizon by the time Lovu returned to his villa. Fitmi provided a small escort of Honors to accompany him, but they were Palace guards and returned as soon as he was inside. After checking in with Lehil, he learned that Akil still hadn¡¯t returned, but their dinner was prepared. For the sake of privacy and consideration, he dismissed all but the bare minimum staff for the night and sat down at the dinner table with parchment and a quill to start recording what he learned at the meeting.


    Most of the items on his list were terms that he had heard Fitmi use, like deficit, levy, and something called a giyoten. Based on the context she used them in, he was able to guess a lot of their general meanings, but some were so unfamiliar that he wasn¡¯t even sure how to spell them. Either way, they would serve as the beginning of his studies.


    By the time he finished listing everything he could, he looked up and found that far more time had passed than he realized. All traces of light were gone from the sky and the fresh, hot meal had gone cold.


    I promise to do everything within my power to return before sunset.


    Akil¡¯s promise echoed in his mind as he stood to find Lehil and ask whether he had sent word about a delay. As he passed the dining hall¡¯s tremendous windows, he caught a flicker of light out of the corner of his eye. Like a candle being lit, a pillar of fire peaked over the walls of the Lords¡¯ Residence before dropping back down.


    Then another.


    And another.


    A moment later, the earth trembled beneath his feet and several framed family portraits on the wall clattered to the ground. Lovu staggered back and had to brace himself on the table as he stared out in terrified wonder.


    Hangkiti occasionally suffered from earthquakes, but this was completely different. He ran to the dining hall door and threw it open to find Lehil, Itkilmo, and another one of the villa¡¯s Honors running toward him.


    ¡°W-what was that?¡± he asked, unable to suppress the quiver in his voice.


    ¡°I-it looks like there¡¯s been an attack on the southern gate,¡± Itkilmo said. Although he was an Honor, he was barely a year older than Lovu and had only recently finished his training. His eyes were wide and panicked, which Lovu could only imagine reflected his own. The image jolted him back to his senses as Fam¡¯e¡¯s words echoed in his mind.


    My Advocates must lead first by example. Only by faithfully adhering to my path can they bring others to peace.


    Thumbing his mother¡¯s ring and swallowing the scream threatening to escape his throat, Lovu steeled himself. ¡°Who is still on duty?¡± he asked, a far shout from the panicked child he was before. Itkilmo followed suit, putting on a calmer mask as he stood at attention and gripped the hilt of his sword.


    ¡°Me and Wangom are the only Honors still here,¡± he said, gesturing to the older Honor standing just behind him. ¡°The kitchen staff are still on site, as are your bedroom personnel. 10 attendants in total.¡±


    Lovu nodded solemnly as he immediately started building a list of everyone in his mind. As the villa¡¯s manager, he kept a mix of attendants on staff at all times, with at least a third being older members like Lehil who had served their family for a long time. They knew how to do their jobs the best and were in charge of training and raising the next generations expected to take over their roles once they retired.


    It kept the villa running smoothly, but it presented a challenge now. Lovu¡¯s immediate idea was to evacuate to the Palace, where there would be more Honors on duty. The only problem was that the southern gate was mere minutes from the villa, so they had to move quickly. The older staff wouldn¡¯t be able to keep up, putting them at the most risk.


    There was only one option.


    ¡°We¡¯ll evacuate to the Voice¡¯s Palace,¡± he said. ¡°Gather all able-bodied staff, they will escape with us. Anyone not in a state to make the run will hold up here. Find a room to barricade yourself inside of and wait for the all clear. Wangom, stay here and protect them. Itkilmo, escort us to the palace.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, what?¡± Wangom asked bluntly, stunned by the suggestion.


    ¡°You are a more experienced Honor than Itkilmo,¡± Lovu said. ¡°We¡¯ll have more support once we reach the palace. He should be enough to get us there, but we don¡¯t need to rely on him alone. You will be the only person able to protect the staff until we can send reinforcements, so your talent will be better served here. I am sorry that I must ask you to take on that burden, but-¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re ordering me to stay here and defend the help?¡± Wangom asked, his frown turning into a grimace. ¡°I am sorry your grace, but I will have to refuse. As the senior Honor on duty, I am assuming command. Me and Itkilmo will escort you to the Palace while the staff may hold up here. Now, we¡¯ve wasted enough time. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°B-but-¡± Lovu tried to object, but Wangom was already marching toward the door. His mind raced to try and find some way to refuse the order, but nothing came. In the end, what broke him out of the daze was a gentle hand on his shoulder.


    ¡°We appreciate the thought, your grace,¡± Lehil said in his wispy, frail voice, ¡°but Sir Wangom is correct. Your safety takes priority. We will make do here, but you must flee. You belong in the Palace.¡±


    Tears welled up in Lovu¡¯s eyes, but he was in no position to refute his old attendant¡¯s sacrifice. ¡°I¡¯ll send support as soon as I can.¡±


    ¡°Stay safe, young master.¡±


    Doing his best to keep calm, Lovu dashed toward the exit, following Wangom¡¯s lead.


    *** *** ***


    The streets of the Lords¡¯ Residence were eerily quiet. In the open air, Lovu could hear the distant sounds of combat ¨C metal on metal interspersed with cries of pain. Despite the noise, there was nobody to be seen outside of their villas. The permanent residents were likely planning to stand alone in their villas, since they each had a full retinue of guards.


    Wangom was setting the group¡¯s pace, sprinting from block to block, carefully checking around each corner before continuing, always moving just fast enough for Lovu to keep up. Unfortunately, he was dressed for evening lounging and didn¡¯t have time to change, so he was being forced to hike up his long robes as he ran. Even with those delays, they seemed to be moving at a steady pace as the sounds of violence fell further and further behind.


    As they neared the end of their trek, just a couple of blocks from the palace, Wangom paused at a corner. Lovu caught up and stood, waiting for the signal to continue, but it never came.


    ¡°Sir Wangom? Is something the matter?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know. There¡¯s another group there, but¡­ something feels off.¡±


    ¡°Oh, excellent. There is safety in numbers. Should we join them?¡±


    ¡°I-¡±


    Before the Honor could respond, a new eruption of flame blasted them back. This one was close ¨C from inside the Residence. The heat was unlike anything Lovu had ever felt before and it immediately stole the breath from his lungs as he hit the ground. Squinting through stinging eyes, he sat up to see flames licking at the Palace¡¯s peaks.


    ¡°N-no¡­¡± he gasped on instinct, the heat scouring his throat. ¡°No!¡±


    He felt his mind spiraling, but before he could let out another word, Wangom firmly clasped his hand over Lovu¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Quiet!¡± he hissed through his teeth. ¡°You¡¯ll draw their-¡±


    Lovu never found out what he was trying to say, as he heard a meaty thud and felt the hand on his face go limp. Looking up, Wangom had an arrow sticking out of the back of his head. The Honor¡¯s body collapsed onto Lovu, his heavy armor pinning him to the ground and pressing the air from his lungs.


    ¡°S-sir W-wangom?¡± Lovu stammered as the air was forced out of him.


    ¡°Your grace!¡± Itkilmo shouted, heaving the body off of him. He moved to grab Lovu and pull him to his feet, but before he could an arrow lodged itself in the young Honor¡¯s shoulder, just above his breastplate. Looking aghast between his charge and the arrow, his mouth moved in shaky jolts. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Lovu couldn¡¯t process what he was possibly apologizing for as he watched the soldier, barely a year older than him, turn to flee. Itkilmo made it ten paces before another arrow caught him in the leg, sending him tumbling to the ground, and a third caught him under the chin.


    As quickly as the fight began, Lovu was left completely alone.


