Mistakes

Miryil and Esus rode for Isemalrocath, Esus was despondent and Miryil was impatient with him and with the journey. She pushed him and the horses until he snapped at her and began to behave more like himself. Taking care of the horses assiduously and being grouchy and curt. She was very proud of herself for snapping him out of his despair.

It wasn’t until he was keeping watch and she was trying to sleep that she realized how wrong she was. She heard a soft bit of song, something about birds in flight and heard him break into sobs. Miryil froze, this was not something she knew how to deal with. As his sobs stilled she heard him begin to pray to Anyk and her daughter Ayil, that he would not lose his Charyic, that the words she had sung to him when she first saw him would be true.

Miryil hadn’t been able to sleep after that, and when Esus came to wake her for her watch she got up without a word to let him try to rest. At dawn they moved on, reaching Isemalrocath before just before dusk. Looking at the two haggard and exhausted looking travelers, the steward suggested they speak to the Holy Father in the morning.

Esus scowled at the man, “If it could wait, I would have stayed to find Charyic.”

Miryil sighed. “Agreed. We need to speak with him urgently.” She looked at Esus, “And then you can fly back to find her.”

His crooked smile didn't touch his eyes. “I intend to.”

The steward inclined his head. After speaking with the Holy Father he ushered the two Light Bringers into his private dining rooms.

Miryil was surprised and honored that the Holy Father invited them to dine with him. Esus, however, wanted to be done with the audience, eating and polite conversation beforehand were very obviously not something he had an interest in.

The Holy Father smiled indulgently as Miryil hissed at Esus to find his manners.

“His heart is heavy. The one he loves has been parted from him. After your messages have been delivered she will be found.”

“Thank you, Holy Father. Please, let us deliver our messages now. I need to find her. I have a-a feeling.” At Esus’ anguished look the Holy Father raised his hand and the mostly untouched dishes were cleared.

The songs Charyic had sung of hollowed and swallowed Light were relayed. Light, hollowed by fear and swallowed by darkness. The Holy Father closed his eyes as he listened. There were two versions. The first was concerning, the second made the Holy Father bow his head.

“Malies.” He spoke softly. “I need to know more.” He looked at Esus. “Tell me what else, there was something I can feel it.”

Esus took a breath and sang, “Birds in flight on the winds of war, joy on the wing, love forever more.”

The Holy Father smiled and sighed with relief. “You were brightly blessed with your gifts, and chosen to be the one to watch over Anyk’s blessed and keep her. You will be helped in every possible way.” He stood and came to take hold of the shorter man’s shoulders. “You should not have been parted from her. We must beg your forgiveness.”

Miryil watched as Esus nodded almost tearfully. She shook her head. “Holy Father, I have my doubts.” She almost flinched as his sharp gaze turned to her. “She’s a devotee of the King of Fools. I don’t know why the goddess Anyk would have chosen her but-”

The Holy Father’s wry look stopped her. “All of Anyk’s most blessed come from her husband’s fold. The falconet could not alter the songs falling from her lips if she wished to, they come from the goddess herself.”

“She sang blasphemy, Father!” Miryil was aghast.

“Tell me.” The Holy Father looked almost amused.

“It was a song of the gods’ falling out with the King of Fools but it made it seem as though he’d gotten the last laugh.” Esus spoke quietly.

The Holy Father smiled ruefully. “She does love her husband, despite it all.”

Miryil looked baffled. “But she-she…”

“Anyk loves them both. Isemal and Wyil. Isemal cannot bear the thought of her with Wyil as he can’t bear the thought of unending life without her. So he strives to accept it, and embraces Wyil’s child as his own. As long as she is with him and not her husband he can bear that he shares her heart with another.”

Esus shuddered. “Holy Father, something- my Charyic.”

The Holy Father touched his face and tilted his head back, looking into his mirrored eyes. “Anyk’s warning for us has been silenced. Malies has her.” He peered deeper, his face nearly pressed to Esus’, “In the light of dawn, there may be a way shown to pull her from him, but we must wait.” He stepped back and looked at the shaken man. “I am sorry. Truly.”

Miryil left Esus with the Holy Father and went to her assigned chamber to think. She had thought Isemal was Anyk’s husband, and the King of Fools the thief of her affections. Wasn’t that why they hunted his shrines and destroyed them? Why he was not permitted in the temples? He had taunted the gods too often and too greatly the stories she had heard said. No one loved him. But the Holy Father said Anyk did, and that Ayil was his daughter … Perhaps the blasphemous stories of her helping the King of Fools were not as wrong as she had thought.