Tethered

Esus pulled Charyic’s hand back as Miryil glared. With a soft click of cheek and teeth, he told her to stop. She buried her face in his arm as if trying to stifle her laughter, her eyes sparkled as she sighed and smiled up at him after a moment.

“My beauty.” He murmured.

“Esus, I am glad you’ve returned.” The pleased voice spoke, making him look up. The priestess of Isemal, who had sent him away despite his protests, had approached from behind the altar. She turned her smile on Charyic. “And I am surprised and pleased to see the difference in your demeanor this time. You have given to all of them but not yet to Isemal. As lavish as your offerings have been I have to admit I am curious to see what you will offer him.”

Charyic’s lips twisted wryly as she released Esus’ arm, the look she gave him conveyed her reluctance. He watched as she approached the altar and sighed shaking her head and then with a small awkward hop perched on the edge of it next to the feather he had laid.

Miryil sputtered and the priestess looked appalled. But Esus realized what she meant. “She is the offering.”

She nodded to him, sucking air over her lip and between her teeth.

“She is an offering from Anyk.” The priestess frowned.

He watched as Charyic frowned and clucked in Iskesh trying to dispute that.

“She disagrees with you.” Esus studied her face. “If you weren’t the offering, my beauty…”

The priestess cut him off sharply. “Whether she disputes it or not does not change-”

Charyic burst angrily into a song he had heard before of rivers of blood and an army of the damned, the priestess looked as though she had stopped breathing. Surprisingly, Charyic seemed to have no ill effects.

“The songs are the gifts from Anyk.” Esus spoke quietly.

Charyic extended her hand to him and nodded emphatically. She then gestured to herself and then emphatically toward Malies altar where his priest stood smiling.

Esus blinked. “She was laid on Malies’ altar by Malav. The offering she made him was thirteen kisses. And an assurance she would not bend her knee to Isemal.”

Charyic smiled at him and nodded. Esus watched as she looked to Malies’ priest and smiled with some chagrin and then gestured back to Esus. Both priests advanced on him.

“She spoke of Malies?” The priest inquired with amusement. “To a Light Bringer?”

The priestess frowned and spoke sharply, “I would hear what she said.”

Esus cast a sharp look at Charyic as if she had done this deliberately, but to her credit, she appeared apologetic. “She said she liked him, she liked his laugh. She said she somehow felt that the Maiden of Mischief would be proud of her when the shrine echoed with it.”

“Ayil.” The priestess shook her head. “She’s given her knives not sweets, why would she smile on someone who…” She stopped and looked at the smugly smiling priest of Malies.

“What became of the staff?” He inquired with his smug smile, already knowing the answer. “An offering for the King of Fools?”

“Yes.” Esus answered looking at Charyic again. “After she returned from giving it to him she had a great deal of money to spend on the offerings.”

She grinned impishly at him and made a gesture along the edge of her cloak.

“You stole that money?” Esus ran a hand over his face as she began to laugh.

“She is a thief.” The priest’s smile hadn’t wavered and he moved toward Charyic. “Malies is still willing to offer you safety and his blessing, you do not have to sing.”

Charyic looked as though she wanted to accept the offer, but she shook her head and sighed. She made a writing gesture.

The priestess snapped at Miryil who had been watching silently, “Fetch what she needs.”

When she was given the paper and charcoal pencil she wrote something and then pointed to Esus. Esus smiled wryly and went to her, taking the paper. “Ribbons and bells, ribbons and bells. Mischief is kind to songbirds. Gifts for them all. Stole the sky. Wives and lovers.” He looked at her baffled, and then to the priests.

The priestess looked pleasantly surprised, the priest of Malies looked mildly disappointed.

“If Malav obeyed as well as you do, you would not believe your union to have been dissolved.” He spoke before giving a slight tilt of his head and walking away.

Charyic watched him walk away with an expression of trepidation.

“You don’t belong to Anyk. That’s why giving yourself over to Isemal is an extravagant offering.” The priestess smiled faintly.

Charyic nodded and sighed.

“You won’t try to escape on your journey to Isemalrocath?” Miryil inquired pointedly.

Charyic looked at her and her lips twisted wryly as she reached out and touched Esus’ shoulder. Esus took her hand. “We stay together, my beauty.”

As she began to sing again he stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her, letting her sing into his hair.

I have no fear for the harsh winds’ sheer,

For no wind can blow forever.

When you take flight my heart is light,

For my heart to you is tethered.

Birds in flight on the winds of war,

Joy on the wing, love forever more.