    ¡°Well, well,¡± a familiar voice rang out from the corner. Lovu looked up to find Lord Tama Foyrilmang standing at the street corner, flanked by two Honors. Each one held a bow and arrow, knocked and ready to fire. ¡°You¡¯re not exactly who I was looking for, but you¡¯re the second-best prize I could hope to find.¡±


    Lovu just stared at her, unable to even understand the words coming from her mouth. ¡°L-lord Foyrilmang, w-what is the meaning of this?¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t you worry your pretty little head about it, High Advocate,¡± she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she strode up to Lovu with rope in hand. ¡°All you have to worry about is keeping your mouth shut long enough to serve your purpose. Believe it or not, I don¡¯t have anything against you personally, so I¡¯m glad to make things as painless as possible. So long as you behave.¡±


    ¡°W-what?¡±


    ¡°Ah, ah,¡± she tutted, snapping the rope taut between her hands. ¡°That¡¯s already verging on being too mouthy. Let¡¯s go ahead and-¡±


    As she knelt down to jam the rope in Lovu¡¯s mouth, a series of tearing sounds came from behind her. The soldiers escorting her were both slumped on the ground, missing their heads. One was rolling across the marble brick street, leaving a trail of brilliant crimson in its path, while the other was flying through the air, directly at her face.


    It¡¯s jagged metal helmet hit her nose with a sickening crunch, bouncing up into the air as she dropped to the ground. The back of her head slammed into the ground and the severed head fell cleanly down onto her face again with a dull thud, lacking the same crunch from the first impact.


    Lovu looked at her still body laying next to him in horror as he witnessed his fifth murder, all in the span of a minute. His vision went blurry as everything caught up to him and it suddenly felt like he was being crushed under Wangom again. He fought to breath as he braced for whoever his next assailant may be.


    Instead of another bloodthirsty killer, he found a soft, familiar face looking back at him. Akil stood there with bloody sword in hand, clutching a gaping wound in his side as he looked down at Lovu with calm reassuring eyes.


    ¡°Come on. We need to get you out of here.¡±

 Akils Perspective

    Akil


    --- That Morning ---


    ¡°Enter.¡±


    Akil stepped into Fitmi¡¯s personal office in the Voice¡¯s Palace. Unlike the meeting room she was planning to use while briefing the Voice later that day, this space was hers and hers alone. The walls were lined with the stern looking portraits of past Voices and the bare minimum furniture. It was still decadent enough to suit a member of the royal family, but every plush chair and ornate table matched every other piece in the palace. For those accustomed to that taste, it was like looking at a blank slate.


    ¡°Your grace,¡± he said, bowing to Fitmi, who sat at her enormous desk poring over paperwork like always. Unlike with most other guests who entered her office, she set aside what she was currently working on and gave him her undivided attention.


    ¡°Sir Akil, I hope today finds you well.¡±


    ¡°It did until I received your summons,¡± he said plainly. That morning, he was awoken by a messenger knocking on him and Lovu¡¯s door. He had to carefully sneak out of bed to avoid waking his lover and was displeased to hear that Fitmi requested a meeting as soon as possible. ¡°Short term requests are never good news. Is this about Lovu¡¯s appointment?¡±


    Plans for the High Advocate to name Lovu his successor had been in the works since he was a child, but today it would be made official. High Advocate Winghu would make the announcement to the public during a feast being held in the Merchants¡¯ Quarter.


    ¡°As astute as ever,¡± she said, pulling a stack of bound papers from one of her desk drawers and sliding it to him, ¡°¡­but not quite. The feast should go off without a hitch, but something else has caught our attention. It may be nothing, but we need to know the threat it poses as soon as possible.¡±


    The first page held a list of seven Lords and the Honors currently serving them: Lords Hakivwap, Kamla, Ferwuv, Komvok, Ngefwi, Longfi, and Foyrilmang. The others had similar lists of merchants, addresses in the Merchants¡¯ Quarter, and manifests for ships that had arrived in the harbor over the past few weeks.


    Akil quickly scanned the information, looking for patterns. The Lords painted an obvious picture ¨C all seven had been outwardly hostile toward the Voice¡¯s family. Never to the point of explicit threat, but enough for both Akil and Fitmi to make note of them. The rest meant little to him, but that connection was enough for him to get the gist of her concern.


    ¡°Do we have reason to believe these seven Lords have been in communication with each other?¡± he asked cautiously.


    ¡°We do not know the extent of their contact, but they are in the process of brewing something. All seven have already arrived in the Residence for the upcoming Council session or are in transit and expected to arrive by nightfall.¡±


    ¡°That is definitely troubling,¡± Akil said, finally understanding where the rest of the information fit in. ¡°The rest of these are people and places involved in their communication?¡±


    ¡°The addresses are properties discreetly purchased by the Lords and their vassals, while the merchants are those with strong ties to one or more of the Lords in question. After learning of the potential conspiracy, I collected a list of all their shipments in and out of Lavote over the past few months and have identified these as suspicious.¡±


    ¡°What makes them suspect?¡±


    ¡°After looking over the registered crew, nearly 80% of them were using recently renewed merchant licenses. Most of them had been lapsed for over a decade.¡±


    Akil felt his stomach turn over. License fraud was a common tactic used by smugglers and pirates to be able to slip in and out of the harbor without trouble. It was easier to renew an old merchant¡¯s license than register for a new one, so they¡¯d find people who had either retired or passed away and use their identity to get the necessary papers. Hundreds of unknown threats had managed to slip into Lavote but hadn¡¯t made a move yet.


    ¡°Should we cancel the ceremony?¡± Akil asked as he imagined them springing an attack on the feast.


    ¡°No,¡± Fitmi said plainly. ¡°We¡¯ll double security, but I find it unlikely that they¡¯ll make a move before then. We intercepted communications discussing a gathering this evening in the outer ring of the city. They were coded messages, so we don¡¯t know the agenda, but we know it will be important.¡±


    ¡°So, you want me to catch them in the act?¡±


    ¡°Precisely,¡± Fitmi said, pointing to a name on the list. ¡°I already have my Honors on alert and ready to sortie, but it would put my mind at ease if you were the one to lead the charge.¡±


    Akil had been working alongside Fitmi like this since before he had even finished his Honor training. Her direct guidance was a big part of how he earned the title at such a young age and let him take his position as Lovu¡¯s personal bodyguard. He didn¡¯t report to her in any formal capacity, but they worked well together, especially when Lovu was involved. After all, it was a priority for both of them to protect him, and it was best to nip potential problems in the bud.


    ¡°What time?¡± he asked, tucking the paper into his pocket as he stood.


    ¡°Be prepared to move out three hours after the ceremony wraps up. That¡¯ll even give the two of you a bit of time to celebrate,¡± Fitmi said bluntly as she returned to her work, causing Akil¡¯s face to go red. Knowing Lovu, she was right about how they¡¯d spend that time, but her callous indifference never failed to hit a nerve.


    Akil quickly left to join Lovu for breakfast.


    *** *** ***


    As Fitmi predicted, the ceremony went off without a hitch. While Lovu was front and center on the central stage, Akil was standing off to the side, scanning all of the stairways up and the front few rows of the crowd, looking for anything out of the ordinary. He occasionally received reports from the Honors patrolling the crowd when something out of the ordinary happened. When he heard about a disturbance at the Merchants¡¯ Guild, he was worried that would be the start of something big, but nothing came of it.


    In the end, nothing happened at all. As soon as Lovu finished receiving the High Advocate¡¯s blessing, Akil ushered him off stage toward their carriage.


    During the ride back toward the Lords¡¯ Residence, Akil paid particular attention to the streets around them. Even under normal circumstances, he remained on guard whenever they were out of the Residence no matter how much Lovu teased him, but he took it even further that day.


    He finally let out a breath of relief once they were safely inside its walls. Knowing that Lords were involved meant they also weren¡¯t necessarily safe there, but he only needed to consider a fraction of the variables inside of its controlled environment. The only major threat at that point was the Foyrilmang villa. It was on the direct path between the southern gate and the Yelma villa, so it was impossible to avoid without taking a big detour. He hoped their convoy was still in transit, but as they disembarked the carriage, an Honors manning the gate ¨C one of Fitmi¡¯s contacts ¨C caught his attention.


    ¡°Lord Foyrilmang arrived about 20 minutes ago. She is currently overseeing their luggage being unloaded. We have Honors monitoring the situation,¡± she whispered in his ear. Akil gave a quiet nod and continued on his way.


    ¡°Good afternoon Lord Foyrilmang!¡± Lovu called out as soon as she came into sight. ¡°It¡¯s good to see that your travels have once again delivered you safely into Fam¡¯e¡¯s embrace.¡±


    While Lovu was obliviously greeting her, Akil was assessing her forces. Standing around the carriages were about two dozen Honors, a bit more than typical for Council sessions, but not an immediate red flag.


    Instead, Akil focused on her attendants. Knowing that they were smuggling people into the capital under false pretenses made them particularly suspect and his trained eyes picked up on the signs immediately.


    Attendants were usually lower nobles, not commoners. While every single person unloading luggage wore typical noble clothing, they were far brusquer in face and manner than any attendant he had ever seen. Just as he was scanning them, they were all watching him. They moved lightly on their feet, as though they were ready to drop what they were carrying and strike at any moment.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Between the Honors and ¡°attendants¡±, he counted nearly 50 able-bodied fighters. All they needed were weapons and she¡¯d have a large platoon at her disposal.


    ¡°Thank you so much for your concern, my prince,¡± Lord Foyrilmang said, bowing to Lovu. ¡°There were some close calls, but none so great as to delay me.¡±


    ¡°Oh goodness, I am sorry to hear you had trouble. May I ask what happened?¡±


    ¡°Nothing for you to concern yourself with, my prince,¡± she said, probing Akil with her eyes. ¡°As you may know, my lands are notorious for roaming vit. We were lucky enough to not suffer any major losses aside from time.¡±


    The Foyrilmang family had been complaining about the quality of their fiefdom since before Voice Engteng took the throne. Her father had even petitioned the former Voice multiple times to yield some of a neighboring fiefdom to them.


    Lord Fingtu ¨C the neighbor ¨C had a much smaller territory than Foyrilmang, but it held a handful of highly productive gem mines. Despite controlling a tenth of the territory, Fingtu was dozens of times wealthier. The most recent request for the land came when Lord Fingtu broke off an engagement between his son and Tama. The former Lord Foyrilmang raised hell to be compensated for the dishonor, but before his request reached the Lord¡¯s Council, a plague swept through their swampy territory, taking many with it, including their Lord.


    At least try to hide your disdain, Akil thought as he caught the daggers in her eyes.


    ¡°If only I had such an esteemed Honor in my service, the trip would be trivial,¡± she said, digging into him with her stare. ¡°The Advocate¡¯s¡­ Guard is a name spoken in reverence all across Hangkiti.¡±


    Her pause was brief enough to easily be mistaken as a natural pause in her cadence, but Akil knew better. He had earned many nicknames in Lovu¡¯s service, but one stood tall above all others ¨C The Advocate¡¯s Guillotine.


    In his work with Fitmi, he was nothing if not thorough and enemies to the Voice¡¯s family were more common than he cared for. Still, as his Honor training demanded, he avoided conflict when necessary and showed grace even while dispensing death, so he had developed an affinity for ending fights in one strike to avoid prolonged suffering. The neck happened to be a common gap in armor, and he had spent thousands of hours training to find that opening no matter the situation.


    He didn¡¯t like the name. It was gratuitous and indulgent, but his biggest concern had always been protecting Lovu.


    The Lords and their houses were cold, calculating, and cruel. They¡¯d speak publicly about following Fam¡¯e¡¯s path and working together to ensure Hangkiti¡¯s prosperity¡­ then turn around and put a knife in your back, all to give a lovely eulogy at your funeral. Some were more malicious than others, but not a single one would come to your aid unless there was something in it for them.


    Lovu was the only exception.


    He was the only person who Akil had ever met that truly embodied Fam¡¯e¡¯s teaching. Even the current High Advocate skimmed the top off of the church¡¯s charities to pad his own pockets. The Voice had even used bribery to earn Lovu the appointment. Akil had no doubt that Lovu was the only candidate who deserved the title, but without his family¡¯s generous donations to the High Advocate, he never would have gotten the recognition he deserved.


    It was his lover¡¯s most admirable trait and his greatest weakness. Exposed to the truths of the world they lived in, Akil knew that Lovu wouldn¡¯t survive. Even if he managed to live, the part of him that set him apart from the rest of the Lords would be broken in the process.


    Akil fought to preserve the peace that protected Lovu, but even that truth would be enough to break his heart, so he couldn¡¯t go around being called his Guillotine. He made sure it was known that anyone who used the name in Lovu¡¯s vicinity would be treated as a threat to that peace and eliminated. Still, it was impossible to stop people from chattering, so he sowed ¡°The Advocate¡¯s Guard¡± as a substitute.


    ¡°Careful with that name,¡± Lovu laughed. ¡°The Guard himself doesn¡¯t care for it.¡±


    Akil put on the rehearsed grin that he had developed for dealing with the Lords and their kin.


    ¡°In that case, I¡¯m sorry to have caused offense,¡± Lord Foyrilmang said, feigning shame, but Akil saw right through her.


    ¡°Do not worry about it,¡± he said, grinning firmly. ¡°Perhaps while you are here, I can assess your guards and offer advice. There is always room for improvement, after all.¡±


    In other words, I don¡¯t care how many people you have surrounding you. They still won¡¯t be enough to stop me if you push your luck.


    ¡°I appreciate the offer and I may well take you up on it,¡± Tama said, matching his smile. ¡°My schedule is quite open between now and the Council session, so we will be ready to welcome you whenever you have the time.¡±


    There was a threat in her words, accepting his challenge.


    ¡°At the very least I am glad to see you safe,¡± Lovu said, cutting through the silence. ¡°Before you depart Lavote, you must let me know. I would love to provide a blessing in Fam¡¯e¡¯s name to ensure a smooth return.¡±


    As always, he took everyone at face value, trusting their better nature.


    ¡°You honor me,¡± Tama said, finally breaking her staring contest with Akil. ¡°Now, I must see to our attendants. I would prefer to get everything unpacked while we still have the sun.¡±


    The rest of their walk home was uneventful. As soon as they arrived, Lovu went to speak with his attendants about dinner and Akil pulled aside Sir Itkilmo Lao, the current head of security for the villa.


    He was still green, but performed well during training and the Lao family were very close allies of Voice Engteng. The Lao fiefdom was known for their vineyards, so Lord Lao offered a substantial donation of their finest vintages in exchange for his children to be integrated into the Voice¡¯s retinue. Itkilmo was Lord Lao¡¯s youngest son, so it fit well for him to serve Lovu, but he also had older siblings attending to Ete and Fitmi.


    Akil was skeptical of whether he was fit for the role because of his inexperience but was used to compensating for the Voice¡¯s political machinations. At the very least, Itkilmo was able to do the job and had the potential to grow into a fine Honor with time, so Akil didn¡¯t mind investing in his future, even if he still had to take the reins when it mattered.


    ¡°Dispatch scouts to monitor the new arrivals in the Residence,¡± Akil whispered to Itkilmo, briefly explaining the situation and which Lords to be aware of. ¡°If any of them ¨C especially Foyrilmang ¨C so much as go for a walk, I want to be the first one to know. Got it?¡±


    ¡°Aye, Sir,¡± Itklimo said, standing at attention.


    ¡°And send a messenger to Lady Fitmi. Tell her to prepare to host Lovu in a few hours. Foyrilmang¡¯s arrival means leaving him alone in the villa will be too risky.¡±


    ¡°Aye, Sir.¡±


    ¡°Good. May Yol guide you,¡± Akil said, dismissing the Honor and returning to Lovu¡¯s side.


    As soon as the staff cleared the room, Lovu grabbed Akil by the collar of his breastplate. ¡°Now¡­ I was promised a prize,¡± he said, a sultry grin creeping across his face. Akil could feel him pulling, but there was no real force behind it. Still, he let his feet give way and followed his lead.


    ¡°I am at your mercy.¡±


    *** *** ***


    A knock at their door pulled Akil away from Lovu. He expected it to come at any moment, but the sound still rang like a spike in his ear. Every fiber of his being wanted to stay cuddling with Lovu ¨C and his lover climbing on top of him didn¡¯t make it any easier ¨C but when duty called he didn¡¯t have the option of declining. After wrestling his way out of bed, he opened the door to find Itkilmo.


    ¡°Lord Foyrilmang¡¯s villa is empty,¡± he whispered to Akil. ¡°They left behind two Honors to guard the front gate but otherwise took everybody ¨C attendants included ¨C and left for the Merchants¡¯ Quarter. We have a scout tailing them and I have already informed Lady Fitmi.¡±


    ¡°Good work,¡± Akil said, dismissing the Honor and returning to the room to dress and prepare to leave.


    ¡°But I thought we were going to have dinner together,¡± Lovu said, the disappointment clear on his face.


    ¡°I will hurry back, but something came up and I need to handle it as soon as possible. It shouldn¡¯t take long,¡± he said, looking out the window at the sun. Ideally, he¡¯d be able to quickly classify the meeting as benign for the time being. Worst case scenario, if their threat required immediate intervention, he¡¯d strike quickly, play his part in the battle, then leave the rest of Fitmi¡¯s Honors to handle cleanup. Either way, it would be resolved quickly. ¡°I should be back a little bit after sunset, so it will be a late dinner, but a dinner nonetheless.¡±


    ¡°Promise?¡±


    ¡°I promise to do everything within my power to return as quickly as possible,¡± he said, bending down to kiss Lovu on the forehead. ¡°Are you happy?¡±


    ¡°No, but I will be in time,¡± Lovu said, slumping back into the bed. ¡°Now I just have to figure out what to do to fill the time until you return.¡±


    Akil¡¯s job often required him to lie, but it never got any easier. That¡¯s why he always tried to ensure his deceptions at least left Lovu with a smile. Luckily, he had already set the groundwork. ¡°How about you go and report what happened at the ceremony to your family? I already had Itkilmo check, and your sister is going to be meeting with your father shortly. You¡¯re welcome to join if you want.¡±


    Lovu¡¯s pout snapped to a smile and Akil knew he had made the right move. ¡°Really! I was planning to send a letter tomorrow, but it¡¯ll be even better to handle it in person. I¡¯m sure there is a lot to do before my appointment, so I¡¯d love to get a jump start on it.¡±


    ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll escort you to the Palace.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. If something urgent enough to keep you away from me has come up, I¡¯d rather you address it as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°The palace is on my way,¡± Akil lied. The palace was a short walk north, but the merchant¡¯s quarter was outside the southern gate. ¡°Or are you telling me you don¡¯t want me to escort you?¡±


    ¡°Oh, well if you must,¡± Lovu said, joy overflowing on his face.


    From there, they walked arm in arm to the Voice¡¯s Palace. Only once Akil saw Lovu safely in his family¡¯s care did he set his eyes south.


    At the southern gate, he was flagged down and escorted into a meeting room built into the wall. The Honors Fitmi set aside for the mission were all there. They had fifty in total, all armed and armored. He had worked with them all in the past, so no introductions were needed. The scouts tracking the errant Lords were sending updates to the gate, so they had the most current information possible. Just like Foyrilmang, all seven Lords brought along larger entourages than expected and left the Residence with them in tow around the same time.


    To Akil¡¯s surprise, they weren¡¯t all headed to the same place. Lords Foyrilmang and Ngefwi were last seen en route to the outer city. The rest were headed for the merchant¡¯s quarter.


    That meant the Honors had to split their forces as well. In the end, they sent 15 Honors to track down the two Lords in the outer city, while the rest headed for the Merchants¡¯ Quarter with Akil as their commanding officer. With their plan set and course settled, the two groups donned cloaks to hide their armor and marched into the city.


    That moment marked the beginning of the longest and bloodiest night in Lavote¡¯s history.

 Phakfis Ascent

    Akil


    The errant Lords were meeting in a warehouse where the Merchants¡¯ Quarter met the harbor. Just far enough away from it to avoid being noticed, he signaled them all to stop and moments later, a gruff voice called out from a nearby alley.


    ¡°Took ya long enough.¡± The voice¡¯s owner stepped out of the darkness to reveal a gruff looking man wearing a silver badge depicting Yol¡¯s Ember ¨C the flame surrounded by chains that only Honors were allowed to wear.


    In accordance with both Fam¡¯e and Yol¡¯s teachings, anybody could enter Yol¡¯s temple and train to become an Honor. Those who proved they were worthy enough to wield a weapon in defense of life could earn the title, regardless of birth, but that didn¡¯t mean all Honors were equal. Those born to or sponsored by Lords would serve them, while all others served as Hangkiti¡¯s militia and peacekeepers. In name, they were all Honors, but there was a world of difference between the two.


    Akil¡¯s group wore the identical steel armor issued to Honors serving Lords with the Ember gilded onto their breastplate and their respective Lords¡¯ crests emblazoned on their capes. The scout on the other hand wore simple, poorly maintained leather armor that didn¡¯t even carry the Ember without his badge. High-ranking Honors might wear armor like his if they needed to stay inconspicuous while moving around the outer city, but his demeanor alone made it clear that the scout wasn¡¯t affiliated with the nobility.


    ¡°Are you the scout?¡± Akil asked.


    ¡°One of ¡®em. Got about six other people keeping an eye out.¡±


    ¡°What does the situation look like?¡±


    ¡°A bit over 100 people loaded up in a warehouse. Haven¡¯t gotten a good look inside, but there¡¯re only three entrances. We¡¯re watching ¡®em all and nobody¡¯s come out yet, so who knows what they¡¯re up to,¡± the scout said, handing Akil a rough sketch of the building¡¯s layout.


    Of the three entrances, one was a large set of bay doors where carriages would unload their goods. The other two were smaller side doors for personnel. While the building had skylights to let light in during the day, there were no windows accessible from the ground.


    ¡°That will do,¡± he said, dismissing the scout. They were outnumbered, but the 35 they had were Hangkiti¡¯s elite. Each one could easily take on 20 Scars if necessary. Based on what he saw of Foyrilmang¡¯s attendants, that was about the level of experience he expected, so it should be an easy fight.


    The lack of eyes on the inside was upsetting. Without being able to listen in on what was being discussed, they¡¯d have to fall back on brute force and treat it as a raid, then figure out the nature of the meeting once they had everyone in custody. They had enough evidence already to justify it, but it still meant a fight was almost certain.


    ¡°Alright everyone,¡± he said in a hushed tone, calling them to gather around. ¡°We¡¯ll enter through the main entrance to flush them out. I want three people watching each exit to catch anyone who tries to run. From there it¡¯ll be a standard sweep. Restrain as many as possible, but don¡¯t hold back if they try to fight. The only necessary captures are the Lords. Understood?¡±


    ¡°Aye, Sir!¡± The crowd let out a single quiet retort and set into motion.


    In minutes, they were in position at the bay doors. As one, they dropped the cloaks hiding their armor. The few people in the streets around them took notice of what was happening and cleared out. Even if the warehouse had someone on the lookout, they moved quickly enough to not give them time to mount a defense.


    Akil kicked one of the large bay doors and bellowed, ¡°In the name of Voice Engteng, you are under arrest for suspected conspiracy against Hangkiti! Surrender yourself peacefully if you are innocent and no harm will come to you!¡±


    His voice echoed through the halls of the warehouse, but they were met with silence. No shouts, calls to action, no weapons being drawn. A pit formed in his stomach. Something was wrong, but they had to move or risk losing any benefit from the element of surprise.


    The Honors fanned out, sweeping through the building with Akil taking point. While the others to cleared out the rooms and hallways around the edges of the building, he charged straight toward the central storage.


    ¡°Clear! Clear! Clear!¡± Calls rang out through the building, confirming that no one was there. The pit was rapidly growing into a boulder.


    The central storage room was a massive open chamber piled high with rows of crates. Working his way meticulously down the line, he cleared every single aisle but found absolutely nobody. He knew that the building was empty before he even reached the halfway point but had to be thorough.


    Just as he had that thought, he finally found something ¨C a trail of blood. Streaks of fresh crimson smeared across the ground like something had been dragged through them. It started in the center of the room and disappeared down one of the aisles.


    He signaled the Honors with him to fan out and enter the aisle from both sides on his signal. As soon as they were in position, he stepped around the corner and froze.


    Strung on chains between the shelves were seven bodies, stripped naked and gutted. Viscera littered the ground beneath them and blood still dripped from their feet. Carved into the chest of each body was a crude icon. It would have been difficult to make out if it hadn¡¯t been burned into the mind of every single Honor ever trained: a hammer superimposed on the image of a gleaming sun.


    ¡°Phakfi¡­¡± Akil heard an Honor mutter just behind him.


    The mark of a dead empire. When Heaven¡¯s Emperor Awiye marched on Hangkiti 700 years ago, he fought under that banner. Others had attempted to take up his mantle since, but the last prospective conqueror had been killed five years ago. Akil knew that for certain.


    Kiwokiti ¨C the current name for the various lands once unified in Phakfi ¨C were scattered, bickering nuisances. They spent their time at each other¡¯s throats, trying to claw their way above the rest to reclaim the title. There was no way they had organized enough to launch an attack on Lavote without anyone noticing.


    Akil wracked his mind to find meaning in what they were looking at. He had nowhere near enough information to put the whole picture together but did make one realization as the scout¡¯s words came back to him.


    One of ¡®em. Got about six other people keeping an eye out.


    Seven scouts and seven bodies stripped of their uniforms. They weren¡¯t the ones setting the ambush¡­ they were prey.


    His realization came a moment too late as he heard the sounds of clashing steel echo from outside the building. At the same time, the skylights crashed in with a rush of heat as a stream of fire poured into the huge chamber.


    ¡°It¡¯s a trap! We have to fight our way out,¡± Akil shouted, sweeping his cape over his head and dodging as much flame and debris as possible. Every Honor in the building heard him and started charging back toward the front entrance.


    He had no clue what the enemy¡¯s plan was, but staying inside was a death sentence. It was easy to assume they had the warehouse surrounded and were watching the entrances ¨C just like they had planned to do ¨C so they needed to find a way to punch through. From there, they could retreat and send word for reinforcements.


    The side doors would be no good. They¡¯d just be charging into a choke point. Even if the enemy had more people watching it, the bay doors were their best bet to avoid taking too many losses. Even without Akil explaining that, the other Honors understood.


    Because Akil was leading the sweep, he was the farthest from the entrance and the last to arrive. By the time he stepped back into the antechamber, the others had already taken up their positions beside the closed bay doors, ready for the charge. A group of about five Honors formed a shield wall at the front while everyone else rallied behind them.


    As soon as they had eyes on Akil bringing up the rear, they moved. Pushing open the door, they braced to charge into battle, but the fight was over before it even started.


    They had braced for arrows, but not for anything more volatile. From the rear, Akil saw it happen in slow motion. Three small glass vials filled with sparking embers flew over their heads and shattered against the ceiling just above the shield wall. Akil had heard stories of experimental explosive artifacts a warlord in Phakfi had developed a few decades ago, but he also heard that the research on them had been destroyed.


    They exploded with a sharp crack, blinding him for a moment. Roaring fire and crumbling stone erupted as Akil was thrown backward. By the time he had blinked away the shock and gotten back to his feet, the entrance had collapsed inward. Of the nearly twenty men who had stood before him, twelve were buried or pinned by the mountain of rubble blocking the way forward. The rest were stunned, struggling to regain their composure.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    With the heat of the flames on his back and the collapsed door in front of him, his vision started to blur. There was an intentionality to everything happening around him. It wasn¡¯t some random, disorganized attack, but how far ahead did they plan?


    An arrow whizzed past, clipping his ear. A volley had just been blind-fired over the rubble. Most missed, but a couple found purchase in the remaining Honors. The big picture didn¡¯t matter. His primary goal was the same as always: protect Lovu. He couldn¡¯t do that from the warehouse, so he needed to get out and the front door wasn¡¯t an option anymore.


    ¡°On me!¡± he called out, rallying the remaining Honors as he charged back into the burning storage room. He had to assume the Honors they left watching the side doors were ambushed and either they managed to fend off their attackers or died trying. Regardless of the outcome, that was their best option left.


    Covering his mouth and staying as low as possible, he weaved between freshly fallen shelves. Only once he reached the door did he turn around to find that only five Honors were still with him. He had no clue what happened to the others and didn¡¯t stop to ponder. Readying his shield, he stepped to the side of the door and signaled the rest to do the same.


    A second later, he signaled the Honor that arrived just after him to kick open the door. She was young, only a couple of years older than Akil and the crest on her cape belonged to Lord Amra, a minor Lord from a poor fiefdom. Akil recognized her from Fitmi¡¯s retinue and knew that her family had to pull major favors to earn a position in service of the first princess. She wasn¡¯t in a position to refuse the order.


    Their eyes locked and Akil could see the realization set in on her face. She grit her teeth, brought up her shield, and drove her heel into the door.


    A split second later, a hail of arrows peppered her body. She managed to block enough with her shield and armor not to die outright, but a handful stuck out of the gaps at her joints. She took one staggered step backward before Akil caught her and rushed out of the door.


    Twenty people stood in a semicircle around the door wearing shoddy armor befitting Scars. As soon as the Honors emerged from the smoke, they dropped the bows completely and drew melee weapons ¨C a mix of swords and spears. Once Akil had vision of the situation, he dropped the Amra Honor and drew his own.


    All he needed was a single opening and he quickly found it. One of the Scars was about Akil¡¯s age, but clearly without the experience to back it up. His sword¡¯s handguard caught briefly on his armor as he tried to draw. Flustered, he fumbled to correct the problem and did manage to pull it out, but not before Akil was on top of him.


    In a single blow, his head was separated from his body. The Scars on either side of their decapitated ally attempted to swing on Akil. He deflected the first with his shield but wasn¡¯t able to bring his sword around to catch the other in time. Steel dug into the flesh as the blade found the gap under his breasplate.


    The Scar that hit him looked just as surprised as Akil did. Judging from his stance, Akil could tell he was nowhere near as skilled as any Honor in their unit. It hadn¡¯t been an intentional move, but that didn¡¯t matter. Real combat always involved small strokes of luck, no matter how skilled the fighters. However, that inexperience stopped him from being able to make a follow up strike and Akil had no plan on giving him a chance to get lucky again. He darted through the hole in their line, ignoring the pain entirely as he sprinted into the night.


    Following his lead, the Honors behind him dove toward the opening. The first two took advantage of the surprise and attacked the Scars focused on Akil as they cut their own way out of the ring. From the sound of combat fading behind him, Akil knew they were the only ones to make it through.


    Without knowing when the scouts were compromised, Akil had no clue how accurate any of the information they had received was. He didn¡¯t know the enemy¡¯s number or goals, so they had to regroup in the Residence as soon as possible. Shortly after escaping the warehouse, they heard the footfalls of others pursuing them.


    The streets around the warehouse were empty, so they did their best to lose their tail by dipping through alleys and creating distractions whenever possible by toppling things in their path. As they got farther away they started to see people meandering around again. Most of them looked like normal merchants and commoners, but given how far ahead the invaders had planned, Akil didn¡¯t want to risk stopping. The crowd parted around them, leaving a clear path where they passed.


    Honors had barracks all throughout the city where they gathered to patrol and monitor their districts, so he set his course for the closest one in the Merhcants¡¯ Quarter¡¯s central plaza. If they could just increase their numbers, they¡¯d be able to turn the tides. As they charged into the plaza, a group of low born Honors stepped out of the barracks, presumably having heard the commotion.


    ¡°I am Akil Vor, personal guard to Prince Lovu,¡± he shouted as he ran toward the highest-ranking Honor on duty. He was a portly man wearing metal armor significantly better than the rest of his companions, but still notably less ornate than his. ¡°A merchant smuggled mercenaries from Kiwokiti into the harbor. They are on our tale, sound the alarm!¡±


    The portly Honor¡¯s eyes went wide as he barked orders at his men. One went to ring an alarm bell to notify the other nearby barracks and the commoners filling the square scattered. As soon as Akil reached the door, he took the chance to lean against the wall and catch his breath. Not a moment later, he saw the horde of Scars step into sight.


    Rocking back to his feet, he readied his shield and brought his sword to bear, but they didn¡¯t move any closer. For a moment, the two forces faced off as the sea of panicked bystanders cleared out.


    But he only realized he was focused on the wrong threat when he heard a pained gasp to his side. Looking left, he saw one of the Honors who had escaped the warehouse with him clutching his throat and gulping for air as blood gushed through his fingers.


    One of the nameless faces from the crowd stood behind the Honor holding a long, delicate blade now dripping with blood. At first glance he appeared to be a merchant, but his clothing was too fine to fit his worn face. All of a sudden, members of the fleeing crowd stopped and turned toward them. The majority were still running, but the numbers were no longer as favorable as Akil had hoped.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re the Guillotine?¡± the fake merchant said, turning to face him. His mouth twisted into a wicked, toothy grin. ¡°Lucky me. I never expected to be the one claiming the bounty.¡±


    Bounty?


    Unfortunately, Akil couldn¡¯t spare the time to ponder the implications of that. The fake merchant opened his mouth to say something else, but Akil struck in a flash, severing the man¡¯s head before another word left his mouth.


    He never cared for people who tried to talk during a fight and rarely gave them the chance to make that mistake again. The battle was far from over, but taking one person out before blades started clashing was always ideal.


    However, that single act signaled the melee to begin. The square became a battlefield as Honor and Scar clashed. While the low born Honors charged forward out of the barracks, Akil did his best to skirt around the edge of the fight. After the fake merchant¡¯s declaration, it felt like everybody kept one eye locked on him at all times. He kept moving, looking for a chance to break from the fight and keep moving toward the Residence, but the horde followed him with every step.


    Any time a slight opening presented itself, a Scar would throw themselves at him. Most were cut down before they reached him and he was able to outmatch the ones who made it all the way, but fatigue was steadily catching up to him. There was still a lot of ground to cover between him and Lovu, so he needed to make his exit quickly.


    The sky lit up as a pillar of fire shot up above the rooftops in the distance. A moment later, the earth shook beneath his feet. Whatever had just happened was far enough away to not pose the people in the square any threat, but every eye drifted up toward it.


    Akil used the opening it presented, scanning the crowd for the closest Scar wearing a cloak with a hood. The Scar barely realized what was happening. Before his body even hit the ground, Akil caught the cloak and whipped it off of the corpse.


    The rest of the combatants returned their full attention to the fight, but Akil had already donned the bloodstained cloak and become another anonymous figure in the crowd. A few people managed to keep track of him, but he made short work of them as he danced back to the edges of the square and ducked into an alley at the first opportunity.


    He expected the sounds of fighting to fall away behind him again, but they only grew louder as he approached the Residence. Alarm bells were ringing out at Honor stations across the city. It steadily became obvious that this wasn¡¯t a one-off attack, but a full-blown invasion.


    Worst of all, the Residence had been breached.


    When he finally reached the southern gate, he found a scorched ruin. The pillar of flame from before left nothing behind but stone stained black by soot and the husks of charred bodies, most baked alive inside of their Honor armor. Nobody stood guarding the gaping hole in the wall, but he also didn¡¯t see any invaders. They must have already moved inside, so Akil ran to catch up. His first thought was going straight for the villa, but he had to assume Lovu had already fled.


    Until tonight, Akil thought the Residence was practically impenetrable. He had left enough Honors to defend Lovu against small scale threats like assassinations but diverted the rest to dealing with the threats in the city.


    Itkilmo and Wangom are competent enough. They should know they are unequipped for anything past that and move him to the Palace. The only problem is if they run into trouble before they get there¡­


    With that in mind, Akil aimed to for the midpoint between his villa and the Palace. He scanned every building as he ran, looking for threats. Each villa was either on alert, empty, or giving the illusion of being empty. No one was in the street, but it was impossible to tell how many people were watching him. He knew of the seven Lords he could confidently say were in on the conspiracy, but any number of other houses could be supporting them too, so he kept moving low and fast.


    As he neared the Palace, he began to wonder whether he would run into anyone at all. Then, just like the gate before, he saw a pillar of flame erupt at the Palace¡¯s front door. This time, he was close enough to feel the heat blast his face. The stunning sight of watching a centuries old monument to Hangkiti¡¯s invincibility burn would have been enough to lock him in place if he didn¡¯t hear a familiar voice shout from the next street over.


    ¡°L-lord Foyrilmang, w-what is the meaning of this?¡± Lovu cried, his normal confidence and joy smothered in panic.


    Akil¡¯s vision went red and his feet moved on their own. He cleared the distance between them in an instant. Two soldiers fell without much of a fight and he quickly knocked Lord Foyrilmang out with one of their heads. Battle came to him as second nature, so he barely thought about what he was doing as he neutralized the threats. He took a step forward to deal a killing blow to the unconscious Lord, until he saw Lovu staring up at him.


    His lover was covered in the blood and had tears welling up in his eyes. Looking down at his own body, Akil felt the warm coating of blood from the earlier fights. As he felt the searing pain of the wound in his side, he realized just how much of it was his own.


    How does he see me? I must look like a monster.


    The fear in Lovu¡¯s eyes hurt worse than any wound. Taking a breath to steady himself, Akil pulled the cloak tight to hide his wounds and gently extended his hand with a reassuring smile.


    ¡°Come on. We need to get you out of here.¡±

 A Friendly Scar

    Lovu


    ¡°W-where will we go?¡± Lovu asked, struggling to hold himself together as Akil pulled him to his feet. The flames engulfing the Palace cast sharp flickering shadows across them.


    ¡°I have an idea,¡± Akil said, wiping the blood from his sword on the inside of his cloak before taking Lovu by the hand. ¡°I would never suggest it under any other circumstance, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Will it get us out of the Residence?¡± Lovu asked, hope reigniting in his chest. He didn¡¯t care about anything else, so long as they managed to get out together. ¡°If we could make it to an Honor barracks in the city, they¡¯ll-¡±


    ¡°We need to go farther than that,¡± Akil said, leading Lovu away from the Palace. ¡°Nowhere in Lavote is safe. We have to get out of the city and to my family.¡±


    The Vor family controlled the territory directly south-west of the capital. Their estate was a three-day carriage ride away, but it would take even longer on foot. Lovu looked down at the faint blood trail Akil was leaving as they moved. ¡°You need rest! We can¡¯t make that trip in your state.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll rest once you¡¯re safe,¡± Akil said, pulling his cloak tighter. ¡°It can wait until we¡¯re on the Highway.¡±


    Lovu planted his heels and stopped moving. ¡°I don¡¯t want you hurting yourself for my sake and you¡¯re losing a lot of blood. Let¡¯s stop at a villa and patch you up. I¡¯ve seen people looking out from the-¡±


    ¡°Honey,¡± Akil said, pulling Lovu into a tight embrace. ¡°We can¡¯t. Lords are helping the attackers, and I don¡¯t know who we can trust. Every second we spend here risks us both getting hurt far more than we already are. We have to keep moving. Please.¡±


    For the first time Lovu could remember, Akil was begging him. He had only ever maintained a cool, collected fa?ade, even when Lovu knew it wasn¡¯t real. ¡°O-okay¡­¡± he stammered, letting Akil guide him. ¡°C-can I at least pray for you?¡±


    ¡°You should conserve your energy. We¡¯ll need to keep going for a while.¡±


    ¡°All the more reason to heal what I can. Please?¡±


    Akil stared straight ahead, not giving Lovu a single backwards glance. ¡°Keep it quiet.¡±


    A weight lifted from his heart as Lovu began to pray. Fam¡¯e was a kind goddess who offered aid to those in need. As part of his Advocate training, Lovu had learned prayers to request healing, cure diseases, and even offer protection from harm. Usually, they were used alongside rituals to increase their strength, but those required extensive preparation and materials. Several of the Wounds ringing his head were earned by performing healing rituals, so he had them memorized by heart, but had never used them in such dire circumstances.


    ¡°Fam¡¯e, Matron of my flame and devotion, hear my words and offer your hand,¡± Lovu closed his eyes as he ran, trusting Akil pull him along as he whispered under his breath. He had to speak loudly enough for Akil to hear him, but did his best to not rise any higher than that. ¡°Your servant Akil Vor bleeds in your name, having given his body for your peace. I beg you, let his wounds become mine and on your path be absolved.¡±


    As soon as he finished the prayer, his left side burned, matching Akil¡¯s wound. The full ritual would have completely transferred the wound to Lovu, where it would rapidly fade. In the past, his family had forbidden him from healing anything beyond minor cuts and bruises and they were unpleasant, but nothing he couldn¡¯t handle. He expected such a serious wound to hurt more, but that wasn¡¯t enough to prepare him for the blinding pain.


    The worst pain Lovu had ever experienced was only a fraction of what Akil was feeling, but his bodyguard was walking around as if it were nothing. Again, Lovu felt compelled to stop him from pushing himself, but bit his tongue. If Akil was willing to push through it, that meant they truly had no time to spare.


    ¡°Fam¡¯e, Matron of my flame and devotion¡­¡± Slowing their progress wouldn¡¯t help at all, so he did the only thing he could ¨C he kept praying. As soon as the pain faded enough for him to start taking on more, he did.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Akil said, stopping him after the fourth prayer, but Lovu knew he was still far from healed.


    ¡°I can keep-¡±


    ¡°No. Conserve your strength. Things are about to get tricky,¡± he said, kneeling as they approached an intersection and pulling Lovu down with him.


    They made it to the edge of the Residence, near the western wall. The southern gate was the primary entrance and there were smaller gates on the north and east walls, but there was no way in or out to the east as far as Lovu knew. He was about to ask where they were going when nearby voices silenced him.


    ¡°The Palace burning is our signal, right?¡± someone asked from around the corner. It was vaguely familiar, but Lovu couldn¡¯t put a face to it, which meant they were likely a Lord or someone in their retinue. He probably interacted with them briefly during a ritual or feast, which made his skin crawl.


    ¡°It is¡­¡± another vaguely familiar voice answered. ¡°I¡¯d hoped to find the prize pig before the rumble, but I guess we¡¯ll just have to hope we flush him out. We can still catch him in the chaos.¡±


    Prize pig?


    That phrase made Lovu think back to what Lord Foyrilmang said before: ¡°You¡¯re not exactly who I was looking for, but you¡¯re the second-best prize I could hope to find.¡±


    If I¡¯m the second-best prize, does that mean¡­ are they looking for Father? But if that was the case, surely I wouldn¡¯t be second-best. They¡¯d be looking for Fitmi second¡­ unless it¡¯s because I¡¯m the next High Advocate?


    Flames erupted just behind the wall between them and the voices ¨C the outer wall of Villa Owar. It was smaller than the explosions at the Palace and southern gate but was still enough to blow a huge chunk out of a building. Villa Owar¡¯s inhabitants called out as they either burned or rallied for battle. Trying to understand off of sound alone was terrifying, but he quietly thanked Fam¡¯e that he didn¡¯t have to see it.


    ¡°Lovu?¡± Akil whispered, his voice masked by the violence nearby. ¡°We¡¯re going to have to run. There is an entrance to the Residence sewers just up ahead, against the outer wall.¡± As he spoke, he took off the bloodied cloak and fixed it around Lovu¡¯s neck. ¡°It¡¯s a heavy metal plate covering a ladder that will take you down to one of the main tunnels. Follow it away from the Residence and it¡¯s a straight shot to the edge of the city. Before you leave the tunnel, make sure your clothes and Wounds are covered and don¡¯t talk to anyone. From there¡­ just make your way west on the Vor Highway until you reach the estate. Keep your head down, don¡¯t stop moving, and I¡¯ll find you as soon as I can.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going without you,¡± Lovu said, gripping his hands.


    ¡°Ideally, you won¡¯t have to,¡± Akil said, pressing his forehead against Lovu¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯ll open the hatch, but if any of them try to follow, I¡¯ll distract them while you escape.¡±


    ¡°You want me to leave you to die?! No, I-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the last person you need to worry about right now. I hate to say it, but if we stick together, you¡¯ll only slow me down. Alone, I¡¯ll be able to fight them off and make it to one of the other sewer entrances. I can¡¯t do that if I have to move at your pace and protect you at the same time.¡±


    Akil wore the same, reassuring smile as always, but Lovu could see the cracks forming. ¡°But¡­ you¡¯re hurt¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve gotten worse in training and you¡¯ve already healed me,¡± he said, turning the injured side away from Lovu. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Now, we need to go. The longer we wait here, the more likely-¡±


    He was interrupted by another explosion erupting from a different nearby villa. It was far enough away that Lovu had no clue who¡¯s it could have been, but close enough to prove his point. Akil snapped his head back around to look around the corner. After a second of waiting, he grabbed Lovu¡¯s hand and started to move.


    ¡°Run!¡±


    As he rounded the corner, Lovu looked to see the people attacking the Owar villa and recognized two faces: Lord Lehwa Ngefwi and his son Yuvwulop. The current Lord was an older man just beginning to reach the end of his prime while his son was just reaching his late twenties. He knew their faces but had only ever been close enough to hear them speak a handful of times. Feasts were regularly hosted around Council sessions where the Lords could gather and socialize, but those two in particular had always been seated very far from Lovu and his family. He couldn¡¯t even begin to guess why they were attacking their fellow Lords.


    The pair was so focused on the people they had bound and kneeling before them that they didn¡¯t notice their mad dash at all. At the front of their prisoners was Lakvip Owar ¨C the daughter of Lord Owar and current steward of their villa. Lovu knew her well. She was due to marry one of Akil¡¯s cousins in a couple of months and had asked Lovu to officiate the marriage even before he was declared the next High Advocate. They regularly had tea together and he had been helping her organize the event.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    As Lovu crossed the street, he saw Lord Ngefwi raise a sword high above his head, looking down at Lakvip. Lovu rounded the corner before the strike landed, but the sickening thud of metal on flesh cut through all the other noise.


    His stomach turned as Lovu focused on the sound of his feet hitting stone. Putting everything else out of his mind, they reached the sewer without issue. It was a square plate about the size of a small table. Akil wasted no time running his fingers along the edge until he found a ridge to grip. Even with how strong he was, Lovu saw him strain to lift the plate enough for Lovu to squeeze through. At the same time, the rancid stench slapped Lovu in the face. Fighting to hold back his lunch, he dropped down into the hole.


    ¡°Holy shit!¡± Yuvwulop¡¯s voice called out from the street above. ¡°Speak ill of Kumam and her ire will be delivered unto you.¡±


    Lovu made it a few feet down the ladder, just enough space for Akil to follow, when the voice came. He looked up to urge Akil to follow but was met with the metal cover slamming shut in his face, casting him into darkness. The bang of the metal echoed through the tunnel, deafening and disorienting him enough that he almost fell from the ladder.


    As soon as he regained his composure, he tried to push the lid open himself. It didn¡¯t move an inch, and he heard shouts fading into the distance, presumably as Akil led his pursuers away.


    ¡°No. No no no no no,¡± he muttered, clutching the ladder, wishing it had the warmth to hold him back.


    For the first time that night, he was still enough for the severity of the situation to fully set in. Countless friends and family were dead or dying above his head, but there was no way to know who had escaped the violence and no way to help. At any point, he could be next. Worst of all, he was utterly alone in the dark.


    His breath caught in his chest as he knew he couldn¡¯t stay. He blindly fumbled his way down the ladder entirely by feeling. Without knowing how far down it was, each rung felt like it might as well be hanging miles in the air.


    When his feet finally touched solid earth, his arms involuntarily let go, dropping him in a heap as he fought to fill his lungs. Each gulp brought with it a barrage of new and utterly repulsive tastes. Ironically, that helped center him. They were absolutely wretched, but without them, he may have stayed there, curled up in a ball until he passed out.


    Keep your head down, don¡¯t stop moving, and I¡¯ll find you as soon as I can.


    He repeated Akil¡¯s words in his head like a prayer as he fumbled for the rungs to orient himself. Tracing his hand against the wall, he moved down the tunnel, away from the Residence. Each step felt like it could send him plummeting into a void of darkness, but he never stopped.


    Without any frame of reference, time lost all meaning. Seconds dragged into minutes into hours. The tunnel occasionally dipped or meandered side to side, but it always moved downhill. Akil said that the tunnel would open up near the edge of the city, but Lovu had no clue how that was possible. The Residence was built atop the highest point along the ridge of the crater that Lavote was built around, but he climbed down dozens of feet on the ladder and only continued to descend. Surely he was already deep below even the lowest points of the city.


    The possibility of never seeing the sun again started to set in.


    ¡°Fam¡¯e, Matron of my flame and devotion, hear my words and offer your hand,¡± he prayed, looking for any scrap of hope left to him. ¡°Your servant Lovu Yelma has been cast into darkness and lost your path. He is but a child in your wisdom and seeks the peace of your embrace. Offer your guidance and help him find grace.¡±


    In his panic, he fell back on Hikim¡¯s Plea. Unlike the prayers used alongside rituals, it only really offered comfort. It was said that if your faith was strong and your need dire enough, she would answer by sending you a sign. It was one of the first prayers Advocates learned and Lovu had recited it thousands of times, but only to remind himself of her presence. This was his first time he truly needed her help.


    He repeated the prayer over and over again, barely whispering for fear of anyone but her hearing. While he did, he focused on the image of embracing Akil again, safely in his family home. In time, the darkness lost its chill. He began to see and feel Fam¡¯e in the unknown, instead of the anxiety of imagined threats.


    Finally, he saw the gentle crown of light ahead. It was faint, just a flicker of moonlight refracting off of the¡­ fluid flowing past him, but it was undeniable. The tunnel made a harsh right turn directly ahead of him where he could hear the sloppy drip of sewage falling.


    With the end in sight, his steps quickened until he was sprinting toward fresh air. Less than ten feet past the corner, there was a grate of iron bars spread just far enough apart for him to squeeze through. Throwing his body against them, he shoved his head through to swallow as much clean air as possible.


    There was a small lip just inches wide on the other side of the bars. Once the widest part of his body was through the bars, the force he used to get through was enough to send him staggering forward. With nowhere to put his feet, he tumbled head first over the edge, landing with a splat.


    He managed to close his mouth just in time to hit the pool of filth beneath him but was still covered head to toe in the sludge. Wiping it from his eyes as he held back gags, he looked for the nearest escape from the sensory onslaught. He was in a wide trench that started at the tunnel¡¯s outlet and continued flowing into the distance. Stone ledges lined the sides of the river creating narrow walkways.


    Staggering to the edge of the pit, he pulled himself out where the sickening urge he had felt since this all started finally pushed too far to repress. Emptying his stomach onto the ground, he panted and gagged until there was nothing left to come up. Once he was done, he fell to the side, looking up at the starry sky above him. He could faintly hear people moving and shouting nearby above the walls of the trench, but it sounded more like the bustle of the Merchants¡¯ Quarter than battle.


    Did¡­ did I escape?


    ¡°If you¡¯re gonna make a mess, at least do it in the fertilizer,¡± a voice said from nearby. He snapped his head towards it to find a ragged woman standing on the ledge not even ten feet from him, tucked into the shadows of the wall behind her. ¡°People walk up here.¡±


    ¡°O-oh, pardon me,¡± he said through a hoarse voice, quickly pulling himself to his feet. Looking down at the pile of vomit at his feet, he carefully used his foot to push it into the river of sewage, touching it as little as possible. Once as much of it was scraped away as possible, he looked back to the woman. ¡°Is that better?¡±


    Instead of answering, she just leveled a cold gaze at him. A faded green scarf covered the lower half of her face, emphasizing every careful flick of her eyes. They scanned him up and down as he felt them probing for something. The parts of her face he could see didn¡¯t look much older than him, but he could see the ragged edges of scars poking out from beneath the cloth.


    Even though he had never seen one before, Lovu immediately knew she was a Scar ¨C violent criminals who fought without Yol¡¯s blessing. People who never went through Honor training to learn restraint but wielded weapons anyway.


    Keep your head down, don¡¯t stop moving, and I¡¯ll find you as soon as I can.


    Suddenly, the feeling that he had made a grave mistake washed over Lovu. He straightened up and put on as polite a smile as possible.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for causing a mess,¡± he said, bowing slightly. ¡°I will be careful not to make that mistake again. You have a wonderful night.¡±


    He turned on his heels, pulling up the hood of the cloak as he did, only to feel the cold slap of the sewage run down his face. Despite thinking his stomach had nothing left, he dropped to his knees again and let out one more retch. Once he was finished, he scraped as much of the sludge from his face as possible and rose to his feet, sheepishly looking over his shoulder to see the woman still coldly glaring at him.


    ¡°Ah¡­ my bad,¡± he said, going through the motions of scraping his new mess away. The entire time, her eyes never left his back. Cold sweat ran down his back, but the longer she stared, the more his fear faded. He had heard countless horror stories about Scars and their propensity for violence. From the stories Akil and his other Honors told him, they picked fights for no reason other than fun and felt no grief over cutting down innocents.


    The woman before him had not only not attacked him on sight, she even scolded him for making a mess. She cared enough about the other people who travelled the area ¨C no matter how few would willingly visit a sewage river ¨C enough to keep it clean.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t happen to be a Scar, would you?¡± he asked cautiously, immediately regretting it as she bristled.


    ¡°Maybe I am. What does it matter?¡± she growled, stepping out of the shadow.


    Lovu instinctively took a step back, his mouth going dry. Despite the abject terror in his heart ¨C or perhaps because of it ¨C he said a quick prayer to Fam¡¯e in his mind. As he did, he recalled his conversation with Akil from earlier that day.


    ¡°In Fam¡¯e¡¯s gaze does the brightest seed of every heart come to fruit and on her path, every adherent carries her in their soul. If her servant does open their heart to her faltered children, they will flower and be drawn to the path anew.¡± If someone did wish me harm, it¡¯s my duty as an Advocate to welcome them with a kind heart and guide them back onto her path, not hide away.


    He had said it with so much confidence back then. After everything he had seen since, doubt crept into the corners of his heart, but he forced it away. Fam¡¯e had never steered him wrong before and he refused to question her teachings when he needed her most.


    ¡°My apologies if I caused offense, I have simply never met a Scar before,¡± he said, smiling as kindly as possible. ¡°I am quite lost and could use some directions. Do you know how to reach the Vor Highway?¡±


    ¡°The Highway?¡± she asked, her eyes squinting in confusion again.


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am, I plan on meeting a friend there. Do you know the way?¡±


    She scowled, still searching for something in him. After a moment, she let out a heavy sigh. ¡°Fuck it,¡± she said, walking past him. ¡°Follow me.¡±


    Lovu felt the crushing weight on his chest finally lift as his forced smile became the genuine article.


    ¡°Thank you so much! You have no clue how much this means to me,¡± he said, dashing to catch up with her. ¡°My name is Lovu, what¡¯s yours?¡±


    ¡°No names,¡± she spat, without looking back.


    It certainly put a damper on his suddenly lightened mood, but he still felt immensely better than moments before. He continued to beam as she led him over to a staircase carved into the wall. Looking up, he could see the flickering light of flames and hear the quiet bustle of the living city beyond.


    He had only ever been outside of the Residence during the day. He had begged his family to let him see more of the city, but nearly every plea had been turned down. It was impossible for him to be happy at that moment, but in the midst of everything else, he kindled the excitement brewing in his heart, clinging to any warmth he could.


    ¡°Keep your hood up,¡± the woman said, stopping at the base of the stairs. ¡°Don¡¯t want anyone else recognizing who you are.¡±


    ¡°It is quite filthy. Are you sure?¡± he asked, remembering the slimy feeling from before.


    ¡°All the better,¡± she said, yanking it over his head. A shiver ran down his spine as the cold, damp fabric slapped his forehead. ¡°And don¡¯t say shit either. People¡¯ll immediately know you don¡¯t belong.¡±


    Lovu opened his mouth to answer, before deciding it was better to silently nod.


    ¡°Good. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Following her lead, Lovu stepped up into the slums of Lavote for the first time.